Middle School

Al-Rahmah Middle School experience provides the fundamentals of a strong academic program and the development of essential life skills, all the while preparing students for high school, college, and beyond.

 

Elementary Grade 5 and Middle Grades 6 to 8 are gender-separated classes at Al-Rahmah School. Core subjects – including Mathematics, English/Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies – are taught by our distinguished Subject Teachers.

The sixth grade program continues to build upon the skills developed in the elementary program. The fundamental operations on whole numbers, fractions, and decimals are reinforced and practiced. Emphasis is placed on students understanding the process of solving problems using hands on activities, technology, real life examples/ projects and online educational programs. Practical application of these skills, along with estimation, probability, percent, measurement, and an introduction to geometry complete the units of study.


The seventh grade program continues an emphasis placed on practical application of skills and the problem solving process. In addition to working with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, work is also done with percent, integers, measurement and geometry. Students in seventh grade are provided with a pre-algebra experience. This pre-algebra course prepares students for the Algebra I unit taught in eighth grade using hands on activities, real life examples/ projects, technology and online educational programs.


The students in eighth grade take an Algebra I course. The Algebra I course taught in grade eight is identical to the high school course in skills and content. The assessment data is compiled twice a year from MAP testing (Measure of Academic Progress) from grades 6 to 8. Additional to MAP test, eighth grade students take PSAT in the Spring of each school year.

The science program emphasizes hands-on activities. The sixth grade program is based on earth science. This course is comprised of three units designed to address the big ideas from the Maryland Science Standards. The topics covered are, Earth’s place in the Universe, the composition of the Solar System and the motion of Earth, seasons and eclipses, how life on Earth has changed over time, and how the movement of tectonic plates impacts the surface of the Earth. Students engage in a series of unique learning experiences that are carefully designed to immerse them in the science and engineering practices as they construct their understanding of important concepts. Students also have opportunities to learn and apply engineering specific practices such as designing solutions to identified problems.


The seventh grade program is based upon the life sciences. This course is comprised of four units designed to address the big ideas from the Maryland Science Standards. Again, students are using the scientific method with emphasis placed on inquiry, observations, and interpretations. Topics include cells, food systems, reproduction, population structure, organisms, their classification and names, organization of the biosphere and the interaction of the biosphere’s components. Students engage in a series of unique learning experiences that are carefully designed to immerse them in the science and engineering practices as they construct their understanding of important concepts.


The eighth grade program is based on physical science. Again, the students are using inquiry and observation to make interpretations. The topics covered are structure and the states of matter, meaning of measurement, heat energy, structure of the atoms, classification of elements, properties of chemical families, energy conservation, behavior of light, nature of waves, motion and energy. Students also have opportunities to learn and apply engineering-specific practices such as designing solutions to identified problems.