In Middle School mathematics at St. John the Baptist Catholic School, students will learn a broad range of topics including algebra, geometry, and math computation. Upon completion of middle school, students at St. John the Baptist will demonstrate an understanding of real numbers and algebraic symbols, including their expressions and operations. Analysis of two and three dimensional spaces and figures by using distances and angles is also part of the curriculum. Students will use linear equations and functions to represent and solve linear equations, linear inequalities, and systems of linear equations and inequalities, and use quadratic and exponential equations and functions to represent relationships.  Students will be grouped into math classes based on ability and will be working at the level where they will be challenged and the most successful.  Your child will leave SJB with all the tools necessary to excel in high school mathematics.

Middle School science at St. John the Baptist Catholic School is a comprehensive three course series of earth science, physical science, and life science. Sixth grade students begin with earth science, and seventh and eighth grade students alternate between life science, and physical science. In these courses, we strive to achieve a balance of hands-on activities while learning more advanced abstract concepts that describe the world we live in. Students regularly participate in lab activities that provide visual and kinesthetic enrichment to the concepts that are covered. We also emphasize online research, lecture, and note-taking skills that are essential to success in science for the high school and college years. The main focus of these introductory science courses is to stimulate each student’s curiosity about how things work in the natural world. The success of this approach is apparent in the quality of observations that students make, and the questions that they ask throughout their time in these courses.

The Middle School Social Studies program at St. John the Baptist Catholic School focuses on the five key components of social studies: history, geography, government, economics, and social science analysis.

In sixth grade, students study ancient societies, such as the early Chinese, Greeks, Romans, and Indians. They learn about the culture, history and governments of these ancient ruling groups and they also look at how geography influenced these societies.

Seventh grade students concentrate on World History from the Roman Empire to the Enlightenment/Scientific Revolution.

The eighth grade students study American history, with a focus on the events that shaped the United States, they also take a closer look at the government, economy and geography of our country. They take an in-depth look at some of the key governments, religions, ideas, people and events that shaped the face of our modern world. The Middle School social studies teachers work to make the concepts of social studies come alive so that students can relate the ideas learned in class to our contemporary world.

At SJB in Milwaukie, Oregon, our Catholic faith is an integral part of everyday
life, and helping our students understand and love our faith is a high
priority.  School-wide, the spiritual life of St. John the Baptist includes frequent prayer
and active participation in liturgical traditions and rites, regular
cooperation in works of sacrifice and service to help those in need, and
rigorous pursuit of both academic knowledge and practical understanding of
the Gospel and the Tradition of the Catholic Church.

The foundation of our spiritual life is weekly Mass attendance, and in
addition to that students have opportunities for Reconciliation during
Advent and Lent, they pray the Rosary together several times throughout the
year, and they participate in several other liturgical rites and traditional
Catholic customs.  A life of service to our less fortunate brothers and
sisters is emphasized through frequent practices including food drives, coin
drives, and visits to those in need, and a spirit of sacrifice and good will
is reflected in the attitudes of our students.  A lifelong love of learning
about our faith is important, and therefore Religion class at SJB is a core
subject, where students are expected to know the Catholic faith, understand
what it means for their lives, and have the ability to share it with
confidence and love.

In middle school, students are generally at an age when they are beginning
to question matters of faith, morality, and identity, and the curriculum for
Religion class at SJB is designed to address this fact and encourage
positive resolutions to these uncertainties.  To that end, students in
middle school are expected to listen attentively to lessons, participate
actively in discussions, respond thoughtfully to writing assignments, and
contribute meaningfully to group projects.  The backbone of the middle
school Religion curriculum is the “BLEST ARE WE” text series from RCL
Benziger, but additional material is included from a variety of resources,
including the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Bible, and others.

In Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth grades, the studies focus on the Old
Testament, the New Testament, and Church History, respectively, and a range
of learning activities are incorporated to explore the themes and relate
them to the lived experiences of the students.  In the Sixth Grade Religion
class, students learn the Old Testament roots of our faith, beginning with
the covenant God made with Abraham and which He continually reaffirmed with
His Chosen People throughout the centuries before Christ.  In the Seventh
Grade, students learn the teaching of Christ and the significance of his
Incarnation, Sacrifice, and Resurrection in the context of both Old
Testament expectations and contemporary life.  In the Eighth Grade, students
learn much more about the Catholic Church, founded by Christ and continued
by the Apostles and their successors, with special attention to the themes
of truth, morality, and faith throughout history and into modern day.

LEGO robotics
This is a beginning course in robotics at St. John the Baptist. Students utilize LEGO Mindstorm EV3 kits, LEGO robotics programming software, and various LEGO robotics materials. The objective of this course is to introduce the student to basic programming as well as problem solving strategies. This course will involve students in the development and programming of a LEGO Mindstorm EV3 robot. Students will work hands-on, in teams, to design, build, program, and document their progress. Student designed robots will be programmed to complete various courses, activities, and challenges.

Leadership/Yearbook
This class consists of group activities, service projects, planning for school and community events, individual projects/goals, and the learning and practicing of leadership qualities/skills both as a group and as individuals. This course is based on the belief that good leaders are developed—not born. As such, the focus of this class will be to give students the tools they need to become great leaders. The other half of this class is yearbook. Students will be responsible for contributing photographs and page designs for the school yearbook.

Art Exploration
Students will explore various mediums including drawing, painting, sculpting etc…

Knitting
Students will have the opportunity to learn different knitting techniques and create multiple items, including scarves, hats, and many others.

Speech
Students learn how to be better public speakers and have the opportunity to participate in a regional speech tournament. Students will practice both impromptu and rehearsed/memorized speeches.

Lifetime Fitness
Students will take on the personal responsibility of tracking their own fitness and nutrition levels. They will learn different methods of fitness they can use for a lifetime.

Typing
In this course students will increase their typing skills and will work at their own pace using an online program called Typing Club.

Choir
Students in choir will learn proper singing techniques and will also learn to read music. They will participate weekly as the Mass choir and will have the opportunity to perform both in and out of school.

Making Music
This elective incorporates technology into music, using programs like Garage Band and iMovie. Students will also have the opportunity to explore a variety of different musical instruments.