• Drawing
• Painting
• Collage
• Printmaking
• Digital Photography
• Sculpture
• Ceramics
• Masks
• Architecture and Environmental Design
• Earth Art Commercial
• Art Design Thinking
• Stop Motion Animation

The Middle School Health/Guidance program is designed to heighten the awareness and understanding of children's physical, social and emotional changes. At each grade level, the Health Coordinator and the Counselor teach several whole class lessons to promote wellness through healthy choices and balance. The Health curriculum includes nutrition, sleep, hygiene, human development, reproduction and the effects of both legal and illegal drugs. The Guidance curriculum includes conflict resolution, self-advocacy, relaxation techniques, exploring identities and cultural competence, and strategies to reduce bullying behavior.

Grade 4

The major goals in fourth grade are to develop and enhance each student's mastery of language arts skills, to encourage and foster appreciation and enthusiasm for literature, and to provide a variety of opportunities for oral and written expression.

Reading and Literature

• Variety of genres read aloud to class
• Variety of genres read and discussed by whole class or small groups
• Independent reading
• Writing about texts
• Comprehension strategies
• Word study and vocabulary
• Research skills

Written Expression

• Various styles of writing (narrative, fiction, expository, essay, poetry
• Writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, publishing)
• Organization and development of writing
• Word study

Grammar

• Parts of speech
• Mechanics of writing (capitalization, sight word spelling, punctuation)
• Sentence basics

Oral Language

• Oral presentations
• Discussions and responses
• Listening skills
• Class play

Grade 5

The major goals in fifth grade are to refine reading comprehension and vocabulary skills with increased emphasis on reading non-fiction, to foster an appreciation of good literature, and to continue development of effective writing, speaking, listening, and research skills.

Reading and Literature

• Variety of genres read aloud to class
• Variety of genres read and discussed by whole class or small groups
• Independent reading
• Comprehension strategies
• Word study and vocabulary enrichment
• Research skills

Written Expression

• Various styles of writing (essay, expository, persuasive, poetry)
• Writing process (pre-writing, drafting, conferencing, revising, editing, publishing)
• Organization and development of writing
• Word study

Grammar

• Parts of speech
• Mechanics of writing (capitalization, sight word spelling, punctuation, usage)
• Sentence structure

Oral Language

• Oral presentations
• Discussions
• Listening skills
• Class play

Grade 6

The major goals in sixth grade are to encourage a respect for the use of language and an appreciation for good literature, to help students hone their writing skills, and to encourage students to speak effectively and develop good listening skills.

Reading and Literature

• Variety of genres read aloud to class
• Variety of genres read and discussed by whole class or small groups
• Independent reading
• Comprehension strategies
• Vocabulary building
• Research skills
• Literary analysis

Written Expression

• Various styles of writing (narrative, expository, essay, poetry, speech)
• Writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, publishing)
• Organization and development of writing

Grammar

• Parts of speech
• Mechanics of writing (sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, usage)
• Sentence structure

Oral Language

• Oral presentations / Speech
• Discussions and responses
• Listening skills
• Class play

The mathematics curriculum seeks to help students realize their full potential as mathematical thinkers. Throughout the Middle School years, conceptual and skill development is embedded in problem-solving activities to encourage deep understanding. There is also increasing exposure to algebraic reasoning and abstraction.

Grade 4 

• patterns and functions
• multiplication
• division
• geometry
• estimation
• decimals
• fractions
• perimeter and area

Grade 5

• whole number computation
• number theory
• multiplication
• division
• geometry
• fractions
• decimals

Grade 6

• area and perimeter
• number theory
• fractions
• positive and negative numbers
• decimals and percents
• geometry
• architecture
• ratio and proportion

General Music

The Middle School General Music program is based on the Orff-Schulwerk approach to teaching and learning, which strives to build musicianship in every learner through the integration of singing, instrumental music, movement, speech, and drama. Students begin with what they do instinctively -- play! -- and imitation, experimentation, and personal expression occur naturally as students become confident, life-long musicians and creative problem solvers. Students engage in improvisation, choreography, or composition activities in every class, and work hard to build their skills so that they might better share their own musical voices and ideas.

During an average class, students sing, perform on body percussion or musical instruments (especially drums, barred instruments, recorder, and ‘ukulele), perform creative movement or dance, learn about the core commonalities that connect composers and music-makers around the world, and create and share an original music or movement idea. Taken together, students receive a deep and well-rounded training in elemental music and movement.

In addition to weekly or semiweekly General Music classes, additional opportunities for students to share their skills and creations abound, including in divisional and all-School assemblies as well as General Music classes themselves. Two final special opportunities bear special mention: Sixth grade students participate in weekly choral rehearsals in addition to their General Music instruction, and students with a particular interest in playing recorder may join the Recorder Consort, which meets weekly during recess. Both the Sixth Grade Chorus and the Recorder Consort perform in divisional and in all-School settings.

Instrumental Music

The Instrumental Music program in the Middle School teaches basic music literacy, instrumental techniques, and introductory ensemble skills in twice-weekly classes. Each semester culminates with a concert performance. All fifth and sixth grade students are required to select a performance class in which they will participate for two years. Choices are: Band, Handbells, or Strings.

Band Concert Band

In 5th Grade Beginner Band, students choose a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument and learn the fundamentals of tone production, instrumental technique, music literacy, and ensemble performance skills. 6th Grade Band students learn to read, interpret, and perform more advanced rhythms and music notation, expand their range, and begin studying contemporary concert band literature.

Handbells

Handbells is a percussion ensemble that utilizes tuned bells like individual keys on a piano. Students are assigned two diatonic notes that when performed with other students and their notes, create wonderful music together. Handbells do not have separate instrumental sections, but the wide range of the ensemble provides many opportunities to ring bells of various sizes and pitches.

String Ensemble

String Ensemble comprises violins, violas, cellos, and basses. Students who have not played a stringed instrument before learn the instrument from the ground up, including posture and position, sound production and rhythm performance through plucking or bowing the strings, and playing notes and melodies in various key signatures. More advanced players are assigned ensemble music appropriate to their skill level and ensemble-playing experience.

Note: Individual music lessons may be scheduled through the Private Lesson program.

The purpose of the physical education program in Middle School is to provide an environment in which each student can develop confidence in his or her physical self. A major goal of the program is to help students master a range of motor and sport specific skills that are age-appropriate in an atmosphere of trust and enjoyment. The emphasis of this program is developing individual skills, improving fitness levels, and building team concepts.

• Fall - Soccer, Field Hockey, Flag Football, Fitness Challenges, Volleyball, Tennis, Badminton, Team Building Activities
• Winter - Wrestling, Basketball, Squash, Floor Hockey, Jump Rope, Juggling, Fitness Assessment
• Spring - Baseball, Softball, Lacrosse, Track and Field, Recreational Games

The Potomac School values healthy rivalry, and encourages spirited and fair play in class competitions. We work towards helping students develop a knowledge and appreciation of teamwork, cooperation, and compassion for others while promoting a healthy attitude toward competition and understanding how to gracefully win and lose. We encourage students to respect, and appreciate the differences among people in physical activity settings.

Grade 4

The Middle School science program is designed to expose students to basic concepts and to foster an appreciation of science in their lives through hands-on activities.

• Biology - arthropods, bones, reconstruction of skeletons, the fossil record
• Physics - sound, aerodynamics, electric circuitry
• Ecology - food chains, food webs, animal populations, ecosystems
• Outdoor Education - Students meet 50 minutes per week to explore habitats and natural resources on our campus. Topics students are studying in science are incorporated into this weekly outdoor study.

Grade 5

• Chemistry - periodic table of the elements, properties of matter,, states of matter (solids, liquids, and gases), chemical reactions
• Physics - force and motion, simple machines, robotics/design technology, invention convention
• Biology - human body systems, plants

Grade 6

The sixth grade science program stresses the importance of science in the students' everyday lives while providing them with extensive hands-on activities. Along with inquiry labs, extensive data collection and analysis, students read and report on a science news story weekly.

• Astronomy - moon, sun, solar system, stars, constellations, scale models
• Meteorology - atmosphere, water cycle, clouds, build weather instruments, weather station, acid rain, world climate
• Geology - plate tectonics, Earth's history, minerals, rock cycle, riverbeds, Potomac basin

Grade 4

Fourth grade students explore early humans and the first civilizations as they integrate and share their knowledge through a variety of projects, such as engaging in archaeological simulations, writing expository essays, building models, and giving oral presentations. All of the research completed aid in their understanding that events and actions of the past affect the present and the future.

Early Humans - students engage in non-fiction discovery about early humans and their nomadic life which leads to the idea of “where you live affecting how you live,” laying the foundation for later exploration of early civilizations

Ancient Mesopotamia - students are exposed to the seven characteristics of a civilization (government, written language, technology, arts and culture, religion, stable food supply, and social structure), and then engage in a historical fiction writing piece in conjunction with their research topic, all of which leads to the creation of a digital museum

Ancient Egypt - building off of previously learned research skills as well as their understanding of a civilization, students self-discover the mysteries of ancient Egypt, culminating in an interactive event, which includes an expository essay, tri-fold board, and oral presentation

Grade 5

Fifth grade students move from the ancient culture of Egypt in fourth grade to a comparison of Western and Eastern ancient civilizations, focusing on China and Greece. To deepen their understanding, students explore these major civilizations through an inquiry based approach, including class simulations, discussions, presentations, skits, field trips, art projects, as well as independent research projects.

• Ancient China: geography, philosophy, government, architecture, art, religion, history, as well as a celebration of the Lunar New Year 

• Classical Greek Civilizations: geography, mythology, government, history, art and architecture, as well as a reenactment of the ancient Olympic games

Grade 6

Sixth grade students begin the year learning about the origins and basic beliefs of major world religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Following this unit, they study the time period 400-1400 C.E. across the world. Through this exploration and a final research project, students develop the skills necessary to ask insightful questions, seek well-supported answers and evaluate what they have discovered. Our studies will stem from three main enduring understandings:

• Religion is Influential in Shaping Societies - Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism
• Societies Have Organizational Structures - feudalism and other societal structures
• Societies Rise and Fall due to Complex Causes - kingdoms of West Africa, decline of feudalism

The Arundel Family Library's mission is to provide programs that help students become skillful, responsible users of information, and adventurous, committed readers. The library provides a collection of current print and electronic resources that reflects the diversity of our community and supports the curriculum. The Arundel’s home page is a portal to all available resources offered to Potomac families.

The Reading program's goal is to awaken in all Middle School students an enthusiasm for reading. Librarians lead genre studies, read selections to students, share new and old titles in discussion, and provide opportunities for students to recommend titles during class time and on the Arundel's web pages. The library maintains an extensive collection of fiction, nonfiction, and ebook titles, as well as other multimedia selections. The library brings in professional authors on a regular basis who share their personal stories with our students and encourage students to try writing on their own.

The Information Literacy program integrates digital information skills with more traditional ones. The program helps students examine a wide variety of sources, practice the research process, develop critical thinking skills, avoid plagiarism, and respect copyright. Librarians, in collaboration with technology specialists, classroom teachers, and language arts specialists design projects that encourage the development of inquiry skills. Students preview, develop research questions, identify sources, develop search strategies, evaluate sources, discriminate between important and unimportant information, cite sources, create a product, and reflect on the research process.

• Use of real-world technology will prepare our students to do more than just the basics. It gives them a forum to find the role that technology plays in their lives, both academically and personally.
• Responsible use of technology is critical to students' development as ethical and responsible users, as well as understanding the application of technology and its reflection on the students, their classrooms, their school, their families and beyond.
• Access to industry standard tools (programs, equipment and experiences) ensures the skills our community cultivates will reflect our high standard of academic rigor for their lives beyond The Potomac School campus.

• Multimedia (creation of interactive or visual media, e.g., presentations, digital storytelling, podcasts)
• Photography/Graphic Design (manipulation and development of original and digital images, e.g., 3-D design, photoshop elements)
• Digital Citizenship (responsible and safe use of equipment, resources and online tools)
• Typing/Keyboarding (development of keyboarding skills to support their exploration of technology and their curriculum) Google Workspace for Education (create and modify work using various Google applications)
• Computer-Based Research Methods (Internet, online databases, curriculum support software)
• Dedicated Curriculum Support Materials (use of tools dedicated to supporting specific areas of the curriculum)
• Internet Use/Web Development (designing content for and effectively using resources on the Internet)
• Coding (use of Scratch and other block-based coding programs)
• Robotics (use of the VEX robotics platform)

The Middle School Spanish Language program, while working to develop language proficiency in Spanish, is primarily designed to capture the unique cognitive benefits of second language acquisition for children of this age. The program follows the content-based Foreign Language in Elementary School (FLES) model, in which content from the grade level curriculum is used in Spanish classes to advance language goals.

Spanish is introduced in fourth grade and continues in fifth and sixth. The fourth grade introductory course centers on conversational engagements, easing into beginning elements of reading and writing. The Spanish curriculum builds upon previous years' foundations, adding additional reading, writing, and cultural components as the students advance.