Middle School

St. Anne Catholic Middle School provides an outstanding Catholic education, enabling students to excel in scholarship, leadership, character development, and service. Our students are prepared to be lifelong learners and leaders in the Church and society. With a college-preparatory education beginning in 6th grade that speaks to the whole person, St. Anne promotes a strong academic tradition of critical thinking, intellectual curiosity and active social responsibility.

Middle school students attend classes following the A/B Day rotating schedule. Their schedule includes six 80-90 minute blocks: Religion, science, social studies, math, English Language Arts, and RTI Eagle time. The RTI Eagle time allows students to get extra help, sharpen their executive functioning skills, and work on outstanding projects or assignments. The A/B Block model supports deeper learning by allowing a variety of activities and differentiated instruction to occur during a single class period. Middle school students also attend one co-curricular class each day and have a free recess period.

Curriculum and Instruction

Reading and English/Language Arts

The St. Anne School ELA curriculum strives to provide exploratory experiences which will enable students to achieve their potential as critical thinkers, effective communicators, and intelligent interpreters of text and media. Utilizing relevant, rigorous, and differentiated instruction, teachers support students in developing proficiency in various forms of communication and improving the skills required for success in high school and beyond.

The middle school language arts curriculum consists of the study of short stories, novels, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and writing and speaking skills. The student will read and learn to comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and non-print formats. In addition to fiction works, students will read and analyze a variety of informational text such as speeches, discussions and media productions. Always the presence of God will guide the choice of topics and selected reading material. Word analysis and vocabulary strategies are very much a part of the language arts curriculum by studying literal and figurative meanings, denotation and connotation, spelling, and syntax clues. Latin is integrated into the curriculum as a tool to help our students decipher the roots of our English language. Our students create written works that have a clear focus, sufficient detail, coherent organization, use of voice and correct use of the conventions of Standard American English.

As the student progresses through the St. Anne ELA curriculum, the writing aspect of language arts in the student will show an increased level of mastery of grammar and development of ideas. The culmination of written work is the completion of an MLA research paper that has been learned step-by-step from formation of thesis statement, note cards, sentence outline and proper citing. The tenets of the Catholic faith inform and pervade the reading and writing responses of the students.

S.T.R.E.A.M

Science

Throughout middle school, students are taught a mixture of Physical, Life, and Earth Sciences, as well as experimental design and inquiry. Middle School students continue to develop their investigative skills by generating their own questions, recognizing and explaining the relationships among variables, and critiquing the conclusions that are drawn from scientific investigations. Hands on activities are stressed and include student discovery, laboratory experiments, dissections, problem solving, model building, cooperative learning, iPad usage, classroom discussion, teacher demonstrations, and writing opportunities for research and self-expression. Interdisciplinary subject areas are incorporated whenever possible. Students are introduced to the use of scientific tools and methods used for investigations.

Technology

Advancements in our rapidly changing world necessitate the development of technological skills to enable students to function in an increasingly global society. Our goal is to present and strengthen the skills students need to access, interpret, and synthesize information which is constantly changing. Middle school students are given 1:1 technology to help develop the skills necessary for 21st century learning. Technology is a tool for learning and developing critical thinking skills across the content area. Having students acquire these skills will result in the development of self-directed learners who can independently and cooperatively apply technology to solve problems and make informed decisions. Technology instruction and application is integrated into each subject area.

Religion

Students develop a positive self-image and a loving relationship with God through their study of the weekly Gospels. Participation in religious activities such as weekly mass, prayer services, various liturgical celebrations, and age-appropriate service projects help to plant the seeds of faith and community service early on. Prayer happens all throughout the day at St. Anne, fostering an environment where children can grow in their faith. Students learn about God’s creation and love on earth, in our families, and in our church. Catholic prayers and practices of our faith are taught according to the Diocesan Curriculum.

Engineering

We know that children learn through experiences. Engineering, by its nature, is an inquiry-based pedagogical strategy that promotes learning across all subjects. Through the engagement in engineering lessons, our students are introduced to everyday applications of science, technology, and math. Our teachers use various resources, such as Teach Engineering Curriculum for K-12 Teachers, to plan lessons that will “improve students’ understanding of fundamental concepts in a way that capitalizes upon their design, visualization, creativity, and teamwork skills.”

Arts

St. Anne offers a diverse curriculum in music, art, and drama throughout the school aimed at creating musical and dramatic fluency and literacy in all students. Students are actively involved in the “Arts” program. They attend weekly music class during which they develop a love and appreciation for rhythm, musical intonation, and lyrics. Through art lessons, they experience of a variety of mediums of to enhance the development of fine motor skills and creativity. During the elementary years, students are challenged with more intense drama instruction and even have the opportunity to participate in the major school productions.

Math

A strong math education serves as a gateway for higher education and empowers students to compete successfully for 21st century careers. Our middle school mathematics curriculum is structured to build upon the foundational skills developed during the elementary years and provide a rigorous curriculum according to the needs and abilities of each student. Through a differentiated approach, students engage in innovative and challenging lessons to develop strong real-world problem solving and critical thinking skills that foster an appreciation of mathematics. While learning new math concepts each year, students also engage in spiral review through the online platform IXL. The built in support allows students to work on fun and interactive questions at their own pace to gain fluency and master essential skills.

Students are grouped heterogeneously in 6th grade. Beginning in 7th grade, students are placed in either 7th grade math or pre-algebra depending on their strengths and mathematical development. The criteria used for this placement includes grades, test scores, participation, work ethic, interest, and teacher recommendation. Below is a chart of middle school tracks.We recognize that students develop at different paces, so there is always flexibility within these tracks for students to be moved to a different track if the need arises.

	HONORS	COLLEGE PREP
Grade 6	Course 1- 6th Grade Math	Course 1- 6th Grade Math
Grade 7	Pre-Algebra	Course 2- 7th Grade Math
Grade 8	Algebra I	Pre-Algebra

Social Studies

In 6th grade, students begin with Ancient World Cultures, studying the world from man’s earliest writings in caves. Students follow the progress of man through the beginning of the great civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, Greece, China and the Americas. Seventh graders progress to Modern World Cultures, which picks up in the fast-moving era of the 15th century. Man is finding new horizons, creating new inventions and thinking in a new way. Students study changes in political, social and economic trends through the era of European exploration and settlement to the present. Middle school social studies culminates in the study of South Carolina History, which traces American History by studying local influence on the progression of our nation from pre-colonial to the modern era. Students will learn to assess historical materials, their relevance to a given issue, their reliability and their importance, and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship.

Spanish

In Middle School, students expand upon the content they have already learned, thus, preparing them for what is to come at the High School level. Students learn the basic language patterns and vocabulary. Focus is on all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Culture is an integral part of the course and is introduced through the use of media, games, adapted readings and class discussions. Additionally, elements of the Catholic faith tradition are integrated into the Spanish curriculum in order to provide a meaningful language and cultural experience within the context of the Catholic faith. Students at St. Anne have the unique opportunity to take Spanish I for high school credit in 8th grade. Many universities require three years of foreign language in high school, so this puts our students ahead for graduation.

Physical Education

Physical Education is an integral part of the St. Anne School curriculum. All students (K3-12) participate in this enrichment. The instructional program is designed to promote and encourage physical fitness, develop fundamental motor skills, emphasize safety, stimulate social and cognitive development, and encourage decision-making, problem solving, and cooperation. All areas are addressed within the context of a Catholic environment supporting the honor system and sportsmanship at its best.

Physical Education students will be exposed to a wide variety of sports, skills, and activities. As a result students will have the necessary opportunities to refine their personal abilities and needs. Placing an emphasis on participation rather than on the development of the gifted athlete is a prime goal. The units of study vary greatly according to each grade's skill level. Each spring, the Physical Education Department sponsors Field Day. SAS Field Day is packed with numerous indoor and outdoor games and activities!