Middle School MYP Curriculum Overview
The Middle School curriculum includes all the MYP subject groups: Language and Literature, Language Acquisition (Italian, French, Mandarin, and Spanish), Mathematics, Sciences, Individuals and Societies, Arts, Design and Physical and Health Education.
The Middle School staff is a dedicated group of teachers who collectively bring many years of experience, a passion for their subjects and the willingness to keep evaluating the best teaching practices.
Our classrooms are bright and comfortable learning spaces, with flexible configurations to accommodate transitions from whole group instruction to team learning. This supports the curriculum which is rich in content and individualised approaches to instruction. We realise students all learn differently while having strong interpersonal needs.
Martin Leavy
Middle School Principal
Susan Kammerer
MYP Coordinator
MYP Subject Groups
Language and literature
In Language and Literature at Ambrit, students learn different genres in literature with a focus on developing reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Students develop reading and writing skills through a collection of critical and creative responses to the reading of literary texts. The summative writing task at the end of each unit assesses the understanding of literary texts through the written expression of each individual student.
Students develop listening and speaking skills during lessons by use of the following teaching strategies: cooperative learning activities, pair work, oral presentations, and drama. The summative oral task at the end of each unit assesses the understanding of literary texts through oral expression of each individual student.
Language acquisition
In Middle School at Ambrit, four possible Language Acquisition courses are offered to students across the three years: Italian (IAL), French, Spanish and Mandarin. The Language Acquisition curriculum at Ambrit meets the individual needs of each student and they are assessed on the MYP criteria for Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. These courses are designed to help students to become more comfortable and autonomous in the language of their choice, as well as enjoy and appreciate the culture of the target language.
Sciences
The Middle School science curriculum introduces students to the scientific method and to the way in which scientists view the world. The lessons and assessments are designed to help students learn through experiment and logical reasoning. The material is studied using a combination of textbooks, notes, experiments, projects, videos, and worksheets. Students are encouraged to read about science at home and to pursue their own scientific interests. Our students are exposed to a wide range of topics across all of the scientific disciplines and a selection of these topics is studied in detail each year.
Individuals and societies
Individuals and societies is an integrated humanities course designed to deepen our students’ understanding of world history and geography, while at the same time developing research, communication, and critical thinking skills. In Year 1 (grade 6) and Year 2 (grade 7), all students undertake the same course, while in Year 3 (year 8) there is a differentiated curriculum for students preparing for the Italian state “Terza media” exam.
Design
The Design curriculum motivates students to be empathetic, responsible and innovative problem-solvers to the global community and environment. Students are encouraged to approach a range of design situations with imagination, experimentation and play in order to fully understand the design process and appreciate the role of designers in the world today. Through exploration and inquiry into both product and digital design, students are challenged to apply practical, creative and critical thinking skills that are centred around the needs of others.
Mathematics
The Ambrit Middle School Mathematics program incorporates both conceptual understanding and arithmetical computation to ensure students are strong problem solvers who can compute well and communicate their thought processes. Throughout the year focus is placed on conceptual, procedural, and applied understandings. A range of topics is covered to give students the foundations required for subsequent courses, while a variety of methods for solving word problems are used, encouraging students to be lateral thinkers.
Physical and health education
Physical and health education empowers students to understand and appreciate the value of being physically active and develop the motivation for making healthy life choices. A wide variety of different sports and physical activities from different countries are practised, some of which have a more competitive spirit for example hockey, soccer, basketball, lacrosse – while others are essentially non-competitive for example yoga and dance. Physical and health education develops the enjoyment, engagement, and confidence in physical activity that students need in order to achieve and maintain a balanced, healthy life.
Arts | Music/Performing arts and Visual arts
The music curriculum builds music literacy and instills music appreciation. Students give performances for parents and for the student body. They approach both vocal and instrumental music. They are guided through the viewing of a musical or an opera. There is a small dance component to the music curriculum.
The Visual Arts curriculum is structured to encourage critical thinking, exercise problem-solving skills, and foster creativity. During these three years, students work on complex conceptual projects combining artistic exploration and self-discovery. Students are expected to work through the creative process with perseverance, experiment readily with diverse techniques and build their artistic vocabulary to respond and reflect on the importance of art – past, present, and future. Visual language and aesthetics are vital aspects of learning and are essential to intellectual growth. Art is a system of communication using visual elements, and education in the visual arts improves the perception, comprehension, and assembly of visible signs. Making art develops the capabilities to be able to “Think Like An Artist” to become a curious visual investigator who actively searches for and playfully develops creative visual solutions.
