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Middle Level Curriculum
The curriculum encompasses all the learning experiences that are planned, guided, and sponsored by the school. The individual student-the student's needs, abilities, interests, and emerging self-image-the core around which the curriculum is built. Within this total curriculum is a course of studies, which includes study of Catholic doctrine, related arts, math, science, history, wellness education, and exploratory classes. A core group of teachers work with each grade level for optimum educational experiences.
RELIGION
Religion classes for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades are held daily and include instruction in doctrine, Scripture, values, prayer and liturgy, sacraments, and Christian heritage.
This Is Our Faith , the Silver Burdett Ginn textbook series used, focuses on Old Testament in the sixth grade, on New Testament and Jesus in the seventh grade, and Church history and relating Church teaching to life in the eighth grade. Doctrinal content includes the Trinity, the Sacraments, the Church, morality, and the Bible. Each grade level has sections on Our Catholic Heritage, prayer, and the seasons of the liturgical year. This is Our Faith series is approved by the U.S. Catholic Bishops as conforming to the teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Class activities and projects focus on reinforcing the concepts presented, helping the students apply what they have learned to daily life, and actively engaging them in service to one another and others in the community. Service projects focus on helping those with special needs, such as the poor, the elderly, and the homeless.
Student portfolios include individual work to be presented to parents at the end of the grading period. They may include projects, reflections, tests, and other assignments that reflect the student's study.
Students are given the opportunity to celebrate life, community, and friendship in their prayer and worship experiences. In daily classroom prayer and weekly celebration of Mass and the sacraments, teachers and students pray and worship together. Classes take turns in preparing the Mass celebrated in the Incarnate Word Convent Chapel each week. Students serve as music ministers, altar servers, lectors, and ushers. Parents help in preparing and leading liturgical music.
Joint efforts by teachers and parents in supporting and affirming students will best help students prepare for new responsibilities in their education and spiritual growth. Middle school students need supportive reinforcement and guidance from parents and other adults. Teachers assist the parents, the primary educators, in forming responsible Christians and educating students within the Incarnate Word Academy faith community.
MATH
The math department at IWA- Middle Level is committed to providing a quality mathematics education enabling each student to succeed in a challenging high school curriculum, to apply acquired knowledge and experience to everyday life and to foster an enjoyment of mathematics.
With these goals in mind, we provide a placement process designed to examine a student's skill level so that he/she will be enrolled in a course of study that will challenge but not frustrate the student.
The placement process consists of a standardized test to assess current math skills, review of achievement test results, teacher recommendation, and a teacher survey.
Our commitment includes a modified block format to provide 65 minutes of math instruction.
6th Grade:
Sixth grade is a year of transition where previous skills are reinforced and some abstract concepts are introduced. Students will review basic math operations involving whole numbers, fractions and decimals and should achieve mastery in these areas. Problem solving and real world applications continue to be a focus of study. Integration of math and science topics will be emphasized. Manipulatives will be used both for deeper understanding of basic operations and to explore the algebraic concepts that will be mastered in future years. Students will graph in the coordinate plane. In the area of statistics; students collect data, analyze it using the measures of central tendency, and draw conclusions from the graphs created. Geometric concepts will be reinforced including area, perimeter, circumference, volume, surface area, and comparisons of the characteristics of polygons. Students will be introduced to integer operations involving positive and negative numbers
Placement Possibilities: 6th grade math, Introduction to Pre-Algebra
7th Grade:
In seventh grade students are expected to master integer operations and all basic operations involving rational numbers. Problem solving and real world applications continue to be a focal point with the introduction of algebraic solution methods.
Students focus on systematic and step-wise solutions to multi-faceted problems. Data collection and the statistical analysis of data including mode, median and mean and the use of such measures to make predictions continue to be a topic of study. Algebraic concepts will be explored. Some topics studied are the use of variables, idea of constants, solutions to multi-step equations and inequalities, ratio and proportion, and percent problems. Geometric topics are further developed including such topics as similarity, surface area and an exploration of conic sections.
Placement Possibilities: Pre-Algebra, Algebra I.
8th Grade :
The eighth grade year includes a general review of basic math operations involving integers, decimals, fractions, real numbers, and percents. The focus in 8th grade is on traditional algebraic concepts such as solving equations and inequalities. Exploration of linear relations and functions in general, graphing in the coordinate plane, relationships between tables of values, equations, and graphs are further investigated. Students should master the conversion from one form of an equation to another, factoring, solving and graphing quadratic equations, solving systems of equations. Problem solving continues to be a focus of study with an emphasis on algebraic representations of data. Real world problems include working with trigonometric functions, proportions, geometric concepts and collection of data to predict future outcomes. The use of graphing calculators is introduced in 8th grade.
Placement Possibilities: Algebra I, Algebra I Honors ( IWA High School ) , Geometry ( IWA High School )
RELATED ARTS
6 th Grade:
The students are provided with various learning opportunities spanning from literature projects to developing essays. Students are encouraged to use their imagination and creativity in organizing and developing descriptive, narrative, process, and expository essays.
The grammar portion of the course is supported with intense instruction allowing students to build a solid foundation. Students are instructed on the eight parts of speech, punctuation and capitalization rules, sentence structure and diagramming.
Students also have the opportunity of incorporating new words into their vocabulary, using techniques such as analogies, identifying antonyms and synonyms and creating stories using new vocabulary words.
Students are introduced to all genres of literature-short stories, poetry, nonfiction, drama, mythology, folk tales, and classic literature. Students are required to engage in outside reading from a list of over 3000 books. Upon completion of the book they are required to take a comprehension test using the Accelerated Reader program, a computerized program which measures reading comprehension and reading level. In addition to outside reading classes read novels and short stories. Students are also required to participate in a variety of individual or group projects.
7 th Grade:
Related arts is the study of literature, grammar, vocabulary, and writing. Each academic year these topics are presented in more detail.
In seventh grade students read all genres in literature -- short story, poetry, nonfiction, drama, mythology, folk tales, and classic literature. In addition to reading from a required summer reading list, classes read novels throughout the year as a group and individually. From a list of over 3000 tests, students can choose to be tested on the Accelerated Reader program to help improve both their comprehension and fluency.
Students incorporate new words into their vocabularies using techniques such as writing stories and sentences with new vocabulary words, identifying synonyms and antonyms, and working with analogies and word variants.
Students cover the eight parts of speech, punctuation and capitalization rules, sentence structure, syntax and diagramming.
Students compose the four types of paragraphs and essays, create poetry, use grammar concepts to improve their composition skills, and engage in peer evaluation.
8 th Grade:
Related arts is the study of literature, grammar, vocabulary, and writing. Each academic year these topics are presented in more detail.
The students are given intensive instruction on how to properly organize descriptive, narrative, process, and research papers. Students learn to use their imaginations while studying creative writing, poetry, and media culture. The curriculum heavily emphasizes reading and comprehension skills. Books read by students include the classics like the Iliad and Beowulf, and more contemporary titles such as The Outsiders and Fahrenheit 451 . Course work is generally submitted handwritten; however the use of technology is encouraged. Basic word processing programs, presentation software, and Internet applications are utilized during classroom instruction.
HISTORY
A study of social sciences is a vital portion of a student's academic endeavors. An understanding of the past is crucial for good citizenship. At IWA Middle Level, the major goal of the history department is to produce a well-rounded and informed citizen.
There are certain elements of the history courses which are common to all three levels: National History Day Project, National Geographic Society Geography Bee, the use of outside literature, and Channel One broadcasts to facilitate the study of current events.
6 th Grade:
The students study world geography: the location, culture, economy, government, and history of a region. Countries in each continent will be analyzed according to the above criteria. Constructing maps is an important part of studying the world. It allows for more in depth discussion of how a country operated in its past, operates in the present, and will operate in the future.
7 th Grade:
The students study the geography and history of Texas. This course will also include political science, economics, sociology, and other social studies elements. One way of applying their geography skills is learning how to use a Texas highway map. They also utilize other tools such as the internet and the Texas Almanac.
8 th Grade:
The students study American history from its beginning to 1865. This course is completed in high school with the second half of American history. In addition, geography, government, sociology, and economics are addressed in this course. The students do an in-depth study of selected documents of representative historical periods and in some cases do an oral interpretation of the document.
SCIENCE
Simply by following this link, you have highlighted one of the fundamentals of science. Science starts with a question, "it is the gathering of knowledge about the natural world". We offer middle school science programs for grades 6, 7 and 8 that meet or exceed state-adopted curricula for science. IWA science classes utilize state-adopted text books that expand upon each year's content to provide the students with progressive, comprehensive learning over the three-year period. Student learning is enhanced through the use of labs, computer aided learning, research projects, participation in science fair, and field trips.
6 th Grade:
- Living systems: cell structure, classification systems, interactions with the environment.
- Earth systems: composition of the earth, rock and water cycles
- Matter: physical and chemical properties, states of matter
- Forces and energy: speed, velocity, energy transformations, basic electricity
- Astronomy: structure of the solar system, history of space exploration
7th Grade:
- Living systems: cell division, cellular processes, basic organ systems, heredity, conservation and biodiversity
- Earth systems: Earth/atmosphere interactions, weathering of rocks and minerals, catastrophic events
- Matter: matter classification, properties of matter, chemical interactions, periodic table
- Forces and energy: laws of motion, simple machines, renewable and nonrenewable resources
- Astronomy: formation of the solar system, interplanetary relationships, tilt and movement of the earth
8 th Grade:
- Living systems: organ systems, heredity and Mendelian genetics
- Earth systems: Analysis and predictions of rocks, weather, and ocean systems
- Matter: atomic structure, periodic table, properties and chemical reactions of compounds, chemical equations
- Forces and energy: atmospheric sciences, waves and wave properties, energy conservation and loss
- Astronomy: contributions of early atronomers, theories of the universe, scale and magniture of the universe, star characteristics.
Eighth grade classes get hands-on learning at the "Outdoor Educational Experience," a three day, two night interdisciplinary field trip that integrates science, math and writing.
SPANISH
6 th Grade:
Sixth grade Spanish covers basic conversation emphasizing the alphabet, numbers, days of the week and months of the year. Along with the introduction to verbs and their conjugations (present tense), students are required to do projects that correspond to lessons. This class is taken for one semester.
Textbook: Bienvenidos level A
7 th Grade:
Seventh grade Spanish continues basic conversation with a stronger emphasis on grammatical structure including the parts of speech and verb conjugations. Cultural lessons and Power Point projects also make up part of the class. It is a program that is designed to prepare the student for Spanish I. The textbook used is the same that is used for Spanish I in both the eight grade and the high school program. This class is taken for one semester.
Textbook: Somos Así Level I
8 th Grade:
Eight grade Spanish is a basic Spanish I course. The student will have a strong command of basic conversation, vocabulary, display the ability to comprehend situations from videos and CD's, express their likes and dislikes, conjugate verbs (present and past tense), read and write dialogues and stories, and express their comprehension through projects. Upon successful completion of this full year course, the student will have acquired the skills to enter Spanish II.
Textbook: Somos Así Level I
WELLNESS
The goal of our Wellness Program is to promote movement competence and useful physical skills; health and nutrition related personal fitness; and social development. It also seeks to develop a positive self-concept and personal values, and to build safety skills and attitudes. Classes are aimed at promoting life-long participation in wholesome recreational activities. Introduction to basic skills, team sports, strategies, and concepts are stressed at the middle school level. At the middle school level the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade student is expected to acquire competence in a variety of movement forms. Students of this age should be able to independently set physical activity goals and participate in individualized programs of physical activity and exercise based on the results of fitness assessments, personal fitness goals, and interest.
Physical education concepts are introduced in three-week units. Special health themes are introduced in one-week units. Some of the concepts covered are Cross-country running, Volleyball, Flag Football, Basketball, Soccer, Stress Management, The human body, Health and Nutrition, Organized Games, and CPR Training.
COMMUNICATION APPLICATIONS (SPEECH)
One semester of communication applications is required for 8th grade students. This will allow them to earn 1/2 credit toward their high school graduation requirement. The students learn and perform different styles of formal and informal speaking such as informative speeches and speaking for special occasions. Students also practice leading a discussion group as well as doing the research that may be needed to be a prepared and informed speaker. They are required to conduct a formal interview session where guest from different career fields come to class. The students are given instruction on PowerPoint and are then are required to give a presentation on their work. By the end of the semester, the students have improved their oral reading skills, poise and self-confidence in public speaking.
THEATRE ARTS
Students in middle school will have an opportunity to take theatre arts as an elective. The students will become more comfortable and gain confidence in performing in front of others by a series of theatrical games. Students will develop skills in performing skits and in improvisational role playing. Students learn and perform Reader's Theatre as well the different areas and fields in stage work and movies. Students will also use their creative skills in writing by creating their own stories and skits. They develop their artistic ability by creating puppets and performing a puppet show.
ART
6 th & 7 th Grade
Art for grades six and seven is a mixed class of sixth and seventh graders that lasts for one session, or nine weeks. It is pass/fail. Students are introduced the principles of art using various mediums. Students learn creative ways to draw their names and create personal collages. They research various artists in the library and they work as groups by tracing paintings of Vincent Van Gogh onto large poster boards.
Students also experiment with different drawing and painting mediums. They draw pumpkin and gourd still life using stick charcoal, compressed charcoal, markers, and acrylics. They study the color wheel and mix secondary, tertiary, and complimentary colors. They even create an entire page of browns mixed from complimentary colors! Students also create cut montages of the pumpkins using different papers.
Finally, students learn about sculptures found in the Cullen Sculpture Garden in Houston. They create shapes and sculptures using an oven-baked clay that they paint and glaze. This class is rotated every year with a similar lesson plan so that students are able to repeat the class in seventh grade and still learn fresh material.
8 th Grade:
Art for eighth grade is a year-long class with traditional grading. Class participation is very important. Students buy some materials and they have the responsibility of maintaining these supplies through out the year. Students letter their own portfolios, create wire three-dimensional sculpture, and design beautiful kaleidoscopes. Students draw shell still life using charcoal and then oil pastels!
Students cut fall silhouettes and then create their own silhouettes using magazine pictures. Students learn about pop art, draw their own tomato soup can, create and letter a candy package, and then write a descriptive essay about the fictitious candy. Students also create Aztec calendars using markers.
Students study faces by drawing other students in class, drawing cartoon faces with markers, and coloring the drawings with tissue paper and water colors. Students spend several weeks piecing together copies of Vermeer, using magazine papers.
Students study two and three point perspectives, optical drawings, and radial designs. They create beautiful crosses using oven-baked clay. Students also research an artist and create a copy of the artist's work. Finally, students design individual stencils and apply them to paper or cloth.
BAND
This elective is for students who would like to learn how to play a musical instrument or for a student who currently plays an instrument and would like to develop their skills. Band will provide an opportunity to study and perform band literature of various historical periods and musical styles.
CHOIR
Students learn vocal and choral techniques in preparation for local and regional competitions. This includes music theory, ear training, and sight singing. The student demonstrates their progress through schedule performances.
COMPUTER SKILLS
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