LANGUAGE ARTS

Sixth Grade:
A proficient understanding and use of our language are necessary for success in all content areas of school and in any profession you child may choose; therefore in sixth grade language arts, grammar, usage, and mechanics of the English language are taught with an emphasis on improving writing and speaking. Various reading strategies, literary terminology, and vocabulary are also taught in order to improve reading skills. Another emphasis in our language program is reading practice. Selected stories, articles, novels, poems, etc. will be used in class, and the Accelerated Reading program is used to encourage independent reading practice.

Seventh Grade:

This course focuses on writing, literature, thinking, oral communication, and the connections between language arts, other areas of learning and our personal experiences.  Students will read and write in a variety of genres including personal narrative, essay, reviews, persuasive writing, and descriptive writing.

Eighth Grade:
In this course, the students will develop their reading and writing skills.  They will examine the elements of fiction by reading several short stories and poems, as well as through writing assignments.

MATHEMATICS

Sixth Grade:
This course emphasizes an understanding of numbers, ways of representing numbers and relationships among numbers.  Also the student will develop an understanding of geometric concepts and relationships.  Solving algebraic equations; computing with integers, fractions and decimals; proportional reasoning; and geometric reasoning are major topics that will be covered to prepare students for a more in-depth study of these concepts in Pre-Algebra.

Seventh Grade Pre-Algebra:
In this course, students will solidify their understanding of real numbers at a level and in a context appropriate for middle school students and will be introduced to algebraic concepts in a real world context.  Solving linear equations, interpreting graphs, and using rules of exponents are some of the major topics they will learn.  Students will gain an understanding of these algebraic concepts as they develop skills that will prepare them for Algebra I.

Seventh Grade Pre-Algebra A:
(First half of Pre-Algebra)

Eighth Grade Algebra I:

This course reviews the essential skills of arithmetic as they relate to the study of algebra. 

Eight Grade Pre-Algebra B:

(Second half of Pre-Algebra)

MUSIC

The Jackson Christian Band Program is a Fine Art based program that seeks to develop the artistic and creative abilities of students while also promoting excellence, leadership, responsibility, and teamwork. There are three different age groups: Beginning (grade 6) and Intermediate (grade 7-8).

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Physical Education provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform a variety of physical activities, to maintain physical fitness, and to value as well as enjoy physical activity as an ongoing part of a healthy lifestyle.

SCIENCE

Sixth Grade:
Earth science concepts are studied in sixth grade, with a special emphasis on hands-on investigations, experimentation, and appropriate observance of safety guidelines.

Seventh Grade:
Seventh grade science is a study of life science. The course integrates technology and laboratory experiences with curriculum to help students acquire higher level and critical thinking skills. Life science concepts are used as a basis for applying knowledge to investigations.

Eighth Grade:
Eighth grade science is a study of physical science and chemistry. The class is designed to enhance critical thinking and to include hands-on learning in the labs. Learning how to use measurement, the organization of the periodic table, the atomic structure, chemical and physical changes, and motion, forces, and energy are all key components to the eighth grade student curriculum.

SOCIAL STUDIES

6th Grade World Cultures:
This course takes students on a journey through time covering the beginning of civilization until the present day.  Emphasis is put on the cultures and rise and fall of different empires and dynasties throughout time.

Seventh Grade:

Geography: Geography studies the relationship between people, places, and environments by mapping information about them into a spatial context. The geographically informed person knows and understands how to use a maps, how to organize information, and how to analyze information. They know and understand the human population, the processes of human settlement, and how the cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of the Earth’s surface. They know and understand how to apply geography to interpret the past and how to interpret the present and plan for the futures.

Eighth Grade:

This course focuses on the early history of the United States and how it relates to our lives today.  It begins by examining the early Native American cultures and then focuses on European exploration , the colonization of the Americas, the American Revolution, early forms of American government, westward expansion, reform movements, growth of the democratic process and the Industrial revolution.

EXPLORE

Middle School Explore classes are designed to complement the core curriculum. Examples of topics included are: Latin, Spanish, STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Math), Chorus, Drama, Computer, General Music, and Reading.