Middle School

Middle school students have the following 8 subject groups: Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Mathematics, Science (Biology, Physics, Chemistry), Individuals and Societies (History, Geography, Ethics, and Law), Design (Digital Design, Product Design), Arts (Visual Arts, Performing Arts), and Physical Health Education(PHE).  Students are encouraged to make connections between classroom learning and the real world and to think creatively and critically through eight subject groups.

Besides the subject learning, students will also experience one mandatory interdisciplinary unit of learning in each academic year.  Interdisciplinary learning is oriented towards bringing together concepts, methods, or modes of communication from two or more established areas of expertise to develop new perspectives. It connects disciplines to develop new understanding, create products, or address real-world issues in ways that would have been unlikely through a single approach. Teachers will put into practice curriculum integration through specific interdisciplinary unit planning and implementation. This interdisciplinary learning empowers students to integrate disciplines in novel and creative ways. As knowledge and information multiply, critical thinkers must successfully integrate disciplinary perspectives to understand real-world issues, ideas, and challenges, and to take action to promote positive changes in societies. 

As required by IB, in the 3rd year of the MYP programme, each student is required to participate in a community project to test the student’s knowledge and skills throughout the MYP phase.  The Community Project can be done independently by a student or in collaboration with a group of up to 3 students. Community Project focuses on communities and services, encourages students to explore their rights and responsibilities, and implements service actions in the community.  This initiative encourages students to generate creative new insights through research, demonstrate responsible action, and become responsible citizens of the world.  

Through the middle school programme learning approach, students develop skills related to all courses that help them “learn how to learn”, including research skills, communication skills, self-management skills, thinking skills, and social skills.  These skills can be taught and learned, and continuously improved through practice, providing a solid foundation for independent and cooperative learning and helping students become lifelong learners.   

The CCA program is an important part of the school curriculum system. To better develop the potential of students’ creativity, innovation, and artistic creation, OCAC creatively interpreted the ancient Chinese “Six Arts” in accordance with IB’s learning methods, thus establishing its own extended Co-Curricular Activities framework. Each semester, we offer a variety of CCAs that are a unique combination of Chinese and Western features and take in the best elements of other curriculums. Our CCAs range from academics, cultures, and arts to sports, all the while offering a wide variety of high-quality choices to students.