Middle School (Grades 6-8)

Sixth Grade Curriculum

While preparing our middle school students for high school, the Saint Rose School Community ensures that students’ individual talents are supported, their spirituality deepened, and their commitment to service increased as they become more aware of their community responsibility.

This balance of personal growth and achievement, aimed at citizenship in Heaven and engaged here as part of a socially responsible community, provides our students the tools they need to lead meaningful lives in accord with their potential.

Our teaching staff at this level is departmentalized and offers students a traditional middle school experience. The departmental model provides instruction by teachers who are experts in their fields. Students begin each day with their homeroom teacher and then with the whole school community at morning prayers. After prayer, they move to different classrooms for instruction in specific subject areas along with special areas classes including: Physical Education, Art, Band/Music Appreciation, Spanish, and Computer class. All classes are taught by certified teachers.

Our middle school students become leaders in our community. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are paired with Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students as a part of our “Prayer Partner” program. They accompany our youngest students to weekly Mass and other events, in addition to being a friendly face and source of support on campus. The Student Council, National Junior Honor Society, Ambassador Program, Social Justice opportunities, school play, athletics, and a whole host of after school clubs allow our students to explore leadership and expand friendships, consistent with their strengths and interests. Our alumni tell us that they feel very prepared for the entire High School experience--in the classroom, on the athletic fields, at other extracurriculars, and socially. We host an annual alumni reunion each Christmas season and usually have about 50 or so young people join us in our Christmas assembly with music and caroling as a Saint Rose community.

Religion

  • 6th Grade Textbook: Word of Life Series by Augustine Institute
  • 6th Grade focuses on Jesus Christ as the fullness of God’s Divine Revelation through a careful reading of key scriptural texts from the Old and New Testaments
  • Special activities: Weekly adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, confession opportunities

English

  • Textbook: Prentice Hall’s Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes – Copper (6) Bronze (7) and Silver (8)
  • Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Level A (6) B (7) Level C (8)
  • Literature-based curriculum
  • CommonLit
  • Readworks - Digital Reading Comprehension Skill building (6)
  • Novel studies focusing on literary analysis and literary elements
  • Emphasis on reading for detail and deeper meaning
  • Selections of poetry and dramas call for vibrant student participation and attentive, discerning writing; students enjoy parsing through Shakespeare and other notable authors’ works
  • Grammar Textbook Voyages in English
  • Writing styles used in high school (Organization)
  • RACES, RAPS, and TELCon Writing Process Taught
  • Focus on Textual Analysis and Evidence-Based Essay Writing
  • The writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing)
  • Writing applications (analytical, persuasive, expository and narrative, descriptive, poetry, letters)
  • Utilizes Google Classroom for digital assignment submission, essay writing, teacher feedback
  • Escape Room Lessons to encourage cross curricular learning
  • Socratic Seminar

Social Studies

  • 6th Grade Textbook: All Ye Lands: Origins of the World Cultures with accompanying workbook.
  • Other outside sources include maps, Secret of the Mummies, Greek mythology research, and Roman innovations research.
  • 6th Grade Topics include: Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and Kush, Ancient India, Early China, The Israelites, Ancient Greeks, and Rome
  • Special activities:
    • Vocabulary building,
    • Art projects such as Hieroglyphic art and writing our names in Chinese pictograph.
    • Veterans Day events
    • International Food Day

Mathematics

  • Maneuvering the Middle Curriculum
  • Use concrete pictures and bar models to introduce mathematical concepts. Pictorial representations help students move from concrete to abstract thinking.
  • This leads to a deeper understanding of abstract math.
  • Math is made authentic through real-world applications.
  • 6th Grade textbook: Packets will be sent home for each unit.
  • Understanding factors and multiples, positive and negative numbers on a number line, multiplying and dividing fractions and decimals, ratios, rates, and percents
  • Simplify and evaluate algebraic expressions, solve simple one-step equations, graphing points on a coordinate plane, and finding the distance between two points
  • Area of polygons, circumference and area of a circle, and surface area and volume of solids
  • Measures of central tendency are used to summarize data

Science

  • Textbook: Prentice Hall Science Explorer(6/7/8)
  • Introduce (6) and develop (7/8) the scientific process
  • Observations, data collection and generating hypothesis (7/8)
  • Learn how to utilize reliable sources (6/7/8)
  • Participate in Science Olympiad competitions (6/7/8)
  • Focus on Earth Science
  • Build and test bottle rockets
  • Distinguishing between the rock types and identifying rocks vs. minerals
  • Explain the relationship between the layers of the Earth, plate tectonics and geological events such as earthquakes and volcanoes
  • Study human activity and give examples of activities that are harmful or beneficial to the environment.
  • Study how the earth and life has changed over geologic time using fossils
  • Analyze data and make predictions about the weather
  • Explain the relationship of the sun, moon and the earth in relationship to tides, eclipses, and seasons

Seventh Grade Curriculum

While preparing our middle school students for high school, the Saint Rose School Community ensures that students’ individual talents are supported, their spirituality deepened, and their commitment to service increased as they become more aware of their community responsibility.

This balance of personal growth and achievement, aimed at citizenship in Heaven and engaged here as part of a socially responsible community, provides our students the tools they need to lead meaningful lives in accord with their potential.

Our teaching staff at this level is departmentalized and offers students a traditional middle school experience. The departmental model provides instruction by teachers who are experts in their fields. Students begin each day with their homeroom teacher and then with the whole school community at morning prayers. After prayer, they move to different classrooms for instruction in specific subject areas along with special areas classes including: Physical Education, Art, Band/Music Appreciation, Spanish, and Computer class. All classes are taught by certified teachers.

In 7th and 8th grade, the students also select an additional special elective class from among the following popular options: Performing Arts, Accelerated Learning, Computer Coding, Personal Finance (Learning to Invest), Advanced Art, and Jazz Band. Responsibility, independence, and academic challenge grow while teachers maintain an environment of support and guidance in grades 6-8. In 8th grade, each student is assigned an adult volunteer mentor to support them during the exciting Confirmation year and in preparation for High School and beyond.

Our middle school students become leaders in our community. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are paired with Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students as a part of our “Prayer Partner” program. They accompany our youngest students to weekly Mass and other events, in addition to being a friendly face and source of support on campus. The Student Council, National Junior Honor Society, Ambassador Program, Social Justice opportunities, school play, athletics, and a whole host of after school clubs allow our students to explore leadership and expand friendships, consistent with their strengths and interests. Our alumni tell us that they feel very prepared for the entire High School experience--in the classroom, on the athletic fields, at other extracurriculars, and socially. We host an annual alumni reunion each Christmas season and usually have about 50 or so young people join us in our Christmas assembly with music and caroling as a Saint Rose community.

Religion

  • 7th Grade Textbook: Word of Life Series by Augustine Institute; Envision: Theology of the Body for Teens for Middle School
  • 7th Grade focuses on moral life as a response to Jesus’ call to discipleship through the study of the gospels. In accepting Jesus’ radical invitation, students will find happiness, meaning, and their identity. This includes studying the life of Christ, human dignity, virtues and human sexuality in the light of the Theology of the Body.
  • Special activities: weekly visits to the Blessed Sacrament; confession opportunities; creation of a map of the Holy Land, Year 1 of Confirmation Preparation, beginning of service hours.

English

  • Textbook: Prentice Hall’s Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes – Copper (6) Bronze (7) and Silver (8)
  • Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Level A (6) B (7) Level C (8)
  • Literature-based curriculum
  • CommonLit
  • Readworks - Digital Reading Comprehension Skill building (6)
  • Novel studies focusing on literary analysis and literary elements
  • Emphasis on reading for detail and deeper meaning
  • Selections of poetry and dramas call for vibrant student participation and attentive, discerning writing; students enjoy parsing through Shakespeare and other notable authors’ works
  • Writing styles used in high school (Organization)
  • RACES, RAPS, and TELCon Writing Process Taught
  • Focus on Textual Analysis and Evidence-Based Essay Writing
  • The writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing)
  • Writing applications (analytical, persuasive, expository and narrative, descriptive, poetry, letters)
  • Utilizes Google Classroom for digital assignment submission, essay writing, teacher feedback
  • Escape Room Lessons to encourage cross curricular learning
  • Socratic Seminar

Social Studies

  • 7th and 8th Grade: The American Venture: A History of the UNited States
  • Close reading of primary documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitution, The Federalist, Washington’s Farewell…) with analysis and context of the time they were written (SOAPstone format).
  • Topics include: Exploring the Americas, Colonial America, The Spirit of Independence, The American Revolution, A More Perfect Union, The Constitution, The Jefferson Era, The Jackson Era, and Manifest Destiny.
  • Special Activities:
    • What Do You Think?: Student opinions on historical events based on knowledge and facts
    • Close reading of primary documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitution, The Federalist, Washington’s Farewell…) with analysis and context of the time they were written.
    • Vocabulary building
    • YeArt for specific historical events
    • Creating political cartoons
    • Veterans Day events
    • International Food Day
    • Final Research Paper

Mathematics

  • All Things Algebra: 7th Grade or Pre-Algebra
  • Moves from concrete/pictorial understanding in previous grades to a deeper understanding of abstract math.
  • Math is made authentic through real-world applications.
  • Operations with integers, decimals, fractions and mixed numbers
  • Solving multi-step algebraic equations
  • Organizing and displaying data, including stem-and-leaf plots, bar graphs, histograms, box-and-whisker plots, mean, median, mode and range
  • Geometry topics include angles, polygons, circles, perimeter, area, circumference, volume and parallel lines with transversals

Science

  • Textbook: Prentice Hall Science Explorer(6/7/8)
  • Introduce (6) and develop (7/8) the scientific process
  • Observations, data collection and generating hypothesis (7/8)
  • Learn how to utilize reliable sources (6/7/8)
  • Participate in Science Olympiad competitions (6/7/8)
  • Focus on Life Science
  • Dissect fetal pigs in order to visualize the organs of the human body
  • Evaluate interactions in the living world
  • Describe the characteristics that most cells share
  • Classifying organisms among the six kingdoms and how to use a dichotomous key
  • Study of biomes, an organisms survival in the biomes, and identifying factors that contribute to extinction
  • Understanding food webs/food chains, how organisms get their food, how plants and animals are interdependent, and how changes can affect the populations.
  • Studies genetics and Punnett Squares
  • Structures and classification of plants

Eight Grade Curriculum

While preparing our middle school students for high school, the Saint Rose School Community ensures that students’ individual talents are supported, their spirituality deepened, and their commitment to service increased as they become more aware of their community responsibility.

This balance of personal growth and achievement, aimed at citizenship in Heaven and engaged here as part of a socially responsible community, provides our students the tools they need to lead meaningful lives in accord with their potential.

Our teaching staff at this level is departmentalized and offers students a traditional middle school experience. The departmental model provides instruction by teachers who are experts in their fields. Students begin each day with their homeroom teacher and then with the whole school community at morning prayers. After prayer, they move to different classrooms for instruction in specific subject areas along with special area classes including: Physical Education, Art, Band or Choral Music Technique, Spanish, and Computer class. All classes are taught by certified teachers.

In 7th and 8th grade, the students also select an additional special elective class from among the following popular options: Performing Arts, AI & Computer Coding, Personal Finance, Introduction to US Civil Law, Intro to Guitar, Bucket Drumming, Advanced Art, and Jazz Band. Responsibility, independence, and academic challenge grow while teachers maintain an environment of support and guidance in grades 6-8.

Our middle school students become leaders in our community. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are paired with Kindergarten, first and second grade students as a part of our “Prayer Partner” program. They accompany these students to weekly Mass and other events, in addition to being a friendly face and source of support on campus. The Student Council, National Junior Honor Society, Ambassador Program, Social Justice opportunities, school play, athletics, and a whole host of after school clubs allow our students to explore leadership and expand friendships, consistent with their strengths and interests. Our alumni tell us that they feel very prepared for the entire high school experience--in the classroom, on the athletic fields, at other extracurriculars, and socially.

Religion

  • 8th Grade Textbook: Word of Life Series by Augustine Institute
  • 8th Grade focuses on a great cloud of witnesses from throughout Church history who have boldly responded to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Students come to know these great men and women through carefully curated excerpts from the writings and teachings of the saints and Doctors of the Church. Also included is a review of the Theology of the Body and its practical implications, and reflection on life in the Holy Spirit and the Sacrament of Confirmation.
  • Special activities: weekly visits to the Blessed Sacrament; confession opportunities; leadership in the School’s Day of Adoration (faith rally day); acting and production of the school’s Passion Play; week-long participation in Worthy, an engaging, humorous, practical, and profound course on chastity, dating, and married love; May Crowning; Confirmation retreat; completion of service hours; reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation

English

  • Textbook: Prentice Hall’s Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes
  • Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop
  • Literature-based curriculum
  • CommonLit
  • Readworks - Digital Reading Comprehension Skill building
  • Novel studies focusing on literary analysis and literary elements
  • Emphasis on reading for detail and deeper meaning
  • Selections of poetry and dramas call for vibrant student participation and attentive, discerning writing; students enjoy parsing through Shakespeare and other notable authors’ works
  • Writing styles used in high school (Organization)
  • RACES, RAPS, and TELCon Writing Process Taught
  • Focus on Textual Analysis and Evidence-Based Essay Writing
  • The writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing)
  • Writing applications (analytical, persuasive, expository and narrative, descriptive, poetry, letters)
  • Utilizes Google Classroom for digital assignment submission, essay writing, teacher feedback
  • Escape Room Lessons to encourage cross curricular learning

Social Studies

  • 7th and 8th Grade: The American Venture: A History of the United States
  • Close reading of primary documents (Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address, “The Man in the Arena”, Rerum Novarum…) with analysis and context of the time they were written (SOAPstone format).
  • Topics include: Civil War, Reconstruction, Progressive Era, World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.
  • Special Activities:
    • What Do You Think?: Student opinions on historical events based on knowledge and facts
    • Vocabulary building
    • YeArt for specific historical events
    • Creating political cartoons
    • Care of the American Flag
    • Veterans Day events
    • Final Research Paper
    • Community service project

Mathematics

  • All Things Algebra curriculum
  • From pictorial representationseeper understanding of abstract math.
  • Math is made authentic through real-world applications.
  • Principles of algebra, such as evaluating and writing algebraic expressions and equations
  • Operations with rational numbers (integers, fractions, decimals, mixed numbers)
  • Solving one-step and multi-step algebraic equations
  • Ratios, proportions, similar figures, and scale drawings
  • Percents – including relating percents to fractions and decimals, percent of change, applications with percents
  • Perimeter, area, volume, and surface area

Algebra I

  • Textbook: Envision: Algebra I
  • Principles of algebra, such as evaluating and writing algebraic expressions and equations
  • Solving multi-step equations and inequalities, including ones with grouping symbols, variables on both sides, or with absolute value
  • Functions and linear equations, writing and graphing each
  • Slope, slope-intercept form, point-slope form, midpoint and distance formula
  • Solving systems of equations and inequalities
  • Graphing and solving quadratic functions.
  • Graphing and solving exponential functions
  • Graphing calculators (TI 84) and Desmos Graphing Software

Science

  • Textbook: Prentice Hall Science Explorer(6/7/8)
  • Introduce (6) and develop (7/8) the scientific process
  • Observations, data collection and generating hypothesis (7/8)
  • Learn how to utilize reliable sources (6/7/8)
  • Participate in Science Olympiad competitions (6/7/8)
  • Focus on Physical Science
  • Recognize that forces cause a change in speed and direction
  • Recognize the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration
  • Describe Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion
  • Solve problems involving speed, velocity, and acceleration
  • Identify the different forms of energy and energy transformations
  • Design and build marble roller coasters to investigate kinetic and potential energy
  • Identify the properties of mechanical and electromagnetic waves
  • States of matter
  • Describe the organization of the periodic table and analyze trends and groups on the periodic table
  • Observe and discuss chemical reactions
  • Explain the Law of Conservation of Mass, know how to identify unbalanced equations, and how to balance simple equations
  • Identifying and describing the properties of acids and bases
  • Emphasize development and analysis of conclusions

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