The 21st Century Student

Students at the Academy In Manayunk actively engage in cultivating the skills necessary to thrive and excel in the 21st century. Our students think globally, make connections, create and collaborate every day through meaningful, interactive, research-based experiences.

History and World Cultures

Western Civilization

Our 9th Graders begin their high school years by stepping through the great civilizations of the ancient world through the use of cross-curriculum activities and rigorous intellectual study. Our freshman are immersed in the lifestyles of the people of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, India, Africa, and Meso-America through the Arts as they engage in multi-sensory project-based learning. By recreating the artifacts, classic works of art, famous architectural structures, clothing, and cooking the cuisines of previous civilizations, our students are able to form deep connections with content. Additionally, previously learned strategies for text-reading, note- taking, and assessment are reinforced and utilized. Through the use of literary connections, technology, visiting experts, and field trips, we engage our students in meaningful inquiry-based research and analysis. Research shows that this depth of knowledge provides for long-term understanding.

World Heritage

Our 10th grade students continue their study of World History by stepping into the early 1400s at the beginning of the great age of exploration. Through rigorous academic endeavors, our Sophomores are immersed in the adventures of European Explorers, the religious wars that plagued Europe from the 1500s to the 1700s, the Muslim Empires, the Age of Enlightenment, The French Revolution, Imperialism, Industrialization, the major armed conflicts of the 19th and 20th centuries, and the challenging global patterns that we are currently experiencing. Although we continue to employ multisensory learning strategies, our 10th grade students work more heavily with the incredible new technology available to us. With a laptop in the hands of each student, a host of new digital art programs, and Smart Boards in our classrooms, history comes to life for our sophomores through various forms of media. Simultaneously, our students will continue to take part in project-based learning within the framework of grade level book and Internet research. Through the use of text, literary connections, technology, visiting experts, local field trips, and long distance travel, they engage in meaningful inquiry-based research.

Government, Politics & Economics

Our 11th Graders begin the year by tracing the roots of Democracy back to the Iroquois, The Greeks, and the Vikings who held the first Parliament at Pingvellir. These students access a rich analysis of American Democracy at all governmental levels through cross-curriculum activities and technology. Through the study of primary source documents, they are able to compare and contrast government systems around the world. By taking part in intensive scaffolded research, our Juniors are able to look deeply at the vast landscape of American law, legal matters, and landmark cases from history and current events. Additionally, these students study the intricacies of private, state-run, mixed, and communal economic systems as well as the manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of goods worldwide. By taking a critical look at the overarching concept of supply and demand, the students are able to walk away from the 11th grade with a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of American and global economics and the balance of power and wealth on the world stage.

Contemporary Global Studies  

For their Senior year, our students engage in activities surrounding the major political and socio-economic issues facing the world today. 12th graders take part in rigorous supported research that evaluates the features of the global social constructs that bind people together. After studying world issues such as poverty, disparity, economic unions, international trade, modern military conflicts, climate, energy, technology, and disease, our students leave the Academy in Manayunk as knowledgeable citizens of the world.  During their senior year, our students also take part in service learning initiatives both domestically and abroad to help bring their learning and knowledge to life. As a capstone activity, each 12th grader completes a Senior Project. This project incorporates prior knowledge, current studies, presentation skills, and comprehensive research for the purposes of a lecture series open to the public.

Courses Include:

• Western Civilization
• World Heritage
• Government, Politics & Economics
• Contemporary Global Studies

Science

In Science, our high school students participate in highly engaging experiments, which correlate to the Pennsylvania State Standards. These interactive labs require students to follow the steps of the scientific method in order to gain deep conceptual understanding. From traditional high school dissections and chemistry labs to the implementation of twenty-first century technology, our students not only gain necessary and relevant scientific concepts, but they also delve deeply into the language of science through the exploration of morphology.

Science Courses Include:

• Physical Science
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics

Math

Math becomes a favorite subject at the Academy In Manayunk through multi-sensory, individualized and rigorous instruction. Students who may have once felt anxious about their mathematical abilities quickly learn that at the Academy In Manayunk, higher level mathematical concepts are completely attainable. Our skilled math teachers use the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) Standards and focal points to drive the focus of their instruction. Some of the same issues which make reading a challenge can cause difficulties with math comprehension and application; language, memory, processing, retrieval speed and fluency can all contribute to students' mathematical frustration. Through our small class sizes, teachers recognize different learning styles and effectively implement structured, exciting, research-based instruction to help each student excel in the area of mathematics.

Math Courses Include:

• Algebra
• Algebra II
• Geometry
• Pre-Calculus

English

High School English at the Academy In Manayunk is both rigorous and engaging. Through the use of assistive technology, all books from our curriculum as well as endless independent choices, are available and attainable for our students. The Academy In Manayunk high school students read relevant, award-winning literature, which inspires powerful discussion and thoughtful, reflective writing pieces. Many of these pieces of writing find a permanent home in our student-generated literary magazine.

Writing

All of our high school students attend a daily writing class. Our writing teachers utilize graphic organizers and technology to support the Executive Function skills necessary to generate a compelling piece of writing, whether it is a Shakespearean poem or a five-page persuasive essay. Students at the high school level continue to engage in the steps of the writing process to refine their work, in preparation for the demands of college writing.

Wilson and Just Words

For our students who need explicit instruction in decoding and spelling, we continue to offer daily Wilson and Just Words instruction, delivered with fidelity. Guided by the research-based LETRS framework developed by Louisa Moats and Nancy Hennessy, all of our students receive rigorous literacy instruction with a specific focus on morphology, fluency, comprehension, metacognition, decoding and encoding.

Career Academy

The Academy In Manayunk Career Academy inspires our Juniors and Seniors to explore their affinities first-hand through participation in mentorships and internships with businesses and organizations throughout the Philadelphia Area. Through their work, our students progress through the curriculum using practical hands-on experiences to better conceptualize the information taught in their classes. Not only do these students make deeper meaning from their classroom learning as result of their participation in the Career Academy, they also develop the critical interview and resume building skills that are necessary for success in college and beyond.

Technology

Techonology use at the Academy In Manayunk Upper School is cutting edge. Each of our high school students has a state-of-the-art Macbook loaded with research-based assistive software, including: Don Johnston's Solo Suite, Read Naturally and Fasttmath. Additionally, our students use Google Sketch-Up, podcasting, Google Docs and Global video chat. All of the above-mentioned tools inspire our students and teachers, who work collaboratively in weekly technology trainings, to engage in the skills necessary for the twenty-first century student and the twenty-first century educator. The Weekly Technology Trainings are always followed up with a Google Doc that summarizes the training and includes a link for students, teachers and parents to deepen and broaden their learning and application.

In addition to our laptop program, teachers and students at the Academy In Manayunk use SmartBoards throughout the school to foster interactive, meaningful learning experiences across the curricular areas of Reading, Writing, Math, Science and Social Studies.

Progress Monitoring

At the Academy In Manayunk, teachers monitor the progress of each student in every academic subject area regularly throughout the year. Progress is monitored at a minimum of three times annually for all of our students and as much as weekly for others, using both norm-referenced and classroom based measures. Our team of teachers, psychologists, and administrators work to ensure that each student is making the progress necessary to succeed. If progress is not being made, we work to alter the programming and instruction to better address the needs of our students.

Electives

Our students select from a variety of electives to expand their skills and interests:

• Photography
• Technology
• Garage Band Composition
• Debate Team
• Foods and Nutrition
• Fine Arts Portfolio
• Literary Magazine