Middle School Curriculum - Grades 6, 7, and 8

Foundations of Middle School - Grades 6, 7, & 8

Central Lutheran's Middle School Program provides the opportunity for its students to prepare for the High School environment. Students will change classes, have multiple teachers, and will be held accountable for a higher level of personal responsibility and classroom work. Our students are also expected to serve as good role models for our younger students. Middle School students will be given opportunities to become leaders and begin to learn the process of how to make good decisions. Their entire experiences in grades 6, 7, and 8 should help to prepare them for their future years in high school.

Language Arts - Grades 6-8
The sixth-eighth grade English students will demonstrate knowledge of basic grammar, mechanics of punctuation and capitalization, identifying parts of speech and function within sentences, types of sentences, and development of their writing skills. Eighth graders will also be given some exposure to sentence diagramming. Students will work toward mastery of these various skills. Daily Oral Language will be used in grades six and seven to enhance their recognition of common writing errors. All students will be exposed to various types of genres: personal narratives, short story writings, expository writing, persuasive writing, and will culminate with a research paper in grade eight, which will include note cards and using MLA formats. The sixth-eighth grade literature students will read a variety of literary forms including short stories, essays, poems, plays, and novels in order that an appreciation of literature as a revelation of the world around us might be gained. Students will also be exposed to some writing such as creative writing, journal writing, writing poetry, essays, persuasive writing, and explanatory writing. All three grades do an intensive poetry study where they learn about famous poets, read and analyze poetry, and write different types of poems. The students will also be given opportunities for oral expression through speeches, plays, and presentations.

Aim: The Language Arts curriculum will be such that the State of Indiana Standards will be addressed through the English and literature classes.

Mathematics - Grade 6
The sixth grade students' focus will be on the concepts of fractions and decimals. Ratios, proportions, and percents are also covered. Basic geometry and measurement skills will be taught. Sixth graders are also introduced to algebraic concepts and integers. Problem-solving is presented throughout the year using various techniques to solve the problems. They use Prentice Hall's Course 1 Book.

Mathematics - Grade 7
In seventh grade, students learn how to solve algebraic equations and inequalities. They also will work with geometry and measurement skills algebraically. Graphing in the coordinate plane is also learned. Problem-solving is presented throughout the year using various techniques to solve the problems. They use Prentice Hall's Course 2 Book.

Mathematics - Grade 8
In the eighth grade, the students will be using Prentice Hall's
Pre-Algebra book. The eighth graders focus using algebra to solve many different types of problems, including problem solving. They also solve equations and inequalities. Geometry is tied to the algebra to solve geometry problems.

Science – Grades 6-8
The sixth-eighth grade science classes are driven by the Indiana State standards. The goal is to give students experiences, mostly hands-on, which to base future concepts and laws. Much of the sixth grade time is spent on studying cells and living things. Large amounts of time are also spent on studying the solar system, climate, and the famous scientist, Antoine Lavoisier. The seventh graders spend much of their time studying the Earth and its landforms. While many body systems are covered in health, some science time is spent covering the causes and transfer of diseases. The eighth grade looks at genetics and inheritance of traits. Much time is also spent on atoms and various physical sciences.

Physical Education – Grades 6-8
Physical education is based on the simple principle of learning and understanding the importance of physical health and its life-long health benefits. Physical education in grades 6-8 builds on the individual motor skills learned in the primary grades and focuses more on learning in-depth group games and activities. The program supports the “understanding that physical activity provides the opportunity for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction.”

Health Sciences – Grades 6-8
During the middle school years, students learn about issues related to health promotion and disease prevention, ways of developing good character, smoking and drug awareness prevention, and other adolescent topics related to puberty and getting to know their changing body and spirit.

Social Studies – Grade 6
Students study Ancient and Medieval History of the World as well as the countries of North America. This includes the geographical, historical, economical, political, and cultural relationships. The areas emphasized are World History and the countries of Canada and the Unites States.

Social Studies – Grade 7
Students study the regions of Africa, Asia, the Southwest Pacific, and Latin America, including geographical, historical, economical, political, and cultural relationships. This study includes the following regions: Europe, Russia, Africa, Southwest and Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Southwest Pacific, Central America and the Caribbean, and South America.

Social Studies – Grade 8
Students review the early history of the nation and focus on national and state development through the Twentieth Century. Emphasis is placed on the principles of the United States and Indiana Constitutions and the influence of political, geographical, economic, and cultural factors on development of Indiana and the United States.

Middle School Staff
Don Wichman, Language Arts
B.S. Concordia University Nebraska
M.A. Indiana University