Junior High

Language Arts

Core Textbooks: Rigby Great Strides (Literal Skills, Critical Thinking Skills, and Inferential Skills). Orlando, Harcourt Achieve Inc. 2007

Vocabulary Skills class material:  Literacy:  Effective Decoding and Spelling Instruction.l Skills). Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co., 2003

 
Curriculum Overview:
Students in this class will develop their reading comprehension and writing skills. Students will develop a process for writing which will include brainstorming, collecting information from outside sources as well as quotes within texts, arranging and organizing information, writing a rough draft, editing, and writing a final draft. To develop reading comprehension students will learn a variety of note-taking strategies, as well as how to write a main idea sentence for note-taking as well as essay writing. Students will learn the structure of a 5-paragraph essay and how to develop and support a point or argument. Students will also strengthen their vocabulary during Vocabulary Skills class by learning morphology, or the study of language, focusing on Old English, Latin, and Greek forms, including prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
 
Language Arts Goals:

• Reading comprehension: express the literal ideas in a written work.
• Make inferences while reading and express them clearly.
• Make connections while reading and analyze texts to discover the author’s main argument.
• Write main idea sentences and summaries of articles and other texts read.
• Understand grammar concepts and apply them to students’ own writing.
• Write a well-structured essay.
• Research topics and take notes.
• Evaluate texts for author’s purpose, logic and coherence.
• Improve vocabulary by learning common Latin prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
   

Mathematics

Pre Algebra

Core textbooks:  Algebra Ready, Part I and Part II (Sopris West, 2003)

Curriculum Overview:
Fundamental concept taught will encourage algebraic thought, leading to a sound foundation in the subject of this foundational subject.  Since active learning is essential in any classroom, manipulatives as well as instructional films will supplement the understanding of material.  

Pre-algebra Goals:

• Gain basic skills in real-life applications of basic pre-algebra.
• Correlate with California State Standards for Math.
• Know and successfully use the order of operations.
• Be familiar with the use of a calculator to solve problems.
• Become more confident in the understanding and demonstration of algebraic skills.

Algebra I

Core textbooks: Elementary Algebra, New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1979.  

Curriculum Overview: 
Students in this class will strive to understand symbolic reasoning in algebraic equations. To do this, students will learn the various operations and the order in which to use them to solve for equations. Students will work on such things as factors, absolute value, exponents, and simplifying equations.

Algebra I Goals:

• Solve for an unknown variable in an algebraic equation.
• Understand exponents and square roots.
• Solve equations using absolute value.
• Solve word problems that involve multiple steps.
• Graph linear equations.
• Solve for multiple variables in equations.
• Understand how to use factoring to solve for the variable.
• Use the quadratic equation. 

Social Studies

Core textbooks: The United States (History Alive Text)

Curriculum Overview:
Students develop knowledge and appreciation of the impact history has on civilizations in the 21st century.  Students will see the relevance and profound influence that the Medieval World has had on the various eras that followed the Middle Ages. Students will analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, West Africa, the Americas, and Asia. 

Social Studies Goals:

• Gain basic skills in the understanding of the relevance of history.
• Correlate with Seventh Grade California State Standards of History.
• Have geographical knowledge of the world.
• Become increasingly aware of the connection among economic, political, and social structures of the Medieval civilizations.
• Understand the interrelatedness of various civilizations. 

Science - Physical Science 

Core textbooks: Physical Science (Prentice Hall Science Explorer Series),
Correlated Reading and Study Workbook

Curriculum Overview:
Fundamental concepts will encourage scientific inquiry leading to a sound foundation in the subject of physical science. The relationship of matter, energy, force and motion is the primary focus of this class. Because active learning is essential in the science classroom, correlated labs will supplement the understanding of material.

Physical Science Goals:

• Gain basic skills in real-life applications of basic physics and chemistry.
• Correlate with Eighth Grade California State Standards for Science.
• Know the scientific method.
• Be familiar with the structure and development of the Periodic Table of Elements.
• Complete a science fair project successfully.
• Incorporate technology within the classroom. 
   

Physical Education

Core Curriculum: S.P.A.R.K Curriculum, Teaching Sport Concepts & Skills-A Tactical Game Approach

Curriculum Overview:
In this course, students receive Physical Education instruction five days a week for 45 to 50 minutes a day. Instruction will be provided in the areas of motor skill development, fitness, sports and social development. Students will know how to assess and improve personal fitness levels by engaging in physical activities specifically related to each component of physical fitness. Students will learn and have the opportunity to experience the differences between personal challenges and competition in both recreational activities and in sports with an emphasis placed upon being personally responsible, cooperative and a team-player. Finally, students will continue to develop cooperation and communication skills to enable completion of a common goal while working with a partner, in small groups or on a team.

P.E. Goals:

• Demonstration of motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform in a variety of physical challenges.
• Demonstrate knowledge of movement concepts and strategies as they apply to learning and performance in games and physical activities.
• Develop and maintain a level of physical fitness to improve performance and overall health.
• Demonstrate knowledge of social concepts and strategies as they apply to learning and performance in physical activities.
   

Computer Technology

Core Curriculum: Easy Tech from Learning.com

Curriculum Overview:
Junior high students complete interactive lessons in word processing and spreadsheet concepts. Students demonstrate organizing ideas, page layout and design, cell formatting, tables, data and formulas. Students are focused toward learning about careers in technology, through guest speakers, research, videos and computer history museum tour. 

• Students create a personal timeline, which illustrate an understanding of cells, tables, rows and columns in a spreadsheet program as well as developing time sequencing skills by creating a personal timeline.
• Students compile data in a spreadsheet table and use the data to create a pie chart that illustrated the table data information in a visual and incorporated effective use of type and page layout, using header and footer commands.
• Students demonstrate understanding of document creation including, header/footer, margins, tabs, bullets and image manipulation.
• Creation of a music composition using Garage Band. Students demonstrate digital music composition by compiling a song using various tracks, sequencing and editing.
• Students create a short digital video using iMovie.
• Students understand and demonstrate effective use of copyright law.
• Students follow technology use guidelines and acceptable use policies.

Art

Curriculum Overview:
For students to become familiar with different styles of artwork as well as various processes for making two-dimensional and three-dimensional artwork, and inclusive of the California State Visual Art Education Content Standards.

Course Goals:

• Demonstrate the ability to distinguish among various media (clay, sculpture, drawing, painting) when looking at works of art.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify the elements of art found in objects in nature, the environment, and works of art; emphasizing line, color, shape, form, and texture.
• Students follow technology use guidelines and acceptable use policies.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and describe various subject matter in art, such as landscape, seascape, portrait and still life.
• Demonstrate the ability to describe objects designed by artists such as, furniture, appliances, cars that are used at home and at school.