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Academics
Grade Level Programming

Grade 9: Intellectual Curiosity

The learning theme of the 9th Grade Forge Program is Self-Discovery, with the essential questions being Who Am I? and Who Do I Want to Become?  In this year, students will begin crafting their Personalized Guided Program of Study (GPS) in partnership with Tilton faculty, most notably their advisor, through purposeful assessments, the creation of SMART goals, self reflection, and technology tools.
 
The elements of the Forge Program include:
  • An Integrated Academic Program;
  • A Community-Driven Residential Program;
  • A Year-long 9th Grade Seminar (team taught with upperclassmen teaching assistants);
  • Outdoor Experiences; and
  • Development of Design Thinking Strategies and Skills.
Curriculum is designed to engage students to think critically, solve real-world problems and effectively communicate their solutions. Through project-based learning, students collaborate in asking questions, debating ideas, and collecting data. This engaging and rigorous academic program is designed to stimulate intellectual curiosity, promote active learning, and instill long-lasting study skills that serve as an academic foundation upon which students build throughout their Tilton Experience.  

In the fourth quarter of the academic year, students will apply the skills they’ve learned throughout the year to a design-thinking, community service-based project. Topics include Housing Instability, Hunger Awareness, Addiction, and Veterans’ Issues. Students may also explore a different topic of their choosing.

Through the development of their Personalized Guided Program of Study, 9th grade students will also work with their advisor and college counseling staff to establish a strong working relationship that will be used throughout their time at Tilton School. This will include creating a strategic plan for course selection and guidance about purposeful involvement beyond the classroom.
 

Sample Program of Study

Ninth graders at Tilton School will follow a robust program of academic classes, including the 9th Grade Seminar. Our distinctive Introduction to the Arts class allows students to explore ceramics, studio art, theater, and music, with the hope of sparking their creative passion. Our other academic courses include:
  • Mathematics (at the appropriate level)
  • Biology
  • English
  • World History
  • Spanish or French (at the appropriate level)
  • Introduction to the Arts (1/2 credit)
  • 9th Grade Seminar

For students needing additional support, the Center for Academic Achievement offers tutorial services in time management and organization, mathematics, reading and writing, and integrated language support.

Forge Experiences Throughout the Year

List of 4 items.

  • 9th Grade Seminar & Programming

    • Health & Wellness Topics
    • Community Service
    • Design Thinking
    • Upperclassmen Teaching Assistants
    • Goal Setting and Reflection

  • Class Connections

    • History and English will connect with units. For example, in history, students begin the year studying the continent of Asia, and in English students will read the book American Born Chinese
    • 9th Grade Seminar topics, such as diversity and media influence, will be supported in the World Language classes through the study of magazines, cultural events, and music.
    • 9th Grade Seminar topics, such as sleep and the adolescent brain, will be supported in the Biology class

  • Community Service

    • Yard work for Tilton community members
    • Empty Bowls projects
    • NH Veterans Home Senior Prom

  • Outdoor Experiences

    • Fall Ropes Course/Team Building Orientation Trip
    • Fall Canoe Trip
    • Winter Tipi and Snowshoeing Experience