sequoia forest middle school...

Sequoia Forest Middle School 1

Steven Ferneding, Jeff King, Leanne Miller, Chloe Smith Sequoia Forest Middle School

Miami University EDT 252 EDL 318


1. Organizational Structure of Middle School

Mission Statement - (Adapted from Glover Middle School and Loveland High School) Sequoia Forest Middle School promotes a caring, safe, and comfortable academic environment, accompanied by extra-curricular activities, based on mutual respect and responsibility of students, parents, and staff in order to provide all students the ideal opportunity to become educated, productive citizens. Our central purpose is to promote, provide, and protect an environment in which scholastic achievement for all students is valued and pursued.

Belief Statements - (Adapted from Glover Middle School)

At Sequoia Forest Middle School, we are comprised of students, teachers,administrators, support staff, parents/guardians and community members working together to enhance the learning experience for each student. Sequoia Forest Middle School is designed to meet the specific needs and characteristics of young adolescents that supports their transition from elementary to high school.

We, Sequoia Forest Middle School, believe:

In striving to prepare students to be lifelong learners and responsible citizens in our current and future society.

In fostering a safe and supportive environment that inspires mutual respect and equal opportunity for all.

The diversity of people, perspectives and practices strengthens our school district. In supporting the learning community by encouraging open and direct communication,

establishing trust and collaboration, and providing our school family with the resources to accomplish goals for student success.

All students can learn, and we must be accountable to the diversity of their learning styles, intelligences and developmental levels.

In educators who are committed to the concept of a team-based curriculum that is student centered, challenging, relevant, and integrative. The curriculum emphasizes the academic, artistic, social, and physical development of the student.

In educators who are knowledgeable about young adolescents, their educational needs, and who are committed to using of varied instructional strategies and delivery systems.

Each student has a responsibility for actively participating in his/her learning and achievement as well as demonstrating self-management skills.

In using literacy planning tools to raise student achievement in reading and writing by transforming instruction in all subject areas.


Team Expectations

As a team, we will respect the diversity of the individual students and teachers. The curriculum will be engaging, integrative, and interactive for all.

These two team expectations will be the beginning of all the team expectations for teachers and students. At the beginning of each class period in the beginning of the year, students and teachers will collaborate in order to create a classroom “Bill of Rights” that will represent what both the students and teachers expect the classroom structure and environment to be. For every content area, elective, and specials class, a “Bill of Rights” will be conducted and created.

Organizational Structure of the Team School Start Time: 9:15 AM- Students will begin arriving to school at 9 AM to receive their free breakfasts. School End Time: 4:15 PM

Monday-Thursday: Students will have two content blocks throughout the day. During these blocks, our teacher team will decide how this time will be spent, what activity we will be doing, and what specific content area we may be covering. On Fridays, the students will attend a 45 minute class that addresses each content area before the weekend.

- “Specials” will rotate on a quarterly basis. - First quarter: Art - Second Quarter: Music- this includes Choir, Band, Orchestra, General Music Class, Strings, Guitar, or Steel Drums. - Third Quarter- Health - Fourth Quarter- Gym

- Electives will rotate on a quarterly basis. - Fitness must be taken one of the four quarters as an elective. The options for these classes are Zumba, Personal Fitness, and Yoga. - Other Elective Options: Photography, Web Design, Life Skills.

- On Fridays, all students will report to their homeroom during the last period of the day.


- This schedule is just an example of a student schedule in the second quarter of the school year.

Monday block:

9:15 AM- 10 AM Elective (individual teacher prep time)

10:05 AM- 11:40 AM Content Block

11:45 AM- 12:30 PM Foreign Language- choice of: Spanish, French, German, or Chinese

12:35 PM- 1:05 PM LUNCH

1:10 PM- 1:55 PM Special: Music- choice of Chorale, Show Choir, Strings, Band, Guitar, Steel Drums, Orchestra, or General Music (Team teacher prep time)

2:00 PM- 3:35 PM Content Block

3:40 PM- 4:15 PM Study Hall

Tuesday block:




12:35 PM- 1:05 PM LUNCH




Wednesday block: 9:15 AM- 10 AM Elective (individual teacher prep time)




12:35 PM- 1:05 PM LUNCH




Thursday block:




12:35 PM- 1:05 PM LUNCH



3:40 PM- 4:15 PM Study Hall Friday all classes:


10:05 AM- 10:50 AM Science

10:55 AM- 11:40 AM Social Studies 11:45 AM- 12:30 PM Foreign Language- choice of: Spanish, French, German, or Chinese

12:35 PM- 1:05 PM LUNCH


2:00 PM- 2:45 PM Language Arts

2:50 PM- 3:35 PM Math

3:40 PM- 4:15 PM Homeroom


Programs and Policies that Foster Health, Wellness, and Safety

Sequoia Forest Middle school is committed to an educational culture that promotes safety and wellness through healthy lifestyles that enhance the quality of life for our students and staff.

Physical Health Classes Students will be required to take one health class in sixth, seventh, and eighth

grade. Each health class will taught by a professional, certified, and qualified individual. After successfully completing each health class after the end of eighth grade, students will have a well-developed knowledge about diet, nutrition, drugs, alcohol, sex, diseases and how these topics affect different areas of their lives.

Nurse’s Room

Students will have access to two different nurse’s rooms in the school building where a professionally trained and certified individual will foster to each students’ individual health needs

Fitness Classes

Students will also be required to take one fitness class as sixth, seventh, and eighth graders in order to develop social skills, physical skills and physical development.

Gym (kickball, dodgeball, volleyball, basketball, etc.) Zumba Personal Fitness (weight lifting) Yoga

Lunch

All students will be provided with free or reduced breakfast and lunch. Breakfast and lunch will include multiple meal options that promote a healthy diet and lifestyle. Students will use their individual school ID in order to receive breakfast and/or lunch by simply scanning their ID card.

Extracurricular Activities

Sixth grade students will be able to participate in intramural sports because competitive sports are not available until seventh and eighth grade. Seventh and eighth grade students will be able to participate in intramural teams and/or


competitive sports. Sequoia Forest Middle School promotes extracurricular activities to promote health, exercise, and social interactions for all students.

Extracurricular Sports Offered: Football Wrestling Basketball Baseball Softball Lacrosse Track and Field Swimming / Diving Water Polo Cheerleading / Dance Team Softball Gymnastics Volleyball

Extracurricular Clubs Offered: Horseback Riding Club Show Choir Marching Band Gay/Straight Alliance Partner’s Club (students hang out, talk to, and play games with students

with special needs) Astronomer’s Club Photography Club Student Council Chess/Checker Club Young Life Club Yearbook Club Runner’s Club Archery Club Drama Club Karate Club Slackline Club

Safety of School Building In order to protect all students and staff, two certified police officers will always

be in the school building. Their cars will be parked in the front parking lot of the school in order to allow visitors and suspicious individuals to be aware there are police officers on duty during all hours of the school day.


All doors of the school building will be automatically locked at the beginning of the first period. In order to enter the building, students/staff must either tap their school ID card and all visitors must buzz in through the main office only.

Visitors: When visitors enter the building, they must display license ID and document their signature on the visitor sign-in sheet as well as when they sign in and sign out of the building. Visitors will also be required to wear a “visitor tag” on their clothing at all times when on school ground. Failure to comply to these guidelines will result in an immediate escort out of the school building.

Surveillance cameras are located on all doors that permit access from the outside to the inside of the school building. In addition, there will be surveillance cameras throughout all hallways in the building in order for faculty in the attendance desk and office to access daily student activities.

Guidance and Support Services:

Curriculum guidance – All students have to opportunity to schedule and meet with a curriculum guidance counselor to help determine schedules and opportunities available in the classroom. This support team will also be in charge of keeping track of students academics in order to maintain eligibility for extracurricular activities and sports.

Transitional guidance – Available to 8th grade students to help schedule 9th grade classes and to help students become aware of all aspects of being in high school, including;; schedules, personal/social, and extracurricular activities. This guidance support team will also be in charge of putting the freshman seminar together prior to the end of the academic school year. This will consist of an assembly for all 8th graders where they will learn about high school and what to expect. The guidance team will also take questions from the students during this time. Furthermore, this team will be in charge of the High School Initiative program where students can sign up to eat lunch with high school student to ask questions and to gain a better understanding of high school.

Support System – This guidance counselor will be available to all students 24/7. During school hours, students will be able to meet with an individual from this team with any problems from bullying to eating disorders. After and during school hours, students will have the opportunity to anonymously send a text or email to the support team. This team will also be available to students to give guidance during parental divorce, loss of a loved one, suicide prevention, etc.

Peer guidance – Each year, four students from each grade will be elected to the Peer Guidance Team. This team will be responsible for raising awareness to issues in the school. This may include include anti-bullying rallies and peer pressure issues students face. They will send out a weekly bulletin report to all homeroom classes and will give a


monthly live news feed through the classroom televisions. During the news feed, one student from each grade level must be present on screen. Students can give feedback to the peer guidance team and topics they think need to be addressed by contacting the team via the guidance Facebook page or Twitter account.

Guidance Vision

“To promote and enable all Sequoia Forest Middle School students with the opportunity to succeed to their utmost potential in the areas of academics and personal/social development. Providing students with the ability to overcome adversity while advocating for social and

academic equity in and outside the classroom.”

Rationale for meeting the needs of students with exceptionalities The mission statement for this specific area is as follows: “All students and teachers will be given the opportunity to perform academic and

physical work in the least restrictive environment that promotes the best possibility for learning and success. Sequoia Forest Middle School aims to meet the needs of all students with exceptionalities by working with a sufficient number of staff members to provide attention for these special needs.”

A larger staff to accommodate all students will lead to a higher success rate among all students. Students who have a lower achievement rate and who fall behind will have the same attention given that the gifted students receive. Much like a school has special education teachers that are present during team teaching based learning, classrooms will also have a highly qualified teacher that will come and go as needed in an inclusive setting, in order to help assist students who often are ahead of the rest of the class. Overall, gifted students and students on IEP’s will receive the same type of extra attention and pull out maneuvers as well as extra (more challenging) assignments, in order to give them the structure they need. With a large staff base, this extra help will be possible.

Our school is equipped with a state of the art sensory room, donated by the local Children`s Hospital that was built near by, to help accommodate students with special needs. This sensory room includes lighting, furniture, toys and technology that proves to be high sensory receptive for touch, sight, sound and even smell. This room can meet the needs of students of all ages especially students with severe disabilities.

The Best Buddies program will be present in the school. Students from different ages and abilities will be paired together for Friday homeroom twice a month and are encouraged to do activities outside of school that build leadership, friendship, and self betterment. The local YMCA will be open every weekend and will have no entry charge for students involved with this program. Students will be able to swim, play sports, perform other activities etc at the YMCA.


2. Background of Students and Community

a. Background of School and Community i. Sequoia Forest Middle School has approximately 480 students. Of these

students, 61% are white, 23% black, 9% Hispanic/Latino, 4% Asian, and 3% other. 45% of the student population are girls and 55% are boys. The community in which are school is located is a growing suburban area. The student population has 20% low income. All students will receive free and reduced meal plans regardless of socioeconomic status.

ii. Sequoia Forest Middle School is located in the small town of Hillsboro, Oregon. This middle school consists of three grades, sixth, seventh and eighth. Each grade has two teams with 20 kids per class (80 kids per team).

iii. Within our student population, there are 4% ELL students of the 16% minority students. We have a private provider contracted to meet the needs of all ELL students.

iv. Sequoia Forest Middle School is very diverse in student abilities. The students main learning modalities are visual and kinesthetic/tactile. As far as our students multiple intelligences, they are mainly linguistic, logical/mathematical, interpersonal, bodily-kinesthetic, and musical.

Community and Tensions i. The community that Sequoia Forest Middle School is in used to be a very rural

farm area. A few years ago, a new Children’s Hospital came to Hillsboro. This brought many retail and food establishments to the community, making it more suburban. The new hospital gives back to Hillsboro and to Sequoia Forest Middle School by providing sports medicine specialists for the use of our school. The local YMCA, library and high school are close to the school and provides assistance and extra programs to the student population. Near Hillsboro, there is a university that provides resources and academic assistance to the school. There is a park and a nature reserve near the school. Citizens in the community are involved within the school through fundraisers and supporting the school.

1. Tension 1: Farmers and people in the community that were in Hillsboro before the creation of the Children’s Hospital cause tension with the new people that have come to Hillsboro. These people have come to the area for the work opportunities that the hospital has brought to the community. With more people coming to the area, more diversity was brought into the schools that were previously predominantly white.

2. Tension 2: Levy passing


Small effects: As the population of Sequoia Forest Middle School and the town of Hillsboro continued to rapidly grow, farmers as well as elderly citizens in the community became resistant to passing the school levy because of the taxes involved.

3. Tension 3: With the expansion of the suburban area and the new hospital, retail, food establishments, nature and parks are being made into the new businesses, taking away the nature life from the community. This is causing the science classrooms to have less access to wildlife and nature, which are programs and activities the students really enjoy.

Relationships i. Parents and guardians are very involved with their student’s achievement at

Sequoia Forest Middle School. They attend semesterly teacher-parent-student conferences to stay involved with their student’s academic progress and schooling. Parents lead and help at fundraisers such as carwashes, casino night, craft shows, etc. Many parents are a part of the PTA and are involved in their children’s clubs or sports. Our teachers also make positive calls home to parents to let them know their student’s progress in the classroom.

ii. Because Sequoia Forest Middle School is centered around living healthy lifestyles, our parents have helped to show the importance of healthy living. They are role models and leaders in helping to show the importance of healthy lifestyles for their children. In addition, many parents have helped our school create a garden where each class grows their own fruits and vegetables. These parents help cultivate these crops and then help our students sell them as healthy snack options to the school and the community.

iii. Teachers and students in Sequoia Forest Middle School have very good relationships. We strive to have a community, family-like feel, which brings our students, teachers, and administrators together. Teachers are advisors for clubs, coaches for sports, and mentors for all students at Sequoia Forest Middle School. They are role models for our students and make themselves available at any time for students that need it. Our teachers are high qualified and their main goal is to teach our students to be healthy, lifelong learners.

iv. Sequoia Forest Middle School wants to be able to reach parents, guardians, and the community about things going on in the school. To do this, we have created a Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram account, and have a weekly emailed newsletter. These accounts are made to update parents, guardians, and the community about events, games, fundraisers, and other things that are going on at the school. People can also ask us questions via these social media accounts and we answer them quickly and efficiently. Our teachers also make positive calls home to parents to let them know their


student’s progress in the classroom. Sequoia Forest Middle School believes that communication is essential to creating a school community and takes advantage of technology in order to reach as many as people possible.

v. In order to make Sequoia Forest Middle School the best that it can be, we need the support from the community. The local university and Children’s Hospital provide many resources for the families in Hillsboro. In addition, the community is very supportive of our extracurricular activities, sporting events, and fundraisers by attending events and helping student clubs/sports.

3. Lesson Plan Organizers

Lesson Plan 1 - Wellness, 6th grade (Adapted from: http://casemed.case.edu/ctsc/community/educators-night/Nutrition_Teaching%20Nutrition%20in%20Middle%20and%20High%20School%20Students_10-02-12.pdf)

Language Arts (Adapted from: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/nutvoyage7_trek3.pdf)

Social Studies Lesson Plan Organizer - Lesson 1

Student Performance Objective i. Students will be able to describe and recognize the five major world religions

through their campaign projects. By recognizing different aspects of each religion, with an emphasis on cultural nutrition, students will present these campaigns along with a two page paper analyzing their results. Students will be expected to summarize why their campaign matches one of the five world religions and are expected to be able to discuss their reasoning with class questions. Students will also analyze their graphs within their campaign presentation to further analyze their own culture’s eating habits and compare it to one of the five world religions.

Literacy Rationale and Component i. The literacy rationale comes from being able to effectively research the five

world religions through text, media, and personal sources. Students are expected to use professional grammar and punctuation while presenting and in their analysis paper.

Key Academic Language i. Campaign ii. Analyze iii. Persuade iv. Effectiveness v. Wellness vi. Promote


vii. Creativity (think outside the box) viii. Component ix. Summarize x. Recognize

Materials i. This assignment allows students to be creative and use a wide range of

materials. As a teacher, one thing you will need to provide are computers so students can research information for their campaigns and write their reflections on the activity. Students must also have access to resources and materials needed to create their campaigns.

Procedure i. In language arts, students will create their own healthy living campaigns.

Students will learn about the five major world religions historically and the components of each religion. The five major world religions address the mind and soul of wellness. Prior to this activity, students will have surveyed the other students in the class to find out information on students favorite foods, amount of time they eat healthy foods a week, and what kind of options their own school offers as far as healthy options for the students. They will use the information collected to make their campaigns. Students will brainstorm and create their campaigns in small groups. In each group, students must include a component about one of the five major world religions in their campaigns, that is somehow related to wellness (mind, body, and soul). Students will be able to choose the formats for their campaigns, which could include chants, raps, religious ritual dances, songs, flyers, or poems, all of which reflect literacy. Students will present their campaigns to the class and then will write a two page paper that analyzes their campaigns effectiveness to promote healthy living, nutrition, and wellness and their integration of one of the 5 major world religions. Students will also analyze the effectiveness of other groups campaigns.

ii. Critical Thinking Questions 1. What roles does food play in the lives of people around the world? 2. How does my nutrition differ from those of other cultures/religions? 3. Why do these differences exist? 4. Whose nutrition is correct? 5. What is your thoughts on trying foods unfamiliar with your culture? 6. What determines whether or not a cuisine is considered authentic or

not? 7. What role does religion play in a cultures dietary intake?

Differentiations


i. Visual modality: By being able to create posters or brochures for their campaign, students with a visual modality will be able to excel at this activity.

ii. Kinesthetic modality: Students will need to be able to present their campaigns in front of the class and learn body placement and positioning as they present their materials. Students may also perform ritual dances and chants that may be associated with their chosen religion and culture for their campaigns.

iii. Linguistic: Students will write a 2 page paper that reflects the research and support behind their campaign. This paper will also analyze the aspects of the religion they chose and how it connects to healthy living. Students are required to speak in a professional manner.

iv. Interpersonal: Students are working together in groups to conduct research, survey classmates and format their campaign. Students will have to use interpersonal skills when developing and implementing ideas with each other.

Assessment - Students will be assessed in two different areas. i. The first part of the assessment includes grading students on the creativeness,

effectiveness and depth of their campaigns. Was their presentation elaborate, detailed and unique? Could the rest of the class take something away from having sat through the presentation?

ii. The second part of assessment is the grading of the 2 page paper. This paper must include a number of factual citations and research that help support the central claims and ideas of the campaign. This paper must be professionally written and map out the healthy living plan as well as the religion component. The great papers should make a strong connection between the specialized living plan and the characteristics of a specific religion.

Standards i. Language Arts/Writing Common Core Standards: (click each for direct link)

1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.B 2. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2 3. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.C 4. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.7 5. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.9

ii. History/Social Studies Ohio Academic Standards: (link below) http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Academic-Content-Standards/Social-Studies/K-8-Social-Studies-Standards-Updated-September-2012.pdf.aspx

1. Human Systems - Modern cultural practices and products show the influence of tradition and diffusion, including the impact of major world religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism)


2. Civic Participation and Skills - Different perspectives on a topic can be obtained from a variety of historic and contemporary sources. Sources can be examined for accuracy.

3. Places and Regions - Regions can be determined, classified and compared using various criteria (e.g., landform, climate, population, cultural, or economic).

4. Scarcity - The fundamental questions of economics include what to produce, how to produce and for whom to produce.

Lesson Plan 2 - Wellness, 6th grade: (Adapted from http://casemed.case.edu/ctsc/community/educators-night/Nutrition_Teaching%20Nutrition%20in%20Middle%20and%20High%20School%20Students_10-02-12.pdf)

Science - (Adapted from http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/nutvoyage8_trek1.pdf) Mathematics - (Adapted from

http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/nutvoyage7_trek2.pdf) Lesson Plan Organizer - Lesson 2

a. Student Performance Objective i. Students will be able to determine and recognize what their individual fitness

accomplishments are and represent them through a typed assignment. Students will also be able to collaboratively discuss their reflections with their teacher and classmates. Students will be able to tally their physical activity accomplishments and use the data to create graphs and conduct statistical analyses.

Literacy Rationale and Component: i. For this lesson, literacy is incorporated in the students reflection of their

individual fitness accomplishments. Students are expected to write a one page paper about their accomplishments and how they feel about what they have learned in this activity. The students will then participate in an open classroom discussion about their reflections and the activity in general, which is another component of literacy.

Key Academic Language: i. Create ii. Track iii. Challenge iv. Tally v. Conduct vi. Interpret vii. Reflect

Materials


i. For this lesson, all students must have access to computers in order for them to have class time dedicated to working on their reflection about their fitness accomplishments and how they feel about what they learned during the activity.

Procedure i. Students will learn, prior to the activity, the differences between potential and

kinetic energy and the necessity of energy in order to do work. They will also learn that cells need nutrients and food in order to get work done and keep their bodies healthy. Knowing this, students will use their calculations of their current levels of physical activities to try to answer the question, “Why does being physically active matter?” Students will then create their own activity logs and track their physical activity over a course of one week. After this, students will try to come up with ways that they can increase their physical activity levels in order to meet the recommended amounts of physical activity for students their age. Classes will challenge another class period in their activity levels over one week to see who is more physically active. Students will then work to mathematically tally the results, use it to make graphs, conduct statistical analyses on their data and interpret what they mean. To conclude, students will reflect on their individual accomplishments in a one page paper, which will then be discussed in an open class discussion (a literacy activity).

ii. Critical Thinking Questions 1. Why does being physically active matter? 2. How can we be more physically fit to meet recommended levels of

physical fitness for students our age? 3. What can we do to win the challenge against the other class period’s

physical fitness activity levels? 4. What do the graphs and statistical analysis mean for the data about

physical fitness? Differentiations

i. Visual modality: Students visual modality will be accommodated by using an activity log to track their physical fitness levels over a week. Students will have the logs to view and interpret.

ii. Kinesthetic modality: Throughout the entire activity, students must be active and moving in order to track their physical activity levels and challenge the other class in higher physical activity level.

iii. Linguistic: Students will write a paper about their accomplishments throughout this activity and will then discuss these papers in an open class discussion.

iv. Mathematical/Logical: Students must tally, graph, conduct statistical analysis, and interpret their results of the data they have collected.


v. Interpersonal: Students are working together as a class to challenge another class period to see who has better physical activity levels.

vi. Bodily/kinesthetic: Throughout the entire activity, students must be active and moving in order to track their physical activity levels and challenge the other class in higher physical activity level.

Assessment: Students will be assessed in three different areas i. Students will first be assessed on their one-page reflection about their individual

fitness accomplishments and how they feel about what they have learned in this activity. Successfully completing their reflection on time, avoiding grammar errors, and minimum length of one page will be three factors strictly graded on. There will be no leniency on completion of the reflection;; if students don’t complete their work by the due date, they will be deducted points. Students’ reflections will also be graded on the content of their paper as well as their identification and description of their individual fitness accomplishments.

ii. After students complete their personal one page reflection, they will then be assessed on their participation in the collaborative class discussion with their teacher and classmates about their individual fitness accomplishments and their opinions about what they have learned in the activity.

iii. In order to assess students’ mathematics and science skills for this lesson, students will also be graded on the completion of their activity log for physical activity for one week. In addition, they will be graded on their graphs and statistical analyses of their results.

Standards i. From the Ohio Department of Education

(http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Academic-Content-Standards/Science/Grades-K-8-Science_Model_Curriculum_April2014-1.pdf.aspx), here are the science standards that are addressed for this activity:

1. There are two categories of energy: kinetic and potential. 2. An objects motion can be described by its speed and the direction in

which it is moving. 3. Cells carry on specific functions that sustain life. 4. Cells are the fundamental unit of life.

ii. From the Common Core State Standards (http://www.corestandards.org), here are the math standards that are addressed for this activity:

1. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.1 2. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4 3. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5

4. Ohio Standards for Educators


1. Teachers understand student learning and development and respect the diversity of the students they teach.

a. This standard is met in our curriculum project because we are very conscious of the diversity of our student population. We have many different ethnicities in our school and we welcome any student into our school. In addition to our student's ethnicities, our students have different ability levels and individual intelligences. Our teacher team recognizes these differences and incorporates all students into lessons and activities, many of which are altered to meet the specific needs of our students. Lastly, we are very conscious of our students development, which is why our curriculum is based on healthy living. We know that our students are developing immensely during these ages and we want them to do so in a healthy way so they can live long lives.

2. Teachers know and understand the content area for which they have instructional responsibility.

a. The teachers on our teacher teams are highly qualified and knowledgeable about the areas that they teach. Because our school is designed around project based learning, our teachers have integrated the content subject areas to enhance our curriculum and collaborate with one another. Even though each teacher may not teach their subject areas every day, all of our teachers are the best in their subject areas. Our teachers are constantly learning more and are professionally growing to continue to be the best they can be for our students and community.

3. Teachers understand and use varied assessments to inform instruction, evaluate and ensure student learning.

a. Our teachers do not just use traditional forms of assessment like writing papers, quizzes, and tests. Sequoia Forest Middle School uses project based learning in each grade level. Students work throughout each school year towards a project at the end of the year, our Health and Wellness Fair. While our teachers, at times, may use traditional forms of assessment during the school year, the main form of assessment at Sequoia Forest Middle School is the progressive assessment type of project based learning.

4. Teachers plan and deliver effective instruction that advances the learning of each individual student.

a. Our teachers use professional growth to constantly keep themselves and their lesson plans updated for our students. With this being said, each teacher focuses their instruction on the topics that are covered within their grade level. Our teachers plan instruction using questioning, critical thinking activities, and open discussions. Sequoia Forest Middle School believes in the use of integrated lessons, like the ones presented above. These are the types of


lessons that are teachers use in their classrooms. We believe that if we use these types of lessons, along with accommodations for different learning modalities, intelligences, and ability levels, we will do the best we can to advance the learning of each student in our school.

5. Teachers create learning environments that promote high levels of learning and achievement for all students.

a. The staff at Sequoia Forest Middle School strives to create the best learning environment for our students. With the many safety measures we have implemented in our school, we want our students to feel safe. We have many different clubs and sports for all our students to participate in to create a fun atmosphere. In addition, the classes and teachers strive to create a learning environment that enhances learning levels in all our students. With the use of project based learning, we believe that students will create useful and real life projects that will make school more realistic for student’s lives. By combining all of these factors, we believe that we will create positive learning environments for all students.

6. Teachers collaborate and communicate with students, parents, other educators, administrators, and the community to support student learning.

a. The success of the students of Sequoia Forest Middle School is dependent of communication with the students, parents, and the community. Our community is very involved in our school as the Children’s Hospital and local university give many resources to the students and families in our town. In addition, our teachers use student-teacher-parent conferences to involve all parties in the discussion of their students progress in school. Parents and the community are also involved in student extracurricular activities and sports by volunteering at fundraisers, sporting events, and the PTA. Sequoia Forest Middle School also uses many different forms of social media to communicate with the parents, guardians, and the community.

7. Teachers assume responsibility for professional growth, performance, and involvement as individuals and as members of a learning community.

a. Our teachers at Sequoia Middle School attend regular professional growth seminars and conferences in order to make sure that they are up to date in their teaching styles and lesson plans. In addition, our teachers work together and are constantly learning from their peers. With the use of project based learning, our teachers are also constantly learning to keep up with the demands of the projects that their students are developing and presenting to them.

6. Concept Map


7. Curriculum Rationale

Imagine a school where students are excited, enthusiastic, and engaged about what they learn.

At Sequoia Forest Middle School, we strive for our students to become productive, lifelong learners who live healthy lifestyles as both young and grown adults. We believe in order to accomplish this mission our students must not only develop in the classroom but also as successful citizens in the community. “To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear” (Buddha). In our school, we acknowledge how crucial it is for students to not only learn about health, but to also live healthy lifestyles both inside and outside of the classroom.

At Sequoia Middle School, we recognize that health plays an important role in students’ lives not only in the classroom but also at home. We want our students to be energetic and engaged in the classroom learning environment. In order to make this possible, the students will have free and reduced breakfast as well as lunch. By eating these healthy and nutritious meals, students will be provided with the proper carbohydrates and nutrients needed to energize their body throughout the entire school day. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (2014), “a shot of nutrition and energy after a night without food changes the way children think and act in a learning environment.” (para. 1). Students will also be required to take one fitness class in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade to ensure that they are receiving the proper cardiovascular exercise recommended by the American Heart Association. These professionals believe that, “Kids should engage in at least 60 minutes of daily activities that use the body’s big muscles, such as running, swimming or cycling.”(para.10). Students that are eating healthy meals before they attend their classes and participating in physical activities in their fitness classes throughout the school day will be more active and engaged in the classroom, which will enable an effective learning environment for both students and teachers. Nancy Brown, the CEO for the American Heart Association issued a statement for the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition stating that, “A high-quality physical education program enhances the physical, mental, social and emotional development of every child. Research shows that healthy, more physically fit children learn more effectively, are higher academic achievers, have better attendance and are better behaved in school.” (para. 4 and 5). Not only do we believe it is important to expand the mind of students and the knowledge in which they learn in school (mental health), but it is just as important to also expand the knowledge of the body (physical health).

Our school has a strong emphasis on exercising daily. According to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) (2013), data from numerous studies, “show that regular exercise reduces the number of sick days” (para. 8). Furthermore, our school promotes electives that involve routine exercise that is not strenuous but moderate. Lastly, stress can also lead to an unhealthy or inadequate immune system. Although you cannot prevent stress from occurring, you can develop healthy ways of dealing with this stress. As a result, we have developed a physical education regiment that is known to help release stressful tension (i.e. yoga and zumba).


Furthermore, a healthy lifestyle leads to a more effective immune system, which as result, will lead to better student attendance. These preventative measures will help fight against diseases that keep students out of the classroom. A student’s immune system is their own private little army that helps defend their body against enemy invaders. Research performed by scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine has shown that (2013), “obesity prevents the immune system from functioning properly, increasing its vulnerability to infection” (Liza Barnes, para 3). Knowing this, we at Sequoia Forest Middle School feel it is our duty to help students become aware of how to build not only a strong mind but also a strong body. Here are a few of the steps we are taking to promote “Nutrition to a Strong Immune System”. First, to start a healthy immune system you must eat right. Eating right is a strong component in building your immune system. Teaching students that it is not only how much you eat but what you eat as well. Our staff is dedicated to providing vitamin rich meals to enhance immune systems.

Our team of teachers strongly believe in the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and support the ideas presented above. We want our students to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle and understand why we believe they should choose this way of living. In order to assess our students understanding of living a healthy lifestyle, Sequoia Forest Middle School believes in the use of project based learning.

Project based learning is a progressive style of assessment for middle school and special education students. According to Heather Lattimer and Robert Riordan (2011), “PBL is typically considered an approach to teaching in which students respond to real-world questions or challenges through an extended inquiry process. PBL often involves peer collaboration, a strong emphasis on critical thinking and communication skills, and interdisciplinary learning” (p. 18). Our teacher team believes that project based learning will be best in order to help our students answer the question, “Why is living a healthy lifestyle important?”

There are many reasons why our teacher team has decided to use project based learning at Sequoia Forest Middle School. We do not want our students to be bored and uninterested in what they are learning while in our classrooms. In order to avoid this from happening, we want to try to engage our students as much as possible. Project based learning can do that. According to the NYC Department of Education (2009), “While the projects can assess the students’ knowledge of content, concepts and skills and the level of depth and complexity to which students have understood them, they also allow students to think deeply and analytically and to question a topic which has particular resonance and meaning for them” (p.7). Project based learning does not just test the material that we are teaching our students, but rather allows them to really think about what they are learning and how it will affect their lives.

As a teacher team at Sequoia Forest Middle School, we want to include all students including english language learners and special education students. Project based learning is a great way to include all students in their learning and understanding of healthy lifestyles. According to NYC Department of Education (2009), “The content-area teacher collaborates with other educators in the school (e.g., library media specialist, ELL and special education teachers, art specialists) to provide expansion of students’ fund of knowledge and contextual information as well as other support in helping


students build a high level of knowledge in the project topic. Under an interdisciplinary approach, students not only become immersed in their projects but they also have access to a wider support system of teachers to assist and encourage them” (p. 9). All students will have a wide range of access to many different teachers to help them in their understanding of the material and their creation of their projects. Special education and english language learners, along with every other student of Sequoia Forest Middle School, will have enough resources to achieve success in their projects on healthy lifestyles.

Our students at Sequoia Forest Middle School will use project based learning to understand and develop their ideas about why they should live a healthy lifestyle. Our students will do a year long project about different components of nutrition and healthy lifestyles and will present their ideas at a Health and Wellness Fair at the end of the school year. Our students will be able to develop their ideas and deepen their understanding, along with access to resources and staff members, in order to develop their projects. All students will be involved in this fair and will collaborate and work together to succeed in answering the question, “Why is living a healthy lifestyle important?”

8. Course Description

Our team of teachers at Sequoia Forest Middle School have divided our curriculum of a healthy lifestyle among three different grades present in our school. Each grade level is responsible for learning their components so they will be able to build upon these components in their next grade levels. The 6th grade curriculum will focus on nutrition, wellness, and physical fitness. The 7th grade curriculum will focus on medicine, growth and development, and body systems. Lastly, the 8th grade curriculum will


focus on media, poverty, drugs, and diseases and disorders. Overall, our teacher team will strive to teach our students these topics so they will effectively be able to answer the question, “Why is living a healthy lifestyle important?” at the end of their middle school careers.

As students come to the 6th grade, they will begin their middle school curriculum with a thematic focus on nutrition, physical fitness, and wellness, which will help lead students to live a healthier lifestyle. We believe that as the students reach this age, it is a necessity that they learn and explore these main focuses through project based learning and interaction with their world around them. In regards to nutrition, we want students to explore what it means to have a balanced healthy nutrition and what this looks like to them. As students begin to delve into this topic, it is imperative that the faculty guides them to explore questions on whether or not they are adequately intaking the five essential food groups to a healthy diet. We want our students to generate questions on their own, which may lead to questions like;; What are the risks of failing to meet these recommendations? Why are these groups important to me? Are these food groups truly important? Who says these are important, why? How does the school lunches meet these groups or do they even meet them? If students are generating these questions on their own, it will lead to higher intrinsic motivation, which leads students to want to further explore the world around them and far from them. Using this strategy will help students to not just memorize the five food groups, or be bored with another food pyramid, but engage themselves into critically thinking about the curriculum.

Furthermore, this type of thinking will also lead students into questioning how physical fitness plays its role in living a healthy lifestyle. Our students will engage in topics of, what does it mean to be physical fit? Why is fitness important to me? Does physical fitness only involve strenuous activities? What are things I can do to be fit if I do not enjoy playing sports? What are things I can do if I have a disability? We feel when the students come up with questions like these with little input from the teachers, they take ownership of their learning and of their curriculum. This will help guide them throughout the year and will lead them to further their critical thinking ability, in regards to the end of the year health and wellness fair. We, as a 6th grade teaching team, feel it is very important to have physical activities involved in all areas of learning and developing. As a 6th grade student, their bodies are vastly changing and we want the students to understand and question healthy choices to further their bodies developments.

Lastly, we feel it is of the utmost importance for our students to explore these first two focal points to reach a sense of wellness. Wellness, to our team, is exploring your mind, body, and soul and how this may be different for each individual student and individual in society. As a teacher team, we will give students the basic outline of the five major world religions of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Giving students the opportunity to explore these different viewpoints and to be able to comprehend them will help them understand and appreciate the differences and likeness of the world around them. These issues will take a complete progressive teaching approach, where students will completely run this course. The students will be asked to do several projects throughout the school year in small groups. For these projects, the students will show the knowledge gained by exploring the different religions. For example, one project the students will be


given will be the Religion Nutrition Campaign. This is where students will work in small groups after exploring the 5 religions and and present a campaign of their knowledge of the religious culture with a concentration on nutrition. This presentation has no limits to where the students could take it, ie. comparing it to their own culture to why those religions have chosen to eat the foods they do. An analysis of the religion and campaign will be also be done in a 2 page written paper. The teachers will be helping students with guidance, but will also concentrate on students furthering their knowledge of wellness by critically thinking, questioning, and engaging with the world around them. All of this will lead up to their end of the year Health and Wellness Fair where students will demonstrate the knowledge they gained by exploring different cultures and values.

As students enter the seventh grade, they will have a well known understanding of just how important Sequoia Forest Middle School values health. In the previous grade, the students learned which healthy choices to make at meal time by learning nutrition. They also learned different kinds of strategies and ways to incorporate physical fitness into fun activities. Lastly, they learned wellness and how it is crucial to have a healthy mind as well as body if you want to be a complete person. Now, in 7th grade, students will take what they have learned and expand their knowledge in the areas of medicine, growth and development, and body systems. Medicine is indeed an important topic because it can explain to students the positives and negatives of medication. The overall discovery will explain to students how different kinds of medicine affect the body. This is a very in depth topic because students are gaining knowledge of medicine, which is a considerably advanced idea. However, our students will answer the questions;; How do medicines help fight off sickness? Is it possible for your body to become immune and resist a medicine? Which medicines are bad if taken too much? What’s the difference between medicine and drugs? How has medicine played an important role in history? These questions, along with many others, will be answered during the year through, open class discussions, project based learning, and other student centered processes that allow for student directed learning. Students could research a medicine and the effects they have on the human body. They could then share their research with the class to teach them about different kinds of medicines. The students will also be able to come out of the 7th grade knowing a general understanding of what they should put into their bodies and what they do not need when it comes to prescription and over the counter drugs.

Growth and development might be the most important aspect area learned in the seventh grade. The reason being is that, students must apprehend the information on how their body develops and grows. At the middle school age, many students are in the process of going through puberty. The main focus will not necessarily be on how the students’ bodies are changing from a sexual reproductive, STDs/STIs, ocial development, and HIV/AIDS education standpoint, but instead how puberty changes their bodies as a whole. For example, an activity looking at the differences in students heights could be used to explain aspects of puberty. This will even be expanded to talking about the hormones and body chemical balances, and how these can affect your mood and feelings during puberty. Later on in 8th grade, students will learn about drugs and this will give them a sneak preview on the effects drugs can have on our bodies, especially when they are still growing.


Much like growth and development, body systems is an area which will inform students of how their body is changing. However, instead of teaching how puberty affects the body, body systems takes a look at how our bodies function. This topic could be considered a preliminary course for anatomy because much of this information will be covered. It is great to know that when you have good nutrition and you partake in physical fitness often, your body becomes healthier, but why? This question will be answered when students start to learn the notion of how their body functions. An inquiry of how the circulatory, digestive, endocrine, immune, lymphatic, musculoskeletal, respiratory and nervous systems work will be learned by the end of the seventh grade. Students will complete a worksheet where they must properly identify the different body systems based on their pictures. Overall, students must learn the relationship between healthy eating and fitness and how each correlates with the systems within our bodies. By the time the students of Sequoia Forest Middle School reach the 8th grade, they will have learned a lot about why healthy lifestyles are important. With this being said, our 8th grade students will learn the more mature topics to complete their understanding of our curriculum before they transition into high school. In the 8th grade, our students will learn about drugs, poverty, diseases and disorders, and media. Our teacher team chose to group these topics about health together because they are more mature. We felt that these topics should only be discussed with older students within our school. In addition, we felt that these topics were all connected well, as drugs and diseases and disorders can lead to poverty. All of these topics are also portrayed through many different medias. Our students in the 8th grade will use questioning, critical thinking activities, and discussions throughout the year in order to fully understand these topics. In addition, these methods will help our students to be successful with their projects (for project based learning) for the Health and Wellness fair at the end of the year. Because these topics will be covered throughout the entire year, our team of teachers believes in the value of questioning. Our students will begin their units with questions. What do we want our students to know about the things they are learning? What do our students want to know about the topics that are included in our curriculum? These questions are important and serve as a starting point for each topic. Our main goal of using questioning is for our students to answer these questions as they learn more about the topics. What are the different diseases associated with heart? How does poverty affect academics? What are some drugs that are illegal in the United States? Why are they illegal? Should they be illegal? How does the media portray drugs? Diseases? Healthy Lifestyles? These are the kinds of questions that we want to pose to our students in the beginning of our units in the 8th grade curriculum. Not only do we want to include these questions that we as teachers come up with, but also the questions that our students want to know about the topics of poverty, drugs, diseases and disorders, and the media. As teachers, we believe that we have done our jobs when students can analyze, answer, and interpret these questions that we have posed. To go along with questioning, the 8th grade team will be doing many critical thinking activities related to the topics in their curriculum. Not only will these activities allow students to test their knowledge of the material, but also they will be able to think deeply about their assignments and the topics at hand. Many of these activities can be done with any student in the grade (including English


language learners and special education students). An example of a critical thinking activity for our 8th grade students could be related to media. Having students look at different forms of media and how they are portraying these different topics of health could be a great way for students to deepen their understanding of how media can influence society. In addition with having students look at media forms, the students could create their own ads, PSAs, videos, or commercials containing their own messages about these topics or about healthy living. When students are doing these critical thinking activities, we want them to feel like they are doing something productive with the material and making a difference, if possible. We believe that it is one thing to teach our students the material, but we also believe in allowing them to interact and critically analyze the material that they learn. Lastly, we want our students to have open discussions throughout the year as they learn about the topics of poverty, drugs, diseases and disorders, and media. These topics are very mature and some of them can be controversial. We want our students to be able to discuss their ideas about the topics in a safe and inviting environment where classroom trust is necessary. In using open discussions, students can hear what their peers have to say about the things that they are learning. They can learn to understand different viewpoints and accept what other people have to say. An open discussion about diseases and disorders and the effects of both of them could be a great way to hear from all students in the classroom. Open discussions will informally test what the students know and how deeply they understand the material being discussed.

By dividing the topics of the curriculum amongst the different grade levels, our students will be able to do different topics for their projects for the annual Health and Wellness fair. These projects will not only to assess the knowledge gained by the individuals but in addition how effective the teaching of their thematic focus that year was. With this attitude in mind, our teachers realize that each year their curriculum will have to be adapted to fit the new student classes to make learning more effective year after year. As a school that supports project based learning, our students will have to create a project, throughout the entire year, that ties together all their topics in their individual grade level curriculums. They will collaborate and work together to make their projects. We believe that this type of instruction (project based learning) will help students gain the necessary learning techniques needed to be successful throughout the rest of their middle school careers as well as they transition into high school, secondary education, and employment.


9. Rationale and means for assessing student performance

At Sequoia Forest Middle School, we believe in assessing our students in a way that accurately and adequately checks their understanding and comprehension of the material they learn in the classrooms. The assessment type we use is project-based learning, or PBL. According to the educational website, Edutopia, project based learning “is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges” (“Project-Based Learning”, 2014). Through the use of this engaging and active learning, students become inspired to acquire a deeper understanding of the subjects in which they are being taught. Also, according to Edutopia.org, students who actively participate in project-based learning have shown to remember content for longer periods of time, view themselves as performing better in assignments that highlight understanding and application of knowledge, and also feel better prepared in situations revolving around problem solving (“Project-Based Learning”, 2014).

Furthermore, through the use of project-based learning, our students will be assessed at the end of the year in Sequoia Forest Middle School’s Health and Wellness Fair. At the annual Health and Wellness Fair, students will work collaboratively with their peers to successfully create a project according to their individual topic. Each grade will focus on specific topics that are assigned to their age level. Six grade students will focus on nutrition, wellness, and physical fitness, seventh grade students


will focus on medicine, growth and development, and body systems, and eighth grade students will focus on media, poverty, drugs, diseases, and disorders. Each grade is required to have a component of each topic for their grade that must be included in their project. The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students will all be able to choose and decide with their peers what their project is, such as format, layout, etc. Incorporating the option of choice while still giving the students a foundation for what their project topic is will enable the students to become imaginative, creative, and unique with the work they do throughout their experience of creating their project.

Students’ projects will be graded according to the accuracy of information being discussed in their work, creativity of how they displayed their work, deepness of thinking, and overall understanding and comprehension of the material learned throughout the school year. Sylvia Chard from University of Alberta comments about project-based learning: “One of the major advantages of project work is that it makes school more like real life" (“Project-Based Learning”, 2014). Students will also be assessed on homework assignments, quizzes, tests, and small projects throughout the entire school year. We, at Sequoia Forest Middle School, agree with Sylvia’s statement about project-based learning because we see project-based learning as being an opportunity for students to connect what they have learned in the classroom to what they are learning in the real world as they grow into successful healthy young-adults.

References

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"Children's Cardiovascular Fitness Declining Worldwide." Www.heart.org. American Heart Association, 19 Nov. 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. Guizlo, Chris. "New School Fitness Assessment Will Aid in the Battle Against Childhood Obesity, Says American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown." Welcome to the AHA/ASA Newsroom. American Heart Association, 10 Sept. 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. Lattimer, H., & Riordan, R. Project-based Learning Engages Students in Meaningful

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April 20, 2014, from http://www.lovelandschools.org/Downloads/2012-2013LHSHandbookFinal22.pdf

NYC Department of Education. (2009.). Project-Based Learning: Inspiring Middle School Students to Engage in Deep and Active Learning. Project-Based Learning: Inspiring Middle School Students to Engage in Deep and Active Learning. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://schools.nyc.gov/documents/teachandlearn/project_basedfinal.pdf


"Project-Based Learning." Edutopia. The George Lucas Educational Foundation., 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning>.

Spokane High School (n.d.). Mission and Belief Statements. www.spokaneschools.org. RetrievedApril 20, 2014, from http://www.spokaneschools.org/domain/996

Teaching Nutrition in Middle and High School students. (n.d.). Teaching Nutrition in Middle and High School students. Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http://casemed.case.edu/ctsc/community/educators-night/Nutrition_Teaching%20Nutrition%20in%20Middle%20and%20High%20School%20Students_10-02-12.pdf

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