Middle School

6th Grade Curriculum

Religion

The Word of Life Religion series focuses on Jesus and His fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. Topics covered are:
Divine Revelation Morality and Virtue God’s Mercy in Action The Liturgical Year
Sacred Scripture The Blessed Trinity The Incarnation The Baptism of Jesus
God’s Covenant Promises

SWS Middle School Students participate in the Diocesan Aquinas Program, a research-based, self-guided learning initiative, fostering critical thinking and collaboration as students explore a chosen topic, culminating in an annual Expo to present their findings. The program is named for St. Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of students. The 2025 SWS Aquinas Team was one of three Diocesan teams to have received recognition, earning an award for their research and presentation.

Latin

Latin instruction is introduced in Grade 6, inviting students to discover how this ancient language continues to influence our world today. Through the study of etymology, students explore how Latin root words, prefixes, and endings form the foundation of the English language, strengthening vocabulary, reading comprehension, and critical thinking skills. The course is enriched though the teaching of Latin prayers, helping students deepen their understanding of the Church's language and tradition while connecting faith and learning. Students also journey into the history and culture of Ancient Rome, gaining insight into its influence on government, language, and daily life.

English Language Arts

Following the DRVC Curriculum map and Priority Standards, students in Grade 6 ELA utilize the myPerspectives program to develop their reading and writing skills. The program employs many approaches to reading including whole, small, and individual learning activities. As the students work through the program, they develop many essential reading skills such as the author's craft and style, developing ideas, central idea, theme, and characterization. The program integrates many forms of reading passages including novel excerpts, poetry, dramas, short stories, and news articles. Each unit also includes writing performance-based tasks. During vocabulary instruction, students use Sadlier’s Vocabulary Workshop to learn new words and strategies through comprehension passages, synonyms and antonyms work, and context activities. To round out the 6th ELA curriculum, the Voyages in English program teaches students grammar skills such as parts of speech, diagramming sentences, and sentence structures.

Mathematics
Grade 6 Mathematics follows the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards and Mathematical Practices using a variety of tools for instruction and discovery such as HMH Into Math, interactive notebooks, digital resources, and hands-on centers. Students will have opportunities to apply the skills they have learned and use them in real life situations such as shopping, baking, data collecting and organizing, and building. Individualized instruction is given through small groups using data collected from classroom assessments and i-Ready diagnostics and weekly lessons.

Understanding Integers and Rational Numbers
Operations with Fractions and Decimals
Ratios, Rates, Percents
Algebraic Expressions
Solving One Step Equations and Inequalities
Coordinate Graphing of Polygons
Data Collection and Displays
Area and Volume
Measure of Center Tendencies

Students are assessed throughout the school year using benchmark assessments, chapter quizzes and assessments, and formative assessments (exit tickets, small group meetings, math reflections)

Mathematical Practices
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
4. Model with mathematics.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
6. Attend to precision.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

History

The 6th Grade Social Studies curriculum encompasses the exploration of World History from Ancient Civilizations to the Middle Ages. Through this course, students will gain insights into the key elements that contribute to a successful civilization and how these societies adapted to their environments. By examining Ancient Greece and Rome, students will draw connections between the philosophies of Ancient Greece and their relevance to contemporary government and society.

Unit 1 - Geography
Unit 2 - Early Humans
Unit 3 - Mesopotamia
Unit 4 - Ancient Egypt
Unit 5 - Ancient India/Ancient China
Unit 6 - Ancient Greece
Unit 7 - Ancient Rome
Unit 8 - Middle Ages

Science

The Sixth Grade Science curriculum provides a comprehensive foundation in Earth Science, Physical Science, and Life Science. Through hands-on investigation and inquiry-based learning, students explore key scientific concepts that build critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Topics of study include:
Physical Science
- - Structure of matter
  - Changes in matter, including physical and chemical changes, mixtures, and separations
  - Forms of energy and the conservation of mass and energy
  - Elements and atoms
  - Properties of waves and the electromagnetic spectrum
Earth Science
- - Earth’s surface processes, including erosion, weathering, and deposition
  - Rocks and minerals
  - Plate tectonics
  - Earth’s water systems
  - Oceans and climate
Life Science
- - Characteristics and basic needs of living organisms
  - Structures and functions of plants and animals
  - Photosynthesis

7th Grade Curriculum

Latin

Seventh grade Latin instruction builds upon students' foundational knowledge with increased focus on vocabulary development, noun cases, verb conjugations, sentence structure, and word endings, while simultaneously strengthening English language vocabulary through Latin roots and derivatives. Students also engage in the study of Latin prayers, deepening their understanding of the language of the Church. These prayers provide meaningful context for pronunciation, translation, and comprehension. Alongside language exploration, students also explore Ancient Roman history and culture and the lasting influence of Rome on Western Civilization.

Mathematics

Students examine and analyze proportional relationships and apply them to real world problems and situations. We study the number system, and develop an understanding of operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers using both positive and negative numbers. We use properties to generate equivalent expressions by using numerical and algebraic expressions and equations. Students draw, construct, and describe geometric figures and their relationships in an abstract way. Through applications, students look to solve real world situations involving angle measure, area, surface area, and volume. Random samplings allow students to draw inferences about a population, and draw conclusions about two or more populations through informal comparative inferences. Students develop, use, and evaluate probability using models and real world situations. Buying and financing a car, analyzing the stock market, room makeover, and buying and budgeting are included in the curriculum in order for students to apply their math skills and make real life associations.

History
Seventh Grade Social Studies marks the beginning of a two year journey into the History of the United States. Students examine the origin of the United States and New York in a chronological framework that incorporates Catholic Identity and Social Teaching throughout. Students explore the variety of Native American tribes that inhabited North America prior to European contact. Subsequently, they explore the first colonial settlements that eventually led to the establishment of the original Thirteen Colonies. Students analyze the development of each colonial region, how each of these colonies interacted with each other, and with the mother country, Great Britain. Students examine the roots of the American Revolution and the creation of the Constitution of the United States. Students also explore how the new government was implemented, focusing on the early days of this great nation including westward expansion and reform movements. This course culminates with the study of the Civil War. Current Events are woven into the curriculum and class discussions to encourage students to make present day connections, and to develop an understanding and appreciation of the responsibilities of each American citizen.

8th Grade Curriculum

Religion
Grade 8 students prepare for Confirmation, the final Sacrament of Initiation. Students follow the requirements set forth by the Diocese of Rockville Centre, St. William the Abbot School, and the St. William the Abbot Office of Faith Formation, under the leadership of Fr. Joseph Fitzgerald, Pastor of St. William the Abbot Parish. As part of their preparation, students participate in a number of Apostolic Service Hours both in and out of school. They research and profile the Saint whose name and life they strive to emulate with the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. This research is woven into the larger Word of Life Curriculum, focusing on the lives of Saints and the ways in which following the examples of the Saints helps to deepen understanding of the Catholic tradition. In addition, topics of Catholic morality and social teachings are integrated into Grade 8 Religion studies.
SWS Middle School Students participate in the Diocesan Aquinas Program, a research-based, self-guided learning initiative, fostering critical thinking and collaboration as students explore a chosen topic, culminating in an annual Expo to present their findings. The program is named for St. Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of students. The 2025 SWS Aquinas Team was one of three Diocesan teams to have received recognition, earning an award for their research and presentation.

Latin

Latin 8 instruction expands students' knowledge with a focus on more advanced grammar and syntax, including additional verb tenses, noun and adjective agreement, pronouns, and increasingly complex sentence structures. Students also engage in deeper exploration of Ancient Roman history and culture, examining Rome's territorial expansion, leadership, societal structure, and her enduring impact on law, language, and the Catholic Church.

Mathematics

Math 8 teaches the basic foundations to prepare students for Algebra. Math 8 focus includes exploring and working with radicals and integer exponents. Students will use their knowledge of proportional relationships from 7th grade to connect it to lines and linear equations in addition to analyzing and solving linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations. Students will explore functions and learn how to evaluate and compare them as they demonstrate relationships between quantities. The Math 8 curriculum also focuses on geometry, which includes the study of geometric figures and their congruence and similarity through the use of physical models, transparencies and technology. Students will also learn different angle relationships of shapes including triangles and quadrilaterals as well as angle measures formed from parallel lines and transversals. A study of Pythagoras and his theorem along with applying that theorem in real world situations and problem-solving. Students investigate patterns and the association of patterns in bivariate data.

Algebra I (Regents)
Students who qualify for Algebra I must demonstrate exceptional mathematical abilities and study skills. The decision for recommendation to the accelerated program is based on a collection of data including standardized test results, previous grades, i-Ready diagnostic scores and consideration of individual student attributes such as effective study habits, excellent effort, and interest in challenging material. In addition, teacher recommendation is required. The Algebra program follows the NYS Integrated Algebra curriculum, and students are prepared to sit for the NYS Regents examination offered each June.
Algebra I applies many concepts learned and practiced in the seventh and eighth-grade curriculum. Algebra I students will identify functions via tables, graphs, and equations, graph linear functions and describe features, such as the slope and intercepts, understand how to calculate rates of change in real-world applications, write equations for linear functions from word problems, and compare functions, linear and non-linear, in different forms. Students will solve systems of linear equations both algebraically and graphically. Along with solving systems of equations in real-world situations, students are continually encouraged to utilize critical thinking skills while applying their knowledge to the aforementioned real-world situations.

History
Eighth Grade Social Studies is a continuation of a two-year journey into the History of the United States that began in Seventh Grade. Students examine the development and expansion of the United States and New York in a chronological framework that incorporates Catholic Identity and Social Teaching throughout. This curriculum begins by examining the rapidly changing landscape of a post-Civil War United States as a result of increased immigration, urbanization, industrialization, and westward movement. Students examine the impact of changing foreign policies through the early Twentieth Century that ultimately allowed the United States to rise to the ranks of World Power. They also explore the domestic challenges that accompany this increased responsibility. From the Roaring Twenties to the end of the Cold War, students can recognize the struggles that ensued to guarantee the freedom that they enjoy today. This course culminates with the study of present-day history and the path towards the future. Current Events are woven into the curriculum and class discussions to encourage students to further present-day connections and to develop an understanding and appreciation of the responsibilities of each American citizen.