Upper Elementary School at BVP

At the upper elementary level, we prioritize grade level content and use the Common Core standards and research-based instructional practices to inform our instruction and assessment. We also believe enrichment courses are core to our academic program and success.

We spend a great deal of time building strong relationships with our scholars and families, empowering staff and scholars of all identities and backgrounds, and developing critical thinking skills across all content areas.

By the conclusion of 6th grade mathematics, scholars will be able to understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems; divide fractions by fractions; understand the system of rational numbers; write, read, and evaluate algebraic expressions; and reason about and solve one-variable equations and inequalities.

In science, scholars will understand that the cell is the basic unit of life and that all living things are made up of one or more cells; recognize that plants use photosynthesis and aerobic cellular respiration to make energy; compare chemical and physical reactions and describe the three states of matter; understand weather and energy transfers; analyze the climate change crisis and propose solutions; and apply scientific ideas, principles, and evidence to construct, revise, or use an explanation.

In ELA and history, scholars will read a variety of texts that both reflect their own experiences and the experiences of others; write essays where they support their opinion with evidence, write their own memoir, and write other informative pieces; research topics to find answers to questions; analyze historical sources, including primary and secondary sources as well as visual sources like maps and charts; and acquire and use grade appropriate vocabulary. We believe in bold books, and read texts that reflect the intentional diversity of the school community.

Time is not a commodity at BVP; time is golden. We have a longer day, a longer year, and we tap into Saturdays and school breaks when scholars require extra support.

There’s no time to waste, and that is perhaps one of our most deeply held beliefs.

So where does all this time go?

At the middle school level, daily instruction includes:

• 100 minutes of English Language Arts
• 100 minutes of Mathematics
• 50 minutes of Science
• 50 minutes of History
• 50 minutes of Enrichment, inclusive of Art, Music, Physical Education
• Plus community time, lunch, and MTSS

Somehow, it isn’t enough. Even with all of this time, we continue to see scholars who need more support. We also see scholars who can be pushed to truly phenomenal heights, and we want that time with them, too.

We want to spend more time analyzing text at deeper levels, supporting writers to better articulate their ideas, offering opportunities to invent new pathways to solving mathematical problems, exploring our scientific experiments further.

We believe in capitalizing on every single moment with scholars and extending the learning when scholars are not with us. That’s where homework comes in. We have big goals for our scholars, and the bar is high in order for our scholars to compete in today’s global economy. Knowing that, we can’t stop the learning when the school bell rings.

Learn More

1. Explore
   a day in the life of a middle school scholar.

   Sample Middle School Scholar's Schedule

   
   

   Time	Activity/Subject
   7:40-8:00	Arrival, Breakfast, & Community Clubs
   8:00-8:15	Community Clubs
   8:17-8:57	Elective
   8:59-9:48	ELA Block 1
   9:50-10:39	ELA Block 2
   10:41-11:30	Enrichment
   11:31-11:53	Lunch
   11:53-12:42	Science
   12:43-1:32	History
   1:33-2:22	Math Block 1
   2:24-3:13	Math Block 2

   Close
2. Learn about our school leadership.
3. Contact us for location and other general information.