C URRICULUM OVERVIEW
Fenn’s curriculum is structured to meet the needs of boys at each stage of their intellectual, social,
and emotional development in the critical years that span grades four through nine. Building on a
strong foundation, Fenn students gain additional responsibility and opportunities for independence
each year. This Curriculum Guide offers detailed description of our academic offerings. Here’s a
brief overview of our program of study (with page numbers for more detail), alongside an at-a-glance
view of co-curricular and athletics offerings that round out a student’s Fenn experience.
L OW E R SC HO OL
Grades 4 and 5
M I DDL E SC HO OL
Grades 6 and 7
U P P E R SC HO OL
Grades 8 and 9
Courses
Courses
Courses
Language Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Pre-Algebra/Algebra I . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Algebra I/II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Integrated Studies (combines
English and Social Studies) . . . . . 2, 11
Geometry or Pre-Calculus . . . . . . . . . 8
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Social Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Arts
Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Drama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Woodshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Latin or Spanish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4–5
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Student Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Arts
Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Drama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Beyond the Classroom
Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Community Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #
Woodshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Student Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . #
Athletics—
Introduction to Team Sports . . . . . 17
Beyond the Classroom
Community Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #
Student Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . #
Peer Advocacy Program . . . . . . . . . . . #
Athletics—Intramural and
Interscholastic Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Biology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Latin or Spanish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4–5
Social Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Student Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Arts
Drama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Woodshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Beyond the Classroom
Community Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #
Leadership through Student
Government, Peer Advocacy
and Peer Mentorship Programs . . . #
Athletics—
Interscholastic Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
1
English and
Language Arts
The English and Language Arts
Program at Fenn teaches boys
to read actively and critically, to
write effectively and fluently, to
speak articulately and confidently,
and to appreciate the power and
pleasure of literature. Reading and
writing are integrated throughout the program, and a variety of
literature rich in content, style,
and perspective provides models
that support each boy’s growth as
a writer. A wide array of writing
activities helps boys develop confidence in their own voices. Students
not only write to specific topics,
but also have many opportunities
to write freely about topics that
interest them, all towards the goal
of honing their skills in developmentally appropriate ways. The
Lower School curriculum focuses
on sentence and paragraph formation, Middle School on the short
essay, and Upper School on both
expository essays and personal
reflections on literature. In all
grades, boys have opportunities
to write and read poetry, personal
reflections, and narrative prose
pieces.
LOWER SCHOOL
LANGUAGE ARTS
The Lower School language arts
curriculum combines skills
development and literature study.
G r a de 4
Fourth grade emphasizes spelling,
vocabulary, keyboarding, and word
processing; sentence and paragraph
structure; and organization of ideas
and information through a writing
process involving drafting and revision.
Frequent writing workshops allow time
for collaboration with classmates
as well as ongoing feedback from
teachers. Oral reading sessions
enhance word attack skills, expressiveness, and fluency. Accuracy and
inferential reading are focuses of the
2
program, as are active reading strategies. Classroom literature discussions
draw each student into a process
of critical thinking. Students read
independently on a regular basis.
Fourth grade readings may include
a selection from the following:
BFG, Roald Dahl
Castle in the Attic, Elizabeth Winthrop
Devil’s Story Book, Natalie Babbitt
Gooseberry Park, Cynthia Rylant
New Fangled Fairy Tales, Bruce Lansky
Hatchet, Gary Paulsen
The Friendship, Mississippi Bridge,
Song of the Trees, The Well,
Mildred Taylor
Love that Dog, Sharon Creech
The Warriors, Joseph Bruchac
Knee-Knock Rise, Natalie Babbitt
Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt
Search for Delicious, by Natalie Babbitt
Number the Stars, Lois Lowry
G r a de 5
Fifth grade builds on the reading and
writing skills introduced and reviewed
in grade four. Exercises improve the
practice and understanding of spelling,
sentence/paragraph structure, and
vocabulary development. Active
reading strategies are reinforced
through several all-class reads and
implemented in personal-choice
reading assignments. A variety of
writing experiences continues the
development of drafting, revision,
and editing skills. Boys write responses
to literature, creative pieces, free
writing, and poetry. They are
introduced to digital tools for writing
and presentation. Outside reading
is expected throughout the year.
Fifth grade readings may include
a selection from the following:
Adventures of the Greek Heroes,
Molly McLean and Anne Wiseman
A Single Shard, Linda Sue Park
D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths,
Ingrid and Edgar D’Aulaire
Dominic, William Steig
In The Year of the Boar and Jackie
Robinson, Bette Bao Lord
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH,
Robert C. O’Brien
Maniac Magee, Jerry Spinelli
The Cay, Theodore Taylor
Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt
Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls
The Boy of the Painted Cave, by
Justin Denzel
Kensuke’s Kingdom, by
Michael Morpurgo
Hate That Cat, by Sharon Creech
MIDDLE SCHOOL
INTEGRATED STUDIES
In the Middle School, Fenn combines
the study of English and social studies
into a single course called Integrated
Studies, which uses a thematic
approach to the study of humanities
that aligns well the developmental
needs of middle school boys. The
overarching theme of the two-year
course of study is the question:
“Liberty and Justice for All?” Exploring this question reinforces students’
knowledge and understanding of key
issues and events in American history
and culture. The course content also
allows teachers to strengthen students’
writing and reading skills by offering
material that is integrated, engaging,
and engenders a richness of
expression. Vocabulary study from the
literature and social studies material
incorporates learning techniques that
help boys to access and remember the
meaning of words whose use is
practiced in students’ writing.
G r a de 6
Sixth grade centers on the question,
“What is worth fighting for?” Students
explore historical fiction and poetry,
study primary sources, and engage
in spirited discussions with their peers
and teachers, and develop a rich
understanding of the historical issues
associated with Early America. The
complex topics examined this year
include the relationship between
Europeans and Native Americans, the
formation of new colonies, Westward
Expansion, and the struggle to form a
new nation. Class assignments engage
boys in developing the oral and written
skills to express their understanding of
these issues.
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
Students continue to hone their skills
in process writing through multi-genre
assignments such as journals, narratives, poetry, personal and class blogs,
perspective pieces, and expository
responses to literature. Oral presentations, discussions, and Socratic
Seminars foster understanding, participation, and confidence in public
speaking. Grammar and vocabulary
skills are introduced and reviewed
through mini-lessons connected to the
writing process.
Sixth grade readings may include a
selection from the following:
When Cultures Collide, 3rd Edition,
Richard Lewis
The Sign of the Beaver, Elizabeth
George Spears
My Brother Sam is Dead,
James Lincoln Collier
The Misfits, James Howe
The Place of Lions, Eric Campbell
A variety of history and social studies
texts, both primary and secondary
sources
G r a de 7
Seventh grade focuses on several
essential questions about freedom:
“What does it mean to be free?” “What
are the benefits of freedom?” “Should
freedom ever be restricted?” Students
build on knowledge and skills formed
in sixth grade as they seek to answer
these questions through reading and
writing, using a variety of literary
genres and historical texts. Reading
strategies that are learned and practiced in this year include recognizing
and interpreting elements of literature
and an introduction to the technical
reading skills necessary for careful and
discerning research. Discussion, oral
and visual presentations, and Socratic
Seminars are integral components of
the course. Students engage in both
expository and creative writing, and
grammar, editing, and revising are
taught and practiced to support the
development of good writing skills.
Seventh grade readings may include
a selection from the following:
The Giver, Lois Lowry
To Be a Slave, Julius Lester and
Tom Feelings
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
Soldier’s Heart: Being the Story of the
Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy
Charley Goddard in the Minnesota
Volunteers, Gary Paulsen
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,
Mildred d. Taylor
The King of Mulberry Street,
Donna Jo Napoli
A More Perfect Union, Brigid Harrison
and Jean Harris
Selected social studies readings,
primary and secondary sources
Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance
and other poetry selections
UPPER SCHOOL
ENGLISH
In the Upper School, Fenn builds
upon the reading, writing, speaking,
and analytical skills developed in
integrated studies and strives to
prepare boys for success at the
secondary school level. While students
are still exposed to a wide variety of
literature, the literature itself increases
in complexity and sophistication.
As writers, boys hone their skills
through both the personal narrative
and expository analytical pieces.
Seminar-format classes allow boys
to strengthen their public speaking
and listening skills, with the aim
of preparing them for the level of
independent learning expected
of them in secondary school.
G r a de 8
Eighth-grade English centers on the
essential question: “How, then, should
I answer the call?” Writings on this
question help students to discover
their unique voices while reading and
analysis of classic and contemporary
texts immerse students in the literary
tradition. Each student develops his
own writer’s voice through frequent,
shared, journal writings and
reflections via class blogs that connect
the readings to his own life. Students
also explore the techniques of the
writer’s craft, focusing on how
a writer develops and portrays the
protagonist’s journey through the
moral complexities of his experience;
how a writer creates and develops
an authentic and memorable main
character; the importance of narrative
and poetic structure, and the nature of
key literary techniques and elements.
In their own writing, students learn
to recognize active and passive voice
and to incorporate the habitual use
of vivid verbs, descriptive adjectives,
strong nouns, effective transitions, and
well-structured paragraphs. The course
helps students create fully cycled
writing with a clear beginning, middle,
and end, and emphasizes recognizing,
understanding, and implementing
practical grammar skills in students’
own writing, with an emphasis on
correct punctuation and tense and
pronoun agreement. Students learn
to identify essential and non-essential
phrases, introductory and independent
clauses. Oral presentations, Socratic
Seminars, group work, and class
discussions are integral components
of this course.
Eighth grade readings may include a
selection from the following:
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
Mark Twain
All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich
Maria Remarque
The sonnets of William Shakespeare
and famous speeches from his plays
The Odyssey, Homer
Excerpts from The Art of the Personal
Essay and The Art of the Short Story
Writings from Henry David Thoreau,
Mohandas Gandhi, Mary Oliver, and
Rachel Carson
Classic and contemporary poetry
and ballads
G r a de 9
Ninth-grade English is centered on the
essential question, “How, therefore,
should I live in an imperfect world?”
Through close reading and analysis
of texts — including novels, memoir,
short stories, and poetry — students
wrestle with the notion of how one
finds meaning and purpose in the
face of human moral and social
failings, the unjust nature of life, and
the unexpected challenges of the
physical world, despite its beauty.
Readings include traditional,
contemporary, and multicultural
voices.
3
The course focuses on expository and
analytical writing, including personal
narratives and responses to texts, and
emphasizes the writing process: drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading. Informal, reflective writing on the
readings is often used as a precursor to
crafting more formal essays. Students
become familiar with the elements
of verse and write their own poetry,
which culminates in a ninth grade poetry “slam.” Vocabulary and grammar
skills are taught and reinforced within
the context of reading and writing instruction. Oral presentations, Socratic
seminars, group work, and class discussion are integral components of the
course, which is taught around a large
conference table in a seminar format.
Ninth grade readings may include a
selection from the following:
A Separate Peace, by John Knowles
Into the Wild, John Krakauer
This Boy’s Life, Tobias Wolff
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet,
William Shakespeare
The Absolutely True Diary of a
Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: The
Authorized Adaptation, Ray Bradbury
and Tim Hamilton
Essays by Henry David Thoreau
Selected poetry and short stories
Languages
Fenn’s foreign language program
supports students in preparing
to be global citizens of the 21st
century. The study of Classical and
Modern languages helps develop
insight into different cultures and
perspectives while honing critical
thinking skills and giving students
an opportunity to connect ideas
and insights across disciplines.
INTRODUCTION
TO LANGUAGES
In the first term of sixth grade, all
students are introduced to both
Latin and Spanish — with five weeks
4
focusing on Spanish language and
culture and five weeks focusing on
Latin language and Roman civilization.
At the end of these ten weeks, each
student selects which language to
pursue for the remainder of his years
at Fenn, and begins formal studies of
either Latin or Spanish.
Latin
In the Latin portion of the introductory
course, students learn a basic
vocabulary of about 150 words, the
importance of word endings to
determine the context and meaning of
a Latin sentence, some basic patterns
of English grammar, and, through
background readings and small
projects, a great deal about life as it
was lived in ancient Rome and the
surrounding provinces. Our text is an
introductory workbook written and
edited by members of Fenn’s Latin
Department.
Spanish
The Spanish segment of the introductory course focuses on the four major
areas of language acquisition: listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. During
this introductory course, students
work in a practical context, learning
vocabulary and the basic elements of
grammar. In addition to the studies
of the language, students learn about
the traditions and history of Spanishspeaking countries.
LATIN
Latin is at the root of many languages,
including English. Through their
legacy of cultural achievements, the
ancient Romans who spoke Latin
have contributed significantly to
American life, especially in the areas
of art, architecture, political thought,
and engineering. Fenn’s Latin program
emphasizes the reading of Latin with
ease, understanding, and enjoyment.
Students pursue with enthusiasm the
language written and spoken by the
ancient Romans which can be learned
more through reading than through
speaking; develop good strategies
and organizational techniques
for mastering the grammar and
vocabulary of Latin and other world
languages; expand their understanding of English grammar and vocabulary; and appreciate aspects of their
cultural background as Americans
which they inherit from the ancient
Romans (and Greeks).
G r a de 6
In sixth grade Latin, a student who has
opted to continue with Latin focuses
on the life of Horatius Quintus, a boy
about his age who later grew up to
be the famous Roman poet Horace.
Continuing to learn the basic
grammar of the Latin language,
by the year’s end, students build a
working vocabulary of about 500
words, and learn three cases
(nominative, accusative, ablative)
and their uses in the Latin sentence.
Because boys often learn best when
engaged actively, the course includes
three major projects: catapult building,
mosaic making, and gladiator training.
Each project ends with a hands-on
activity that has boys up and out of
their seats, living like the ancient
Romans, and applying the aspects
of the language and history they
have learned.
G r a de 7
The grammatical focus of the seventhgrade Latin program includes mastery
of the basic forms of the language, development of a deep Latin vocabulary
base, and insights into the relationship
between Latin words and English
vocabulary. Students read short
adapted stories in Latin about events
such as the Trojan War. The cultural
dimension of the program includes
aspects of classical mythology and the
lives of famous Romans. The course
text melds traditional grammar-based
instruction with the best of a readingbased program. Students in the
seventh grade are expected to take the
National Latin Exam, Level I.
G r a de 8
In eighth grade Latin, students are no
longer grouped heterogeneously, but
by ability — honors-level or standardlevel — as teachers have built an
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
understanding of each boy’s individual
strengths as language learners. The
honors and standard sections use
the same text, but proceed at slightly
different paces. Through use of the
text and exercises, students continue acquiring both Latin grammar
and vocabulary. Students translate a
number of readings adapted from the
original Latin, developing excellent
sight reading skills that will serve them
well throughout their Latin careers.
The cultural and historical dimensions
to the course center on the civil wars
that arose after the assassination of
Caesar. The students read accounts of
alliances, betrayals and battles of this
tumultuous time of the Roman world.
Students in the eighth grade are
expected to take the National Latin
Exam, Level II.
G r a de 9
Ninth-grade Latin has a grammatical
focus in which students continue acquisition of the basic forms and vocabulary of the Latin language. Students
begin to work with more complex
grammatical principles and proceed to
the uses of the subjunctive mood. The
cultural focus is the establishment of
the city of Rome and the Roman value
system as exemplified in the legends
they told about their heroes. Students
in the ninth grade also are expected to
take the National Latin Exam, Level III.
Depending on the secondary school
he later attends and on his mastery of
the basic principles of the language, a
student completing the ninth-grade
program qualifies for Latin II or III.
Latin texts include:
Sixth grade: Oxford Latin Course Book I
Seventh grade: Latin for the New
Millennium Book I
Eighth grade: Latin for the New
Millennium, Books I and II
Ninth grade honors: Oxford Latin
Course Book III and readings from
Horace and Ovid
Ninth grade standard: Latin for the
New Millennium text and other
readings, including readings from
Caesar
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
SPANISH
Spanish is a rich and beautiful language spoken in many parts of the
world. Learning Spanish leads to an
increased awareness, understanding,
and acceptance of other languages
and cultures, as well as an increased
understanding of one’s own language
and culture. The main goals of the
Spanish program is to prepare students
to speak in sentences and communicate effectively in the language; to read
and correctly use Spanish grammar; to
develop Spanish listening comprehension skills; to learn about the history,
culture, geography, and people of
Spanish-speaking countries; and to
increase students’ enjoyment and
appreciation of the culture, friendships, and travel in Spanish-speaking
countries.
G r a de 6
In sixth grade Spanish, a boy who has
chosen to continue studying Spanish
will learn grammar and vocabulary in
a practical context. The class setting
invites and encourages boys to speak
in Spanish so that by the end of sixth
grade, students are able to speak about
likes and dislikes, school life, pastimes,
and food. The goal for the sixth grade
is to empower students and give them
confidence in their ability to speak in
Spanish. The class also explores the
traditions and customs of Spanish
speaking countries through projects
and class presentations.
G r a de 7
The seventh-grade Spanish course
focuses on developing the student’s
ability to communicate in the Spanish
language through practice in conversation, study of grammatical structures
(including communication in the
present, past, and future tenses), and
development of a rich vocabulary that
will empower the student to become
an active and creative user of the Spanish language. The textbook we use in
seventh grade focuses on grammar
and vocabulary while also integrating
cultural aspects of Spanish-speaking
countries. The program is accompanied
by audio and video activities as well as
music, poetry, short stories, and folk
tales of Spanish-speaking countries.
Students in seventh grade have the
opportunity to take the National
Spanish Exam, Level I.
G r a de 8
Eighth-grade Spanish is the second
part of Spanish level I. Students are
divided into an honors section and
a standard-level section so that all
students can learn in an environment
that fosters each boy’s confidence in
mastering a new language. At each
level, students study the same text,
but proceed at slightly different paces.
Students in eighth grade have the
opportunity to take the National
Spanish Exam, Level I.
G r a de 9
Ninth-grade Spanish is a secondary
school level Spanish II course. Once
again, students are assigned to either
an honors or a standard class. At either
level, students continue developing
their listening, speaking, reading,
and writing skills through the use of a
variety of texts and audio and visual resources. In addition, students continue
to become acquainted with the people,
civilization, and culture of Spanishspeaking countries. Class assignments
include a weekly journal, compositions
on the cultural topics presented in
class, and oral presentations. Students
review grammar and vocabulary, focusing on more complex grammatical
structures, including subjunctive and
compound tenses, and on idiomatic
usage of vocabulary and style. Spanish is used almost exclusively in class.
By the conclusion of the course of
study, intermediate and honors-level
students demonstrate a command of
the Spanish language and are ready to
start a Spanish III course at their next
school. Ninth grade students have the
opportunity to take the National Spanish exam, Level II.
Spanish texts:
Sixth grade: Paso a Paso, Level A
Seventh grade: Paso a Paso, Level 1
Eighth grade: Spanish First Year, plus
5
supplemental readings Album:
Cuentos Del Mundo Hispanico
and Al tanto: catorce cuentos
contemporáneos
Ninth grade: Spanish Two Years, plus
supplemental Album: Cuentos Del
Mundo Hispanico and Al tanto: catorce
cuentos contemporáneos
Mathematics
Fenn’s dynamic math program
has the flexibility to engage boys
with varied backgrounds, interests,
and abilities. Because individual
boys develop at different rates, one
size does not fit all. As a boy goes
through our program, we set up a
sequence of manageable steps that
move each boy through increasingly complex material at a suitable
pace. Each step provides a reasonable challenge but also allows the
individual to develop confidence
in his abilities and his understanding of fundamental mathematical
concepts. While we encourage and
support along the way, boys are
expected to take an active role in
their own education. We lay out
clear guidelines that help each boy
become more organized and lead
to good work habits. We encourage curiosity, exploration, and a
willingness to engage in ideas. In
both written work and in class
discussions, we help boys develop
the skills and confidence that
allow them to present their ideas
with clarity. We believe that it is
important for boys to participate in
class, but we also value the ability
to listen to other students’ ideas, as
boys gain added insights when they
share ideas and benefit from working collaboratively and gaining
and understanding of how another
student might have approached a
problem differently.
LOWER SCHOOL
MATHEMATICS
Lower School math classrooms tend to
be very active. Boys are often directly
engaged with the material, working
individually or in groups, creating their
6
own projects, gathering data to be
studied, or learning by playing. Boys
are encouraged to make conjectures,
look for patterns, and connect this
work to basic math principles. Lower
School boys are often engaged in a
variety of activities — sometimes
within a single class period and
certainly over the course of a week.
Mathematics classes are heterogeneously grouped in the fourth and fifth
grades. We create four parallel classes,
which have four different teachers. As
we work through each unit, there is opportunity for the teachers to evaluate
each individual student and the overall
pace of his work. Teachers have the
flexibility to create different groupings
across sections at times for enrichment
or skills reinforcement. Teachers use a
variety of instructional methods within
each topic to address multiple modes
of student learning and differences
in students’ previous mathematical
backgrounds.
G r a de 4
The fourth grade curriculum focuses
on exploring arithmetic operations
and developing standard algorithms.
We also look at alternative procedures
and varied strategies for problem
solving. The concepts covered include:
interpreting data, identifying patterns
and relationships between numbers,
and basic geometry and algebra concepts. Manipulatives and modeling are
used to promote and enrich student
comprehension. Students work with
estimation to develop a better number
sense and to help in computation. To
help each boy organize his materials
and synthesize classroom discussion,
each student maintains a notebook
that contains his homework, handouts
with examples of algorithms, and other
pertinent information.
The fourth grade program highlights
problem solving from everyday situations, facility with basic number facts,
arithmetic skills, and practice through
mathematical games and technology.
Teachers use multiple methods for
basic skill practice and review of whole
number concepts include rounding,
place value, and all four operations.
Two-dimensional spatial concepts are
explored with tangrams, puzzles, and
games. Concepts in fractions and decimals include comparing and ordering,
equivalence, addition, subtraction, and
the relationship between fractions and
decimals. Problem solving skills focus
on using information, data, and mathematical concepts from the curriculum.
Throughout the academic year, there is
ongoing review and repeated exposure
to key mathematical ideas in different
contexts to improve comprehension
and mastery.
G r a de 5
The fifth grade program explores the
relationship among numbers by the
study of place value, multiples and
factors, prime and composite numbers, divisibility rules, exponents, and
integers. Concepts include all operations with whole numbers, decimals,
fractions, and percents. The curriculum
also encompasses a study of area and
perimeter of rectangles, circles, and
triangles. The curriculum incorporates
graphing and statistics in various
forms. Each student maintains a
strategy notebook to organize and synthesize his learning. Students explore
a variety of mathematical concepts
through “Challenge Problems,” write
reflections on their strategies, and use
a variety of hands-on materials to help
them develop a sound conceptual understanding of the mathematical ideas.
Heterogeneous grouping is continued
in three of the fifth grade sections, and
a fourth group is formed for boys who
have a strong background and ability.
This fourth section parallels the other
groups topically, but broadens the
material and adds more complexity
and challenge.
Lower School mathematics texts and
additional resources include:
Fourth grade: McMillan/McGraw Hill
Math
Fifth grade: McMillan/McGraw Hill
Math and Pearson Education
Connections series
Continental Math League contests
Lower School mathematics software
includes:
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
Roamer World
Math Facts in a Flash
Online websites for games, practice,
models, and reinforcement
MIDDLE SCHOOL
MATHEMATICS
There is intentional overlap in material
between the Lower and Middle School
mathematics in an effort to lay a strong
foundation for the algebra and geometry courses that the boys will take in
Upper School. Each boy continues to
develop his computational skills and
understanding of basic concepts in
Middle School, and the instructional
approach continues to engage our
students in a variety of ways to meet
the needs of different types of learners.
Whole group instruction, small-group
instruction, and collaborative work are
all used, and regular homework continues to foster effective organizational
skills and study habits.
While we are not interested in accelerating our math program simply
for the sake of acceleration, we do
acknowledge that there are boys who
have developed a strong background
in math and have the ability and interest to move at a quicker pace. With this
in mind, individual students are placed
according to educational needs in
either regular or accelerated sections.
G r a de 6
The sixth grade curriculum includes
broad background work in algebra
and geometry. Students continue
to develop their understanding of
numeric operations, measurement,
and data representation and to cover
topics in number theory and probability. Students intensify their study of
algebra through work with variables,
patterns, functions, and sequences,
and develop algebraic skills in simplifying expressions, working with fractions
and decimals, and solving equations.
Geometric concepts include symmetry,
areas and angle relationships in polygons, similarity, and proportion.
Sixth grade mathematics text:
Passport to Algebra and Geometry,
Larsen, Boswell, Kanold, and Stiff
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
G r a de 7
In seventh grade, we continue
academic sectioning to address the
varied educational needs of individual
students through the pace at which
mathematics material is covered. After
a careful review of the important tools
of arithmetic and geometry introduced
in sixth grade, students move on to a
more focused look at algebra. Visual
and algebraic models are a central part
of the course. Students are required
to purchase a graphing calculator
which is incorporated in the course
while computer software and websites
continue to be incorporated into classroom instruction. Students do significant work with the coordinate system
and explore such topics as slope, the
distance formula, and equations of
lines. Students are introduced to functions, function notation, and work with
transformations. Study and organizational skills continue to be taught
and utilized. This course provides the
algebraic background for success in
Fenn’s eighth grade Algebra I curriculum. Some students will complete and
master the entire Algebra I curriculum
during this year and will be ready for
Honors Algebra or Honors Geometry/
Trigonometry in eighth grade.
Seventh grade mathematics texts:
Pre-algebra: An Accelerated Course,
Dolciani, Sorgenfrey, and Graham
Algebra One Concepts and Skills,
Larson, Boswell, Kanold, and Stiff
Algebra and Trigonometry, Foerster
UPPER SCHOOL
MATHEMATICS
At the close of the seventh grade year,
each student is placed by his teacher
and the Mathematics Department
Chair in a course section that best addresses his individual needs and pace
of learning. The honors-level course
covers a full year of algebra, delving
deeply into discussions on matrices,
regression lines, and quadratic equations. The standard-level course covers
a full year of high school algebra at a
more deliberate pace than the honors
level. The two-year program allows students to explore each topic from many
different perspectives during their
eighth and ninth grade years.
G r a de 8
Eighth grade mathematics focuses
primarily on algebra. The standard
offering is an Algebra I course, which
prepares students to represent information in tables, graphs, and equations. Boys develop the algorithms to
solve problems algebraically. Students
who have successfully completed Algebra I in the seventh grade will either
be placed in Honors Algebra or Honors
Geometry/Trigonometry in the eighth
grade. All students in the eighth grade
will learn how to apply their algebraic
knowledge to solve real-life problems.
Students use their graphing calculators
on a daily basis to explore topics such
as data analysis, graphing, and patterns
involved in algebraic concepts.
Resources and texts used in eighth
grade mathematics:
Algebra One, Kennedy, Schultz, Ellis,
and Hollowell
Algebra I: Expressions, Equations, and
Applications, Foerster
Algebra and Trigonometry, Foerster
Geometry, Brown and Jurgensen
Advanced Mathematics, Brown
Trigonometry, Functions and
Applications, Foerster
Data-Driven Mathematics: Exploring
Regression, Dale Seymour
Publications
Exploring Systems of Inequalities,
Dale Seymour Publications
Algebra Experiments, Carlson and
Winter
Larson Math Software
G r a de 9
In ninth grade, students who have
completed either Honors Algebra I or
Algebra I in eighth grade may take a
full year-long course of geometry. Topics include the development of geometric proofs, congruent and similar
polygons, circles, coordinate geometry, and transformations. The course
emphasizes the connection between
geometry and the physical world and
works to maintain and extend the
student’s algebra skills, as these skills
are integrated in the explorations of
7
the geometric concepts. Students
explore and discover geometric principles through the use of a variety of
approaches.
Students who began the Two-Year
Algebra class in grade eight continue
their study in grade nine. The two-year
course provides additional time for
practice, assimilation, and mastery of
the critical algebraic skills, which form
the foundation for future mathematical
studies.
Academically qualified ninth graders will enroll in an Honors Algebra
II or an Honors Pre-Calculus course.
These students will use a standard
honors curriculum for the course that
is topically equivalent to a rigorous
high school Honors Algebra II or PreCalculus program. Students who have
successfully mastered this course will
be ready to take the SAT II level IC or II
C Achievement Test at the end of their
spring term.
Resources and texts used in ninth
grade mathematics:
Geometry for Enjoyment and
Challenge, Rhuad, Milauskes, and
Whipple
Algebra One, Kennedy, Schultz, and
Ellis
Pre-calculus with Limits, Larson,
Hostetler, and Edwards, Third Edition
Exploring Centers, Dale Seymour
Publications
Trigonometry, Functions and
Applications, Foerster
Discovering Geometry, Serra and
Michael
Geometry from Multiple Perspectives,
Addenda Series by Coxford
The Geometers Sketchpad
“Platonic Solids” video series
Geometer’s Sketchpad
FluidMath
Larson Math Software
Science
The goals of Fenn’s science
program are to investigate and
understand the natural world, to
explain events in the natural world,
and to use those explanations to
make useful predictions. At Fenn,
8
we approach science not as a static
set of information to be learned,
but as a way of knowing, an ongoing process that involves asking
questions, observing, making
inferences, and testing hypotheses.
Fenn’s science program applies that
approach in a context that encompasses all the domains of science:
life science, physical science, earth
and space science, technology and
engineering.
Our active, inquiry-based,
lab-oriented science curriculum
engages boys first-hand in the
process of science, a pedagogical
approach that serves the learning
and growth of boys. Fenn students
apply scientific skills to the world
around them; develop a respect,
appreciation, and enthusiasm for
the natural sciences; and build the
skills essential to the study of science throughout their educational
career. Students experience the
life of a scientist, developing and
practicing basic lab skills, designing
and conducting scientific experiments; they develop the critical
thinking skills needed to accurately
interpret scientific data; and they
enhance their communication
skills by reporting on the experimental process and the results of
experiments in a clear and effective
manner. Technology is utilized appropriately to complement lessons
and deepen understanding.
LOWER SCHOOL SCIENCE
In Lower School, students work individually and in cooperative groups
to conduct scientific investigations
and to begin to appreciate the awe
and wonder of the scientific process.
Students are introduced to essential
science skills and have many opportunities to practice and develop those
skills as they apply what they are learning to their surroundings. The Lower
School science curriculum integrates
all the domains of science and prepares
observant and skilled students for
the enhanced rigors of Middle School
science.
G r a de 4
Fourth-grade science introduces
students to the science program and
facilitates new boys’ adjustment to
the rigors and expectations of Fenn’s
course of study. The course focuses on
developing observing, classifying, and
measuring skills in applying those skills
to aspects of life science, earth science,
and physical science. The seminal
activity for the course is an annual field
trip to investigate ocean tide pools
and collect specimens. Students record
observations and supplement those
observations through research
projects. Units later in the year
introduce measuring via the metric
system. Students then apply
the skills they have acquired to
understanding their bodies, in units
centered on nutrition and the skeletal
system. The domain of physical science
is also introduced, as students apply
basic physics concepts to the task of
designing simple machines.
G r a de 5
Fifth-grade science continues to
integrate the domains of physical
science, earth and space science, and
life science. Students build proficiency
in measuring length, mass, volume,
and temperature as preparation for
exploring the concept of density. In
addition to standard lab apparatus —
balances, beakers, thermometers —
students are also introduced to Vernier
data collection software and probes.
Additional emphasis is also placed on
student record keeping of observations
and data via tables, written prose,
and diagrams. Students combine
expression, measuring, and
observing skills to units about the
earth — investigating rocks, minerals,
and volcanoes — and to space —
in units about the solar system
and universe. Students then must
distinguish living things from
non-living things as they investigate
the characteristics of life, and the
class culminates with a study of the
human brain.
Resources and texts used in Lower
School science:
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
Prentice Hall Science Explorer Series
(Nature of Science, Interior of the Earth,
Astronomy, From Bacteria to Plants)
Vernier: Elementary Science with
Computers
MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE
The Middle School science curriculum
prepares students for the rigors of
Fenn’s Upper School science program,
introduces new concepts and content
in the domain of technology and engineering, and challenges students to
apply concrete and abstract concepts
as they continue to refine their lab
skills, skills of observation, and skills of
expression. In addition, students begin
to make connections between data
and observations from lab activities
and the theories and concepts that are
researched and discussed. Students are
introduced to the tool of the lab notebook and must maintain a detailed and
organized lab notebook to facilitate
their learning.
G r a de 6
Sixth grade students explore the
topics of ecosystems, weather, the
water cycle, birds, and groundwater.
As in the Lower School, sixth-grade
science integrates all domains of
science while focusing on applying
concepts in physical science, life
science, and earth science. Students
are expected to demonstrate
increasing proficiency and mastery
of lab skills, and assessment blends
student performance of these skills
with their ability to accurately apply
course content to their hands-on work.
Fenn’s campus is our extended
classroom, and students hone their
observation and research skills by
studying the flora and fauna of the
local ecosystem, applying ecological
principles of food webs and energy
flows. They supplement laboratory
measurements and observations
with research, including hands-on
investigations of concepts
including photosynthesis, the water
cycle, weather patterns, and the
flight of birds. In addition, the science
domain of technology and engineering
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
continues to be further developed and
reinforced within the course of study.
G r a de 7
The seventh grade science course
focuses primarily on the domain of
physical science and integrates a
strong technology and engineering
component. The course builds upon
the observation skills of the previous
year and builds proficiency in measuring. Students use technology and
Vernier probes to conduct controlled
experiments about force and motion,
and are challenged to apply concepts
of physical science to the world around
them. Through the process of scientific inquiry, topics such as electricity
and the electromagnetic spectrum
are introduced. Students isolate and
test variables as they design wet cells
and electromagnets to specifications.
The curriculum increasingly emphasizes making connections between
lab observations and measurements
and the concepts reinforced during class discussions. Seventh grade
students are introduced to formal lab
report writing, and assessments place
added emphasis on how well students
express scientific concepts via graphs,
data tables, diagrams, presentations,
and written reports.
Resources and texts used in Middle
School science:
Sixth grade: Prentice Hall Science
Explorer Series (Weather & Climate);
and Middle Science with Vernier
Seventh grade: Prentice Hall
Physical Science — Concepts in Action;
and Physics with Vernier
UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE
Upper School science at Fenn is a rigorous laboratory program that prepares
students for secondary school science
and beyond. Students are expected
to demonstrate mastery of laboratory
skills, critical thinking skills, and expression skills. The program emphasizes
designing and conducting controlled
experiments and accurately identifying variables. Students summarize lab
activities and controlled experiments
through formal lab reports. In addition
to formal assessments such as tests,
quizzes, and lab reports, students are
assessed on their lab performance, the
quality of their lab notebook, and lab
practical exams — students sit for two
formal comprehensive exams during the course of the academic year.
Students work in cooperative groups
within heterogeneous class sections
to complete the course of study.
G r a de 8
The eighth grade lab science course
builds upon the skills and content
of the Middle School Program. The
content of the coursework is based
on the guiding themes of matter and
energy in our world and in living things
and integrates the domains of physical
science, life science, and earth science. Throughout the academic year,
students apply the scientific method
by designing and conducting experiments and analyzing data to draw valid
conclusions. Significant class time is
dedicated to hands-on lab investigations, at lab stations and in the field.
Emphasis is placed on reporting lab
findings in a structured lab format.
Students begin the year becoming
grounded in the scientific method and
basic physical science concepts. They
explore the characteristic properties of
matter, such as boiling points, freezing
points, and density. As basic chemistry
principles are introduced, students
solve problems using the Periodic
Table of the Elements. As students
are introduced to new science skills,
technology, and equipment, they are
challenged to solve a specified problem using those skills by designing
and conducting experiments. Students analyze their results by creating
graphs, data tables, and calculating
statistics using Vernier data collection software and probes and Excel
spreadsheets. As the year progresses,
students are introduced to the concept
of energy, with particular attention
given to electromagnetic energy and
chemical energy. Students apply Laws
of Thermodynamics and Conservation
of Energy to trace energy flows and
to measure energy content of fuels
and foods and light energy from the
9
sun that explains seasonal variations.
Applying these skills, students work in
the field to measure the energy stored
in the School’s surrounding ecosystem
and compare it with other ecosystems
in the world. Teams of students select
ten-meter by ten-meter plots on
campus and analyze their plot using
the skills and concepts learned during
the year. Teams map their plots and
analyze the soils for various elements
and compounds. They calculate the
total energy being absorbed by the
vegetation in the plot, along with the
energy flow through the system. This
culminating ecology project prepares
and transitions students effectively for
the ninth grade science program.
G r a de 9
Ninth grade science is a secondary
school-level biology course that focuses almost entirely on the domain of
life science, and the lab and classroom
space used is exclusively dedicated
to the ninth grade program. All major
areas of biology are covered: cell and
molecular biology; DNA and Mendelian
genetics, classification and biodiversity, human anatomy, disease and
immunity. Throughout all units, the
principles of evolution are applied as a
consistent theme. Students in the ninth
grade biology course participate in a
weekly, dedicated double-block lab
session in which they attain proficiency
using digital microscopes and Vernier
data collection software and probes.
Major labs engage students in measuring carbon dioxide released through
respiration and photosynthesis, culturing fruit flies to determine inheritance
of traits, transforming the DNA of E.
Coli bacteria, and diagnosing heart
disease and infectious disease. In this
capstone course of Fenn’s science program, students demonstrate mastery
of the lab skills, critical thinking skills,
and expression skills that are emphasized throughout the entire science
program. Upon graduation, students
receive biology and lab science credit
by the secondary schools in which they
enroll.
10
Resources and texts used in Upper
School science:
Eighth grade: Prentice Hall Physical
Science — Concepts in Action; and
Chemistry with Vernier
Ninth grade: Miller Levine Biology; and
Biology with Vernier
Social Studies
The social studies curriculum
teaches students that they are part
of a greater community, nation, and
world. The goal of the department
is that boys will develop curiosity
about history and current events
with a respect for diverse cultures,
past and present. Through their
study of a variety of primary and
secondary sources and literature,
and exposure to different ways of
learning, students are empowered
to think, speak, and write critically;
to evaluate and synthesize information; to acquire, organize, and
use information from a variety of
sources; to write analytically using
textual support; to discover the
world through geography; to
appreciate history and the forces
that shape civilizations; and to
understand cause and effect in
world events.
LOWER SCHOOL
SOCIAL STUDIES
In the Lower School, Fenn students
begin to explore the geographic and
historic forces that have shaped the
world around them. They delve into
units that give them hands-on opportunities to organize and synthesize
information, and build reading comprehension, note-taking, and writing
skills — including composing thorough
responses to short answer questions.
Each unit is grounded in essential
questions to which students develop
iterative answers over the course of
the unit and the year as a whole. Many
units include hands-on projects that
provide students with a variety of ways
to demonstrate their understanding
of a given topic. Creativity, accuracy,
and presentation skills are emphasized
throughout each project-based
assessment.
G r a de 4
In fourth grade, a hands-on social
studies curriculum develops in
students an awareness of the
relationship of geography to culture.
Through study of Canada, the United
States, and Mexico, students learn
the differences between indigenous
peoples, explorers, and settlers. They
build map skills and improve their research skills, utilizing two-column note
taking and active reading strategies.
They hone their writing skills through
expository paragraph writing, and
practice a variety of presentation skills.
Resources for fourth grade social
studies:
Rand McNally classroom atlases
My American GeoJourney, EPS
G r a de 5
Fifth-grade social studies focuses on
ancient civilizations, starting with the
“Beginning of Civilization.” Students
learn about Old and New Stone Ages,
and how hunter/gatherers evolved
from a nomadic way of life into settled
communities using the throughlines
of geography, religion, roles of people,
government, and legacies. The focus
of study is then directed to Ancient
Greece, with students reading Greek
mythology and learning about the
rise of democracy, the development
of Western artistic traditions, and
the legacy of this civilization in the
modern world. The year concludes
with a similar examination of the
culture of Ancient Rome and its legacy
in the modern world. Skills addressed
in fourth-grade social studies are
reinforced: reading for main idea and
supporting details, underlining key
information, two-column note taking,
paraphrasing, expository writing,
report writing, research, critical
thinking, multi-media presentation
skills, internet searches, map skills,
and oral presentations. Students also
deepen their understanding of research using primary source materials.
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
Resources for fifth grade
social studies:
The Ancient World, Peck, Bauman,
and Johnson
The Ancient World, Heidi Jacobs
The Story of Ancient Greece,
Suzanne Strauss Art
The Ancient World (Prentice Hall
World Studies)
MIDDLE SCHOOL
INTEGRATED STUDIES
In the Middle School, Fenn combines
the study of English and social studies
into a single course called Integrated
Studies, which uses a thematic approach to the study of humanities that
aligns well the developmental needs
of middle school boys. The overarching theme of the two-year course of
study is the question: “Liberty and
Justice for All?” Exploring this question
reinforces students’ knowledge and
understanding of key issues and events
in American history and culture. The
course content also allows teachers
to strengthen students’ writing and
reading skills by offering material that
is integrated, engaging, and engenders
a richness of expression. Vocabulary
study from the literature and social
studies material incorporates learning
techniques that help boys to access
and remember the meaning of words
whose use is practiced in students’
writing.
G r a de 6
Sixth grade centers on the question,
“What is worth fighting for?” Students
explore historical fiction and poetry,
study primary sources, and engage
in spirited discussions with their
peers and teachers, and develop a
rich understanding of the historical
issues associated with Early America.
The complex topics examined this
year include the relationship between
Europeans and Native Americans, the
formation of new colonies, Westward
Expansion, and the struggle to form a
new nation. Class assignments engage
boys in developing the oral and written
skills to express their understanding of
these issues.
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
Students continue to hone their skills
in process writing through multi-genre
assignments such as journals,
narratives, poetry, personal and
class blogs, perspective pieces, and
expository responses to literature. Oral
presentations, discussions and Socratic
Seminars foster understanding,
participation, and confidence in public
speaking. Grammar and vocabulary
skills are introduced and reviewed
through mini- lessons connected to the
writing process.
Sixth grade readings may include
a selection from the following:
When Cultures Collide, 3rd Edition,
Richard Lewis
The Sign of the Beaver,
Elizabeth George Spears
My Brother Sam is Dead,
James Lincoln Collier
The Misfits, James Howe
The Place of Lions, Eric Campbell
A variety of history and social studies
texts, both primary and secondary
sources
G r a de 7
Seventh grade focuses on several
essential questions about freedom:
“What does it mean to be free?” “What
are the benefits of freedom?” “Should
freedom ever be restricted?” Students
build on knowledge and skills formed
in sixth grade as they seek to answer
these questions through reading and
writing, using a variety of literary
genres and historical texts. Reading
strategies that are learned and practiced in this year include recognizing
and interpreting elements of literature
and an introduction to the technical
reading skills necessary for careful and
discerning research. Discussion, oral
and visual presentations, and Socratic
Seminars are integral components of
the course. Students engage in both
expository and creative writing, and
grammar, editing, and revising are
taught and practiced to support the
development of good writing skills.
Seventh grade readings may include
a selection from the following:
The Giver, Lois Lowry
To Be a Slave, Julius Lester and
Tom Feelings
Soldier’s Heart: Being the Story of the
Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy
Charley Goddard in the Minnesota
Volunteers, Gary Paulsen
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,
Mildred D. Taylor
The King of Mulberry Street,
Donna Jo Napoli
A More Perfect Union, Brigid Harrison
and Jean Harris
Selected social studies readings,
primary and secondary sources
Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance
and other poetry selections
UPPER SCHOOL
SOCIAL STUDIES
In Upper School social studies, Fenn
challenges students to grapple with
multiple sources of information in
order to analyze, interpret, and make
reasoned historical arguments. A key
goal is to develop students’ ability
to contribute substantively to class
discussions while remaining rooted in
the text(s) they are working with for a
given unit of study. As writers, students
begin to compose extended, thesisdriven analytical and persuasive writing in which they must use evidence
to unfold a logical argument. Finally,
a major emphasis of both eighth and
ninth grade social studies is the idea
of citizenship. From local, to state, to
national, to global, the question of
what it means to be an active,
informed, and participating citizen
remains on the forefront of Upper
School students’ minds during their
work in social studies.
G r a de 8
Eighth-grade social studies focuses
on civic responsibility in a democracy
and the development of different
political systems. The first half of the
year examines American government,
its structure, and its ability to adapt
to our modern culture. The second half
of the year focuses on the rise of
Nazi Germany and The Holocaust.
By following the Facing History and
Ourselves curriculum — which compels students to examine the human
experience of conformity, obedience
to authority, upstanders, bystanders,
11
perpetrators, and victims — students
make connections between historical
events and human nature.
Resources for eighth grade
social studies:
American Government: A Complete
Coursebook, Ethel Wood and
Stephan Sansone
Smoke and Ashes: The Story of The
Holocaust, Barbara Rogasky
Animal Farm, George Orwell
The Wave, Todd Strasser
Parallel Journeys, Eleanor Ayer
Supplementary readings for
eighth grade social studies:
Street Law: A Course in Practical Law,
Abertman, McMahon, and O’Brien
The Constitution: Yesterday, Today,
and Tomorrow, Barbara Feinberg
Facing History and Ourselves:
Holocaust and Human Behavior,
Strom and Parsons
G r a de 9
Ninth grade social studies centers on
the essential question: “If the past is
an infinitely complex web of conflicting causes and effects, why bother
with the pretense that we can actually
explain something?” By studying the
past and present of the Middle East,
India, and China students examine how
global processes interact with local
conditions to create particular points
of conflict. Within each intensive unit,
students are asked to look at modernday issues facing each region of the
world, and then proceed to conduct
a historical inquiry in order to explore
the historical forces that helped shape
modern times. As the essential question suggests, the course honors the
idea that history is messy, but can still
be interpreted. In this seminar-format
class, students’ ideas, questions, and
insights become an integral component of the learning process. Current
events from around the world are
woven into the course, and students
grapple with the question of their
responsibilities as global citizens in the
twenty-first century. Skill development
continues to build on what students
have learned in previous grades,
and students take-on major research
projects over the course of the year.
12
Resources for ninth grade
social studies:
The World’s Religions, Huston Smith,
50th Anniversary Edition
Arts
The arts program is a vital and
integral component of a Fenn
education. A sequential, broadbased curriculum, combined with
extensive public performance and
exhibition opportunities, all experienced within a single-sex learning environment, fosters a deep
appreciation of many art forms and
encourages confidence and creative
risk-taking. All students take courses in drama, music, and the visual
arts from grades four through
seven. An elective program in the
eighth and ninth grades allows
boys to specialize in particular
areas while also requiring boys to
continue to have a broad-based arts
experience. Fenn’s extensive arts
curriculum emphasizes a handson approach, develops critical and
analytical skills, builds confidence
on stage and in public, and provides an awareness of western and
non-western genres. A common
vocabulary, utilizing the elements
of art and the principles of design,
links each of the disciplines and
educates boys to be conversant and
critical thinkers as they approach
the arts curriculum. Arts courses
meet during the academic day and
are considered part of the academic
program. Boys receive Sua Sponte
grades in the Lower and Middle
School, and academic letter grades
in the Upper School, in keeping
with the practice in other academic
courses.
A robust co-curricular music
program and the Middle School
play provide further opportunities
for so-inclined boys to augment
their musical and dramatic skills
and experiences. On-site instrumental instruction, taught by a staff
of professional tutors, is offered
in all wind band and percussion
instruments. Guitar lessons are
also available. Fenn offers a thriving performance ensemble roster
which includes the Treble Chorus
boys’ choir, an a cappella vocal
ensemble, String Ensemble, Introductory Band, Intermediate Band,
The Fenn Band, The Fenn Marching Band, and the Jazz Ensemble.
The Middle School play is offered
by audition to sixth and seventh
grade students outside the regular
academic day during the fall
term. Recent performances
have included Johnny Tremain,
Tom Sawyer, Amistad, Toby Tyler,
and Steal Away Home.
Over the span of a six-year Fenn
education, boys have opportunities
for acting, playwriting, stagecraft,
digital video production, choral
music, composition, instrumental
music, ceramics, woodshop, digital
and traditional photography, cartooning, and painting. Fenn boys
graduate with a comprehensive
arts education that prepares them
for secondary school programs
and also gives them the tools to
continue with their own individual pursuits in the theater, in
the woodshop, in the painting or
ceramics studio, behind the lens
of a video or still camera, and in a
choral or instrumental ensemble.
LOWER SCHOOL
ARTS
The Lower School Arts Program
establishes a solid foundation for a
six-year, sequential curriculum in the
arts. Lower School students take four
required core courses: Studio Art,
Drama, Music, and Woodshop. Each
course is offered for one semester.
Acknowledging that boys arrive at
Fenn with varying degrees of experience and confidence in each of the
four disciplines, the program places
emphasis on boys trying new art forms,
experimenting with design, and taking creative risks. For inspiration, all
students attend a Boston Symphony
Orchestra concert in the fourth grade
and participate in a field trip to a major
art museum in the fifth grade. Classes
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
may also visit smaller local museums or
participate in on-campus workshops
with professional artists. All fourth and
fifth graders perform in a play and a
concert, and their art projects are
routinely displayed in the Kane Art
Gallery and elsewhere around the
school. Boys who choose to sing in
Treble Chorus or participate in the
Fenn band program also have several
performances.
LOWER SCHOOL
WOODSHOP
G r a de 4
Roger Fenn, The School’s founder,
understood the value of hands-on
learning for boys, and he planted
the seeds of today’s expansive arts
program by establishing a woodshop
course. For decades, fourth grade boys
have built a toolbox as one of their
first forays into the shop. In addition to
that project, fourth grade boys build
simple wooden sculptures, small boxes
with lids, and bird houses. The course
emphasizes shop safety and the basic
skills of woodworking: measuring
carefully, marking accurately, cutting
on a straight line, assembling with pilot
holes and screws, and finishing with
sandpaper.
G r a de 5
The skills acquired in the fourth
grade shop curriculum provide a
foundation for a fifth grade boy to
move into cabinetry. Working from
Shaker plans, boys build Shaker-style
cabinets, learning about joinery
and design principles that continue
to be part of the spare but elegant
Shaker approach to furniture
making. Fifth graders also begin to
finish their projects with greater detail
and finesse, using traditional hand
tools and techniques familiar to the
Shakers, creating simple but solid
cupboards that may become family
treasures for generations. In some
years, boys also have the opportunity
to attend a field trip to Fruitlands
Museum in Harvard, Massachusetts
to see original Shaker furniture and
buildings to better understand the
philosophy of Shaker design.
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
LOWER SCHOOL
STUDIO ART
G r a de 4
Fourth grade students at Fenn
are introduced to important art
techniques, the life and works of
several famous artists, and opportunities to critique and reflect on student
work and masterpieces. Believing that
hands-on learning is crucial for a boy’s
artistic learning and development, we
have boys begin by creating original artworks at the very start of the
semester. The class emphasizes instruction in painting, sketching, sculpture,
and clay. New terms begin to build
boys’ vocabulary in the principles and
elements of art — line, shape, repetition, emphasis — giving them tools to
describe their creations and the works
of others. Journal writing also allows
opportunities for boys to sketch and
reflect on their art.
G r a de 5
Fifth grade studio art activities include
drawing, painting, and sculpting. Boys
use watercolor to paint a plant still life.
They draw themselves and then use
acrylics to paint a self portrait. In the
ceramics unit, they are introduced to
Korean Mishima clay inlay technique.
They create wire sculptures and build
freestanding sculptures using recyclables. As in the fourth grade program,
boys keep journals and sketchbooks to
reflect on their art.
LOWER SCHOOL
DRAMA
Lower School drama students are
introduced to the world of the theatre
through technique exercises and
creative dramatics. Group activities are
designed to promote self-confidence in
front of others and establish supportive audience etiquette. An end-of-term
play performance completes the fourth
and fifth grade semesters.
G r a de 4
Fourth grade drama students learn basic theatre vocabulary, stage direction,
and stage movement techniques. Character development is a primary focus.
Boys utilize their observation, physical,
emotional, and multisensory skills to
create an endless variety of believable
characters. Attention is paid to “staying
in character” and vocal projection.
Instruction in the history of theatre,
beginning with primitive cultures and
ancient Greeks and Romans, provides
a context for understanding our long
dramatic tradition. Improvisation exercises, observation and critique, a unit
on basic stage combat, and a final play
performance in front of fellow fourth
graders and family members provide a
full and varied introduction to Fenn’s
drama program.
G r a de 5
Following an initial review of basic
theatre terminology and theatre
exercises, fifth grade drama students
prepare and perform a one-act play.
Boys receive instruction in the process
of auditions and casting. All boys
participate on stage, and boys with
smaller roles help with behind-thescenes technical aspects such as set
changes, props or curtain. Once roles
have been assigned, students use
their imagination and the richness
of their own life experience to create
unique versions of the characters in the
selected play. The fifth grade play is
presented at the end of each term for
the entire Lower School, families, and
friends.
LOWER SCHOOL
MUSIC
The Lower School music program
includes opportunities for singing,
playing, listening, critiquing, and
performing. In addition to curricular
classes, many Lower School boys
elect to participate in co-curricular
opportunities such as the Treble
Chorus, Beginning Band and
Intermediate Band, and an
instrumental lesson program.
G r a de 4
In fourth grade, students actively
participate in a wide variety of musical
experiences. Emphasis is placed on developing proper vocal technique, basic
note reading, and recorder playing.
Several games promote critical listen-
13
ing and strong note reading
skills. Discussions and listening
lessons chosen from the works of
classical, popular, and non-Western
musicians prepare students to apply
basic musical terminology and theory
to effectively critique and describe
music. Music history components focus
on the Classical and Romantic eras and
representative composers. In addition
to informal impromptu performances,
students prepare for and participate in
a final evening choral performance at
the end of the semester.
G r a de 5
The fifth-grade music program utilizes
a variety of classical, popular, folk,
and non-Western music to build upon
skills and knowledge acquired in the
fourth-grade. Vocal technique, music
reading, listening skills, and critique are
reinforced. Boys sing in two- and threepart harmony. Keyboard instruction
allows boys to play simple melodies,
learn basic chords, and participate
in ensemble playing. Music history
elements focus on the Baroque era
and representative composers.
Performance continues to be an
important goal of the fifth-grade
program. In addition to informal,
in-class performances, students
participate in an end-of-term evening
choral concert.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
ARTS
The Middle School arts program
expands on the Lower School offerings,
with the addition of dedicated courses
in ceramics and photography. Students
take two courses each trimester. The
complement of six required courses
provides a rich program of dramatic,
musical, and visual arts offerings which
foster greater artistic independence,
creative expression, articulate critique,
and technical ability. While the arts
faculty continues to value and promote
creative risk-taking, they also hope to
elevate boys’ understanding and skill
at this developmental stage.
14
MIDDLE SCHOOL
WOODSHOP
G r a de 6
Sixth grade shop students are
introduced to chip carving, a folk
art tradition used to decorate every
wooden tool, utensil, or piece of
furniture around the house and barn.
Chip carving gets its name from the
process in which the carver precisely
chips away at a piece of wood, leaving
a design cut into a flat wood surface.
Students begin by carving a rosette
in basswood in order to learn the
technique. They then carve a design
in a wooden cheeseboard. In addition
to carving, students incorporate math
skills to learn the geometric properties
useful in design work.
G r a de 7
Building on themes in the social
studies curriculum, seventh grade
shop students imagine themselves in
the 1800s and design a chest to hold
their most valued possessions. Using
an internal panel design, students
fashion sea chests similar to ones built
by explorers and settlers. Instruction
exposes students to the ship lap joint
as well as tools such as chisels and the
biscuit joiner. In an interesting and
non-traditional design twist, after
the chest is assembled, boys draw on
carving skills learned in sixth grade to
create geometric Islamic designs on
the chest lid.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
STUDIO ART
mood. Students are encouraged to
use their paintings to make personal
statements, just as famous painters do.
G r a de 7
The seventh-grade studio art course
builds upon knowledge of artists and
styles developed in the sixth grade.
With an emphasis on the importance
of human experience across many
cultures, students discuss and evaluate
the contributions of artists of various
ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds.
Students are asked to identify
and articulate the strengths and
weaknesses of artists such as Pablo
Picasso, Paul Cézanne, Jackson Pollock,
Milton Avery, Georgia O’Keeffe, and
Jacob Lawrence. Boys select and study
a major artist’s style and create an
original painting incorporating aspects
of that artist’s style. In preparation for
this project, students review exercises
in perspective and light and shadow,
and receive more advanced instruction
in the use of tertiary and secondary
colors.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
CERAMICS
G r a de 6
Sixth grade ceramics students create
clay pots and vessels using pinch,
slab, and coil methods. Continuing
to develop skills introduced in the
Lower School curriculum, boys explore
several hand-building techniques to
create a large composite pot which
incorporates animal features or
embellishments.
G r a de 6
G r a de 7
Sixth grade studio art students
increase their academic knowledge
of art and their observational
skills by examining schools of art:
surrealism, abstract art, Dadaism, and
impressionism. Students research and
become familiar with the names and
works of influential artists from various
cultural, ethnic, racial, and religious
backgrounds. Sketching from nature
and still life, drawing exercises include
lessons in perspective and proportion.
Boys study the function and force of
color, as well as contrast, balance, and
Students in seventh grade
ceramics refine hand-building
techniques learned in the sixth grade
and apply new, more complex skills.
They create personalized, ornate relief
plaques, as well as surreal and fantastic
sculptures that combine unrelated
forms. Class discussions cover concepts
such as architectural structure, texture,
contrast, pattern, and unity, and there
are many opportunities for journaling
and art history discussions.
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
MIDDLE SCHOOL DRAMA
G r a de 6
The sixth-grade drama program introduces the works and words of William
Shakespeare. Students learn historical
background information about Shakespeare and his time. All students participate in edited scenes from one of
several plays: Macbeth, Julius Caesar, A
Midsummer’s Night Dream, The Tempest,
and Hamlet. The collaborative atmosphere allows students to problemsolve and to work as an ensemble to
understand the language, characters,
and plots of the plays. Students finesse
their skills in developing a character,
staying in character, listening, memorizing and delivering lines, and using
body language. Boys also participate
in backstage aspects of theatrical
performance such as stage and set
design, lighting, and prompting. Each
class presents a final performance, in
conjunction with the sixth grade music
classes, to an audience of parents and
sixth grade class members and faculty.
G r a de 7
The seventh grade drama curriculum
is structured to give the maximum
amount of opportunity and individual
attention to each student. The course
begins with improvisations focusing on
the emotional nature of more dramatic
scripts. Students draw upon incidents
from their own lives in order to create
realistic, truthful, and spontaneous
characterizations. Then, student actors
not only stage their own scenes, but
also serve as stage crew members and
lighting technicians for other students’
scenes. The term ends with Fenn’s
Performing Arts Showcase, presented
to parents and the seventh grade class
and faculty.
MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC
G r a de 6
Sixth grade music students build upon
skills and knowledge acquired in the
Lower School program. Note reading
skills and principles of form, unity, contrast, and texture are applied through
musical composition. Boys create
several pieces, both collaboratively
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
and individually, using Sibelius and
Garage Band computer software. Boys
present these original compositions in
class and critique one another’s works,
applying proper musical terminology.
Students also study the music and
instruments of the Renaissance, with
a particular emphasis on representative English composers and styles.
Vocal music continues to be part of the
program, as boys rehearse and perform
musical selections at the end of term
in conjunction with the sixth grade
Shakespeare students.
G r a de 7
The seventh grade music curriculum
gives a broad survey of Western music
history and emphasizes composition.
Students study music of the Middle
Ages and Renaissance with a focus on
chant, the origins of modern notation,
and the evolution of harmony. Boys
also study aspects of the Classical and
Romantic era, including representative composers and works. The term
ends with an exploration of the Jazz
Age, with an emphasis on the Harlem
Renaissance, women composers, and
African-American musicians. Several
composition assignments utilizing
Sibelius and Garage Band computer
software correlate with the historical
eras studied in the music curriculum,
and boys work individually and collaboratively to compose and critique
original pieces.
In addition to the curricular music program, boys may elect to enroll in The
Fenn Band, The Fenn Marching Band,
jazz ensemble, string ensemble, an a
cappella ensemble, and on-campus
lessons in wind band instruments,
percussion, and guitar.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
PHOTOGRAPHY
G r a de 6
The sixth grade photography course
introduces the manual operation and
basic maintenance of a 35mm camera,
including shutter speed, aperture,
and depth of field. Students select the
primary subject matter and include
landscape, architecture, portraiture,
still life, and sports photography, with
an emphasis on proper exposure,
thoughtful composition, and understanding light. Students develop their
black and white film from negative
to print in Fenn’s fully-equipped
darkroom. During the latter part of
the term, the students learn the basics
of digital imaging. They use digital
cameras, scanners, CD burners and
photo quality printers to produce and
manipulate images using the computer
program Adobe Photoshop.
G r a de 7
The seventh grade photography course
begins with a brief review of the 35mm
camera and the technical procedures
in the darkroom. The students select
their subject matter with an eye for
composition, conveying what they see
and feel through their photographs.
Classroom discussions of technique
and critiques of student work occur
frequently during the seventh grade.
Darkroom techniques and procedures
are more advanced, and students
concentrate on producing more
refined “finished” prints. As in the sixth
grade, digital imaging is offered in the
latter part of the term. More time is
devoted to the process of producing
and manipulating multiple images,
as well as exploring the complexities
of imaging programs such as Adobe
Photoshop.
UPPER SCHOOL
ARTS
The Upper School Arts program is
an exciting and rich curriculum which
allows boys to choose from a dozen
or more courses in order to specialize
in particular areas, while also
participating in a broad artistic
program by meeting requirements in
the visual, dramatic, and music arts.
The curriculum continues to offer a
hands-on approach, with increased
leadership opportunities, and an
opportunity to develop real expertise
in a medium a boy finds particularly
rewarding. While creativity and risktaking are important, there is more
emphasis on skill in the Upper School
courses, in preparation for the
secondary school experience.
15
UPPER SCHOOL
WOODSHOP
Upper School is a time to explore the
boundaries of what is possible in
furniture making, incorporating and
building on the shop skills students
have acquired in previous years.
Students review major styles of
twentieth-century furniture — Arts and
Crafts, Craftsman, Art Deco, Japanese,
Scandinavian, and Modern. Using these
styles as inspiration, students either
use an existing plan chosen from the
woodshop library or create an original
design using their own creativity
and ingenuity. There is a greater
freedom to work independently in the
Upper School woodshop program,
with the teacher acting as a resource
and consultant.
UPPER SCHOOL
PAINTING
This course builds on techniques
learned in the Lower and Middle
School programs. Using acrylics,
students continue to develop their
sensitivity to color, composition, and
value while learning to apply their
understanding of the principles of
art in their work. Through a series
of exploratory works, students
recognize individual strengths and
traits to be developed in their
final work of social or personal
commentary. Using examples from
the multicultural world of art, students
continue to speak the language of art
and to harness the ability to convey
and derive visual meaning. Emphasis
is on understanding, communication,
development of skills and developing a
personal technique and style.
UPPER SCHOOL
CERAMICS
The primary focus in this course is on
learning to “throw” on the potter’s
wheel. After initial demonstrations, the
course becomes largely self-directed,
with the teacher acting as a resource
and guide. This course emphasizes the
artistic process, and, to some degree,
trial and error, as boys become more
experienced and confident with the
particular challenges of centering and
16
throwing pots, vases, mugs, and bowls.
Students continue the process of wheel
throwing by trimming their pieces
and glazing, often using professionalquality dipping glazes that result in
impressive creations displayed in the
Kane Art Gallery.
UPPER SCHOOL
PHOTOGRAPHY
In the Upper School, advanced film
camera and darkroom skills are
introduced, with instruction focusing
on accessory equipment and black
and white printing techniques. The
class concentrates on refining shooting
skills using the elements of art and
principles of design to isolate the area
of emphasis in the image. Students
review the operation and maintenance
of the 35mm camera, film selection,
and basic darkroom techniques, then
concentrate on refining their shooting
and darkroom skills while being
introduced to accessory equipment
such as filters, tripods, trip cords,
wide-angle and telephoto lenses,
electronic flash, and strobe lighting.
The class also offers instruction in
advanced darkroom techniques such
as dodging, burning in, flashing,
pushing and pulling film, and
high contrast printing. Later, the
curriculum shifts to digital imaging,
and instruction centers on SLR digital
cameras, and advanced Photoshop
methods. Building on skills learned in
the Middle School courses, students
take a more in-depth look into the
hardware and software used in the
digital photography process, with an
emphasis placed on the manipulation,
deconstruction, and reconstruction
of multiple images. Students’ finished
prints are displayed in the classroom,
around the School, and in the Kane
Gallery and Robb Hall lobby.
UPPER SCHOOL DRAMA
The Upper School program offers a
comprehensive list of opportunities
in all aspects of theatre. Building on
the foundation acquired in the Lower
and Middle School drama programs,
the pieces selected and performed in
the Upper School are advanced and
require artistic commitment, truthful
characterization, effective ensemble
work, and risk-taking. Actors receive
individual attention with regard to
acting skills such as character development, emotional expression, physical
movement, motivation, vocal delivery,
and staging techniques. Theater Tech
classes allow boys to gain in-depth experience in lighting, sound, set design,
and stage managing. Video Production
introduces boys to filming, editing,
script writing, acting, and directing.
Drama offerings vary by term, but
include the fall drama production, the
winter musical (held in cooperation
with Nashoba-Brooks School and the
Fenn music program, and hosted in
alternate years at Fenn), as well as the
spring comedy, and classes such as
Original Play Writing, Theatre Tech, and
Video Production. Many of the courses
require additional time commitments
beyond the scheduled class periods,
and in some cases weekend commitment. Each of these courses culminates
in at least one performance, and some
plays are performed for audiences two
or three times.
UPPER SCHOOL MUSIC
The Upper School program
presents opportunities for
composition, instrumental music, and
vocal music. Offerings are designed to
appeal to a wide variety of interests,
abilities, and confidence levels.
Admittance into classes is not by
audition, but a willingness to take
risks and a commitment to improve
one’s skills is expected.
Music offerings vary by term, but
include Advanced MIDI Composition,
Steel Drums, Rhythm Ensemble (a.k.a.
Rock Band), Introduction to Guitar,
and the winter musical (performed
in conjunction with Nashoba-Brooks
School and the Fenn Drama Program).
In addition to the curricular music
program, boys may elect to enroll in
The Fenn Band, The Fenn Marching
Band, Jazz Ensemble, String Ensemble,
an a cappella ensemble, and
on-campus lessons in wind band
instruments, percussion, and guitar.
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
Athletics
The Fenn athletic program
promotes athletic competence,
confidence, and enjoyment for
students of varying athletic abilities
and interests. It stresses learning
and practicing individual and team
skills, and it offers a variety of
individual and team activities with
various levels of competition. At
all levels, good sportsmanship is
stressed as the primary lesson.
An important characteristic of
the athletic program is that our
coaches are also Fenn teachers—
a reflection of Fenn’s philosophy
that the field and the gym are also
classrooms. This commitment
maintains a continuity of the
Fenn philosophy in all areas of life
and learning at the School, and
also emphasizes athletics as an
educational tool to help young men
learn skills of sportsmanship and
to participate appropriately in
competition. Fenn has a long
tradition of alumni coming back
and assisting in the athletic
program, and this, combined with
the dedicated teacher-coaches,
creates a program of tremendous
richness that makes each boy’s
athletic life at Fenn a lifelong
positive experience.
The program at Fenn is centered
on team sports because we believe
belief that team sports give boys
the best opportunity to grow
and develop as both athletes and
people. As boys move through
the program they learn life skills
such as sportsmanship, teamwork,
resiliency, and fair play.
LOWER SCHOOL
ATHLETICS
G r a de 4
The Lower School athletic
program is designed to introduce
students to the Fenn athletic
philosophy, which is focused
on teamwork, athletic skill
development, physical fitness, and
having fun. The primary goal in fourth
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
grade is to merge individual boys
into a cohesive unit in which each
participant understands how
important appropriate behavior and
attitude are to the good of the team.
This focus teaches boys to be
supportive of their teammates and
respectful of their opponents.
team are selected. An extraordinary
sixth-grade athlete whose needs, in
Fenn’s view, will be better met on a
Junior Varsity or Varsity team may
have the opportunity to play up if
the Fenn Athletic Committee deems
it appropriate.
Fourth grade sports:
Fall: football, soccer
Winter: basketball, ice hockey,
wrestling
Spring: baseball, lacrosse, tennis
Fall: flag football, soccer
Winter: basketball, floor hockey,
ice skating, indoor soccer
Spring: baseball, McWhippet
Lacrosse (non-contact lacrosse)
G r a de 5
The fifth grade program is designed
to introduce the sports that will be
offered in Middle and Upper School
and to build upon what boys have
learned in the fourth grade. During
each season, all of the boys participate
in the sports listed below. Skill and
sportsmanship development in the
fifth grade prepares boys for the
intramural sport in which they will
engage in Middle School.
Fifth grade sports:
Fall: soccer, flag football
Winter: basketball, floor hockey, ice
skating, indoor soccer, wrestling
Spring: baseball, McWhippet Lacrosse
(non-contact lacrosse)
MIDDLE SCHOOL
ATHLETICS
G r a de s 6 & 7
The sixth and seventh-grade sports
program is based on intramural
competition and stresses fundamental
skills and team play. Boys choose a
team sport to play in each of the
three school terms and compete
on intramural teams. At all levels,
effort grades are given in sports to
emphasize how hard one tries, as
opposed to how well one does.
It is Fenn’s policy that seventh grade
students who are particularly skilled
in a sport, meet all criteria for participation, and are satisfactory citizens
may play on a Varsity or Junior Varsity
Upper School teams. However, only
seventh graders who will be significant
contributors at the top level of the
Middle School sports:
UPPER SCHOOL
ATHLETICS
In each of the athletic seasons, Fenn
offers a choice of sports. All Fenn
coaches are Fenn teachers or alumni,
and Fenn guarantees that any boy who
wishes to play a given sport will have
that opportunity.
It is Fenn’s philosophy that the quality
of the boy’s athletic experience is more
important than the level of the team he
makes. In the Upper School, this means
that boys are assigned to one of three
levels of play after careful evaluation
by coaches and input from the boys
themselves: Varsity, Junior Varsity,
and Third or “Squad” Levels. Fenn is
committed to offering a quality
experience to each boy at whatever
level he plays and does not guarantee
that a boy will play at a Varsity or even
a Junior Varsity team during his time in
the Upper School. Upper School boys
play in Fenn’s interscholastic program,
in which they compete on teams
against other schools in the area.
Upper School sports:
Fall: cross-country, football, soccer
Winter: basketball, ice hockey,
wrestling
Spring: baseball, lacrosse, tennis,
track and field
A NOTE ON VARSITY-LEVEL
COMPETITION
Coaches of Varsity teams will utilize
their players to put forth every effort to
be competitive. In close games, every
boy may not play. In other games,
coaches have the responsibility of
playing as many boys as much of the
17
time as possible. Boys are aware that
any player exhibiting a poor attitude
or frequent absence from practice
will have his playing time limited
as a result.
A NOTE ON
JUNIOR VARSITY-LEVEL
COMPETITION
As with Varsity-level competition, the
goal for Junior Varsity squads is to
maintain teams of the best practicable
sizes to allow quality playing time for
the boys. Coaches will play every boy
approximately a quarter of each game.
Having done that, it is understood
that, in the last few minutes of a close
game, there is no need to continue
substitution. A coach may play his/her
best players in an attempt to win the
game. A player’s poor attitude or his
absence from practices may limit his
playing time.
A NOTE ON
THIRDS OR SQUAD-LEVEL
COMPETITION
It is incumbent upon the School and
the Director of Athletics to supply
enough coaches and game schedules
so that the Third Team squads are not
too large. It is the goal of the Third
Team coaches to play every boy on
their teams for an approximately equal
time. As is the case with Varsity and
Junior Varsity levels, a player’s poor
attitude or his absence from practice
may limit his playing time, however.
In the sports where there may be only
one team at the Upper School level
(football, hockey, and lacrosse, for
example), every attempt will be made
to meet the needs of all levels of
players on the team. On these Varsitylevel teams, it is possible that not every
boy will play in every game. However,
additional games can be added to
enhance the experience of all the
players. Fenn strives for a positive
overall experience for each member
of the team.
18
Student Life
The Fenn Student Life Program
supports and nurtures boys as they
grow and mature during their early
and middle adolescent years. In
support of the School’s mission,
the program reinforces the values
of honesty, respect, empathy,
and courage. The student life
curriculum strives to enable Fenn
students to understand and engage
successfully the social, emotional,
and physical challenges and
changes of their adolescent years.
It does so by developing boys’
self-confidence, expanding their
self-awareness, deepening their
understanding and acceptance
of others, and promoting a sound
knowledge of the physical,
emotional, and social development
tasks of this period in their lives
bridging boyhood to manhood.
LOWER SCHOOL
STUDENT LIFE
G r a de s 4 & 5
In fourth and fifth grades the
emotional and social growth of boys is
addressed and nurtured through the
advisor program. Advisors have both
formal and informal interactions with
boys on a daily basis.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
STUDENT LIFE
G r a de 6
The sixth-grade student life
curriculum is taught by the
Headmaster. The curriculum provides
boys with relevant information, skills,
and guidance to support them as they
enter middle school and adolescence.
Discussions focus on the social,
emotional, and physical changes of
these years. In the fall term, topics
include: adjusting to middle school;
managing changing peer and family
relationships; and using technology
responsibly. Winter and early spring
term topics are: the physical,
emotional, and social changes of pu-
berty, adolescence, and sexuality.
A final unit in the late spring focuses
on responsible decision making in
adolescence regarding tobacco,
alcohol, and other drugs.
G r a de 7
The seventh-grade curriculum is taught
by the Head of the Middle School.
Seventh-grade student life continues
to provide essential information, skills,
and guidance relating to the emotional
and physical challenges that boys will
experience in middle school and adolescence. Students study the theory
and reality of adolescent development.
The curriculum offers a forum in which
to discuss current climate and events
within the School and the world.
Finally, the curriculum provides emerging adolescents with social, emotional,
and learning resources so that they
can continue to make healthy choices
throughout their teenage years. During
the fall term, students explore forming
relationships, coping with difference,
and respecting classmates. The winter
term focuses on creating a healthy
lifestyle. The focus is on digital citizenship and how media and advertising
influence society’s expectations about
masculinity. The spring term centers
on decision making, using real-life
situations to resolve conflict and make
healthy and ethical choices in their
own lives. The term ends with a focus
on human intimacy, sexuality, and
substance abuse.
UPPER SCHOOL
STUDENT LIFE
G r a de 8
The eighth-grade student life
curriculum is taught by the Student
Life Department Chair. The curriculum
in the eighth grade is broken into three
parts. The fall curriculum centers
on decision-making as it relates to
acceptance and treatment of peers,
self-esteem issues, and the balance
of stress at school, home, and in
other relationships. Also discussed
are students’ responsibilities as digital
citizens. The winter term focuses on
adolescent sexuality, including male
and female anatomy, contraception,
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
and sexually transmitted diseases, as
well as an exploration of the social
and emotional aspects of sexuality. In
the spring, the boys participate in a
substance abuse prevention program
that focuses on the effects of alcohol,
tobacco, and marijuana use. A unit
is also offered by the educational
consulting firm, Freedom from
Chemical Dependency. The eighthgrade year ends with a unit on
transitioning to the ninth grade, either
at Fenn or other schools.
G r a de 9
The ninth-grade student life
curriculum is taught by Fenn’s
Consulting Psychologist. In the fall,
students discuss balancing school life,
home life, and outside relationships;
they examine relationships with peers,
families, and friends; and discuss issues
of self-esteem, digital citizenship, and
moral grounding in our society. During
the winter term, class discussion
centers on sexual education: dealing
with relationships and appropriate
sexual behavior, understanding one’s
sexuality, understanding the impact
of media and advertising on
sexuality, and making decisions that
are safe and appropriate. In the spring
term, students discuss the exposure
to drugs and alcohol in high school;
risky behavior as it pertains to drugs;
and media and advertising of alcohol,
marijuana, and tobacco use. A unit is
offered by the educational consulting
firm, Freedom from Chemical
Dependency. Finally, there is
discussion about graduating from
Fenn, leaving friends, and
beginning a new school in the fall.
FENN SCHOOL I CURRICULUM GUIDE
19