ELECTIVES

A variety of printmaking techniques, from screen-printing and stamping, to block printing are investigated and practiced in Printmaking. Students will develop artistic behaviors that support inquiry and problem-solving while pursuing independent projects and taking creative risks. In addition, students will learn to examine, reflect and discuss observations of their own process and artwork, and the work of artists in an historical context.

Found Object Art

Students in Found Object art are encouraged to open their eyes to the world that they live in as they explore and collect. This course focuses on creating two- and three-dimensional artworks from found objects and unconventional materials. Students will work both independently and collaboratively to build and construct, while solving problems and reflecting on their process. The course will explore the work of other artists who use unusual materials throughout the course.

Sculpture and 3-D Art

Students produce pieces that come alive as they are introduced to working in three dimensions. Students will discover a variety of tools and techniques, such as carving, molding, and attaching. Emphasis will be placed on the process of creating work, making mistakes, and learning from those mistakes. Students will be asked to reflect on their process through writing and discussion, as well as engage in peer-reviews and critiques.

Ceramics: Hand Building

Project based and mastery learning are the central tenants of hand building. Projects include: research and create an African mask employing soft and hard slab construction techniques; create an aquatic animal of their choice by utilizing pinching techniques; craft a “replica” of an ancient Grecian vessel using the coil method and sgraffito decorating; and combine all introduced techniques and create a “personal” art piece as a final project.

Ceramics: Wheel Throwing

Students will concentrate their studio work on the wheel. Units include: an introduction to basic throwing techniques (center, enter, open, raise, and form); creation of rudimentary vessels, focusing on proportion and wall thickness; introduction of glazing applications (dip, pour, trail, brush, stain, and spray); and presentation of composite pieces (lids, handles, and spouts). Creativity, working independently, and resilience are Mission-skills that students enhance as they work in the studio. During each class, students receive regular feedback on their progress and are provided the opportunity to work at their own pace to meet their potential. Priority registration is given to students in Grade 8.

Music Ensembles

The Middle School music ensembles offered are band, orchestra, chorus, and handchime choir. In addition to technical and artistic skills, students develop positive traits such as humility, empathy, leadership skills, and partnership. Each ensemble presents a formal concert in the winter and spring, and students may also elect to perform in recitals throughout the school year.

Foundations of Acting

This course is intended both for the beginning actor who wants to build a strong performance foundation and the more experienced actor who wants to continue developing their skills as a performer. Students will work on developing distinct characters with clear physical and vocal traits. They’ll also work on fully embodying emotion while performing both monologues and scenes.

Stage Combat

This course will introduce students to the basics of unarmed stage combat. We’ll begin with safety protocols such as stage falls and partnering techniques then move on to learning hand to hand combat moves, such as punches, slaps, and hair pulls. Students will end the trimester by rehearsing and performing choreographed fight sequences.

Electives

Studio Theater Production

Students in Studio Theater will rehearse and perform a short studio theater style piece for the spring arts showcase. This style of theater generally involves innovative and experimental works with limited technical components. Students will learn about this style of theater, develop their skills as performers, and work as an ensemble to prepare for an audience. Students who sign up for the elective will be required to attend technical rehearsals and performances in addition to their class sessions.

Costume Design

This course will introduce students to the history of costuming, allow them to explore the roles costumes and costume designers play in a production, and challenge them with hands-on group, partner, and solo projects that include sketching costumes, creating costumes with recycled materials, and costuming fantasy characters.

Improv

Improv, or improvisational acting, is the art of thinking on your feet and making stuff up as you go along. We’ll begin with the “Rules of Improv” and then move on to both short and long form improv games in order to build skills such as confidence, collaboration, risk taking, trust, and concise and cohesive storytelling.

Bang-on-a-Bucket

Got rhythm? Who could ask for anything more? If you are looking for a safe space to channel your inner drummer, come explore the world of rhythm through bucket drumming in this class dedicated to the percussive arts.

MS Studio Art

This studio art course will introduce MS students to the processes, materials, and experience of drawing and painting. Students will learn principles of observational life drawing, composition, form, scale, color, and perspective and will explore mark-making and representational techniques using a range of materials - pencils, ink, charcoal, pastel, collage, and acrylic paint. In class, students will work from life and observation in a number of formats - still life, portraiture, figure drawing, landscape - as well as create more open-ended color studies, free studies, and abstractions. For their final project, students will create their own independent body of artwork.

Costume Design

No character is complete without a costume! This course will introduce students to the history of costuming, allow them to explore the roles costumes and costume designers play in a production, and challenge them with handson group, partner and solo projects that include sketching costumes, creating costumes with recycled materials, and costuming fantasy characters.

Health — Grade 6

The Grade 6 health curriculum is designed to meet students where they are developmentally, to fully engage their hearts, hands, and minds through project based and collaborative learning, and to provide a safe space where students can ask and answer questions, at an often confusing time in their life. Preparing to live a healthy lifestyle and develop healthy relationships, personal identity, awareness, and social dynamics, as well as online safety and conduct are central tenets of the course. Students will learn how to navigate life in Middle School as they grow in their ability to provide balance in their lives.

Health — Grade 7

The Grade 7 health curriculum is designed to build the foundation for students to embody a healthy physical, mental, social, and emotional lifestyle. This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive, skills-based approach to managing their health and wellness. Students can expect to learn using a variety of hands-on activities, class discussions, writing, and experiential projects that emphasize the importance of holistic health throughout one’s lifetime.

Health — Grade 8

The Grade 8 health curriculum is designed to build the foundation for students to embody a healthy physical, mental, social, and emotional lifestyle. Students in Grade 8 will engage in a comprehensive, skills-based approach to managing their health and wellness. Course information is presented in a practical manner incorporating current health trends and concerns, life management skills, and interdisciplinary learning strategies to achieve optimal wellness. Students can expect to learn using a variety of hands-on activities, class discussions, writing, and experiential projects that emphasize the importance of holistic health throughout one’s lifetime.

Programming Virtual Worlds

Students in Programming Virtual Worlds will design and program 3D environments to create virtual experiences, animations, and games. Students will use 360 cameras to take photos of real environments and design their own objects in tinkercad which can both be uploaded and used in their virtual world.

Digital Game Design

Prerequisite:

Grade 6 CS

Students will combine the constructs that they learned in the grade 6 CS course to program more complex movement and collisions with their sprites. As they create more complex programs, they begin to use functions to organize their code. In the end, students will use the design process to create an original game.

Lego Robotics 1

Students in Robotics will learn how to build and program a Lego robot using various Lego parts, motors, and sensors. Students will enhance their problem solving skills as they work to get their robot to perform certain tasks and find solutions to real world problems.

Lego Robotics 2

Prerequisite: Lego Robotics 1. Students in Robotics 2 will build off of their knowledge and experience in Robotics 1 in programming the Lego robot to complete missions, but will be introduced to new sensors, advanced techniques, and the creation of their own missions.

Arts & Bots

Students in Arts & Bots will combine craft materials and a Hummingbird Robotics kit to create a unique robot that they will animate by programming sensors, motors, servos, and LEDs. Students will also use various digital tools to help them brainstorm and design components of their robot.

Programming in Python

Prerequisites: 2 previous programming courses (listed above). Ready to move on from block-based to textbased code? This course will use the Finch robot to teach students the fundamentals of Python, a general-purpose programming language used by professionals for developing websites, software, task automation, data analysis, and data visualization.

App Creation

Students will apply the problem solving process to the problems of others, learning to empathize with the needs of a user and design solutions to address those needs. During the second half of the unit, students form teams to prototype an app of their own design, first on paper and eventually in Code.org’s App Lab environment.

AI and Machine Learning

Prerequisites: Programming in Python & App Creation Students in this course will learn what makes a robot artificial intelligence and the ethical implications of this technology. They will then use tools to create their own machine learning programs to recognize shapes, audio, and position of objects.

Physical Computing

Students will use Code.org’s App Lab environment, in conjunction with the Adafruit Circuit Playground, to explore the relationship between hardware and software. Throughout the unit, students develop prototypes that mirror existing innovative computing platforms, before ultimately designing and prototyping one of their own.

Computer Science 6

In this computer science course, students will use the design process to create interactive animations and games. Students will begin by exploring simple, primitive shape-making and then build their skills to create more complex sprite-based games.