M1 Overview & Curriculum

Welcome to Middle School!

The M1 year is a time for growing academically and socially. Students begin to build relationships with peers that will last through middle school and into high school, and gain an understanding of how to communicate with each other through class discussions, MI Clubs, and peer edits. Students work on executive functioning and study skills to help them find success in the classroom as well as independent homework and study time. M1 students practice time management strategies as their extracurricular activities increase and they must balance school and play.

What skills are emphasized in the M1 year?

Executive Functioning skills such as writing down assignments, using an online calendar, organization of physical and electronic documents, and note taking, to name a few
Community Building with grade level peers and other middle school classes
Independence & Self Advocacy - M1 Students are encouraged to seek out answers with the guidance of their teachers and learn to schedule a time to meet with their teachers if they have are having social or academic trouble

M1 Curriculum

Language Training

Math

Language Arts

M1 Language Arts consists of reading, writing, research, vocabulary, and grammar. We study literature that includes short stories, drama, poetry, nonfiction, and novels. The novels we read all follow the theme of overcoming adversity and personal growth. We will read Inside Out and Back Again, The Truth As Told By Mason Buttle, and Ghost. Students will also be required to complete one novel of their choice during the second semester and give an oral presentation (Book Talk) to the class. Throughout the school year, students will improve their skills in reading, writing, collaborative learning, research, and technology.

Social Studies

M1 Social Studies is a wide view of early civilizations beginning at the end of the Ice Age in 10,000 BC through the end of the Middle Ages in 1450 AD. We will focus on topics such as the Ice Age, Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, the Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations, Ancient Greece, Rome, and the Middle Ages. The students will examine how these early civilizations lived and how their thoughts, ideas, and inventions impact the world today.

Science

M1 Science includes components of earth science, physical science and life science. Broad topics include earth’s weather and energy which both touch on the cross-cutting concept of energy and matter conservation. Also included is a unit on the diversity of life with focus on classification and animals as well as fungi and plants. Students in M1 science will engage in science and engineering practices throughout the entirety of the course.