SBMS WAS BUILT FOR 9TH GRADE leadership

Because of the growth and work done in our 6th-8th grade programs and the nature of this age group, students in 9th grade begin to raise the big questions and pursue the answers with openness. Our program is designed to encourage students to develop one’s core values and knowledge of self. This process of constructive individuation and self-discovery is cultivated with inspiration, challenge, support, effort, and celebration of each person in a unique way.

By putting students into leadership positions, holding high expectations, and challenging them daily, our program is designed to help each child become their best Selves. In the classroom, we stress the development of student skills and deeper thinking within the context of each discipline. We are fortunate to have an experienced team of teachers who share a love of the students and a love of the subjects taught. Together, we can help form a strong foundation for each student to build a meaningful and successful life.

NINTH-GRADE CURRICULUM

List of 8 items.

  • World History

    World History begins by going back to study human origins and comparing the theories of evolution with different cultural beliefs of creation. Students study ancient civilizations of India and China to examine the oldest practiced spiritual traditions still in existence. After the study of both ancient and modern India, students learn about Tibet and China and China’s relationship to the U.S. and the world. Then, students study the Middle East to gain awareness of cultures, chaos, and conflict in the region. Over the course of the year, students build a general working knowledge of the main events, ideas, characters, and relationships that have shaped world history. Throughout this course, students develop skills in critical thinking, reading, writing, note-taking, and public speaking.
  • English 9 - Literature & Composition / Honors

    English 9 continues the preparatory emphasis begun at the eighth grade level. It is built around the study of American and world literature, expository and creative writing skills, and the fine-tuning of mechanics, usage, and style. Students gain critical thinking skills and develop an understanding of abstract thought as they discuss and write about what they have read. Through literature, students become exposed to new perspectives and learn to communicate their own thoughts orally and in writing.
  • Integrated Math 1/Honors

    Integrated Math 1 is the first year of a three-year course (Math 1, 2, & 3) in the sequence of college preparatory mathematics. Instead of teaching each section as a separate course, Integrated Math spirals between the following mathematical subjects: algebra, functions, geometry, statistics and probability, and number and quantity. Each section of the class will be accompanied by different applications that are a natural extension of the principles understood. The emphasis is on provoking thought rather than memorization. It aims to deepen and extend student understanding built in previous courses by focusing on developing fluency with solving linear equations, inequalities, and systems. These skills are extended to solving simple exponential equations, exploring linear and exponential functions graphically, numerically, symbolically, and as sequences, and by using regression techniques to analyze the fit of models to distributions of data.
  • Integrated Math 2/Honors

    Integrated Math 2 is the second course in the sequence of college preparatory mathematics. The course is well-balanced between procedural fluency (algorithms and basic skills), deep conceptual understanding, strategic competence (problem-solving), and adaptive reasoning (extension and transference). It aims to formalize and extend the geometry that students have learned in previous courses. It also helps students develop the concepts of formal proof and explore the properties of two- and three-dimensional objects. On a daily basis, students use problem-solving strategies, questioning, investigating, analyzing critically, gathering and constructing evidence, and communicating rigorous arguments justifying their thinking. Students learn in collaboration with others while sharing information, expertise, and ideas. The Math 2 curriculum covers quadratic expressions and functions; comparing characteristics of linear, exponential, and quadratic functions; probability, factoring and trigonometry; equations of circles, chords and tangents.
  • Integrated Math 3/Honors

    Core Connections Integrated 3 is the third course in the sequence of rigorous college prep mathematics courses. It aims to apply and extend what students have learned in previous courses by focusing on finding connections between multiple representations of functions, transformations of different function families, finding zeros of polynomials and connecting them to graphs and equations of polynomials, modeling periodic phenomena with trigonometry, and understanding the role of randomness and the normal distribution in making statistical conclusions. Students use problem-solving strategies, questioning, investigating, analyzing critically, gathering and constructing evidence, and communicating rigorous arguments justifying their thinking. Completing Integrated Math 3 prepares students to cover Pre-Calculus in the following year.
  • Honors Physics with Lab

    In this course, students will be exploring the relationship between energy and matter through quantitative reasoning. Students will be learning and applying the laws of physics in this laboratory-based curriculum. In addition, this course will be supplemented with the fundamentals of chemistry and use environmental and theoretical science as a foundation of discussion exemplifying the union of the physical sciences. Labs are included in the course.
  • Spanish 9

    Spanish 9 follows national and state standards, and upon completion, students receive one year of high school credit and are prepared to enter grade 10 Spanish. Students develop conversational use of complex grammar through the subjunctive tense and writing skills in a highly communicative environment. Projects in ninth grade are challenging and rewarding as they are based on engagement with native speakers in the Santa Barbara area schools and other community resources.
  • Life Skills 9: Family Health

    By providing students with detailed information and exploring current social issues, this course helps students develop and discover their personal values while navigating a healthy transition to adulthood. Through guest speakers, videos, individual exercises, and role-plays, students become more knowledgeable about community resources and are better able to make educated and responsible choices for the future. Students earn high school credit for Family Health.

Meet Our Teachers

List of 7 members.

  • Photo of Jesse Wooten

    Jesse "Jesse" Wooten 

    Dean of 9th Grade / English, 9th Grade / Sports / Chess / Ukulele
    Class of 1990
  • Photo of Jake Lindelof

    Jake Lindelof 

    Math, 8th & 9th Grade / Coach / Electives / Outdoor Education
    Class of 1993
  • Photo of Brian McWilliams

    Brian "Brian" McWilliams 

    Head of School / World History, 9th Grade
  • Photo of Jenna Berry

    Jenna Berry 

    Dean of 6th Grade / English, 6th Grade / World History, 9th Grade
  • Photo of Erica Singer

    Erica Singer 

    Physics, 9th Grade / Science, 6th Grade
  • Photo of Natasha Fogt

    Natasha Fogt 

    Math, 7th and 9th Grades
  • Photo of Alejandra Santos

    Alejandra Santos 

    Spanish, 9th Grade

9th Grade Highlights

  • Channel Islands Research Expedition
  • Year-long Leadership and Service Opportunities
  • Community Service Week
  • Student-led Conferences
  • Physics Sustainability Project
  • Student Production of a Shakespearean Play
  • Spanish Fairy Tales and Intercambio
  • Honoring
  • Rites of Passage