This article provides information about the Grades 6-8 (Middle School) curriculum.
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- Curriculum Overview
- Top Facts
- General Details
- Credit Information
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
- Auto-Graded Details
- Sample Schedule
- FAQ
- Resources
Curriculum Overview
The Lincoln Empowered Grades 6-8 courses help transition students from elementary learning environments to middle-level with a mix of virtual and hands-on lessons and activities in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies as well as within elective offerings. In these courses, students are still fine-tuning their foundational skills while exploring more difficult topics through an inquiry-based format.
Click here to return to the top of the article.Top Facts
- The courses are designed so that students can navigate easily through the courses with full, moderate, or little facilitation. Instruction and presentation are intuitive so that students can focus less on navigating the technology and more on experiencing the content.
- Students are encouraged to work alongside their peers as they navigate through the middle-level courses to assure ample opportunities for discussion, inquiry, brainstorming, and critical thought.
- The courses integrate cross-curricular references and opportunities for students to apply their interests and strengths in various simulations and real-life scenarios.
- Courses are supported with printed materials up to 6th grade and hands-on manipulatives so that students can experience project-based learning. For more information on materials, please read our Materials Workflow and Ordering Course Kits and Print Materials resources.
General Details
Lesson Structure
- Module > Lesson > Learning Object
Learning Object Design
Lessons are driven by behavioral, age-appropriate learning objectives that are based on subject and grade-appropriate national standards. The content continues to follow the Lincoln Empowered model with learning objects, or Its, supported by text, imagery, audio, and video. Lessons may include fewer subtopics’ worth of objects; however, lessons still require the student to interact with the content and demonstrate mastery of the concepts being discussed. Students complete assessments both online and offline, thus infusing hands-on application of manipulatives and experiments, as well as writing opportunities and research. Courses include a Course Resources folder that houses a course pacing guide and materials list along with any other vital references or resources.
Click here to learn more about the Lincoln Learning Objects.
Activity Time
- Per lesson is an average of 45-60 minutes.
Pacing
- 1 Lesson = 1 Day of learning (1 hour) per course.
Credit Information
- Lincoln Learning Solutions offers various 6-8 core and elective courses. To review available courses, along with credit weights, please Browse our Courses via our Lincoln Empowered Course Lists.
English Language Arts
Content Specifics
- The English Language Arts 6-8 courses are full-credit courses with 180 days’ worth of lesson content written to unpacked national Common Core standards.
- The ELA courses in these grades continue to expand on students’ reading, writing, and speaking skills by relating content to real-world examples and allowing students to apply topic-based application to texts that genuinely interest them.
- Students continue to hone their writing and speaking skills by drafting, revising, editing, and publishing both written and oral works. In addition, lessons focus on improving listening skills and encourage critical thought and questioning while reading and writing.
- All courses contain both worksheet and literature collections which are available to purchase in print form up to English Language Arts 6. The collections are available within the course in PDF format for English Language Arts 7 and 8. Worksheets can also be completed online using Google Drawings.
Activity Design
- Students encounter a variety of activity types including videos, games, simulations, interactive learning objects, and interactive activities and quizzes.
Assessment Structure
- Students take various types of graded assessments in the ELA courses, both auto- and teacher-graded, including Assess Its, Checkpoints, and Mastery Assess Its.
- Courses may include Apply Its, and where graded, they are also referred to as Assess Its. Apply Its are larger, project-based assignments that may cover more than one standard.
Mathematics
Content Specifics
- The Mathematics 6-8 courses are full-credit courses with 180 days’ worth of lesson content written to unpacked national Common Core standards.
- Course content in the mathematics courses is supported by adequate practice.
- Many of the problems are tied to real-world application and calculation. The lessons emphasize the mathematics needed and found in everyday life.
- All courses contain a worksheet collection which is available to purchase in print form up to Mathematics 6. The collections are available within the courses in PDF format for Mathematics 7 and 8. Worksheets can also be completed online using Google Drawings.
Activity Design
- Students encounter a variety of activity types including videos, games, simulations, interactive learning objects, and interactive activities and quizzes.
Assessment Structure
- Students take various types of graded assessments in the ELA courses, both auto- and teacher-graded, including Assess Its, Checkpoints, and Mastery Assess Its.
- Courses may include Apply Its, and where graded, they are also referred to as Assess Its. Apply Its are larger, project-based assignments that may cover more than one standard.
Science
Content Specifics
- The Science 6-8 courses are full-credit courses with 180 days’ worth of lesson content written to unpacked national NGSS standards.
- There are two potential pathways for the middle-level science courses including an integrated track of courses that infuses concepts of life science, physical science, and earth and space science. The other offerings of the middle-level science courses are more subject-specific based on the disciplines.
- The courses are infused with hands-on and interactive, experimental learning with labs and research along with digital simulations that allow students to apply concepts tangibly and critically.
- Engaging in these practices allows students to understand how scientific knowledge develops, the work of engineers, and the links between science and engineering in the real world.
Activity Design
- Students encounter a variety of activity types including videos, games, simulations, interactive learning objects, and interactive activities and quizzes.
Assessment Structure
- Students take various types of graded assessments in the ELA courses, both auto- and teacher-graded, including Assess Its, Checkpoints, and Mastery Assess Its.
- Courses may include Apply Its, and where graded, they are also referred to as Assess Its. Apply Its are larger, project-based assignments that may cover more than one standard.
Social Studies
Content Specifics
- The Social Studies 6-8 courses are full-credit courses with 180 days’ worth of lesson content written to unpacked C3 standards.
- The social studies courses are subject-based courses that provide students with a basic understanding of several different areas of social studies.
- Students focus on concepts such as civics, government, and geography as well as both United States and ancient history.
- Students are able to build on the concepts presented to understand how the past shaped life today and how a student can grow into an active, socially responsible member of society.
Activity Design
- Students encounter a variety of activity types including videos, games, simulations, interactive learning objects, and interactive activities and quizzes.
Assessment Structure
- Students take various types of graded assessments in the ELA courses, both auto- and teacher-graded, including Assess Its, Checkpoints, and Mastery Assess Its.
- Courses may include Apply Its, and where graded, they are also referred to as Assess Its. Apply Its are larger, project-based assignments that may cover more than one standard.
Auto-Graded Details
Auto-Graded courses provide students with a fully asynchronous experience with automatically graded assessments and educationally-sound feedback. To determine which courses are available, please review our Auto-Graded Course list on the Browse our Courses section of our website. Click to learn more about our Auto-Graded Course Experience.
Click here to return to the top of the article.Sample Schedule
When setting up your student’s schedule for the year, please consider the examples below:
Enrolling in Core Courses
Semester 1
Suggested Start Date: First Day of School
Suggested End Date: End of 1st Semester
Semester 2
Suggested Start Date: End of 1st Semester
Suggested End Date: Last Day of School
Elective Enrollments
For Middle School electives, you can determine your enrollment scenarios per course. The charts below identify the number of lessons a student would need to complete each day based on the enrollment timeframe and the number of lessons within the course.
Full Year
Semester
9-Weeks
TIP: There are additional Middle School Electives. Please see our Course Catalog for options.
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FAQ
Q: Why are there multiple courses available for a specific target grade?
A: As students enter the middle level area, as well as moving into the high school courses, students begin to differentiate their educational pathways based on various factors. Students are given more flexibility in course selection based either on their individual or school’s preference. For example, there are additional mathematics and science courses available, though all have specific focus and are developed using the same methodology as all Empowered courses.
Q: What electives are available for students in the 6-8 courses?
A: Students in the 6-8 courses are encouraged to take elective offerings to broaden their interests and expand upon their knowledge sets. Lincoln Learning Solutions provides various options for students within the subjects of Art and Music, Wellness and Nutrition, and Physical Education. Students can opt to begin a World Language course in the middle level, particularly in the 8th grade.
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