MS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
MATH 6
GRADE 6
This Grade 6 Mathematics course builds a strong foundation in key mathematical concepts and skills while fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving. The curriculum adheres to AERO (American Education Reaches Out) standards, ensuring a rigorous and comprehensive approach to math education.
Students will explore a variety of topics, including:
Fraction and Decimal Operations: Mastering addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with fractions and decimals.
Ratios and Percentages: Understanding ratios and percentage calculations in real-life contexts.
Beginner Algebra: Developing foundational algebraic skills, including using variables and solving basic equations.
Integers: Working with positive and negative numbers in practical applications.
Data Analysis: Collecting, organizing, interpreting, and presenting data to make informed decisions.
2D and 3D Geometry: Investigating properties, measurements, and relationships of two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional figures.
This course emphasizes a balanced instructional approach, incorporating:
Teacher-Led Instruction: Providing structured guidance and direct teaching to ensure a deep understanding of key concepts.
Cooperative Group Work: Encouraging collaboration and teamwork to solve problems and explore mathematical ideas.
Inquiry-Based Activities: Promoting curiosity and independent thinking by guiding students to discover solutions and patterns.
Project-Based Assessments: Engaging students in meaningful, real-world applications of math concepts through hands-on projects.
Through this dynamic and interactive learning environment, students will build confidence, sharpen problem-solving skills, and gain a deeper appreciation for the role of mathematics in everyday life.
Resource: All Things Algebra, Maneuvering the Middle, other sources
Course Length: One Year
Prerequisite: Math 5 or equivalent
*Additional resources and extension (real-world) problems used to enrich and engage students further
MATH 7
GRADE 7
In Grade 7, our curriculum combines interactive learning for both small groups and the entire class, focusing on developing eloquent and efficient mathematicians. This approach emphasizes increasing students' efficiency and accuracy through the development of their conceptual understanding. It helps students make sense of math using concrete materials, then pictorial representations, and finally abstract symbols to solve problems. The visual representations provide students with references when they encounter problems they don’t know how to solve.
Following Grade 7 AERO Standards, students will begin the year reviewing and expanding on sixth-grade arithmetic concepts before transitioning into our pre-algebra unit. From there, they will study scale drawings, an engaging geometric topic that supports their subsequent work on proportional relationships, eventually leading to an understanding of linear relationships. Next, we will focus on a geometry unit centered on circles, where we will examine the important proportional relationship between a circle’s circumference and its diameter. Students will also apply their arithmetic and algebraic skills to explore angles, triangles, and prisms. Our final unit will concentrate on probability and sampling.
Students' mastery of these concepts and skills will be assessed in two ways: through investigations and computation tests. Computation tests follow traditional formats and determine students’ mastery of expected grade-level arithmetic. Investigations vary in form and are designed to extend students’ application of the concepts beyond traditional math assessments.
Textbook: All Things Algebra, Maneuvering the Middle, Desmos, and other sources
Course Length: One year
Prerequisite: Math 6 or equivalent
MATH 8
GRADE 8
In Grade 8, we deliver an engaging and versatile curriculum tailored to both individual and group learning dynamics, leveraging the strengths of the UDL approach with a universal exposure and practice designed for different types of learners. There is a strong emphasis on problem-solving, steering away from traditional rote learning and direct instruction. It effectively deepens students' comprehension of mathematical concepts, fostering an understanding that encompasses both the practical 'how' and the theoretical 'why' of each topic. Our curriculum holistically addresses five crucial dimensions of learning: Skills, Concepts, Processes, Metacognition, and Attitudes. This approach not only enhances the students' mathematical capabilities but also cultivates a well-rounded, critical-thinking mindset. This comprehensive program starts with a focus on Exponents and Scientific Notation, progressing to Linear Equations and Inequalities, Lines and Linear Equations, and Systems of Linear Equations. It then delves into Functions, the Pythagorean Theorem, and Geometric Transformations. The curriculum further explores Congruence and Similarity, along with Volume and Surface Area, culminating in a thorough understanding of Statistics. Each topic is designed to build upon the previous one, ensuring a cohesive and in-depth learning experience.
Resource: All Things Algebra, Maneuvering the Middle, other sources
Course Length: One year
Prerequisite: Math 7 or equivalent
*Additional resources and extension (real-world) problems used to enrich and engage students further using Open Up Resources, Fishtank Platforms and Delta Math.