7th Grade Coursework
Religion
(Taught by Mrs. Christina Carpenter)
Area Study
Liturgy and Worship: A Course on Prayer and Sacraments.
Symbol and ritual; Sacred space; Symbolic thinking.
Catholic symbols and rituals; Meaning of liturgy; the paschal mystery
Jesus, the Word made flesh; What is a sacrament? Celebrating the sacraments
The Eucharist; Mass as sacrifice and meal; The Body of Christ
Participating in the Eucharist; Liturgy of the Word; Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation Eucharist; Effects of initiation.
Required Materials
Religion book, spiral notebook for religion, any handouts distributed by the teacher,
College ruled folder paper, blue or black ballpoint pen, and colored pencils
Objectives
1. To discover that humans have the power and the imagination to think symbolically.
2. To explore three of the most important characteristics of ritual.
3. To deepen understanding of the importance of symbolism and ritual in our lives.
4. To discover that when we Catholics pray together, we celebrate in and through symbolic activity.
5. To discover what we mean by the paschal mystery; to explore ways we live the paschal mystery.
6. To explore the words feelings or images the word Catholic brings to mind to review the ideas presented in this chapter.
7. To discover that in Jesus we see and come to know the invisible God.
8. To affirm the belief that in Jesus we see and come to know the invisible God; to recall that Jesus has given the Church seven sacraments through which we share in his saving work.
9. To discover in a deeper way that the Eucharist is " the source and summit of the Christian life."
10. To deepen understanding of and appreciation for the gift and graces of the Eucharist.
11. To discover that the celebration of the Eucharist has a fourfold structure; gathering, storytelling, meal sharing, and commissioning.
12. To explore the parts of the Liturgy of the word.
13. To discuss the need for everyone's full participation in the Mass.
14. To discover that Baptism is our first of conversion, the process of coming to believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.
15. To explore the meaning of the symbols and images of Baptism.
16. To deepen understanding and appreciation of the sacraments of initiation.
Prayers to Know:
1. Sign of the Cross
2. Glory Be
3. Lord’s Prayer
4. Hail Mary
5. Grace Before/After Meals
6. Confiteor
7. Nicene Creed
8. Act of Contrition
9. Holy, Holy, Holy
10. Memorial Acclimation
11. Lamb of God
12. Glory to God in the Highest
13. Rosary
14. Angelus
15. Come Holy Spirit
Assessment
Tests
Service Hours
Class work
Homework
Projects
Social Studies
(Taught by Mrs. Christina Carpenter)
Text: Across the Centuries
Unit 1 – Links to the Ancient World
Unit 2 – The Growth of Islam
Unit 3 – Sub-Saharan Africa
Unit 4 – Asian Civilizations
Unit 5 – Medieval Societies
Literature
Taught by Mrs. Barbara Seery
Novel: Two main novels will be read. The Pigman deals with teens and learning about friendship and responsibility. Hatchet is a story of survival in the Canadian wilderness. Both novels are award winners and are good for class discussions and thought-provoking questions. Assignments and projects will be given to go with each novel, and a final test at the end of the novel.
Read magazine is used each week. Both current and older issues are employed. Focus is on stories and literary devices and comprehension. Some material is excellent for class discussion
Short stories will be assigned from the four different sets of textbooks. Literary devices are introduced and worked upon. Occasionally videos will be shown which correlate to material being read and discussed.
English
– Taught by Mrs. Barbara Seery
Throughout the year the fundamentals of English grammar are taught and re-taught. The second trimester work will mainly consists of:
- Continuation in work on the parts of speech – adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions
- Punctuation
- Paragraph writing
- Creative stories in the Writing-to-Read Lab
- Work in computer lab in the SuccessMaker program and other activities
Vocabulary: The class is assigned a unit in the vocabulary book each week; the work is due on Friday. The following Friday, students are given a test on the unit words. The vocabulary words are posted on a bulletin board in the classroom and students are encouraged to use the words in their answers.
Spelling: Each week a unit is completed in Spelling. The unit is done at home and turned in on Thursday. Tests are on Friday. Some worksheets on the weekly work are done during the week. The SuccessMaker computer program has a spelling section that the class works on most weeks.
Read magazine has many activities for Language Arts instruction and review. These lessons are incorporated in the English classes.
Mathematics
(Taught by Mrs. Sharon Hawly)
Students in Jr. High will discover and view mathematics as an adventure, not a chore. Students will think logically and creatively, draw conclusions and justify solutions with an emphasis on problem solving.
The Jr. High math is a rigorous program which includes preparation for algebra and geometry, NCTM content and process standards plus practical strategies for taking tests.
Each grade is required to enter a four (4)-part nationwide math contest. Its primary purpose is to sharpen the participating student test-taking math skills that are needed to do well in college entrance exams.
Emphasis is on NCTM standards
- Making sense of the World of Data
- Number sense decimals and fractions
- Operations with Fractions
- Ratio rates and proportion
- Percents
- The Language of algebra (formulas, expressions, integers, equations)
- The Patterns of algebra: Linear equations and graphs
- Geometry: Solids, circles, transformations, counting and probability.
Science
(Taught by Ms. Anne Nicholson)
Students will:
- Select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data and display data
- Use a variety of print and electronic resources to collect information and evidence as part of a research project
- Communicate the logical connection among hypothesis, science concepts, tests conducted, data collected, and conclusions drawn from scientific evidence
- Construct scale models and appropriately label diagrams to communicate scientific information
- Communicate the steps and results from an investigation in written reports and oral presentation
- Study how the reproductive organs of the human female and male which generate eggs and sperm, and how sexual activity may lead to fertilization and pregnancy
- Be able to describe in accurate and sensitive terms what it is to have AIDS
- Reflect on the pain of persons who have the AIDS virus and on the trauma experienced by their families
- Respond to any prejudice or alienation shown to persons with the AIDS virus with a sense of connection and compassion
Computers
(Taught by Miss Kristen Thorner)
SPANISH IS LEARNED THROUGH THE ROSETTA STONE SOFTWARE PROGRAM IN THE COMPUTER LAB UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPUTER TEACHER
Physical Education
(Taught by Mrs. Andrea Fisher)