Academic Program

Mathematics

Math courses for students in intermediate grades are designed to help students reach learning benchmarks and achieve goals for each grade:

Grade 5

• Developing fluency with addition and subtraction of fractions, and developing understanding of the multiplication and division of fractions in limited cases (unit fractions divided by whole numbers and whole numbers divided by unit fractions)
• Extending division to 2-digit divisors, integrating decimal fractions into the place value system, developing understanding of operations with decimals to hundredths, and developing fluency with whole number and decimal operations
• Developing an understanding of volume.

Grade 6

• Connecting ratio and rate to whole number multiplication/division and using concepts of ratio and rate to solve problems
• Completing the understanding of division of fractions
• Extending the notion of number to the system of rational numbers, which includes negative numbers
• Writing, interpreting, and using expressions and equations
• Developing an understanding of statistical thinking.

Grade 7

• Developing understanding of and applying proportional relationships;
• Developing understanding of operations with rational numbers and working with expressions and linear equations;
• Solving problems involving scale drawings and informal geometric constructions, and working with two- and three-dimensional shapes to solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume; and,
• Drawing inferences about populations based on samples.

Grade 8

• Formulating and reasoning about expressions/equations, solving linear equations, and systems of linear equations;
• Grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships;
• Analyzing two- and three-dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence; and,
• Understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem.

Reading

The Intermediate School uses the Readers Journey series, a novel-based Language Arts program dedicated to turning students into lifelong readers. The curriculum focuses on reading, grammar, vocabulary and communication skills.

English Language Arts

Students learn and practice how to read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding, literary response and expression, critical analysis and evaluation, and social interaction. Classrooms also incorporate novels to explore critical thinking, inspire rich discussion, and enhance vocabulary and written responses.

Science*

Teachers in all grades incorporate age-appropriate lab experiments into their class curriculum. The science curriculum focuses on exploration:

Grade 5

Using our environmentally-rich campus environment, students investigate all living things, both plant and animal, as they become familiar with the Scientific Method.

Grade 6

The curriculum encourages students to explore the physical sciences by discovering the characteristics, properties and chemical composition of all forms of matter.

Grade 7

Students explore the characteristics of the plant and animal kingdom in greater depth through a focus on the living environment and are introduced to the microscopic world.

Grade 8

Students explore the great diversity of organisms that share the planet, study the method by which energy is transferred from the sun to all known life forms, and learn about replication of these forms through the duplication, growth and reproduction of DNA.

Social Studies

The Green Chimneys social studies curriculum incorporates culture and global understanding of the Western and Eastern Hemispheres, and U.S. and New York State history:

Grade 5

Students learn about the different cultures of the U.S., Canada and Latin America as they compare and contrast the cultures of the Western Hemisphere and focus on the geographic, economic, social/cultural and political understanding of these countries.

Grade 6

Global understanding continues as students learn about the geography and economic interdependence of all people living in the Eastern Hemisphere and develop an understanding about the social/cultural, political, and historical aspects of life in that area of the world.

Grade 7

Students study chronologically the global heritage of our nation’s people as it was prior to 1500 through the Civil War and Reconstruction periods, incorporating NY state history along with the history of the existing U.S. states and territories of the time.

Grade 8

Students continue their chronological study of the U.S. and New York State history from the industrial, post-Civil War era through the changing nature of the American people from World War II to present.

Green Chimneys High School students are assigned to a classroom based on their academic ability and receive full benefit of the Green Chimneys therapeutic programs. The school structure and curriculum accommodates all learners in this age group by providing three high school classroom environments:

• Self-contained 8:1:2 program – designed for students who benefit from one teacher for core academic subjects in a small class size.
• Self-contained 12:1:2 program – designed for students who benefit from one teacher for core academic subjects in a slightly larger class size.
• Departmentalized 12:1:2 program – simulates a more traditional mainstream approach to the high school structure of a homeroom assignment and a daily class schedule for core academics and electives with different teachers for each subject in a small class setting.

Students in the high school program receive instruction to fully prepare them to take New York State Regents examinations as determined by the Committee on Special Education (CSE), and may participate in Work-Based Learning opportunities to work towards the Career Development and Occupational Studies Commencement Credential (CDOS certificate).
See more about Work-Based Learning and CDOS Programs

Graduation Requirements

Green Chimneys maintains a credit transcript which is shared with parents and home school districts for graduation/post-secondary planning review at the CSE annual review meeting. Additionally, a certified school counselor monitors graduation progress and transcripts, and shares information and resources for college and scholarship opportunities.

As required by New York State Commissioner’s Regulations Section 100.5, a student will be awarded a Regents endorsed diploma from their home school district upon the successful completion of 22 credits in the New York State course work and testing requirements.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

Green Chimneys High School follows the four-year English Language Arts Regents sequence, with one credit for each grade level:

Grade 9

Thematically connected units develop control of written expression, analyze elements of literature, and establish active listening and reading skills.

Grade 10

Thematically related units develop higher level critical thinking skills of analysis, evaluation and synthesis. Students continue to develop control of written expression as they analyze elements of writing style and become familiar with various rhetorical modes through the close reading of poetry, novels, plays and essays. Units are integrated and made relevant to the student’s lives via discussions, as students explore in the context of their own lives how characters are impacted by life events.

Grade 11

American literature units are integrated with themes covered in American history; the course reading list consists of classic American texts. Students focus on perspectives through the study of themes: the individual’s relation to society, necessity for societal structure to prevent chaos, and the desire to be close to nature or to build an industrialized and technological society. Individualized term papers require students to analyze and read works by an American author.

Grade 12

Expository, persuasive, and analytical modes of written expression are enhanced. Students work on personal narrative essays during the first semester and progress to generate research papers with the goal of establishing independent thinking, self-aware writing and cited justification of viewpoint, and the use of academically accepted formats. The literature component of this course introduces complexity, sophistication and student analysis through the classic and contemporary works of literature.

MATH

Algebra 1 part 1, Grade 9
Algebra 1 part 2, Grade 10

A two-year course comprised of logic, polynomials, radicals, rational expressions, factoring, solving linear equations, solving quadratic equations, solving inequalities, systems of equations, absolute value, basic geometry, perimeter and area, ratio and proportion and statistics. The course focuses on process, theory, and structure of algebra as well as the application, relevance, and integration into everyday life.

Geometry, Grade 11 — 1 credit

This course follows satisfactory completion of Integrated Algebra. Course topics include logic, coordinate geometry, congruent triangle proofs, proportion and similarity, quadrilaterals, transformations, constructions, locus, circles, area, surface area, and volume. The course focuses on process, theory, and the structure of geometry, as well as the application, relevance, and integration of geometry into everyday life.

Business Math Grade 12 — 1 credit

Business Math reinforces general math skills, emphasize speed and accuracy in computations, and use these skills in a variety of business applications. Business Math reinforces general math topics (e.g., arithmetic, measurement, statistics, ratio and proportion, exponents, formulas, and simple equations) by applying these skills to business problems and situations; applications might include wages, hourly rates, payroll deductions, sales, receipts, accounts payable and receivable, financial reports, discounts, and interest.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Global History and Geography, Grades 9 and 10 — 1 credit per year

A two-year chronological, cross-cultural survey of history that spans from the Paleolithic era to the present day and offers a comparative study of the history, politics, economics, and cultures of different regions of the world. This course interconnects societies, historical events and social movements to develop a sense of chronology and establish a framework for organizing and evaluating events as students become familiar with social science techniques and concepts that emphasize the study of the past while encouraging critical thinking about the present and the future.

U.S. History and Government, Grade 11 — 1 credit

This course covers the development of the nation from its formation until the end of World War II. Major topics include the American people, government and politics, foreign policy, and the enhancement of social studies skills. The principal goals of this course are the use of critical thinking/problem-solving skills and the gathering and use of primary and secondary source material.

Economics and Government, Grade 12 — 1 credit

Course material introduces students to economic theory, government and economic history, globalization, and contemporary economic problems. Students explore the interplay between politics and economic theory to develop a fuller understanding of government at the federal, state, and local levels, and to broaden the understanding of controversial issues.

SCIENCE

Living Environment, Grade 9 – 1 credit

Basic ideas and laboratory skills are developed through a series of related investigations including observing, measuring, classifying, predicting, and written and verbal communication as students complete the required 1,200 minutes of lab time for this course. Topics for discussion include biochemistry, anatomy, physiology of cells and organisms, the interaction between organisms and their environment, evolution as a unifying theme, and the inter-relatedness of structure, function, adaptation, and behavior.

Earth Science, Grade 10 — 1 credit

This course offers a study of the forces that mold the earth and our universe. Students will explore the geology of the earth, chemistry and identification of minerals, interpretation of the topographic maps, physics of stars and planets, various aspects of meteorology, oceanography and paleontology. Laboratory skills are developed as students focus on observation, measurement, classification, prediction, data organization and analysis as they complete the 1200 minutes of required lab time component of this course.

Environmental Science, Grade 11 – 1 credit

This course examines the mutual relationships between organisms and their environment. In studying the interrelationships among plants, animals, and humans, these courses usually cover the following subjects: photosynthesis, recycling and regeneration, ecosystems, population and growth studies, pollution, and conservation of natural resources.