Courses
7th Grade Course List
Course(click on the link for course essential standards and proficiency scales) |
Description |
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| 7 ELA* |
7th Grade ELA meets for two periods (in a row) each day. During this time, students will read and analyze both literature and informational texts (including multimedia), write a variety of text types, and sharpen their language, speaking, and listening skills. Class assignments and assessments will include projects, presentations, papers, and discussions. |
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| 7 Math* | Many topics are covered which include: ratio and proportion, number system, writing and solving equations, probability, and geometry. We do many activities and work with an online program (Buzzmath) throughout the year. | |
| 7 Science* | A high-quality science education means that students will develop an in-depth understanding of content and develop key skills such as communication, collaboration, inquiry, problem-solving, and flexibility, all of which will serve them throughout their educational and professional lives. We learn about Science safety, metric system, forces and energy, genetics, ecosystems, moon phases, and seasons. | |
| 7 Social Studies | Students utilize geography skills as they explore the physical and cultural aspects of major continents. The acquired geography skills are then put to use as we shift our learning to global studies. Students will explore global perspectives on contemporary issues and worldwide interdependence. Students will examine challenges facing our world including topics such as world governments, global economics, immigration, global health, war and conflict, environmental challenges, and financial literacy. | |
| 7 Physical Education | The focus of this course is the application of movement skills and knowledge to individual and dual physical activities; the assessment and maintenance of physical fitness to improve health and performance, and the knowledge of physical fitness concepts, principles and strategies; and the application of psychological and sociological concepts, including self-responsibility, positive social interaction, and group dynamics, in the learning and performance of physical activity. This is a year-long course that meets every other day. | |
| 7-8 Unified P.E | Unified PE is a smaller PE class that includes students with intellectual disabilities. This class will do many of the same activities as the other PE classes, but with some modifications. Practicing for Special Olympic sports will also be included. This class allows you to be a role model for students with special needs. | |
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(Classes made up of 7th and 8th grade students) |
This is an every-other-day year-long course. All 7th grade students at North Scott Jr. High will be required to take one music course in 7th Grade. The options are choir, band, and orchestra. In choir, music will be sung in 2-4 parts. Students will also be introduced to Solfege, Solfege Hand Signs and the TaKaDiMi rhythm counting method. A number of concerts are scheduled throughout the year for students interested in public performance opportunities to show growth of skill and technique. Students not interested in public performance will have non performance opportunities to show growth of skill and technique. Students may also be considered for numerous small groups and/or honor choirs that perform during the school year. 7th and 8th grade students will be intermixed in this course. | |
| 7 Art | In 7th grade art, we focus on developing our art skills with a variety of media, using art as a form of communication, and making connections to art of many times and places. This class meets all year every other day. We make art AND learn about art! | |
| 7 Band | This is an every-other-day year-long course. All 7th grade students at North Scott Jr. High will be required to take one music course in 7th Grade. The options are choir, band, and orchestra. Students in 7th grade have the opportunity to join the North Scott Band program where they will learn how to play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument, as well as learn about teamwork, creativity, communication, individual responsibility, and goal-setting. 7th Grade Band meets as a class every day and will have four performances outside of the school day each year. Band is the perfect way to learn a new skill, make new friends, and maybe even find a new passion in life. There is NO prior music training necessary, we will teach you everything you need to know! | |
| 7 Orchestra | This is an every-other-day year-long course. All 7th grade students at North Scott Jr. High will be required to take one music course in 7th Grade. The options are choir, band, and orchestra. All 7th grade students are welcome to join the Orchestra program at North Scott! Our 7th Grade Orchestra class meets every day and also includes small group lessons throughout the school year. Students can choose to learn the violin, viola, cello or bass with no previous playing experience. Orchestra students learn a variety of musical techniques and types of music. The 7th grade orchestra performs three concerts during the school year and works on different projects during class! This class also focuses on self motivation, positive thinking, overcoming obstacles and social skills. | |
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(Classes made up of 7th and 8th grade students) |
Ag Tech is an exploratory class that combines the best of agriculture and industrial/construction tech that meets all year every other day. This course runs on an A/B curriculum rotation each year.
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| Guided Technology | Guided Tech implements the Computer Science Curriculum from Code.org. According to their website, Computer Science Discoveries is an introductory course that empowers students to engage with computer science as a medium for creativity, communication, problem solving, and fun! | |
| 7th Grade Spanish 1 |
A high school course with a two year commitment at the junior high. Students who enroll in and successfully complete Spanish with a proficient passing grade (80%+) all 4 semesters will receive high school credit. Students will acquire listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through lessons incorporating culture, music, games, videos, readings, novels and presentations. Students will be able to request and provide information by asking and answering a few simple questions on very familiar and everyday topics, using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences. *Successful completion of Novice Mid A (7th grade) is required to continue on to Novice Mid B (8th grade Spanish). |
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PACE (No grade assigned for this course) |
PACE is a small (no more than 8), structured time to work on coursework with support of a teacher, organize materials, check grades, and set and monitor goals. If the class is not needed, as the year goes on, schedules can change, but that is a team decision (teacher, student, etc.) This placement is a team decision between 6th grade teachers, 6th grade counselors, 7th grade counselors, and possibly 7th grade teachers if placed in the course during the school year. Some students have PACE every day, some every other. | |
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Study Hall (No grade assigned for this course) |
A quiet time for students to work on schoolwork or read independently. Most students enrolled in study hall attend every other day while some attend every day. | |
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(Talented and Gifted)
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Gifted Services are offered during the school day in a pull out format. Students will be pulled once a week for half a class period. Students are enrolled in this service based on elementary achievement data. | |
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Comprehension Focus Group (listed as CIM in PowerSchool)
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The CFG intervention is a daily lesson that uses a structured framework with procedural steps to scaffold students’ learning. The framework is designed to promote students’ knowledge of genre and text structures through in-depth units of study. CIM Interventionists use explicit teaching and concrete examples to assist students in building connections between the reading and writing processes. The CFG intervention is designed to help struggling readers acquire effective strategies for problem solving in texts, while maintaining a focus on deep comprehension and writing. |
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| Resource | Resource classes are designed to provide specially designed instruction to help students who have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) make progress in their goal areas. Additionally, depending on the individual student’s goal area(s), various resource classes provide differentiated support so that students can demonstrate their learning in general education classes. | |
| 7th Language Arts Strategies | Students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) participate in this course, which meets for two periods each day. The focus is on decoding, comprehension, writing, speaking and listening strategies in connection with grade level standards. | |
| Math Strategies | Students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) participate in this course. This class provides support for skills and computation that need reteaching so that students can work on grade level standards. Skills we will be reviewing are ratio and proportion, number system, writing and solving equations, probability, and geometry in connection with grade level standards. | |
| Level 3 MD | All academic subjects are taught with a focus on learning how to learn and increasing independence. Functional and social skills are embedded throughout the day. Community Based Learning is incorporated 2-3 times a month to work on generalizing skills and building social skills. AVBA and TEACH methods are used as needed. Direct instruction curriculum is utilized. | |
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AT (Advisory Time)
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As a home room concept, each student has AT at the beginning of the day. A child’s social-emotional development, which is fostered in AT, motivates them to learn critical skills such as the ability to communicate, connect with peers and adults, resolve conflict, and cope with challenges. This time is also used to communicate important school-wide information such as policies and emergency procedures. | |
| Boost | Each student attends this 30-minute intervention period at the end of the day where students can ask teachers for help and teachers can assign students. During this time teachers assist students with learning skills and concepts and provide them with additional opportunities to demonstrate proficiency towards grade level standards. Boost groups are assigned for three weeks at a time based upon student achievement data. Teachers are able to assign additional students during weeks 2 & weeks 3 to get support in other classes as needed. Students are able to request help from additional classes during the 2nd & 3rd week of the rotation. | |
*Honors sections offered. Students qualify for Honors courses based on achievement data. |
8th Grade Course List
Course(click on the link for course essential standards and proficiency scales) |
Description |
| 8 ELA* | In 8 ELA, students build off what has been previously learned in English classes. Based around the eighth grade standards, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening, students will use a variety of formats to think critically about their lives and the world around us as well as how to communicate effectively in many different settings and situations. This course meets for two periods each day. |
| Many building blocks of algebra are investigated during this course. Units include: Pythagorean Theorem, Solving Equations, Geometry Transformations, and Linear/Exponential Relationships. Many of our activities are done in groups to improve collaborative problem solving. | |
| 8 Science* | The Next Generation Science Standards is a multi-state effort to create new education standards that are "rich in content and practice, arranged in a coherent manner across disciplines and grades to provide all students an internationally benchmarked science education. The standards are written as three-dimensional performance expectations that integrate science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts. This year we will concentrate on Newton's third law of motion, biological evolution, weather and the effects humans are having on the environment. |
| 8 Social Studies | 8th Grade Social Studies begins with the colonization of North America and progresses through the American Civil War. We will read a variety of primary source documents, take part in multiple hands-on simulations, debate the actions of key figures in History, and make multiple connections between key events in early American History. |
| 8 Physical Education |
In 8th grade, the content standards emphasize working as a team to solve problems. The focus of this course is the application of movement skills and knowledge (including defensive and offensive strategies) to team physical activities; the assessment and maintenance of physical fitness to improve health and performance; the knowledge of physical fitness concepts, principles and strategies to improve health and performance; and the application of psychological and sociological concepts, including self-responsibility, positive social interaction, and group dynamics, in the learning and performance of physical activity. This is a year-long course that meets every other day. |
| 7-8 Unified PE | Unified PE is a smaller PE class that includes students with intellectual disabilities. This class will do many of the same activities as the other PE classes, but with some modifications. Practicing for Special Olympic sports will also be included. This class allows you to be a role model for students with special needs. |
|
(Classes made up of 7th & 8th grade students) |
This is a year-long every-other-day course. Music will be sung in 3-4 parts. Students will be reviewing/expanding on Solfege, Solfege Hand Signs and the TaKaDiMi rhythm counting method. A number of concerts are scheduled throughout the year for students to show growth of skill and technique. Students may also be considered for numerous small groups and/or honor choirs that perform during the school year. |
| 8 Art | In 8th grade art, we experiment and explore new forms and meanings in art. We focus on contemporary artworks. Projects in this class are based on the interests and abilities of the students. This is a year-long course that meets every other day and many projects are multi-media independent student choice projects. Students who earn an “A” or “B” in this course may, with teacher recommendation, enroll directly in advanced level art courses in high school. |
| 8 Band | This is a continuation of 7th Grade Band. This group will continue to expand our musical learning while improving skill on our instruments and playing more challenging music. We will perform at 3 concerts and one contest per year outside of the school day. Students also have the opportunity to participate in honor bands and other performance opportunities throughout the year. |
| 8 Orchestra | This is a continuation of 7th grade orchestra. Eighth grade orchestra focuses on new techniques that involves higher level of playing while still refining skills developed in 7th grade. There are 4 concerts during the school year and orchestra students will learn a variety of new music. This class meets daily and students have individual lessons throughout the year. |
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(Classes made up of 7th & 8th grade students) |
Ag Tech is an exploratory class that combines the best of agriculture and industrial/construction tech that meets all year every other day. This course runs on an A/B curriculum rotation each year.
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(Formerly named PLTW)
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This is a pre-Engineering class that introduces students to Robotics and Computer Aided Drafting. Students will participate in hands-on activities to explore the world of engineering. This course meets daily for one semester. |
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(Family and Consumer Science)
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FACS is a class that offers a unique focus on families and their interrelationships, career and technology, and provides skills for success for all students. The class is divided into three main categories: Clothing and Textiles, Food Preparation/Nutrition and Wellness, and Skills for Adolescence(Human Growth and Development.) Parents have the option to opt-out their students during the Human Growth & Development lessons. Please contact the front office if you would like your student to opt out of those lessons. A reminder will be sent two weeks prior to the human growth & development lessons being delivered in FACs class. Students participate in cooperative learning activities, hands-on projects, and lab experiences. FACS meets daily for one semester. |
| 8th Grade Spanish 1 |
A continuation of the high school course with a two year commitment at the junior high. Students who enroll in and successfully complete Spanish with a proficient passing grade (80%+) all 4 semesters will receive high school credit. Students will acquire listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through lessons incorporating culture, music, games, videos, readings, novels and presentations. Students will be able to request and provide information by asking and answering a few simple questions on very familiar and everyday topics, using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences. *Successful completion of Novice Mid A (7th grade) is required to continue on to Novice Mid B (8th grade). |
|
PACE (No grade assigned for this course) |
PACE is a small (no more than 8), structured time to work on coursework with support of a teacher, organize materials, check grades, and set and monitor goals. If the class is not needed, as the year goes on, schedules can change, but that is a team decision (teacher, student, etc.) This placement is a team decision between 7th grade teachers, 7th grade counselors, 8th grade counselors, and possibly 8th grade teachers if placed in the course during the school year. Some students have PACE every day, some every other. |
| Study Hall | A quiet time for students to work on schoolwork or read independently. Most students enrolled in study hall attend every other day while some attend every day. |
|
(Talented and Gifted) |
Gifted Services are offered during the school day as a pull out format. Students will be pulled once a week for half a class period. Students are enrolled in this class based on 7th-grade achievement data. Eighth Grade Gifted Students are eligible for gifted field trips. |
|
Comprehension Focus Group (Listed as CIM ) |
The CFG intervention is a daily lesson that uses a structured framework with procedural steps to scaffold students’ learning. The framework is designed to promote students’ knowledge of genre and text structures through in-depth units of study. CIM Interventionists use explicit teaching and concrete examples to assist students in building connections between the reading and writing processes. The CFG intervention is designed to help struggling readers acquire effective strategies for problem solving in texts, while maintaining a focus on deep comprehension and writing. |
| Resource | Resource classes are designed to provide specially designed instruction to help students who have Individual Education Plans make progress in their goal areas. Additionally, depending on the individual student’s goal area(s), various resource classes provide differentiated support so that students can demonstrate their learning in general education classes. |
| 8th Language Arts Strategies | Students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) participate in this course. The focus is on decoding, comprehension, writing, speaking and listening strategies in connection with grade level standards. |
|
8th Math Strategies |
This course provides support for previously taught skills and computations that need reteaching. It also supports seventh grade skills identified in the Common Core, including but not limited to: ratio and proportion, number system, writing and solving equations, probability, and geometry in connection with grade level standards. |
| Level 3 MD | All academic subjects are taught with a focus on learning to learn and increasing independence. Functional and social skills are embedded throughout the day. Community Based Learning is incorporated 2-3 times a month to work on generalizing skills and building social skills. AVBA and TEACH methods are used as needed. Direct instruction curriculum is utilized. |
|
AT (Advisory Time) |
As a home room concept, each student has AT at the beginning of the day. A child’s social-emotional development, which is fostered in AT, motivates them to learn critical skills such as the ability to communicate, connect with peers and adults, resolve conflict, and cope with challenges. This time is also used to communicate important school-wide information such as policies and emergency procedures. |
| Boost | Each student attends this 30-minute intervention period at the end of the day where students can ask teachers for help and teachers can assign students. During this time teachers assist students with learning skills and concepts and provide them with additional opportunities to demonstrate proficiency towards grade level standards. Boost groups are assigned for three weeks at a time based upon student achievement data. Teachers are able to assign additional students during weeks 2 & weeks 3 to get support in other classes as needed. Students are able to request help from additional classes during the 2nd & 3rd week of the rotation. |
*Honors sections offered. Students qualify for Honors courses based on achievement data. |