Academics at HMS
Following the middle school model, teachers at all grade levels work in teaching or academic teams to provide instruction to students. This configuration allows for the blending of teachers of different subject areas who teach the same students. The common planning time, when possible, also allows for parent conferences with all core teachers at one time. Using a Professional Learning Community model, our faculty works to ensure that all students are able to access the curriculum and demonstrate academic growth.
Below is a breakdown with descriptions of the academic programs offered in each grade at Heritage Middle School. Our faculty strives to provide engaging and informative lessons in all core subjects. We use best practices when developing instructional lessons and materials, aligning our strategies with what will most help our students reach their learning goals. Students will spend the year learning by doing. On any given day, our students may be reading and breaking down various forms of text, participating in hands-on labs, exploring world history and culture, and developing an understanding of mathematical processes and their use.
In addition to the outstanding academic offerings, Heritage Middle students have a wide range of program opportunities to participate in during and after the school day. Whether a club, sport, activity, or theater production, there is something for every Heritage Hornet.
Heritage Middle School Course Offerings
6th Grade
6th Grade English (Reading and Language Arts Classes)
Students in the 6th grade English will engage in a rigorous curriculum which focuses on the standard areas of reading, writing and communication. Students will read a variety of literary genres such as poetry, novels, short stories, and non-fiction. As a complement to the reading instruction, students will be required to write in a variety of modes which involve text-based evidence for student responses. Students will learn to prepare and write narrative, expository, descriptive, and persuasive types of writing pieces in the form of stories, reflections, essays, letters, and reports. Teachers will also provide vocabulary instruction to enhance students’ skills in reading and writing. Equally as important, students will continue to sharpen their grammatical skills so that they can become effective writers and speakers.
6th Grade Math
During the first semester, students will learn real number operations, including whole numbers, decimals, and fractions. Students will also strengthen their knowledge as they analyze data and probability and evaluate and solve one-step equations during the second semester. Throughout the year students learn the relationship between ratios and percentages and apply their skills to real-world scenarios. They are also introduced to the fundamentals of geometry and integers. Students will be expected to persevere in problem-solving, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others as outlined by the Tennessee State Standards in preparation of the 6th-grade TNReady test.
6th Grade Science
Scientific inquiry skills and the application of technology and engineering are embedded as grade level expectations in the science curriculum. In the life science study of interdependence, students will explore the world’s major biomes, how living things interact with one another and the non-living elements of their environments, cycles in nature and how matter and energy are transferred through ecosystems. The Earth and space science curriculum includes a study of the major components of the universe and the relative distances of objects in the solar system from Earth. Students will learn about the positional relationships between Earth, the moon and the sun and how they control the lunar cycle, length of day, and year. Lunar and solar eclipses, tides, and seasons will be explored. Also included is the study of Earth’s atmosphere, currents, weather, and interpretation of meteorological data. Physical science content includes a study of energy transformations and the interplay between magnetic fields and electrical currents. Students will learn about forms of energy, their transformations, and how circuits are associated with the transfer of electrical energy when heat, light, sound, and chemical changes are produced. Students will be engaging in expository writing to explain scientific principles.
6th Grade Social Studies
Sixth grade students will study the beginning of early civilizations through the fall of the Roman Empire. Students will study the geographical, social, economic, and political foundations for early civilizations progressing through the Roman Empire. Students will study the development of civilizations, including Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, Ancient Israel, Greece, and Rome. The study of these civilizations will include the impact of geography, early history, cultural development, and economic change. This course will be the first concentrated study of world history and geography and will utilize appropriate informational texts and primary sources.
7th Grade
7th Grade English (Reading and Language Arts Classes)
Students in 7th grade English engage in rigorous application and reinforcement of grammar skills and a variety of writing strategies and techniques. Students compose essays in which they support their ideas with evidence from various genres or informational texts. Reading includes novels, short stories, poetry, nonfiction, and informational text. Vocabulary study incorporates grade level words, academic vocabulary, and Greek and Latin roots.
7th Grade Math
In 7th Grade Math, students will use problem-solving strategies and technology to master Tennessee state standards for the 7th grade. These skills include working with rational numbers and percents, solving equations, working with proportions, understanding geometric figures, and using techniques of statistics and probability. Students will also begin to look at linear and nonlinear functions and how those apply to real world scenarios. Students will be expected to persevere in problem-solving, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others as outlined by the state standards in preparation for the 7th-grade TNReady test.
7th Grade Pre-Algebra (8th grade Math)
7th grade Pre-Algebra is a student’s first introduction to a high school level math course that uses problem-solving situations, physical models and appropriate technology to extend algebraic thinking and engage student reasoning. This course will focus on the 8th-grade state of Tennessee math standards and begin with a study of the real number system as well as solving multi-step equations. Word problems are deeply embedded within the course, and students use algebraic concepts in order to solve them. In addition to solving equations, students will explore functions, writing equations, graphing linear equations, including systems of equations, geometry, and statistics. Students will be expected to persevere in problem-solving, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others as outlined by the state standards in the preparation of the 8th grade TNReady test.
7th Grade Algebra 1
Algebra 1 is an honors level, high school math course that uses problem-solving situations, physical models and appropriate technology to extend algebraic thinking and engage student reasoning. Word problems are deeply embedded within the course and students use algebraic concepts in order to solve them. Problem-solving and making mathematical connections to real world problems are critical to a student’s success in this course. Concepts emphasized in the course: solving equations and inequalities, solving linear equations and inequalities, writing equations and graphing linear equations, systems of equations and inequalities, statistics and probability, graphing nonlinear functions, analyzing transformations of a parent function, factoring, quadratic equations, radical and exponential equations and rational expressions. Students will be expected to persevere in problem-solving, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others as outlined by state standards. Students enrolled in Algebra I must take the Algebra I TNReady test. This assessment will count towards the student’s 2nd-semester average.
7th Grade Science
Students will be introduced to the study of cells, photosynthesis, respiration, heredity, the rock cycle, plate tectonics, motion, force, work, and simple machines. Students will sharpen their scientific inquiry skills and explore technology and engineering using the following methods: participating in many hands-on laboratory activities in order to make proper observations and draw conclusions for themselves, investigating multiple solutions to scientific questions and problems, identifying and testing the best solutions, and appropriately communicating their findings to a specific audience such as fellow students, teachers, or parents.
7th Grade World History
Seventh-grade students will explore the social, cultural, geographical, political and technological changes that occurred after the fall of the Roman Empire. Students will also study the Middle Ages, including the Middle East, Africa, China, Japan and Europe. There is a heavy emphasis on western civilization in Europe during the Renaissance and Reformation. Students will compare and contrast the history and geography of civilizations that were developing concurrently throughout these continents during medieval times. Students will examine the growth in economic interactions among civilizations as well as the exchange of ideas, beliefs, technologies, and commodities. Seventh-grade students will end the year by examining the Meso-American and Andean civilizations, and the age of European explorations and colonizations. Appropriate informational texts and primary sources will be used in order to deepen the understanding of how these civilizations influence the modern world.
8th Grade
8th Grade English (Reading and Language Arts Classes)
Eighth grade English follows standards to develop greater analytical reading and thinking skills that consistently spiral student learning of grade-level skills. Students write informative /explanatory, narrative, and argumentative essays, incorporating textual evidence from literary or informational passages. Grammar instruction requires students to embed grammar concepts into writing. Students study two novels per year, in addition to short stories and poetry. Additionally, students independently read a novel of their choosing each quarter. Greek and Latin morphemes study broadens students’ vocabulary knowledge.
8th Grade Math (Algebraic Concepts)
Algebraic Concepts is the first portion of a high school level math course that uses problem-solving situations, physical models and appropriate technology to extend algebraic thinking and engage student reasoning. This course will focus on 8th-grade state of Tennessee math standards and begin with a study of the real number system as well as solving multi-step equations. Word problems are deeply embedded within the course, and students use algebraic concepts in order to solve them. In addition to solving equations, students will explore functions, writing equations, graphing linear equations, including systems of equations, geometry, and statistics. Students will be expected to persevere in problem-solving, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others as outlined by the state standards.
8th Grade Algebra 1
Algebra 1 is an honors level, high school math course that uses problem-solving situations, physical models and appropriate technology to extend algebraic thinking and engage student reasoning. Word problems are deeply embedded within the course and students use algebraic concepts in order to solve them. Problem-solving and making mathematical connections to real world problems are critical to a student’s success in this course. Concepts emphasized in the course: solving equations and inequalities, solving linear equations and inequalities, writing equations and graphing linear equations, systems of equations and inequalities, statistics and probability, graphing nonlinear functions, analyzing transformations of a parent function, factoring, quadratic equations, radical and exponential equations and rational expressions. Students will be expected to persevere in problem-solving, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others as outlined by state standards. Students enrolled in Algebra I must take the Algebra I TNReady test. This assessment will count towards the 2nd-semester average.
Geometry
Prerequisites: Completion of 7th grade Algebra 1 at a high level, appropriate scores on TNReady assessments, and Algebra 1 final examination.
In Geometry, students will investigate and justify geometric concepts and relationships using both inductive and deductive reasoning. Concepts emphasized: undefined terms, postulates, theorems, measurement, geometric patterns, coordinate geometry, two- and three-dimensional figures, transformational geometry, congruence, similarity, inductive and deductive reasoning, logic and proof. A Geometry credit is a graduation requirement for students. Students enrolled in Honors Geometry must take the Geometry TNReady test. This assessment will count towards the 2nd-semester average.
8th Grade Science
Eighth-grade science focuses on the practical application of science as it relates to life and the environment. Students will explore scientific inquiry and the impact science has on the development of new technologies. A well-balanced exploration of life and physical science subjects covered include: classification of organisms response to the environment, composition and structure of matter and its behavior, and the electrical and gravitational fields at work in our universe. This program will place an emphasis on writing skills, technology, and hands-on learning. Students will learn to interpret data and use it to solve problems.
8th Grade American History
Eighth grade students will study the European colonization of North America, along with the geographic features that influenced early settlements and colonies. This course will emphasize the development and maturation of the British colonies, and the political, cultural, and economic influences that led to the American Revolution. The major events and outcomes of the American Revolution will be analyzed, along with the individuals that played influential roles in the development of the new nation. Students will follow the development of the United States and its government, continuing through the early 19th century. The impact of the expansion of the United States will be analyzed, including implications on domestic and foreign policy. Policies that affected the American Indians will also be studied. The events leading up to the Civil War will be examined, along with the individuals and events that were significant during the war. The history, people, government, and geography of Tennessee will be emphasized in order to illustrate the role our state has played in American history. Reconstruction and the development of the American West will conclude this course. Appropriate primary sources and informational texts will be included in order to enhance understanding of the content.