WMS Course Descriptions

6th Grade     7th Grade     8th Grade     Enrichment      

Back to Academics

6th Grade Language Arts

In 6th grade Language Arts, students will learn:

• Eight parts of speech
• Mechanics - capitalization and punctuation
• Sentence and paragraph structure
• Writing process
• Vocabulary definition and usage
• Vocabulary synonyms, antonyms and analogies

6th Grade Mathematics

In 6th grade Mathematics, students will learn:

• Numeration
• Basic Operations with Whole Numbers and Integers
• Fractions/Decimals/Percent/Ratio
• Basic Geometry Principles
• Measurement (both Metric and Customary Units)
• Graphs/Tables/Charts
• Patterns/Functions/Algebraic Concepts and Reasoning
• Probability and Statistics

6th Grade Science

In 6th grade Science, students will learn:

Earth and Space Science

• Landforms
• Earthquakes and Volcanoes
• Plate Tectonics
• Rocks and Minerals
• Atmosphere
• Water Cycle
• Rivers and Streams

Universe

• Sun
• Stars
• Moon

Life Science

• Diversity
• Ecosystems/Environment

Physical Science

• States of Matter
• Physical Properties and Change
• Chemical Properties and Change
• Types of Energy
• Elements
• Atoms
• Magnets & Motors

6th Grade Social Studies

In 6th grade Social Studies, students will learn:

• To interpret maps, graphs and charts
• To understand the cultures of ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and the middle ages of Europe by comparing and contrasting their social, political and economic development
• To understand current events in the news and to form opinions about news events from varied sources of information

7th Grade Language Arts

In 7th grade Language Arts, students will learn:

• Literature/Reading:  Elements of Literature textbook; poetry, short story, the novel, non-fiction, mythology and drama
• Writing:  Descriptive, narrative, expository and persuasive essays, poetry, short stories, research papers, speeches
• Grammar:  Elements of Language textbook and workbook
• Vocabulary:  Vocabulary Workshop:  Level C workbook

7th Grade Mathematics

In 7th grade Mathematics, students will:

• Identify, read, write, order and compare, and round whole numbers and decimals to the millionths place
• Calculate squares, perfect square roots and use scientific and expanded notation
• Demonstrate and apply understanding of all operations with whole numbers and/or integers using appropriate properties by solving computational and problem solving problems
• Demonstrate an understanding of and apply knowledge of ratios, proportions, and percents in a wide variety of situations
• Solve computational and real-life problems involving conversions, estimation, and measurement using metric and customary units
• Be able to identify, classify and bisect geometric figures
• Will apply their knowledge of geometric properties to solve computational an real-life problems
• Will be able to read, interpret information from and construct various types of graphs, tables and charts
• Will make inferences, draw conclusions and solve multi-step word problems related to display data
• Will solve one and two-step equations and graph a function table
• Will make predictions based on experimental and theoretical probabilities

7th Grade Science

In 7th grade Science, students will learn:

Earth and Space

• Soil
• Water cycle
• Rivers and streams

Life Science

• Organisms
• Diversity
• Environment/Ecosystems
• Cells
• Photosynthesis/Plants
• Micro organisms
• Animals--characteristics, classification, life cycle/reproduction
• Human body
• Genetics

Science In Personal/Social Perspective

• Safety
• Nutrition/Health
• Resources
• Pollution
• Technology

Nature of Science

• Careers

Science and Technology

• Scientific tools

Science as Inquiry

7th Grade Social Studies

In 7th grade Social Studies, students will learn:

• The five themes of geography--location, place, human/environmental interaction, movement and region
• How people live on earth (settlement patterns) and how people use the earth to satisfy basic needs (resources, economic development)
• To contrast how people live from one place or region to another
• To use maps and other geographic representations and tools
• Physical and cultural processes such as climate, erosion, flooding, human migration, urbanization, transportation and trade
• The diversity of Tennessee's physical geography
• About European settlements and early conflicts with Native Americans and frontier life in Tennessee
• Tennessee's state and local government

8th Grade Language Arts

In 8th grade Language Arts, students will learn:

• Reading skills
• Poetry
• Elements of the short story
• Novel studies including:  non-fiction, science fiction, biography, fiction books and plays
• Four areas of writing and literary response
• Grammar and vocabulary

8th Grade Mathematics

In 8th grade Mathematics, students can learn:

Pre-Algebra  This course is designed as a precursor to Algebra I

• Operations with fractions, decimals and percents
• Basic Geometry
• Operations with Integers
• Solving one and two step equations

Algebra IA  Williamson County Schools currently teach Algebra I over a two year period beginning in the eighth grade year.  This is the first year of the two year Algebra course, the continuation of which occurs during the 9^th grade year.  

• Operations with Integers  

• Solving equations in one variable

• Operations with all rational numbers

• Calculating slope

• Graphing linear functions

Honors Algebra I for Credit--Students enrolled in this course are eligible to take an exam at the end of the year that exempts them from the high school Algebra I requirement. 

• Operations with rational numbers
• Solving equations in one or two variables,
• Graphing linear and quadratic functions,
• Operations with polynomials
• Simplifying radical expressions and equations

Honors Geometry for Credit--Students who have completed the requirements for Algebra I high school credit will have the opportunity to participate in this course.  If students successfully complete course requirements they will receive Geometry high school credit.

• Explore geometric figures including:  points, lines, planes, polygons, circles and polyhedrons

• use logical reasoning, formal proofs, experimentation, geometric constructions and algebra to discover relationships and patterns among the figures

8th Grade Science

In 8th grade Science, students will learn:

• Metric measurement
• Motion
• Forces
• Conservation Laws
• Elements, molecules, compounds and mixtures
• Chemical changes and reactions
• Types of chemical reactions
• Nuclear reactions and decay
• Electricity
• Genetics
• Astronomy

8th Grade Social Studies

In 8th grade Social Studies, students will learn:

• About American history from discovery through the Cold War
• To analyze primary source documents and apply them to social studies
• About the Constitution and the role it plays in the world today
• Geographic features
• Federal government
• Election process
• Map skills

Enrichment

Art

          Art exposes students to various mediums and allows individual expression with hands-on activities which are linked with curriculum requirements in each grade level.  Some of the topics and mediums explored are art history, sketching, pastels, clay, watercolors, cartooning, painting, pottery and more.

Computer Lab

          Students in all grades use multimedia instructional software to improve their touch keyboarding skills.  Microsoft Office is used on the PCs in the lab, giving students in all grades varying degrees of exposure to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and FrontPage.  All computers in the lab have network and Internet access.  Digital cameras are also available for use in the lab and students use digital editing software to prepare images and video for documents and/or web pages.

          Advanced students in all grades assist in maintaining the school web page and/or creating web pages for other teachers at Woodland.

Music

          The music curriculum at WMS is more of an appreciation course than a performance course.  The 6th grade music curriculum includes objectives covering topics from music theory to culture.  The students learn to read rhythms and experience the music of other cultures.

          The 7th Grade music curriculum includes objectives covering topics from music theory to musical theater.  The students learn to identify the instruments of the orchestra and study Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera".    

          The 8th grade music curriculum includes objectives covering topics from music theory, piano, guitar, and Music/Art History.  The students express themselves through art and music projects.

Physical Education

          The Physical Education curriculum offers students many team and individual sports and other activities.  Each student has ten weeks of physical education each year, rotating through the enrichment period.  Some sports and activities offered are:   volleyball, basketball, flag football, softball, badminton, soccer, team handball, indoor soccer, pickleball, kickball, and golf.  There is a yearly P.E. fee of $25.00 that includes the required uniform and locker rental.

 
Speech & Drama
          "The arts must be at the heart of every child's learning experience if…they are to have a chance to dream and to create, to have beliefs, to carry a sense of cultural identity."
- James D. Wolfensohn, former chairman of The Kennedy Center

          The overall goal of the Speech & Drama program is to:

1.  Develop oral communication skills.

2.  Develop a greater appreciation for all things theatrical.

3.  Provide a forum for those interested in performing.

4.  Develop a student’s self-expression and creative thinking abilities.

          At the sixth grade level the students are enrolled in story telling.  Students memorize and present various stories, in addition to reading children’s stories for first graders. They also develop a basic sense of theatre by “acting out” familiar fairy tales. Language arts skills are reinforced in this program, as the students further develop their skills concerning parts of literature.

          At the seventh grade level the students will participate in a cooperating curriculum between the music and drama department.  The 9-week music/drama program consists of three weeks of Public Speaking, Music Theory and Musical Drama.

          At the eighth grade level the students participate in a focused beginning acting and theatre class.  In addition to presentation skills, the students learn about basic character development, parts of the stage, theatrical terminology, and the technical aspects of a typical production.

Wellness

          The Wellness class is a part of the Physical Education Department.  Students in the 6th and 8th grades rotate from PE into Wellness for a three week period.  The 6th graders are tested on their physical fitness level through a computer program.  The Fitnessgram program consists of a battery of tests that indicates what level of fitness a student has in the areas of cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility.  The student then enters the data into the computer program which in turn gives each student an individual analysis of their present fitness.  The program also offers suggestions for the student to improve any area that was deficient.  Woodland is one of only two middle schools in Williamson County to implement this program.  The 6th grade student then studies nutrition and how it relates to overall health and exercise.

          The 8th grade students study exercise physiology in the Wellness lab for three weeks out of their PE class.  Some of the activities the students have experienced are:  low impact aerobic exercise, dance fitness, balance ball exercising, Taebo, Yoga, Pilates, and exercise machines such as treadmills and stationary bikes.  The students have been investigating target heart rates, how to achieve the target heart rate in contrast to enjoyment of the activity.  The 8th graders also complete the Fitnessgram program.