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Middle School

The middle school students have multiple teachers who specialize in individual subjects.
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Sixth Grade

 

Grade One is a crucial building block that enables students to reach their full potential in the world of academia. Students are actively engaged in the learning process with fellow students, small group and whole group learning.  Students share knowledge, ideas, and experiences.   Daily integration of math and language arts are woven into all subjects. Projects in Social Studies for symbols, landmarks, and animals in Science are a few of the highlights in Grade one. Field trips directly related to content standards are part of the school year.  In technology students begin work with layers to build digital images in paint.net.  They learn to code in Scratch and start building series and parallel circuits.

Seventh Grade

 

Each Day, a seventh grade student acquires the skills necessary for becoming an effective, successful, and lifelong learners through academic pursuits related to language arts, math, science, humanities, and the arts. In technology, students  are introduced to C++ programming language.  Using if conditions, loops and arrays, they begin to build applications such as grade books and temperature converters. The Social Studies curriculum includes hands-on activities such as mock trials, debating, and preparation for the Citizenship Test for Naturalization.  7th grade math students focus on ratios and proportional relationships, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of integers and rational numbers, expressions, equations, statistics, probability, and formulas for geometry.  The Language Arts program places a focus on the principles of effective and organized writing, acquisition of literary concepts, and the development of academic vocabulary.  In studying Life Science, students in the 7th grade investigate cell structures and delve into genetics, evolution and the history of life on Earth. They explore the musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary systems.  In taking part in the San Mateo County Science Fair, students are encouraged to choose and explore questions related to key issues in health and nutrition.  The Religion curriculum examines the life of Jesus Christ, and the rippling effect his teachings have had on society as a whole.  Good Shepherd 7th graders will be presented with challenges which will equip them to become the problem solvers of the future.

Eighth Grade

 

IDuring the eighth grade, students are devoting much of their time and energy preparing for high school. Developing self-confidence prior to graduation is an essential objective in the Eighth grade as well. Responsibility, community building, and leadership skills are developed in order to enhance the all around skills of each individual student.  Math students study Algebra 1 concepts and fundamentals while utilizing common core math online programs such as ixl.com and Aleks.com.  In Language Arts, students focus on developing reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary skills while placing an emphasis on social injustices from the past and how to relate these experiences to their roles as future leaders. The Eighth Grade  Social Studies curriculum focuses on our nation’s history and government. A class trip to Washington, D.C. and New York will be the culmination of their studies in this content area.  The Physical Science curriculum provides students with an in-depth study of motion, forces, density, the structure of the atom, the periodic table, chemical reactions, the chemistry of living systems, the solar system, and stars and galaxies.  Students conduct hands-on experiments related to speed, velocity, and acceleration.  Software is written that can measure and calculate variables which can be used in their physical science experiments.  While participating in the San Mateo County Science Fair, students are encouraged to explore topics and questions related to physical phenomenon. For Technology, students  are introduced to C++ programming language.

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