Intermediate School

Intermediate School Programs

OUR FOCUS

The Intermediate School curriculum at St. Joseph Academy continues to support our students as they build on the strong academic foundation established in Primary School while preparing them for sustained success in high school and beyond.

Our Intermediate School faculty recognizes the learning opportunities unique to late childhood and early adolescent intellectual and social development.

Our courses are structured to strengthen organizational and independent study skills and designed to engage critical-thinking skills as students grapple with the ideas and understandings of the world that surrounds them.

The goal of the intermediate school years is for students to develop study and learning skills that will prepare them for high school and college.

The Intermediate School curriculum is designed to:

provide courses appropriate to the developmental level of the students
meet the individual needs of students by providing enriched or support programs where appropriate
help students develop strong study skills
develop students’ communication skills in all subject areas
give students increasing opportunities for independent learning and provide opportunities for creative expression.

CORE PROGRAM COMPONENTS

LITERACY

Our middle school literacy curriculum builds upon foundational skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening from primary school.

Grades 4–5

Amplify’s Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a comprehensive literacy curriculum, grounded in science-based literacy practices.

Lessons combine skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater emphasis on writing. Students start to use their skills to go on their own independent reading adventures, further opening up their worlds. Units include personal narratives, poetry, contemporary fiction, and an adventure novel.

In Grade 4, students continue to transition from learning to read, to reading to learn. Fourth grade literacy instruction strengthens foundational literacy skills and strives to broaden students’ understanding and use of comprehension strategies. Students read closely to find and interpret information, to make inferences and thematic connections to science and social studies content, and to summarize and synthesize their learning. Fourth graders begin to use writing as a tool for learning as they write about what they read and what they learn from their reading.

In Grade 5, students are reading and writing to learn and expand and share their thinking. Fifth grade literacy instruction uses the students’ understanding and use of comprehension strategies, and their ability to analyze and synthesize what they read. Students read closely to interpret text and synthesize information, to make inferences and thematic connections to science and social studies content, and to analyze and expand their learning.

Grades 6–8

Amplify’s ELA is a blended literacy curriculum designed specifically for grades 6–8. Students advance their literacy skills through texts as they develop strategies for building meaning through reading. Students will read, discuss and write about complex texts, make observations, grapple with interesting ideas, and find relevance for themselves. Grammar skills are differentiated to meet student needs – students participate in whole group instruction followed by self-guided practice.

In Grade 6, students explore narrative writing through the works of Roald Dahl, explore mysteries as they learn to read like an investigator, study Greek myths, and dive into the tragedy of the Titanic.

In Grade 7, students examine characters and conflicts through a Raisin in the Sun, refine their story writing skills, investigate narrative and informational texts about the brain, reason like an investigative reporter through works of Edgar Allen Poe, and research and interpret works of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

In Grade 8, students practice the skills of observation and focus as they explore how authors use narrative writing strategies to convey theme, study famous American writings and debates about liberty and equality, read Gris Grimly’s graphic novel Frankenstein, and research primary documents connected to the Space Race during the middle of the 20th Century.

MATH

Our mathematics curriculum is i-Ready Mathematics which is a collection of high-quality instructional resources and materials. These tools provide rigorous and motivating mathematics instruction that:

Engages students of all levels and background
Motivates students to persist in skill building
Provides scaffolded support that meets the needs of all students
Creates personal learning pathways for each student in i-Ready Personalized Instruction
Connects to i-Ready Diagnostic so that classroom teachers can make informed instructional decisions to best meet the needs of their students

In Grade 4, students will

develop understanding, flexibility, and efficiency with multi-digit multiplication
develop understanding of dividing to find quotients involving multi-digit dividends
develop an understanding of fraction equivalence, addition and subtraction of fractions with like denominators, and multiplication of fractions by whole numbers;
understand that geometric figures can be analyzed and classified based on their properties, such as having parallel sides, perpendicular sides, particular angle measures, and symmetry.

In Grade 5, students will

develop flexible strategies with addition and subtraction of fractions
develop understanding of the multiplication of fractions and of division of fractions in limited cases (unit fractions divided by whole numbers and whole numbers divided by unit fractions)
extend division to two-digit divisors, integrate decimal fractions into the place value system and develop understanding of operations with decimals to hundredths
develop flexibility with strategies to compute whole number and decimal operations
develop understanding of volume

In Grade 6, students will

connect ratio and rate to whole number multiplication and division and use concepts of ratio and rate to solve problems
understand division of fractions and extend the notion of number to the system of rational numbers, which includes negative numbers
write, interpret, and use expressions and equations
develop understanding of statistical thinking

In Grade 7, students will

develop understanding of and applying proportional relationships
develop understanding of operations with rational numbers and work with expressions and linear equations
solve problems involving scale drawings and informal geometric constructions
work with two- and three-dimensional shapes to solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume
draw inferences about populations based on samples

In Grade 8, students will

formulate and reason about expressions and equations, including solving linear equations and systems of linear equations
grasp the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships
analyze two- and three-dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence
understanding and apply the Pythagorean Theorem

SCIENCE

Our science program is based upon the Department of Public Instruction’s science standards and Discover Education’s Mystery Science (Grade 4 & 5) and Science Techboook (Grades 6-8) curriculums. Students learn to apply scientific thinking to real-world problems through hands-on, inquiry-based learning. They are engaged in activities which help them make sense of phenomena, develop critical thinking skills, and actively participate in scientific conversations. Our goal is for all students to appreciate the wonder of science, make informed decisions, and be prepared for their future science education.

Our science program emphasizes the following components:

Active student engagement: Students are the ones doing the thinking as they investigate scientific phenomena, analyze data, develop models, and design solutions with teacher support.
Skill development: Students develop skills like communication, organization, collaboration, research, and the ability to form reasoned opinions based upon evidence, which are applicable to many aspects of life.
Real-world connections: The learning is connected to students’ communities and lives with a focus on using science to solve local and global challenges.
Appreciation for science: Students begin to cultivate an appreciation for the beauty and wonder of science, and they continue learning about it outside of the classroom and school.
Multilingual resources: Students will have access to multilingual resources throughout science units so that all students can access the content

SOCIAL STUDIES

For Grades 4–5, our social studies curriculum is teacher-created based upon the Department of Public Instruction’s social studies and civics standards. Units align with grade level content from the literacy curriculum with a focus on history, geography, and culture of the state of Wisconsin and regions of the United States.

Through school social studies content, our students develop foundational understandings of the ideas and values of our democratic republic as they begin to apply the skills of inquiry, collaboration, decision making, and problem solving.

For Grades 6–8, our curriculum is Discovering our Past from McGraw-Hill. In Grade 6, students study ancient world civilizations as they make connections to how history influences us today. In Grades 7 and 8, students study American history. Grade 7 content explores the First Nations, the founding of the country, and the growth and challenges of the 19th Century including the Civil War. Grade 8 content examines the Industrial Age, the prosperity and conflicts of the 20th Century, and the start of the 21st Century. Students connect all eras of American history with how they impact us in our current times.

ADDITIONAL INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL PROGRAMS INFORMATION

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The Intermediate Physical Education class focus is for all students to have the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully participate in movement activities and healthy practices now and in the future. It is also important that students develop appropriate sportsmanship and social skills necessary to successfully participate in small and large groups. When students learn to enjoy a variety of movement and healthy practices now they are more likely to continue these practices for their lifetime.

ART

Art is a universal language, a powerful tool for communicating ideas, expressing feelings, and recording history. Our young students learn by: looking at art, thinking about art, responding to art, and creating art. Students work collaboratively, sharing ideas and experiences. They learn to respect the different ways others think, work, and express themselves.

LIBRARY

Our fully stocked library gives our students the ability to read and explore during their time in the library and at home. Students are able to check out books to read when they are outside of school.

TECHNOLOGY/MEDIA LITERACY

Technology is everywhere, and we believe it is critical that your child become comfortable and experienced using a variety of technology tools. Students will learn how to navigate and save on the computer desktop. They will also be developing keyboarding skills and utilizing numerous software and Internet based applications in word processing, research, curriculum enhancement and multimedia presentations.

Through Common Sense Media’s Digital Literacy and Well-Being Curriculum, students will explore the digital challenges they face every day as well as the offline skills they need to manage them. Specifically, students will examine responsible uses of social media, monitor screen time, practice strategies to stop cyberbullying, and learn how to engage with AI appropriately and thoughtfully.

MUSIC

St. Joseph Academy provides music classes for all age levels. Music activities include singing and performing, moving to music, playing classroom instruments, listening and analyzing music, learning music notation, experiencing music from other cultures, singing folk melodies, and creating/composing. All students, with their classes, perform in both a Winter and Spring concert.

FAITH FORMATION

Our students participate in faith formation activities on a weekly basis. Be My Disciples is the curriculum for grades 4 – 8. The curriculum focuses on virtues, values, habits, and spiritual gifts that help children grow as disciples. Students also examine the difference the Church has made and still makes in the lives of Christians and in the world.