Academics

Grades 6 through 8 use enVision Math. EnVision math is a curriculum that uses problem-based learning where students are required to think critically about real world math problems using various math strategies methods and practices to to arrive at solutions. Students are taught to articulate their mathematical process as well as apply critical thinking skills when solving problems.

 Our English Language Arts classes 6 through 8 uses HMH. HMH Into Literature is a comprehensive English language arts solution at Grades 6–12 that focuses on students’ thinking—and thinking about thinking—as part of developing analytical and effective readers, writers, speakers, and listeners.

Passport to Social Studies is a comprehensive instructional resource for teachers in grades 6-8, organized around units of study that are guided by essential questions. The Passport helps students think like historians by raising questions, thinking critically, considering many perspectives, and gathering evidence; it also supports students making connections between history and their own lives, and seeing themselves as active members of a global community.  

The physical education curriculum is organized into seven main themes that integrate health-related fitness concepts, emphasize learning complex, transferable skills, and highlight the social-emotional learning competencies necessary to be successful in school and beyond.

• Community Building
• Individual Performance
• Rhythms and Dance
• Sports and Games
  • Field and Striking Games
  • Invasion Games
  • Net and Wall Games
  • Target Games

Along with other hands on activities STEM focuses on two curriculums Ozobots for middle school and Lego Spike.

Ozobots are small, programmable robots that help students learn skills such as: 

• Coding: Students can learn to code in an interactive way using color codes or a visual programming editor.
• Creativity: Ozobots can help students develop their creativity.
• Critical thinking: Ozobots can help students develop critical thinking skills. 
• Problem solving: Ozobots can help students develop problem solving skills. 
• Sequencing, debugging, and loops: Ozobots can help students learn about sequencing, debugging, and loops. 
• Job skills: Ozobots can help students develop job skills for jobs that don't exist yet.

LEGO Spike sets can help students learn a variety of skills, including: 

• STEAM concepts: LEGO Spike sets help students learn about STEAM concepts through hands-on activities that use everyday themes and relatable characters. 
• Computer science and design engineering: Students can learn about computer science and design engineering concepts, including coding, sequences, loops, and events.
• Math and literacy: LEGO Spike sets can help students develop their math and literacy skills.
• Social-emotional skills: LEGO Spike sets can help students develop social-emotional skills. 
• Critical thinking: LEGO Spike Prime sets can help students develop critical thinking skills to solve complex problems. 
• Communication skills: LEGO Spike Prime sets can help students develop communication skills.

Amplify Science for grades 6–8 is a phenomena-based science curriculum that is designed to give students engaging, realistic experiences that mirror how scientists and engineers actually work. To do this, the Lawrence Hall of Science and Amplify created a middle school program that includes compelling hands-on investigations, print resources, and digital modeling tools and simulations that work seamlessly together to enable students’ investigations and explorations.