Everett Public Schools
Every Child A Winner
A Parent’s
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Curriculum
Guide for
Middle School
The Magic of Middle School
“Students need a balance of learning experiences - structured,
intentional skill development, as well as spontaneous, creative
learning opportunities.”
Terry Bergeson
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Middle school students are explorers.
They are
exploring the world and their place in that world. They
are learning about relationships, testing their limits and
stretching their capabilities. At the same time, they are
learning reading, math, science, art... and on top of all
that, they have to change classrooms!
It’s no wonder that middle schools are full of
energy, and Everett Public Schools is
committed to turning that energy into a productive
educational experience for your child. We can best do
that by working with you - the parents or
guardians - to build on what your child knows and to
set goals for her/his future. This Parent
Curriculum Guide is intended to give you a broad
overview of the learning goals for middle school
students.
You may find that some of the descriptions of a middle
school child do not match your child at this time.
Your child may be performing above grade level in
one subject and at or below in another. We want to
emphasize that all children learn at different rates. The
important thing is to focus on the needs of the child so
that they can continuously improve.
2
“We must send a clear message that school is important, and we
do that by investing our time and our attention.”
Richard Riley
Former U.S. Secretary of Education
Your Middle School Student
A middle school child is:
?
Physically restless - attentive one minute, losing interest the next
?
Self-conscious - easily embarrassed if singled out
?
Sometimes noisy, aggressive
?
Inquisitive but may not readily ask questions of an adult
?Becoming
increasingly interested in artistic, scientific, political,
philosophical and social issues
?Developing
and sense of independence, a sense of self, while
strongly identifying with peers
?Questioning
- may appear disordered and chaotic, but have patience,
they’re sorting it all out
?
Increasingly capable of thinking in more abstract and complex ways
Middle schoolers are unpredictable,
bouncing between childhood
and adolescence. They are frustrating, energetic, complex young
people undergoing great physical, emotional and intellectual
changes. Although it may not always be obvious, they are bursting
with creative energy. Help them find productive outlets for that
creativity and you will find middle school to be one of your favorite
times.
3
“Being average is not good enough. We are raising the academic
bar and holding ourselves and our students accountable for the
results.”
Terry Bergeson
Superintendent of Public Instruction
What Are Standards for Student Learning?
You probably have heard discussion
of “standards” for learning. Standards are clear, consistent
messages about what a child should know and be able to do. This is not a new concept; industry
and sports have always had consistent standards, and effective teachers have always set clear
goals for students. What is new is that now all of the school districts in Washington state have a
consistent set of standards. They are based on four broad learning goals:
?Read
with comprehension, write with skill and communicate effectively and responsibly in a
variety of ways and settings;
?Know
and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical and life
sciences; civics and history; geography; arts; and health and fitness;
?Think
analytically, logically and creatively, and integrate experience and knowledge to form
reasoned judgements and solve problems; and
?Understand
the importance of work and how performance, effort and decisions directly affect
future career and educational opportunities.
Based on these standards, the State has set specific learning expectations for grades 4, 7 and 10.
In Everett, we have built our curriculum for all grades, kindergarten through grade 12, around
these expectations.
The standards not only help students know what school is all about, they help teachers select
materials, plan lessons and assess student learning. You will find more details about the standards
in each area throughout this guide. There is also information later in this guide about State and
district testing which you will want to review. Helping students prepare for testing is a critical
role for parents.
You can get more information about the state standards at the website of the Office of the
Superintendent of Public Instruction: www.k12.wa.us
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Reading Standards
Sixth through Eighth Grade
Standard 1:
The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read.
?Uses
word meaning (origin, roots/affixes), context
clues (explanations, elaborations, definitions,
appositives, synonyms/antonyms) and pictures/
graphics to comprehend text.
?Identifies
and interprets specialized
vocabulary critical to understanding content
area information.
Standard 2:
The student understands the meaning of what is read.
?Uses
pre-, during, and after - reading strategy tools to
comprehend literary and informational text.
?Summarizes,
compares/contrasts, explains cause/effect
and author’s point of view by citing evidence from
text.
?Finds,
sorts and analyzes information from
multiple sources for a specific task.
?Analyzes
and evaluates the validity of
information and ideas in text.
Standard 3:
The student reads different materials for a variety of purposes.
?Evaluates
appropriateness and selects a variety of
resources for a specific task.
?Interprets
documents such as blueprints,
graphs, news articles and policies.
Standard 4:
The student sets goals and evaluates progress to improve reading.
?Applies
strategies learned on own to improve reading
achievement.
?Discusses
books with others and explains
reasons for recommendations.
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Reading List
Dragon’s Gate,
Laurence Yep
Bridge to Terabitha,
Katherine Paterson
The Cay,
Theodore Taylor
The River,
Gary Paulsen
The Watsons Go to Birmingham,
Christopher Paul
Curtis
Diary of Anne Frank,
Anne Frank
Call of the Wild,
Jack London
Catherine, Called Birdy,
Karen Cushman
Eye Witness Series
Farewell to Manzanar,
Jeanne Wakatsuki
Sing Down the Moon,
Scott O’Dell
Journey to Jo’Burg,
Beverly Naidoo
The Pearl,
John Steinbeck
Red Scarf Girl,
Ji-Li Jiang
On My Honor,
Marion Dane
Julie of the Wolves,
Jean Craighead George
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH,
Robert O’Brien
Call it Courage,
Armstrong Sperry
Dicey’s Song,
Cynthia Voigt
Lost in the Barrens,
Farley Mowat
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Writing Standards
Sixth through Eighth Grade
Standard 1:
The student writes clearly and effectively.
?Uses
the Six-Trait Writing Model to guide his/her writing (see page 11).
?Writes
an inviting introduction, a supportive middle and a thoughtful conclusion.
Standard 2:
The student writes in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes.
?Uses
different types of writing (e.g., essays, reports, letters, journals, etc.) for different audiences.
?Writes
to express, inform, create, explain, persuade, entertain, reflect and complete forms.
Standard 3:
The student understands and uses the steps of the writing process
?Uses
the steps of the writing process including prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and publishing.
?Writes
multiple drafts to reorganize and clarify ideas.
Standard 4:
The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of written work.
?Offers
feedback to others based on writing criteria; accepts and uses feedback to revise his/her writing.
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Six-Trait Writing Model
You can look at your writing in a lot of different ways. Known
as the Six-Trait Model, here are six things to think about to help
you become a better writer.
1) Ideas and content
?
Is what I want to say clear?
?
Did I give the reader enough information?
2) Organization
?
Does my paper have a good beginning and ending?
?
Have I told my ideas in the best order?
3) Voice
?
Does this writing sound like me?
?
Did I say what I really think and feel?
4) Word Choice
?Will
my reader understand the words I used?
?
Have I used words that paint a picture?
5) Sentence Fluency
?Do
my sentences begin in different ways?
?Did
I use different kinds of sentences?
?
Is my paper easy to read out loud?
6) Writing Conventions
?
Did I leave spaces between my words?
?
Is my spelling correct?
?Did
I use periods and question marks correctly?
?Did
I use capital letters in the right places?
If you can answer all of these questions with a “YES!” then you
have done a great job of writing!
We use this guide
to help students
understand
good writing.
8
Everett Four-Strand/Four-Level Writing Scoring Guide: Grades 6-12
CONTENT is…
Writing to a narrow topic with relevant ideas so the meaning is clear.
Level 4: Advanced
A.
Topic
is purposefully
focused on the theme/main idea/thesis/position
throughout paper.
B.
Main Ideas
indicate
more than two
full lines of reasoning.
C.
Evidence
is
elaborated
with selected, relevant, and
specific
details, examples, anecdotes, reasons, and/or
facts.
D.
Commentary
provides
cohesive
explanations
that
thread credibility across
parts of the evidence.
E.
Message
shows
insight, clarifies
thought, goes beyond the obvious, answers questions, and/or draws upon
personal
experiences.
Level 3: Proficient
A.
Topic
is narrowly
focused on the theme/main idea/thesis/position
throughout paper.
B.
Main Ideas
indicate
two
full lines of reasoning.
C.
Evidence
is
developed
with
relevant
details, examples, anecdotes, reasons, and/or facts.
D.
Commentary
provides
credible
explanations
to
clearly
connect
specific parts
of the evidence.
E.
Message
represents
predictable
or obvious thoughts.
Level 2: Basic
A.
Topic
is generally
focused on the theme/main idea/thesis/position throughout paper.
B.
Main Ideas
indicate at least
one
reason although it may not be complete.
C.
Evidence
is
general
details or examples that
may not be relevant
; weak development is present.
D.
Commentary
has
inconsistent explanations
that
attempt to connect
any cited
the evidence.
E.
Message
has
unclear
thoughts that may require interpretation to make sense.
Level 1: Below Basic
A.
Topic
wanders
or
the
focus is
lost
about the theme/main idea/thesis/position throughout paper.
B.
Main Ideas
are
ill-defined statements not reflecting a main line of reasoning.
C.
Evidence
is
unconnected
statements or
lists, lacking
in relevance, or
interfering
with meaning.
D.
Commentary
is
lacking
and evidence goes
unconnected
.
E.
Message
is missing or
random
thoughts that make no discernable point.
ORGANIZATION is…
Arranging events/ideas/reasons in order to provide a sense of completeness appropriate to a
purpose in a logical pattern and using transitions for cohesion.
Level 4: Advanced
A.
Introduction
uniquely
presents theme/main idea/thesis/position
to draw reader in with
strong
sense of direction.
B.
Middle
events/supporting ideas/reasons are
purposefully
arranged in a
logical
pattern that clearly fit
together the theme/main idea/thesis/position.
C.
Transitions
clearly provide (between/within-paragraph)
cohesion
that covers the bulk of the text or intentionally
signals/
implies
an emphasis on
relationship
connections.
D.
Conclusion
provides
thought-provoking
resolution, consequence, connection to broader context, or
call for action
.
Level 3: Proficient
A.
Introduction
presents the theme/main idea/thesis/position
and provides reader with
direction.
B.
Middle
events/supporting ideas/reasons are prepared in a
logical
pattern
to show the
theme/main idea/thesis/position.
C.
Transitions
show
,
signal, or maintain
(between/within-paragraph) basic
and
sequencing
connections
.
D.
Conclusion
ties up
loose ends with consequence, connection to broader context, or
call for action
.
Level 2: Basic
A.
Introduction
restates
the title or prompt, is unclear,
or provides reader with only a
little sense
of direction.
B.
Middle
events/supporting ideas/reasons are
loosely patterned
to outline the theme/main idea /thesis
/position.
C.
Transitions
are
telling/sequencing connections
(between/within-paragraph).
D.
Conclusion
is
limited
to
summarizing
but
without purpose.
Level 1: Below Basic
A.
Introduction
is missing and needed for meaning, leaving reader with
no
direction.
B.
Middle
events/supporting ideas/reasons are
randomly
or
illogically ordered
and do not shape the
theme/main idea/thesis/position.
C.
Transitions
are
incorrectly used, omitted, or repetitive
in use (between/within-paragraph).
D.
Conclusion
restates introduction or the text
abruptly
ends.
STYLE is…
Writing fluently with well-chosen words while using
an engaging voice (narrative writing is
honest/personal and persuasion/expository writing shows commitment).
Level 4: Advanced
A.
Sentences
vary
widely
in beginnings, length, and/or structure; flow
easily
/have
cadence
; and
invite
reading aloud.
B.
Word
Choice
is
vivid, precise,
or makes writing memorable; is
natural
and never overdone;
uses various active
verbs.
C.
Voice
is
engaging
,
confident
, shows commitment, and/or
takes a risk
; tone hooks reader (strong
reader-writer interaction) and audience/purpose
is strongly
addressed
.
Level 3: Proficient
A.
Sentences
vary
in beginnings, length, and/or structure;
usually
flow smoothly; and are easily read aloud.
B.
Word
Choice
is specific and persuasive/compelling
;
strengthens writing, and
shows
use of active verbs.
C.
Voice
shows tone of
commitment
to hook the reader (reader-writer interaction evident) and
audience/purpose is
addressed
.
Level 2: Basic
A.
Sentences
vary
some
in beginnings, length, and/or structure; may be
awkward
; and/or
troublesome
to read aloud.
B.
Word
Choice
is limited
, does
not enhance
writing, may show thesaurus overload, and/or mostly uses
passive
verbs.
C.
Voice
shows
distracted
commitment; tone is
inconsistent
(reader yet to be “invited in”) about
audience/purpose.
Level 1: Below Basic
A.
Sentences
are
similar
in beginnings, length, and/or structure;
no/minimal “sentence sense”;
or does
not invite
reading aloud.
B.
Word
Choice
shows redundancy
, is incorrect/has omissions, or
confuses and
weakens
the writing.
C.
Voice
is lacking or limited due to
inadequate
commitment; tone is that of boredom (reader is “turned away”)
and audience/purpose is
not addressed.
CONVENTIONS is…
Using rules of standard English for usage, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and paragraphs to
make the meaning of the text clear
.
Level 4: Advanced According
to 6-12 grade-level
expectations,
Accurately applies conventions, although may intentionally break rules for style purposes.
Level 3: Proficient According to 6-12 grade-level
expectations,
Consistently and accurately applies conventions.
Level 2: Basic According to 3-5 grade-level
expectations,
Consistently applies conventions that do not interfere with meaning.
Level 1: Below Basic According to 3-5 grade-level
expectations,
Inconsistently applies conventions that interfere with meaning.
Note: Underlined words
are labels that signal a separate indicator for each strand. Each
indicator is of comparable worth
per strand. Some indicators
have multiple parts separated by “and,“ ”or,” or
“and/or.” When scoring use
these conjunctions to
signal
the emphasis
that is to be
p
laced on a
part
, i.e., all
p
arts must all be
present
verses some
parts
can be
p
resent.
Bolded words
are keys
words used in distinguishing
one level from the next.
Draft 19 (Rev.: 6-22-05)
District Writing Assessment
Sixth and eighth grade
students take the district
writing assessment each
year.
They are given a
topic and asked to write
about it. The papers are
scored on a 5-point scale
using the six-trait model
described earlier in this
guide.
Middle school teachers
emphasize quality
writing throughout the
curriculum, not just in
language arts. Students
will need to reach
standard in writing in
high school in order to
graduate.
10
Communication Standards
Sixth through Eighth Grade
Standard 1:
The student uses listening and observation skills to gain understanding.
?Gives
evidence of attention by nodding, maintaining
eye contact or taking notes.
?Listens
for, identifies and explains important details.
?Checks
his/her understanding by asking
questions and paraphrasing.
?Questions,
analyzes and evaluates information.
Standard 2:
The student communicates ideas clearly and effectively.
?Communicates
for a range of purposes: to inform,
persuade or entertain.
?Adjusts
content and presentation skills to the
needs of the audience.
Standard 3:
The student uses communication strategies to work effectively with others.
?Contributes
responsibly to group efforts and works
cooperatively.
?Demonstrates
respect by acknowledging
viewpoints and ideas of others.
Standard 4:
The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of presentations.
?Offers
feedback on content and organization of
presentations; seeks, accepts and uses feedback to
revise his/her presentation.
11
“Tests are no longer just a paper and pencil exercise. As part of
our new performance assessment system, they require students to
apply their knowledge, skills, and creativity to solve problems.”
Terry Bergeson
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Assessments of Student Learning
In addition to the tests prepared by their teachers, middle school students take several district and
state tests to assess their progress.
Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)
The WASL is a standardized test which combines multiple choice and open-ended questions. It is
taken by all seventh graders in Washington state in April. The test measures student achievement
of the standards set for grade 7 in reading, writing, math, listening and science. Parents receive a
report of their child’s scores in the fall.
Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)
The ITBS is a standardized multiple choice test given in
March to all sixth grade students in Washington state. ITBS
measures basic skills in reading, math, language, science,
social studies and study skills. The scores tell us how well
our students do compared with students nationwide. Each
family receives a report of their student’s scores in the late
spring.
12
How You Can Help
What you can do to help
?Encourage
daily reading and sharing of fiction
and nonfiction, e.g., newspapers, magazines,
classic literature, current science articles.
?Make
sure your child has a book for silent
reading both at school and at home, every day.
?Ask
your child to summarize or tell you about
what they have read.
?Set
aside a specific quiet place and time for
your child to study each day.
?Study
time should be used for homework
assignments, review of previous work, silent
reading or studying math facts.
?Monitor
your child’s assignment sheet or school
planner on a daily basis.
?Help
your child keep his/her notebook
organized. All papers should be organized
by subject and should be secured in a 3-ring
binder. Keep your child supplied with necessary
materials such as pencils, pens and notebook
paper.
?Review
returned assignments with your child.
?Be
involved in your child’s homework. Check
it over and make sure they show all their work
and can explain it to you.
?Practice
basic math facts with your child to
increase speed and accuracy.
?Practice
estimating discounts, sale prices and
totals when shopping with your child.
?Brainstorm
several solutions when problems
arise.
?Play
board and card games with your child
to develop mathematical strategies and
computation skills.
?Involve
your child in measurement activities
such as cooking, calculating the amount of
paint needed to paint a room, measuring
with a ruler, reading mileage on a map,
calculating miles per gallon, and using both
metric and U.S. units of measure.
?Visit
science exhibits, aquariums, parks
and zoos, plays, concerts, historical sites,
museums, galleries, local exhibits, art
classes, public libraries, etc.
?Watch
and discuss educational television
programs together.
?Use
and discuss maps and the world atlas
with your child.
?Assist
your child in using a computer as a
tool for learning.
?Encourage
your child to ask questions.
?Praise
your child often.
13
“I passionately believe that our standards are both achievable and
vitally necessary to the future success of every child in Washington
state.”
Former Governor Gary Locke
Middle School Does Count!
“Central to our mission as middle
schools are two items - to assist
students in reaching high learning
expectations and to guide students
as they explore their individual
strengths. Middle school provides
the structure for this critical work
and sets the foundation for success
in high school. Middle schools need
parents to work side-by-side with
educators to reinforce healthy work
habits, establish high goals, and
value academic success.”
David Jones, Principal
Eisenhower Middle School
“The habits you sharpen in middle
school will be tools you will use to
succeed in high school. Use every
single opportunity you are given to
read, write, present, and calculate,
because these are absolute high
school requirements. Develop these
patterns to all of your work, apply
yourself and finish all assignments.
Middle school athletics and music
instruction are also building blocks
for participation and competition at
the high school level.”
Pat Sullivan, Principal
Everett High School
“Everett Public Schools has
made some important steps in
coordinating and aligning the
curriculum K-12. High school
and middle school staff realize the
interrelatedness of their missions
and appreciate the importance of
the development of student skill at
each level. Middle schools must
help their students through the most
challenging developmental phase
while helping them gain the skills
necessary for high school.”
Debbie Cossey, Counselor
Jackson High School
Please note:
Middle school students
can get high school credit for taking
Pre-Algebra or Algebra if they earn a
grade of C or better.
Moving from Middle School to High School
14
Middle School Competency Project
Everett Middle Schools are doing a good job of preparing students, but our community’s expectations of what every
student needs to know and be able to do are changing. In 1999, Everett Public Schools launched an initiative to
improve our middle school programs and address these new expectations.
A Middle School Task Force was formed in January 2000 and consisted of about 60 parents, teachers, administrators
and community members from all five middle schools as well as from some elementary and high schools. This task
force met throughout the school year and laid the foundation of what is now called the
Middle School Competency
Project
. They concluded that in order for middle school students to achieve meaningful and enduring learning, they
must be able to:
• direct their own learning;
• integrate and apply content knowledge, skills and strategies;
• solve problems effectively; and
• communicate their knowledge.
These four areas have evolved into the four competencies all middle school students are expected to achieve:
• Self-Directed Learner
• Effective User of Skills and Strategies
• Effective Problem Solver
• Effective Communicator
The Middle School Competency Project is being implemented over three years, beginning in the fall of 2002. The first
year focused on establishing the processes for successful portfolio
collection
, student
reflection
and the
sharing
of
their learning during student-led conferences. The second year will emphasize the indicators of quality performance
for each competency. The third year will include an end-of-8th-grade final activity where students provide evidence of
being competent in all four areas.
Competencies that guide the student as s/he uses skills
and knowledge to collect evidence demonstrating their
proficiency in being an/a:
Self-Directed Learner -
The student takes responsibility
for his/her behavior and learning. As an individual, the
student strives for excellence, evaluates work against an
identified standard, takes initiative with tasks and problems,
perseveres and respects the feelings and property of others.
When working with others, the student interacts and
collaborates in a cooperative manner, helps resolve conflicts,
depends on team members and accepts responsibility for
fulfilling individual obligations while holding all group
members accountable.
Effective User of Skills and Strategies - The student
acquires the skills and strategies for improving academic
literacy across all content areas. When working with
text, students are able to make sense of the content.
When working with quantitative information, students
are able to interpret and create representations. When
working with various media forms, students are able to
make inferences about meaning.
Effective Problem Solver -
When discovering the unknown
or challenging assumptions, the student defines the problem,
gathers relevant information, chooses a strategy, develops a
plan, implements the plan and evaluates the effectiveness of
the solution. To answer a question or learn something new,
the student defines the task and identifies possible information
sources, selecting the most useful to address the task. The
student then locates the sources and selects the most relevant
information, synthesizes the information and uses it to
complete the task. Finally, the student evaluates the process
used to acquire information.
Effective Communicator -
The student communicates
information, ideas and concepts to various audiences for
different purposes. The student uses a variety of forms
and methods to communicate including, but not limited
to, reading, writing, listening, speaking, technology, visual
representations and non-verbal expression. The student
evaluates the final product or performance as well as the
effectiveness of the process.
15
