Course Offerings by Grade

Placement in language courses is determined after placement tests.


Course Descriptions Middle School -2011-12

English Department

English 7
The focus of this course is the continued development and growth of students` reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills through the study of literature such as poetry, drama, short stories, and a novel. Practice is provided in developing those skills necessary to understand, appreciate and respond to the literature studied. Students are encouraged to become critical readers and thinkers, as well as effective communicators.

Texts:
Prentice-Hall Literature – Grade Seven
Write Source 2000 - Houghton Mifflin
Island of the Blue Dolphins – O’Dell

English 8
This course continues the development and growth of students’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills through the study of poetry, drama, short stories, and a novel. The development of writing skills includes the writing of a research report with a focus on using various sources of information appropriately.

Texts:
Prentice-Hall Literature – Grade Eight
Write Source 2000 - Houghton Mifflin
The Call of the Wild - London

English 9
This course introduces the student to literary analysis of the major genres, including a Shakespearean play. A variety of poetry, drama, fiction, and prose is studied, thus providing practice in developing those skills needed to understand, appreciate, and respond to the literature. The further development of writing skills is also of major importance.

Texts:
Prentice-Hall Literature – Grade Nine
Writers Inc. - A Student Handbook
The Pearl – Steinbeck

Social Studies Department

History/Geography 7
Students are introduced to the fundamental question of “What is history?”  
The course identifies social class structure, recognizing cross-cultural encounters, the growth of trade, belief systems, technology, science and art in different societies.  It introduces students to source analysis, and covers the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages, the Crusades, and Islam with an emphasis on such concepts as movement, settlement and empire building.  For the geography component of the course, students work with the concepts of hemispheres, cardinal compass points, and latitude/longitude, and use mapping skills to find various locations. Students then investigate how location is altered by weathering and erosion and gain a better understanding of how physical and human processes operate to change the landscape.

Texts:
SHP History Year 7, Hodder Education
New Key Geography Connections, Nelson Thornes

History/Geography 8
In order to understand the world we live in and how history has influenced modern times, students examine momentous changes and revolutions—economic, social, intellectual and political. Students trace the birth and rebirth of ideas in Europe during the period of the Renaissance, Reformation, Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution in order to gain an understanding of themes such as change and conflict. The Geography component of the course examines climate types and the adaptation of people, plants and animals to their environment. Students then focus on the negative effects of natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, global warming and soil erosion.

Texts:
SHP History Year 8, Hodder Education
New Key Geography Interactions, Nelson Thornes

History 9
Students are encouraged to understand the interconnections between cause and effect and be alert to parallels in European and World History.  Necessary historical skills in source analysis, detecting bias, and making balanced judgments are further developed and essay-writing skills are introduced. The negative and positive aspects of empire building are examined in-depth.  Students are also introduced to the causes, events and effects of the First World War, the Second World War and the Cold War. Different political ideologies such as fascism and communism are studied by examining the rise to power of dictators such as Hitler and Stalin.

Text:
SHP History Year 9, Hodder Education

Science Department

Science 7:
This course aims to introduce and present basic concepts in chemistry, biology and physics. Areas covered include Acids and Bases, Vital Organs, Earth and Space, Food and Nutrition, Energy resources, Rocks and Minerals, the Environment, and Light and Sound.

Text:
Eureka - Book 2- Heinemann

Science 8
This course aims to introduce and review basic concepts in chemistry, biology and physics. Topics covered include chemical reactions, competition, balanced forces, chemical patterns, health and fitness and moving energy. Emphasis is given to practical, research and group-work skills.

Text:
Eureka - Book 3-Heinemann

Science 9
The curriculum content is divided into three sections: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The syllabus is covered in two years.
The biology section covers characteristics of living organisms, five kingdoms, viral structure; plant versus animal cells, levels of organization, enzymes, limiting factors on enzymes, cells and energy, cell division and differentiation movement of materials in and out of cells; respiration and breathing, structure of thorax and lungs, mechanism of breathing, gas exchange and alveoli, dangers of smoking; introduction of food groups, structure and function of digestive system and circulatory system.
The chemistry section covers atomic structure; isotopes, elements, mixtures and compounds; formulae and equations; the Periodic Table; fuels and combustion; separation techniques: including filtration, chromatography and distillation.
The physics section covers length, mass and weight; speed, velocity and acceleration; electricity and current; heat, waves and radioactivity.

Texts:
Edexcel    IGCSE Biology, Pearson
Complete Chemistry for IGCSE – Oxford U.P.
Complete Physics for IGCSE – Oxford U.P.

Mathematics Department

This course aims to help students make the transition from the concrete, number-oriented mathematics in Primary School to abstract, symbol-centred algebra and geometry in High School. The course also emphasizes the relevant real-life applications of mathematics and their interdisciplinary connections.

Mathematics 7
This course covers number sets, sequences, angles, probability and statistics, percentages, expressions and equations, measures and measurements, functions and graphs, and transformations. Problem solving is integrated throughout the course. Emphasis is given to investigation techniques.

Text:
Framework Maths 8 E, Oxford University Press

Mathematics 8
This course covers number sets and number handling, sequences, functions and graphs, proportional reasoning, indices and expressions, equations and inequalities, geometrical reasoning and construction, perimeter, area, volume, probability and statistics, and transformations and congruence. Problem solving is integrated throughout the course. Emphasis is given to investigation techniques.

Text:    

Framework Maths 9 E, Oxford University Press

Mathematics 9
This course covers number sets; powers and roots; special algebraic expressions and factorisation; problem solving using linear and quadratic functions and equations as well as systems of two equations and linear inequalities; exploring similar figures (2D and 3D) and trigonometry ratios. Work is done with simple random sampling and analysis of statistical data.
Text:
GCSE Mathematics (Higher) Book 1 - Heinemann

Greek Department

Modern Greek 7
In this course the students` writing skills as well as literary development are expanded through the study of grammar, the reading of literary texts and writing of critical analysis, essays and compositions. Students are encouraged to reflect on the areas of interaction and develop an appreciation of the culture where the language is spoken.

Texts: 
Ο θησαυρός της Βαγίας – Ζωρζ Σαρή
Κείμενα Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας – Α’ Γυμνασίου (ΟΕΔΒ)
Αρχαία Ιστορία – Α΄Γυμνασίου (ΟΕΔΒ)
Η Γραμματική του Δημοτικού Σχολείου (ΣΤ’ Δημοτικού)-Γ. Αλεξανδράκης, Β. Καραγιάννης, Κ. Ραπτόπουλος

Modern Greek 8
This course is a continuation of Modern Greek 7 for native speakers. It emphasizes grammar, expands vocabulary and further enhances intercultural awareness. Students are introduced to literary theory and write critical analysis of literary works.

Texts:
Κείμενα Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας, Β΄Γυμνασίου(ΟΕΔΒ)
Στο Τσιμεντένιο Δάσος - Λόττη Πέτροβιτς-Ανδρουτσοπούλου
Μεσαιωνική και Νεότερη Ιστορία – Β’ Γυμνασίου (ΟΕΔΒ)
Η Γραμματική του Δημοτικού Σχολείου (ΣΤ’ Δημοτικού)-Γ. Αλεξανδράκης, Β. Καραγιάννης, Κ. Ραπτόπουλος

Modern Greek 9
This course is a continuation of Modern Greek 8. It places special emphasis on literary theory and the writing of essays and critical analysis of literary works. Through the topics covered, students consolidate their understanding of the areas of interaction and develop intercultural awareness.

Texts:
Κείμενα Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας (Γ΄Γυμνασίου) – ΟΕΔΒ
Το Αυγό της  Εχιδνας - Λίτσα Ψαραύτη
Η σπηλιά της γοργόνας-Λίτσα Ψαραύτη     
Νεότερη και σύγχρονη ιστορία – Γ΄ Γυμνασίου
Past papers Ελληνομάθειας (Επίπεδο Β2)

Greek as a Foreign Language - Beginners
This level is for the beginning foreign language student. Its objective is to lay strong foundations for development of the four language skills, listening, speaking, reading and writing, with emphasis on communication and authentic use of the language in everyday situations. At the same time, the students develop their knowledge of the life and culture of the countries where the language is spoken.

Texts:
Επικοινωνήστε Ελληνικά 1A, Δέλτος
Άκου να δεις 1, Δέλτος

Greek as a Foreign Language Intermediate
This level is for students who already have a strong basic foundation in listening, speaking, reading and writing, and a sound grasp of the structures of the language.  The students complete their acquisition of the basic grammar while at the same time acquiring vocabulary and structures to enable them to use the language in a wide variety of everyday situations. The course is enhanced by the familiarization of the culture and traditions of the country.

Text:
Επικοινωνήστε Ελληνικά 1B, Δέλτος
Άκου να δεις 1 Εκδ. Δέλτος

Greek as a Foreign Language - Advanced
At this Level the students  complete the acquisition of basic listening, speaking, reading and writing skills through the introduction of more complex structures and a wider variety of situations. Emphasis is placed on communication in authentic situations and more complex grammatical forms as well familiarization of the culture and traditions of the respective country.

Texts:
Επικοινωνήστε Ελληνικά 2A, Δέλτος
Άκου να δεις 2, Δέλτος

Greek as a Foreign Language - Upper Advanced
This level aims at the acquisition of oral, reading and writing skills through conversation, oral drills, grammar practice, composition and text comprehension exercises. It also provides an introduction to literature.

Texts:
Επικοινωνήστε Ελληνικά 2B
Επιτυγχάνοντας στα Ελληνικά, Επίπεδο Α
Μύθοι, Δελτος
Hρωες, Δελτος

Foreign Language Department
French, Spanish, German, Arabic

Beginners Level:  Spanish, German
This level is for the beginning foreign language student. Its objective is to lay strong foundations for development of the four language skills, listening, speaking, reading and writing, with emphasis on communication and authentic use of the language in everyday situations. At the same time, the students develop their knowledge of the life and culture of the countries where the language they are studying is spoken.

Texts:
Spanish: Espanol en marcha 1, SGEL
German:  Planet 1, Hueber

Intermediate level: French, Spanish, Arabic
This level is for students who already have a strong foundation in listening, speaking, reading and writing, and a sound grasp of the structures of the language. In this level, they complete their acquisition of the basic grammar while at the same time acquiring vocabulary and structures to enable them to use the language in a wide variety of everyday situations. The course is enhanced by the familiarization of the culture and traditions of the respective country.

Texts:
French: Alter Ego 1, Hachette
Nouvelle Grammaire Communicative 1, Ed. Nouvel Esprit
Spanish:  Espanol en marcha 2, SGEL
Arabic/Natives: My collective Language – 3rd grade Lebanese curriculum

Advanced level: French, Spanish, Arabic
This level completes the acquisition of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills through the introduction of more complex structures and a wider variety of situations. Emphasis is placed on communication in authentic situations and more complex grammatical forms as well as familiarization with the culture and traditions of the respective country.

Texts:
French:  Alter Ego 2, Hachette
Nouvelle Grammaire Communicative 2, Ed. Nouvel Esprit
Spanish :  Espanol en marcha 3, SGEL
Arabic/Natives: My collective Language – 5th grade Lebanese curriculum

ESL Department

Language Support (Grades 7 – 9)
The Language Support course is designed for students whose native language is other than English and who need support in specific subject areas (Social Sciences, Math, and Science). Although these subjects are not re-taught, emphasis is placed on their terminology and linguistic focus, to ensure that student progress is not impeded by language gaps. Direct instruction, cooperative learning tasks, homework assignments and assessment are carefully designed to accommodate different learning styles of students at the beginner and intermediate levels of English proficiency. The aim is to create increasingly independent learners of English.
ESL 1 Beginners (Grades 7 – 8)
The course aims to develop skills in speaking, reading and writing for students who are new to an English-speaking environment. The communicative aspect of language is stressed, with emphasis placed on developing vocabulary that covers both academic and social purposes. Along with oral language skills, students master basic syntactic relationships, develop skills in a variety of writing styles, and attempt reading comprehension tasks. They also begin a series of adapted readers that become the springboard for further language development.

Texts:
Solutions: Elementary Student’s book/Workbook (Oxford)
20,000 Leagues under the Sea (Penguin Readers)
White Fang (Penguin Readers)
Jaws (Penguin Readers)
WRITE Source 2000 (Houghton-Mifflin)

ESL 2 (Lower Intermediate) (Grades 7 – 8 / 9)
In this pre-intermediate course, students are exposed to a wider variety of reading, writing and speaking experiences which aim to improve their proficiency in English for communication and academic purposes and consolidate basic language principles they have already covered. Grammar is taught through direct instruction but emphasis is placed on using it within context. More complex writing tasks are assigned and students continue to read adapted texts in order to further develop their language.

Texts:
Solutions:  Pre-Intermediate Student’s book / Workbook (Oxford)
Kidnapped (Penguin Readers)
The Count of Monte Cristo (Penguin Readers)
Billy Elliot (Penguin Readers)
WRITE Source 2000 (Houghton-Mifflin) – grades 7-8
Writers INC. (Houghton-Mifflin) – grade 9

ESL 3 (Upper Intermediate) (Grades 7 – 8 / 9)
This intermediate course relies more heavily on readings, discussions and student interaction in an effort to develop all four linguistic skills simultaneously. Beginning with personal writing, students move to more formal writing required in mainstreamed content area courses. Research skills include student-conducted interviews as well as library research. Skills in self-assessment are developed. Extensive reading supports growth in writing.

Texts:
Solutions: Intermediate Student’s book/Workbook (Oxford) – grades 7-8
IGCSE English as a Second Language Book 1/Workbook 1 (Cambridge) – grade 9
David Copperfield (Penguin Readers)
The Client (Penguin Readers)
The Merchant of Venice (Penguin Readers)
WRITE Source 2000 (Houghton-Mifflin) – grades 7-8
Writers INC. (Houghton-Mifflin) – grade 9

Fine Arts Department

PERFORMING  ARTS

Drama
In the Middle School, the students pick up where they left off from Primary School. They continue to work on their story telling skills with more attention to detail. Students are assessed by themselves and the teacher as well as by their peers.

Drama 7
Skills in listening, sharing and cooperating continue to be emphasized, as are empathy and negotiation. New dramatic conventions (flashback, teacher-in-role, hot seating, thought tracking, status and spontaneous improvisation) are introduced and previous ones are developed further. Through their work, students write and perform their own scenes or published texts whilst assessing their work through their workbooks.

Drama 8
Students continued to develop skills explored in 6th and 7th grade, as well as critical assessment and evaluation of dramatic work. Dramatic conventions (forum theatre, space, physicality and monologues) continue to be introduced and developed. Character development is emphasized. Students are also introduced to the technical elements of theatre such as directing, costumes, lights, set and sound. Students` work is evaluated through projects.

Drama 9
This high-energy course is designed to enhance self-esteem and confidence and to promote commitment in an atmosphere of fun and trust using a variety of approaches. This course covers drama games, choral activity, monologues, scene work, movement and voice. Students are assessed through self, peer and teacher evaluations, and reflect and share their opinions on material explored.

Music 7-9
Upon entering 7th – 8th grades, the students continue active hands-on music making, which was introduced in the Primary School.  A variety of exercises and techniques helps the students develop skills in singing and in playing the piano, the guitar and the drums.  Exercises are chosen from the syllabus set by the Ministry and taught at the conservatories. Performance repertoire includes pop-culture singles and rock pieces as well as rap songs and hip-hop numbers, which have teenage appeal.
9th and 10th grade music classes give students the opportunity to continue developing skills in music notation, listening appreciation and in performance on their chosen instrument.  The formation of bands allows the students to work collectively as well as individually.

VISUAL ARTS 7-9

Art is taught on a subject-based approach where the aims and objectives are met through structured learning and are assessed using set criteria: knowledge and understanding; application; reflection and evaluation; and artistic awareness and personal engagement.

Through the arts, students work both co-operatively and individually having opportunities to research, identify and discuss issues; to provide insights, opinions, solutions and resolutions; and to reflect on, appreciate and evaluate artwork.

The visual arts encompass techniques such as drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, and sculpture. Students use a combination of techniques and work in a variety of media to meet objectives. Students are expected to learn and use a visual vocabulary to express their ideas in a variety of styles as well as acquire appropriate terminology. They are taught to understand how traditions, histories and beliefs have influenced the way in which works of art are formed and valued in society.

Holistically, the arts ensure co-ordination and integration of subject matter across all the arts and other subject areas as well as interaction. Opportunities for expression are provided in different modes - oral, written, visual and aural. Students are also encouraged to visit exhibitions and to share and reflect on their experiences.

Students are required to keep a Development Workbook. This is a written and visual record of the development of a student`s artwork, as well as their own development as an artist. The purpose of the workbook is to encourage thought, improvement, experimentation and critical thinking. It also provides the opportunity for reflection.

I.T. Department

Information Technology 7
This one-year course (70 Hours/Year) is designed to give seventh grade students an introductory experience with the various uses of the computer, in particular to enhance learning experiences and to organize activities.  The emphasis is on providing student with as much opportunity as possible to sit in front of a computer and become comfortable with its use.  This primarily involves the running of a variety of commercially available software programs (MS Office 2007 Suite) which provide introductory material on the computer itself and in a variety of other academic subjects as well.

Texts:
Microsoft Office 2007 Simplified, John Wiley Visual
Discovering Computers 2011 Complete, Course Technology Inc.

Information Technology 8
This one-year course (70 Hours/Year) is designed to provide eighth grade student further introductory experience using a computer. The emphasis at this level is still on giving to students of the class as much opportunity as possible to sit in front of a computer.  Compared with the seventh grade term, more emphasis is given to the use of those particular kinds of computer programs (MS Office Suite 2007) which may be of practical use for students as they continue in their educational careers, specifically, MS Word, presentations and spreadsheets, video editing.

Texts:
Microsoft Office 2007 Simplified, John Wiley Visual
Discovering Computers 2011 Complete, Course Technology Inc.

Information Technology 9
This one-year course (70 Hours/Year) is designed to give ninth grade students further experience with the various uses of the computer, in particular to enhance learning experiences and to organize activities.  The emphasis is on providing student with as much opportunity as possible to sit in front of a computer and become comfortable with its use.  This primarily involves the continuation of use of the Microsoft Office Suite 2007 on a more advanced level. In this grade, students practice on photo editing using GIMP software, also the introduction of Graph 4.3 as mathematical  software that will be a powerful tool for this and the next IB level science and math classes. 

Texts:
Microsoft Office 2007 Simplified, John Wiley Visual
Discovering Computers 2011 Complete, Course Technology Inc.

Physical Education Department

P.E. Grades 7-9
The course is designed to enhance the students’ athletic skills in various team and individual sports, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, European handball, street hockey, softball, track & field, fitness and basic gymnastics, through sports-specific drills and team play. The students also cover the rules and playing strategies of all the sports taught. Fitness work is incorporated in the course through a set of fitness exercises and fitness tests.

In addition to our physical education classes, we offer an intramural programme for the students during lunchtime, which gives all interested students the opportunity to participate in their favourite sports.
For after school athletics, click here.