Private Middle School Program

Las Vegas Day School offers a fully departmentalized middle school for grades six, seven, and eight, with separate classrooms and instructors for every subject. The program is academically challenging with grade level appropriate coursework offered in Literature, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Art & Humanities, Health & Fitness, Technology, and Spanish. 

High achieving eighth grade students can also earn high school credit in Computer Literacy, Health, Art, and Spanish I Honors, as well as Algebra I Honors to jumpstart their high school careers.

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The literature program provides an opportunity for students to become active and critical readers. Students are provided with a variety of literary forms – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, short stories and novels – to analyze and critique. This will be done through written work, classroom discussions, and individual and group projects. Students will also discuss literary terminology such as theme, motif, symbolism, foreshadowing, setting, and point of view. Novels will cover a wide range of topics and will include different points of view. Novel discussions will be held regularly, and students will be expected to participate and offer their thoughts. Students will get a chance to read books of their own choice during the year and reading outside of the classroom is highly encouraged. The literature program hopes to expose students to a variety of literature, encourage participation, and promote lifelong readers.

The English program offers detailed instruction into various forms of academic writing including expositive, persuasive, and research writing. Through the use of the writing process, students incorporate key components of grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling to develop clear, concise written work. Writing focuses on integration of original ideas with research from multiple sources (digital and print) for analysis and drawing conclusions. Students are taught how to cite their sources, create a works cited page, and how to set up their research papers using MLA format. Technology is integrated to produce, publish, research, and collaborate on writing projects, short research activities, and group projects.

Communication skills are developed through oratorical speeches, collaborative group projects, and class presentations. Students learn important elements of listening, speaking, and responding appropriately to prepared speeches, class discussions, and presentations.

The program offers students the opportunity to compete in writing competitions, an oratorical speech competition, and a Spelling Bee, which not only showcases creative writing skills, but also acquired skills throughout the school year.

Our goal in teaching mathematics is to constantly maintain a challenging environment in which a student can achieve. Sixth-grade math develops a strong understanding and fluency in basic operations using whole numbers, fractions, decimals and integers. Students study pre-algebra concepts as well as properties, statistics, probability, proportions, percent, and geometry.

Seventh-grade students study pre-algebra with Algebra 1 beginning in the fourth quarter. Concepts include properties and operations of integers, rational and real numbers, solving equations and inequalities, as well as reviewing ratios and proportions, percent and geometry.

The eighth-grade Algebra I program teaches students to solve and graph linear equations and inequalities as well as systems of equations. Operations with polynomials and factoring polynomials, work with exponents, graphing and solving quadratic equations, and solving rational and radical equations will also be taught. Students can earn high school credit in Algebra I Honors.

Technology is integrated with easy-to-access online sources such as tutorial videos, homework help, and interactive practice quizzes and tests. We encourage participation, and work to create an environment where students can interact, feel challenged and enjoy learning math.

The goal of the science program is to develop independent study habits, with emphasis on skills such as creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration. The course is designed to give students a basic understanding of science and its relationship to their lives. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) is integrated throughout the science program. Students will use interactive electronic textbooks, LearnSmart, and virtual and hands-on labs to enhance learning.

The sixth-grade life science curriculum introduces the world of plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, health, disease and human anatomy. Students learn scientific inquiry and scientific methods to find answers and build knowledge. Scientific models and tools (including microscopes) are used to investigate questions and share answers. Lab work includes dissection of various invertebrates and vertebrates.

The seventh-grade earth science curriculum surveys the processes that formed and continue to shape the Earth. Students examine the fields of cartography, geology, meteorology, oceanography, environmental science and astronomy. The scientific method is applied along with scientific skills and equipment for the observations, collection, organization, interpretation and presentation of data.

The eighth-grade physical science curriculum investigates non-living matter and energy. Physics topics include motion, forces, matter, energy, waves, electricity and magnetism. Chemistry topics include properties of matter, chemical reactions, chemical mixtures and solutions, acid/base chemistry and organic chemistry. This course is designed to give students a basic understanding of how physical science and basic chemistry relate to the world around them. Students continue to utilize the scientific method and scientific equipment to conduct experiments and share results through a variety of media.

The social studies program provides students with a solid foundation in the areas of history, political systems, geography, research skills and current events. At each grade level, a different area of study is stressed: World History in sixth-grade; American History in seventh-grade; and World Geography and Civics in eighth-grade.

At each grade level, appropriate geography activities supplement studies. Research and note-taking skills are reinforced. Emphasis is placed on the development of a working knowledge of the various types of reference materials and the ability to efficiently utilize these skills. Current events are examined and evaluated in the general context of class study. Special projects include the state stock market competition, social studies fair, mock trial, and an interview with a prominent Nevadan.

Through the study of art and the humanities, students develop an appreciation and understanding of the world around them, as well as the progression of cultures and the aesthetic movement which incorporates these cultures. Students are exposed to new ways of seeing and exploring the process of taking an abstract thought and creating a concrete form from that thought. The goal of the program is to teach students to see and understand the aesthetic elements that give a work of art enduring beauty and meaning.

The sixth graders complete the final phase of the discipline-based art curriculum designed to give repeated, gradually building experiences with a range of media, skills, and techniques. Students develop an understanding of the structure and language of art. The overriding theme throughout the year is the “World of Art.” This theme is stressed by using an art textbook to provide both cross-cultural and multicultural lessons, which are developed through the students’ use of the elements of art.

The art textbook for seventh and eighth grades is a discipline-based program, which offers a broad range of visual experience based on art works and art styles of various cultures and times in history. The concepts of aesthetics, art criticism, art history and art production are applied and reinforced throughout the program. Students can earn high school credit in Art I.

The study of Spanish exposes students to a different language and thereby stimulates a desire to continue developing their competence in foreign languages, as well as their own. Sixth-grade students begin with a first-year high school Spanish I textbook and culminate with a Spanish II textbook in eighth-grade.

Small group activities, DVDs, and games are used in all grades, along with group participation, to make learning Spanish more fun and interesting. These activities expose the students to practical daily conversational vocabulary, while at the same time giving them insight into the culture, geography and history of the Spanish-speaking world. Eighth-grade students can earn high school credit in Spanish I Honors.

This multi-year course is designed as an in-depth study of computer science and integrated technology. Personal computer applications, career opportunities, and ethics of computer use will be examined. Word processing, information management, and electronic spreadsheets will be continued from an intermediate level working toward advanced skill levels. Desktop publishing, multimedia, graphics, animation, video, and audio will be explored.

Students will learn the foundations of computer science and basic programming with an emphasis on developing logical thinking and problem-solving skills.  Students learn about computer science and computational thinking using Python and HTML to analyze and design solutions to problems using programming skills.  Additional topics include algorithms, documentation, security and privacy, communication and collaborations, and data visualization. Eighth-grade students can earn high school credit in computer science and applications.

The middle school health and fitness program is committed to offering an educational process in which all students are encouraged to reach their highest potential as well as their personal goals. By offering a variety of teaching techniques, students will participate in sports and leisure activities, strength training and aerobic exercise. They will also be introduced to the importance of their own health and well-being through health education topics. Students will be given a strong foundation in the value of lifetime physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

Financial Literacy is offered as an online course for one semester in eighth grade. This course introduces students to setting goals, budgeting, and creating financial plans. Students will learn about topics such as taxation, financial institutions, credit, and money management. The course is designed for our eighth-grade students to learn how to take a class entirely online, subsequently preparing them for future online coursework in high school and college. Students can earn high school credit for this course.

All middle school students are issued an iPad to use throughout the school year as part of our Apple one to one program. Students receive the latest generation iPad with 64gb memory, a rugged protective case with an integrated smart connector keyboard, and extended AppleCare+. All devices are set up to connect to the school network for internet access and printing capability. The student iPads will come with all necessary apps such as Outlook, OneDrive, Notability, Turnitin, Kahoot, and Showbie, as well as pre-loaded online textbooks for easy access. Students will be able to use their iPad to write documents, create projects, take class notes, submit homework, and to take tests.