Science

Studies in the sciences offer content from the physical, life, and earth sciences as well as first hand experiences using the scientific method. Students engage in science by being scientists. Inquiry and experimentation is central to the curriculum. Students will learn to contextualize their inquiries in real world problems, and collaborate with community partners. Additionally, the course will help students build skills needed to communicate effectively in science, use science for critical decision-making, and carefully examine attitudes and issues related to the sciences. Students explore scientific concepts through laboratory experiences, projects, experimentation, and outdoor activities.

Studies in the sciences are presented in a two-year cycle format.

The six science process skills for use with middle school students which are central to our teaching of science:

Math

The math curriculum at CDS MS is an integrated program that offers Pre-Algebra, Algebra and Geometry. Students are placed in classes according to their ability. In addition to traditional math content in these subjects, students use higher-order thinking skills to solve problems in relation to a variety of challenges, from practical money transactions to logic problems from the American Math Contest. Students learn through teacher lead small group instruction as well as being teachers to one another. The majority of in-class work is collaborative in nature.

ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system that is used to support in class learning. It is used as an assessment tool in the class, allows students to work in particular areas of the curriculum with unlimited problems, and allows them immediate feedback on their progress. It uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn’t know in a particular content area. The CDS Middle School math teachers also use “Montessori Algebra for Adolescents” (curriculum for teaching designed by a Montessori math expert), and Art of Problem Solving textbooks. This diverse set of instructional material allows the teachers to present math in interesting and challenging ways for students who are learning quickly as well as help students who may be struggling truly understand math concepts without just memorizing formulas.

History/Humanities

In Cycle One of the Humanities program, students study United States history. Throughout this cycle, students are asked to analyze the cause and effects of significant turning points. They begin with study of native peoples and come to understand the effect of the Age of Exploration on Native American culture. Embedded in the unit that explores the birth of our nation, students examine the U.S. Constitution and other essential documents, as required by the state of Illinois. After learning about the growth of the United States through westward expansion, students investigate slavery, the Civil War and the Era of Reconstruction. Students examine the formative events of the 20th Century through study of the Great Depression and Immigration. They research and discuss the effects of broken peace and world war.

In Cycle Two of the Humanities program, students will study World History and learn how peoples and histories are various and ever changing, not singular and static. This approach will help students investigate human adaptations and the effect they had on human relationships, shifts in community building, and the engineering of power structures. Additionally, students will learn about what lens(es) they are wearing as they examine historical texts and artifacts (ex: female, American, modern, young, etc). Our class covers the human story from the beginning with early humans and early civilizations, and then moving by the end of the second semester to early empires and early global powers. Students will analyze how different groups of people organized and constructed societies, and also study the effects those power structures had on human relations. Conversely, this course will study how individuals and communities have affected societal change, and we will regularly be examining current and contemporary social issues and connecting them to the past. This study will allow students to examine the past for patterns to inform their understanding and agency for today.

Language Arts

Students read a variety of genres and authors in order to improve their critical thinking and analytical skills. Adolescents are required to be active readers who engage with the text, form opinions, and offer evidence to support their thinking. Through literary circles and Socratic seminar, students become proficient at verbalizing their ideas with clarity and confidence. This course requires regular reading and writing in and out of the classroom.

Throughout the two-year cycle, adolescents express themselves through many types of writing: expository, persuasive, narrative, research, and creative. Writing assignments are both formal, such as structured essays and poems, and informal, such as journal entries and short articles. Students come to a greater appreciation of the power of language and learn how to use language effectively in their writing. Peer editing and group sharing play a central role in the Montessori-inspired traditions of student evaluation and oral presentation. Students improve their vocabulary, grammar, and writing mechanics through targeted lessons and essay revisions.

Spanish

As citizens of an ever-changing future and inhabitants of a multilingual world, our students will participate in rigorous studies of a second language. Building on experiences during the early childhood and elementary years the goal is for students to become conversational speakers through our Spanish immersion program. At CDS, our second language program teaches the Spanish language and will be offered as a differentiated curriculum, challenging students based on their individual skills, experience, and knowledge of Spanish. Curriculum components include:

Music

Students meet for music class twice weekly for forty-five minutes. Topics include a wide variety of musical genres — folk, classical, contemporary, world music, musical theater, and other popular musical styles over the last century. Also covered is the role this music plays in the context of history and society. Whenever possible, students participate in creative group projects, which provide important opportunities for self-expression. Additionally, this allows for students to gain a better understanding of the creative process by assuming the roles of songwriter, movie director, performer, etc. When relevant, our music director coordinates with teachers of other subjects for interdisciplinary work between music and humanities topics such as history and literature.

Art

The opportunity for self-expression is an essential experience in the development of the adolescent. Students work with a professional art teacher who provides instruction in various media. Student work is often integrated with learning in the areas of math and history. Students also learn about a variety of art techniques and art history. Student work can be seen displayed throughout the Middle School environment.