In this level, students range from 8-14 and will be engaged in more academic learning around number play, community awareness and verbal language development through structured dramatic play and hands-on learning opportunities as well as group projects. We believe all children learn best when academics are conveyed through painting, drama, music, storytelling, and other hands-on experiences that stir their emotions. In fourth through sixth grade, Roots Learning Collective’s curriculum weaves a sense of beauty throughout each school day. Daily Rhythms are followed that have an intention that enhances balanced learning. Each day follows a familiar cadence — we begin each day as an entire community for a social emotional less, story, and journaling, this is followed by the morning block which includes a two and a half hour core subject lesson where students take time to record insights as art, words, and other creative elements as well as participating in hands-on learning opportunities, with a chance to relax, play, and process through recess before switching to their next class. The morning classes typically are core subjects or special subjects, such as art, music and world languages, while the afternoon brings more physical activity with movement, sensory based, or practical arts and are classes that depend on a greater community. We like to bring learning to life for our students. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to bring intellectual challenges, blended with experiential learning opportunities and artistic exploration. From letters through stories, mathematics through movement and markets, academic foundations are laid through joy filled learning that engages students and allows exploration of concepts at an even deeper level. Students this age are still deep in the heart of their childhood (which we hope to preserve as long as possible), they are starting to gain intellectual ground, realizing they are an individual among many- and must appreciate differences. With our upper grades we like to focus on some main themes- Self-awareness, steadiness, separateness, individuality, openness, enthusiasm, flexibility, and harmony. In the traditional school setting, this age group often begins to lose creativity and passion for learning. Innovativeness is stifled and focus begins to narrow- we at Roots Learning Collective do all we can to have the opposite effect. When our students begin to embrace middle school, the content and quality of subjects expand significantly to meet the needs of pre-adolescents. While deepening the work with previously encountered material, the curriculum introduces new subjects with the goal of helping students maintain a healthy interest in the world. The curriculum guides students to direct their gaze enthusiastically and sympathetically out into the world, thereby arriving at a deeper understanding of self. Dramatic inner changes are set in motion during this period, so biographies of men and women who struggle with the challenges of their time from the perspective from which history is viewed. Middle school marks the emergence of adolescence and the struggle between light and dark. We want to create a healthy interest in the world. Students begin to navigate the spirit and conquest and rule of law, collaboration, self-direction, grounding, emerging self, questing into the unknown, discovery, resistance, optimism, chaos and order, looking outward while feeling inward, Students begin to become expressive and forceful, challenging authority and exploring limits. They seek to assert independence to find their place, while remembering to provide light for those behind them. By the end of middle school grades students have gained a well-roundedWe attempt to expand horizons through the general picture of humanity and the universe. The elementary education has engaged their hearts, wills and minds, forming the basis for meaningful learning throughout their lives. The final years before high school, brings experiences to a new peak, enabling students to enter fully and potently into their own time. We hope to have helped to instill self-confidence, interest in the world, self love, and service to others.