Middle School (7-8)
Middle school includes 7th and 8th grade at Providence. Middle school students are still excited about learning, but they need more challenges in their academics. They naturally become more analytical in their thinking, so our teaching becomes more focused on logic arguments with an emphasis on debate and the ability to synthesize and support new ideas. Students at this stage like to order things more, seeking to know the how and why behind the facts.
Our middle school teachers try to harness these tendencies through research and debate, written papers, oral presentations, and formal logic (starting in 8th grade). Drama, re-enactments, and role-playing are all tremendously effective teaching tools for the logic student. Classes will also include guest speakers and special trips as often as is feasible.
Activities
Middle school students represent the transition between grammar and secondary, so these students are involved in activities from both sides.
- House system. Students from 7th-12th grade are divided into six houses and they remain in these houses until they graduate. The house system provides camaraderie, culture, and traditions—students, faculty, and families come together for various activities that cross ages and grades and give students a sense of honor, teamwork, sacrifice, and responsibility in keeping with their growth as young Christian men and women.
- Geography Bee (grades 4-8). All students practice and participate in a class-wide geography bee, encouraging students to memorize scientific facts and learn more about God’s creation.
- Latin Club. Optional, extracurricular activity for students interested in learning even more about Latin than the core curriculum.
- Geography Club. Optional, extracurricular activity for students interested in learning even more about geography than the core curriculum.
Curriculum
Here is some of what students learn in 7th and 8th grade:
Other Resources
You can learn more about the classroom supplies, reading lists, and activities for middle school on the Secondary Class Resources page.