Middle School

Grade 6:  Students read and analyze a wide range of literature from different times and cultures, with an increasing emphasis on analyzing informational text on grade level topics in all sixth-grade subject areas. The emphasis in sixth grade is on students’ comprehension of complex narrative and informational texts. They learn academic language and domain-specific vocabulary through their reading and use it in their writing and speaking. In their writing, students in sixth grade develop more sophisticated skills, such as using evidence from a variety of sources to support their purpose or conclusion. To support their writing and speaking, they learn conventions of standard English grammar and usage, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation.

Grade 7:  Students read various genres of literature: Greek mythology, realistic fiction, modern day fairy tales, as well as non-fiction articles. Students also read poetry and examine literary elements used by poets and writers. Students are required to read novels and books of their choice every month, as well as reading two novels as a class. The students write a health research paper in cooperation with Science. Creative writing is strengthed and encouraged through journal entries, poetry, and narratives.

Grade 8:  Students study cross curriculum with the social studies class and meet the Next Generation Learning Standards. Students read literature units based on the Civil War and civil rights, immigration, the Holocaust, Japanese internment, and the Vietnam War. Students also read various genres, including science fiction, poetry, non-fiction, autobiographical, and many more. Students practice New York State English Language Arts essays. Students are also encouraged to write creatively. Grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary and spelling are planned in alignment with the Next Generation Learning Standards .

Grade 6:  Students focus on the use of fractions, statistics, algebraic equations, ratios, rates, geometry, and independent and dependent variables. All of these concepts are correlated with word problems and real life situations.

Grade 7:  Students focus on the number system, expressions, equations, probability, ratios, proportions, statistics, and geometry. The 7th grade curriculum allows the students not only to focus on math concepts but how to use these concepts in real life situations.

Grade 8:  Students focus on skills such as 2D and 3D geometry, numerical roots and radicals. The Pythagorean Theorem, distance formula, solving equations, graphing linear equations, and functions are all part of the curriculum. These topics help prepare the students for 9th grade algebra.

Grade 8 – Honors Algebra 1: This is a high school level course that culminates with students taking the New York State Algebra 1 Regents Exam. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive high school credit.

Grade 6:  World History – This course focuses on the geographic, political, social, and cultural aspects of ancient world civilizations. Students learn about prehistory and the agricultural revolution. They also study the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India, Greece, and Rome.

Grade 7:  U.S. History I – This is the first half of a two-year course on American history. The students develop their content writing skills, primary source analysis, and comparisons across time. Topics of study include the Native Americans, early European exploration, colonial life, the American Revolution, the creation of the Constitution, and the early American presidencies.

Grade 8:  U.S. History II – This is the second half of a two-year curriculum. The students develop their content writing skills, primary source analysis, and comparisons across time. Topics of study include the Civil War, Reconstruction, industrialization and urbanization, World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II.

Grades 6 – 8: Students learn how to apply basic computer skills to other content areas. Students work on guided projects that connect across the curriculum helping them to gain knowledge to make them a more well-rounded student. Projects include using technology to plan a fictitious restaurant from the ground up, creating coding projects including building a website. Students also learn about the role of AI and how to use it responsibly.

This course is offered in 7th grade. Students learn about bullying prevention, the effects of drugs and alcohol, and nutrition.

Grades 6 – 8:  Physical Education is provided to students twice a week and aligned with New York State guidelines. This course provides students the opportunity to learn through a developmentally appropriate, comprehensive sequentially planned physical education program. The content standards emphasize working cooperatively to achieve a common goal. The focus of this course is the development of movement skill combinations and movement skill knowledge; the assessment and maintenance of physical fitness to improve health and performance, and the application of psychological and sociological concepts, including self-responsibility, positive social interaction, and group dynamics, in the learning and performance of physical activity.