The Seventh Grade Program at St. Thomas More School

Curriculum Overview

The seventh grade curriculum is aligned with the Diocesan guidelines and Pennsylvania State Academic Standards.

Religion

The curriculum includes the study of the life of Jesus and the Church with the purpose of developing each student's life-long commitment to faith in Christ.  Students study Jesus' life and develop a deeper understanding of who He is, leading to a recognition of the importance of following Jesus' Way in their own lives.

Language Arts/Literature

The curriculum includes the study of grammar, literature, and communication as a means to enhance students’ effective use of oral and written language.  Students develop critical reading skills through the study of short stories, plays, poetry, nonfiction literature, and novels.  The five elements of literature are reviewed as a means to analyzing and understanding works of literature.  Writing ability is developed through the writing of descriptive, narrative, persuasive, and expository essays, poetry, and plays.  Opportunities for oral presentations are also given.

Math

Students in seventh grade participate in two different math classes. Students study pre-algebra five days a week and study the fundamental concepts of geometry, its language, and its notation two days a week. This twice-a-week class helps prepare students for a formal course of geometry in high school.

Science

Students learn basic laboratory skills: working in pairs, handling equipment appropriately, working safely, designing and conducting an experiment, learning proper methods of collecting, recording, averaging and analyzing the data collected through experimentation. While life science is the main focus of the course, chemistry, earth, and space topics are integrated in the program. Students are also required to do an independent, experimental project.

Social Studies

Seventh grade students study modern cultures in Asia, Australia, Africa, and Middle America. We focus on the regions in these areas. Google Earth is used to help develop an understanding of the geographic location and terrain of these areas.

Seventh Grade Highlights

Parish priests present lessons related to students’ faith development. Students also participate in service projects at the school which provide opportunities for putting their faith into action. Junior high students are given the opportunity to participate in MathCounts and the Pennsylvania Mathematics League (PML) Competition. These programs build critical thinking skills and teach problem-solving strategies. All students are encouraged to participate. The top 12 mathletes compete at a regional competition held in February. The PML competition takes place at Central Catholic High School where students take a 30 minute multiple-choice math test. The top 10 students are honored at an awards assembly held in March. Students are also invited to participate in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science and are given an opportunity to orally present their independent, experimental project at a regional symposium and at a Pennsylvania state symposium. Finally, students travel to Gettysburg in the spring, providing them an opportunity to learn about the Civil War; this trip will prepare students for the beginning of the eighth grade social studies curriculum and a cross-curriculum study of a novel in literature.

Technology Highlights, Projects, and Special Events

Seventh grade students use a laptop cart outfitted with 26 laptops. Laptop activities, projects, and assignments enhance the curriculum and develop students' deeper understanding of subject matter. Students create projects using PowerPoint and record  podcasts related to classroom learning. They participate in WebQuests that foster an understanding of topics learned in the classroom. They also use Compass Learning for learning activities and assessments, particularly math-related assignments. Teachers use multimedia projectors, laptops, and electronic whiteboards to present information to the students. Use of interactive websites enhances student learning. Students also learn about different types of scientific technology such as electron microscopes, chromatography, electrophoresis, and gene sequencing.