Seventh Grade

Students will learn about the life of Jesus, beginning with His momentous birth and ending with His glorious resurrection. In addition to reading the text, students will read the Bible to see how all four Gospel writers depict Jesus. In addition to learning about the life of Christ, students will also learn about Christian morality through various parables and teachings. They will then learn how to apply those teachings to their own lives and how they can be better Catholics. They will also be exposed to Catholic social teachings and will learn how to apply the lessons of the Gospels to our global community.

We will also work from the Grade 7 Family Life book. This year, our focus will be on family relationships and the values and virtues of the Catholic Church. We will use these topics ​as a means of discussing Catholic morality and using the Church’s teachings to help live fuller lives.

Junior High Service Learning Program
6th, 7th, and 8th grade will take part in the Service Learning Program. Rubrics and paperwork for each grade will be posted on School Speak. Service grades will be a part of the student’s final religion grade for each trimester.

The approach to our program is hands-on and activity-oriented. Students get a solid foundation in science investigation skills including observation, measurement and data collection, analysis, prediction, experiment design, research source evaluation, and communication. When possible, the curriculum includes differentiated lessons so a student can proceed at a pace that is comfortable, yet challenging.

Each student creates a PowerPoint presentation. Seventh grade students choose a topic related to genetic disorders or genetic engineering, research the topic thoroughly, develop a thesis, design a presentation, and then present it to the class.

Units chosen are based on the Content Standards from the California Department of Education. Seventh grade focuses on life science and utilizes the textbook California Focus on Life Science by Prentice Hall. Curricular units include light, cells, reproduction, genetics, geologic time, evolution, microorganisms, plants, and muscles and bones.

Note: California is an active participant in creating the Next Generation Science Standards which are based on the Framework for Science Education. Both documents are in the initial implementation stages at present.

What this will mean statewide is a greater focus on engineering and doing, rather than just learning concepts. Key practices include asking questions, designing experiments, analyzing information, communicating information, etc. The number of core ideas will be limited, allowing more in-depth study and experimentation. When the state implements the new standards, the curriculum at St. Justin School will also be revised. However, our current curriculum already emphasizes most, if not all, of the new practices and standards. While we cannot be a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) school due to very specific facility/personnel/structure demands required to earn that designation, the Junior High curriculum does provide many of the same opportunities.

The students will begin their investigation into world history with a study of the Roman Empire and its subsequent fall. They will then examine the rise of the Islamic empires and the various empires of sub­Saharan Africa. The students will then study the various civilizations of East Asia, especially the feudal society of Japan and the various attempts to develop Chinese nationalism. From there, the seventh graders will investigate the Renaissance, Reformation, and the Age of Exploration. We will then cross the Atlantic and examine the early civilizations of the Americas. We will finish the year with a look at European rule and expansion, culminating in the Enlightenment.

Students will learn to take notes from their textbook using Cornell Notes Format. We will work on our test preparation skills and initially take open-note tests. We will normally have homework, guided reading packets, and other related activities with each chapter studied. There will be long­-term projects based on the material studied. Occasional map tests will be given as additional support of the geographical areas covered in our textbook. The students will select, write about, and share with the class current events taken from their local newspaper or online source. Students will engage in Socratic Circles, where they discuss readings from their textbook using student-­driven discussion. This subject will require the strengthening and development of higher-­level thinking skills, and students will have to read the text and connect it to other ideas and aspects of life. The class will require more than a skimming or cursory reading.