The Middle School General Studies offers a rigorous academic program, covering language arts, math, social studies and science. Our Middle School teachers encourage the sixth through eighth graders to think creatively and to challenge themselves and their peers to reach new levels of achievement.

Our Middle School General Studies curriculum is based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for each course, but our teachers go beyond these requirements especially with the emphasis on writing at each of these grade levels. With an Honors Program in Language Arts and Mathematics, our students have the opportunity to participate in an advanced curriculum designed to foster success in rigorous high school (Advanced Placement) courses.

Language Arts
In Middle School (grades 6-8), students refine and master previously learned knowledge and skills in increasingly complex presentations, reading selections, and writing modes. Akiba language arts teachers emphasize complex comprehension skills when reading texts, such as identifying the main idea, summarizing, distinguishing fact from opinion, determining cause and effect, drawing conclusions, making predictions, ascertaining an author’s purpose or point of view, etc. Middle School students continue to read widely in classic and contemporary selections, both fictional and non-fictional, and are able to identify characteristics of various literary forms. Students apply their knowledge of context clues to analyze word meanings in texts, and develop their understanding of literal and figurative language and multi-meaning words. Middle school students recognize literary devices such as flashback, foreshadowing and symbolism, and understand how style, tone and mood contribute to the effect of the text.

Middle School students also learn how to select and use different forms of writing for specific purposes, such as to inform, persuade or entertain. Students produce multi-paragraph compositions with varied sentence structure. They edit their writing based on knowledge of grammar and usage, spelling, punctuation and other conventions of written language. They are taught to analyze exemplary pieces of writing using a six-point focused holistic scoring rubric, and then use this widely accepted rubric to score and improve their own writing. Students produce polished compositions on a regular basis, under both timed and untimed situations. They also learn to generate documented essays following MLA (Modern Language Association) guidelines. Students present oral and written reports and projects, including presentations strengthened by multi-media components.

Akiba language arts teachers accomplish these goals by providing individualized activities, by using their students’ interests as motivation, and by giving students choices within parameters. Teachers engage their students in vigorous discussions, creative drama and presentations, and also invite authors and other presenters to inspire their classes to appreciate language studies.

Mathematics
In Middle School mathematics, problem solving, communication, connections within and outside mathematics, and formal and informal reasoning underlie all the strands of mathematics that students study. Students build a foundation of basic understandings in these strands:

	Number, operation and quantitative reasoning
	Patterns, relations and algebraic thinking
	Geometry and spatial reasoning
	Measurement
	Probability and statistics

Students are required to explore mathematical concepts and relationships in increasingly complex situations with real life applications. They are also required to use algebraic thinking to describe how a change in one quantity in a relationship results in a change in the other.

Students learn how to explain and justify their thinking and method(s) for solving problems and to connect verbal descriptions and numeric, graphic and/or symbolic representations for the problems they are solving. We ask our students to communicate information about situations by quantifying attributes, by generalizing procedures from measurement experiences, and to use the procedures to solve problems. Students have opportunities to use geometric properties and spatial reasoning to model and analyze situations and solve problems. We also focus upon the use of statistics, representations of data, reasoning, and concepts of probability to draw conclusions, evaluate arguments and make predictions.

Primary focal points for Middle School mathematics are as follows:

	Using ratios to describe proportional relationships involving number, geometry, measurement and probability
	Applying addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of decimals, fractions and integers
	Understanding the relationship between percents, decimals and fractions
	Using statistical measures and probability to describe data and make predictions
	Using basic principles of algebra to analyze and represent proportional and non-proportional relationships

Akiba mathematics teachers use concrete materials when introducing many mathematical concepts. They choose many applied problems for students to work on – independently, in pairs or in small groups. Middle School students are required to “show their work” in order to focus on the process, not just the solution. They are also required to write about their mathematical thinking, to justify the strategy or method they have selected to solve complex problems, and to discuss the reasonableness of their solutions.

Science
Akiba teachers believe that the growth of scientific knowledge and continual developments in technology are transforming the way we live and work. We believe that science education should be designed for lifelong learning in a world shaped by science and new technologies. We want our students to become knowledgeable citizens who are able to make informed decisions in a technological society. We believe that our students should have the opportunity to study science in an interesting and worthwhile way that will open their minds to new outlooks and equip them with the intellectual skills that will guide their learning for the rest of their lives.

Akiba science teachers provide activities that teach the knowledge that students require to understand the connections between science and technology, as well as to apply this knowledge to their real-life experiences. In science, armed with the concepts they have learned, students observe, analyze, construct models, ask questions, combine logic with imagination, and make rational systematic predictions and explanations to better understand their world.

The Middle School science curriculum is an integrated one in which the strands of life science, physical science and earth science are woven into the units of study for each middle school grade. Although the various sciences are integrated, each grade level does focus on a specific field of study. Grade six focuses on physical science, grade seven concentrates on life science, and grade eight emphasizes chemistry and earth science.

Some of the teaching goals of science are as follows:

	Develop positive approaches toward learning science and develop ways of thinking scientifically
	Acquire a broad base of scientific knowledge that will enable students to understand and interpret natural world phenomena
	Apply the scientific process in scientific investigations through hands-on experiences
	Develop a knowledge and understanding of the history of science
	Recognize and understand the application of science to personal life and living
	Develop and utilize integrated thinking skills in daily problem-solving situations
	Develop an understanding of the interrelationships and issues relating to science that affect the decision making of a society

Social Studies
Thomas Jefferson emphasized that the vitality of a democracy depends upon the education and participation of its citizens. At Akiba, our social studies program provides a creative and relevant study of the human experience, focusing on seeing the world through Jewish eyes.

We believe that an effective social studies program prepares young people to understand from where they came and where they are going. We also believe that social studies instruction requires a learning environment that provides active, meaningful experiences that challenge students to consider multiple perspectives. Our social studies program provides an integrated study of the human experience, focusing on the world – near and far, social and civic, past, present, and future – and how these experiences help our students make decisions about their own lives.

Akiba teachers create a learning environment that encourages creativity, individual research and multi-sensory learning.

Through their study of the social sciences, sixth grade students develop an advanced understanding of world history, with a focus upon:

	The Ancient World
	Archaeology
	Anthropology
	Empires
	Religions
	Eastern philosophy
	Ancient art

Seventh graders study Texas history, with a focus upon:

	Native American perspective
	Spanish exploration of Texas
	The “real” story behind the Alamo
	Life on a mission, a presidio and a civil settlement

Eighth graders concentrate on American history, with a focus upon:

	Viking and Basque exploration of the Americas
	Christopher Columbus and the discovery of the New World
	African slavery
	The Revolutionary War
	The Founding Fathers
	The Civil War
	Civil rights and American government

Through study of the social sciences, our students develop a core of basic knowledge and ways of thinking drawn from many academic disciplines, learn how to analyze their own and others’ opinions on important issues, and become motivated to participate in civic and community life as active, informed citizens.

Some of the social studies program goals are as follows:

	Promote understanding and appreciation of other peoples, their history and their unique experiences
	Foster individual and cultural identity along with understanding of the forces that hold society together or pull it apart
	Integrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes within and across academic disciplines to develop personal, academic and global perspectives
	Promote rational decision-making based upon democratic principles
	Create an understanding of critical issues at local, state, national and international levels and ways to influence public policy
	Promote civic competence – which is the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to be able to carry out responsibilities in the spirit of the common good in our democratic republic
	Promote critical and reflective thinking by researching, utilizing and communicating information
	Excite students through multi-media and artistic projects
	Foster the creative spark!

Specialties

Physical Education
Akiba provides a developmentally appropriate physical education program for students in K'Ton Ton through 8th grade in a safe, nurturing environment. In Pre-School, children learn fundamental movement skills and basic body control while developing a vocabulary for physical activity. Kindergarteners through 5th graders are engaged in activities that develop basic levels of strength, endurance and flexibility. Middle School students refine their knowledge and skills and identify the types of activities that provide them with enjoyment and challenge and that will encourage them to be physically active throughout life.

Technology Instruction
Technology is an integral part of every student's personal and educational life. Students need to become competent in the use of computers and other technology in order to develop essential life skills, as well as make full use of electronic resources for educational purposes.

Akiba students' computer training includes various productivity tools – keyboarding, word processing and presentation software, graphic programs – in both English and Hebrew.

Primary grades focus mainly on educational games and drawing programs such as Paint and Kidpix. These students also learn basic Microsoft Word skills. Grades 3-4 focus on more advanced word processing skills, as well as PowerPoint slideshows. Middle school classes create advanced PowerPoint presentations and begin developing webpages in Microsoft Publisher.

Library Program
The Library Program at Akiba allows for a fixed schedule for classes Junior Nursery through 5th grade, and uses flexible scheduling for upper grades, as requested by teachers. Students may come to the library at other times for special projects. Our librarian promotes various reading incentive programs, including the Texas Bluebonnet Award for grades 3 through 6 and the Read to Succeed program for grades K through 6. Our librarian is especially talented at pulling an assortment of books on specific topics or themes for teachers to have ready for students to peruse.

Our library is staffed by a professional librarian (MLS) on a part-time basis. Students and teachers may check out books if the librarian is out by using a self check-out system.

Enrichment / Gifted Program
The Quest program is an enrichment/gifted program offered to students in grades 1-5. The students meet once per week for 30 minutes in grades 1-2, and for 45 minutes in grades 3-5. The Quest program is designed to encourage creative and critical thinking, brainstorming, self expression and open-ended questioning. Emphasis is on reading, writing and researching topics of interest, with students working individually and in small groups. We use a wide variety of activities and invite guest speakers and take field trips. We encourage students’ development of independence and self-direction while working on Quest projects.

Music
Students in Teenoki through 5th grade take music class once per week. The Pre-Schoolers also have special Shabbat music on Fridays. During music, Akiba students learn about rhythm and instruments, composers and songs, and music theory, and practice sight reading. Grades 3-5 learn to play the recorder and Orff instruments. Students in grades 1-4 are invited to participate in choir, which meets once per week after school. The choir performs at school and off-campus at special events.

Art
The art program is designed to emphasize our students’ individuality and creativity, as well as foster their imagination. Our students learn to express their ideas while taking pride and satisfaction in their accomplishments. Our Akiba art teacher helps students connect their art experiences to their Jewish heritage and culture, in addition to learning about Israeli and Jewish American artists.

Students learn to apply a variety of media and techniques through studio art projects. They also learn art history and art appreciation, visit museums, and enter art contests at the city, state and national levels.