The Eighth Grade independent project provided students with an opportunity for inner integration and outer expression, laying a foundation of confidence. However, as they enter High School, their astral body is newly born, making their thinking prone to extremes or binary opposition. While they firmly believe that a fundamental truth governs the world behind surface phenomena, their thoughts remain immature, requiring a structured curriculum to guide them toward true, objective thinking.
Main Lessons
Language Arts
The Pre-Qin classics and the writings of the Hundred Schools of Thought represent the crystallization of the Sentient Soul and Mind Soul (Intellectual Soul) in Eastern thought, serving as the foundation for the later development of the Consciousness Soul. From the Warring States period through the Qin and Han dynasties, society underwent profound transformations. Based on their reflections on the social upheaval of their time, ancient sages proposed diverse perspectives and solutions. Engaging with these classical texts stimulates and exercises students’ developing capacity for independent, rigorous thinking.
Human Physiology
Building upon the Eighth Grade study of skeletal anatomy, Ninth Grade advances into the human sensory systems, exploring how human beings interface with the outer world and transform external stimuli into inner perceptions. Time permitting, the curriculum also covers the rhythmic systems of circulation and respiration. Because the heart and lungs serve as vital channels between the inner and outer worlds—taking in external air through breathing and circulating it throughout the body before exhaling—these studies help students understand their personal relationship with the surrounding environment.
Art History
This course transforms the practical artistic activities accumulated by students from Grades 1 through 8 into a reflective, conscious form of thinking. By connecting the history learned in previous years with the artistic works of corresponding eras, students can observe the evolutionary transformation of the human soul. This study guides young people in learning how to translate subjective feeling into objective thought. Due to time constraints, the Grade 9 curriculum covers the historical progression from antiquity through the Renaissance.
History
The Ninth Grade history main lesson enters the modern era, introducing several crucial turning points in human development, including the Industrial Revolution, democratization, colonialism and anti-colonial movements, and the impact of major technological inventions on contemporary society. Another distinct main lesson is Art History, which guides students to observe historical transformations through the lens of artistic works; in Ninth Grade, this covers the progression from antiquity to the Renaissance.
Computer Science
Beginning with computational logic, we introduce students to the main lesson in computer science and information technology. Helping students understand the internal mechanisms and underlying principles of computers enables them to navigate technology and the internet responsibly without succumbing to addiction or blind distraction.
Mathematics
The study of permutations and combinations equips students with mathematical tools to understand the underlying principles behind everyday phenomena. Through practical, real-world examples, students experience the power and utility of mathematics. If student progress permits, Ninth Grade also introduces probability and expected value calculations. Another separate main lesson focuses on quadratic equations and the binomial theorem.
Subject Lessons
English
In Ninth Grade, foreign language instruction moves beyond practical, everyday communication and enters a deeper cultural level. Lessons may draw upon biographies of notable figures or historical narratives to explore cultural roots, as well as famous poems, short essays, or speeches. Staging a dramatic performance in the foreign language allows students to develop a profound understanding and active mastery of the language. Furthermore, students deepen their familiarity with grammar and syntax through creative imitation and sentence construction exercises.
Visual Arts & Drawing
Ninth-grade students often experience a sudden, temporary loss of interest in color. During this phase, black-and-white line-art comic illustration holds a natural appeal. Comic techniques can be effectively utilized to teach students the principles of composition and page layout, as well as sequential narrative storytelling through multi-panel strip art. On a practical level, this curriculum also introduces computer graphics and digital poster design techniques.
Clay Modeling
Building upon the modeling techniques developed up through Eighth Grade, students take on the challenge of working with molds to cast plaster sculptures or masks. Seal carving is another related art form introduced at this stage. These practices help young people view the world from a fresh, alternative perspective.
Music
In Ninth Grade, ensemble playing and choral singing become increasingly essential. As students at this age place a greater emphasis on individual expression, the unifying nature of music helps bring them back into community. However, because ninth-graders often resist group singing or playing, choirs and orchestras are frequently formed using mixed-age groups from Grade 9 and above. Additionally, the curriculum introduces biographies of different composers and explores musical forms and styles, deepening students’ appreciation for various musical genres.
Computer Studies
Ninth-grade students begin learning practical software applications, starting with word processing, where both English and Chinese touch-typing are taught as essential foundational skills. Alongside productivity software, students are also introduced to digital illustration and computer graphics techniques.
Handwork
Farming
