The Discover Program is a natural foundation leading to the Concentrations Upper School
Our Discovery Program is designed for our seventh and eighth-grade students who wish to pursue their passions. The courses in the Discovery program contain a rigorous collection of content designed to allow highly motivated learners to select a path to either discover STEM or discover Humanities further.
Our Discovery Program is designed for our seventh and eighth grade students who wish to pursue their passions. The courses in the Discovery program contain a rigorous collection of content designed to allow highly motivated learners to select a path to either discover STEM or discover Humanities further. Throughout the first semester, students will take a deep dive into each course along their chosen path. During the second semester, students will engage in a culminating project of their own design focused on an interest discovered during their coursework. These projects, completed in partnership with community members and Discovery teachers, will give students real world practice in research, written, and spoken expression all while learning more about topics that inspire them. Students will be expected to present in a Spring Consortium toward the end of the school year.
The Path to Discover STEM
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
The Environmental Design course will provide students with the skills to understand, analyze, and solve problems with a lens focused toward our local environment. We will dive into topics which affect our local environment, implement tools used to gather data, research conservation techniques, conduct field biology and gain knowledge on the design of sustainable environments. Students will be introduced to local environmental entities in our area and how they incorporate research and monitoring into environmental conservation. Students will learn to confront and celebrate nature as they engage in annotating and analyzing to become critical thinkers.
STEM RESEARCH + DESIGN + SKILLS/TOOLS
This course fosters action and discovery through innovative concepts, shared experiences, and skill development. Students will explore diverse tools and subjects like AutoCAD, ArcGIS, and Adobe products, as well as data analysis, graphing, and scientific measurement. They'll also delve into Microsoft Office in scientific contexts and develop critical thinking, research, and presentation skills. Through hands-on projects, they'll tackle real-world challenges, preparing them for high school STEM concentrations and beyond.
ENGINEERING & DESIGN
The course will cover Engineering concepts and fundamentals through the construction of Simple Machine models and analysis – Levers, Wheel and Axles, Gears, Pulleys, Structures, etc.. Development of critical/creative thinking skills and troubleshooting will also be heavily reinforced by mechanizing the various base model designs – working through the various challenges in the process. Robotic motors and sensors along with the programming will also be covered. The activities will be a combination of technical and creative application and incorporate the elements of the other disciplines in the DISCOVERY -STEM program.
The Path to Discover Humanities
COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH ARTS
COTA challenges students to explore their community's needs and address them through creative arts projects, fostering cultural understanding and community cohesion. Through collaboration, students will discover the transformative power of art in strengthening communities. Additionally, we'll learn about design principles, Canva, branding, logos, and social media strategies, as well as explore photography techniques to enhance our visual storytelling.
COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Communication studies focuses on learning the elements of journalism, public speaking, and graphic design. Students will learn about the fields of print journalism, graphic design, creative writing, and broadcast journalism. Students will use InDesign, Photoshop, and Premiere video editing software to create the Middle School Humanities Magazine and the Middle School News.
CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
Discover Humanities provides students with additional instruction and writing experience. Students will practice planning, revising, and editing for an authentic audience. Additionally, students will learn how to incorporate research into writing and develop credibility as a journalist. Each student is encouraged to try new techniques and experiment with developing a personal voice in writing as they learn to think and read like writers.