COURSE TITLE :      Language Arts 6 
GRADE  LEVEL :      6
COURSE DESCRIPTION:  The course strives to enhance the four areas of literacy (reading, writing, speaking and listening) through a variety of methods.
In the area of reading, the students begin by focusing on the elements of story and literary terms and techniques. Then they analyze a variety of genres and styles using these terms and techniques. Independent reading is encouraged through integration with the library, reading logs, and book projects.
Writing is incorporated on a daily basis in the form of reading logs/responses, essays, research papers, and creative pieces. Much emphasis is placed on the writing process, the six traits of writing, and students practice both peer and self-editing.
The speaking aspect of literacy is addressed through oral presentations in various forms including group or individual projects such as the Greek Festival. Finally, students' listening skills are enhanced by the reading aloud of several novels, and seminar style discussion groups during novel study.
Materials used in this course include the Scott Foresman Reader, class novel sets including Dar and the Spear-Thrower, A Place in the Sun, The Iron Ring, and The Phantom Tollbooth, as well as a variety of smaller group novels, short stories, and mythology. Students will complete author studies and/or genre studies. Throughout the curriculum, much emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary connections with other courses. While the Social Studies class examines cultural universals of ancient civilizations; Language Arts classes use fictional pieces to explore related themes.
An interdisciplinary connection is also made with technology, and students become proficient using in the technology tools that best aid them in their various assignments. These tools include hardware such as personal computers, scanners, digital cameras, printers and external disk drives. Web browsers, web based email, Microsoft Office, and Mavis Beacon Typing Instructor are some of the software that students will learn. The Big Six Information Processing Model guides teachers throughout Middle School in their organization and integration of the technology aspects of the course.

COURSE TITLE :      Math 6 
GRADE  LEVEL :      6
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is the final course in the Elementary math series. The introductory portion of this course is designed for reviewing and building upon elementary math concepts from fractions to decimals and basic geometry. Students will consistently develop the use of estimation as a mental math skill. The course will then introduce students to word problems, integers, variables, probability, and simple one & two-step equations.
Text: Harcourt Math. 2007. 

COURSE TITLE :      Music 6 
GRADE  LEVEL :      6
COURSE DESCRIPTION:  This course gives students an experience of band and choir. Part of the quarter will be spent trying out a band instrument and part will be spent in group singing. Students can choose from Flute, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Trumpet, and Trombone as their instruments of focus. They will need to spend three days per week practicing their instrument at home; they will get to understand what it means to form a good habit and the rewards that come from being disciplined if they indeed spend this time on their practice. At least once during the quarter they will get to participate in an evening performance with groups from other grades.

COURSE TITLE :      Pre-Algebra 6 
GRADE  LEVEL :      6
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to challenge and prepare students for Algebra I. Previously studied mathematical concepts and basic skills will be reviewed, solidified, and extended. Major topics covered are integers, fractions, solving multi-step equations and inequalities, basic geometry, percents, and probability. Problem solving is an integral part of this program.
Text: Pre-Algebra, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007.

COURSE TITLE :      Science 6 
GRADE  LEVEL :      6
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The Sixth Grade Science Curriculum utilizes a structured balance of content and hands-on activities that explore the following disciplines: Astronomy, and Earth Science. We develop our program around units of study that emphasize observation and direct experience, while revealing the interdisciplinary nature of science across the Sixth Grade Curriculum. The thinking processes of categorizing, ordering, communicating, observing and inferring, comparing, relating and applying are stressed throughout the course. Our approach focuses on the teaching of important science concepts rather than requiring students to only memorize facts and terms. Student assessment includes tests, quizzes, class work, homework, essays / lab write ups, and projects.
Text: Harcourt Science, Harcourt School Publishers 2002.  

COURSE TITLE :      Social Studies 6 
GRADE  LEVEL :      6
COURSE DESCRIPTION:  The Sixth Grade Social Studies Curriculum will give the students a comprehensive look at our human beginnings and cultural universals. We start with a unit on Prehistoric Communities, and follow with an examination of the first civilizations. The cultures of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome are studied in depth, and short units about India and China are included. Throughout the year, students will work on map and chart reading skills, focusing on the thinking processes of interpreting, comparing and contrasting, and drawing conclusions. Writing skills will be sharpened through the completion of short research papers. In addition, extensive use of library resources and internet will be made to familiarize the students with this resource, as well as broadening the historical contexts offered in the text and other print sources. Student assessment includes tests, quizzes, class work, homework, essays, projects and other creative, written projects.
Text: World Explorer The Ancient World - Prentice Hall 2001

COURSE TITLE :      Algebra 7  
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION:  This course is a complete Algebra I course which concentrates on algebraic concepts such as simplifying and solving algebraic expressions and equations, linear equations and functions, systems of linear equations, inequalities, powers and exponents, polynomials and factoring, proportions and rational equations, and quadratic equations and functions. The graphing calculator is introduced as a tool to graph and solve equations and inequalities, and to interpret data.
Text: Algebra 1, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007.

COURSE TITLE :      Art 7 
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION:  This course is designed to develop technical skills , manual ability, visual concepts and creative thinking. The art program will develop techniques for drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpting. A variety of media will be used: pencil, color pencil, markers, ink, pastel, paint, color paper, as well as materials for crafts and three dimensional works. Students will also develop projects which will make connections between art history and other subjects.

COURSE TITLE :      Band 7th 
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is focused on helping students learn the discipline of playing an instrument. The technical aspects of the instrument will be explored as well as reading music, ensemble playing, duets, solos, composition, marching, and improvisation. Students that don’t have their own instrument will use a school instrument and pay 3 UF for the rental of it and the cost of maintaining it. The band will participate in all the concerts of the year and play styles of music ranging from classical to pop to jazz to specific band literature. Tours may also be part of the year’s activities. We will record this group for at least one CD during the year. 

COURSE TITLE :      Choir 7th
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION:  This course is will focus on vocal production and ensemble singing with some emphasis on solo work. Students will learn how to do basis sight-reading of music and understand blending and shaping of sound. Students will be required to practice three times per week to work on skills covered in class and prepare for concerts. Students will sing a variety of styles ranging from pop to jazz to classical, from a cappella to accompanied for all the concerts the middle school is participating in during the year. This group will also be recorded for the CD at some point during the year.

COURSE TITLE :      Drama
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Drama is a basic introduction to the elements of the theatre. Emphasis is placed on acting techniques. Students actively participate in class and learn pantomime skills, techniques for improvisations, reading of scenes and plays, vocal projection, advanced montage, and stage movement. The students will have two performances during the semester: The Wax Museum and Drama Showcase highlighting scenes from legitimate theatre. 

COURSE TITLE :  Introduction to Pre-Algebra 
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to challenge students to solidify basic mathematical skills and begin to apply and extend those skills to problem solving situations. Students will move at a pace that will allow them to master all skills before moving on to another skill.
Text: Pre-Algebra, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007. 

COURSE TITLE :      Language Arts  
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION:  Language Arts is a process-oriented discipline; thus, much instruction time is devoted to helping students develop and practice effective strategies for writing, reading, thinking, listening, and speaking. Literature is the core of the seventh grade standards based curriculum and typically serves as a springboard for writing, reading, information literacy (research), listening and speaking instruction. Our literature combines a mix of classic and young-adult literature that covers a variety of genres and themes. Students will be asked to write in a variety of modes including narrative, expository, research reports, and responses to literature. Throughout the writing process and direct instruction, students will learn the six traits of effective writing: content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. Students will also give two formal speeches (narrative and research presentations), share written pieces, discuss in large and small groups, and contribute to class discussions.
Text: Literature & Integrated Studies, Grade 7; Scott Foresman; Write Source 2000 And Great Source Vocabulary Program
Trade Books: The Hobbit, The Squire’s Tale, Aladdin, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and a variety of science-fiction, fantasy, and multi-cultural novels.

COURSE TITLE :      Pre-Algebra 
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to challenge and prepare students for Algebra I. Previously studied mathematical concepts and basic skills will be reviewed, solidified, and extended. Major topics covered are integers, fractions, solving multi-step equations and inequalities, basic geometry, percents, and probability. Problem solving is an integral part of this program.
Text: Pre-Algebra, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007. 

COURSE TITLE :      Science 7 
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Science 7 is a course designed to educate students in both science content and process. The Science 7 coursework is specifically based upon the Grade 7 Science Standards and Benchmarks to expose students to a variety of scientific topics within the strands of Earth, Life and Physical Science. Therefore, all 7th grade students will be engaged in the
following units:
1. Earth Processes
2. Our Oceans
3. Waves, Sound, & Light
4. Ecology and Us
5. Cellular Structure and Function
6. Human Health, Development, and Reproduction
Embedded within these units are investigations that will further develop essential laboratory skills while engaging students in the scientific method.
Texts: Holt Science and Technology: Earth Science. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2005.
Holt Science and Technology: Life Science. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2005.
Holt Science and Technology: Physical Science. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2005. 

COURSE TITLE :      Social Studies 7 
GRADE  LEVEL :      7
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Our Social Studies curriculum for the seventh grade will focus on appreciating and comparing cultures that developed around religions during the Middle Ages, focusing in Europe and the Middle East during our first semester. On second semester we will enter the Renaissance and Reformation unit, ending the year with a Unit of Chilean History focused on the Colonial Period, the Araucania War and the process of Independence, combined with Chilean Geography, to have a better understanding of this country. During our year students will work on analyzing visual evidence, expressing ideas in writing, researching skills, putting historical event in sequence, and supporting opinions with facts.
Text: World History, The Human Journey; Holt, Rinehart, Winston
A Short History of Chile; Ed. Universtaria 

COURSE TITLE :      Advanced Pre-Algebra  
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed for 8th grade students to prepare them for Algebra I in their 9th grade year. Students will have the opportunity to master previously learned material and solidify basic skills. Students will then apply these skills to new material while continuing to work on their problem solving skills.
Text: Pre-Algebra, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007. 

COURSE TITLE :      Algebra  
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is a complete Algebra I course which concentrates on algebraic concepts such as simplifying and solving algebraic expressions and equations, linear equations and functions, systems of linear equations, inequalities, powers and exponents, polynomials and factoring, proportions and rational equations, and quadratic equations and functions. The graphing calculator is introduced as a tool to graph and solve equations and inequalities, and to interpret data.
Text: Algebra 1, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007. 

COURSE TITLE :      Art 8 
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION:  This course is designed to further develop technical skills, manual ability, visual concepts and creative thinking. The art program will develop techniques for drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpting. A variety of media will be used: pencil, color pencil, markers, ink, pastel, paint, watercolor paint, oil paint, color paper, as well as materials for crafts and three dimensional works. Students will also develop projects which will make connections between art history and other subjects.

COURSE TITLE :      Band 8th 
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course follows 7th Band in that it is focused on helping students advance their learning of their instrument. Students who enter into this group need to either have one year of experience or prove that they will take private lessons during the year to somewhat catch up with the other students. More advanced technical aspects of the instrument will be explored as well as reading music, ensemble playing, duets, solos, composition, marching, and improvisation. . Students that don’t have their own instrument will use a school instrument and pay 3 UF for the rental of it and the cost of maintaining it. The band will participate in all the concerts of the year and play styles of music ranging from classical to pop to jazz to specific band literature. Tours may also be part of the year’s activities. We will record this group for at least one CD during the year. 

COURSE TITLE :      Chorus 8th 
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is will focus on vocal production and ensemble singing with some emphasis on solo work. Students will learn how to do more advanced sight-reading of music and understand blending and shaping of sound. Students will be required to practice three times per week to work on skills covered in class and prepare for concerts. Students will sing a variety of styles ranging from pop to jazz to classical, from a cappella to accompanied for all the concerts the middle school is participating in during the year. This group will also be recorded for the CD at some point during the year. 

COURSE TITLE :      Drama 
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION: : Drama 8 is an extension of Drama 7, placing more emphasis on performance and incorporating all of the skills and acting techniques acquired in Drama 7 and 6. Students are also given the task of directing in-class scenes and selecting material individually for in-class performance. Attendance at and presenting a critique of a legitimate theatrical performance is required and also participation both semesters in the Drama Showcase. 

COURSE TITLE :      Geometry 
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Students develop reasoning skills by studying plane geometry. Concepts included in this course are parallelism, perpendicularity, congruency, similarity, trigonometry, polygons, constructions, coordinate geometry, area and perimeter of plane figures, volume and surface area of solids, properties of quadrilaterals, right triangles, and circles. 

COURSE TITLE :      Language Arts 8 
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Language Arts 8 combines independent reading with assigned novels and selections from a text. Eighth grade language arts classes emphasize the appreciation and comprehension of a variety of genres. Interpretive writing and essay writing, as well as speaking and listening activities, are some of the essential focuses in the development of critical thinkers and effective communicators. Eighth grade language arts builds upon the seventh grade base, requiring students to write original pieces which represent a variety of genres and which demonstrate students’ understanding of the writing process.
Language Arts 8 also builds upon the foundation of the technology skills that have been introduced in Middle School.
Text: Scott Foresman, Literature and Integrated Studies, Write Source 2000
Trade Books: Dead Poets Society, The Outsiders, Fahrenheit 451, The Giver. 

COURSE TITLE :      Science 8 
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Science 8 is a course specifically designed to bridge skills and knowledge from the Middle School Science level to the more specialized sciences of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Environmental Studies that are studied at the high school level the following year. The Science 8 curriculum is based on specific standards within a general science framework that link the student's academic development to a similarly designed general science course in the first year of high school. The units of study covered in the 8th grade include:
1. Earth's Resources
2. The Atom and Interactions of Matter
3. Electricity
4. Heredity, Evolution, and Classification
5. Human Growth and Development
Additionally, the students are engaged in the scientific method throughout the year by involvement in laboratory investigations. This also allows students to continue refining lab skills and techniques.
Texts: Holt Science and Technology: Earth Science. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2005.
Holt Science and Technology: Physical Science. Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 2005.
Holt Science and Technology: Life Science. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2005. 

COURSE TITLE :      Social Studies 8 
GRADE  LEVEL :      8
COURSE DESCRIPTION:  The most important goal of this course is to make students aware of the impact history has in their daily life. Students will evaluate the effects of geography , warfare, trade, art, technology, science, religious beliefs and political systems on the history and ethnic make-up of a region. In addition, students will work on improving the following basics skills: oral and written argumentation; synthesizing and sequencing information; comprehending linearity; understanding cause and effect; establishing connections between past and present; library and research skills; analyzing textual and visual evidence. The course is divided into four main units: 1) The Challenging of Dogmas and the European Renaissance; 2) Man, Myth and Religion and the Protestant Reformation; 3) Trade, Technology, and Exploration and the Age of the European Expansion; 4) Nationalism, Capitalism, and Democracy and the XIX Century Chilean History.
Text: The Pageant of World History; Prentice Hall
A Short History of Chile; Ed. Universitaria.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE PROGRAM
Grade 6, 7 and 8

Middle School ESL students are immersed in content area courses in most cases.  Middle School ESL teachers assist ESL students as needed during "Push-in" time when students go into their content area classrooms.  Our  "Push-in" model, which is designed to help ensure that ESL students receive access to the normal Middle School Curriculum, replaces the more traditional approach of isolating ESL students in all-day ESL classes.  The "Push-in" model places ESL students into mainstreamed classes with the assistance of an ESL instructor when necessary.

ESL students who need additional English language instruction in the English Language Arts content area will be provided with special classes which follow the normal curriculum for that grade-level.  These students will be helped with basic English language vocabulary, structure and usage.  Study skills, such as note taking, using context to understand vocabulary, making inferences, outlining, and other skills, will also be practiced with the help of the Middle School ESL staff.   ESL students will have a chance to improve their total English usage through reading, writing, listening, and speaking in small groups planned to help them gain confidence and become more fluent in the language.  Then, in their core courses, ESL students will use the language with students who are native speakers of English and others of different English language ability.

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES (EAP)
Grade 7 & 8

The ESL program in the Middle School offers two credit support classes at the seventh and eighth grade levels. The title of the course at each grade level is English for Academic Purposes (EAP). This course at each grade level has been tailored to ensure the success of ESL learners in the core classes. Students in their EAP classes will learn the syntactic and semantic features of the English language that will enable them to comprehend the subject taught in the core classes. Students will be coached on new learning strategies that will enable them to better acquire the English language in an immersion setting. Pre-teaching and reviewing the content areas are fundamental pieces that will lead ESL learners to a successful academic outcome in their core classes. The ESL teacher works together with the content area teachers, thus providing each ESL student with assistance and support in the core classes of Social Studies, Science and Language Arts.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTION

The focus of computer instruction will be to integrate within all middle school classes.  Grade 6, 7 and 8 computer instruction will be given within the general middle school classes.  Assessment will be based on student performance on grade level standards and benchmarks.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION / HEALTH
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The physical education/health program focuses on 3 aspects of the child’s development:

1.-  Physical Development: Fitness program.
Students are introduced to a workout routine based on the Optimal Performance Training program developed by the NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) emphasizing posture, balance, coordination, strength, power, flexibility and endurance.

2.-  Social & Emotional Development: Sports Learning program.
Students are exposed to a variety of both individual and team sports constantly challenging their social abilities and self-discovery process.

3.-  Cognitive Development: Health program.
Students are introduced to the topics of Wellness, Healthy Body & Weight, Fitness, Nutrition, Safety, Mental & Emotional Health and Stress Management, giving them a better understanding of how their body functions, its care and the ingredients to a safe and healthy lifestyle

SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSES

COURSE TITLE:       Spanish as a Second Language 1, SSL1
GRADE  LEVEL:       Multi Level (6, 7 & 8)
COURSE  DESCRIPTION:  This is an introductory course especially tailored to students who may not have experienced a previous contact with the Spanish language, or may have very little knowledge or experience in Spanish. The most important goals of this course are geared towards the development of the national standards present in the acquisition of Spanish as a Foreign/Second Language. These linguistic and cultural standards include: communication, cultures, connec tions, comparisons and communities. The language skills of speaking, reading, listening, and writing in Spanish are introduced and reinforced from the beginning of the course. Cultural aspects of Chile and other Spanish-speaking countries are presented to enhance the Hispanic and Latin American heritage.
Text:    Exprésate 1, Holt Rinehart and Winston

COURSE  TITLE:      Spanish as a Second Language 2, SSL 2
GRADE  LEVEL:       7 and 8
COURSE  DESCRIPTION:  This course keeps on developing writing, reading, speaking  and listening skills for the acquisition of the Spanish Language.  More complex grammar structures and vocabulary are introduced.   Emphasis will be placed on reading comprehension and oral presentations on topics related to South America’s culture.

Text:    Exprésate , Spanish 2, Holt Publishing

COURSE  TITLE:      Spanish as a Second Language 3, SSL 3
GRADE  LEVEL:       6, 7 and 8
COURSE  DESCRIPTION:  Emphasis will be placed on reading comprehension, oral presentations on diverse topics, being able to express themselves orally as well as in writing in Spanish.  Conversation and analysis of articles, news items and literary pieces will be used to encourage discussion.   Grammar continues to be an important part of the learning process.  Cultures of other speaking countries will be explored.

Texts:  Exprésate , Spanish 3, Holt Publishing

COURSE  TITLE:      Spanish as a Second Language 4, SSL 4
GRADE  LEVEL:       6, 7 and 8
COURSE  DESCRIPTION:  This course will enable students to comprehend more complex texts through the reading of novels and articles.  Conversation will be emphasized to allow students to express their opinions and to be able to argue showing respect and tolerance towards their fellow students.  The use of proper grammar, introduced in previous levels, will be reinforced to eliminate common mistakes.

Texts:  Nuevas Vistas, Curso 2 (Advanced Spanish), Holt Rinehart and Winston

COURSE  TITLE:  Spanish National 6
GRADE  LEVEL:       6
COURSE  DESCRIPTION :  This course continues to develop the four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking, previously studied in lower levels.  Different texts will be read and discussed with an emphasis in literary genres.  Grammar, vocabulary and spelling are also part of this course.  Chilean and Latin American authors are studied, especially in narrative and poetry genres.  Independent reading is emphasized to allow students to understand, analyze, and enjoy longer and more complex texts. Technology is considered a support instrument in the learning process of the students.

Text:    Imágenes Literarias  6,  MacMillan - McGraw-Hill. 1998

COURSE  TITLE:    Spanish National 7
GRADE  LEVEL:       7
COURSE  DESCRIPTION :  This course continues to develop the four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking, previously studied in lower levels.  The forms and functions of the communication process are covered more in depth.  Students advance in their knowledge of grammar structure necessary to understand, analyze, and produce diverse oral and written texts.  Students will be encouraged to participate in discussions of current events showing respect and tolerance towards their peers.  Technology is considered a support instrument in the learning process of the students. Independent and guided reading are emphasized to allow students to comprehend and enjoy longer and more complex texts.

Text:    Imágenes Literarias 7,  MacMillan - McGraw-Hill, 1998

COURSE  TITLE:    Spanish National 8
GRADE  LEVEL:       8
COURSE  DESCRIPTION :  This course continues to develop the four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking, previously studied in lower levels. The study of Latin American and Spanish authors is emphasized at this grade level. To this effect the four literary genres and their main characteristics are inked with and assessed. Students develop their critical thinking skills through the effective use of well-documented sources in relation to current events. This program also includes mass media, reinforcement of grammar and spelling. Additional support is provided bye the technological infrastructure of our school.

Text: Imágenes Literarias 8, MacMillan - McGraw-Hill