THE MIDDLE SCHOOL > Middle School
Middle School
Montessori Middle School is grades 7 and 8.
The culminating cycle at BHMS is Montessori Middle School, a two-year sequence, including Grade 7 and Grade 8, of thematically linked Humanities, Erdkinder, Science, English, and Social Growth units. Students explore historical and scientific themes and their connections to current events and their own lives. As in the Upper Elementary program, the curriculum follows a trimester schedule, and the units are further broken down into six-week cycles. At the start of Montessori's plane of development for adolescents, students are better able to reason abstractly and begin the journey to self-sufficient independence. The more complex units of study reflect this change.
Middle school students are the leaders of the school. By seventh grade, students are experienced supporting the younger students in many ways. Middle School students are each paired with a first or second grade Lower Elementary "Reading Buddy", who they work with throughout the year. They also run a microeconomy selling pizza to the rest of the school once a week, a business which funds their end of year overnight trip. Eighth graders support the planning of the trip, including: destination, transportation, budget, and itinerary.
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A hallmark of the BHMS middle school program are the Expert Project (research-based) and the Magnum Opus (creative), which students undertake in alternating years. For these long-form projects, our 7th and 8th graders choose a topic to research comprehensively and prepare a dynamic, multimedia and oral presentation, which they present to the full school and parent community.
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By eighth grade, our students know themselves as learners and are well-prepared to choose a high school that is the right fit for them. Our High School Advising Team supports families through every phase of the application process, working with students and parents to find a school that matches each student's individual needs. ​BHMS graduates enroll in high schools where they thrive.
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM INCLUDE:
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Students take ownership of their learning, through setting goals and asking for help in student-led conferences with their teachers and parents
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Middle Schoolers are leaders and mentors to younger students at the school
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Middle School Collaborative Production is a yearly in-depth study and theatrical production ​
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Magnum Opus and Expert Project are capstone projects where students are able to pursue and explore their interests and passions
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Two overnight trips - a week on a farm in the fall and three days in a city in the spring - give students a sense of independence and connection with their peers while applying what they've learned in the classroom to new contexts
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An experienced High School Placement Team work with each family to find a great fit for each student's next step
To learn about all of our programs in greater depth, see our Curriculum Guide.
