Founders' Hall Curriculum
 
Algebra 1
This course is designed to prepare a student for higher level mathematics. It contains a review of the real number system followed by units on solving linear equations in one variable, operations with polynomials, exponential properties. The student is expected to solve linear equations in two variables, graph linear equations, and work with operations dealing with square roots. Emphasis will be placed on critical thinking in the classroom.
Algebra B
This is a continuum of Algebra 1 concepts. Students will further their understanding of algebraic concepts and use in the real world. Primary focuses are functions, systems of equations, and inequalities, quadratic equations and functions, exponentsand their functions, rational expressions and functions.
American History
The eighth grade American History curriculum concentrates on early American history beginning with the Age of Exploration.  The course moves through the period of colonization, fighting the war for independence, Westward expansion, the foundations of government, and concluding with an introduction to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Art

Students receive a 45-day cycle of art that focuses on fundamental concepts as well as exposure to a variety of artistic styles.  All art students create projects that are prominently displayed throughout the school.  Within each cycle, students are encouraged to use their creativity while using a large variety of supplies.
Band
The band students receive individual lessons and collective practice throughout the year.  The practice culminates in two yearly productions that display student progress.  The band works in conjunction with the high school band to ensure a smooth transition and maintain a seamless curriculum.
Career Education
Career Education is taught by a certified guidance counselor and helps students enhance strategies that will assist their personal, social, and academic development.  The course helps to identify a variety of careers and how education provides the basis for success in any career field chosen.  This course enables students to make a knowledgeable decision about what their education will focus on at the high school level.
Chrous
Students that participate in the seventh and eighth grade chorus study various artists and their styles and incorporate them into their performances.  As with band and orchestra, there are individual, as well as, collective practices that culminate in two yearly performances.
Computer Science
The seventh grade computer science students begin with a quick refresher course on keyboarding and then progress through the Microsoft Office 2000 package.  The first program students will display proficiency on will be Microsoft Word, a program that allows them to use word processing in detail and understand what it can do for them.  The class will then proceed to PowerPoint, where they can learn how to organize their material into slides and prepare presentations.  Following proficiency in PowerPoint, the class will then move on to Excel, the program that gives students the capability to use and develop their own spreadsheets.
Consumer Science
This course is designed on a 45-day cycle and provides students with hands-on knowledge of activities that can enhance their daily lives.  The students work together, cook, bake, sew, and understand basics of daily life.  Students are given the opportunity to sample their products and adjust them accordingly to advance their skills.
English as a Second Language
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Language Arts - 7th Grade
The seventh grade Language Arts classes combine traditional English with a focus on both reading and writing.  Students are taught according to state standards and grading includes a mixture of authentic assessments, oral presentations, and rubric based writing assignments.
Language Arts - 8th Grade
The eighth grade Language Arts classes expose students to various styles of writing that include both creative and formal.  By the end of the eighth grade, students will be familiar with the writing process including prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, and publishing.  Emphasis is placed on writing with a sharp, distinct focus and using well-developed content appropriate for the context.  This course is designed to teach students how to bring tone and voice into their writing through rigorous writing and grammar exercises.
Math Connects 7

Rigorous content designed to meet the Common Core Standards. The curriculum focuses on investigating concepts and building conceptual understanding. Students will develop, reinforce, and master comutational and procedural skills. Emphasis is placed on introducing and applying:

• Mathematics to real-world situations
• Algebra and functions
• Algebra and number sense
• Statistics
• Data analaysis
• Probability
• Geometry
• Measurement
Math Connects 8
Rigorous content designed to meet the Common Core Standards. The curriculum focuses on investigating concepts and building conceptual understanding. Students will develop, reinforce, and master computational and procedural skills. Emphasis is placed on reinforcing and extending:

• Mathematics to real-world situations
• Algebra and functions
• Algebra and number sense
• Statistics
• Data analaysis
• Probability
• Geometry
• Measurement
Math 7
Small group math setting using the TransMath program. The primary focus is introduction to algebraic concepts. This is a well-structured course where the continuum of day-to-day activities will assist students in seeing connections between math concepts. Primary focuses are rational numbers, integers in all operations, and ordering.
Math 8
Small graoup math setting using the TransMath program. The primary focus is introduction to algebraic concepts. This is a well-structured course where the continuum of day-to-day activities will assist students in seeing connections between math concepts. Primary focuses are continuance of integers, ratio and proportions, and equations.
Music
Music appreciation is based on a 45-day cycle that exposes students to various musical artists and their impact on modern society.  Students are given the opportunity to study several cultures and the music that bonds their societies.  The importance of music as both a leisure activity and cultural recognition are emphasized through this course.
Orchestra
The students receive lessons in violin, viola, cello, and bass throughout the course of the year.  The individual and collective practice culminates in two yearly productions that display student progress.
Physical Education
Physical education at Founders' Hall is taken by both seventh and eighth grade students for one whole semester.  The classes are opposite Computer Science in grade seven and Technology Education in grade eight.  The curriculum is comprised of athletic, recreation, and lifetime activities.  Students will work to improve their own physical conditioning, fitness, and self-esteem.  Also emphasized through the physical education department are the ideals of discipline, teamwork, and a positive attitude.
Reading - 7th Grade
Reading at the seventh grade level focuses on the exploration of various literary genres while fostering an environment that necessitates personal reflection and critical thinking.  Supplementary activities include spelling, vocabulary, the development of personal journals, and team learning.
Reading - 8th Grade
The eighth grade Reading classes continue the exploration begun in the seventh grade Reading classes.  The two levels work closely together to complement one another as the students continue through the middle school years.  Exposure to a variety of literary genres that enrich student appreciation for literature and cultures is impressed upon as well as providing supplementary activities, such as, spelling, vocabulary, personal development journals, and team learning.
Science

In order to meet upcoming state standards in science and technology, staff members have rewritten the science curriculum to offer a wider range of topics to both the seventh and eighth grade students. 

The Integrated Science classes at the seventh grade level include an introduction to Biology, Geology, and global Ecology.  In Biology, students learn about the basics of all living organisms from the cell and its parts to the six kingdoms of living things.  In Geology students are introduced to the composition of the earth and its atmosphere.  In Ecology, students are shown how living things respond and survive in the environment.

The Integrated Science classes in eighth grade include an introduction to Astronomy, Physical Science, and Pennsylvania Ecology. In Astronomy student will learn about the stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies and how they relate to humans on Earth.  In Physical Science students learn the basic concepts of chemistry, forms of energy, and other properties of physics. Lastly, in PA Ecology, the concentration falls on the ecological relationships of the flora and fauna of Pennsylvania.

Incoming seventh graders will have a total of six different science concentrations over the course of their two year stay at Founders' Hall.  Our unique curriculum will give students one of the most well rounded, integrated science education in the Mon Valley Area.
Technology
The eighth grade students at North Hall are exposed to a Technology Lab that educates students on a variety of physics-based activities.  The program, Lab Volt, is designed as 14 pods that promote interaction and practical usage within each lesson.  Students can use their creativity and imagination and test their engineering skills as they progress through the various programs.
World Language
The purpose of this course is for students to explore the languages of French, German, and Spanish. Students will spend approximately fifteen days learning basic vocabulary words and phrases in each language. topics may include: conversation, numbers 0-20, colors, food, clothes, and family. Students engage in skits, group work, presentations, oral responses, and projects. Students are also encouraged to practice the target language inside the classroom as well as outside the classroom. By the end of the course, students will be able to compare the similarities and differences of the languages.
World History
The seventh grade world history curriculum encompasses basic geography skills, the study of ancient civilizations, and the development of various cultures around the world.  Following a geographical introduction on the physical conditions of the earth, the course begins with "the cradle of civilization" in Mesopotamia and continues through the development of Egypt, Greece, Rome, and into Feudal society.