The Middle School curriculum involves real-world problem solving projects, so that knowledge and skills are acquired through an extended inquiry process and project-based learning. The middle school also incorporates 21st century skills and proficiency into the curricula to produce students ready for the world beyond the classroom. Participation in community service activities helps middle school students develop an awareness that they can make a difference in the world around them.
Cultivating character
Academics uniquely designed
Real-world experience in problem-solving projects
Developing 21st century skills
Engaging students
Nurturing environment
Advisory:
In the 6th Grade homeroom, we focus on empowering students to develop the independence they will need to excel throughout Middle School. We cover the basics of study skills, note taking, and organization. Each student is issued their own planner, where they can write down their homework, prepare for assessments, and keep their parents in the loop about their assignments. We also focus on developing character through Social Emotional Learning: each week, the 6th grade class has a Class Meeting with the school’s guidance counselor, Michelle Davenport, to practice empathetic and effective communication and introspection. Embracing the virtue of the week is another important aspect folded in throughout the year.
English:
Reading: Some of the books students read in the 6th grade year are The Giver, Stolen into Slavery, Farewell to Manzanar, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. We focus on the basics of annotation, reading comprehension, and understanding the basic structure and themes of stories. We begin the basics of literary devices (similes, metaphors, alliteration, etc.) and identifying virtues, character traits, and emotions in fictional characters through connecting literature to self, world, and other texts. Students will also read and present on books of their choice that they read outside of school hours to develop their love of reading and taste in literature.
Writing:
In 6th grade, we focus on personal and creative writing: creative writing, personal essays, poetry, persuasive essays. We also focus on building vocabulary, developing grammar skills, and how to decipher words using language roots and suffixes/prefixes. Students have many opportunities to free write, submit drafts, edit, and develop their own style in writing throughout the middle school journey.
Science:
Our 6th grade will have a rolling content of Earth Science and Life Science studies with a curriculum guided by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). These standards work to support students’ skill building in gathering research, observation, investigation, calculation, communication, creation, and imagination. Both areas of study will have a focus on learning content and key vocabulary, while implementing this vocabulary into hands on labs and projects that reinforce the learned principles of the unit. The curriculum units can be delivered in any order based on the happenings of the world. For example, if space adventures are being highlighted in the news, and students are interested in learning more about this topic we can move to the Astronomy and Space Science unit. This flexibility allows our teachers to give students ownership of education.
Social Studies:
6th grade studies US History from the Revolutionary War to World War II. Students conduct investigations into the lived experiences of real people, research aspects of history they find particularly interesting, and create projects that share their knowledge with their classmates and the Carden community. Most importantly, students will leave this class with an understanding of how our democracy functions and their individual power to enact change.
Math 6 Foundations:
Problem solving and critical thinking skills will be used to strengthen each person’s understanding and confidence in math foundations. This year we will supplement our lessons using IXL, an online math platform. We will use real world math investigations to bring relevant meaning and understanding to our students. Upon successful completion students will advance to Pre-Algebra at an honors level.
• Numbers & Operations: +, -, X ÷
• Fractions
• Decimals
• Percents
• Geometry
• Protractors/Compasses
• Area
• Perimeter
• Data Analysis
• Surveys
• Data Collection
• Graphs
• Inquiry Projects
• Investigations
• Making math visual
• Understanding why we need math
Enrichments throughout the year may include:
Spanish
Hawaiian Studies – Ho’ike Day
Fine and Performing Arts: Art, Dance, Music, Drama
Theater Art – Middle School Play
Physical Education & Athletics
STEM Program Integrations
Advisory:
The goal of our 7th grade class is to continue to educate the whole child by providing the tools to teach students how to think responsibly about the world around them. The staff and faculty work hand and hand to explore opportunities for our students to experience real-world problem-solving skills through field studies within our island community of Maui. In advisory, students tackle issues as they arise, developing a social emotional toolbox that helps them navigate friendships, family, school and more.
English:
Some of the book’s students read include: The Other Side of the Sky, Freak the Mighty, Alice in Wonderland, Cruise Control, and Stuck in Neutral. The 7th grade writing program focuses on comparative essays. While working on the six traits of successful writing, we will cover the following writing styles: descriptive, expository, persuasive, compare/contrast, and poetry. The focus will be on tracing themes through literature and composition essays. We will use the MLA method of citing sources. The language portion of this program will focus on conventions, spelling, and vocabulary, using Analytical Grammar. Students will also learn how to decipher words by using prefixes, suffixes, and Greek and Latin roots. Assignments in English offer students a chance to be creative and hone in their own writing styles as they find their voice.
Science:
Our 7th grade will have a rolling content of Earth Science and Life Science studies with a curriculum guided by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). These standards work to support students’ skill building in gathering research, observation, investigation, calculation, communication, creation, and imagination. Both areas of study will have a focus on learning content and key vocabulary, while implementing this vocabulary into hands on labs and projects that reinforce the learned principles of the unit. The curriculum units can be delivered in any order based on the happenings of the world. For example, if space adventures are being highlighted in the news, and students are interested in learning more about this topic we can move to the Astronomy and Space Science unit. This flexibility allows our teachers to give students ownership of education.
Social Studies (World Cultures):
Our social studies curriculum in 7th grade has a focus on World Cultures. We explore the components of what makes a culture. These components will be a large part of exploration around the world as we figuratively travel to the Middle East, China, Spain, Europe, Africa, and the explore the United States. Along the way we are learning about current events within these regions and the geography that affects the culture of its people. The 7th grade class will learn and evaluate Social Justice Standards through different lenses based on culture and religion. This curriculum is designed to encourage classroom discussions and debates that lend to an environment of empathy and understanding for people of different walks of life. These discussions often help students explore the aspects of social emotional learning within themselves.
Pre-Algebra (7th grade math):
Problem solving and critical thinking skills will be used to strengthen each person’s understanding and confidence in Pre-Algebra. We supplement our lessons using IXL, an online math platform. We will use real world math investigations to bring relevant meaning and understanding to our students. Upon successful completion students will advance to Algebra One at an honors level.
• Numbers & Operations: +, -, X ÷
• Fractions
• Decimals
• Percents
• Integers
• Geometry
• Area
• Perimeter
• Surface Area
• Volume
• Algebra
• Equations
• Terms
• Expressions
• Inquiry Projects
• Create a business
• Budgets
Enrichments throughout the year may include:
Spanish
Hawaiian Studies – Ho’ike Day
Fine and Performing Arts: Art, Dance, Music, Drama
Theater Art – Middle School Play
Physical Education & Athletics
STEM Program Integrations
Advisory:
The goal for every student is to realize that learning never ends and will always open doors. Our class is a community, and we work together to be successful. Throughout the year we develop the following: Positive voice, Independence, Self-Discipline, Problem solvers, Individuality, Curiosity.
Giving students educational and real-world tools allows them to find their voices, develop self-determination, and let them implement change for the better. This is their world to shape, and they will make a difference. Student complete various community service projects as a class and encourages to be involved in supporting organizations in need. Embracing the virtue of the week is another important aspect folded in throughout the year. Activities surrounding these virtues bring them to life as student share poems, artwork, and behaviors that foster the very virtues they are embracing. We are passionate about community service and allowing students to find their own path to success.
English:
Student read selected novels and learn how to recognize, appreciate, and respond to the different literary elements that comprise the work. Students focus on how to analyze and respond to literature using literary elements, and using annotation to increase your understanding of these elements. Some literature books we will be reading are The Outsiders, Lord of the Flies, And Then There Were None, and To Kill a Mockingbird. We will also read select pieces of poetry. The 8th grade writing program focuses on essays and research to prepare you for your high school curriculum. While focusing on the six traits of successful writing, we will cover the following writing styles: descriptive, expository, persuasive, poetry, and research. The focus will be on composing essays, paraphrasing, and documenting research. We will use the MLA method of citing sources and preparing Works Cited pages. The language portion of this program will focus on conventions, spelling, and vocabulary. You will also decipher words by learning prefixes, suffixes, and Greek and Latin roots.
Physical Science:
Our 8th grade will have an intensive Physical Science curriculum guided by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). These standards work to support students’ skill building in gathering research, observation, investigation, calculation, communication, creation, and imagination. These areas of study will have a focus on learning content and key vocabulary, while implementing this vocabulary into hands on labs and projects that reinforce the learned principles of the unit. The curriculum has units that support math skills students have learned throughout the year. This integration of both areas of study has the intension of introducing the importance of math to the world of science. Naturally, we work with our traditional science principles and combine them with STEM applications. For example, students will learn about Archimedes Principle and apply this to a 3D printed boat that will prove his principle correct. Incorporating STEM with our traditional Physical Science curriculum will provide students with the application of theory that brings science to life.
Social Studies (Ancient Civilizations):
We will travel back in time to see how human civilizations developed. We will study the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, India, China, and Greece. We will look at and understand water and its relationship with Maui. Our class will have one project per civilization in which to present our research and findings to our Carden community. Students will also be assessed through homework, quizzes, and tests. Understanding our past helps us to transform our future.
Algebra One (8th grade math):
We will be investigating the concepts of algebra this year. We will learn to replace numbers with symbols and understand how they work together through various perspectives. Problem solving and critical thinking skills will be used to strengthen each person’s understanding and confidence. This year we will supplement our lessons using IXL, an online math platform. We will use real world math investigations to bring relevant meaning and understanding to our students. Students who successfully complete this course will move to Geometry or Geometry Honors.
8th Grade End of Middle School Trip
• Early May celebration trip to an outer island
• Activities on Oahu
• USS Missouri or Pearl Harbor
• Ice Skating or Bowling
• Bishop Museum
• Planetarium
• Scavenger Hunt
• Overnight in the Science Museum
• Water Park
• Included: Travel, Food, Activities
Enrichments throughout the year may include:
Spanish
Hawaiian Studies – Ho’ike Day
Fine and Performing Arts: Art, Dance, Music, Drama
Theater Art – Middle School Play
Physical Education & Athletics
STEM Program Integrations
Our Mission
Carden Academy of Maui is committed to educating the whole child through a balance of academic excellence, character development, and enrichment through the arts in a nurturing, small classroom setting.
Our Vision
Carden Academy of Maui’s vision is to foster a joyful and respectful community of lifelong learners who embody the principles of authenticity, resilience, and global stewardship.