The focus in the grade 6 social studies curriculum is to build the students' awareness of world cultures. This is accomplished through a rigorous study of peoples, cultures and major events in ancient times on the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.  Teachers create a variety of academically integrated activities to reach this goal including; reading and responding to pertinent literature, creating detailed maps, role-playing, debate, creating compare and contrast charts, holding cultural fairs and a variety of field experiences.  By the end of sixth grade, each student will have improved his or her awareness and respect for different world cultures. Additionally, students will be able to identify geographically important landmarks and describe the religious influences which have supported and preserved culture. 

The Skills Program at Saint Paul's consists of two distinct programs. The first is direct vocabulary instruction and the second is creative writing.  The framework for the vocabulary instruction is the Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop. The students engage in a rigorous program that involves the study of word choice, the Principals of grammar in context, spelling, sentence fluency, and analogies.  The creative writing program focuses on the six traits of good writing which include; organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation.  To practice these skills, each student endeavors to create a writing portfolio, which includes: a how-to essay, a persuasive essay, an autobiography, a research paper, and a cause-effect essay.  Each portfolio is assessed on improvement shown over time and all students are encouraged on their path to becoming published authors.

Middle School Science Curriculum
 The strengths of the middle school science curriculum begin by challenging students to become active participants and to take responsibility for their learning. In addition to the teacher’s dedication to the subject, students are encouraged to be actively involved. The text books used, which are published by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, are the most up to date at this time, as are the pedagogical methods utilized. By differentiating instruction in order to meet individual student needs, and embrace the varied levels of interest, maturity and motivation, students are guided through the middle school science curriculum. The text books use a clear outline-style method to allow the ability to find information easily, and are accompanied with web sites associated with each chapter to further enhance student understanding. Students are given the opportunity to exhibit their scientific knowledge through an annual science fair as well as various projects and experiments in which they participate.
 Beginning in the sixth grade with Life Science, students learn the abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry. From studying the structure and function in living systems to the Earth’s Ecosystems, students build from this foundation as they enter the next grade level.
 In seventh grade science students carry on where they left off, studying Environmental Science. They begin with science and the environment, reinforcing the scientific method and exploring the Earth and its biodiversity.
 In the eighth grade, students embark on Physical Science, along with Earth and Space Science. Beginning with the Earth’s atmosphere and origins of the universe, the students move onto machines and energy. Based on and in compliance with, the National Science Education Standards, the curriculum is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to successfully prepare them for the transition from middle school, onto high school.

 Middle School English Language Arts
 - The Middle School language arts program consists of 3 components, direct vocabulary instruction, creative writing and the study of classic and modern literature. The vocabulary instruction is conducted using the highly acclaimed Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop. This spiral curriculum gives students multiple opportunities to study units of 20 new words on a weekly basis. In addition to the vocabulary exercises in the text, there is a website that provides opportunity for learners to use and play with words in many ways. Teachers also provide numerous opportunities for word play activities through fun and creative review activities, le Jeopardy and Concentration.
 
 The Creative Writing program focuses on seven traits of good writing: Ideas, organization, voice, word-choice, sentence fluency, conventions and presentation. Each student is guided through each step and is often given the opportunity to write on subjects of personal interest. Exercises to foster the traits of good writing include lessons on draft revision, editing and proofreading. Students also are required to write in different genres, including persuasive essays, how-to articles, compare and contrast articles and research papers. A writing portfolio is kept and assessment is based on student progress throughout the semester.
 
 Middle school literature focuses on reading comprehension along with response to literature. Through the use of grade level and age appropriate novels and short stories, students build on their reading fluency and understanding, as well as their listening and oral communication skills. Students read from a variety of genres in addition to choosing novels based on their own interests, to analyze in written form and in oral presentations.

The Middle School Math curriculum is structured to build upon skills developed in the elementary grades, to guide students to independent learning, and to prepare students for the challenge of higher mathematics. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, we have introduced a new math curriculum with an emphasis on the fundamentals and foundations of algebra. This new program places a priority on the key skills and concepts needed to develop algebra proficiency. In the sixth grade, students are instructed in achieving solutions in the four basic operations through the use of decimals and fractions. Usage of the order of operations, patterns, and variables are presented to aid students in problem solving. Number theory, ratio, proportion, and percent are included. Presentation of information is emphasized by the use of graphs.
The entire curriculum is designed to introduce mathematical skills, to develop those skills, and to maintain and apply them as appropriate.

The sixth grade Religion course is a study of the Old Testament exploring the foundation of Christianity and the covenant between God and His people. This foundation of faith leads to a discussion of the role of Jesus in God’s plan of salvation as teacher, healer, and savior. The course closes with an overview of the beginning of the Church on Pentecost, the spread of Christianity, and the responsibility of the Church in continuing Jesus’ ministry.