Middle School

Literature offers a window into history and culture and also into human relationships. Literary selections complement Social Studies units or are chosen to provide an opportunity to explore important themes through the lens of a Christian worldview. Students learn to analyze what literature teaches us about history, God’s world, and each other.

Middle schoolers are introduced to a wide variety of literature, including oral traditions, poetry, informational texts, short stories, and historical fiction. Additionally, students are challenged to read independently from a variety of genres to develop the habit of life-long reading. Key grammar concepts are formally taught in order to help students become more effective communicators. Varied writing assignments provide opportunities to strengthen skills and apply these to specific tasks and audiences. As students explore authors’ crafts through the literature selections, they have the opportunity to develop their own unique voice and style in writing.

Building on the elementary school curriculum, the sixth-grade curriculum balances basic skill development and problem-solving strategies. Mental math, computation, and critical thinking skills are developed through hands-on activities and small group work.

We offer two math pathways to best meet student needs, a standard and accelerated path. Both pathways ensure high quality instruction and focus on student mastery of key content in preparation for success at the high school level. Students are expected to become adept at using symbolic operations to prepare them for higher levels of analytical and mathematical thinking. Students will end their 8th grade year with a course in the foundations of Algebra, while students in the accelerated course end the year with the completion of Algebra 1 and can take Geometry in ninth grade.

Science is an immensely powerful tool that can be used to learn more about God’s creation and God Himself. The middle school science curriculum encourages students to see scientific inquiry as one way to reveal the amazing complexity and orderliness of God’s world and what it means to be good stewards of God’s creation. Through laboratory and outdoor exploration, the students learn the scientific method and how to responsibly use and apply knowledge.

In sixth grade and seventh grade, students alternate between Life Science and Earth Science. Life Science units include plants, animals, the human body, and ecology. Earth Science units include landforms, waterways, astronomy, and the atmosphere. In eighth grade, students study Physical Science, focusing on matter, energy, electricity, and magnetism.

All middle school students are welcome to participate in the annual Science Fair. Seventh graders are required to choose a topic to investigate and share their findings in the annual Science Fair. Through this, they learn to complete their own scientific investigation in an area of independent interest and receive instruction and support for this endeavor.

The middle school Social Studies curriculum emphasizes an integrated approach to learning that helps students develop a greater knowledge of God’s plan for the world. Students are encouraged to take risks and use their creativity as they research and design long-term projects.

In sixth grade, the students focus on World Geography and Ancient Civilizations. Seventh graders focus on European History (Middle Ages, Renaissance, and the Reformation). They study economic principles, geography, and how the Christian world was established in western Europe. Eighth graders focus on furthering their understanding of American history. Within these courses, students have the opportunity to engage in research and projects to further develop understanding and share their knowledge with others.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we believe it is only by the study of the Word of God, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, that we understand who we are and grasp our connection to the Story of God reaching out to his people over the centuries. We want students to understand the God with whom they are in relationship, to make authentic connections between the stories of God’s people and their own lives, and to understand what responding to God personally means. We bring to the center the core beliefs that unite all Christians. Through the systematic study of God’s Word and through devotional practices, students are encouraged to grow in learning how to read Scripture and apply it to their lives. Resources and supplemental materials such as books on spiritual living and Bible application further challenge students to grow in their knowledge of Christian discipleship.

Electives are offered to seventh and eighth graders each trimester. Electives provide opportunities for student choice and a chance to explore a topic or deepen their engagement with a core subject. Electives are taught by AACS teachers and/or community members with a passion to share with our students.

Elective offerings vary from year to year; however, regular offerings have included: designing the annual Chapel banner, fitness and conditioning, leisure games and sports, cross country, strategy games, American Sign Language, book clubs, yearbook, textile arts, stop gap animation, and baking. In addition, all seventh and eighth graders spend one trimester researching an area of independent interest and developing his or her skills in that area through the Passion Project Elective.

We believe in a creative God, who wants us to appreciate and nurture our creativity. He has given us a world of form, shape, color, pattern, and beauty. The art curriculum helps students learn to recognize, enjoy, and evaluate the aesthetic side of God’s creation. Students explore different mediums for artistic expression, including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, jewelry, weaving, textiles, stained glass and mosaics, among others. Students are introduced to art history, learn to identify art by well-known artists, and discuss differences in art from different cultures. Students learn to think creatively and use art as a means of expression. Middle school students participate in a weekly art class and also have the opportunity to choose additional art electives during the year.

Music education at our school centers around a desire for the passion of music to touch the hearts of God’s people. Our students are taught basic music history and theory, as well as the role of music in worship and in biblical history. Middle school students participate in introductory band in grade 6. In grades 7 and 8, students can select to participate in band or choir to focus specifically on an area of interest while further developing his or her talents.

Careful music selections are made to include music that is both distinctly Christian as well as general music that is fitting in a Christian school environment. Students experience the joy of creating music and learn to share that joy with others through annual performances during Grandparents’ Day, Christmas Concert, and Spring Fine Arts Program. Through each grade, students come to recognize music as a means to glorify and praise God.

Complementing their development in the classroom, physical education and athletics at AACS promote physical fitness and Christian discipleship through sports and physical activities. We recognize the connection between gross motor skills and the development of learning. PE classes focus on the development of essential physical skills at each grade level as well as the opportunity to learn to play games with their classmates, develop healthy attitudes toward physical fitness and work together in a team setting while having fun.

Middle School students participate in two forty-five minute PE classes per week where we focus on valuable lessons in teamwork, attitude, perseverance, and sportsmanship. Health classes are shared with the PE time in specific trimesters. These health classes allow students to develop an understanding of caring for their bodies and developing healthy habits in a manner consistent with a Christian worldview and Biblical understanding of health.

Our students enter high school with a working knowledge of a world language. Currently, we offer two days of Spanish in sixth grade, two days in seventh grade, and three days in eighth grade. Successful completion of the middle school Spanish experience is equivalent to the first year of high school Spanish.