7th & 8th Grade Academics

Get ready for an unforgettable summer! We're thrilled to announce our NEW program featuring 3 exciting classes--your choice of math, including high school algebra and geometry, popular options for language arts, and a fun elective to boost your creativity and interests. This is a great value! Students participate in three classes from 9:00 to Noon each day, and many will stay for our exciting enrichment camp options or our thrilling sports camp options. There will be a period dedicated to eating lunch and socializing before their next scheduled class or camp. Lunch is available for purchase daily or may bring a bag lunch. All details will be sent out a week before camp begins. 

2026 Dates: June 15 - July 17 (closed June 19 and July 3), Monday to Friday, 9:00 - 12:00 pm

All 7th & 8th-grade students will enroll in three classes:

1. Math (Grade Appropriate) 
2. Elective (Art, Debate, Marine Bio, or Multimedia, Ancient Rome)
3. English (Creative Writing, Debate Tactics, Words Win!, or Language Arts) 

*We will not be offering course by course options, every student must take three courses. 

During registration, students will select their math preference and rank their Elective and English classes in order of preference. Classes are not guaranteed and are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis determined by the date your registration is received. 
You will receive your final schedule from St. Ignatius on or before June 5th. 

Math Courses

Math levels can be changed during the first week of summer school if necessary.

• Pre-Algebra (Recommended for most students entering 7th grade): This course strengthens the student's foundation in fractions, decimals, percentages, and operations with negative numbers. Students will also learn how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide variable expressions. 
• Algebra (Recommended for most students entering 8th grade): This course is for students who will be taking algebra in the fall or who have taken some algebra already, but did not study it in detail or did not fully understand it. Students will learn the distributive property, operations with variables, simplifying expressions, solving equations, basic word problems, and linear functions. 
• High School Algebra (Recommended for students who completed middle school algebra or equivalent): Students will learn quadratic functions, radical equations, logarithms, solving systems of linear equations, and sequences and series. This is a good introduction to what students can expect to learn during their first semester of high school algebra. 
• Geometry (Recommended for students who feel confident in pre-algebra and/or algebra skills and are curious about studying the measurement of shapes and figures): The course reviews the basic concepts, terminology, and notation involved in geometry. Conditional statements, conjectures, theorems, and written justifications are systematically brought into the course, along with the subjects to which they pertain, in the context of problem solving as well as in the context of the preparation of formal proofs.

Electives

• Art - Let’s explore how the “design” we observe in Nature can be an inspiration for our own original art pieces. By looking at the structure, colors, and textures of things found in the natural world, such as trees, plants, shells, and clouds. We will create drawings, paintings, and mixed media works. Paint, wood, metal, glass, wire, and fabric are some of the elements we will use to create art pieces for you to take home.
• Debate Techniques: Want to win an argument?  Want to persuade your family and friends that you are right?  In this class, we will learn debate techniques that will give you the power of persuasion. Each week we will dive into a new hot topic such as freedom of speech, gun control, and immigration as well as other burning issues of our time.  Students will learn how to use evidence and analysis to support an argument and refute an opponent’s claims. Activities will include group debates, fishbowl discussions, and one-on-one matches. 
• Marine Biology - Marine Biology introduces the students to the major groups of organisms that live in our marine environments. Students will learn how to: Explain a food web and how at each link some energy is stored in newly made structures but much energy is dissipated into the environment as heat; identify major phyla, the marine organisms within them, and adaptations of these organisms; hone skills of observation, analysis and interpretation; explain how habitat destruction, introduction of invasive species, and fishing methods can impact the health of our oceans. This is a science-based camp where you will learn and have fun!
• Digital Multimedia - This is an introductory computer graphic design course with a focus on graphics and video-editing software. Coursework includes a variety of web and print projects created with software programs Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, as well as music and video projects using Apple’s software Logic and Final Cut Pro. The learning of traditional art and design principles supports creative work and students are required to consider and critique mass media, the historic study of art and graphic design, and the study of contemporary multimedia artists and designers. Students will culminate their work with a digital portfolio.
• Roman History - Journey through over a thousand years of Roman civilization in this engaging course. From its legendary founding on the banks of the Tiber to the dramatic fall of the Western Empire, students will explore the political innovations, military conquests, cultural achievements, and social transformations that made Rome one of history's most influential civilizations. Students will explore mythological stories, historical events like the destruction of Pompei or the Sack of Rome. A great blend of historical and experiential, students will be able to discuss how the ancient Mediterranean world left an important mark on law, language, architecture, and governance.

English Courses  

• Creative Writing: Students will read short stories and use those works as models to generate their own fiction. By the end of the summer session, students will have practiced writing exercises that teach a myriad of storytelling techniques: settings that create atmosphere, dialogue that builds character, figurative imagery that develops voice, and plots that establish tension. During the last week, students will present their own short stories to their classmates. The skills you will learn in this class will assist you in all your future English classes!
• Words Win!:  Increasing your vocabulary will improve your reading comprehension, enliven your writing skills, and help you in all of your academic courses and standardized tests. This class aims to dramatically augment your understanding and use of words through reading, writing, word games, recorded speeches, songs, and puzzles. Come join us and learn how words win!  
• Grammar and Writing Bootcamp: Boost your writing skills this summer by getting confident in your paragraph writing and grammar skills. Students will learn and practice standards-based rules of English grammar the fun way--through instruction, yes, but also through games, activities, and practice. Parts of speech, syntax, sentence construction, reading comprehension, and paragraph writing will be the focus! From FANBOYS to prepositional phrases to dependent clauses, you will learn the language your Language Arts and English teachers speak in this practical and fun class. 

Optional Zero Period Add-on: 

Start your day an hour earlier and get more out of summer. This option runs every day of Summer Academics from 8:00-8:50am.

Study Skills & Organization

Middle school requires a great deal of reading, writing, studying, and test-taking. Study Skills & Organization is an academic assistance course that focuses on helping students build skills to enable them to succeed in their content courses. This course will assist students in developing the skills (Time Management, Test Taking Strategies, Note-Taking, and Study Environment) necessary to study effectively and productively and will provide practice in the strategies that will allow students to succeed in their classes. 

For more information and to register, visit Study Skills & Organization.

Prepare for Camp

• Review Release Forms: All participants agree to this Medical and Liability Release Form. 
• Class Schedule: Your Class Schedule will be emailed by Friday, June 5th
• What to wear? Comfortable, school-appropriate attire (pack a sweatshirt)
• What to bring? Water bottle, snack, notepad, or tablet
• Where to go? SI Main Entrance