7th Grade Electives
7th grade electives fall either into “the wheel” (a different elective course each trimester, totaling 3 for the year) or into the yearlong (Band 7/8 or Spanish 7) category. Incoming 7th grade students select THREE elective courses and ONE alternate course OR ONE yearlong course and no alternate. If a student selects a yearlong class but does not end up getting that course, then they are provided with additional options.
Art 7
How does art help build observational skills, concentration, time management, and personal expression? This course focuses on the further development of art skills, vocabulary, and creativity. This course introduces students to the basic elements of art and principles of design and offers another level of exploration for students who have completed Art 6. All instruction is aligned with the California Content Standards for Visual Arts and the National Core Arts Standards. During this course, students will explore the many possible applications of such media as pencil, paint, ink, ceramics, collage, and other various 2-D and 3-D materials. Assignments are designed to build skills and techniques step by step, from simple to more complex. Career opportunities in the visual arts field are introduced and the importance of maintaining a portfolio is emphasized.
Band 7 (Yearlong)
This course is designed to give the student an enriching and diverse instrumental music education. This class provides a number of performance opportunities for the student both on and off campus. The daily objective of the course is to foster and promote musical growth through the playing of an instrument by the student. As a member of the band program, group effort and cooperation are necessary to a successful program. Band is a skilled effort in which each student is expected to show technical and musical growth throughout this course. Band instruments include flute, clarinet, alto sax, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, and percussion. No prior experience necessary, so be a part of the band!
Drama 7
Single trimester course–Our world is greatly shaped by the art of performance through a story. The roots of performance began thousands of years ago with the Greeks and continues to be popular all throughout modern society. The purpose of this class will be to study a wide variety of dramatic presentation formats, from basic story archetypes, to the history of theater and Shakespeare, opera, ballet, the American musical, and much more. Assignments will include lectures, acting skits, multimedia projects, class presentations, and research collaborations. Come learn about the history of the world and yourself through performance and story.
Math in the Real World 7
This is a 7th grade elective course which runs in one trimester and follows CA Education codes 9240 and 9241. Over the course of 12 weeks, students will explore critical real-life math concepts in the categories of finance, business, cryptocurrencies, sports, history, music, and art. Students will gain experience in the stock market, banks, managing and investing money, personal finances, taxes, and more. The purpose of this class is for students to grow their understanding and curiosity in the subject of math by experiencing it in the real world.
Spanish 7 (Yearlong)
This year-long course is designed to give students an opportunity to listen, speak, read, write, and SING in Spanish through building vocabulary, grammar, and verbal communication skills. Students are expected to actively participate and maintain consistent homework habits and independent studying. This academic course will cover approximately one half of a traditional year of Spanish 1. Upon completion of this course, students will have the opportunity to study the remaining content as 8th graders.
STEAM Programming and Digital Editing 7
When using the engineering design process and technology, will students be able to design, build and test their work? Students will use the engineering design process to create unique solutions and personalized projects to solve problems. Students will collaborate with a partner or team to complete most projects in STEAM. In order to complete projects, students will use Google Draw, Google Slides or Docs, Adobe Photoshop, and/or paper/pens/pencils. The 7th graders will begin using the Tech Lab workshop to build their race car. They will learn about workshop and tool safety before they start any projects. Students will also write a script to film a “how to” video to share with their classmates. Students will use iPads and iMovie to record and edit their short videos. Students will work on coding projects using Scratch to code animations and video games. 7th graders will work with VEX VR, a virtual robot coding program. They will code their robot to complete a variety of tasks in a virtual playground. This course aligns with California election codes 7210 Intro to Graphic Design and 9060 Computer Literacy.
Video Production 7
How can students use technology to create original projects by incorporating coding/programming, photography, and video editing? Students will utilize creativity and problem-solving skills to complete projects integrating science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). They will develop knowledge of photography/editing, videography, app programming, and more! Most of the exploratory units will be completed between 1 - 3 weeks and will encourage total student creativity. Some example projects may include app development, filming/editing a music video, creating a music montage video, digital photography slideshow photos/edits, filming/editing a commercial dub voiceover.
Yearbook/Digital Photo 7
How does collaboration expand the creative process? How can we use photography to tell a story about our community and values? Students will focus on digital photography, composition, photo editing, page design, editing, group collaboration, and improving social skills. This trimester long course will introduce our yearbook program and other digital platforms. Students will explore the elements of art and principles of design through the photography medium. All instruction is aligned with the California Content Standards for Visual Arts and the National Core Arts Standards.