JH Course Catalog
TRINITY CATHOLIC JUNIOR HIGH
COURSE CATALOG
2025-2026
English:
English - (7th grade): Students will build upon their understanding of English language arts, focusing on reading and writing skill development. Students will learn to analyze plot structure, characters, and literary concepts within various forms of literature including short stories, novels, poetry and drama. Students will learn to write evidence-based paragraphs, thesis driven essays, and practice basic MLA formatting.
English - (8th grade): -This is the literature and writing course held in conjunction with English standards. The course reinforces English standards concepts while delving deeply into reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Students practice writing structured essays and analyzing short novels. They are also introduced to research writing and presentation skills with a collaborative English/History project on a president of their choosing.
English Standards:
English Standards - (7th and 8th grades:) Students will build upon their understanding of grammar, including the parts of speech, sentence parts, complements, phrases, clauses, sentence types and punctuation. Vocabulary skills will also be developed by studying prefixes, suffixes and root words.
Geography:
World Geography (7th grade): In this course, students will discover the relationships between humans, their culture, and their physical place on Earth. Students will become familiar with the continents, countries, states, cities and their physical features. Discussion of culture, politics and people will give us a greater understanding of the world. This course includes a field trip to Lindsborg (Little Sweden) and Coronado Heights.
American & Kansas History (8th grade): In this course students will learn about early to modern people, places, and events of American and Kansas History. The text focuses on first person views of history and how it relates to their life, culture, and world neighbors. This course includes a field trip to Fort Larned and the Santa Fe Trail Center.
Math:
Pre Algebra - (7th grade): In this course, emphasis is placed on the five mathematical domains of Number Sense, Expressions and Equations, Geometry, Ratios and Proportional Relationships, and Statistics and Probability as outlined in the Kansas Mathematics Standards. Students will be asked to solve problems, use reasoning to justify answers, analyze and critique the work of others, and use models and tools strategically.
Pre-algebra - (8th grade): In this course, previous knowledge on the four mathematical
domains of Number Sense, Expressions and Equations, Geometry, and Statistics and
Probability is expanded and the domain of Functions is introduced as outlined in the Kansas Mathematical Standards. Students will be asked to build on previously acquired math skills, and emphasis will be placed on reasoning abstractly and looking for and making use of structure.
Physical Education:
P.E. - (7th grade): The purpose of this course is to promote healthy lifestyles through activity, sport & exercises, develop healthy, positive relationships with others, and learn about “health-wellness” concepts; hygiene, and sensory organ systems.
P.E. – (8th grade): This course promotes healthy lifestyles through activity, sport & exercises, develops healthy, positive relationships with others, and introduces students to drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse, and the nine body systems (basic anatomy/physiology).
Religion:
Religion - (7th grade):The purpose of this course is to help students on their path to Heaven. This is the most important goal of their life and the reason you exist. In order to do this, we will learn about the essential teachings of Jesus Christ and his Church, as Jesus is the Savior of the World. There will also be a great focus on how to be a disciple of Christ, and live out His teachings in today’s world.
Religion - (8th grade): The purpose of this course is to help students on their path to Heaven. This is the most important goal of your life and the reason you exist. In order to do this, we will study the teachings of the Catholic faith as well as the history of the Church.
Rotation Electives:
Band - (7th and 8th grades): JH band is for 7th and 8th grade students who have taken beginning band at Holy Cross or another elementary school. JH band is required to perform 1 concert each semester and participates in the HOAL JH Music Festival in the spring semester. Students must play a band instrument to enroll. Any student who would like to join and does not play a band instrument, needs to discuss options with the instructor first.
Beyond Books - (7th and 8th grades): This class focuses on more than just the story or book and is geared more towards the interests of the group. Classes have focused on group reading, the book Wonder and Greek mythology. Movies and documentaries are viewed for increased learning and reinforcement.
Choir - (7th and 8th grades): This course is designed to develop music reading skills, vocal health and technique, and choral singing skills through a variety of musical styles. The primary objectives are vocal development, vocal health, teamwork, responsibility, performance technique, and performance etiquette, and music literacy. Students are required to perform with the Choir in public performances throughout the semester.
Drama - (7th and 8th grades): Students will learn the basics of acting through improvisation, voice, and body movement. Students will learn tech theater elements such as set design, lighting, costume and stage makeup.
Learning Strategies - (7th and 8th grades): Enrollment in the course, will be based on students’ needs. This class will address organization and study skills.
Photography - (7th and 8th grades): Students will begin developing basic digital photography skills by studying elements of photography and rules of composition. Students will identify photography elements and composition rules in other photographers' work, imitate photography elements and composition rules in their own photography, and learn to critique their photography for strengths and weaknesses using appropriate photo vocabulary. Photography II will work to advance basic skills learned in Photography I. Photo field trips will be arranged for students to practice their photography with varied settings and photo subjects. Students will need to supply their own digital camera for this class with either a cell phone camera or a dslr camera.
Science:
Science - (7th grade): This course covers topics in biology, chemistry, Earth and Space and Physics with hands-on activities, computer simulations, and an emphasis on vocabulary and graphs. Life science includes: cell structure, classifying life, animal systems, plant systems, and genetics. Chemistry includes: matter, atoms and the periodic table, Earth and Space science includes: plate tectonic, resources, atmosphere, weather, climate, and our solar system. Physics includes: motion, speed and forces, Scientific method and measuring.
Science - (8th grade): This class builds and expands on topics from 7th grade. Areas covered include Physics: motion and energy; Chemistry: compounds and reactions; Astronomy: solar systems, stars and galaxies; Earth Science: minerals, rocks, earthquakes, volcanoes and Earth's past history; Ecology and human interactions; and Biology: human body systems and heredity. Class is taught from the student perspective, including hands-on activities, simulations as well as standard assessments.
Technology:
Computer Keyboarding - (7th grade): Keyboarding is designed to provide an opportunity to learn to touch type on the computer keyboard using correct techniques as well as the development of speed and accuracy. Students will be introduced to the formatting of personal and business letters, memos, and reports.
Computer Applications - (8th grade): This is a comprehensive course in business office practices with emphasis on standard computer operation and applications. The course is designed for students to use computer based instruction with individualized or cooperative work and study groups. Microsoft Word and Microsoft Access are introduced to the students in this class.