Middle School

An important aspect of middle school is the daily Advisory period. This 30-minute period allows Fifth through Eighth grade students to have numerous opportunities for enrichment and growth. Each Middle School teacher acts as an advisor to a small group; community time allows students to build strong relationships with their advisor and each other. Students are able to join Student Council, National Junior Honor Society, Glee Club, Geography Bee, Fellowship of Christian Students, Math Counts, Junior Entrepreneur Club, STEM Club, or Environmental Club. Students have the chance to participate in yoga, ping pong, outdoor basketball, board games, and arts and crafts on a monthly basis. This time is also utilized for tutoring and middle school rallies that celebrate student success.

Physical Education: Country Days's Physical Education program includes Dynamic Physical Education. Each day, students engage in various activities to improve general physical fitness, fine and gross motor skills, team work, and sportsmanship while having fun.

Digital Media: Digital Media and Design is a course that explores the various forms of digital and print media, as well as the principles and tools of design in the brand-new, state-of-the-art production/recording studio. Throughout the course, students will work on individual and group projects, like the Class of 2024 mural, the school yearbook, and social media designs that allow them to apply their knowledge and skills in practical ways.

Yearbook production will be a key component of the course, and students will learn how to design and produce a high-quality yearbook using both traditional and digital techniques. This will include learning how to take and edit photographs, writing captions and headlines, and designing page layouts that are visually appealing and organized.

Social media spotlights will also be covered in this course, and students will learn how to use social media platforms to create engaging content for a specific audience. They will also learn about social media analytics and how to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns. They will also learn how to use design software such as Adobe Photoshop to create and edit digital media.

By the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of digital media and design principles, as well as the ability to create and produce high-quality yearbooks and social media spotlights. 

Library Study: The focus of Library Study is effectively using reference materials and technology to enhance classroom studies, safe internet usage, research skills, and using technology. 

English Language Arts: Fifth-grade ELA utilizes the research-based science of reading, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts Program (CKLA). This comprehensive curriculum is the leading early literacy curriculum grounded in the Science of Reading. By combining knowledge-building and research-based foundational skills, our instruction guides educators in developing strong readers, writers, and thinkers.

Math: Fifth grade utilizes the Reveal Math Curriculum, which is derived from the latest research on how students learn best, Reveal Math is strategically designed to fuel active student engagement and deepen conceptual understanding. This coherent, vertically aligned K–12 core math solution will help you uncover the mathematician in every student through productive struggle, rich tasks, inquiry opportunities, and mathematical discourse.

Science: The fifth grade science course will develop a greater understanding of basic scientific principles.  This understanding will be achieved by working through the process of scientific inquiry to explore science fields of earth, space, life, physical, and technology.

Spanish: The 5th grade introductory course areis designed to introduce rudimentary Spanish pronunciation, vocabulary terms, and grammar skills. This course also eases the transition into high school level Spanish courses. By the end of 5th grade, students should be approaching level
“Novice Low,” able to compose many short phrases and simple sentences..

Social Studies:This course will study the ancient world and ways in which archaeologists and historians uncover the past through prehistory, the earliest civilizations, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.  Geography and map skills will be developed throughout the course. 

STEM: Middle school STEM features coding, programming, engineering design and fabrication, robotics (building and programming for autonomous operation), and original, functional 3D designs and prints. The Engineering Design Process is integrated throughout the grades with student-designed projects using non-traditional building materials and numerous software programs, including AutoCad. Students utilize Ozobot, Makerbot, and Mindstorm EV3 to build and program autonomous operational robots. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher skills are infused throughout the courses.

English Language Arts: Sixth grade students continue Reading and Writing Workshop. The Units of Study in Reading and Writing allow students to explore multiple genres and texts through whole-class and small-group reading. The writing program allows students to express themselves in the creation of argument, informational, and narrative writing. Conferencing and rich discussion groups allow students to work collaboratively and individually to expand the skills of analysis, synthesis, and composition.

Math: Sixth-grade math progresses from basic arithmetic skills to pre-algebraic concepts. Students use problem-solving skills to explore real-world applications and expand their knowledge of abstract mathematical concepts, such as number sense, geometry, and linear equations.

Social Studies: Students will follow the development of the United States beginning with the American Revolution into the foundations of American government, the Constitution, social and political developments, the Louisiana Purchase, and the War of 1812 that led to the Industrial Revolution.  A focus on Louisiana History intertwined throughout these historical eras.  U.S. Geography and map skills will be developed throughout the course.

Science: This course focuses on the study of space, geologic structures and forces, the waters on our planet, and the atmospheric forces that shape our world.  Students will learn about scientific inquiry, geologic time, space exploration, the solar system, and the universe. Laboratory experiments will be applied to various topics studied. 

Spanish: The 6th grade introductory course is designed to introduce rudimentary Spanish pronunciation, vocabulary terms, and grammar skills. This course also eases the transition into high school level Spanish courses. By the end of 6th grade, students should be at "Novice Low" and approaching level “Novice Mid,” composing many simple sentences.

STEM: Middle school STEM features coding, programming, engineering design and fabrication, robotics (building and programming for autonomous operation), and original, functional 3D designs and prints. The Engineering Design Process is integrated throughout the grades with student-designed projects using non-traditional building materials and numerous software programs, including AutoCad. Students utilize Ozobot, Makerbot, and Mindstorm EV3 to build and program autonomous operational robots. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher skills are infused throughout the courses.

English Language Arts: English emphasizes deep study into literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Using workshop methodology, students write narratives, literary analysis and research, and arguments. With a focus on close-reading and discussion, students learn to express themselves, not just in writing, but in verbal forms. Grammar and vocabulary are taught through professional texts and student writing.

Pre-Algebra: Pre-algebra is a primary branch of algebra designed to prepare students for a standard high school algebraic course. Students are introduced to integers, fractions, square roots, step equations, linear equations, and decimals and are taught how to solve basic equations using variables.

Louisiana and Early American History:Students will follow the development of Louisiana as a French and Spanish colony, the British colonies, democracy, the American Revolution, the Constitution, social and political developments during the early period of the United States.  This course will highlight Louisiana as a colony, early statehood, and the Louisiana Purchase as part of westward expansion. Geography and map skills will be developed throughout the course. 

Science:This course  introduces biology concepts in order to help prepare students for a high school biology course. Material studied include living things, cells and cellular processes, and genetics.  Students will also study the classification of  living things, ecology, the human body, and evolution/natural selection.  Students will also review scientific method/lab safety and become proficient in using a microscope and preparing slides to be viewed.  Laboratory experiments will be applied to various topics studied. 

Spanish 1: The 7th grade course is designed to give students a solid foundation in the Spanish language and qualify them for a Spanish I high school credit. By the end of 7th Grade, students should be at level “Novice Mid” and approaching “Novice High,” composing short paragraphs with many simple sentences and a few complex sentences.

STEM: Middle school STEM features coding, programming, engineering design and fabrication, robotics (building and programming for autonomous operation), and original, functional 3D designs and prints. The Engineering Design Process is integrated throughout the grades with student-designed projects using non-traditional building materials and numerous software programs, including AutoCad. Students utilize Ozobot, Makerbot, and Mindstorm EV3 to build and program autonomous operational robots. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher skills are infused throughout the courses.

English I (High School credit):  English I is a study of various genres of world literature, vocabulary, and thinking skills. Students learn forms and terms associated with selections being read, develop comprehension and vocabulary skills to greater depth and complexity, and analyze elements of text for greater understanding and modeling for their own writing. There is a focus on organizational strategies for writing narrative, argument, and literary analysis and research. 

Algebra 1 (High School credit): Algebra 1 focuses on expressions, systems of equations, functions, real numbers, inequalities, exponents, polynomials, factoring, radicals, and rational expressions.  Students will translate mathematical equations into 3-D objects and use Algebra to solve real-world problems.

American History:This course presents a cohesive and comprehensive overview of the history of the United States, surveying the major events and turning points of U.S. history as it moves from the first English colonies through modern times. As students examine each era of history, they will analyze primary sources and carefully research events to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that have shaped U.S. history.

Physical Science (High School credit):Students in Physical Science will be introduced to chemistry and physics which includes the study of the physical and chemical changes of matter, atoms, and atomic structure.  Students will also study motion, Newton’s Laws, forces, and electricity.  Measurement skills are practiced and mastered in the study of volume, density, length, and mass.  Laboratory experiments will be applied to various topics studied.

Spanish 2 (High School credit): The 8th grade course is designed to continue a student's foundation in the Spanish language and qualify them for a Spanish II high school credit. By the end of 8th Grade, students should be at level “Novice High” and approaching “Intermediate Low,” composing paragraphs with simple sentences and more complex sentences.

Introduction to Engineering Design (High School Credit): The major focus of the IED course is to expose eighth-grade students to the design process, research and analysis, teamwork, communication methods, global and human impacts, engineering standards, and technical documentation in the brand new, state-of-the-art Maker Space

 Students will develop problem-solving skills and apply their knowledge of research and design to create solutions to various challenges that increase in difficulty throughout the course. Students will also learn how to maintain an engineering notebook to communicate their solutions to their peers and members of the professional community.

The IED course features coding, programming, engineering design and fabrication, robotics (building and programming for autonomous operation), and original, functional 3D designs and prints. The Engineering Design Process is integrated throughout with student-designed projects using non-traditional building materials, prototyping with cardboard recyclables, and numerous software programs, including AutoDesk. The course also integrates the use of a laser cutter for more advanced projects, engravings and cuttings.

Experiential learning is a critical part of the educational experience at Country Day. Each year, students engage in exciting learning opportunities. Middle School students can expect these fun, educational experiences: