The mission of the Knoxville School District is to provide a caring,
cooperative atmosphere in which students, staff, and the community work
together to promote lifelong learning and social responsibility
The Middle School Building Goals are:
(1) Communications
A. Students at all grade
levels will improve reading comprehension skills.
B. Students at all grade levels will
improve writing skills.
(2) Mathematics,
Problem Solving and Quantitative Thinking
A. Students will demonstrate
improvement in mathematics operations
and
quantitative thinking at all grade levels.
B. Students will demonstrate improvement
in mathematical problem
solving at
all grade levels, across the curriculum.
(3) Caring for
Self and Others
A. Students will increase
their understanding of the importance of making
correct
decisions regarding substance abuse.
B. Students at all levels will demonstrate
improved respect for their peers.
(4) Student
Attitudes and Approaches to Learning
A. Students will increase
their understanding of the importance of making
correct
decisions regarding substance abuse.
B. Students at all grade levels will
become more actively engaged in
their
learning through the implementation of a wider variety of
instructional
strategies.
C. Students at all grade levels will take
more responsibility for learning.
(5) Students
will demonstrate improvement in scientific process and skills.
Education is an active partnership involving the school, the community,
and family. This partnership is necessary so all students can learn and succeed.
All classes, except
skill-building classes, will receive a letter grade and will be used to calculate
eligibility. Only core and select
exploratory classes will be used to calculate the student’s G.P.A. Exploratory classes not included in the
G.P.A. include keyboarding, Life Skills, and TAG at the 6th grade
level, Technology Literacy I, Life Skills, and Mock Trial/TAG at the 7th
grade level, and Technology Literacy II, Writer’s Workshop, Mock Trial/TAG,
Behavior Benders, and Life Skills at the 8th grade level.
CORE CLASSES
LANGUAGE ARTS (Year)
In the seventh grade
Reading/Language class, the basics of language and grammar are taught. Spelling lists and tests are given
weekly. Specific reading strategies are
taught, modeled, and practiced. Teachers
will guide students through one novel as a class. Then, with support, students are expected to
show increasing independent use of the strategies, reading at least one
additional classroom novel, and four to six quarterly at home for their reading
calendars. These calendars are due
monthly signed by a parent. This class
will start with Daily Oral language each day. After this, the class period will
be spent exploring and refining skills in a variety of writing genre. Personal narrative, description, short story,
expository essay, editorial, poetry, letters, and research writing will all be
required. Students will be expected to show progress in the conventions of
writing, as well as in writing style and voice.
The student will:
·
Use a variety of strategies to determine the meaning of unknown words
(e.g., context clues; glossary terms; root words, prefixes, and suffixes; word
origins and derivations, idioms, similes, and metaphors).
·
Use visual features of texts (e.g., headings, bold face print, diagrams,
illustrations, charts, graphs) to aid comprehension.
·
Use strategies to clarify understanding of text (e.g., reread, scan for
details, summarize main ideas).
·
Read for a variety of purposes (e.g., to find information, to gain
understanding of diverse viewpoints, to make decisions, to enjoy the experience
of reading).
·
Read a variety of literary and informational texts (e.g., poetry,
stories, interviews, informational texts, directions).
·
Understand how language use (e.g., jargon, dialect, multiple meanings, sensory
or figurative language), sentence structure, and punctuation convey mood or
meaning in literary works.
·
Understand elements of plot (e.g., rising action, climax, falling action,
outcome).
·
Identify plot and attempts to solve problems, identify how characters are
developing in a selection and cite evidence.
·
Use strategies to respond to literary and informational texts (e.g.,make
judgments about the author’s purpose and point of view; draw conclusions and
deduce meanings from informational texts; apply textual information to new
situations).
·
Use active listening strategies (e.g., evaluate the stated ideas and
opinions of others; seek clarification through questions; maintain an open
mind; and identify tone/mood).
·
Use differentiating strategies to clarify and understand text to meet the
needs of diverse learners.
·
Understand techniques used to convey point of view and purpose in a text
(e.g., word choice, literary form, language structure, context, persuasive
techniques, emphasis).
·
Use a variety of strategies during oral presentations (e.g., organize
information in a manner appropriate to the audience, use evidence and valid
sources to support opinions, use timing and behavior appropriate to the
occasion).
·
Use verbal communication skills (e.g., word choice, pitch, feeling)
·
tone, voice) and nonverbal communications skills (e.g., eye contact,
posture, gestures).
·
Use a variety of prewriting strategies (e.g., outlining, brainstorming,
·
listing, mapping, clustering, webbing).
·
Use strategies to achieve organization in writing (e.g., elaborate on the
central idea, structure ideas in logical order, use clear coordination and
subordination of ideas, use a variety of sentence structures).
·
Use paragraph form in writing (e.g., use a topic sentence with supporting
and follow-up sentences, use transitions between paragraphs, arrange sentences
in sequential order).
·
Use language that clarifies and enhances ideas (e.g., use a thesaurus to
select descriptive vocabulary; use vocabulary and information that communicate clearly
to a specific audience; use language that conveys specific images, tone, and
mood).
·
Use strategies to edit writing (e.g., check for capitalization of proper
nouns and adjectives; use rules of irregular structural changes to check
spelling; check for use of punctuation marks such as ommas, semicolon,
apostrophes, and exclamation marks; check for sentence fragments and run-ons;
check for appropriate use of homonyms).
·
Evaluate own and others’ writing according to established rubrics for
successful writing.
·
Use conventions of capitalization in writing (e.g., capitalize proper
nouns and adjectives).
·
Use conventions of punctuation in writing (e.g., semicolons, commas,
apostrophes).
·
Use conventions of spelling in writing (e.g., use rules for irregular
structural changes).
·
Use principles of agreement in writing (e.g., subject-verb, pronoun-noun,
preposition-pronoun).
·
Use appropriate grammar and usage in communication (e.g., use of more
than one subject, use of personal and reflexive pronouns, use of prepositions,
use of adjectives and adverbs
appropriate to the word or phrase being modified, use of positive, comparative,
and superlative adjectives, use of correct tenses to indicate the relative
order of events).
·
Correct common errors in usage (e.g., incorrect homonyms, improper verb
tenses, incorrect plural forms, sentence fragments, run-ons).
·
Use strategies of expository writing (e.g., define and narrow topic;
develop main-idea statement; gather, use and record sources of information;
organize information using an informal outline; conclude with a clear
main-idea).
LITERATURE (Year)
The 7th grade literature class
incorporates the same reading, writing, thinking, listening, and speaking goals
as the 7th grade language arts classes. However, this class is
designed to challenge the advanced student with alternative and more in-depth
learning opportunities. Students are expected to achieve required levels
of proficiency on multiple standardized assessments at the 6th grade
level before being recommended for placement in this class.
MATHEMATICS (Year)
Mathematics is a review of
basic math operations with whole numbers, place value, and rounding. Skills are also developed in fractions,
decimals, and measuring. Basic skills in
geometry and pre-algebra are introduced, along with ratios, proportions, and
percents. The use of technology is encouraged by the students, including
calculators and computers. There is a
concentration on problem solving, estimation, and the real life applications of
these skills. This class will also
include interdisciplinary units that tie mathematics to the other curricular
areas.
The student will:
·
Demonstrate addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills
with fractions.
·
Demonstrate knowledge of percents in a variety of situations.
·
Demonstrate knowledge of the order of operations.
·
Calculate the area of triangles, circles, rectangles, and trapezoids.
·
Calculate circumference of circles.
·
Classify polygons.
·
Classify lines, segments, rays, angles, parallel, and perpendicular
lines.
·
Calculate measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode, and range).
·
Solve linear equations.
INTRODUCTION TO ALGEBRA (Year)
This course is a preparation
algebra course. Topics covered include a
review of basic math, negative integers, algebraic equations and inequalities,
graphing with a number line and the coordinate system, ratios, proportions, and
percent.
The student will:
·
Add, subtract, multiply, and divide using positive and negative numbers,
including fractions, decimals, and
integers.
·
Utilize order of operations with exponents.
·
Represent rational numbers as fractions, decimals, and scientific notation.
·
Develop basic understanding of ratio, proportions, probability and odds.
·
Represent problems using tables, graphs, and sequences.
·
Interpret tables, graphs, and sequences.
·
Graph rational numbers on a number line and on a coordinate plane.
·
Solve single step and multiple step equations, inequalities, and percent
problems.
LIFE SCIENCE (Year)
Areas covered include:
(1) Characteristics
and classification of Living Things
(2) Plants,
Animals, and Ecology
(3) Body
Systems
Steps of the scientific method,
(Asking questions, deciding what data to collect as evidence, data analysis),
and science safety will be stressed during both semesters.
The student will:
·
Demonstrate an understanding of the steps of the scientific method and how
it is used in the process of experimentation.
·
Critically collect and analyze data.
·
Demonstrate the ability to correctly use a microscope and analyze the
specimen.
·
Discuss how bacteria/viruses can be helpful and harmful to the
environment and animals.
·
Discuss how to prevent diseases from entering our bodies and how they
affect the function of our bodies.
·
Analyze the systems of the body and how they are interrelated.
·
Show the ability to analyze a specimen’s body systems through dissection
and relate it to the human body.
·
Explain how the body can be maintained by exercise, healthy eating, and
common sense.
·
Identify the characteristics that make something living or not.
·
Identify the characteristics that place organisms into kingdoms.
GEOGRAPHY (Year)
The 7th grade geography course
will provide integrated learning experiences in the writing process, reading,
listening, speaking, critical thinking, and cooperation. The content of the
course will include the five themes of geography, location, place, human and
environmental interaction, movement, and regions. These concepts will guide
students through the study of the seven regional units. In each regional unit, students will learn
about the region’s geography, history and traditions, economics and daily life,
and literature and the arts, as well as the role of the region in the world
today emphasized through current events.
The student will:
·
Identify the major elements of
a culture.
·
Identify the five themes (list
and discuss) of geography.
·
Understand cultural change.
·
Identify states, countries,
and regions.
·
Demonstrate general map
skills.
·
Demonstrate an understanding
of interdependence.
·
Understand current events and
effects on the United States.
·
Understand modern day
challenges faced by the United States.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION (Year –
alternate days)
Basic
to middle school physical education is building a foundation for students to
lead a healthy active life, while respecting self and others. Vigorous physical
activity produces increased circulation, cardiovascular health and fitness and
releases tension. Elevated heart rate increases oxygen supply to the brain
which stimulates brain activity to facilitate learning.
In
2008 Iowa passed into law the Healthy Kids Act, which was created to combat
childhood obesity and diabetes in Iowa’s youth.
One part of this law requires Iowa’s youth in grades 6-12 to be
physically active for a minimum of 120 minutes a week. The Knoxville School Distract has adopted standards
and curriculum that align with national physical education standards and the
Healthy Kids Act.
The fundamental skills of good team work;
tolerance, sportsmanship, cooperation, coordination, flexibility, and respect
are critical skills for a successful life. Those skills are explicitly taught
and expected to be demonstrated by all students.
The
curriculum is designed to teach skills and techniques of sports, lifetime activities,
coordination and fitness activities and individual self testing, which prepares
students for life. Classes meet every
other day. Physical education clothes
include fingertip length athletic shorts or sweatpants, a T-shirt or
sweatshirt, socks and clean athletic shoes.
Shoes need to be other than those worn to school. All clothing, including shoes, should be
marked with the owner’s name for identification.
The
physical education program is divided into units of instruction that may include,
but is not limited to:
·
Hoover ball
·
Volley ball
·
Bocce ball
·
Games and relays
·
Pickle ball
·
Table tennis
·
Rope jumping
·
Basketball
·
Ultimate Frisbee
·
Badminton
·
Softball
·
Fitness activities and testing
·
Towel hockey
·
Disc golf
·
Team building activities
ART (Semester – alternate days)
Seventh grade art is an encore
course that strives to develop creative skills through the use of varied
techniques and art media. The program
emphasizes development of observation, clear thinking and creative use of
materials.
Art experiences are provided by
doing work in colors, composition, elements of design, perspective, drawing,
painting, scratch board, art history and art appreciation.
The student will:
·
Identify primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.
·
Identify and distinguish between hue and value.
·
Identify and use a monochromatic harmony.
·
Identify neutral colors.
·
Recognize and use a geometric or organic design.
·
Know where color comes from and how a prism works.
·
Use and improve all the skills which have been introduced and taught
previously in the curriculum.
·
Recognize and differentiate between positive and negative space.
·
Be able to apply the techniques of drawing in a work of art.
·
Strengthen the eye-hand coordination used to create art.
·
Recognize and use the principle of repetition in a work of art.
·
Apply techniques of painting.
·
Follow directions for the care and safe use of art media, tools, and
materials.
LIFE SKILLS 7 (Semester
alternating days)
Life Skills 7 is an exploratory
class which teaches academic, career, and personal/social development skills to
all students to assist them in achieving school success.
The student will be able to:
Academic
Accept mistakes as part of the learning process.
Demonstrate how effort and persistence positively affect
learning.
Take responsibility for actions.
Develop a broad range of interests and abilities.
Demonstrate the motivation to achieve individual
potential.
Use knowledge of learning styles to positively influence
school performance.
Apply knowledge of interests to goal setting.
Understand the relationship between learning and work.
Career Development
Develop an awareness of personal abilities, skills,
interests, and motivations.
Understand the importance of responsibility,
dependability, punctuality, integrity and effort in the workplace.
Apply decision-making skills to career planning, course
selection, and career transitions.
Demonstrate awareness of the education and training
needed to achieve career goals.
Understand the relationship between educational
achievement and career success.
Identify personal preferences and interests which
influence career choices and success.
Learn how to use conflict management skills with peers
and adults.
Personal/Social Development
Develop a positive attitude toward self as a unique and
worthy person.
Understand change as a part of growth.
Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual
differences.
Recognize, accept and appreciate ethnic and cultural
diversity.
Understand consequences of decisions and choices.
Develop effective coping skills for dealing with
problems.
Know how to apply conflict resolution skills.
Know how to apply anger management skills.
Learn the difference between appropriate and
inappropriate physical contact.
Learn about the emotional and physical dangers of
substance use and abuse.
Learn coping skills for managing life events.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (9 weeks)
Projects:
·
Drafting 15-20 days - the student will do 4-6 drawings.
·
Woodworking - the student will spend 10-15 days covering all the tools.
Safety, measuring, and marking wood, etc., and the student will make 1-3 small
wood projects assigned by the instructor.
The student should have a
serious attitude about learning and working with others due to the safety
factors involved with the use of hand tools, power tools, and machines. This
class will give the serious student an opportunity to explore some career
opportunities in the industrial technology area, make them aware of some of the
skills needed to survive in today’s technological world and provide them with
some hobbies for the future.
Safety glasses and all other
materials that are needed will be provided by the instructor.
The student will:
·
Demonstrate proper communication techniques during lab projects.
·
Learn and apply problem-solving techniques through lab projects and
competitions.
·
Demonstrate proper lab safety procedures during lab activities.
·
Apply proper procedures for using power tools and hand tools during lab projects.
·
Plan and build a project using written and verbal directions.
·
Work effectively and cooperate with others during lab activities and
projects.
·
Clean and maintain a safe work area.
BAND (Year – Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday)
To be in seventh grade band,
students must have their own instrument or make special arrangements with the
instructor. Rehearsals are held every
day, and there is also a twenty-minute lesson each week. Two to three concerts are given yearly with required
attendance at all performances. All 7th
grade band students must have taken band in 6th grade and must have finished
book 1 of the present instrumental series.
All others will be placed in the group at the director’s
discretion. 7th students not attending
lessons will be placed on probation and removed from performing until lessons
are made up or arrangements have been made with the director. Continual absence from lessons will result in
removal from the program.
CHOIR (Year - Tuesday, Thursday)
Although this is a
performance-oriented class, fundamentals of music will be studied in order for
students to have a basic understanding of musical notation, keys, and musical
terms. The chorus will provide an opportunity
for students interested in music to enjoy group singing and to develop their
talents. The choir meets on Tuesday
and Thursday throughout the year for one class period with two or three
performances with mandatory attendance.
Due to the performance schedule
of the choir, students should consider this a year-long course and changes in
schedules can only be done at the discretion of the instructor.
The student will:
·
Practice proper rehearsal and performance etiquette.
·
Demonstrate proper musical production techniques (breathing, posture).
·
Evaluate proper self-progress and performance through listening.
·
Follow the conductor (basic conducting patterns, tempo, and dynamic
changes, entrances, and cutoffs).
·
Differentiate between and perform a melodic and harmonic line.
·
Read skips, steps, and repeated notes.
·
Develop expression and technical accuracy.
·
Develop teamwork concepts and self-discipline in rehearsal resulting in performance.
TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY I (9
weeks)
This class will focus on the
development and presentation of multi-media projects.
The students will utilize
computer word processing software and equipment like digital cameras and
scanners. They will also utilize
speaking skills while presenting their projects.
FAMILY CONSUMER SCIENCE (9
weeks)
Seventh grade Family Consumer
Science is an introductory course offered as an encore course every other day
for the semester. It will consist of
four units: (1) Introducing food
preparation skills conducive for 7th graders such as: preparing nutritional
snacks, simple food preparations. (2)
Caring for younger children is centered on providing babysitting tips needed
for keeping children and themselves safe.
(3) Introduce the use of the sewing machine. The student will construct an easy project of
their choice with teacher guidance.
The student will:
·
Demonstrate accurate measuring skills, reading of a recipe, and following
directions.
·
Prepare nutritious foods and identify where they fit into a healthy diet.
·
Explain differences among infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age
children.
·
Identify information necessary for child-care situations.
·
Initiate a conversation in an appropriate way.
·
Set up, thread, and use a sewing machine correctly.
·
Use a sewing machine to manufacture a sewing project.
·
Achieve success in creating projects; thereby improving self-concept.
·
Set short and long-term goals and make decisions.
The 7th grade general
music class is a continuation of the 6th grade general music class
with emphasis on the elements of music, music listening, music history, and the
history of American music. Students electing to participate in performance
ensembles are encouraged to take this class to fully understand the skills
necessary to perform music.
MOCK TRIAL (9 Weeks)
This course is offered to
Talented and Gifted students. Other students expressing an interest are
sometimes able to also take the course. The students are expected to memorize
parts, create debate questions, and compete against teams from other schools in
the re-creation of a court case.
TALENTED AND GIFTED
TAG students at the Knoxville
Middle School will work with a TAG facilitator on a weekly basis to meet their
cognitive, emotional, and social needs, and to keep the PEPs current. All classroom teachers will be proactive in
compacting and differentiating the curriculum to meet the individual needs of
TAG students. The TAG program encompasses five major areas designed to meet
each learner’s individual needs:
Orientation
Learners
gain knowledge about the TAG program, themselves, and others in the TAG
program, and the concepts of giftedness, intelligence, and creativity.
Individual Development
Learners are presented with concepts to enhance their
life-long learning
skills. They
are exposed to college and career exploration, organizational
skills, productivity skills, technology skills, and
interpersonal and intrapersonal
development.
Enrichment
Learners have the opportunity to explore content and
curriculum that is in
addition to or different from the general school
curriculum. The goal here is for
learners to have the freedom to explore and
investigate with the purpose of
finding new and unique knowledge in a variety of
methods. Learners participate
in cultural and service activities.
Seminars
Learners in groups of three to five research a topic
and present their research to
TAG students and other interested people. The goal here is for our learners to
have the opportunity to practice moving from the role
of student to the role of
learner. They will gain new knowledge by experiencing
learning in a guided
independent group structure.
In-depth Studies
Learners will research work in their passion
areas. They will decide what is
learned, how it will be learned, and how it will be
presented. Research is begun
and completed with planning conferences held
periodically with the TAG
facilitator.
HEALTH (Curriculum is infused
into science, PE, Family and Consumer Science, and 6th, 7th,
and 8th Grade Life Skills.)
Health is a comprehensive study
of mental, intellectual, social and physical health. The importance of the four
health spectrums is taught through inquiry, research, and direct instruction.
The class discussions encourage each student to explore health as a life-long
experience.
Specific topics include:
·
Mental Health: a) coping skills, b)
decision-making, c) goal setting d) mental illnesses
·
Intellectual Health: a) values, b) principles, c)
emotional, d) developmental
·
Social Health: a) abuse, b) communicable
diseases, c) sexually transmitted diseases,
d) aids, e) conflict management, f) anger management
·
Physical Health: a) fitness, b) nutrition, c)
first aid
The library will augment the
entire curriculum. Its facilities aim to meet the educational and recreational
needs of the student body. Students are given instruction in library skills in
English classes. Groups, accompanied by
their teachers, are given opportunity for reference work when necessary. Individuals come from study halls as well as
classrooms for research and recreational reading. The librarian is available to assist students
before and after school as well as eight periods per day.
Students are encouraged to use
the library. All materials: books, magazines, encyclopedias, atlases, etc., can
be checked out from the library for limited times depending on the need. Fines
are collected for overdue books. Damages and loss of books are charged to the
borrower. Once a student has 2 overdue books, he or she can be restricted from
checking out more until books are returned, or until fines are collected.
The
comprehensive school counseling program builds on what all students in grades
sixth through eighth should know, understand, and be able to do in three domain
areas: academic, career, and personal/social development. The program helps all
students achieve success in school and develop into productive members of
society. The school counseling program
focuses on prevention and is geared toward the developmental needs of the
adolescent. The school counselors use
the following four program components to deliver the program to students:
·
The guidance curriculum component, taught in Life Skills classes, teaches
academic, career, and personal/social development skills to all students.
·
The individual planning component allows all students to plan, monitor,
and understand their growth and development and take appropriate action
educationally, occupationally, and personally.
·
The responsive services component responds to the direct, immediate
concerns of students and includes individual counseling, referrals, and
consultations with parents or guardians, teachers, or other specialists.
·
The system support component involves program, staff, and school support
activities such as consultations, professional development, Building Assistance
Teams (BAT), and guidance program development, implementation, and assessment.
The
goal of the
The
ATHLETICS
7th & 8th graders have the
chance for participation in football, basketball, track, volleyball, and
wrestling. Football, basketball,
wrestling, volleyball, and track competitions are held with other schools. Practices and games are held after school
hours, and all students participating in athletics must have a physical examination
and athletic insurance before he or she may practice.