CURRICULUM
OVERVIEW
Middle School Major Topics
LANGUAGE ARTS
& ENGLISH
FIFTH GRADE
SIXTH GRADE
SEVENTH GRADE
EIGHTH GRADE
Writing, Grammar, and Usage:
Writing, Grammar, and Usage:
Writing, Grammar, and Usage:
Writing, Grammar, and Usage:
(Writing and Research, Grammar and Usage,
Vocabulary in Context, Prefixes/Suffixes)
(Writing and Research, Speaking and Listening, Grammar
and Usage, Vocabulary in context, Prefixes/Suffixes)
(Writing and Research, Speaking and Listening,
Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary)
(Writing and Research, Speaking and Listening,
Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary)
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Fiction and Drama (Stories, Shakespearean
Drama, Literacy Terms)
Fiction (Stories, Shakespearean Drama, Literary Terms)
Fiction, Nonfiction, and Drama (Stories, Novels and
Novellas, Essays and Speeches, Drama, Literary Terms)
Fiction, Nonfiction, and Drama (Stories, Novels, Essays
and Speeches, Autobiographies, Drama, Literacy Terms)
Novels (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Call of the
Wild, Romeo and Juliet, The Outsiders)
Novels (Of Mice and Men, Raisin in the Sun,
Twelfth Night, Animal Farm, Night)
Latin Phrases commonly used in English
French Phrases Commonly used in English
Novels (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,
A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
MATHEMATICS
Novels (Homer, Julius Caesar,
Weedflower, Roll of Thunder)
Numbers and Number Sense
Exponents and Integers
Pre-Algebra:
Algebra:
Ratio and Percent
Ratio, Percent, and Proportion
Fractions and Decimals
Computation (Addition, Multiplication,
Division, Solving Problems and Equations)
(Properties of the Real Numbers, Linear Applications
and Proportionality, Polynomial Arithmetic, Equivalent
Equations and Inequalities, Integer Exponents)
(Properties of the Real Numbers, Relations,
Functions, Graphs, Two Variables, Linear Equations
and Functions, Two Variables, Arithmetic of Rational
Expression, Quadratic Equations and Functions)
Computation (Addition, Multiplication,
Division, Solving Problems and Equations)
Measurement (Conversions, Metric, and Time)
Measurement (Conversions, Time)
Angles and Triangles
Area of a Circle
Probability and Statistics (Coordinate plane, Mean)
Probability and Statistics (Ratio, Chance and Mean)
Pre-Algebra: Expressions
Geometry (Three-Dimensional Objects,
Angle Pairs, Triangles, Measurement)
Probability and Statistics (Graphs,
Measures of Central Tendency)
Geometry (Analytic Geometry, Introduction
to Trigonometry, Triangles and Proof )
Pre-Algebra
SPANISH
Oral Proficiency & Basic Literacy:
Students continue to build their high frequency
vocabularies while focusing on the development of oral
and reading fluency. Basic conversational responses
and deeper comprehension abilities emphasized.
Literacy Development & Basic
Grammatical Topics Covered:
Reading is used as an avenue to discuss
personal lives, make comparisons and other
higher order thinking in Spanish.
Basic grammar manipulations such as verb conjugations,
subject pronouns and gender of nouns introduced.
1/2 of HS Spanish 1
HS Spanish Level 1 & Intro HS Spanish
Focus on continued literacy development
to intermediate beginner level.
Focus on continued literacy development
to advanced beginner level.
Continued development of oral
proficiency with ease and comfort.
Continued development of ease of oral proficiency.
Level 1 Vocabulary – World, Leisure Time, Family,
Home, School, Travel, Personal Items and Professional
Level 1 Grammar – Present tense verbs, adjective
agreement, pronouns, negation and helping verbs
Advanced Level 1 and introduction of some Level
2 Vocabulary– World, Leisure Time, Family, Home,
School, Travel, Personal Items and Professional
Advanced Level 1 Grammar – SER vs ESTAR,
idiomatic phrases, short form possessives, direct
object pronouns, and compound verbs
Intro Imperfect and Preterite Past Tenses
Middle School Major Topics
WRITING
FIFTH GRADE
SIXTH GRADE
SEVENTH GRADE
EIGHTH GRADE
Descriptive Writing:
Personal Narrative:
Personal Narrative/Memoir:
Creative Writing:
Writing using sensory details; showing
vs. telling; word choice
Sequencing events; using transitions; writing
using sensory details; word choice
Effectively responding to prompts; writing an effective
hook; writing using description; word Choice
Using elements of fiction to write short
stories and narrative poetry
Informational Writing:
Informational Writing:
Expository Writing:
Writing effective introduction, body, and conclusion
Writing effective introduction, body, and
conclusion; citing sources using MLA format
Magazine article writing; incorporating text features
into writing; citing sources using MLA format
Application Essay Writing for High
School, College, Careers, and the IC:
Persuasive/Argument Writing:
Argument Writing:
Creative Writing:
Writing using reasons and evidence to support claims;
integrating research and in-text source citations
Story elements
Creative Writing:
Writing using reasons and evidence to
support claims; integrating research and
in-text source citations (MLA format)
Grammar:
Story elements
Persuasive/Argument Writing:
Writing using reasons and evidence to support claims
Sentence structure/ diagramming;
punctuation; sentence combining
Deconstructing prompts; writing an effective
hook; using transitions; word choice
Expository Writing:
Writing a research paper; citing
sources using MLA format
Creative Writing:
Argument Writing:
Grammar:
Using elements of fiction to develop
plot; developing point of view
Types of clauses; types of sentences; sentence
diagramming, punctuation; sentence combining
Grammar:
Writing using reasons and evidence to
support claims; integrating research and
in-text source citations (MLA format)
Types of sentences; sentence diagramming;
punctuation; sentence combining
Grammar:
Types of sentences; sentence diagramming;
punctuation; sentence combining
FINE ART
5th graders take a semester each of
Art, Drama, Chorus and Band
6th graders pick one of Art/Drama and one
of Band/Chorus to be taken all year
7th graders pick one of Art/Drama and one
of Band/Chorus to be taken all year
8th graders pick one of Art/Drama and one
of Band/Chorus to be taken all year
HISTORY &
GEOGRAPHY
Geography:
Ancient Civilizations/World History:
America (Exploration-Civil War):
America/World (Civil War-Present Day):
USA & Canada
What is History?
America Becomes a World Power
Latin America
Prehistory
Decline of European Colonialism (British
Empire, People’s Republic of China)
Europe & Russia
Ancient Egypt
World War I, “The Great War” (History; Geography
of Western and Central Europe)
Africa
Ancient India
Southwest & Central Asia
Ancient Greece
Monsoon Asia
Ancient Rome
Oceania & Antarctica
African Civilizations
The Americas
Medieval Europe
Renaissance
Reformation
Cold War (Origins, Korean War, America in the Cold War)
Russian Revolution (History, Geography)
Civil Rights Movement
America from the Twenties to The New Deal
(Isolationism, Women’s Rights to Vote, Technological
Advances, The Great Depression, Roosevelt)
Vietnam War and the Rise of Social Activism
World War II (Rise of Totalitarianism in
Europe, The War in Europe, in the U.S., in the
Pacific, Pearl Harbor, United Nations)
Geography of United States
Middle East and Oil Politics (History, Geography)
End of the Cold War; (Democracy, Détente, Breakup
of USSR, China under Communism, Apartheid)
Civics; The Constitution-Principles and
Structure of America Democracy
Geography of Canada and Mexico
Middle School Major Topics
SCIENCE
FIFTH GRADE
SIXTH GRADE
SEVENTH GRADE
EIGHTH GRADE
Lab Safety, Laboratory Procedures, Scientific
Method, and the Kingdoms of Life
Properties of Matter:
Human Body, Genetics and Intro to Physics:
Physics and Biology:
Phases of Matter
Systems: Digestive, Respiratory/Circulatory,
Muscular-Skeletal Systems
Energy, Machines and Motion
Classification, Plant and Animal Cell structure
Animal and Plant cell processes
Mixtures and Solutions
Photosynthesis and plant reproduction
Catastrophic Events:
Atoms Structure and Elements
Storms, Earthquakes and Plate movements
Volcanoes
Interior of the Earth
Genetics: Mitosis and Meiosis
Mendelian Genetics and Punnett Squares
Intro to Energy, Machines and Motion
Newton’s Law of Motion
Forces, Work and Power
Sound, Electromagnetic Spectrum
Electrical Energy and Circuits
Intro to Chemistry:
Periodic Table
Balancing of Equations