The middle school Art Program offers a sequential curriculum that builds essential skills. Students maintain sketchbooks throughout the program, practicing skills, problem solving, and techniques. Students are exposed to a variety of artists, cultures, and media. Our goal is to prepare students for the high school art program and instill a lifelong appreciation of and interest in the Arts. In grades five and six, our students learn to value art and design from a historical and aesthetic perspective. Students expand their appreciation and criticism skills by studying the artwork of various time periods and cultures. They explore the elements of art and principles of design through art history relevant to the social studies curriculum and experience a variety of methods and techniques for creating artwork. In grade 7, some of the topics covered include art styles and the connection to history, drawing techniques, color theory, sculpting techniques and careers in the creative arts.  In grade 8, some topics covered include more advanced drawing techniques, advancement into color theory, sculpting techniques and visual languages, a review of the concepts associated with the course offerings at the high school and how art connects to the world. 

• Students in grades 5 & 6 meet for art every other day for one semester.
• Students in grades 7 & 8 meet for art daily for one quarter.

The South Colonie middle schools, Sand Creek and Lisha Kill, align their ELA curriculum to the New York State Next Gen Standards for English Language Arts. 

New York State Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards

ELA instruction incorporates research-based practices that include both direct, explicit instruction and opportunities for students to practice skills and strategies. Teachers plan lessons and units to include whole group, small group, and, in some cases, one-to-one instruction using curricular resources from Lucy Calkin’s Reading and Writing Units of Study (Grades 5-8) and Great Minds’ Arts and Letters (Grades 5 & 6).  

In addition, instruction includes components of literacy learning including vocabulary acquisition, comprehension development, writing instruction, close reading annotations, and critical thinking skills.  

At the  middle level, students will:

• Determine theme/central ideas of texts and support with text evidence
• Formulate and write coherent paragraphs and multi-paragraph essays
• Analyze characters, settings, events in literary texts
• Engage with the following styles of writing: opinion, informative, narrative, and research
• Participate in collaborative class discussions and develop presentation skills
• Study and learn vocabulary, grammar concepts, and literary terms and apply lessons to reading and writing strategies and skills

Teachers have access to a variety of instructional tools, materials, and resources to design lessons that best meet the needs of all the learners in their classroom. 

Additionally, students in grades 5-8 who need support in reading and/or overall literacy skills will be placed in either reading support or the literacy lab.  Reading Support and Literacy Lab Description and Criteria

Students in grades 7 and 8 receive a sequential, age-appropriate health curriculum that covers emotional health, nutrition, substance abuse prevention, diseases and disorders, and family life. Students in grades 7 and 8 receive a semester of health instruction. 

The 7th grade curriculum lays the foundation for health education by introducing students to the New York State Health Education Standards and essential health skills such as decision-making, communication, and goal setting. Students are introduced to key topics including:

•  Mental health 
•  Emotional well-being.
•  Stress management strategies.
•  Basic understanding of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
•  Communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Instruction emphasizes basic terminology, awareness, and functional knowledge that supports healthy behaviors.

The 8th grade curriculum builds upon the foundational knowledge from 7th grade by empowering students to apply what they’ve learned to real-life situations and personal decision-making. Students revisit major topics through deeper exploration and practical application, including:

• Applying mental health strategies and self-care in daily life.
• Managing stress and identifying healthy coping mechanisms.
• Identifying  the effects of alcohol, and other drugs on the body and decision- making.
• Understanding how diseases spread and how to prevent them.
• Recognizing risk factors and prevention strategies for non-communicable diseases.

This level focuses on helping students develop the skills and confidence to make informed, responsible choices about their health and well-being.

Home and Careers (Family & Consumer Sciences) is offered for one semester to students in grade 7 and grade 8.  Units of study include skills for adolescence, food preparation and nutrition, financial management, and career exploration. In 7th grade students will explore family dynamics, kitchen and food safety, measuring and cooking skills, laundry basics and sewing.  In 8th grade, some of the topics include time management, school to work skills, college and trade topics, career investigation and budgeting.

Mathematics instruction for Grades 5-8 is based on the NYS Middle School Math Standards.  New York State's middle school math standards are part of the Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards, emphasizing a deeper conceptual understanding alongside procedural fluency. 

New York State Next Generation Learning Standards for Mathematics

Here's a breakdown of the key content areas and overarching principles:

1. Core content areas (by grade level)

• Grade 5:  Focus on deepening understanding of place value, operations with multi-digit numbers and decimals, fractions, and geometric concepts. Students will also learn about volume and the coordinate plane, and will be able to apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems.
• Grade 6: Focus on connecting ratios and rates to multiplication and division, division of fractions and the system of rational numbers (including negative numbers), expressions and equations, area, surface area, and volume, along with basic probability and statistical thinking.
• Grade 7: Deepens understanding of proportional relationships and their application in problem solving, operations with rational numbers (fractions, decimals, percents) and related expressions and linear equations, drawing inferences from data, and working with geometric figures and their relationships.
• Grade 8: Expands on linear equations, systems of equations, functions, analyzing two- and three-dimensional shapes using distance, angles, similarity, and congruence, and understanding the Pythagorean Theorem. 

2. Key mathematical practices (across all grades)

These practices are crucial for developing mathematical proficiency and are integrated throughout the curriculum: 

• Making sense of problems and persevering in solving them: Students analyze problems, devise solution strategies, and evaluate their approach.
• Reasoning abstractly and quantitatively: Students make connections between numerical representations and real-world contexts.
• Constructing viable arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others: Students use assumptions, definitions, and previous results to build arguments and evaluate the reasoning of others.
• Modeling with mathematics: Students apply mathematical concepts to solve problems in everyday life, society, and the workplace.
• Using appropriate tools strategically: Students select and utilize appropriate mathematical tools for problem-solving.
• Attending to precision: Students communicate mathematical ideas clearly and precisely.
• Looking for and making use of structure: Students identify patterns and structures to understand and solve problems.
• Looking for and expressing regularity in repeated reasoning: Students recognize and utilize repeated calculations or processes in solving problems. 

These standards are designed to provide a strong foundation for future learning in high school math and prepare students for college and careers. 

Acceleration

Math 7 Honors

Prerequisite: In general, a student is expected to meet the following criteria to be placed in this advanced class: 

A.  The student must have demonstrated high achievement in Math 6. Recommended grade of 90 or higher in Math 6.  

B.  The student should be recommended by his/her current math teacher for placement into the program.  

This course is an enriched version of the Math 7 curriculum. It is available to seventh grade students who demonstrate a strong ability and interest in mathematics and who plan on pursuing a five-year mathematics sequence.  While much of this course is focused on the Math 7 content, other areas, such as an introduction to linear equations, systems of equations, functions and the Pythagorean Theorem, are also introduced. The final exam for this course is a locally developed final exam.  Students in 7 Honors will be required to complete the NYS seventh grade math assessment. Students successfully completing the course will be evaluated at the end of the school year and recommended to pursue either the Math 8 or Accelerated Algebra math program in eighth grade based upon the quality of completed work.

Accelerated Algebra I

Prerequisite: In general, a student is expected to meet the following criteria to be placed in this advanced class: 

A.  The student must have demonstrated high achievement in Math 7 Honors. Recommended grade of 92 or higher in Math 7 Honors.  

B.  The student should be recommended by his/her current math teacher for placement into the  program.  

This course is an enriched version of the 9th grade Regents Algebra 1 course at Colonie High School. It is available to eighth grade students who demonstrate a strong ability and interest in mathematics and who plan on pursuing a five-year  mathematics sequence.  While much of this course is focused on algebra with some geometry, other areas, such as probability and statistics, are also introduced. The final exam for this course is the New York State Algebra 1 Regents exam; students in this course will not be required to complete the NYS eighth grade math assessment. Students successfully completing the course will receive one high school Regents credit. Students  will be evaluated at the end of the school year and recommended to pursue either the Regents or Accelerated Geometry math program in ninth grade based upon the quality of completed work.

General Music

All students in grades 5-6 receive instruction in general music. Our curriculum focuses on music theory and literacy, history, composition, musical theatre and learning keyboard and a range of percussion instruments. It accommodates various musical backgrounds and skill levels, while allowing all students to be simultaneously engaged. Cooperative learning among students is encouraged. Fifth and sixth grade students attend general music every day for one semester.  

In addition to general music, all students in 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades have the opportunity to participate in band, chorus and orchestra.

Performing Ensembles

Our middle school Music Department offers three ensembles- band, chorus, and orchestra. All ensembles meet during the regular school day.   Students may enroll in band, chorus or orchestra.  All students in grades 5-7 are required to participate in music each year.  

Core Ensembles

Band, Chorus and Orchestra are all offered to students in grades 5-8

Select Ensembles

Jazz Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra are available to students in grades 6-8

The middle school Physical Education (P.E.) program is aligned to the New York State Learning Standards of maintaining personal health and fitness, maintaining a safe and healthy environment, and accessing personal and community resources. Middle school students have P.E. every other day all year.

All science courses integrate core scientific inquiry skills and a strong focus on scientific literacy. Students learn to ask questions, design experiments, analyze data, use models, and communicate using evidence-based reasoning. They build literacy skills by reading scientific texts, interpreting data, writing explanations, and engaging in discussions—preparing them to think critically and apply science in real-world contexts.

New York State's middle school science standards are part of the Next Generation Science Learning Standards

Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs)
What scientists DO: asking questions, developing models, planning investigations, and analyzing data.

Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs)
The BID IDEAS in science: physical science, life science, Earth/space science, and engineering/technology.

Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs)
Broad themes across disciplines: patterns, cause and effect, systems, structure, and function.

Link to NYS SLS Document

Courses by Grade

• Science 5: Students will dive into multiple science disciplines in this course. Starting with ecosystems and ecology, students learn how living and nonliving parts of the environment interact, how energy moves through food chains and webs, and how organisms adapt to their surroundings. From there, they investigate the properties of matter, how it changes, and what makes up the world around us. 
• Science 6: Life Science: Students explore the structure and function of living things, starting with cells—the basic units of life. They learn how cells get energy, reproduce, and work together. The course also covers genetics, including how traits are passed from one generation to the next. With hands-on labs and real-world connections, students gain a deeper understanding of how life works.
• Science 7: Physical Science: This course introduces students to the fundamentals of chemistry and physics. Students learn how to measure and classify matter, explore states of matter, and identify chemical and physical changes. Later, they study energy, motion, and forces, such as gravity and friction. Lastly, students dive into how sound and light waves work. Engaging activities and experiments help students connect these scientific concepts to the world around them.
•  Science 8: Earth and Space Science: Students explore Earth’s systems and how they change over time. Topics include the rock and water cycles, weather and climate, and Earth’s place in the solar system. They also learn how natural and human factors impact the environment. With an emphasis on modeling, labs, and data analysis, students develop a deeper understanding of our planet and its relationship to space.
•  Accelerated Grade 8: Regents Earth and Space Science: This high school level course replaces the regular Grade 8 science class and prepares students for the NYS Earth and Space Science Regents exam in June. Topics include Earth’s systems, space science, climate, sustainability, and engineering applications. Students also complete a separate lab course to meet the requirements to sit for the Regents exam in June. 
  • Prerequisite: In general, a student is expected to meet the following criteria to be placed in this advanced class: 
    • A. The student must have demonstrated high achievement in Science 7. Recommended grade of 92 or higher in Science 7.
    • The student should be recommended by his/her current science teacher for placement into the program.  

The social studies curriculum in both South Colonie Middle Schools, Lisha Kill and Sand Creek,  is comprehensive, diverse, and multicultural, as well as aligned with the New York State Social Studies Framework.

New York State K-8 Social Studies Framework

The main goal is that each student will demonstrate a growing knowledge of history, geography, economics, and the political process. The objective of the 5-8 Social Studies curriculum is for all students to recognize the rights and responsibilities of different cultures and realize their role as a citizen in various communities. Students are introduced to many topics including geography; historical people, places, issues and events; local, state and federal government; politics; economics; civics and citizenship; rural, urban and suburban communities; and cultures around the world.

The curriculum, broken down into the following topics:  Geography,  Economics, Civics & Government, and US History, emphasizes global awareness, conceptual learning, critical thinking, and active citizenship.  At the middle level, we move beyond simple facts to deeper understanding and application of knowledge. 

Middle school technology education is an investigative, activity-based program. Students are asked to solve technical problems through the gathering of information, the development of solutions, and the creation of a plan to solve the problem. 

In 5th and 6th grade, students experience a computer applications exploratory course that provides an introduction to a variety of computer-based programs and skills. 

Seventh grade technology is a foundation course that develops student’s technical literacy through design, invention, and innovation through the study of how technological solutions impact society and the environment. Eighth grade technology revolves around a systems approach to the creation, monitoring, and modification of technical systems.  

In 7th and 8th grade, students also take a STEM course as part of their elective experience.  In 7th grade, some of the topics include engineering design process, engineering concepts & mechanisms, 3D modeling and printing, computer aided manufacturing, computer aided design, measurement and Physics.  In 8th grade, students explore Python programming and language, computer science, digital graphics, coordinate Geometry and Algebra.  

Students can choose to study French or Spanish beginning in 7th grade. 7th and 8th grade students take a full year of foreign language. Eighth grade language is the Level I high school course, and at the end of the year, students take a local proficiency exam that fulfills their high school language requirement.