Seventh Grade
Overview
Seventh grade is a year of increasing academic rigor, independence, and personal responsibility. Having completed their transition into Middle School, students are challenged to take greater ownership of their learning while developing the knowledge, study habits, critical-thinking skills, and personal discipline necessary for the transition toward high school.
At Oasis Christian Academy, seventh-grade students encounter increasingly complex concepts and are expected to analyze information, support conclusions with evidence, solve multistep problems, conduct research, communicate effectively, and think critically about the ideas they encounter.
OCA utilizes BJU Press curriculum throughout the core seventh-grade academic program, providing challenging instruction taught through a Biblical worldview. Students are encouraged to evaluate ideas and information through the truth of Scripture while continuing to develop spiritually, intellectually, physically, emotionally, and socially.

Bible & Biblical Worldview
Using BJU Press Bible curriculum, seventh-grade students engage in a comprehensive study of the Old Testament designed to help them understand the structure, themes, historical context, and overarching message of Scripture.
Students examine significant people, events, covenants, and teachings while exploring God's character, His relationship with His people, mankind's need for redemption, and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.
Students are challenged to understand individual books and events within the larger Biblical narrative and to apply the truths of Scripture to their beliefs, choices, relationships, and understanding of the world.
Scripture study, memory, prayer, discussion, worship, and practical application encourage students to take increasing ownership of their faith and develop a Biblical worldview.

Mathematics
Using BJU Press Mathematics, seventh-grade students continue developing mathematical reasoning, computational fluency, algebraic thinking, and problem-solving skills as they prepare for increasingly advanced mathematics.
Students build upon their understanding of rational numbers, fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions, expressions, equations, geometry, statistics, and probability while being introduced to increasingly complex algebraic concepts.
Instruction emphasizes the transition from arithmetic toward algebraic reasoning. Students learn to represent mathematical relationships using expressions, equations, tables, graphs, and other models while applying mathematical concepts to real-world situations.
Throughout the course, students are challenged to solve multistep problems, select appropriate strategies, communicate mathematical reasoning, and develop the accuracy, perseverance, and problem-solving skills necessary for future mathematics courses.

Language Arts & Literature
Using BJU Press English Language Arts and Literature, seventh-grade students strengthen their ability to read critically, write effectively, conduct research, evaluate sources, and communicate ideas with clarity and evidence.

Literature
Students read increasingly complex classic and age-appropriate contemporary literature while analyzing characterization, setting, plot, conflict, theme, point of view, author's purpose, diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary elements.
Students learn to cite textual evidence, make and support inferences, compare themes and perspectives, paraphrase information, and evaluate the ideas and worldview perspectives presented in literature through the truth of Scripture.

Grammar, Writing & Research
Seventh-grade students develop increasingly sophisticated narrative, informative, explanatory, and argumentative writing.
Students learn to formulate claims, organize ideas logically, support arguments with relevant evidence from credible sources, acknowledge differing perspectives when appropriate, maintain an appropriate style and tone, and develop effective conclusions.
Grammar instruction strengthens students' understanding and application of sentence structure, phrases and clauses, parts of speech, modifiers, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, vocabulary, and the conventions of Standard English.
Students also conduct age-appropriate research using multiple sources while learning to evaluate information, organize findings, cite evidence, and use information responsibly.

Life Science
Using BJU Press Life Science, seventh-grade students investigate living organisms and biological systems through a Biblical worldview.
Students explore topics including cell structure and function, cell division, genetics and DNA, heredity, ecosystems, food chains and food webs, plants, and other areas of life science.
Students participate in scientific investigations, modeling, experimentation, data analysis, and other hands-on experiences that develop scientific reasoning and inquiry skills.
Students also examine questions related to origins and Earth's history, learning to understand different perspectives while examining these questions through OCA's Biblical worldview.
Throughout Life Science, students are challenged to recognize the complexity, order, and design evident throughout living systems and God's creation.

American History
Using BJU Press American History, seventh-grade students examine significant people, events, ideas, movements, and developments throughout the history of the United States through a Biblical worldview.
Students study topics including European exploration and settlement, the American colonies, the American Revolution, the founding principles and documents of the United States, westward expansion, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and other significant periods of American history included within the course.
Students develop historical-thinking skills by examining cause and effect, analyzing primary and secondary sources, evaluating differing perspectives, interpreting maps and geographic information, and supporting historical conclusions with evidence.
Students also examine the experiences and contributions of people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds and consider how individuals, ideas, movements, and events have shaped the development of the United States.

By the End of Seventh Grade, Students Will: