Middle School Curriculum
6th Grade students get an introduction to geometry
The Middle School carries on The Atlanta School's traditions and values by providing a bridge between our students' elementary and high school experiences. We focus on teaching students the academic tools to learn by determining each particular student's strengths and challenges, which are then addressed in a positive and personalized environment. The Middle School embraces the multi-aged vitality of The Atlanta School and aspires to be the pinnacle of each student's Atlanta School experience.
Depending on the course, classes are sometimes grade specific and sometimes taught to the group as a whole. Students learn more traditional academic skills by attending lectures, taking notes, and outlining from textbooks. The curriculum is designed to challenge the students, prepare them for success in high school, and provide them with a sound foundation for independent thought.
In literature, students read beyond plot for deeper meaning through lectures, class discussion and written responses in the form of essays and creative writing projects. Each year students write an in-depth research paper based on a thesis statement, which they then present to other students, faculty, and parents. We also focus on grammar and vocabulary skills. Students study world civilizations, Georgia history, civics, and current events using text books, independent research, lectures, class discussions, group and individual projects, and debates. Art and music history are included in these studies. Some of the literature assignments address the period or area of study.
Experiential learning outside of the classroom is an integral part of the Middle School curriculum and takes the form of field studies, community service, camping trips, and year end "big trips," ranging from a tour of Georgia during the year we study Georgia History to an eco-tour of Panama following a year of forest studies in Science. Each year students attend a Shakespearean play, an Atlanta Symphony concert, and various other theatrical performances. We avail ourselves of local museums and galleries as enrichment opportunities for academic studies.