Middle School Grades
Grade 6
This is an exciting year of transition to the middle school years. No longer in a self-contained classroom with one main teacher, students begin changing classes with a different teacher for each subject. Early in the school year, they travel to Marin Headlands for a 3-day science camp. Many new exciting experiences accompany the 6th grade year, preparing students academically, spiritually, physically, and socially, to be ready for high school.
The focus of religion class this year is on scripture. Students will learn the history behind each book of the Bible and follow the key events of God’s people throughout salvation history. They will explore how God continually draws each person to himself in every age and place.
Students will master the concepts necessary for their success in seventh grade math. Instructional time is focused on the following areas:
- connecting ratio and rate to whole number multiplication and division, and using concepts of ratio and rate to solve problems;
- completing understanding of division of fractions and extending the notion of number to the system of rational numbers, which includes negative numbers;
- writing, interpreting, and using expression and equations;
- developing understanding of critical thinking.
St. Rose School is aligned with the Diocese of Sacramento Content Standards, which are based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Students will focus on three units of study throughout the course of the school year: Earth’s Place in the Universe; Earth’s Systems; and Earth and Human Activity.
The sixth grade English Language Arts (ELA) program focuses on improving students’ reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Students have separate classes for Literature & Writing and Grammar & Vocabulary. Reading, writing about, discussing, and analyzing literature, along with note-taking skills, are key components in the sixth grade curriculum. Throughout the course, students will develop their critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. They will also have opportunities to practice their public speaking and presentation skills. Students will read at least four novels, along with poetry and short stories during the year. They will also write several essays, both rough and final drafts, throughout the year.
Ancient World History is the subject for sixth grade Social Studies. The curriculum covers: Prehistoric Humans, Middle Eastern Civilizations, Egypt, India, Israel, Greece, and Rome. Geography themes are included throughout.
Parent Overview Common Core State Standards | Grade 6
Grade 7
Seventh grade is a year of continued academic, physical and spiritual growth at St. Rose School. Students enjoy going on several local field trips; and participating in a number of different clubs, including Student Council. For many students, seventh grade is the beginning of their teenage years.
Beginning in seventh grade, students learn how to respond to Jesus’ personal invitation for each person to become his disciple. They will take a deeper look into each of the seven sacraments, a life of prayer, and morality. Students also delve into other supporting resources, such as the Youcat (Youth Catechism), New American Standard Bible, and internet sites such as the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) and the www.vatican.va.
Students will master the concepts necessary for their success in eighth grade math. Instructional time is focused on the following areas:
- developing understanding of, and applying, proportional relationships;
- developing understanding of operations with rational numbers and working with expression and linear equations;
- solving problems involving scale drawings and informal geometric constructions, and working with two- and three- dimensional shapes to solve problems, involving area, surface area, and volume;
- drawing inferences about populations based on samples.
St. Rose School is aligned with the Diocese of Sacramento’s Content Standards, which are based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Students will focus on four units of study throughout the course of the school year: From Molecules to Organisms; Matter Cycles and Energy; Natural Processes and Human Activities; and Biodiversity and Ecosystems.
The seventh grade English Language Arts (ELA) program continues to focus on improving students’ reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. There are separate classes for Literature & Writing and Grammar & Vocabulary. Reading, writing about, discussing, and analyzing literature, along with note-taking skills, remain key components in the seventh grade curriculum. Throughout the course, students naturally develop their critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. They also have opportunities to practice their public speaking and presentation skills. Students will read several novels, along with poetry and short stories. They will also write several essays, both rough and final drafts, throughout the year.
Early World History is the subject of seventh grade Social Studies. Students begin learning about the Fall of Rome and end learning about the “Age of Exploration.” Geography themes are emphasized throughout.
Parent Overview Common Core State Standards | Grade 7
Grade 8
Eighth Grade is an exciting time, as students experience their final year at St. Rose and prepare for high school. The class begins the year by getting their eighth grade sweatshirts. Early in the year, the class comes together with eighth graders all over the Diocese of Sacramento to celebrate Mass at the Cathedral with Bishop Soto. It is a great experience and begins the preparation for Confirmation to come later in the year.
Eighth grade also creates memories on their overnight field trip in the fall. They get to know their classmates even better and have the opportunity to participate in new experiences. The class also partakes in multiple retreats throughout the school year to prepare for confirmation, graduation, and high school. Finally, their time comes to an end with all the events of graduation week, although it is never really the end because they always have their St. Rose School community to come back to.
Eighth graders finish their preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. They begin the year studying relationships, starting with friends and family and moving into the vocation of marriage. Morality, as well as church social teaching, is also explored during this year. Bibles, and the Youcat (Youth Catechism) are used to further student understanding of the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Math students will master the concepts necessary for success in their high school-level Algebra I course. Instructional time is focused on the following areas:
- Formulating and reasoning about expressions and equations, including modeling and solving linear equation and systems of linear equations;
- Grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships;
- Analyzing two- and three-dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence, and understanding and applying Pythagorean Theorem.
Algebra 1 students will master the concepts necessary for success in their high school-level Algebra course or to challenge High School Algebra I. Instructional time is focused on the following areas:
- Deepen and extend understanding of linear and exponential relationships and contrast linear and exponential relationships with each other;
- Engage in methods for analyzing, solving, and using quadratic, radical, and rational functions;
- Extend the laws of exponents to square and cube roots;
- Apply linear models to data that exhibit a linear trend; and (5) Analyze and interpret statistical models and solve permutations and combinations.
St. Rose School is aligned with the Diocese of Sacramento’s Content Standards, which are based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Students will focus on four units of study throughout the course of the school year: Noncontact Forces Influence Phenomena, Evolution Explains Life’s Unity and Diversity, Sustaining Local and Global Biodiversity.
The eighth grade English Language Arts (ELA) program continues to focus on improving students’ reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. There are two classes for Literature & Writing and Grammar & Vocabulary. Reading, writing about, discussing, and analyzing literature, along with note-taking skills, remain key components in the eighth grade curriculum, as more complex topics are discussed in class. Throughout the course, students naturally develop their critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. They also have opportunities to practice their public speaking and presentation skills. Students will read several novels, along with poetry and short stories. They will also write several essays, both rough and final drafts, throughout the year.
Eighth graders study U.S. History that dates from the 1500s until the late 1800s. In addition, students analyze current events several times a month. Technology is utilized extensively, through the use of creating movies, Google Slides, assignments on Google Classroom and usage of The Library of Congress primary sources.