Rotation
The Elective Rotation is offered to 6th and 7th graders as an alternative to band and choir. Students will be placed at random in one of the grade level electives (below) and switch to a different grade level elective mid-year. Availability of these semester-long courses may change from year to year.
6th Grade Technology – It’s designed to give students a foundation for understanding today’s digital technology. It starts with the basics: computer history, how computers work, the Internet, and how technology is evolving. They continue with learning the basics of Google’s office tools (Docs, Sheets, Slides), and graphics with Google Drawings. Finally, they’ll learn how to program animations using the Scratch platform, then to use coding to program working robots (Lego robotics).
Drama 6 – This class is an introduction to theater. In the semester-long class students will acquire lifelong theater skills (listening, interpreting, theater manners), develop a confidence in speaking to audiences, prepare and present a proficient performance, understand theater in all media formats, compare and contrast live theater, film, and television, and learn to enjoy and appreciate theatrical performances.
Character Ed 6 – Students will participate in Chicken Soup for the Soul Hallway Heroes: A Literacy-Based Anti-Bullying Program.. The focus is to develop social and emotional skills through literature and storytelling. Students will be taught to understand themselves & their relationships with others, explore & value diverse perspectives, and develop empathy & compassion towards themselves and others., Through engaging stories, class discussions, group activities, goal-setting, & personal reflective writing, students will learn skills to address bullying & cyberbullying, and to create a positive environment. An important element of the program is developing our 6th grade garden with respect, communication, & teamwork while learning & appreciating the responsibilities of caring for a garden.
Art 7 – This is semester-long project based class allowing students to experience a variety of art materials. The program is based on standards for visual arts using the elements of design. Included are assignments to support the social studies curriculum and community art exhibits. This class was not available in the 2019-20 school year. It may become available in 2020-21.
Quest 7 – This semester class focuses on how to deal with the many challenges faced by today's middle school students. Topics include: how to improve self-confidence, successful goal making, managing stress, and knowing the risks associated with alcohol and drugs. Students will also be introduced to community service opportunities such as raising funds via recycling.
Drama 7 – This class is an introduction to theater. In the semester-long class students will acquire lifelong theater skills (listening, interpreting, theater manners), develop a confidence in speaking to audiences, prepare and present a proficient performance, understand theater in all media formats, compare and contrast live theater, film, and television, and learn to enjoy and appreciate theatrical performances. Drama 6 is not a prerequisite for Drama 7.
7th Grade Technology: This course is designed to continue with concepts of modern technology, with an emphasis on graphics, coding, and engineering. Students will begin by learning how to create very basic, yet high-impact vector images; how to optimize, edit, and manipulate photos; learn the basics of 3D modeling; how to program animations using the Scratch platform, and then how use code to engineer working robots (Lego robotics).
