Mariner Middle School offers a full suite of core (required) and elective courses for our students based around Florida's Standards.
English Language Arts
Students may take standard level ELA or advanced ELA (for gifted and high-achieving students). Students take an ELA course all three years of their middle school careers. Student ELA standards mastery is assessed three times per year by the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST).
Mathematics
Students may take standard level math or accelerated math (for gifted and high-achieving students) in Grades 6 and 7. The accelerated pathway prepares our students for an algebra I honors placement in eighth grade. This course level is appropriate for gifted and high-achieving students.
In Grade 8, Pre-algebra prepares students to take algebra I as ninth graders, and Algebra I is available and carries honors credit. Algebra I is available to students who demonstrate grade-level proficiency by the end of 7th grade.
Student math standards mastery is assessed three times per year by the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) unless the student is taking algebra I. Algebra I students are assessed by the state End-of-Course Assessment (EOC).
Social Studies
Students take U. S. History in Grade 6, civics in Grade 7, and world history in grade 8. Like ELA and math, all social studies courses are offered in standard and advanced course levels. Advanced course levels are appropriate for gifted and high-achieving students.
Unlike ELA and Math, there is only one state assessment of social studies standards: Civics standards mastery is assessed by the state End-of-Course Assessment (EOC).
Science
For 2024-2025, Grade 6 students will take a comprehensive science curriculum. This is a change from the past decade, where students took an earth science curriculum in Grade 6. This is part of a multi-year effort to move back to comprehensive science across all grades. Students in Grade 7 will take life science, and students in Grade 8 will take physical science.
Standard and advanced course levels are offered as in the other core course groups.
Again, only one grade is state-assessed in science: Our students take the State Science Assessment (SSA) in Grade 8. Unlike all other state assessments, the SSA covers standards from all three grades.
Reading
All students take a reading class. Our reading classes complement ELA and they are designed to meet the student at their level of reading proficiency. There are two leveled classes for English-language learners, two levels for students not yet reading a grade level, and a Cambridge Secondary Global Perspectives course for students already reading on grade level. Cambridge Secondary is a research-based course appropriate for gifted and high-achieving students. Additionally, the ATLAS Program operates through the Cambridge Global Perspectives courses. For more information about ATLAS, please check out the program here.
Elective Programs
Mariner Middle School offers an expansive array of electives, including:
- Band I
- Band II
- Band III
- Digital Design
- Health
- Jazz Band
- Physical Education
- Robotics
- Spanish I (for high school credit)
- Technology
When scheduling constraints allow, we offer additional electives, such as:
- Choir I
- Choir II/III
- French I
- Guitar
- Mariner Mates
- Percussion
- TV Production
- Yearbook