Middle School
The theme this year is Some Assembly Required. Isn't that so true of middle school students? It's our privilege to get to help them figure out how to put it all together.
-Mrs. Molly Burger
Middle School Principal
SSIS Middle School: Connections
The joy of learning with students who are exploring their interests, developing their passions, beginning to see themselves as independent people ready to take on the world. That’s middle school.
When students enter middle school, they are excited by their new independence, the increased responsibility, and the new courses and activities offered to them. They are equally nervous about those very same things. Throw into the mix changing social relationships and puberty, and we can understand how complex middle school can be for students. Attending middle school in an international environment adds exciting layer for the students. The expert faculty members at SSIS are ready to guide our students through the joyful years of middle school helping them learn more about themselves as they develop their subject matter expertise and learn about the world around them.
Curriculum
Grade 6
Moving to the middle school is an exciting time for Grade 6 students. Learning to work with many different teachers and how to manage the increasing organizational demands is a hallmark of middle school. Grade 6 students have an advisor who assists them with managing these changing demands.
In Grade 6, students continue to study English Language Arts, math, science, social studies, and physical education. In addition to these courses, they begin their study of a Modern World Language either selecting Spanish or Mandarin. In addition to English Language Arts, Grade 6 students take a semester course focused on writing. Digital Literacy is also taken for a semester. The last course for Grade 6 is Exploratory where student try out the different electives offered in the middle school including art, drama, health, and music each for a quarter of the year. Grade 6 student travel on Week Without Walls to Kega, Vietnam learning about the environmental issues facing coastal communities as well as learning more about water safety and sports.
Additional athletic and after school activities become available to Grade 6 students when they enter middle school. Students even have opportunities to represent SSIS in international competitions and tournaments.
Grade 7
Continuing the courses begun in Grade 6, Grade 7 students begin to choose areas of interest to continue to study. In technology, students choose between Multimedia or Robotic/Coding. In the elective courses, students can decide between year long or semester courses from the following options: instrumental music, choir, yearbook, drama, and art. Grade 7 students travel to Madagui in the Cat Tien National Forest for Week Without Walls continuing to explore the outdoors and build their confidence through exciting physical activities like rock climbing and white-water rafting.
Grade 8
Grade 8 students continue their studies in core classes and add additional elective choices of Multimedia and Robotics/Coding into the mix of previously offered electives. Grade 8 students begin to plan for their transition to high school as they develop their “Four Year Plan” which is a draft of how they plan to meet their graduation requirements and the types of courses they would like to study. Transition activities happen throughout the year helping to ensure that they are ready for their next big educational move. Grade 8 students travel to Dalat for their Week Without Walls trip. As international students are also experienced travelers, this trip includes more outdoor camping and opportunities to explore the natural world.
