Core Courses

(301) Language Arts 7

In seventh grade language arts, students do the following by quarter:

• Quarter 1: Examine short story elements in addition to reading a variety of short stories. Write personal narratives that include literary elements.

• Quarter 2: Study the five structures of nonfiction text by reading and writing short samples of each. Produce an informational writing piece that reflects one of the five text structures. 

• Quarter 3: Continue to explore nonfiction text, learn research skills, and create an argumentative writing project. 

• Quarter 4: Examine how historical nonfiction texts and historical fiction blend. Read a variety of fiction and nonfiction text and evaluate how authors influence and alter history.

In addition to the target skills above, students will be selecting their own trade books to read in and outside of class. Besides reading, students will complete various written responses that connect in-class learning with their outside reading. Finally, language skills are also taught and reinforced throughout the school year.

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

(302) Language Arts 8

In eighth grade language arts, students do the following by quarter:

• Quarter 1: Analyze various literary elements in short stories and novels. Write a short story or narrative that correctly utilizes literary devices. 

• Quarter 2: Read, annotate, analyze, and respond to informational text, specifically current events. Apply research skills to informational writing and produce an informative current events multimedia project.

• Quarter 3: Develop research questions for inquiry. Create research claims and write a research-based argumentative essay.

• Quarter 4: Read and analyze choice literary texts and compare them to filmed or live productions. Review various grammar, usage, and punctuation skills. 

The Common Core skills mentioned above represent a sampling of the eighth grade curriculum. Besides these, students are expected to challenge themselves by selecting quality literature to read in and outside of class. Similar to seventh grade, students will be critically analyzing their self-selected books in different written formats. Finally, language skills are taught throughout the year, primarily in conjunction with student writing. 

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

**This course requires qualifying test scores prior to registration. The 7th grade Magnet class is designed to meet the needs of eligible intellectually gifted learners by offering an integrated Social Studies/English curriculum at a faster pace, greater depth, and complexity than the regular classroom setting. Specific test criteria must be met before a student can enroll in the Magnet class.  8th grade Magnet students already in the program have the opportunity to remain enrolled in Magnet for 8th grade. The curriculum includes integrated ELA and Social Studies. 

Length: 2 semesters/every other day

**Math advancement is sequential.  For questions about your students math placement, please contact their math teacher.

(401) Math 7

In grade 7, instructional time should focus on four critical areas: (1) Developing an understanding of and applying proportional relationships. (2) Developing an understanding of operations with rational numbers and working with expressions and linear equations. (3) Solving problems involving scale drawings and informal geometric constructions, and working with two- and three-dimensional shapes to solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume. (4) Drawing inferences about populations based on samples. 

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

(403) Integrated Math 7/8

Integrated Math 7 / 8 will infuse the learning targets of both Math 7 and Math 8.  The domains taught in both these courses overlap significantly and will allow the accelerated math learner to experience a pace and rigor that matches their learning needs. 

Instructional time in this course will focus on 11 critical areas:

 1) scale drawings and proportional relationships

2) exploring circles

3) proportional relationships and percentages

4) rational number arithmetic

5) Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities

6) Angles, Triangles, and Prisms

7) Rigid Transformations and Congruence

8) Dilations, Similarity, and Introducing Slope

9) Linear Relationships

10) Exponents and Scientific Notation

11) Probability and Sampling

Length: 2 semesters/every other day

(402) Math 8

In Math 8, instructional time should focus on three critical areas: (1) Formulating and reasoning about expressions and equations, including modeling an association in bivariate data with a linear equation, and solving linear equations and systems of linear equations. (2) Grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships. (3) Analyzing two- and three-dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence, and understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem.

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

(404) Algebra 

Algebra is a course for students who have above average ability in mathematics. The course content stresses the precision of algebraic language that provides a fundamental background for more advanced math courses.  Writing, solving and graphing linear and nonlinear functions and discussing their applications are stressed in this course.  Other topics include simplifying rational and polynomial expressions and expressions containing radicals.

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

(35820/35830) Advanced Geometry

*Please see attached addendum regarding registration requirements for high school level courses at Neenah Middle School.  This course is an advanced class for all students. It is designed for those students who plan on taking Pre-Calculus at Neenah High School or upper level math classes in college. The curriculum will be similar to the Geometry curriculum but students in this class will be expected to solve more complex problems in preparation for future classes. This course includes the study of congruent triangles, parallel lines, planes, polygons, circles and spheres, statistics, trigonometry, and stresses rigorous proof writing. Every student will have the opportunity to apply the geometric concepts they are learning to realistic applications on a computer. 

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

Math Mediation

This course is a required math intervention for grade 7 and grade 8 students who are not performing at the proficient level.

**Math advancement is sequential.  For questions about your students math placement, please contact their math teacher.

(501) Science 7

The seventh grade science program is designed to expose young people to the excitement of discovery through extensive laboratory experiences.  Primarily focused on topics from the life sciences, thematic units correlated with social studies, mathematics, and language arts may also be part of this course.  Major areas of study include: scientific method, creative problem solving, working in the laboratory, the content of science, cell structure and function, classification of plants and animals, photosynthesis, ecology, and human body systems.  Modified collections of plants and animals may be part of the course requirement along with individual fieldwork.

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

(502) Science 8

The eighth grade science program uses a laboratory approach, with a strong problem-solving base, to focus on the areas of geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. Some thematic units will be used as relevant topics are developed in the areas of language arts, social studies, and mathematics.  These topics may be used on current interest items such as rocks and minerals, earth history, space history, our celestial neighbors, Wisconsin landforms and their history, our lakes and oceans, weather and climates.  Organized field experiences are part of the course.

Length: 2 semesters/every other day

(55050/55060) Advanced Foundations of Physics

*Please see attached addendum regarding registration requirements for high school level courses at Neenah Middle School. This is an advanced course covering introductory physics and chemistry topics.  As a lab-centered course, it requires students to use calculator-based laboratory interfacing equipment to gather data and computer software for data analysis.  With greater emphasis on mathematics and theory, it is recommended that students be comfortable with algebra and scientific and/or graphing calculators.

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

(601) Social Studies 7

Seventh grade Social Studies is split into two distinct semesters.  Semester one conducts a thorough study of Western Hemisphere geography with an emphasis on North America.  Students will gain a better understanding of place, key attributes of our hemisphere, and how people have adapted over time.  The second semester encourages students to explore Early American History with our study of European exploration, colonization and the American Revolution. 

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

(602) Social Studies 8

Eighth grade Social Studies picks up where seventh grade left off with a study of our government and economic system.  Our goal is to encourage widespread participation in the political process by citizens who are knowledgeable and committed to the realization of the fundamental values and principles of a constitutional democracy.  The second semester continues our narrative of American History from seventh grade as we explore the period between Washington’s presidency and the Civil War.  This course will segue into our district’s 11th grade American History program that will cover the Civil War to modern times.

Length:  2 semesters/every other day

(604) Advanced U.S. Government and Politics

*Please see attached addendum regarding registration requirements for high school level courses at Neenah Middle School.  This course will provide an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. Students will be involved in both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. political beliefs and the analysis of specific case studies. It will require familiarity with the various institutions, groups, parties, beliefs, and ideas that make up the U.S. political reality. Finally, it will challenge a student’s ability to think abstractly and analyze material critically. 

Length:  2 semesters/every other day