Students in junior high are assessed with letter grades. Parents can access their child's grades online through FACTS.

 

Junior high students have the opportunity to be part of the athletic programs and have several student leadership opportunities throughout the year. Our students participate in volleyball, basketball, track and field, and cross country.

 

Seventh and eighth graders have the opportunity to visit with representatives of area Catholic high schools to prepare for their high school decision.

In junior high, the texts are supplemented with a lectionary based approach. 

The Grade 6 themes are:

Revelation: What is God like?

Trinity: What does God call people to do?

Jesus Christ: How is Jesus the promised leader?

The Church: How does the Church spread the Good News?

Morality: What does it mean to love God and others?

Sacraments: How do the Sacraments help us fulfill our mission?

Kingdom of God: What is the new creation?

Catholic Social Teaching: How can we preserve the dignity and rights of all people?

Seasonal: What do we celebrate in the Church year?

Lectionary: How do the Sunday readings help us to follow Jesus?

 

The Grade 7 themes are:

Revelation: How does God reveal himself to us?

Trinity: How does the Trinity help us?

Jesus Christ: Why is the Incarnation important?

The Church: How do we belong to the Church?

Morality: How do I know the right way to live?

Sacraments: How do the sacraments affect us?

Kingdom of God: When will the Kingdom come?

Catholic Social Teaching: How can we preserve the dignity and rights of all people?

Seasonal: What do we celebrate in the Church year?

Lectionary: How do the Sunday readings help us to follow Jesus?

 

The Grade 8 themes are

Revelation: How do we live in friendship with God?

Trinity: How do we relate to the Trinity?

Jesus Christ: How does Jesus bring unity to the Church?

The Church: Why is the Church important?

Morality: How do we honor God, family, and all people?

Sacraments: How are we signs of God’s presence?

Kingdom of God: Why is the community of Saints important?

Catholic Social Teaching: How can we preserve the dignity and rights of all people?

Seasonal: What do we celebrate in the Church year?

Lectionary: How do the Sunday readings help us to follow Jesus?

 

The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade curriculum also explores the physical, emotional, and social changes that occur during puberty and offers young adolescents a Catholic, moral perspective on their emerging personality.

Interwoven into our religion curriculum are opportunities to explore the lives of Saints and people of faith who were models and witnesses of faith.

In junior high, the literature focus is on novel study, the study of primary source materials, and the development of reading strategies. In-depth novel analysis and independent reading skills are developed through this course of study.

The texts for writing are Vocabulary Workshop by Sadlier, Grammar for Writing by Sadlier, and Write Source by Houghton Mifflin. Students use the six traits to practice the writing process and create essays. Emphasis is also on the examination of sentence construction, grammar, mechanics, and vocabulary development. In seventh grade, students also work on development in content and ideas. In eighth grade, students are focused on preparation for high school writing.

Our history text in junior high is McDougal Littell. History is taught with a humanities approach, integrating literature into historical perspective. In sixth grade, students study ancient civilizations from early Mesopotamians to ancient Romans. In seventh grade, students study an overview of American History from 1500 to pre-Civil War. In eighth grade, students study an overview of American History from Civil War to present day. Students master a test on the U.S. constitution before graduation.

Science is a problem based, experiential curriculum through IQWST. Students use an online textbook to read scientific information and engage in hands-on experiments throughout the year. In 7th grade, students participate in Science Fair, where they explore a topic more in-depth using the scientific method.

Students in junior high are assessed annually to determine their math placement. The majority of students in grade 6 use both Everyday Math from the University of Chicago and Pre-Algebra from McDougal Littell during their 6th grade year.  An Honors Pre-Algebra class is avaiable for students who qualify.

 

In grade 7, students are placed in Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, or Honors Algebra 1 based on test scores, past performance, and teacher recommendation. All students will complete at least Pre-Algebra by the end of their 7th grade year.

 

In grade 8, students are placed in Algebra 1, Honors Algebra 1, and Honors Geometry. Upon graduation from All Saints, many students are placed in honors and advanced level classes at the high school of their choice. Some students will complete both Algebra and Geometry at All Saints and be ready for a junior-level math course as they enter high school. 

Spanish is a full course of study meeting daily for all three years of junior high. Students will work on listening, reading and writing comprehension, as well as on vocabulary and grammar structures in the target language. Students will learn to recite and write the Glory Be, the Our Father, and the Apostles' Creed in Spanish as part of their curriculum.

 

1. Demonstrate control when performing combinations and sequences of locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative motor patterns in selected activities, games, and sports.
2. Compare and contrast efficient and inefficient movement patterns.
3. Apply rules and safety procedures in physical activities. 
4. Apply basic offensive, defensive, and cooperative strategies in selected activities, games, and sports.
5. Identify the principles of training: frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITT).
6. Monitor intensity of exercise through a variety of methods (e.g. perceived exertion, pulse monitors, target heart rate), with and without the use of technology.
7. Identify opportunities within the community for regular participation in physical activities.
8. Follow directions and decisions of responsible individuals (e.g. teachers, peer leaders, squad leaders).
9. Remain on task, independent of distraction (e.g. peer pressure, environmental stressors).
10. Work cooperatively with others to accomplish a set goal in both competitive and non-competitive situations (i.e. baseball, choreographing a dance).
11. Identify and describe ways to reduce health risks common to adolescents (e.g. exercise, diet, refusal of harmful substances).
12. Explain routine safety precautions in practical situations (e.g in motor vehicles, on bicycles, in and near water, as a pedestrian).
13. Identify various careers involved in health promotion, health care and injury prevention.
14. Describe how the individual influences the health and well-being of the workplace and the community (e.g. volunteerism, disaster preparedness, proper care to prevent the spread of illness).
15. Identify potential environmental conditions that may affect the health of the local community (e.g. pollution, landfill, lead-based paint).
16. Explain how body systems interact with each other (e.g. blood transporting nutrients from the digestive system and oxygen from the respiratory system).
17. Explain the effects of health-related actions upon body systems (e.g. fad diets, orthodontics, avoiding smoking, alcohol use and other drug use).
18. Describe the relationships among physical, mental and social health factors during adolescence (e.g. the effects of stress on physical and mental performances, effects of nutrition on growth).
19. Describe possible causes and consequences of conflict and violence among youth in schools and communities.
20. Demonstrate methods for addressing interpersonal differences iwthout harm (e.g. avoidance, compromise, cooperation).
21. Apply refusal and negotiation skills to potentially harmful situations.

Grading: Based on students' preparedness for class and participation during class. Occasionally, projects and homework will be assigned.

1. Appreciation of beauty in the work through art.

2. Level appropriate exploration of elements and principles of art.

3. Appreciation of different cultures through art.

4. Appreciation of various artists and their works.

Junior high students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of liturgical music, rhythm, melody, timbre, expression, form, harmony, and style. Topics throughout junior high include music history, performance types, historical periods in music, and popular music including auto tuning, blues, jazz, and rock and roll.

All technology will be utilized within the context of the regular classroom curriculum. Skills to be developed and topics to be incorporated include internet safety, basic computer literacy, keyboarding, spreadsheets, and presentation software. Students also have STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Mathematics) class weekly, where they learn to use a variety of technology tools to solve hands-on problems collaboratively.