Middle School Electives Fall 2018

MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE ARTS

ATHLETICS

STEM

ELECTIVES

SOLOMON SCHECHTER DAY SCHOOL

LEADERSHIP

FALL 2018

What's Inside: Elective Schedule STEM Media & Communications/ Athletics & Wellness Visual Arts Music & Performance Leadership We are very excited to share this year's Middle School Experience Elective Program, which is an integral part of the Schechter Middle School Experience. This program offers meaningful learning opportunities that enrich the Schechter curriculum in the Arts, Athletics, STEM, and Leadership.

It allows students to choose and own their learning and encourages them to explore interests and cultivate passions.

Penina

Director of Innovation penina.magid@ssdsboston.org

MIDDLE SCHOOL ELECTIVE SCHEDULE: FALL 2018 Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays from 3:25-4:05pm September 20th- November 20th

Grades & Homework Students can experiment in a safe unpressured environment. No homework will be assigned or required. Students will recieve a pass/fail grade based on attendance and participation.

All students will have a thirty-minute study hall on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2:55-3:25p.m. to help reduce their workload and stress, so that they can engage fully in the electives they choose. Students who require additional support will be assigned to ISS during elective blocks. *Sports teams meet twice a week, for practice and games. Practices end at 4:30pm and games beyond that time, times TBA.. Students will be charged a fee for participation in each season's sports program. *Ensembles, choir, and the Leadership Program are a year-long commitment.

S. T. E. M. Students use curiosity and creativity to explore new ideas, design solutions and make their concepts come to life.

Animal Dissections: The power of analogous similar structures in animals has been the basis of modern evolutionary theory. In this elective, we will do both real animal dissections and dissect animals such as frogs and pigs virtually. Students will also learn about animal ethics as depicted by PETA (the proposed curriculum for this elective is supported by PETA). Teacher: Alanah Percy

Remote Controlled vehicles: Students will form teams to work on various aspects of designing and building a self-balancing remote control motorcycle. Skills that various teams will utilize include construction of the physical bike, wiring electric components together, and programming the microcontroller. Students will learn the technology needed to implement their design including solid modeling and Arduino programming. (2 terms) Teacher: Tim Morris

Math team (competitive team): Students with a strong interest in math challenges and problem solving will represent Schechter in competitions. The group will meet weekly with a focus on Study Materials provided by the League and travel by bus for meets in local schools. Each of the five IMLEM meets has specific topics in each of the categories. Teacher: Tim Morris

Art of math: Topics include scale drawings, tessellations, compass and straightedge constructions, and other hands-on creative applications of math. For each project, while an important math concept is reinforced, the outcome is creative and beautiful.. Teacher: Susanne Heidt

Engaged citizens, sharing their work with the broader community

Literary Magazine:

MEDIA & Communications

Schechter's literary magazine will provide a platform for student writers and artists to express themselves and share their work with the community. The teacher-advisor and a staff of students will be responsible for selecting manuscripts, editing them, and laying out and designing the magazine. Teacher: Christen Hazel

Social Media: What would God's Instagram page look like? Would Moses have had an easier time connecting with the Israelites if he had used a Facebook account? We will explore the world of social media from multiple perspectives--branding, online marketing, developing an online presence, communication, and more.. Teacher: Rabbi Rebecca Weinstein

Cultivating character, teamsmanship, health and well being

Athletics & Wellness

Sports Teams: Fall: Boys' Soccer, Girls' Soccer, Flag Football (Grades 7-8) Winter: Boys' Basketball, Girls' Basketball Spring: Baseball, Softball *Sports teams meet twice a week, for practice and games. Practices end at 4:30pm and games beyond that time, times TBA.. Students will be charged a fee for participation in each season's sports program.

YoGa: Discover the basis of vinyasa yoga and relaxing breathing techniques. By the end of the elective students will customize a sequence of poses and lead a miniature vinyasa flow class.

Teacher: Alanah Percy

Stress Busters:

Music, mindfulness, meditation and behavioral medicine tools will be taught and practiced to help you cope better with the stress in your life.

This is a "feel good" class that will help you focus, relax, feel more at peace with your body and learn more efficiently. Teacher: Trudy Fagen

Visual ART Developing creativity and self expression.

Silk painting: Students will create original silk paintings, sketching raw silk onto a frame and transferring their drawings using Gutta resist method. They will learn to use silk dyes, mix color, salt techniques, and how to create depth. Each student will complete at least one painting per session.

Teacher: Joy Chertow

IN-depth Drawing: This class is for students who want to develop their drawing skills. We will do Still Life, Live Model Drawing, Portrait Drawing and more. Each student will have the opportunity to try different drawing techniques and work on what interests them most. Teacher: Joy Chertow

Small Metals: Students will design on paper first, a piece of sculpture or jewelry to be created in copper and brass. They will learn to saw and pierce metal, rivet, solder, and finish polish their piece. Teacher: Joy Chertow

painting the ParSha What do you imagine happening when God said, "Let US make man in our image...(Bereshit 1:26)"? What did a six hundred year old Noah look like as the flood waters began to cover the earth? Each week we will study some of the main themes of the parsha and bring them to life through visual representation. Teacher: Rabbi Rebecca Weinstein

Music & performance Become skilled musicians, composers, producers and performers

Songwriting: Students will explore the basics of combining original harmony, melodies, lyrics and beats. Sessions will be dedicated to creative exercises and building on original songs on a weekly basis. By the end of the session students may record, video or perform their song.

Teacher: Asia Meirovich

Shir Chai-Honors Chorus: This is the audition choir and requires a full-year commitment.

Teacher: Asia Meirovich

Audition Bands: 7-8 Honors Band 6-7 Lapanim Band Bands require a full year commitment. Teacher: David Schockett

Directing 1: Learn the basics of theatre directing and direct your classmates in short scenes. (Directing II will be offered in the spring. In that class, students will work on independent directing projects which will be performed at the end of the session.) Teacher: Gail Kelly

Leadership Empowering our students to become active community leaders

leadership: A year-long leadership program for 8th graders in which students learn, act and reflect as leaders, preparing them to carry the mantle of Jewish life into the future. Students will learn leadership ideals, values, and strategizes during weekly workshops. They will apply their learning to our school in the context of practicums to hone their leadership skills and to improve our community. Throughout the process they will have the opportunities to reflect = adult mentors who will guide them through some of this reflection individually as well as peer groups that will explore general themes and serve as a support system. Teacher: Rebecca Lurie

Public Speaking (Competitive TEAM): The program is designed to train middle school students in the following categories: prose, free verse/poetry, duo, interpretation, original oratory, declamation, demonstration, children's literature, dramatic performance, storytelling and impromptu speaking. The team will have membership with the Massachusetts Middle School Speech League--and students will be encouraged to compete in monthly tournaments. Teacher: Rabbi Ravid Tilles