Academics

Grade 6 ELA

The focus is on the five strands of English Language Arts instruction; reading, writing, oral and written conventions, research, and listening and speaking skills. Students are expected to know how to locate a range of relevant sources and evaluate, synthesize, and present ideas and information as well as listen and respond to the ideas of others while contributing their own ideas in conversations and in groups. Students will learn the use of oral and written conventions of the English language in speaking, writing and reading. Students read, write and understand a wide variety of literary, expository, persuasive and informational texts, media literacy and poems.  Students will also compose a variety of written texts with a clear controlling idea, coherent organization, and sufficient detail. A variety of strategies will aid students in developing form, style, purpose and voice in their writing. The writing process will be modeled, taught and practiced, with an emphasis on language conventions, editing and revising, as students learn to write increasingly complex texts. Collaboration, reflection, and peer editing will be used to develop writing comfort and style. Students will learn the use of oral and written conventions of the English language in speaking, writing and reading. Students read, write and understand a wide variety of literary, expository, persuasive and informational texts, media literacy and poems.

Grade 7 ELA

The focus is on the five strands of English Language Arts instruction; reading, writing, oral and written conventions, research, and listening and speaking skills. Students are expected to know how to locate a range of relevant sources and evaluate, synthesize, and present ideas and information as well as listen and respond to the ideas of others while contributing their own ideas in conversations and in groups. Students will learn the use of oral and written conventions of the English language in speaking, writing and reading. Students read, write and understand a wide variety of literary, expository, persuasive and informational texts, media literacy and poems. 

This course will focus on the five strands of English Language Arts instruction; reading, writing, oral and written conventions, research, and listening and speaking skills. Students will also compose a variety of written texts with a clear controlling idea, coherent organization, and sufficient detail. A variety of strategies will aid students in developing form, style, purpose and voice in their writing. The writing process will be modeled, taught and practiced, with an emphasis on language conventions, editing and revising, as students learn to write increasingly complex texts. Collaboration, reflection, and peer editing will be used to develop writing comfort and style. Students will learn the use of oral and written conventions of the English language in speaking, writing and reading. Students read, write and understand a wide variety of literary, expository, persuasive and informational texts, media literacy and poems.

Grade 8 ELA

The focus is on the five strands of English Language Arts instruction; reading, writing, oral and written conventions, research, and listening and speaking skills. Students are expected to know how to locate a range of relevant sources and evaluate, synthesize, and present ideas and information as well as listen and respond to the ideas of others while contributing their own ideas in conversations and in groups. Students will learn the use of oral and written conventions of the English language in speaking, writing and reading. Students read, write and understand a wide variety of literary, expository, persuasive and informational texts, media literacy and poems. 

This course will focus on the five strands of English Language Arts instruction; reading, writing, oral and written conventions, research, and listening and speaking skills. Students will compose a variety of written texts with a clear controlling idea, coherent organization, and sufficient detail. A variety of strategies will aid students in developing form, style, purpose and voice in their writing. The writing process will be modeled, taught and practiced, with an emphasis on language conventions, editing and revising, as students learn to write increasingly complex texts. Collaboration, reflection, and peer editing will be used to develop writing comfort and style. Students will learn the use of oral and written conventions of the English language in speaking, writing and reading. Students read, write and understand a wide variety of literary, expository, persuasive and informational texts, media literacy and poems.

Resources

6th grade:

1st Nine Weeks- Students will understand whole numbers, fractions, decimals, integers, factors and multiples, as well as, applying operations to whole numbers fractions and decimals. 

2nd Nine Weeks- Students will study proportionality and algebraic representations and applications.  Students will also explore geometry with angles, triangles and quadrilaterals.

3rd Nine Weeks- Students will apply measurement to two-dimensional figures, capacity, weight, time, temperature and volume. Students will also cover statistical representations and analyze them. 

4th Nine Weeks- Students will study probability and learn how to make connections between all concepts.

7th grade: 

1st Nine Weeks- Students will understand and learn how to apply operations to integers and positive rational numbers. They will also study applications of similar figure representations. 

2nd Nine Weeks- Students will study geometry as it applies to coordinate planes, graphing transformations, and perspectives. Students will also examine algebraic expressions and equations.

3rd Nine Weeks: Students will apply measurement to two and three dimensional figures along with analyzing statistical representations.

4th Nine Weeks: Students will explore probability and learn how to make connects between all concepts.

8th grade: 

1st Nine Weeks: Students will study operations of rational numbers as well as proportionality. 

2nd Nine Weeks: Students will review transformations on a coordinate plane and perspectives. Students will explore algebraic representations, irrational numbers and Pythagorean Theorem. 

3rd Nine Weeks: Students will apply measurements to two and three dimensional figures, discuss probability, and analyze statistical representations. 

4th Nine Weeks: Students will discover how to make connections to other concepts and investigate the graphing calculator.

Resources

6th grade Science quick overview:

• Focus on Interactive, Hands-On Learning while exploring the following topics:
  • Chemical Building Blocks
  • Chemical Interactions
  • Motion, Forces, and Energy
  • Electricity and Magnetism
  • Sound and Light

7th Grade Science quick overview:

• Focus on Interactive, Hands-On Learning while exploring the following topics:
  • Cells and Heredity
  • Work/Force/Motion
  • Flow of energy
  • Food chains versus food web
  • Photosynthesis
  • Weathering and erosion/natural disasters
  • Organisms and the environment
  • Light in the Solar System
  • Human Biology and Health
  • Environmental Science
  • Chemical and physical changes in digestion

8th grade science quick overview:

• Focus on Interactive, Hands-On Learning while exploring the following topics:
  • Inside Earth
  • Chemistry
  • Periodic table trends
  • Physical and chemical properties of metals, non metals, and metalloids
  • Force and motion- Newton's laws
  • Density
  • Law of conservation of mass
  • Earth's Changing Surface
  • Earth's Water
  • Weather and Climate
  • Astronomy
• There will be daily use of an assignment notebook. Students are responsible for incomplete and overdue homework. Grades will be posted to Skyward.

Resources

6th grade Social Studies quick overview:

In 6th grade social studies, students study World Cultures. Students study people, places, and societies of the contemporary world. Places that are included are: Europe, Russia and the Eurasian republics, North America, Middle America Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Southwest Asia-North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific realm.

7th grade Social Studies quick overview:

In 7th grade social studies, students study Texas History. Students examine the full scope of Texas history, including Natural Texas and its People plus the beginnings of European Exploration through Contemporary Texas eras.

8th grade Social Studies quick overview:

In 8th grade social studies, students study United States History. Content includes the history of the United States from the early colonial period through Reconstruction. Students take a STAAR test over U.S. History curriculum at the end of 8th grade.

Mission

"The Grand Prairie ISD Advanced Academics Program is committed to ensuring that our highest ability learners are challenged to meet their potential and that curriculum and learning opportunities are in line with their needs, interests, and abilities."

Advanced Courses and Programs of Study

Pre-AP and AP Programs

Why PRE AP?

Free preparation for the challenges in college while still in high school!

Choose AP

Are you ready for a unique learning experience that will help you succeed in college? Through AP's college-level courses and exams, you can earn college credit and advanced placement, stand out in the admission process, and learn from some of the most skilled, dedicated, and inspiring teachers in the world.

A Different Kind of Class

From the moment you enter an AP classroom, you'll notice the difference—in the teacher's approach to the subject, in the attitude of your classmates, in the way you start to think. In AP classrooms, the focus is not on memorizing facts and figures. Instead you'll engage in intense discussions, solve problems collaboratively, and learn to write clearly and persuasively.

Useful Links

College and Career Readiness

Duke Tip is a scouting tool for Duke University to put our young scholars “on the map.”  Recognition for high achievement is determined through the SAT test. Duke offers this experience to qualifying 7th grade students.

SAT Practice

Building Stronger Leaders Inside and Out

Digital Arts & Technology Academy at Adams Middle School is proud to expand its opportunities for student achievement and leadership through the first National Middle School Cadet Corps (NMSCC) in Grand Prairie ISD.  Through the implementation of the Cadet Corps curriculum, students will experience new learning and strategies that will prepare them for college and career opportunities in STEM, humanities, business, the service industry and more.

Program Goals:

• Develop leadership and build character
• Create informed, patriotic, and responsible citizens
• Develop responsible young adults who are physically, mentally, and morally fit
• Develop informed and civic-minded young adults prepared for higher education, civilian   careers, and public service
• Instill structure, respect, and responsibility through challenging activities

Learning Objectives:

During the course of the school year, the student will have the opportunity to learn the following knowledge and skill objectives:

• Individual rights, responsibilities, privileges, and freedoms that underline good citizenship for constituted authority
• Leadership potential and the ability to live and work cooperatively with orders
• The ability to think logically and to effectively communicate orally and in writing
• The importance of a well balanced diet and physical training in maintaining good health
• An understanding of the history, purpose, and structure of JROTC
• Basic military skills, such as drill and ceremony, first aid, and map reading
• Citizenship, as it pertains to American culture and its future
• Knowledge of the dangers of substance abuse
• The importance of goal setting and positive thinking
• Personality traits
• Teamwork and group dynamics
• Community services

DATA at Adams Middle School is proud to offer students a choice option in GPISD with the Digital Media Technology and Communications program. This provides students exciting opportunities to become experts in developing video games, animated productions, graphic media and more.

If you are a 6th grade student you will explore state of the art technology and become introduced to digital learning in the class Technology Applications.