The Middle School

A year of deep thinking

At Pennfield, thinking deeply is part of everyday life—but in 7th grade, students take their critical thinking to the next level. As they prepare for the challenges of secondary school, classroom discussions become more thoughtful and meaningful. Students learn to express ideas clearly and respectfully while also becoming attentive listeners. They bring energy and confidence to morning assemblies by each delivering a short oral presentation to a supportive audience of peers and teachers—strengthening their public speaking skills in a safe, encouraging setting.

Throughout the year, world cultures and religions are woven into every corner of the curriculum—through reading, literature, poetry, music, art, current events, writing, and film. Students dive into meaningful research and write their first formal research paper. It’s a year rich in learning, empathy, and appreciation for the diversity that shapes our world.

English in 7th grade exposes students to nonfiction and dystopian, fantasy, and realistic fiction genres of reading and writing. Students contemplate more deeply the structure of socioeconomics in classic literature such as S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, Saroo Brierley’s Lion: A Long Way Home, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, and Lois Lowry’s The Giver. Writing assignments include students’ own fiction stories, personal narratives, and journaling.

In 7th grade students transition to pre-algebra, with emphasis on algebra competencies. Students model and solve more complex real-world problems using equations and graphs and are introduced to the concept of function. They build on their number sense to understand properties of numbers and continue to apply geometry and measurement skills.

World Cultures is the 7th grade history course and focuses on developing a meaningful understanding of the world around us. Using the elements of culture and themes of geography as tools, students examine several regions of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and/or Latin America. Students also engage in a survey study of world religions. Novels, short stories, and films provide greater insight into the life of these regions. A concurrent study of local, national, and global current events is included in the curriculum.

7th grade is all about building confidence, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of the world. It’s a year full of rich learning, open-minded conversations, and discovering the power of sharing ideas in a nurturing, supportive environment.

Focus on leadership

8th grade at Pennfield is a true launching pad. It’s a year where students step into leadership roles, take on meaningful projects, and prepare with confidence for the exciting challenges of secondary school. In their final year of Middle School, they embrace new responsibilities—both in the classroom and in the wider community—while deepening their critical thinking and discovering just how far their passion and persistence can take them.

Before the school year even begins, each student completes an independent community service project over the summer. These self-designed initiatives reflect their interests and commitment to making a difference. Throughout the year, students proudly present their projects at Morning Assembly, inspiring the school community with their creativity, care, and dedication.

Every Wednesday morning, the entire Middle School gathers for Town Meeting, led by the eighth grade’s elected Student Council Co-Presidents. Together, they share announcements, discuss school-wide topics, and help shape the week ahead. 8th graders also take the lead in designing, writing, and publishing the school’s annual yearbook—a creative and heartfelt reflection of their time at Pennfield.

In English, students strengthen their reading comprehension and sharpen their writing skills.  The classroom buzzes with thoughtful interpretation, collaboration, and a love for literature. English focuses on strengthening students’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The goal is to prepare students for high school-level work by developing critical thinking and communication abilities. Students analyze a variety of diverse literary texts (novels, short stories, poems) and informational texts (articles, essays) with a focus on worldly themes and topics. There is a balance of classical works and authors such as Hemingway and Poe, as well as more modern takes on literature such as Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street. They identify themes, main ideas, and supporting details, understand figurative language, tone, and author’s purpose, and compare and contrast different texts and genres. Students study a Shakespearean play giving them the opportunity to learn iambic pentameter. Writing focuses on narrative, argumentative, and informative pieces, learning to develop a strong thesis and support it with evidence, and conducting research with properly cited sources. Additionally, they tap into their creative side with self-expression and voice through journaling and free writing.

In 8th grade math, students complete a full year of Algebra I, learning mathematics as a symbolic language to represent ideas. Students use multiple representations (graphs, charts, and words) to make predictions and demonstrate their understanding of real-world relationships. They also master their understanding of exponents, powers, and roots and how to apply algebraic reasoning to geometry, statistics, and probability problems.

In history, students examine American history from early colonization through the Civil War. The major units of study include: Religious and Economic Motives of Colonization, the American Revolution, the United States Constitution, United States Expansion, and the Civil War. In addition to course content, particular focus will be given to writing, researching, and critical thinking skills. Students explore the complex religious, political, and economic forces that shaped our country’s founding, bringing history to life through hands-on projects and thoughtful discussions that foster a deeper understanding of how our nation came to be.

By the end of 8th grade, Pennfield students are more than ready for their next chapter. They’ve grown into confident, capable, and curious learners—and they leave Pennfield prepared to thrive in high school and beyond.