Elective
Course Descriptions
Technology Applications
This course will introduce
and expand students’ knowledge
of the PC. Beginning and
intermediate keyboarding
skills will be taught.
Students will build speed and
increase accuracy through
various projects and
activities. Computer projects
will include posters,
newsletters, poetry, and
portfolios of their work.
These computer skills will
prepare students for the more
advanced 8th grade
Keyboarding class.
Art
Surprise yourself with an
art ability you did not know
you had. Or take the
opportunity to advance your
art skills. Learn to draw,
mix your own colors, create
modern designs, and
participate in various
contests.
Exploring Spanish (Offered
Spring Semester Only)
“¿Habla Español?” This
twelve week-course is designed
to introduce, maintain, and
expand student’s Spanish
language skills. The emphasis
of the class will be
vocabulary development, simple
grammar, and cultural
explorations. Students will
be involved in a variety of
lessons, games, and
activities, that will build
their vocabulary and grammar
skills in Spanish.
Exploring French (Offered
Fall Semester Only)
The emphasis of the class
will be vocabulary
development, simple grammar,
and cultural explorations.
Students will be involved in a
variety of lessons, games, and
activities, that will build
their vocabulary and grammar
skills in French.
Choral Music
This class is open to any
student on campus no matter
what their ability or level.
They will learn the
fundamentals in vocal
technique from proper support
to vowel formations. There
will be an emphasis on
Classical, Pop, and Jazz.
Students will be exploring
Show Choir concepts, including
dancing and stage
presentation. We will perform
regular concerts for the
school, parents, at least two
festivals, and school plays.
There will be a $20.00
activity fee per year.
Concerts and home practice
makes up the majority of the
grade.
Band
This is the first step in
our instrumental music
program. Students will learn
basic music instruction and
master their chosen
instrument. Beginning Band
will perform in various
concerts for parents and the
school. We will perform
regular concerts for the
school, parents, at least two
festivals, and school plays.
There is an intermediate and
advanced level band for
musicians with prior
experience.
Theater Arts
Are you interested in
acting? This is a chance to
try many areas of drama,
including choric verse,
pantomime, and improvisation.
Students will write, direct,
and act in plays as well.
There is an intermediate class
available for students with
prior drama experience.
Creative Writing
Imagine switching places
with someone else, just for a
few hours! How would life be
different? How might you act
knowing you had such newness?
Next, imagine you are a famous
newspaper columnist, or the
person who writes speeches for
the President of the United
States. Continue to think of
such scenarios, leaving only
your imagination to limit
you. A class called Creative
Writing will be able to bring
all of this to you… and MORE!
The students will focus on the
writing process, by doing such
things as brainstorming
possibilities, writing drafts,
peer-editing work, revising
drafts, and sharing work with
the rest of the class.
Students will not only be
learning “HOW” to write, but
they will also be challenged
with the amazing capability of
“LIKING” to write. As Collin
McCarty once wrote, “Increase
the chances of reaching your
goals by working at them
gradually.” This class will
be an excellent place to try.
Odyssey of the Mind
The Odyssey of the Mind
teaches students to learn
creative problem-solving
methods while having fun in
the process. For more than
twenty years, this unique
program has helped teachers
generate excitement in their
students. By tapping into
creativity, and through
encouraging imaginative paths
to problem solving, students
learn skills that will provide
them with the ability to solve
problems -- great and small --
for a lifetime. The Odyssey of
the Mind teaches students how
to think divergently by
providing open-ended problems
that appeal to a wide range of
interests. Students learn how
to identify challenges and to
think creatively to solve
those problems. They are free
to express their ideas and
suggestions without fear of
criticism. The creative
problem-solving process
rewards thinking "outside of
the box." While conventional
thinking has an important
place in a well-rounded
education, students need to
learn how to think creatively
and productively.
Journalism
The
ultimate aim of the journalism
course is to produce students
who can write articles fit for
publication in a
newspaper/periodic
publication. This means that
students will learn to write
for the purpose of
disseminating information
responsibly and efficiently ,
write for a specific
audience/readership, gather
information for articles from
a variety of sources,
understand newspaper
administration and roles, and
meet publication deadlines.
The Art of Origami
Most of us will remember
folding paper cups, salt
cellars (we called them
'cootie' catchers or 'fortune
tellers') and paper balloons
as children in elementary
school. There is more to
origami than these simple
models would lead us to
believe. Origami comes from
the Japanese words for
folding, ori, and the
Japanese word for paper,
kami.
Students in this class will
complete other mathematical
projects such as kite-making,
bridge building, and straw
houses. This is an exciting
hands-on class. Students
are engaged in projects daily.
Robotics
Technology is important in
today's world. There can be no
doubts about that! It is vital
that students learn that
technology is not something
that is created by others that
does "magical" things for
them. Technology is something
they must understand how to
use and how to control. That
is the purpose of introducing
a robotics program in our
middle school. We want our
students to understand how
technology works, how it is
used to solve real - world
problems, and how it is within
their power to make decisions
to control technology.
Multi-Media
Students will investigate
and increase their
understanding of graphic
design. They will create and
manipulate digital graphics
using photo-editing software.
These graphics will be
integrated with MS PowerPoint
to produce advanced animation
techniques.
Math Counts/Academic
Pentathlon
The Academic Pentathlon
encourages scholastic
excellence among students who
represent a wide diversity of
personal and academic
backgrounds and interests.
Only 7th and 8th grade
students participate in middle
school. (Math Competitions/UIL
Competitions)
Habitat for Hamilton
The students in the course
design a habitat for the
Hamilton community. Projects
include a small pond,
gardening, landscaping, study
of natural plants, and more.
If you have a love for the
outdoors and appreciate nature
or wish to learn, this is the
class for you!
Speech and Debate
Speech/debate is a
year-long course designed to
allow students the maximum
number of opportunities to
perfect their research,
analysis, and public speaking
skills in an educational
environment of competition.
Students learn and review
basic and advanced oral
communication skills in the
classroom and apply those
skills at interscholastic
speech and debate tournaments.
Students strive to gain and
enhance a complete
understanding of two-man
cross-examination policy
debate, Lincoln-Douglas value
debate, oratory,
extemporaneous speaking,
dramatic interpretation,
humorous interpretation, prose
reading, poetry reading, and
student congress. Students
will be expected to assist and
evaluate one another, as well
as to accept the evaluation of
tournament judges. Ethics,
research, analysis,
organizational, and delivery
skills are taught,
demonstrated, and monitored.
This course is competitive in
nature and requires members to
travel on weekends to forensic
tournaments.