Middle School

Middle School has a strong and challenging program to meet the needs of its students with a solid curriculum aligned to the Common Core Standards.  Teachers strive to provide stimulating, challenging lessons while making the necessary adjustments to give each child an opportunity to learn and be productive.

Math - In Sixth Grade, students review many of the concepts covered throughout Fifth grade. However, they also learn new math topics, such as rational numbers, integers, ratios, percentages, and interest rates. Seventh and Eighth Grade study Pre-Algebra and Algebra organized around families of functions, with special emphasis on linear and quadratic functions.  As students learn about each family of functions, they will learn to represent them in multiple ways – as verbal descriptions, equations, tables, and graphs.  They will also learn to model real-world situations, using functions in order to solve problems arising from those situations. In addition, there will be lessons on probability and data.

Social Studies – Sixth Grade students learn about World Geography and ancient civilizations, such as the ancient Greeks and Romans. Seventh and Eighth Grade lessons introduce early United States History, from the beginning of the civil war through the Civil Rights Movement. Students explore historical events, notable figures, and important places as well as how these details have connections to our society today.  Throughout the course, an emphasis is placed on the development of critical thinking skills.  

Science - Students focus on the main structures and functions of our planet. The students then delve into the atmosphere into outer space, and beyond! Students then cover the basics of physical and biological sciences. Students use higher-order thinking skills to apply scientific concepts to their real lives.  In the spring, students in focus on a long-term independent project in preparation for the Middle School Science Fair, which encourages them to think critically, perform research, and present their findings.  Field trips and guest speakers enhance the learning in the classroom. Students are required to do research projects and presentations.

In Spanish, lessons cover vocabulary and grammar material normally presented in a high school level one course.  Based on the “five C’s” (Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities) of the national standards, our Spanish program at St. Mary of the Hills allows students to acquire a strong foundation to achieve success with the Spanish/Hispanic language and culture.

The Religion curriculum is presented in a manner appealing to junior high students without compromising the integrity of the Scripture and teachings of the Catholic Church.  It reflects the love of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and centers on the person of Jesus Christ, our Savior in a climate of prayer and nurtures a faith that is expressed in prayer.