Middle School (6-8)

Teaching and Learning in Middle School

Our Lady of Grace Middle School curriculum goes beyond the standards set by North Carolina's Common Core. With smaller class sizes and invested faculty members, students have access to activities and projects that reach beyond the surface. The base curriculum is enhanced through individual and small group projects, led by highly-qualified teachers. Equally important are the organizational and study skills, as well as time management, that OLG teaches and requires for academic success.

• Language Arts - Students learn proper grammar, sentence structure, and advanced vocabulary, building writing skills and preparing them for high school expectations.
• Literature - Students read and study various literary genres, including poetry, short stories, and novels, building educational gains in comprehension, analysis, and verbal reasoning.
• Mathematics - Each grade level, 6th through 8th, offers three tiers of mathematics: on-level, accelerated, and advanced. Students on the advanced track have the option to take geometry in eighth grade, which is typically a high school course.
• Religion - An academically-oriented study of the Old and New Testament, complemented by the geographical and historical context of each, also covering Catholic-specific Sacraments and vocabulary.
• Science - Courses challenge students to move beyond the important foundation found in text books alone, gaining a better understanding of scientific concepts through hands-on small group and individual experiments and projects. Each class emphasizes the importance of problem-solving and scientific inquiry.
• Social Studies - Students are introduced to other cultures, learn about significant events in U.S. history and geography, and engage in individual and small group projects and oral presentations. Our 7th and 8th graders also engage in a major Model UN project as a part of their Social Studies curriculum, learning the ins and outs of diplomacy, all culminating in a full-day Model UN competition at Bishop McGuinness.
• Spanish - World languages are an increasingly important part of success in our global community. We offer Spanish as part of our curriculum from Pre-K through 8th grade, with it becoming a core subject in Middle School. After completing three years of Middle School Spanish (which includes root word exploration and the study of Spanish-speaking countries across the globe), OLG graduates are often able to move directly into Spanish 2 in High School.