Middle School

Demonstrate ability to explain their personal faith in Jesus Christ to another person
Develop curiosity about and appreciation for God's word and have effective tools to study the Bible independently
Become increasingly more comfortable tackling tough, ethically complex issues through the lens of Jesus' life and ministry
Grow as thoughtful people, considering others, and seeking wisdom as a gift from God
Grow and develop a personal relationship with God through Bible study, worship, prayer and devotional models
Inspire and develop the unique gifts and callings within them in order to serve God's Kingdom

Use the writing process (plan, draft, edit, change) to grow as competent essay writers in multiple styles (narrative, argument, informative)
Expand vocabulary and spelling through relevant use in writing opportunities
Establish and maintain a strong reading habit with rigor, independence, precision, and insight
Develop argumentation, logic, and inference skills through non-fiction
Grow and expand digital literacy skills
Practice public speaking through speeches and presentations across the curriculum

Grow in "number sense" ability to work with numbers in a competent and efficient way
Competence in the order of operations both with numerical and algebraic values
Learn to value mistakes by receiving feedback, making corrections, and developing mastery of mathematical concepts

Ask quality questions about how things work and the science behind our daily world
Learn and become comfortable in laboratory settings using equipment: setting up a lab, tracking data, making predictions, practicing safety, working in groups, designing a quality experiment
Learn content in a three-year rotation: Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science

Develop an understanding that history is the story of mankind's choices and the subsequent results of those choices through the lens of American History, Ancient World History, and Minnesota History
Competence in Geography skills: maps, locations, topography, data
Expand text book reading skills and capacity building skills; compare/contrast, summarizing, making an inference, finding the main point

Fall field trips - 8th grade - outdoor education experience
Spring field trips - Valleyfair (8th grade); MN historical site (6th and 7th grade)
The Eagle Plan - helping students stay personally and academically organized