Middle School

English is a required course in middle school whereby students further develop their language arts skills consisting of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. The main genres used to improve and develop essential skills include short stories, poetry, novels, and non-fiction texts. Throughout all grade level courses, students will be cultivating their understanding and effective use of the reading comprehension strategies. In addition, they also focus on the 6+1 writing traits, literary/poetic devices, figurative language, challenging vocabulary as well as their research, presentation and critical thinking skills. Students will also get exposure to how various subjects are interrelated using various texts and activities, which are cross curricular in nature.

These following understandings are the foundation to our middle school English program.

• Readers use strategies to construct meaning.
• Readers use language structure and context clues to identify the intended meaning of words and phrases as they are used in text.
• Strategic readers can develop, select, and apply strategies to enhance their comprehension.
• Words powerfully affect meaning.
• Writers develop and refine their ideas for thinking, learning, communicating, and aesthetic expression. 
• Writers use a repertoire of strategies that enables them to vary form and style, in order to write for different purposes, audiences, and contexts. 
• Writers have a purpose for writing, and it is a reflective, multi‐stage process.
• Writers use a repertoire of strategies that enable them to vary form and style, in order to write for different purposes, audiences, and contexts.  

Mathematical ideas should be explored in ways that stimulate curiosity, create enjoyment of mathematics, and develop depth of understanding. Students must learn mathematics with understanding, actively building new knowledge from experience and prior knowledge. An effective mathematics program is based on a carefully designed set of content standards that are clear and specific, focused, and articulated over time as a coherent sequence.

Five Content Standards in the Middle School mathematics program are organized across grade levels with each encompassing specific expectations;

1. Number & Operations
2. Algebra
3. Geometry
4. Measurement
5. Data Analysis & Probability

In a world that is undergoing change at an increasingly rapid rate, the students of KAS will assume global citizenship in a complex technological environment with accelerated differences in economic, political, cultural, and social developments.  As active, responsible world citizens of the future, students need the skills and attitudes necessary for a global community particularly in addressing change, diversity, and controversy.

The KAS Social Studies program is centered on 5 primary strands that are integrated throughout the middle school program:

• Social Organization (Government)
• Culture and Heritage (Culture)
• Place and Environment (Geography)
• Time, Continuity and Change (History)
• Resources and Economics (Economics)

The KAS Middle School Science program focusses on the concepts and theories of the three major branches of scientific study; earth, life and physical science. Understanding over content coverage is stressed to promote learning that is useful and relevant to a complex world increasingly dependent on science and technology. Students are guided to think scientifically, developing decision-making skills geared toward real-world problem solving. Developing a respect for the diversity and fragility of the natural world is an essential aspect of the Middle School Science program. We strive to develop scientifically literate students who will make informed and balanced choices that reflect an understanding of the role of science in our quickly changing modern world. The following six science process skills form the foundation for scientific methods:

• Observation
• Communication
• Classification
• Measurement
• Inference
• Prediction

The study of foreign language, world cultures, and the history of other people promote an awareness for societal differences and similarities. Skills learned in the context of second language acquisition have been shown to contribute to increased cognitive development and to stronger academic performance overall. Spanish, French or Urdu is offered to Grade 6, 7 & Grade 8 students. Through interdisciplinary units and themes, students acquire a working knowledge of their chosen language and gain an understanding about that culture.

Students are provided with the instrument of their choice. Students in Grade receive basic skills on their chosen instrument and are expected to demonstrate the ability to read basic music notation by the end of the year. The advance level students in Band receive intermediate instruction. Their musical skills are developed collaboratively within a mixed-instrument class setting leading to performance level.

Art is an important component of the courses offered at KAS. Involvement in art challenges students to try new things and provides opportunities to manage risk and handle failure. Art education connects students with cultures worldwide as well as their own. Students explore the elements and principles of design, drawing and digital art with cross-curriculum integration when possible. Students engage in group and individual projects with an emphasis on collaboration and expression.

Physical Education classes are designed to acquire the values, knowledge, skills and competencies needed to develop and commit to maintaining a healthy, active and balanced life.

Physical activity has been proven to not only increase motor skill development but also to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as reducing the risk of developing adverse health issues such as heart disease. It increases motor skill development while improving peer relationships.