Middle School Curriculum Program
Grades 5-7

English:      The English curriculum focuses on the parts of speech, grammar rules, and writing skills.  Students have access to practice activities found in textbooks, workbooks, notes, and handouts.  Teachers strive to help students translate their knowledge of grammar rules into quality writing.  Each grade level completes a research paper every year; all work for this project is done at school.  Spelling skills are included in the English curriculum. 

Math:          The Math curriculum focuses on the student’s ability to perform math in the real world.  Manipulative materials are used at all grade levels to facilitate differentiated instruction.  There is a concentration on basic skills and problem solving while also integrating technology. The middle school curriculum begins preparing students for high school in the fifth grade with basic algebra notation.  Knowledge of fraction and decimal operations is crucial.  Sixth grade continues to develop the student’s algebraic understanding with one step equations.  Other sixth grade topics include ratio, percent, integers, and geometry.  Seventh grade participates in the Archdiocesan Algebra Initiative: Destination Math, focusing on pre-algebra skills with integers and also includes solving multi-step equations, inequalities, linear equations and working with polynomials. 

Reading:     Reading is taught through the use of textbooks, notes, and novels.  Vocabulary skills are included in the Reading curriculum.  Students discuss literature from different cultures and all basic genres.  Accelerated students complete an intense study of American writers in addition to reading a play by English playwright William Shakespeare.  In Reading, students are taught to read for details as well as themes and greater concepts. Students are expose to a wide variety of literature through the Accelerated Reader program. 

Religion:     Religion is taught daily with special emphasis on the fundamentals of our Catholic faith and an in-depth study of the sacraments.  The Old and New Testaments, Christian Morality, and Church History are the core topics covered in the middle school Religion curriculum.  Each grade level assists in planning the school masses.   

Science:     The scientific method, physical science, earth science and life science encompass the curriculum.  Lab experiments, projects, and student presentations are integrated throughout science. Every science class is physically designed for cooperative learning group instruction.  Daily use of technology, probes, hands-on models, lab equipment, videos, and activities promote problem solving and communication in a group setting.

Studies:      United States and world geography, ancient civilization, and American history (including exploration, colonization, the American Revolution, and the Civil War) are components of the middle school Social Studies curriculum. Projects, discussion, presentations, guest speakers, computer research, and field trips are utilized to enhance learning and critical thinking skills. 

 Accelerated Classes are offered in Math and Reading. 

Specialists: Computer classes, health/physical education, Spanish, music, library,     and art are part of our regular curriculum.  Students participate in these specialist classes weekly.  Catapult Learning and Speech are available for individualized enrichment throughout the school year.  Catapult Learning also offers a summer on-line math enrichment program. 

Program:    A safe drug-free program is implemented to build self-esteem and healthy  life skills.  A school counselor is available on an individual needs basis. 

Technology: St. Pius X is equipped with three computer labs.  Each classroom is equipped with computers, an Interactive Whiteboard, a LCD projector, and a Visual Presenter.  The science lab is technology based with computers, graphing calculators, and CBL probes. This technology and its access, provides students with a creative and innovative approach in various research and core curriculum projects. By integrating technology in the teaching process to provide a multi-media approach, the needs of the varied types of learners are being addressed.