Middle School Curriculum

French Language Intensive 5th Grade

At Kilittaşı Schools, all students receive 20 hours of English education, from grade 1 to grade 4, thirteen+ hours of ELA (English-Maths-Science-Social Studies), and 7 hours of branch courses (PE, IT, VA, Music). In addition, French is given two hours.

Students who acquire English as a mother tongue until the 4th grade receive preparatory education in the 5th grade under the guidance of a native French teacher. At the end of the year, they reach a level where they can master all the skills of French and English. Instead of learning French only as a language, students also have the opportunity to learn about French culture through varied activities and traditional trips to France throughout the year. We aim for our students to reach the A1 level in DELF-DALF exams at the end of 5th grade. English continues for four hours at the 5th-grade level. Students maintain a solid foundation in English through book analysis in English.

6th – 7th and 8th grade

In secondary school, an enriched curriculum encourages students’ cultural, intellectual, physical, and emotional development. This curriculum is equipped with projects to support and develop our students academically. In addition, it is designed to explore students’ interests and potential. Although each course has different goals and achievements, students are encouraged to plan their dreams instead of competing against each other.

The school also offers opportunities for students who want to enter international competitions and exams such as Kangaroo Mathematics, DELF, and Cambridge Language Exams.

The middle school years are a crucial period in students’ progress towards independence. Therefore, students reinforce their collaboration and leadership skills by attending elective courses such as Round Square, MUN, JMUN, and Destination Imagination.

 

National Courses

Mathematics knowledge and skills are essential acquisitions a student will need throughout life.  Keystone Middle School mathematics lessons include various mental and high-level skills such as sequencing, classification, examining, conveying, estimating, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating, discovering, diagnosing, and structuring information in one’s mind.  In addition, problem-solving,  data collecting, and research are skills we aim to internalize.  Our most important achievement in our math lessons is understanding its critical role in life by bonding it to other domains.

 

During science lessons, students experiment using tools, machines, systems, and events used in their daily lives.  They learn to ask questions and solve problems, make observations, form hypotheses, collect data and analyze, obtain results and reach generalizations.

A Science lesson is a data-based course based on observations and experiments. 

Social Studies at Keystone Schools aims for students to first become aware of their culture by studying its society, environment, technology interaction, and cultural diversities and then move on to understand and respect diverse cultures worldwide. Lessons aim to develop the ability to empathize and understand cultural differences and the uniqueness of all societies and educate themselves as world citizens. Furthermore, it seeks to bring people-centered approaches to the forefront, taking into account the existing experiences of the individual, active participation in life, making the right decision, and problem-solving in line with a supportive and developing perspective.

In  5th grade, French is fifteen hours per week.  We aim to develop our students’ skills in this language, which they have formed the foundation of since kindergarten.  The four essential elements for acquiring a language are; “listening,” “reading,” “writing,” and “speaking  .”Students develop the target language with techniques such as; drama, music, games, and various fun and age-appropriate activities.  Students express themselves in this language by adhering to the grammar rules and using the vocabulary they have learned.  They can speak comfortably with native French speakers.  By the end of the school year, our students will be able to master all skills in French.  They also can get to know French culture through various activities and traditional trips to France during the year.  Our school strives for our students to succeed at the A1 level when they take the DELF exam at the end of 5th grade.

In the 6th, 7th and 8th grades, French is taught in four weekly lessons.  Our students improve their speaking skills in these classes by reading books, writing paragraphs on various topics, and having interactive lessons.  We aim for our students to achieve an A2 level in the DELF exam by the end of secondary school.

The secondary school Turkish program develops oral communication, reading, and writing skills. Our students use Turkish carefully and correctly, following the rules of speaking and writing. They gain the ability to express their feelings and thoughts verbally and in writing, and they have the opportunity to improve their language skills through the debates held in school. Estimating by gaining mental skills and analysis-synthesis are the essential skills we aim to achieve. Our students’ questioning of what is conveyed in the media, generating ideas, being able to think critically, acquiring knowledge of literature, and gaining reading habits are among the aims of the Turkish program. In addition, our students should follow current literature and Turkish and world classics; their assimilation of culture and art constitutes the essence of Turkish lessons at Kilittaşı Schools.

International Courses

5th and 6th-graders’ English skills come from their life experience and basic English grammar and skills acquired during their primary school years.  Teaching is designed to meet the needs of individuals and small groups of students, as the basis of knowledge, experience, and skills differentiate from student to student.  Middle school students learn to identify and explore multiple perspectives, question messages in texts, and look at problems.  They analyze the structure and elements of various texts on equality and social justice.  They convey their ideas and opinions by composing multiple oral, written, and media texts to express their views and opinions.  Students learn and model the use of knowledge, skills, and strategies in four areas: 

reading, writing, oral literacy, and media studies.  Open learning and modeling help students identify the skills and techniques they need to become proficient language users.  The language curriculum for grades 7 and 8 is designed to engage students with tasks they deem meaningful to encourage them to analyze, evaluate and create texts.  The middle school English curriculum at Keystone Schools encourages students to explore issues of personal identity and community concerns by interacting with increasingly complex and challenging readers.  In various learning areas, students apply their understanding of different text forms, such as conferences, speeches, persuasive letters, memoirs, realistic fiction, magazine articles, maps, screenplays, surveys, or graphics.  Modeled, shared, and guided learning experiences help 7th and 8th-grade students develop their ability to independently select and use appropriate forms and structures while reinforcing their core skills and processes.

 

Okul Hayatı

Every individual at the Keystone Schools takes great pleasure in celebrating the special days created to ensure unity and solidarity at the school and to create school spirit. On special days, every development area of ​​the students is supported, and the students are offered the opportunity to get to know all cultures.

Books are windows to the world for children’s emotional, spiritual, cognitive, and social development. Children who read grow up as individuals who can better express themselves with a rich vocabulary and understand and interpret what is expressed correctly.

Reading at Keystoneı Schools is the responsibility and habit of the entire Keystone family, not just the children.

DEAR (Drop everything and read) is a reading routine in which the entire Keystone family participates. During DEAR hours, all employees at school drop what they are doing and start reading their books.





Every academic year, field trips are organized to museums, art galleries, science centers, animal shelters, environmental organizations, and even traveling to other countries where students can experience their knowledge and skills for the gains within the scope of the curriculum.

Keystone Schools provide diversified programs with after-school clubs to enhance our student’s learning experiences and broaden their horizons according to their abilities, interests, skills, and age levels. The primary purpose of after-school clubs is to offer fun activities to students in line with a distinct goal and purpose.

Our students improve themselves and enjoy life in Zumba, STEM, exploring club, cooking, baking, football, drums, piano, violin, guitar, floorball, go, rhythmic gymnastics, pantomime mask theater, and robotics.

1-DEMOCRACY: The subject of “democracy,” which is taught in our school throughout October, is integrated into all courses.  Our primary school students listen to the democratic processes of their high school brothers and sisters.  In the second week of October, class representatives are elected for the election of school presidents, the campaign processes of class representatives are made in the third week of October, and the election of school presidents becomes a feast of democracy.  Our students learn the philosophy of democracy through experience.

  1. INTERNATIONALITY: It is our school’s most essential and natural phenomenon.  During November, our students research and share different cultures with their friends.  Then, again, during one month, our students learn to look at these cultures with respect through the presentations made by parents from different cultures.
  2. LEADERSHIP: Leaders and leadership are discussed at our school throughout December.  Students research leaders in all areas and then conduct debates.  In addition to the personality traits of the leaders, they also learn about their life stories that make them different.  Our students take pride in presenting the projects they want to show to their teachers and friends.
  3. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Community service continues throughout the school year.  Our most significant support in this regard is our school-parent union.  Until now, we have worked with Tohum Autism Foundation and Koruncuk Foundation.  Our primary goal with such projects is to raise awareness in our students with the presentations made by our stakeholders, to enable them to accept differences, and to create sensitivity towards what is happening around us.  Every year, we meet the needs of students from impoverished public schools.  Our students take their gifts to their peers, see their conditions, and experience the beauty of sharing and helping each other.
  4. ADVENTURE: April is a month when we set sail for new adventures.  Our students taste and enjoy experiences on adventure tracks, beaches, and nature.  Again in the spring, they take lessons on adapting to nature and surviving in the wilderness in the company of experienced trainers at AKUT nature camp.
  5. ENVIRONMENTALITY: Every student studying at our school is also an environmental activist.  Subjects such as the climate,  habitats of animals, and pollution are actively covered in our lessons.  For example, in May, our students draw attention to environmental cleanliness by cleaning one of the beaches of Istanbul.

 

Middle school students participate in debates in which opposing ideas are discussed. Our students learn to collect evidence, support, control, organize and manage the process in stressful environments.