J. T. HENLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL SEVENTH GRADE REGISTRATION INFORMATION

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1 J. T. HENLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL SEVENTH GRADE REGISTRATION INFORMATION This packet contains information regarding seventh grade academic and elective offerings for the school year. Seventh grade academic course level descriptions are listed below as Language Arts and Math are offered at the standard and advanced/honors level. Seventh grade History and Science are not leveled. Standard Level is offered to students working at a seventh grade instructional level. The Language Arts and Math classes meet for a full block each day. In the Standard Level Language Arts class, instruction will focus on skills and strategies for content, but will also develop and reinforce abstract thinking skills, higher-level critical thinking skills and study skills. In the Standard Level Math class, students will master whole number operations and have a sound background in problem-solving involving fractions and decimals. Emphases of study are geometry, percentages and ratios. Advanced/Honors is offered to students working independently one or more grade levels above seventh grade. Students are expected to keep up with a rapid pace, work independently as well as with others, and complete assignments outside of class such as independent reading and in-depth projects. In the Advanced/Honors Language Arts class, students will analyze and synthesize literature with teacher instruction, meanwhile engaging in self-instruction, independent reading assignments and projects. We recognize that some students, although capable of high-level work, need more time and support to be successful in the rigorous Advanced/Honors Language Arts class. To accommodate all students at this level, Advanced/Honors Language Arts classes are taught both as single (meets every other day and indicated by alternate ) and double blocks (meets every day). The course content is the same. In the Advanced/Honors Math class, students will develop a strong background in solving problems involving fractions. Mathematics education focuses on percentages, geometry, probability, statistics, integers and preparation for the study of Algebra I. The Advanced/Honors Math 7 class meets every day and the Honors Algebra I (for high school credit) meets every other day. Important Information All families have the ability to view teacher recommendations through Parent Portal beginning on Friday evening, January 22. School counselors will be visiting classrooms the week of January 25 to individually meet with students and enter their elective requests for next school year. Please have your student complete the attached elective course request form prior to the week of January 25. Students need to bring the completed form to the meeting with their counselor. If you have questions concerning your child s academic recommendations for next year, please contact your child s current teacher. If you would like to request a change in the academic level, an override form must be completed and returned to the School Counseling Office by Friday, April 29. Families will be able to view elective requests after students meet with counselors the week of January 25. If families would like to change the elective requests, please contact your child s school counselor by Friday, April 29 as all changes need to be made by this date. Due to the increased volume of requests for specific classroom teachers in recent years, it is becoming increasingly difficult for those requests to be honored at Henley while maintaining balanced class sizes and being fair and equitable to all students. We have the utmost confidence that every member of the Henley staff will provide a strong education for all students. If your family does not have computer access, please notify Ms. Lancaster and a paper copy of your child s academic recommendations will be given to your child.

2 SEVENTH GRADE ELECTIVE DESCRIPTIONS Elective courses are an integral part of the curriculum at Henley Middle School. The term "elective" refers to courses offered for a year or a semester. Elective grades are based on progress, attitude, cooperation, and effort. This packet contains the course descriptions and related information necessary to register for next year's electives. Please note that if your placement in a top elective class conflicts with your placement in a recommended academic class, we will, of course, place you in the proper academic class. The electives described in this packet are offered pending appropriate staffing and adequate student requests. Changes in either of these areas may make it necessary to change or delete affected program offerings. ALL YEAR ELECTIVES AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a nationally recognized program for students who have the capability to achieve in rigorous, college preparatory courses but may currently be underachieving. The AVID elective will be embedded within an advanced/honors Language Arts course and will provide students with academic support and motivational activities. Students must apply to AVID and meet national and local requirements for participation. Please see the school counselor for more information. INTRODUCTION TO ART is a year-long course that will provide seventh grade students the opportunity to advance their art skills and knowledge by making two-dimensional and three-dimensional art using a variety of art materials. Students will be introduced to Art History, Art Appreciation, Aesthetics, Criticism, the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Students will draw using a variety of media including pencil, marker, chalk, oil pastel and ink. Paintings will be explored using watercolor, tempera and acrylic paint. Students will build sculptures using clay, wire, plaster and found objects. BEGINNING BAND is for the student who wishes to learn to play a musical instrument. No previous experience is needed and band students must either rent or purchase an instrument. This is the last opportunity to begin band and may not be possible due to scheduling conflicts. CONCERT BAND is for the student who has successfully completed Beginning Band and is technically ready to move to a more advanced level of playing. The band director s recommendation is needed. DESIGN uses the latest Adobe graphics programs. Students will engage in the study of basic art design concepts, learn photo imaging, understand the use of color, use templates, draw from scratch, and develop a portfolio consisting of lessons and individual projects all generated on the computer. Students will become familiar with the formats of computer imaging such as PDF, JPEG, and TIFF. Real world skills can carry over to high school and give a foundation for possible career choices. Final projects will consist of a poster design contest used to advertise subject areas within the school. DRAMA 8 is for seventh and eighth grade students who have already taken Drama 7/8 at Henley or who have had prior drama experience. This class is for serious drama students who desire to gain more experience and knowledge through performing, set design, costumes, props, and technical theatre. All students will work towards one or more performances throughout the year. Students must apply for Drama 8. Applications are available in the school counseling office and are due by February 12. In the Parent Portal, Drama 8 can only be listed as an alternate elective. If you are chosen, Henley counselors will make this change.

3 HORNET CHOIR is open to all 7 th and 8 th grade students. Students learn and use healthy singing technique and sing more advanced harmony parts. We sing a variety of musical styles, from classical to folk, jazz, and Broadway. Singers support each other as they sing solos or small-group numbers. Singers all learn music reading and listening skills, along with creating some music of our own. All members are required to attend concerts and activities scheduled throughout the year--the Holiday Tea/Sing-along, District 13 Choral Assessment in March and the Spring Concert in May. We also go to the Music in the Parks Festival at a theme park in May. Note: Students who are accepted into Jazz Singers must be a part of Hornet Choir, Band or Strings, unless a school counselor cannot fit one of these in his/her schedule. JOURNALISM/NEWSPAPER students will be part of a staff responsible for publishing a monthly 32 page newspaper that includes graphics and information relevant to middle school students. Students must enjoy writing, challenges and want to improve their narrative skills to be in this class. Each month, through the use of interviews, research and perseverance students will write and rewrite an 800-word article that will pass through several stages of editing by peers and the teacher. Use of the publishing program in Design is mandatory. Students will also be responsible for the use and care of expensive photography equipment. If writing is something you enjoy, this class will be a challenge and your skills will improve. This is your one class where everything you write will be public, accessible and read by the student body and staff. BEGINNING STRINGS is for students with little or no instrumental experience. This option is only available for 7 th grade students if the master schedule allows. ADVANCED STRINGS is for students who have successfully completed Beginning Strings and are ready to perform more advanced music. Depending on approval from the string director, students with instrumental experience before their enrollment at Henley Middle School may join Advanced Strings without having to participate in Beginning Strings. 18 WEEK (SEMESTER) ELECTIVES 2D STUDIO ART students will continue to develop their drawing and painting skills. Students will learn to reflect, envision, stretch and explore their visual ideas, while developing their craft. Group mural painting as well as individual canvas painting will be available options in this class. 3D STUDIO ART students will continue to develop additive and subtractive sculptural skills while working with a variety of media including clay, plaster, paper, aluminum, wire, natural elements, wood and found objects. There will be opportunities to work on group artwork as well as individual pieces. COMPUTER SOLUTIONS is a class designed to make students more proficient on the computer. Students also gain knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, database, Internet safety and graphic applications as they apply to work settings. The class focuses on composing, formatting and editing, charting and manipulating data, manipulating images, drawing tools, and animation and transitions for graphics presentations. CREATIVE WRITING students write poetry, myths, fairytales, comic books, mysteries, and a silent movie screenplay.

4 DEBATE students learn to argue the right way! Do you like to be right most of the time? Do you like to speak in front of an audience? This class will teach you how to support your opinion through research and debate on various issues. DIGITAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION students will utilize digital tools in the fields of programming and coding, game design, creative design, photography, animation and film and they will enhance their knowledge of media software and how to manipulate and design digital media. DRAMA 7/8 is an introductory class open to students in 7 th and 8 th grade. Students will learn improvisation, the basics of acting, as well as technical aspects of theatre. This class will culminate in a production for the school and for the public in the evening. Every drama student is required to attend performances. ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY students will explore the engineering design process and realworld problem solving through the use of technologies including computer-aided design software, electronics, 3D-printing and CNC machining to discover their related applications. GUITAR I is open to 7 th and 8 th grade students who have had no previous guitar experience. Students will learn to read from traditional music notation at a beginning level, learning chords and melodies. Acoustic guitars will be used, with the occasional electric guitar. LIFE SKILLS is a 7 th /8 th grade Career and Technical Education (CTE) course that offers students many opportunities to further build their talents and interests in food preparation, textiles, consumerism, money management and Making in general. Life Skills is often considered one of the major hubs of DIY (Do it Yourself) in middle school and creativity, teamwork and personal choice are integral parts of the course. Life Skills implements various facets of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) throughout each unit. This class is directed to students that would like to improve their cooking and sewing skills, be savvy shoppers and develop more independence. The class is project-based, supports team efforts and uses technology frequently. MECHATRONICS students will learn how to modify and control the world around them through the use of design, programming and electronics. Students will learn programming and electronics through the use of microcontrollers. Students will use computer-aided design software and advanced manufacturing technologies (3D printing, die cutting, CNC machining, etc.) to create physical objects. The three systems of computer programming, electronics and design will be combined to create mechanical-electrical devices that are computer controlled. MEDIA TECHNOLOGY is a class that is looking for a few good seventh grade students and you could be one of them. As the present production crew moves up to eighth grade, there is a need to bring on a new crew to replace them. Henley will offer an 18-week exploratory for seventh graders that will introduce you to the world of video and television production. If you are interested in this class, see Mr. Murphy for information, pick up your application in the School Counseling Office and turn it in by February 12. In the Parent Portal, Media/Tech 7 can only be listed as an alternate elective. If you are chosen, Henley counselors will make this change.

5 MIXED MEDIA ART students will continue to develop their artistic skills while learning to combine media such as wood, metal, clay, plaster, wire, found objects, paint, text and paper. Large and smallscale projects will be explored, working in small groups and individually. PHOTOGRAPHY is offered for a semester and will provide students with the opportunity to advance their ability to take quality photographs using a digital camera. This introductory course will cover the basics of using a digital camera and related editing software. The history of Photography, Aesthetics, Criticism, the Art Elements and Principles of Design will be explored as students learn how to compose photographs, edit their work using a variety of software and produce an imovie Portfolio, highlighting their best work. Cameras are provided for this course. PROGRAMMING: TECHNOLOGY and TEXTILES is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course that introduces students to the basic skills and knowledge of e-textiles and how to combine electronics, programming and fabric to create projects. Textile innovation has radically changed how people view STEAM, textiles and design. The ability to redesign current fabric and clothing benefits both students and the environment. Considered a Making class, the course offers students the opportunity to explore current technologies and products to learn how e-textile projects are realized. Hand and machine sewing skills will be a component of the course as students learn how to conceptually develop technology projects. TECH THEATRE will introduce students to the areas of stagecraft and theatrical production. Topics covered will include design research and principles, painting and construction techniques, stage properties and costumes, stage makeup, and the use of special effects. The first part of the semester, students will learn these techniques to then apply to the Drama production for the end of the semester.

6 WORLD LANGUAGES ACADEMIC FRENCH I, PART I (7 th GRADE) - This course is offered to students who desire to complete Academic French I and earn one high school credit in middle school. This class provides students with the opportunity to begin their World Language study early to greatly improve their communicative ability. Students will be able to spend quality time on the sound system, as well as the 5 C s of the Standards of Learning. In 7 th grade, the students will complete approximately one-third of the curriculum that is outlined for Academic French I. With the addition of time to their classroom setting, students will be able to better communicate, actually use the language being studied in more ways by studying more complex syntactical structures. The 8 th grade course will offer two consecutive semesters of language. Students will complete the remainder of the outlined county curriculum, which correlates to the State Standards of Learning for World Languages. At the completion of 8 th grade, students will receive one high school credit. As this will be a high school credit class taught at the academic level, students should have a mature attitude, strong organizational skills and work habits. Due to the academic rigor of this course, the language arts skills of reading and writing should be at or above grade level. ACADEMIC SPANISH I, PART I (7 th GRADE) -- This one semester course is offered for students who want to complete Spanish I in three semesters (the other two during 8 th grade) and earn a high school credit during middle school, as well as attain a bilingual endorsement on their high school diploma upon graduation. This class provides students with the opportunity to begin world language study early in order to improve their communicative ability. Students will learn to exchange simple spoken and written information such as greetings, expressions of courtesy, likes and dislikes, and to talk about family, friends, sports and leisure activities, school and the weather. Online programs will provide continued practice and the ability to listen to native speakers and practice reading and writing proficiency. Students will also develop an awareness of the culture of Spanish speaking countries by identifying customs, traditions, holidays and foods. Due to the academic rigor of the course, language arts skills of reading and writing should be at or above grade level.

7 Last Name First Name Middle Initial J.T. HENLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL SEVENTH GRADE ELECTIVE COURSE SELECTION SHEET Please read the course descriptions carefully and after deciding upon selections, rate your desired choices. Please indicate your choice by placing a number from 1-8 opposite of the courses listed below. Number one is your most desired choice with number eight as your least desired choice. Please complete this form by January 25 and bring it when you meet with your counselor. Important Information: If you plan on pursuing a high school credit in Spanish I or French I during middle school, you must choose either the 18-week Academic Spanish I, Part I or Academic French I, Part I during your 7 th grade year. Year Long Electives AVID (Application required) Introduction to Art Design Drama 8 (Application required) Newspaper Beginning Band (If the schedule allows) Concert Band (Teacher recommendation needed) Beginning Strings (If the schedule allows) Advanced Strings (Teacher recommendation needed) Hornet Choir Semester Electives Academic French I, Part I Academic Spanish I, Part I Mixed Media Art 2D Studio Art 3D Studio Art Computer Solutions Creative Writing Debate Digital Media Communication Drama 7/8 Engineering and Technology Guitar I Life Skills Mechatronics Media Tech 7 (Application required) Photography Programming: Technology and Textiles Tech Theatre Student s Signature Date