9th Grade

The freshman year of high school is a major milestone for students, especially at University School of Milwaukee. Whether coming from USM’s Middle School or a different school, our 9th graders begin to learn the communication, transition, and study skills necessary to be successful Upper School students, starting with Freshman Orientation for students and their parents or guardians in August. Students also work with their advisors and teachers to develop a strong balance between their academic and extracurricular activities, as well as time management skills to balance USM responsibilities with those outside of school.

Many freshmen begin to explore current and future leadership opportunities as they are also more formally introduced to service learning in the Upper School. Freshmen also begin their work with their college counselor—whom they remain with all the way through graduation—and will have several touchpoints with that individual and the College Guidance office throughout 9th grade.

Establishing a new sense of comfort and community is key to a student’s first year in our Upper School, and time is spent in advising getting to know the advisor and other advisees. Each year, approximately 20 to 30 spots in the freshman class are reserved for students who are new to USM, which brings important diversity in backgrounds and experiences to classroom conversations and student relationships, as students begin to move beyond their comfort zone in a safe and supportive environment. All freshmen are assigned to one of the Upper School’s four Houses—Academy, Arrow, Crest, and Ledger—which are also made up of sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The house model serves to further support the development of relationships and community during the high school years.

9th Grade Curriculum

While the freshman year finds students taking many required core courses, 9th grade students also have many choices in their elective courses, along with study halls for coursework and academic support. For the first time, grades are recorded on transcripts that will be sent along with college applications. Freshmen students typically have a maximum of 40 minutes of homework per class meeting, and no homework is assigned over breaks (except for Advanced Placement classes, which freshmen do not typically take).

English

All freshmen take English 1
English 1 provides ninth graders with the background knowledge, skills, and habits to help them succeed in future English courses and serves as the foundation for a lifetime of learning, reading, and writing. Students read, respond to, and closely analyze texts representing a wide range of literature. Using literature as inspiration, students reflect on themes of coming of age, identity, and the trauma and resilience of young people—all through the lens of storytelling. Students engage with the material at the USM Round Table and learn the skills necessary for developing an intellectual community of learners and leaders. We invite students to examine issues of class, gender, race, and religion in the contemporary world around them as they also consider their own lives and identities in the context of the literature. Students learn formal writing skills necessary to develop cohesive arguments of original ideas with logical supportive evidence from literary texts. Students also imitate the stylistic strategies of these mentor texts to develop their personal voice and write a memoir and other personal stories with intentional use of language devices. The course includes practice with the grammar of correct sophisticated sentence structures necessary to expressing complicated ideas.

Fine Arts

Upper School students make pots on a throwers wheel in art class.

All freshmen take Public Speaking
Students gain experience in public speaking through the preparation and presentation of many different kinds of speeches, including impromptu speeches, presentation speeches with slideshows, and persuasive speeches. Vocal delivery, organization, and eye contact are among the skills that will improve as the students become more experienced speakers. Class discussion include not only aspects of public speaking, but also other issues in oral communication, such as non-verbal communication and listening. The goal of this class is to help students feel more prepared and self-confident when speaking in front of classes and assemblies.

History

An Upper School student talks to her teacher during class.

All freshmen take World Civilizations 1
World Civilizations 1 is a full year required course in 9th grade. It is the first half of the two-year World Civilizations curriculum. World Civilizations 1 will be organized chronologically. We will examine pre-modern civilizations as case studies of human growth and development. This course focuses on the political and economic systems, sociological structures, cultural attributes, and religions of the ancient world up to the Early Modern period. We will study civilizations of the ancient Middle East, North Africa, the ancient Mediterranean, Asia, and the Americas. This course nurtures reading, writing, research, discussion, collaboration, and critical thinking skills that are not only integral to the Upper School history curriculum but are skills necessary for strong, competent, ethical global citizens. Besides imparting a general introduction to past civilizations of the world, this course cultivates the values and skills of learners, leaders, and citizens.

Mathematics

All freshmen take Algebra 1, Algebra 2, or Algebra 2-Honors
In Algebra 1, students acquire facility in applying fundamental algebraic concepts and skills. Topics include linear and quadratic equations, factoring and operations with algebraic fractions, systems of equations in two unknowns, functions and graphing, radicals, and word problems. In Algebra 2, less emphasis will be placed on trigonometry and probability, and a greater emphasis will be placed on developing solid skills, including analyzing functions and various polynomials, solving equations, and systems of equations. The honors course also covers exponents, radicals, complex numbers, factoring, linear equations, and polynomial and rational functions, as well as conic sections, exponential functions and logarithms, trigonometry, systems of equations, sequences, and probability.

Science

A student measures liquid during a chemistry lab.

All freshmen take Biology or Biology-Honors
Laboratory work is designed to give students first-hand experience collecting and analyzing data, as they build a conceptual understanding of how living organisms work. Biology covers a wide range of topics. Topics covered first semester include: biochemistry, cellular biology, and ecology. The second semester focuses on cell energetics, heredity, molecular genetics, and evolution. Biology-Honors students will move at a faster pace, are assigned more open-ended questions, and take topics a step beyond, and they are also required to carry out an independent research project. Students are selected for the honors course based on previous performance in science classes and recommendations from 8th grade teachers.

Physical Education

All freshmen take FITT 4 Life
The goals of this course are to manage and improve personal fitness levels, introduce activities that can be done for a lifetime, develop leadership and teamwork skills, and experience new games that are played globally. The units covered are bike education, archery, adventure/teambuilding, and global games. Personal fitness will be woven in throughout the semester. Students will develop a personal fitness plan that incorporates the FITT principles (frequency, intensity, time and type) and is based on the student personal interests and goals. Students use personal activity trackers to help monitor daily progress towards their established goals.

World Languages

All modern language courses (Chinese, French, Spanish) at the Novice and Intermediate levels will focus on building oral proficiency skills according to the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language) standards. In addition, students will build proficiency in writing, reading, and listening, and also develop intercultural competency. Units will pertain but not be limited to the six AP themes: Aesthetics and Beauty, Global Challenges, Contemporary Life, Families and Communities, Science and Technology, and Personal and Public Identity. Students may also choose to enroll in Latin 1 in 9th grade.

Computer Science

Innovation

College Guidance

The goal of the first-year College Guidance program for freshmen is to help students adjust to the opportunities and challenges of high school, reflect on their transition to USM’s Upper School, and become familiar with their college counselor and the Upper School College Guidance program. All freshmen take a Pre-ACT test in October for standardized testing practice and to get an early sense of testing strengths and challenges. More details can be found on the Freshman Year tab on the College Guidance page.

Electives

A teacher checks on students as they paint during art class.

In addition to Public Speaking, all freshmen are required to take at least one additional semester of a Fine Arts class. Students may take a full-year course (Chamber Orchestra, Concert Band/Jazz Band, Concert Choir, or Technical Theatre), or one of several semester-long courses:

Ceramics and Pottery 1/2
Digital Art
Drawing 1/2
Filmmaking 1/2
Innovation and Design 1/2
Metalsmithing and Jewelry Making
Music Technology 1/2
Music Theory and Composition
Musical Theatre
Painting 1/2
Photography 1/2
Sculpture
Theatre

A full list of elective courses currently offered to Upper School students, including those listed under the other subject areas above, can be viewed on the Upper School Academics page.

Leadership Opportunities and Special Events

Early in the freshman year, 9th graders participate in two day-long retreat days, which serve to build relationships and reinforce the Common Trust. The first day is typically spent at Camp Whitcomb-Mason in Hartland, Wisconsin, and the second day at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in nearby Bayside, Wisconsin, with Youth Frontiers joining for their acclaimed Respect Retreat. These are highly engaging days that serve as a foundation for interpersonal relationships and for the advising program that runs throughout Upper School. In addition, 9th graders are involved in helping to organize the annual Winter Formal each year in February, and are able to take on additional leadership roles on the Upper School student council and the freshman class board. Freshmen also form special bonds with USM’s 1st grade students, including reading sessions and fun activities during spirit weeks, as USM works to form relationships across the entire school.

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