6-8 Curriculum

Students at the middle school level are adequately prepared to navigate through their curriculum on a daily basis with the guidance of their instructors.

The list below provides some links to sample online activities used in Mercury classes. Remember, these are simply activities that, as stand‐alone elements, do not provide a complete instructional lesson. For the complete lesson, the teacher would provide instruction on the concept with effective teaching strategies to engage students actively in their learning.

Language Arts

Scarlett Pimpernal Comprehension
In this activity, students will learn about the impact of different points of view on the reader.

Scarlett Pimpernal Writing Application
In this activity, students will learn to write a movie review.

Math

Area

In this interactive, Flash‐based activity students learn about area and perimeter by drawing various shapes and problem solving.

Geometric Sequences

In this manipulatives‐based activity, students explore geometric sequences by varying the initial term and the common ratio, and by examining the graph. Compute specific terms in the sequence using the explicit and recursive formulas. (Access to this link is limited without appropriate login credentials.)

Science

Fan Cart Physics

In this manipulatives‐based activity, students gain an understanding of Newton’s Laws by experimenting with a cart (on which up to three fans are placed) on a linear track. The cart has a mass, as does each fan. The fans exert a constant force when switched on, and the direction of the fans can be altered as the position, velocity, and acceleration of the cart are measured. (Access to this link is limited without appropriate login credentials.)

Triple Beam Balance

In this manipulatives‐based activity, students learn how to determine the mass of an object using a triple beam balance. The mass of a variety of objects can be determined using this simulated version of a common real‐world laboratory tool for measurement. (Access to this link is limited without appropriate login credentials.)

Social Studies

Social Studies standards are met through the delivery of our proprietary Paragon curriculum. Paragon replaces the traditional history and social studies curriculum, balances cultural literacy content with hands‐on learning, teaches to the Multiple Intelligences, and fulfills state and national history, social studies and geography standards. Please click on the Paragon portfolio link (in the menu at the left of your screen) for a full description of this curriculum.