Middle School Program - Helping Students OWN THEIR FAITH

Middle School students encounter many emotional and physical changes that often substantially impact academics. Yorktown Christian Academy's middle school program is designed to challenge, nurture, and support students through these complicated years. YCA's middle school program prepares students for the more independent studies required in high school. Our focus is on the whole person. We help students build a deepening Christian commitment, good study habits, positive character traits, and wholesome relationships with peers and adults.

YCA's middle school program trains the heart as well as the mind. Teachers and administrators strive to help students grow in their knowledge of God, cultivate their relationship with Him, and develop a lifestyle consistent with their beliefs. Within the classroom God’s timeless truths are integrated into each subject area. Weekly chapel and annual spiritual retreat provide opportunities for development of each student in the context of the community.

Because middle school students need support from the adults in their lives, YCA middle school teachers work as a team, communicating regularly among themselves about each student’s progress and needs in each subject area. Teachers are student-centered, interested in all aspects of each student’s life, not only his or her academic performance. YCA teachers communicate with parents regularly to ensure that parents are satisfied with student progress. YCA uses a student information management system, called HeadMaster, to enhance communication between school and home. Parents can log in and retrieve their children’s homework assignments, track their grades, note after school activities, or email questions and concerns to the teachers.

YCA cultivates a wholesome community environment for middle school students to expand their friendships in the context of a caring Christian community. Co-curricular activities include basketball, soccer, and Bible studies. We are adding more co-curricular activities on a regular basis based on student interest.

Middle School Curriculum

All subject areas are taught from a biblical perspective and correlate with state and national standards. An overview by subject area is described below:

Science
The Science Department's philosophy is that each student be afforded the opportunity to study the intricate details and interrelations of God’s creation. During the year, sixth grade students are introduced to a broad spectrum of science ranging from Life Science, to Earth Science, and ultimately to Physical Science. Seventh grade students focus mainly on Life Science with a brief review of Earth and Physical Science, whereas eighth grade’s concentration lies in the study of Physical Science with a brief review of Earth and Life Science. At each grade level, students are provided and equipped with purposeful activities that promote inquiry and are conducive to learning.

Mathematics
In all three grades the students are learning about how God designed the world in perfect order and that math reflects that order through real numbers, orders of operations, and the perfect balance of equations and formulas. Seventh grade is Pre-algebra or Transitional math by the University of Chicago. Our 8th grade students also use the University of Chicago text for Algebra. This is a high school credit course.

History
In all three grades, the main focus for the middle school history department is to discern God’s providence in any era by studying the impact of human endeavor and learning how circumstances have impacted the course of events. Geography is studied as time allows. The 8th grade studies American History up to the Reconstruction Period using a Bob Jones book. The 7th grade studies Texas History using the Glencoe Publishing materials and the 6th grade class studies the ancient civilizations in a social studies format.

Language Arts
The philosophy of the Language Arts Department is to endeavor to help students find their God-given voice to communicate with clarity, confidence, and commitment. Whether this communication is verbal or written, it is our goal to make sure each student leaves YCA knowing how to speak effectively, write skillfully, listen attentively, and read with discernment. In order to achieve these goals, we base our curriculum on a series of objectives equivalent to the SAT and TEKS objectives. Sixth grade students focus primarily on mastering grammar and spelling, as well as mastering the process of writing both narrative and expository essays. They are introduced to a wide assortment of reading genres as well as a variety of critical reading strategies that allow the students to begin analyzing complex literature. Speaking orally and listening attentively is a large part of the sixth grade curriculum.

Seventh grade begins with a review of grammar and strategies for note taking. We focus on maintaining reading fluency and comprehension while putting reading strategies into practice on a more independent level. Seventh grade students spend a lot of time analyzing literary, media, and biblical viewpoints. Writing is focused primarily on expository essays. Oral presentations are commonplace in the seventh grade Language Arts classroom.

Eighth grade students focus on composing narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive essays. The students write a variety of original speeches that are presented in the classroom. They are also asked to memorize and recite a variety of texts in order to master their speaking abilities. Eighth grade students are expected to be able to critically analyze all types of literature including, but not limited to, poetry, non-fiction, fables, a variety of fiction, and classic novels. Formulating research essays and speeches are commonplace in the eighth grade classroom.

Foreign Language
Spanish is taught on an introductory level to students in the sixth and seventh grades in order to prepare them for an intense study of Spanish in the eighth grade. The Spanish curriculum focuses on immersing students into a study of Spanish grammar, culture of Spanish speaking countries, and conversational Spanish. The eighth grade curriculum is geared towards equipping students for academic success in their study of high school Spanish.

Bible
The Bible Department of Yorktown Christian Academy embraces the philosophy that God honors His Word (Proverbs 22:6) and therefore strives to integrate biblical principles in all subject areas in order to draw students to a close relationship with Jesus Christ and equip them to lead lives that will glorify Him.  Sixth grade students study the Old Testament, seventh grade students study the New Testament and eighth grade students study Christian character traits through God’s Word.  Each Bible objective is designed to continue the process of instructing students in righteousness so that they are given opportunities to become motivated and to mature toward lifelong study of the Word of God (Matthew 5:16).

The Word of God is the center of the Bible curriculum at Yorktown Christian Academy.  Therefore, it is the conviction of the Bible Department that memorization of God’s Word (Psalm 119:11) is vital in leading a student to the ultimate goal, the application of the Bible to life – “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  (Psalm 119:105)  We value the pursuit of wisdom based on the intentional and prayerfully guided study of God’s Word.

Computer Science
Students at YCA will learn how to effectively use the Microsoft Office Suite 2007. They will learn essential technology skills in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint using the Techno Kids project based curriculum. This curriculum integrates fun projects such as, opening a restaurant, writing a report on an endangered species, creating commercials, and making a presentation about a hero. Students will also learn proper typing skills using various typing programs. All students will practice computer skills by playing educational software games that will help reinforce concepts taught at school.