Junior High: Grade Level Curricula Descriptions
Fifth Grade
Religion- Students learn about the Catholic Faith through activities, stories, Scripture readings, prayer, participating in Liturgy, discussing and practicing values as well as morality.Catholic values are taught in all areas of the curricula.Specific areas of study are the Seven Sacraments, Life of Jesus, the Beatitudes and the Ten Commandments.Learning parts of Liturgy are also emphasized.The Liturgical seasons of Advent, Lent, Christmas, and Easter are also taught.
Language Arts- Through oral presentations, students work on increasing listening, writing and speaking skills.Students learn about the writing process: pre-writing, revising, peer editing and final drafting. They also study how to write legibly; use of proper grammar and mechanics skills are also reinforced throughout the year. Students practice writing narrative, descriptive, expository and persuasive paragraphs.
Reading-Students examine Literature by reading stories from a variety of genres. Through participating interactive Reading lessons, students at this level are learning new vocabulary, how to use context clues, distinguish between fact and opinion, sequence, draw conclusions, recognize and use literary devices, analyze details as well as main ideas. They also learn how to use graphic organizers to use as study aides, to compare/contrast information as well as organize it.
Math- Students acquire a knowledge of Math and ability to solve problems through the use of text and hands on experiences. Students rein enforce multiplication and division skills as apply to problem solve. Further areas of study throughout the year include: fraction concepts (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing fractions with like and unlike denominators.) multiply two and three digit factors, multiplication and division of decimals, identify place values, estimate, and find measurements. Students learn strategies to analyze and read word problems.
Science-Students learn about concepts that emphasize the branches of Astronomy, Life and Physical Sciences.Students learn about the characteristics and classifications of living things. They study plant structures and functions, plant diversity as well as animal diversity. Students examine ecosystems to understand interactions between different living things. The Physical Science unit ends the year with students learning about matter and energy.They examine sound and light energy, as well as motion and energy while using Newton’s Law.
Social Studies- Areas of study include American History and Geography, which include land and the study of Native Americans as well.Students learn about the Age of Exploration, different explorers, and the development of the Thirteen Colonies.Inquiry based units allow students to examine the events of the American Revolution, the creation of the Constitution; Western Movement; Civil War; Industrial Revolution and Modern Times.
Sixth Grade
Religion-The Religion curricula in sixth grade emphasize the study of The Old Testament and its relevance for today.Covenant and The Ten Commandments are the key themes to Faith in action.
Language Arts- Students learn to use the correct form of grammar, vocabulary, subject/verb agreement with indefinite pronounce, paraphrase and deliver informative and persuasive oral presentations. This school year, Inquiry Based Units were added to instruction including a Civil Rights Unit and a Holocaust Unit.
Reading-Students learn skills to allow them to continue to read with understanding and fluency. They learn to comprehend unfamiliar words, use context clues, establish purposes for reading and use tools comprehend different genres.Special attention is given to inferences, main themes, comparing and contrasting, summarizing, interpreting tables and graphs and identifying conflict and resolution of a story.
Science-Inquiry based units are utilized to teach students about Life, Earth and Physical Sciences. Student driven research is the key in learning the important goals presented in each unit. Students learn and focus on practicing the scientific method of experimentation throughout the year to prepare them for Science Fair in seventh grade. Students also examine geologic events such as earthquakes and natural disasters such as tsunamis. They study plate tectonics and can read geologic maps. Students recognize the significance of nonrenewable and renewable energy.
Social Studies-Students focus on learning about World History from ancient civilizations to the present. Students will examine how different societies and cultures are developing around the world. Students will understand living patterns and how human beings interacted with their environments now and in the ancient world.
Seventh Grade
Religion- Students will recognize how to become moral, proactive and Faith filled young adults. They continue to learn how to incorporate Catholic beliefs and practices into their everyday lives as they study different models of Faith, perform acts of service as well as examine Scripture to gain a better understanding of moral decision making. Students recognize and live the teachings of the Church through a life of discipleship and service.
Reading-Lessons and activities emphasize building student vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading and comprehension skills. Students read and examine elements from a variety of literary genres. Students learn pre-writing, revising and drafting strategies. They continue to develop their writing and comprehension skills as they write to demonstrate their comprehension of text or to communicate different types information. Listening and speaking skills are also utilized as throughout the year; as students are assigned to design and deliver oral presentations that incorporate a variety of sources and/or props.
Language Arts- Curricula emphasizes building on vocabulary and Spelling skills.Students focus on learning the parts of speech and build skills through writing cohesive, clear and engaging essays that communicate information, arguments or opinions.
Math- The major topics of the seventh grade Math curriculum are number sense and operations, algebra, geometry, spatial sense, measurement, data analysis and probability. Students develop skills and comprehension through the use of hands on manipulative, completing daily practice exercises, utilizing technological resources such as Khan University, as well as working in multi age learning groups to problem solve.
Science- Students cross-examine a variety of branches (i.e., biology, environmental science, botany) with an emphasis on the study physical science. Students also continue to practice and engage in the process of scientific method in order to experiment and problem solve. Scientific skills are reinforced as students participate in hands on laboratory investigations and present experiments at our school’s annual science fair.
Social Studies- Students study the history of our country from its early beginnings to modern times. Students begin to explore how different governments and how they establish structures of power and authority in order to provide order and stability. Students gain an understanding of civil duty, which requires understanding of rights and responsibilities, ethical behavior. They understand the role of citizens within their community, nation, and world.
Eighth Grade
Religion-Students will understand, believe and proclaim the Triune God revealed in the signs of creation, Scripture and tradition. An emphasis is placed on Church history, the mission of evangelization and the hierarchical structure of our church. There is an emphasis on the whole of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection as the fulfillment of revelation.The students’ participation in the Sacraments of the Church (Confirmation) as signs of God’s grace instituted by the Church.Emphasis is placed on the gifts of the Holy Spirit as they prepare in depth for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Math- Eighth grade students will demonstrate and apply knowledge of arithmetic, number sense, order of operations, algebra, and data analysis in order to problem solve. Areas of study also include topics in geometry, spatial sense, converting measurements and probability. Students develop skills and comprehension through the use of hands on manipulative, completing daily practice exercises, utilizing technological resources, and working in multi age learning groups to problem solve.
Reading-Students further their skills in reading with understanding and fluency by analyzing words and word phrases in context, interpreting and analyzing narrative text, comparing and contrasting, summarizing and making generalizations, and analyzing tables and graphs.Students read and understand literature of various societies, use textual structure, word choice and style in a variety of genres to explore the author’s viewpoint.Inquiry based units on the Holocaust and Edgar Allen Poe were added to this year’s curriculum.
Language Arts- Students will demonstrate proper tense usage, use relative pronouns and write creatively.Students write narrative accounts, edit and revise their pieces. Students deign, produce reports and choose a variety of sources to gain new information. Students develop original compositions that contain complete sentences and effective paragraphs, using transition phrases, appropriate sentence structure and proofreading.
Science-Students will cross-examine a variety of branches (i.e., biology, environmental science, botany) with an emphasis on the study Life Science and Biology. Students learn about life cycles, systems and anatomies of different organisms. Students also engage in the process of scientific method in order to experiment and problem solve. Scientific skills are reinforced as students participate in hands on laboratory dissections, investigations and present experiments at our school’s annual science fair.
Social Studies- Students continue to learn about American History starting with the Civil War to present times. Concentration on the U.S. Constitution, the Amendments, members and parts of government is also studied throughout the year. As required by the State and Federal law, students must pass the Constitution test in order to graduate eighth grade.
