Middle School Course Offerings & Descriptions

In order to help meet the needs of all learners in the diverse middle school student population, Advisory Lab provides time within the school day to respond to students’ varied needs and interests, whether that be in the form of intervention, enrichment, or self-directed personalized and group learning opportunities intended to improve the overall learning experience for students. Relatively small groups of students are given the opportunity to engage in self-directed activities such as online tutorials, working with peers on cooperative group projects assigned in their classes, independent reading/writing/mathematics work, enrichment activities introduced to them by classroom teachers, passion projects, etc.

ELA/Math Interventionists, ESL teachers, Guidance Counselors, and other related services staff may meet with students during Advisory Lab when possible, reducing the need to pull students out of classes throughout the school day. Staff may also use Advisory Lab to meet with their students in an advisor-advisee manner or for additional extracurricular activity time. Some students may have additional time in World Language as an alternative to Advisory Lab when appropriate.

The Middle School English Language Arts Curriculum is aligned to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English Language Arts and The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) Units of Study in both reading and writing. It utilizes the workshop model of instruction in both reading and writing. The curricular calendar for each grade is aligned to selected TCRWP units of study and various resources to support instruction across each unit. Students read and write across a wide variety of genres as well as study the effective uses of mechanics and grammar.

The curriculum supports, encourages, and facilitates choice/independent reading that allows students to pursue topics and genres of interests. Each middle school classroom has a robust classroom library that supports student choice as independent readers. The curriculum also embeds Book Club literacy experiences that engage students in reading partnerships and deep, thoughtful discussions about such topics as characterization, theme, setting, and author’s purpose.

Students who wish to apply for acceptance into 7th and 8th grade Honors English need to submit a letter of intent to their guidance counselor. The student evaluation process for admission to the honors

Curriculum Guides

• Grade 6

• Grade 7

• Grade 8

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The middle school Physical Education curriculum reflects a diversity of experiences based on building skill competencies with an emphasis on safety. Cooperative learning activities, competitive games, and highly structured skill-based units provide opportunities for students to build self-esteem while starting to discover their athletic potential.

HEALTH

The middle school Health curriculum, building upon the elementary Health curriculum, continues to lay a foundation of knowledge that encourages students to choose a healthy lifestyle. The curriculum includes the following basic units of study: “Health and Wellness”, “Decision Making and Goal Setting”, “Nutrition”, “Substance Abuse Prevention”, “First Aid/CPR”, and “Relationships and Sexuality.”

• Health and Physical Education Curriculum Guide (Grades 6-8)

Building on the foundation in whole numbers, fractions and decimals that students gained in elementary school, the middle school mathematics curriculum includes more in depth study of topics from geometry, algebra, and probability and statistics. The curriculum includes content from the following domains in all three grades of the middle school mathematics curricula: ratios and proportional relationships, the number system, expressions and equations, geometry, and statistics and probability. In eighth grade, the students are also introduced to the concept of a function.

The following K-12 mathematical practices are fostered further in middle school in preparation for their extended use in high school: make sense of problems and persevere in solving them, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others, model with mathematics, use appropriate tools strategically, attend to precision, look for and make use of structure, and look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. Students are given experience with open-ended problems that can be solved in a variety of ways and are required to explain their reasoning on a regular basis.

• Mathematics Curriculum Guide (Grades 6-8)

The sixth grade students study number system, ratio, rates, and percents, as well as an introduction to algebraic expressions and equations, geometry, integers and inequalities, and statistics and data displays.

In seventh grade, content from sixth grade is extended and reinforced and additional concepts related to rational numbers, percents, probability, angles, circles, and three-dimensional shapes are included.

This honors level course accelerates through both the 7th and 8th grade math curriculum in order to provide a smooth transition to algebra for those students who are determined to be ready to handle this level of work and more abstract thinking. Students are selected for this course based on district assessments, marking period grades in Mathematics and English Language Arts, and teacher recommendation.

In eighth grade, work with number concepts is reinforced from previous grades, irrational numbers are introduced, and geometry is extended to include concepts such as congruence, similarity, and the Pythagorean Theorem. In addition, algebraic concepts of equations and expressions are reinforced and extended to include exponents and scientific notation as well as introducing systems of equations, linear, and nonlinear functions, and topics from statistics including scatter plots and additional data displays are studied.

This honors level course provides a more formal introduction to the techniques of elementary algebra and its logical structure. It emphasizes algebra as a means of representation (in translating quantitative relations to equations, tables, or graphs) and algebraic methods of problem solving using both pencil-and-paper exercises and activities involving the graphing calculator. Topics included are: properties of real numbers; solving linear equations; graphing linear equations and their functions; writing linear equations; solving and graphing linear inequalities; systems of linear equations and inequalities; exponents, exponential functions, and sequences; quadratic equations and functions; polynomials and factoring; data analysis and displays; and radicals and connections to geometry.

Selected seventh graders are given a cognitive abilities test and an algebra diagnostic test during the third marking period. This data, as well as performance on district assessments, marking period grades in Mathematics and English Language Arts, and teacher recommendation are used to determine placement of students in Algebra I in grade eight. Students who qualify for this course are notified during the first week of June. A minimum grade of 80 in Algebra I is required by the high school to be considered for placement in the honors mathematics program in ninth grade.

Science at the middle school level is an integrated program and incorporates topics from earth, life, and physical science each year as specified in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) adopted by the state of New Jersey. Students are guided through lab activities, engineering challenges, and independent projects to acquire the knowledge and reasoning skills necessary to understand scientific explanations, generate scientific evidence through active investigation, reflect on scientific knowledge, and participate productively in science.

The eight practices of science and engineering, specified in the NGSS, are essential for all students to learn and are incorporated throughout: Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking, constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), engaging in argument from evidence, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. Students learn the engineering design process through the science curriculum, culminating with an independent project done at the end of eighth grade.

• Science Curriculum Guide (Grades 6-8)

Science at the middle school level is an integrated program and incorporates topics from earth, life, and physical science each year as specified in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) adopted by the state of New Jersey. Students are guided through lab activities, engineering challenges, and independent projects to acquire the knowledge and reasoning skills necessary to understand scientific explanations, generate scientific evidence through active investigation, reflect on scientific knowledge, and participate productively in science.

The eight practices of science and engineering, specified in the NGSS, are essential for all students to learn and are incorporated throughout: Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking, constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), engaging in argument from evidence, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. Students learn the engineering design process through the science curriculum, culminating with an independent project done at the end of eighth grade.

• Science Curriculum Guide (Grades 6-8)

Written in conjunction with the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies, the curriculum places a strong emphasis on student inquiry, investigation, and self-discovery. Students learn how to pose questions and formulate opinions on past events in order to build their capacity to analyze events that are currently taking place. They develop the skills needed in order to be knowledgeable active American citizens.

The 6th grade Social Studies curriculum encompasses World History from the “Dawn of Civilization” through the “Ancient Period”, concluding with the “Middle Ages”. The 7th grade Social Studies course is a survey of European and early American History beginning with the Protestant Reformation and continuing through to the American Civil War. The 8th grade Social Studies course is a survey of American History beginning with Reconstruction and continuing through to the end of the Cold War.

Geography and Civics are embedded in grades six through eight curriculum. Students study the major physical and natural resources of a region as well as the landscapes, waterways, and climate of all the continents. They also examine the locations of countries and major cities around the world with regard to the effect of the geography of an area on the economy and population of a region. In Civics, students begin with the study the early foundations of government in the ancient world, concluding with the writing of the United States Constitution. There is a strong focus on the function of the federal, state, and local governments, the electoral process, the separation of powers, and responsible citizenship.

• Social Studies Curriculum Guide (Grades 6-8)

This course integrates culture with all four language skills--listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Students are introduced to both the French and Spanish languages through engagement in meaningful conversation to help them develop the ability to interpret spoken and written language. Utilizing a student-centered approach including activities such as role-playing, students are expected to work together to present information, concepts, and ideas, while also gaining an understanding of the perspectives of other cultures.

• Exploratory Spanish & French Cultural and Language Immersion Curriculum Guide

This course introduces students to communication in American Sign Language. Themes utilized in learning the language may include topics such as: Greetings and Introductions, Asking for Directions, Making/Responding to Requests, People and Things, Transportation, Feelings, Time, Food, and Family.

This course introduces students to communication in American Sign Language. Themes utilized in learning the language may include topics such as: Greetings and Introductions, Asking for Directions, Making/Responding to Requests, People and Things, Transportation, Feelings, Time, Food, and Family.

Students continue to develop their spoken and written language skills and knowledge of culture in either French or Spanish while also being exposed to beginning grammar concepts, sentence structure, and new vocabulary.

Pre-requisite: 6th grade World Language teacher recommendation

• French 7 Curriculum Guide

• Spanish 7 Curriculum Guide

Students continue to develop their spoken and written language skills and knowledge of culture in either French or Spanish as well as further expanding their ability to utilize grammar concepts, sentence structure, and vocabulary. Successful completion of this course prepares students for enrollment in level II of the language in high school.

Pre-requisite: French 7 or Spanish 7

• French 8 Curriculum Guide

• Spanish 8 Curriculum Guide

Using the same curriculum as is used in high school second year world language, this rigorous course emphasizes higher level communication skills in the target language. The expectation is that successful completion of this course will result in enrollment in French III or Spanish III upon entering high school.

Pre-requisite: grades & teacher recommendation in World Language as well as performance in English Language Arts

In order to assist students in transitioning from elementary to middle school, this course focuses on time management, goal setting, organization, digital citizenship, stress management, public speaking, interpersonal and written communication, and effective research strategies. Students also learn how to work collaboratively on group projects and to analyze their own strengths and learning styles.

Students explore works of art in relation to history and cultural influence. They are introduced to the elements and principles of art and use the knowledge learned to create artwork using a variety of techniques and mediums.

• Fine Art Curriculum (Grade 6)

• Fine Art Curriculum (Grade 7)

In this course, students explore their creativity through hands-on experiential learning. By using the design thinking process, they have the opportunity to create, collaborate, and communicate with their peers to develop new solutions for the classroom, school, and possibly even the local and global community. Students are exposed to a variety of resources and materials that support them in creating prototypes of their innovative designs.

In this course, students investigate, practice, and apply principles of photographic composition and the technical skills needed to use a variety of digital cameras and image editing programs. They creatively use a variety of techniques to photograph a wide range of subjects and learn how to effectively critique photographs as well as use peer feedback to select pieces for their digital portfolios.

• Educational Technology - Photography

In this course, students explore multiple forms of scripts and create projects that allow them to implement skills in storytelling, plot and character development, dialogue in cinematic and theatrical format. In addition, they explore the history of screenplays and scripts, plays, cinema, and commercials to create productions for a variety of audiences and venues.

• Script and Screenwriting (Grade 6)

The band program includes the instrumental study of scales, rhythm exercises and playing techniques. Students play various types of music including marches, classical show music, popular music, etc. As individual lessons are not a part of the program, students who elect band must know how to play an instrument as well as read music. Students taking this course are required to perform in a winter concert, a spring concert, and at graduation.

The chorus program is designed to develop student skills required for vocal performance, and includes ear training, basic music theory, music history, vocal production techniques of breathing, tone quality, singing in harmony and counterpoint. Students taking this course are required to perform at school recitals and evening concerts.

In this course, students develop their ability to effectively communicate through the use of various multimedia tools. In this hands-on class, students are introduced to the basic elements of graphic design, stop-motion animation, sound design, and website design. This course prepares students to become creators of digital content in today’s technology-rich society.

• Educational Technology - Digital Media Design

This is a student-centered course that provides a basic introduction to the role that business plays in our global economy. Topics examined include business ownership, marketing, advertising, consumerism, personal budgeting, and practical money skills. This course also serves to foster an interest in the Business Management and Administration Pathway offered at the high school level.

This is an investigative course in which students learn how to observe, collect, analyze, and evaluate evidence found at crime scenes. Students play the role of an investigator to evaluate physical, chemical, digital, and eyewitness evidence, to determine the likely perpetrator of staged classroom crimes.

• Forensics

This course focuses on giving the student experiences with which to develop his/her ability to express himself/herself artistically while further developing his/her respect and sensitivity to the arts. Personal imagination is developed and encouraged through activities which involve the elements and principles of art and a variety of introductory techniques and mediums, including drawing, painting, printmaking, computer-generated art, and working with 3D form.

• Fine Art Curriculum (Grade 7)

This course is designed to have students explore their creativity through the arts involved in acting, scene design, lighting, playwriting, makeup, costumes, directing, and dance.

This course continues instrumental study in scales and techniques, playing selections of various types of music and the developing of sight-reading skills. Students who elect this course must know how to play an instruments as well as read music and are required to perform in a winter concert, a spring concert, and at graduation. Pre-requisite: Students who elect this course MUST play a band instrument.

The chorus program continues to give students with vocal ability the opportunity to develop the skills required for vocal performance. The repertoire includes choral ensemble and solo material from many musical periods. Students taking this course are required to perform at school recitals and evening concerts.

• Chorus (6-8)

In this course, students use computer science as a medium for creativity, communication, and problem solving. They are introduced to several programming languages to make interactive games and stories as well as apply engineering skills through an introduction to robotics.

• Educational Technology - Coding and Robotics

This course is designed to introduce students to the world of careers. Utilizing the National Career Clusters Framework as a guide, students examine various careers in different areas including law and public safety, manufacturing, finance, business management and administration, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, information technology, and human services. With the assistance of career interest surveys, students gain a sense of understanding regarding careers that may match their personalities and interests as well as their outlook for the future.

• Career Exploration

In this course, students learn the fundamentals of video production from pre-production (storyboarding) through post-production (editing). Students use video production equipment and applications to produce digital content for authentic audiences that is both informative and artistic in nature. Productions may include public service announcements, newscasts, documentaries, and short films.

• Educational Technology - Video Production

Students are encouraged to demonstrate their creativity through a range of projects. They are given the opportunity to apply what is being learned for personal satisfaction and the development of life skills. Projects involve the design and construction of a variety of different pieces of work and may be created through computer design/graphics, sewing and needlecraft, work with textiles, or functional art and design.

• Industrial Arts and Design Curriculum (Grade 8)

Drama is an art form that tells a story through the speech and actions of the character in a story. Working in groups and individually, this exciting course takes the student through a variety of activities such as pantomime, improvisation, theater games, and scene-study.

This course continues instrumental study in scales and techniques, playing selections of various types of music, and developing of sight-reading skills. Students taking this course are required to perform in a winter concert, a spring concert, and at graduation.

Pre-requisite: Students who elect this course MUST play an instrument.

The chorus program continues to give students with vocal ability the opportunity to develop the skills required for vocal performance. The repertoire includes choral ensemble and solo material from many musical periods. Students taking this course are required to perform at school recitals and evening concerts.

• Chorus (6-8)