Middle School Program

Our Curriculum

Mathematics:

In keeping with the Mission of Rising Star Academy, the Mathematics Department supports the development of the whole person intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Our primary mission is to address the intellectual dimension and students’ openness to growth by developing a curriculum which is oriented towards college-bound students and which takes into account diverse learning abilities. We strive to create an environment which fosters academic excellence and nurtures both reflection and critical thinking.

The mathematics curriculum has been developed to help student value mathematics, become confident in their abilities to do mathematics, become mathematical problem solvers, and to communicate and reason mathematically.  Students, as a result of the high school mathematics experiences, should be able to model problems with the appropriate operations and equations, apply a variety of approaches and techniques to solve problems, understand the underlying mathematical features of problems, see the applicability of mathematical ideas to common and complex problems, use logical reasoning to present a cogent argument, and employ technology to explore mathematical ideas and solve problems.

The RSA Mathematics Department has developed principles and standards for student learning which guide its academic programs and courses and challenge students. In grades 6-7 we utilize the Everyday Math Curriculum, which, implements a full Pre-Algebra program through 7th grade; preparing our students for Algebra1, Algebra2, and Geometry curricula they will face when they begin high school. In grade 8 students will work on the  Algebra1 (learning in context).

English:

Rising Star Academy’s English Department focuses on developing skills that will help students to achieve the strongest academic success. We study both classical and contemporary literature in order to strike a balance between reverence and appreciation for past literary influences, as well as excitement for and participation in current literary achievements.

           We believe in encouraging our students to read a variety of literature which includes a novel based curriculum as well as the fundamental literature. The English program encourages the development of each students individual potential through:

• critical thinking
• clear and creative writing
• articulate speech
• thoughtful decision-making
• intellectual risk-taking
• respect for others and their differences.

Our goal is to have every student develop a life-long appreciation for literature and acquire a well-developed awareness of all types of literature.  We offer a survey of literature from sixth to eighth grade. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the genres of literature; poetry, drama, fiction, and essay. They will also trace the basic history and development of the English language.  

Class discussions compliment the student’s reading and writing skills to complete the range of self-expression. Both formal and informal discussions enable students to develop the ability to formulate and express ideas orally. They also give students an avenue to refine their ideas through reading, writing, and discussion.

Social Studies:

The history department at Rising Star Academy is a college prep oriented program that encompasses challenging skills, various techniques, and high goals that shape our students into well rounded conscious citizens that are able to utilize critical thinking and analytical skills in their daily lives.

The history curriculum begins in middle school were we seek to develop students into good citizens that are involved in their communities. We follow a carefully planned sequence of courses in Geography, U.S. history, and World History that enables our students to understand their surroundings and their roles in society. We seek to instill values of open-mindedness, acceptance of other cultures, and ethical behavior, while giving them the tools to make sound decisions.

Our objectives entail:

• developing critical thinking and self-teachings skills
• teaching responsible citizenship
• developing research and citation skills
• analyzing content competently
• synthesize or reject arguments with reason
• expand and integrated knowledge across social studies curriculum
• understand how cause and effect has shaped historical development of people and cultures
• recognize universal cultural components in different ethnic groups,
• understand and utilize the appropriate vocabulary, geographic, reference, technological, critical thinking and decision making skills.
   

We understand and recognize that students learn in multiple ways and we accommodate this variety as closely as possible to ensure the individual has reached their full potential. Small class sizes allows for more direct attention to individual students. Teachers use all sorts of techniques and methods to reach a student’s highest capability, through projects, speeches, debates, role playing, simulation, presentations, technology, social media, and many other creative forms of instruction.

The goal of the History Department is to develop the knowledge and skills of history and geography that enable students to place the people, ideas, and events that have shaped our world in perspective and prepare them for responsible citizenship. We also seek to prepare students for their secondary education and college years, making sure they have all the requisite skills for success in life.

Science:

The Science Department at Rising Star Academy will provide an academically challenging educational program that prepares students for college while also addressing the scientific issues and challenges of the 21st century. The courses offered are inquiry-based laboratory classes that incorporate critical thinking skills, technological applications, cooperative learning, interdisciplinary themes, and problem-solving techniques.

RSA students are provided with learning opportunities in the sciences that are consistent with the proficiencies found in the National Core Science Standards, and that allow them to:

• use the major ideas of science in rational, creative thinking, 
• demonstrate competence and confidence in applying the knowledge, processes, and attitudes of science in making informed decisions,
• use the process skills of  (a) observing,  (b) classifying,   (c) inferring,  (d) predicting, (e) measuring, including reporting the degree of uncertainty, and (f) communicating,
• use the integrated science process skills of  (a) interpreting data,  (b) formulating operational definitions,  (c) forming questions and hypotheses,  (d) experimenting, and  (e) modeling,
• work cooperatively with others to accomplish tasks that could be more appropriately achieved by a group than by an individual 
• demonstrate an attitude of stewardship toward both the local and the global environment,
• consider the ethical implications when applying scientific knowledge, 
• use acquired information processing skills to investigate new ideas and problems,
• use the laws, theories, and principles of science as a means of organizing data and information, 
• define and interrelate scientific concepts, laws, and hypotheses,
• know safety rules and procedures and practice them,
• appreciate the tentative nature of knowledge,
• appraise technological applications of scientific discoveries in terms of their societal effects, and 
• describe situations and careers where scientific knowledge and processes can be applied.