The General Catechetical Directory states that catechesis “must take diligent care faithfully to present the entire treasure of the Christian message” (#38).  All its essential elements are to be presented as a whole, even in the initial stages of Religious Education.  In the beginning this presentation will be simple, adapted to the limited capacity and experience of young children.  Then it is to be progressively deepened and broadened in accordance with the level of the children’s development.

            To achieve this balance in content, and to ensure consistent progress and development, our studies employ the spiral curriculum.  The program for each grade level builds upon previous ones following a pattern of continuous growth in depth and in scope.

            The content presented in the program falls under these headings:

    Creed (Doctrine) – Our Proclamation

                                  of our Faith

    Sacraments – God’s Signs of Love

    Scripture – God’s Word

    Commandments – God’s Laws

    Liturgy and Prayer – Our Response

                                           to God
Click here for complete Diocesan Religion Curriculum

The standard course of study for English Language Arts consists of five component parts:  reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.

            Specifically, the seventh grader will:

   -  recognize reading as a path to vicarious experiences

   -  provide alternatives to an author’s point of view

   -  identify resources that are needed to complete various reading and writing tasks

   -  determine the practicality and usefulness of ideas in light of purpose

   -  read literary materials with complex characters, settings, and episodes with teacher support, and independently

   -  recognize meter as a characteristic of poetry

   -  recognize, discuss, and form generalizations about a range of genres, including short story, novel, biography, and autobiography

   -  recognize the author’s use of language devices such as sound, diction, and symbolism

   -  recognize that writing can persuade and change people’s actions and attitudes

   -  write on a variety of topics in more than one    mode

   -  use concrete images and vivid descriptions in point of view writing

   -  revise by rearranging, deleting, or adding new ideas and/or paragraphs

   -  use writing as a preparation for contributing to a discussion

   -  write point of view texts that have a coherent, logical, and organized structure

   -  write point of view texts that provide sufficient, related, elaborated, reasons to support a position

   -  engage in a comprehensive study of spelling, grammar, and vocabulary

   -  use a range of vocabulary, grammatical structures, forms, and modes effectively and appropriately for purpose and audience

The seventh grade study of Africa and Asia completes the study of the state, nation and world begun in fourth grade.  Students examine social, economic and political institutions of societies in Africa and Asia.  They analyze similarities and differences and make comparisons with societies in the Western Hemisphere and Europe.  While the concepts for this grade draw from history and social sciences, the primary discipline is geography, especially cultural geography.

            Specifically, the seventh grader will:

• use the five themes of geography and geographic tools to answer geographic questions and analyze geographic concepts

• assess the relationship between physical environment and cultural characteristics of selected societies and regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia.

• analyze the impact of interactions between humans and their physical environments in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

• identify significant patterns in the movement of people, goods, and ideas over time and place in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

• evaluate the varied ways people of Africa, Asia, and Australia make decisions about the allocation and use of economic resources.

• recognize the relationship between economic activity and the quality of life in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

• assess the connections between historical events and contemporary issues in Africa, Asia, and Australia.  

• assess the influence and contributions of individuals and cultural groups in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

• analyze the different forms of government developed in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

• compare the rights and civic responsibilities of individuals in political structures in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

• recognize the common characteristics of different cultures in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

• the influence of major religions, ethical beliefs, and values on cultures in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

• describe the historic, economic, and cultural connections among North Carolina, the United States, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

   

   

   

There are four main areas within the math objectives.  They are:

            Number sense, numeration and  numerical operations

            Spatial sense, measurement, and geometry

            Patterns, relationships and functions

            Statistics, probability and data

            Specifically, the seventh grader will:

   -  write whole numbers in scientific notation; convert scientific notation to standard form; investigate the uses of scientific notation

   -  compare and order rational numbers

   -  compute with integers

   -  estimate and solve problems using ratio, proportion and percent including discounts, taxes, commissions, and simple interest

   -  understand the meaning of the square root of a number

   -  investigate the concept of the Pythagorean Theorem

   -  find the surface area of rectangular solids, and cylinders

   -  find the volume of solids and cylinders

   -  recognize the effect on the area and perimeter when one or two dimensions  of a plan figure are changed

   -  evaluate algebraic expressions

   -  model and solve simple equations and inequalities, and graph their solutions; use appropriate technology

   -  write a simple linear equation or inequality to solve a given problem; use appropriate technology

   -  interpret and construct histograms

   -  construct circle graphs using ratios, proportions, and percents

   -  identify appropriate uses of the different measures of central tendency

   -  compute and apply simple permutations andcombinations

The strands identify unifying threads to permeate the integrated science goals and objectives for the middle school science program.  As a result of activities in grades 6-8, all students should develop an understanding of:

            The Nature of Science, Science as Inquiry, Science and Technology and Science in Personal and Social Perspectives.

            Specifically, the seventh grader will:

     -   build an understanding of the atmosphere

     -   build an understanding of cell theory

     -   build an understanding of heredity and genetics

     -  build an understanding of the general properties and interaction of matter

Specifically, the seventh grader will:

   -  develop critical and creative thinking skills and perceptual awareness necessary for understanding and producing art

   -  develop skills necessary for understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes

   -  organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements

   -  choose and evaluate a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate intended meaning in artworks

   -  understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

   -  reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of his/her own work and the work of others

   -  perceive connections between visual arts and other disciplines

   -  develop an awareness of art as an avocation and

Specifically, the seventh grader will:

   -sing alone and with others

   -perform on instruments alone and with others

   -improvise melodies and accompaniments

   -compose and arrange music within grade appropriate guidelines

   -listen, analyze and describe music

   -evaluate music and musical performances

   -understand the relationship between music, other arts and disciplines outside the arts

   -participate in liturgical music

Specifically, the seventh grader will:

   -develop an acceptable level of health-related fitness and demonstrate knowledge, skills and behaviors to promote physical fitness

   -participate in rhythmic activities that include locomotor/non-locomotor movement, rope jumping and creative, folk and popular dance

   -develop motor skills and apply strategies used to participate safely in tagging, throwing, catching and striking games/sports

 - demonstrate a wide variety of body management skills through successful participation in developmentally appropriate gymnastics

 - develop self-management skills, responsible social behavior and an awareness of diversity through participation in physical activity

Specifically, the seventh grader will:

   -  begin to independently access a greater and more varied number of resources, including, print, non-print and electronic

   -  begin to examine and evaluate ideas and opinions using more than their immediate surroundings as a point of comparison

   -  develop with guidance, a search strategy to access more resources for research, and evaluate the appropriateness of each

   -  create products with progressively fewer directions, using a variety of media, and begin using formally accepted standards of production, including crediting sources

The curriculum is organized around the five basic goals of listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture.  The content presented is age appropriate.

            Specifically, the seventh grader will:

   -  fold a piece of paper into a figure while listening to the teacher’s step by step instructions

   -  locate geographic features on a map after listening to oral directions

   -  complete an interview sheet in response to oral questions

   -  engage in a simple role play dialog

   -  describe what is seen after viewing a picture

   -  ask and answer questions based on charts

   -  describe a sequence of events

   -  complete a paragraph by choosing words from the  board

   -  make a greeting card

   -  begin to understand and use grammar when speaking and writing

   -  write a paragraph comparing two elements

   -  read a story from the culture where the language is spoken

The counseling curriculum consists of four competency-based goals. 

            Specifically, the seventh grader will:

   -  demonstrate a positive attitude toward self as a unique and worthy person

   -  gain life-planning skills that are consistent with needs, interests and abilities

   -  develop responsible social skills and an understanding and appreciation of being a contributing member of society

   -  demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the life-long process of learning, growing and changing

The computer program for grades 6-8 consists of four main goals.  Each goal targets specific skills.

            Specifically, the seventh grader will:

demonstrate ethical behavior relating to security, privacy, passwords, and personal information

demonstrate an understanding of copyright by citing sources of copyrighted materials in papers, projects, and multimedia presentations

enter and edit data into a prepared spreadsheet to test simple ”what if” statements

select appropriate spreadsheet functions to solve problems

research, create, publish, and present projects related to content areas using a variety of technological tools

search and sort information using more than one criterion and explain strategies used to find information