MAIDENHILL SCHOOL YEAR 7 CURRICULUM 2018-19
YEAR 7 CURRICULUM The National Curriculum is organised into 5 key stages. Key Stage 1 2 3 4 5 Ages 5-7 7-11 11-14 14-16 16-18 Students in Year 7 are in the first year of Key Stage 3 and study a wide range of subjects. These are English, mathematics, science, art and design, design and technology, French, geography, history, computing, music and physical education. Students are also taught drama and religious studies and in addition they have a regular learning for life lesson which includes elements of citizenship, personal, social and health education. Details about what is taught in each subject during Year 7 are given on the following pages. Reviewing, Recording and Reporting Student Progress During the year, your son/daughter s progress will be reviewed regularly and you will receive a review five times a year showing current progress towards their expected GCSE grade, as well as an attitude to learning profile and an independent study profile. You will also receive a full report on 3 rd Mary 2019. You will have the opportunity to discuss the progress of your child with your son/daughter s tutor on Thursday 8 th November 2018 and at the Parents Evening on Thursday 9 th May 2019, with each of your son/daughter s subject teachers.
ART AND DESIGN In Art & Design, students will use a wide range of media, working in both 2 and 3 dimensions. They will be encouraged to develop visual literacy through investigating, making and responding to observation, and imagination. They will be asked to discuss and relate their work to that of artists, crafts persons and designers of the past, present and other cultures. Sketchbooks are a valuable resource for planning work, recording ideas, practising techniques and reviewing progress. Great emphasis is placed on the presentation of ideas and the quality of sketch book work. Drawing as a communication skill and an investigative and expressive tool is central to all work; there will be formal drawing tests to assess progress. The schemes of learning include opportunities to: Draw from observation of primary and secondary sources including animals, natural and man-made objects to develop design and three-dimensional outcomes in card and clay. Work collaboratively with others to create artwork. Understand cultural and historic contexts of visual art and cross-curricular links with other subjects. Describe and record concepts such as scale and perspective and learn how artists use them in drawing and painting. Use imagination and descriptive skills to illustrate stories and situations in a range of two and three-dimensional media. Learn and analyse how to mix and use colour, to record and express ideas in watercolour, poster paint and drawing media. DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY In Year 7 students develop their design and technology capability. To do this they undertake various activities including focused practical tasks to develop skills, techniques and knowledge, investigations of familiar products and study aspects of the design process. All of these will be combined into complete design and make assignments. Students will rotate around 3 key design and technology areas during the year with schemes of learning being adapted after each rotation to allow for progression. The 3 main material areas are food, resistant materials and textiles. In food, students will develop their skills, techniques and knowledge of foods by designing and making snack food products, learning basic food preparation skills and the eat well guide. In resistant materials students will work in a variety of materials to design and make a key rack. In Textiles student will learn basic textiles skills to form the outcome of a felted product. Students will spend the first couple of weeks carrying out a transition task to assess their design capability. Whilst studying, food ingredients will need to be organised for practical lessons on a regular basis.
ENGLISH In English lessons, students will be encouraged to develop to the full, their ability to use language confidently, competently and creatively. Throughout the year, students are given a variety of assignments which encourage and extend their ability to: write for many different purposes. become independent, responsive readers. develop their communication skills through speaking and listening. use ICT appropriately for research and presentation purposes. Writing skills such as punctuation, paragraphing and spelling, are revised, reinforced and extended. The Schemes of learning include: Poetry: Writing analytically about the language and structure of a poem. Narrative Tension: Analysis of a pre-nineteenth century short story, students explore how tension is built through language and structure The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Through the study of the book, students learn about and explore two different boys experiences based around the Holocaust Introduction to Shakespeare: Through active approaches, students explore the conventions of comedy in extracts from Midsummer Night s Dream Throughout the year students also follow the Accelerated Reader Programme. They are required to complete a reading assessment which gives an accurate reading age. Students then progress through the scheme by reading books and taking individual quizzes that are matched to each student s reading level.
The Humanities department consists of Geography and History. HUMANITIES GEOGRAPHY Geography is concerned with the study of places, the human and physical processes, which shape these places, and the people who live in them. In addition to key geographical themes, students will also develop a number of skills which will enable the research, presentation and analysis of geographical information. The Year 7 curriculum is focussed on map skills and the study of places including Africa, Russia and the Middle East. Students will be taught 6 units of work, each allocated 6/7 weeks of lesson time. Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 Term 5 Term 6 Impossible places Map Skills Tectonic hazards Tectonic hazards Weather and climate Tourism HISTORY The study of history will enable students to develop skills in the key processes of historical enquiry; using evidence and communicating about the past. Throughout the course, students will explore the concepts of chronological understanding; cultural, ethnic and religious diversity; change and continuity; cause and consequence; significance and interpretation. Term 1 and 2 Term 2 and 3 Term 4 and 5 Term 6 Norman consolidation of power The Development of Church, State and Society How did the Normans control England in Medieval Britain 1066-1509 after 1066? Life in medieval towns How did castles develop and change in What did medieval people believe? medieval England? The murder of Thomas Becket Using evidence in history The Roman Empire. What was the Roman Empire? Why was the Roman army successful? The Norman Conquest Who should be king in 1066? Why did the Normans win the Battle of Hastings? What was the impact of the Black Death on medieval England? Why did the peasants revolt? Why was Magna Carta so important?
RELIGIOUS STUDIES In RS students begin to develop their knowledge and awareness of various belief systems, including their own. Students explore what it means to be human and spirituality with an understanding of current affairs as well as different forms of discrimination and prejudice. Our aim is to provide students with the skills necessary to evaluate and analyse their role in the world and to help them develop into well informed, tolerant young people. Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 Term 5 Term 6 The Island Religion & Faith Study Islam Symbolism through Art Q: What do we do of World Faiths. Religion & Belief Expressions of spirituality when life gets Beliefs: Big Questions A study of Islam Q: How can people express hard? Q: What and why do the spiritual through the people believe? arts? Christianity: The Big Frieze Beliefs: Big Questions Q: Death is it the end? Q: How far does it make a difference if we believe in life after death? The Christmas Project: The Nativity Symbolism through Art Expressions of spirituality Q: How can people express the spiritual through the arts? The Purpose of Life Q: Should happiness be the purpose of life?
COMPUTING Skills, knowledge and understanding from primary school will be developed through understanding of the Internet; online working; presentational skills; understanding of audience and fitness for purpose; how businesses present their products and services through publishing; use of spreadsheets to store, coding using Kodu and Scratch. Computational thinking will also be developed. Term 1 and 2 Term 3 and 4 Term 5 and 6 4. Computer Hardware and Software: Students will investigate how a computer works and the components need to make it run. 5. Computational Thinking Skills: Students will learn how to solve basic problems using flowcharts as well as learn how to count in binary and hexadecimal. 1. Introduction to the Maidenhill computer network and systems; online support materials. 2. Online assessment: locating, loading, saving files; folders; server locations; use of the Internet and home access; submit work for marking. 3. Basic IT skills: Ensuring students know how to use software applications effectively as well as being able to work in the cloud, examples of software include Sway, OneDrive, Excel and Word. 6. Kodu skills and project: Students will practice their skills in Kodu before using them to create their own unique games. Mentoring and self/teacher assessment will take place at least once per project. An online assessment system will be used to enable self-assessment of skill development.
MATHEMATICS In KS3, all students follow a scheme of work linked to the National Curriculum. The scheme of learning is differentiated by stages so that the Mathematics Curriculum can be tailored to the individual needs of classes and students. We encourage the approach advocated by the new curriculum that students who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Students will cover the following topics each year within the KS3 curriculum: Number: Number & Place Value Number: Calculations Algebra Fractions, Decimals & Percentages Statistics Geometry: Measurement, Mensuration and Calculation Geometry: Properties of Shapes & Construction Geometry: Position and Direction Probability Ratio & Proportion Independent study will consist of either a written or online task which should take approximately 30 minutes, these will be given once a week, with the tasks intended to reinforce or extend the work of a lesson. We offer independent study support at lunchtimes which all students are welcome to attend. Students learning is assessed after each unit of work, there is also a mid-year and end of year test. Students understanding of the mastery indicators and essential skills are tracked throughout the year in relation to the stage that they are studying.
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES FRENCH In modern languages, students are introduced to the French language and begin to develop competence in the attainment targets of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will begin to develop an awareness of the language and its structure and an appreciation of the culture of France. Term 1 and 2 Term 3 and 4 Term 5 and 6 School Where you live Describing your home and local area Pets Leisure activities Present tense Introducing and describing myself My favourite object Regions of France My personality Family and friends Christmas Clothes and styles Weather Free-time activities and how often you do them Arranging to go out Telling the time
PERFORMING ARTS The Performing Arts department consists of the drama and music subject areas. At times, through combined and integrated projects, students will work across the subject areas in order to develop their understanding of the similarities and differences between these subjects. DRAMA Students are encouraged to explore the use of movement, language and space. During the year, students begin to take increased responsibility for planning their own work, and for developing character and plot. Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 Term 5 Term 6 Storytelling Circus Devising drama Writing Scripts This project looks at how This project aims to This project is about Students work in pairs to tell a story in a variety of develop students using a variety of or small groups to different ways. At the end understanding of stimuli to create devise and write plays of the project, students mime and the circus devised drama: with up to four scenes. perform an improvised tradition. At the end of objects, poems, They include sound drama to the rest of the the project, in groups stories, pictures, and lighting. At the class based on a story of three or four, they memories. Students end of the project, introduced in the project, perform a class circus will share work students perform their using a narrator and sound in mime. They have to throughout the unit. scripts, having learnt effects. Students will use create the circus An introduction to the words if they are techniques learnt in Term 1 themselves and work lighting and sound is performing. and others, such as cross co-operatively as a included in this unit. cutting. whole class. Each student plays a different character in Bullying This project looks at the issue of bullying from all perspectives. At the end of the project, groups of students perform an improvisation about a student who is bullied at school. Students will be introduced to basic drama techniques such as freeze frames, thought tracking and hot seating. the circus. All units follow the WJEC Eduqas GCSE Drama structure of: DEVISING, PERFORMING FROM A TEXT and INTERPRETING THEATRE: DEVISING a piece of drama for performance PERFORMING FROM A TEXT INTERPRETING THEATRE using scripts This then gives a more representative view of the students ability to take GCSE Drama. Text work This project looks at creating performance from texts such as poems and prose, how characters are portrayed and how different interpretations are possible. Students will also study theatre terms and concepts and learn simple staging techniques.
MUSIC Throughout Year 7, students are encouraged to develop their skills in performing, composing, appraising and listening. All lessons involve practical activities where students use a variety of instruments and resources. Students will create and perform music individually, in pairs, in small groups and as a whole class. Term 1 and 2 Term 3 and 4 Term 5 and 6 Students will focus on rhythmic ostinatos and create a piece of music in the style of Stomp. They will then go onto learning to play a piece of popular music as a band using ukuleles. Students will gain an understanding of the different elements of music through composition. They will also learn how to combine the different elements to create a piece of music to tell a story and create a mood. Particular emphasis will also be made on developing simple keyboard skills, singing and playing classroom instruments. Students will explore music for films, looking in detail how the elements of music are used to create tension in the plot of a cartoon or film. Music technology will be used to input a cartoon clip and students will compose a new soundtrack.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION During Year 7, students are introduced to a range of new activities as well as building on skills learned in primary school. This involves working individually on skills, both competitively and co-operatively with others. Students will be asked to lead warm-ups and take responsibility for small group practices. Emphasis is given to increasing students' knowledge of how the body works, fitness, hygiene and the rules and regulations of various sporting activities. We hope that work in lessons will lead on to a desire to take part in extra-curricular clubs and matches against other schools. Term 1 and 2 Term 3 and 4 Term 5 and 6 In games lessons, boys will do rugby and football and girls will do netball and football. In their PE Athletics lessons students will do blocks of the following: Striking and Fielding Games Gymnastics Health Related Fitness/ Cross country Basketball Table Tennis Teambuilding Hockey
LEARNING FOR LIFE Learning for Life is a subject which complements the conventional academic curriculum, but has a very different purpose. It is not about the learning of set content towards an exam but an attempt to encourage young people to reflect on growing up and taking part in society at every level in families, peer groups, as part of a school community and as citizens of the UK, Europe and the World. The subject is unusual in that there is very little written work our main aim is to develop discussion, argumentative and listening skills. Learning material always relates to real world issues and the aim is to encourage young people to think about issues relating to themselves and their society, to hear other views that may be different to their own, and to become comfortable with challenging other views, and having their own views challenged, in a fair and balanced way. The subject also makes strong contributions to ICT skills and much of the research and learning is undertaken using real world information sourced from current affairs information on the internet. There is no independent study in the subject although we believe it is essential that students discuss the issues raised at home, and take a keen interest in issues in the wider world, for example by watching TV news programmes or reading newspapers and current affairs websites. The following grid shows the separate areas of the subject, delivered over the three years of KS3. The fixed units listed below fill about 60% of curriculum time; the remainder is made up of a balance of circle discussion about students own current experiences of schooling and life, and occasional issues current in the news, undertaken as specific project tasks of several weeks as issues arise in the real world. Emotional Wellbeing (including relationships) Happiness and harmony Healthy spirit, healthy body Puberty Economic Wellbeing Citizenship Learning to Learn Skills, aspirations & practicalities My community and me Reading & writing skills Pocket money Why have rules? Preferred learning styles Decision making
SCIENCE In science, students build on the scientific skills gained at primary school, whilst following a course which is based on the Active8 Scheme. The course will be taught on a rotational basis and will include a balance of biological, physical and chemical topics. Research, thinking skills, literacy and numeracy are developed in both lessons and in independent study assignments. There is considerable emphasis on designing and performing scientific investigations. The following topics will be rotated throughout the year: Biology: Cells Structure and function of body systems Reproduction Chemistry: Particles and their behaviour Elements, atoms, compounds Reactions Acids and Alkalis Physics: Forces Sound Light Space