Middle School Overview
Bishop Gorman middle school classes are departmentalized with educators who specialize in their content areas and advocate for every student to ensure success. We utilize 1:1 technology for all students; this fosters student engagement, individualized instructions, and accountability.
To choose Truth, Goodness, and Beauty is to choose the friendship of Jesus Christ. Proper education begins by presenting this relationship to students as desirable and necessary for their happiness. Once this premise is accepted, it is natural for students to engage each academic discipline, athletic competition, and artistic endeavor as an opportunity to place one’s talents at the service of God and neighbor. Education then becomes a grand adventure full of promise rather than a high stakes race designed to anoint winners and losers.
Students engage in academic studies, athletic competition, and artistic endeavors as an opportunity to honor God and to develop as a whole person able to serve their God and their fellowman.
Fine Arts
As teachers and artists, we mentor our students, encouraging them to develop their God-given talents, to practice self-discipline, build their artistic excellence, to kindle in them a desire for mastery within their creative self-expression.
We are committed to using the arts to produce wonderful students, rather than using students to make wonderful art. Bishop Gorman students have many opportunities to participate in fine arts programs and have won numerous accolades and awards.
Foreign Language
Middle School Spanish is designed to allow students to communicate effectively in more than one language to function in a variety of situations and for multiple purposes. The students will show mastery of the language by use of interpersonal communication which allows learners to interact and negotiate meaning in spoken and written communication to share information, reactions, feelings and opinions, interpretive communication and presentational communication which enables learners to present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade and narrate on a variety of topics using appropriate media and adapting to various audiences of listeners, readers or viewers.
Culture, an integral part of the course, is introduced using media, adapted readings, short stories, writings, and class discussions. Active participation is required in the classroom, as well as at home to reinforce concepts/skills introduced and explored, which enable students to participate in a meaningful way. Students in 7th and 8th grade will take the National Spanish Exam.
Language Arts
The middle school language arts curriculum encompasses reading, creative and expository writing, research, listening, and public speaking. At the middle school level, a great emphasis is placed upon the analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of several genres in literature.
Students explore writing everything from arguments, to memoirs, poetry, short stories, persuasive writing, and literary essays. Emphasis is placed on building grammar and mechanics expertise encompassed with study of enriched vocabulary.
Mathematics
Middle School math is aimed at helping students first master the skills of working with whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and integers. A year of Pre-Algebra in the seventh grade gives students the opportunity to build a solid foundation of algebra skills such as solving equations, using exponents, graphing lines, and solving systems. Eighth grade students take an Algebra 1 course, either on-level or Pre-AP.
Physical Education
The Physical Education course provides students the opportunity to understand, practice, display, and perform a core set of motor skills applicable to a variety of sports. Students are provided continuing instruction in a variety of sports, with detailed instruction on how each sport is played and the motor skills involved. Students are provided with a solid background in conditioning and basic physical maintenance.
Science
Social Studies
Middle School classes prepare students for high school by building basic analysis, research, presentation, and writing skills, while gaining an understanding of the past. Students are also given opportunities to engage with the material through field trips, simulations, and hands-on activities. Sixth grade covers World Geography. Seventh grade studies Texas History. Eighth grade covers early U.S. History.
Theology
Theology six involves a study of the Bible, and particularly the Old Testament, as God's Word to us, and Jesus as the Living Word of God. The Sacraments are reinforced as special ways of encountering Christ, with a focus on the Mass as the Source and Summit of our lives as Christians. Learning how and why to make moral decisions will lead the students to living moral lives in Christ.
Theology seven is comprised of two sections, the story of Jesus and the theology of the body. The story of Jesus section covers the life of Jesus including his Incarnation, teachings on the Kingdom of God and the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God’s covenant with humanity. The role of the Church as the People of God and Body of Christ lived through the sacraments of the Church and our call to discipleship will be the focus as well. The second section, Theology of the body begins in Theology 7 and continues to the next year in Theology eight. The Theology of the Body contains Blessed Pope John Paul II’s teaching on the significance of humanity created male and female in the image and likeness of God. In Theology 7 we will focus on our identity as human persons and how we are to treat each other with dignity and worth.
Theology eight covers the story of the church; students will learn about the history of the Catholic Church and its mission in the world as handed on to the Apostles by Jesus Christ, thereby understanding that each individual, as created in the image and likeness of God, has a special purpose and mission ordained by Christ in this world. Theology of the body carries over from Theology seven and is a mini course which contains Blessed Pope John Paul II's teaching on the significance of humanity created male and female in the image and likeness of God. The Theology of the Body focuses on guiding teens in discovering God's plan for love and life.
Field Trips
Mission Tejas/Caddo Mounds Trip
In seventh grade, students will learn about early Texas History as they explore Caddo culture at the site of a historical village and integrate their faith with learning as they participate in Mass at the site of the first Spanish Mission in East Texas, as well as observe nature and make connections to their studies in science and they hike through the beautiful Piney Woods.
Athens Fish Hatchery Trip
Students expand their understanding of life science as they learn about native freshwater fish production, angling skills, habitat conservation and how these contribute to the state's waterways and recreation.
Other Programs
