Middle School
Grades 5-8
AJA’s Middle School is where students grow as scholars, leaders, and members of a caring Jewish community. Blending academic excellence with character development and joyful connection to Jewish life, our program supports students through the critical middle school years with structure, warmth, and purpose.
Academic Excellence
Our students engage deeply with both General and Judaic Studies, developing critical thinking, communication, and creativity across all subjects. Teachers emphasize skill-building and mastery while supporting the unique learning needs of each child. Hebrew and Math are leveled to ensure appropriate challenge, and students who demonstrate high achievement may earn high school credit in select courses. Clear expectations, accountability, and individualized accommodations help every student succeed.
Character and Community
Grounded in our Community Commitments—Be Safe, Be Prepared, Be Respectful, Be Responsible—AJA’s Middle School fosters kindness, integrity, and leadership. Students participate in Chesed (community service) projects each semester, nurturing empathy and responsibility through action. Our Responsive Classroom approach ensures that discipline is rooted in reflection, growth, and genuine understanding.
Jewish Life and Identity
Students experience Jewish tradition every day through Tefilah, Chesed Projects, Chaggim programming, Cholent and Chizuk gatherings, and programs connecting them to Israel and Jewish history. Events like Machane Israeli, Chidon HaTanach, and guest speakers—from the Holocaust to contemporary Israel—deepen their connection to Am Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael.
Student Life and Enrichment
Beyond the classroom, students thrive through electives, athletics, robotics, and field trips that inspire curiosity and collaboration. FLEX time offers choice and balance, while experiences like the 7th Grade Aquarium overnight, 8th Grade Florida exploration, and Machane Israeli retreat build memories that last a lifetime.
Growth and Independence
Middle School at AJA prepares students for success in high school and beyond. Through organization skills, planners, structured support, and grade-appropriate expectations, students grow in independence and executive functioning. Programs like Kesher help them reflect, plan, and take ownership of their learning. At AJA, every student is known, valued, and guided to reach their potential—academically, socially, and spiritually. General and Judaic Studies build on Lower School achievements with deeper text study, analysis, and discussion. AJA provides a safe structure for students to take ownership, strive for independence, and discover their uniqueness as individuals, Jews, and citizens of the world.
Student Choice
Student voice and choice are developmentally important in middle school. During daily FLEX time, students make personal choices about eating, playing, and where they spend time—art room, gym, patio, or soccer field—with teachers supervising for safety. Students also select electives and tefillah options each quarter. Giving students choice builds community and buy-in.
Electives
Middle School students thrive when given opportunities for choice. During the Elective Period, they select from athletic, art, and academic options. Each nine weeks, new offerings include Crocheting, String Art, Catan, Woodworking, Watercolors, Chess, and more.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Students begin their day with Tefillah groups, followed by either first period or Kesher (Connection) groups. Each grade level meets in Kesher to strengthen community through reflection, communication, and team building. Our 5th and 6th graders also have weekly SEL classes with our Middle School Counselor.
Within our dual curriculum framework, students develop a sense of self and belonging to Jewish culture and ideals and dig deep into projects that embrace 21st Century skills including collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking.
Math
Students are placed in classes based on their current ability level: on level, advanced, or accelerated. In 7th and 8th grade, students may take Algebra 1 or Geometry. We use the Big Ideas Math curriculum, aligned with Common Core standards.
Science
In 5th grade, students study chemistry, biology, environmental, and earth and space science. Sixth grade focuses on earth sciences, seventh on life sciences, and eighth on physical sciences. In 7th (optional) and 8th grades, students participate in Science Fair, creating experiments and sharing findings with judges from across Atlanta.
Language Arts
Students read a variety of texts for response, reflection, research, and writing study. They produce narratives, essays, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and responses to prompts, experiencing all stages of the writing process. We teach students to think critically and love reading and writing.
Social Studies
Students explore American and World history, studying causes and effects of major events and connecting geography to story. Using sources, maps, charts, and timelines, they strengthen discussion and research skills. Courses include civics, sociology, geography, and anthropology. Units span Georgia History, Rise and Fall of Civilizations, Reconstruction, World Wars I & II, The Great Depression, The Holocaust, and The Civil Rights Movement to current events.
Hebrew
Hebrew is studied through topics relevant to students’ lives—family, friendship, culture, travel, and music. Authentic materials, media, and music enrich learning. Students use vocabulary in context through speaking and writing and are assessed on those skills. We use the Bishvil HaIvrit curriculum in grades 5–8.
Chumash
Students learn Shemot and Bamidbar, translating and analyzing pessukim to understand meaning and connect to other texts and their own lives. They study Rashi’s commentary and learn an idea from the weekly Parsha.
TOSHBA (Torah She Ba’al Peh)
Students learn Mishnah using the Veshinantam program, decoding text, vocabulary, and machloket while focusing on Masorah (tradition). Project-Based Learning encourages “making Torah their own.” In 7th and 8th grades, Toshba focuses on Gemara—reading, translating, and understanding Talmudic argument in chavruta. Projects connect each sugiya (unit) to real-world values.
Jewish History / Navi
Students study Jewish history from the time of the Shoftim through the modern era. Fifth and sixth grades explore Biblical and early Jewish history, leadership, ethics, and connection to Eretz Yisrael. Seventh grade focuses on leadership from Shaul through Ezra and Nechemia. Eighth grade centers on the Holocaust—antisemitism, historical context, and survivor testimony. Across all grades, students connect history to Jewish values and identity through critical thinking and reflection.