They are capable of more complex number functions in mathematics and the scientific inquiry that allows them to discover principles. Central Subjects bring new understandings about human motivation and behavior. In studying peoples or eras like the Ancient Greeks or Medieval Life, fourth and fifth graders find themselves absorbed in worlds previously unknown to them. With their growing knowledge comes the ability and the desire to research, to write effectively, to begin to perceive and hold opposing points of view. Our curriculum is designed to help students sharpen their ability to make inferences, draw conclusions and understand complex cause and effect.
Exploration continues, but with a greater emphasis on making connections.
The seventh grade Central Subject for instance, focuses on Colonial America, beginning with the Age of Exploration that led to vast global migration and the resulting desire for political and personal independence and revolution. This period mirrors the interior worlds of this age group where the search for independence and identity becomes paramount. In their final years at Shady Hill, students tackle algebra, use experimentation to understand the physical world, discuss literature,learn a foreign language and write at increasing length with assurance and style. We have deliberately designed our academic program to meet the needs of students as they grow, challenging them at each stage to understand unfamiliar concepts and apply newly acquired skills. True learning is difficult because it necessarily takes students beyond the commonplace, across bounds that enable them to see the world freshly.