Laguna Middle School
History
Mathematics
Language Arts
Reading
Writing
Science
Social Studies
Electives
History
Laguna Middle School (LMS) is wholly owned by the Pueblo of Laguna tribe, and operated under the auspices of the tribe's own Department of Education. The school represents the pinnacle of the tribe's efforts to achieve educational self-determination. LMS was the first school in New Mexico to be designed, built, and operated by an American Indian tribe.
Education at Laguna has always been marked by incredible fragmentation between schooling opportunities and consistency among educational options; because of this, the people of Laguna set out to create a school designed with the needs of the community in mind. In 1986 Laguna won its right to build a school and in the fall of 1992 construction of the Laguna Middle School was completed. Upon hearing that the facility had a huge gym and rooms for classes like; Art, Music, Home Economics, Wood Shop and Physical Education, students and community members anxiously awaited the opening.
At the first pre-registration in 1992, 134 students enrolled in grades 6, 7 and 8th grades. Today the school thrives and in 2006, 146 students enrolled at LMS and in 2007, enrollment was 152. Projection for 2008 shows an increase of 20 students. For the last two years LMS teaching staff has consisted of 17 full time teachers and six para-professionals.
Over the years LMS has initiated programs that help teach students’ values that the tribal leaders and parents feel are relevant toward a quality education, such as Service Learning:
- Annual senior citizen dinner and dance in the school cafeteria hosted by students.
- Students participate in feast day activities for example: the parade, traditional feast day dancing and clean up of the area, including the plaza, after the feast.
- Fund raising activities on for needy families before the Holidays, and on behalf of soldiers overseas in the War.
The following programs have been initiated to support academic achievement:
- Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID), a college-preparatory program, was started to get students to begin thinking about college.
- LMS initiated its first ever National Junior Honor Society in 2006. 23 students from grades 6th – 8th grade were inducted at a school wide assembly in 2007.
- From the beginning, technology has been a priority for the school because it supports an environment conducive to learning. State-of-the-art equipment and software are available to both students and teachers.
- Digital storytelling is the latest initiative. It is going into its third year and the students have gained valuable experience and are now thinking about ways of using technology to learn more about their culture and their language.
Mathematics
Textbook: McDougal Littell, Course Level 1 Practice workbook: McDougal Littell Methods: Introduction of material, practice, hands-on and spiral application of material covered. Uses standards based approach to word problems. Initial assessment determines placement into leveled instructional grouping. Supplemental materials: teacher created materials Contemporary's Number Power, Fractions, Decimals and Percents by Jerry Howett
LMS students are placed into classes based on their test scores, recommendations from past teachers, and parental input. Seventh graders have a choice of Math 7, Pre-Algebra, and Algebra I. Eighth Graders have Math 8, Algebra I, and Advanced Algebra.
The New Mexico Standards and Benchmarks drive mathematics instruction. Early in the first trimester, time is given to basic skills work, particularly in the regular 7th and 8th grade Mathematics classes. Supplemental materials are used: include past tests, speed drills, problem solving templates, use of charts and manipulative. The goal is to improve the student's basic skills and increase computation speed. This in turn facilitates the math work provided via the text. Time spent on basics does reiterate knowledge base and affects time spent on standards.
The more advanced classes of Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, and Advanced Algebra need less time on remediation. This allows students to apply mathematical concepts to Algebra. Time must be devoted to Supplemental Material to ensure that the Standards and Benchmarks for New Mexico are addressed.
Language Arts
LMS follows the state standards and benchmarks under the umbrella of Language Arts, which includes reading and writing as well as listening, and speaking.
Reading
Best Practices in Reading/Literacy – Study Skills Classes
Our goal at LMS is to provide instruction that improves reading achievement through the study skills classes and through explicit instruction to support reading across all content areas. As part of this process, our students are placed into a reading group that is based on student instructional reading levels. Every LMS student is placed into the Reading Tier Intervention program.
Students who enroll at LMS are given reading and math assessments to determine placement in Study Skills classes and Language Arts Block assignments. Students who fall into the Tier III category are placed in a two (2) hour language arts block in addition to a 45-minute Study Skills class on a daily basis. The Tier III students receive a daily total of 2.25 hours of language arts instruction, which includes learning comprehension skills and personal reading time.
Writing
The Write Source Writing state adopted textbook focuses on assisting children with the use of writing to communicate, using the strand "Writing and Speaking for Expression", in the state standards and benchmarks. The text teaches the various genres of writing, the writing process, and focuses on the Six Traits of writing. These include: conventions, ideas, voice, organization, word choice, and sentence fluency. Teachers also use Six Traits rubrics for assessing writing growth.
Science
6th Grade:
Textbook: Scott Foresman
Lab Workbook: Practice Workbook
Methods: Introduction of materials, practice, and hands-on application labs of material. An experiential methodology also is used in the introduction and reinforcement of material.
Supplemental materials: Teacher created materials
Prentice Hall Science Explorer Textbooks and Labs
Various web sites
7th Grade:
Seventh grade curriculum for science focuses on life.
Textbook: McDougal Littell Life Science.
Some of the topics that were covered this year were:
- Scientific Method
- Measuring and Using the SI units
- Biomes and Different Ecosystems (Emphasis was on deserts)
- Science Projects and Science Fair
- Biological Classification
- Natural Selection
- Cells
- DNA
- Heredity
- Unicellular and Multicellular organisms
8th Grade:
The eighth graders focus on Physical Science.
Textbook: McDougal Littell Physical Science.
Some of the topics that were discussed in physical science were:
- Scientific Method
- Measuring and Using the SI units
- Conversions
- Science Projects
- Matter
- Energy
- Atomic Structure
- Periodic Table of Elements
- Electricity and Electrical Circuits
- Motion
- Gravity and Friction
- Simple Machines
- Forensic Science
Social Studies
Scott Foresman Social Studies
The social studies series is the "New Mexico Edition" and is from the state adopted textbook list and follows the state standards and benchmarks, including all of the social studies strands, which include: History (New Mexico, United States, and the World), Geography, Government and Civics, and Economics. The book contains many activities that are practical and hands-on and help children understand communities and their relationships to the world, celebrating the rich and diverse cultures and contributions of many people groups.
New Mexico History-UNM Press
To meet the needs and requirements of the New Mexico adopted curriculum, LMS teaches middle school students the text that is printed by the University of New Mexico. All middle schools in the state are teaching this curriculum, as it is required.
Electives
LMS offers activities such as yearbook production, student council, homework assistance, and a cultural art program as part of the Elev8 program (see below) and during its annual spring discovery days program.
The TOP program is also offered, which provides information about pregnancy prevention through life skills.
Elev8 Afterschool Extended Day Program:
- Project Venture
- Cultural Classes- include culture, language, moccasin making, shawl making, traditional cooking and sewing, and tribal crafts
- Physical and health activities offered through the Elev8 Counseling and Resource Center