Download curriculum guide - Cherry Hills Christian

201 6 - 201 7
CURRICULUMGUIDE: COURSEDESCRIPTIONS TABLEOFCONTENTS
Index……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….p2
MissionStatement…………………………………………………………………………………………………..p4
DirectoryofAdministration……………………………………………………………………………………… p4
StaffDirectory…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..p5
CourseDescriptions
CORE:
Bible…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..... p6
LanguageArt……………………………………………………………………………………………...... p7
Mathematics……………………………………………………………………………………………….. p8
Science……………………………………………………………………………………………………….... p9
SocialStudies………………………………………………………………………………………………... p10
ELECTIVES:
Spanish……………………………………………………………………………………………………… p10
Computer/Technology………………………………………………………………………………... p12
PhysicalEducation……………………………………………………………………………………..... p13
TheArts……………………………………………………………………………………………………...p13
ArtEducation………………………………………………………………………………....... p14
Art1–Painting......................................................................... p14
Art2–Creative......................................................................... p14 Art3–Drawing......................................................................... p14 ArtDesign.................................................................................. p14
DramaandTheaterArts….………………………………………………………………... p15
MusicEducation……………………………………………………………………………..... p16
AdditionalELECTIVES:
AdvancedPhysicalEducation………………………………………………………………………… p17
AmericaatWar…………………………………………………………………………………………….p17
BibleTopics……………………………………………………………………………………………….... p17
Career…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..p17
Choir…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. p18
ComputerTopics…………………………………………………………………………………………..p18
CreativeWriting…………………………………………………………………………………………... p18
CurrentEvents.…….………………………………………………………………………………………. p18
DramaOutreach…………………………………………………………………………………………...p18
DramaProduction……………………………………………………………………………………...... p18
FilmLiterature…………………………………………………………………………………………….. p19
GameStrategies…….…………………………………………………………………………………….. p19
Health…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...p19
Keyboarding…………………………………………………………………………………………………p19
2
LifetimeFitness…………………………………………………………………………………………….p19 MediaProduction………………………………………………………………………………………… p20
MediaStudies……………………………………………………………………………………………… p20
PublicSpeaking……………………………………………………………………………………………..p20
PuppetryDrama…………………………………………………………………………………………….p20
Radio-TVProduction……………………………………………………………………………………. p21
ReadingPlus...................................................................................................p21
Robotics………………………………………………………………………………………………………..p21
ScienceLab…………………………………………………………………………………………………… p21
Sewing……………………………………………………………………………………………………….... p22
StudySkills………………………………………………………………………………………………….... p22
YearbookDesign…………………………………………………………………………………………….p22
3
OURMISSION
CherryHillsChristianiscommittedtohonoringChristbyteaching,encouraging,trainingandgrounding
studentsinGod’struthwithinadynamic,academicenvironment.Heart,Soul,Mind,Strength.
Heart:“Letthewordsofmymouthandthemeditationofmyheartbeacceptabletoyou,
OLord,myrockandmyredeemer.”(Psalm19:14)
Soul:“Asadeerlongsforflowingstreams,somysoullongsforyou,OGod.”(Psalm42:1)
Mind:“Donotbeconformedtothisworld,butbetransformedbytherenewingofyourminds.”
(Romans12:2a)
Strength:“TheLordismystrengthandmyshield,inhimmyhearttrusts.”(Psalm28:7a)
(AllversesaretakenfromtheNewRevisedStandardVersion.)
AdministrativeDirectory
PhoneExt
Email
EvanDalrymple,Principal [email protected]
8970
TamiHall,OfficeManager
[email protected]
8969
NancyCraven,CurriculumCoordinator
[email protected] 8960
PattyGallegos,Counselor/Scheduler
[email protected]
8964 DonnaNelson,SpiritualActivitiesDirector [email protected] 8959
KristinGoodyear,Receptionist
[email protected]
8965
SusanMcGhee,Receptionist
[email protected]
8965
4
StaffDirectorybyFieldofStudy:
Discipline/Instructor
BIBLE:
6:JimHunt
6*
6:AngieOlsen
7:NathanSchrimp
8:8:GaryBabb*
LANGUAGEARTS:
6:RebeccaRaleigh
7:KrisHollenback*
8LisaKrantz
MATH:
YumikoClark*
PattyGallegos
JimHunt
AngieOlsen
CecilWilliams
SCIENCE:
6:BillBrown
7:BeckyThompson*
8:DerekRinks
SOCIALSTUDIES:
6:KathyCard
7:JudyMoore*
8:WendyClark
SPANISH:
GiseleConn*
NathanSchrimp
WhitneyWhyte
COMPUTERTECHNOLOGY:
6-8:ChrisBenschoter
PHYSICALEDUCATION:
6-8:CherylRohweder
MUSICEDUCATION:
6-8:ShelbyShepard
DRAMA/THEATERARTS:
6-8:LizVonSeggen
ARTEDUCATION:
6-8:GiseleConn
EmailAddress
[email protected]
[email protected]
PhoneExtension
[email protected]
8278
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
8950
8974
8951
8952
8968
8964
8958
8972
8139
8967
8956
8954
8962
8957
8950
8971
8962
8137
8953
8373
8197
8973
8971
8958
8972
*DepartmentHead
5
COURSEDESCRIPTIONS:
BIBLE
TheBibledepartmentatCherryHillsChristianMiddleSchoolisbuiltuponrelationship.Webelievewe
werecreatedforrelationships,firstwithGodandthenwithourselves,withothers,andwiththe
cultureinwhichwelive.InconjunctionwithourstudyoftheBibletothisend,wealsoinclude
materialsfromTheCenterforRelationshipEducation(RealEssentialsStartingPointfor6thand7th
grades,andRealEssentialsfor8thgrade).
TheprimarytextusedinallthreegradesistheBible.MuchofourBiblecurriculum,writtenin
consultationwithCHCMSbyHeadwatersResources,emphasizeskeythemesthatrecurthroughoutthe
BibleinordertoengagethestudentsinthegrandnarrativeoftheBibleastheirstory,thestoryin
whichtheyliveeveryday.
6thgrade
StudentsstudythehistoryoftheJewishpeoplefromtheOldTestament(OT).Wewalkthrough
theOTinchronologicalorder,lookingforwhatwelearnaboutGodandHisrelationshipwith
peoplethroughthesehistoricalevents.WithastrongemphasisonmakingtheBiblepractical
forthelivesofmiddleschoolstudents,weaskthe“Sowhat?”question:What difference
doesthispassageofScripturemakeinthelifeofasixthgradestudentlivingin21stcentury
America?
7thgrade
StudentsfocusonthelifeofJesusandthehistoryoftheearlychurchasfoundintheNew
Testament(NT).ThecurriculumpicksupwheresixthgradeleavesoffbystudyingOld
TestamentpropheciesconcerningthecomingMessiah.TheNTGospelstellofJesus,whoisthe
fulfillmentoftheOTprophecies.StudentslookforwhattheNTteachesusaboutthetriune
God,Father,Son,andHolySpirit,andabouttherelationshipHedesirestohavewitheachofus.
SeventhgradeconcludeswiththehistoryoftheearlychurchfromthebookofActs.Throughout
theyear,emphasisisagainputonhelpingstudentsdiscoverwhatdifferencethesepassagesof
Scripturemakeintheirownlives.
8thgrade
Studentsfocusonthethemeoftransformation.WebelievethatGod’splanforeachofusisto
bechangedbyourever-deepeningrelationshipwithHim.TheBibleusestermslikewise,
righteous,andgodlytodescribepeoplewhoarelivingtransformedlivesbecauseoftheir
relationshipwithGod.Thus,eighthgradestudentswillbechallengedtoliveoutthetruthsof
Scriptureinalloftheirrelationships:withGod,withthemselves,withothers,intheculturein
whichtheylive.
6
LANGUAGEARTS
CherryHillsChristianMiddleSchoolstrivestoequipstudentswiththeskillsnecessarytobesuccessful
inthe21stCenturywithastrongfoundationinLanguageArts(reading,writing,speakingandlistening).
DuringtheircourseofstudyatCherryHills,studentsreadawiderangeofliterature.Theylearnandare
expectedtowritetoinform,todescribe,toentertain,andtopersuadewithcoherentorganization.In
addition,studentsdeliverformalandinformaloralpresentationsandlearnalsotointegratelistening
andreasoningstrategiestoeffectivelybuildunderstanding.Havingcompletedthreeyearsofstudyat
CHCMS,studentsshouldbewellpreparedandequippedforsuccessinhighschoolLanguageArts
classesastheymoveforward.
6thGrade
Thiscourseisdesignedtohelpstudentsimproveintheirreadingandwritingskills.Students
readandanalyzeliteraturethroughaChristianworldview.Theliteratureprogramincludessuch
titlesasWheretheRedFernGrows,LongWalktoWater,TuckEverlasting,FarNorth,anda
biographyofsomeonewhohasstruggledandovercomeobstaclestobecomesuccessful.Near
theendoftheyear,studentsenjoyaunitonshortstories.Studentsexplorewhatmakesagreat
paragraph/essayusingtheShurleyGrammarandImageGrammarcurriculumaswellasthe
principlesofSixTraits.Theywillwriteexpository,narrative,descriptive,andpersuasivepieces.
Inaddition,spellingandvocabularyskillsaresharpenedthroughuseoftheSadlierseries.As
studentsexperiencethechallengesoftheirfirstyearofmiddleschool,theylearnandpractice
organizationalskillsthathelptheminallaspectsoftheireducation.
7thGrade
Studentscontinuetodevelopandrefinelanguageartsskillswiththeexpressgoalofincreasing
levelsofliteracy.Classmaterialsincludeavarietyoftraditional/classicallanguagearts
instructionalmethodssuchasstudiesinliterature,composition,grammar,vocabularyand
spelling,andjournaling.ClassroomtextslinkwithSocialStudiescurriculumandinclude:
Literatureanthology,TheBronzeBow,GreekGods,GoodMastersSweetLadies,andRomeo
andJuliet.SpellingandVocabularystudiesarebasedonSadlier-OxfordVocabularyaswellas
vocabularyincontext.Writinginstructionemphasizesbasicparagraphandessayformincluding
expository,narrative,descriptive,persuasive,andcompare-contrast,andisbasedon6+1
WritingTraits.GrammarinstructioncontinuestoreinforcecurrentskillsbasedontheShurley
GrammarandAbekaGrammarandCompositionIcurriculum.
8thGrade
Thiscourseisdesignedtoproduceproficientandempoweredreaders,writers,andlearners
throughrelevantinstruction.Studentswillreadandanalyzeliteraturethroughacriticaland
ChristianperspectivethattiesintotheUSHistorycurriculum.TitlesmayincludeTheFifthof
March,Nightjohn,ToKillaMockingbird,CrossingtheWire,andWhirligig.Studentswillrefine
theircreativeandexpositorywritingskills,aswellasgainexperienceinresearchingskills,
utilizingthe6+1WritingTraitsprogram.Spelling,vocabulary,etymology,andgrammar
instructionarealsointegratedwitheachliteratureunit.Additionally,thiscoursestrivestohelp
eachstudentperfecttheirownorganizationsystem,whileinstillingaloveforlearning,
literature,andlife.
7
MATHEMATICS
Recognizingthatmathematicalskillsandproblemsolvingarefundamentaltoeducation,theMath
DepartmentatCHCMSisdedicatedtoequippingstudentswithallthemathskillsnecessarytobe
successfulandtoreachthenextleveloftheireducationfeelingcomfortableintheirabilitytohandle
mathchallenges.Studentsusenumbersandnumberrelationshipstofindpatternsandsolveproblems.
Algebraicmethodsareusedtoexplore,modelanddescribepatternsandfunctionsinvolvingnumbers,
shapes,dataandgraphs.Studentsusedatacollection,analysis,statisticsandprobabilitytocommunicatereasoning.Theyalsolinkconceptsandproceduresastheyusetechniquesandinstrumentslike
estimation,mentalarithmetic,pencilandpaper,calculators,andcomputersinproblemsolving
situationsandinapplyingtheirskillstoeverydaylifesituations.Havingcompletedthreeyearsofmath
attheMiddleSchool,studentsarewellpreparedforhighschoolmath.
MathCourse1
Thiscourseisdesignedtointroducestudentstoabroadspectrumofpre-algebraandgeometric
conceptsincludingnumberpatternsandfunctions,operationswithfractionsanddecimals,
ratios,proportions,percents,anglesandanglerelationships,perimeter,area,volumeandbasic
probability.Atthebeginningofthiscourse,studentsshouldhavemasteredthebasicconcepts
ofadding,subtracting,multiplying,anddividingwholenumbers,decimals,andfractionsand
theyareexpectedtohavememorizedtheirmultiplicationanddivisiontablesthroughthe
number12.
MathCourse2
ThiscoursecontinuestocovermanyoftheconceptsfromCourse1withmorecomplex
problemsandproblemsolvingsituationsincludingoperationswithintegers,rationaland
irrationalnumbers.Studentscontinuetomasterproblemsinvolvingratios,proportionsand
percentsandareintroducedtovariableexpressions,polynomialsandvariableequations.
Studentsalsodevelopgeometricandspatialreasoningskillsinvolvingarea,volumeandright
trianglerelationships.
MathCourse3
Thiscourseexploresmoredifficultconceptsfrompre-algebraandgeometryincludingintegers,
rationalnumbers,realnumbers,complexfractions,ratios,proportions,percents,non-linear
functionsandpolynomials,equationsandinequalities,surfaceareaandvolume,righttriangle
relationships,andprobabilityandstatistics.AlthoughthisisnotanAlgebraIclass,itintroduces
studentstomanyoftheconceptstheywillcoverinAlgebraItheirfreshmanyearinhighschool.
AdvancedPre-Algebra
Thepurposeofthiscourseistoprovideabridgebetweenbasicskillsandthekindofalgebraic
thinkingthatwillbenecessaryinanAdvancedAlgebraclass.Studentswillbuildontheir
understandingofvariablesandexpressionsandextendthemtoequationsandinequalities.
Theareasofstudycoveredinthiscourseincludebasicmathskills,introductiontoalgebra
concepts,andgeometry.Specifictopicsincludepropertiesofequality,integers,probability
proportions,slope,scientificnotations,ratios,multi-stepequations,inequalities,sequences,
unitmultiplies,specialrighttriangles,directvariation,radicals,andpolynomials.Thereisa
8
concentratedfocusonsolvingwordproblemsusingalgebraicthinkingaswellasanalyzing
patternsandfunctions.Thiscourseisofferedonlyto7thgradestudentswhohavecompleted
course2(oritsequivalent)in6thgrade.
AlgebraI
Thiscourseisthefoundationforhighschoolmathematicscourses.Itisthebridgefromthe
concretetotheabstractstudyofmathematics.Topicsincludesimplifyingexpressions,
evaluatingandsolvingequationsandinequalities,solvingsystemsofequations,graphinglinear
andquadraticequations,rationalexpressionsandrealworldapplications.
SCIENCE
ThegoalofscienceatCherryHillsChristianMiddleSchoolistogivestudentsthetoolsneededtohelp
themexplore,understand,andbegoodstewardsofallthatGodhasmade.Withtherapid
advancementofscienceandtechnology,itiscriticaltoequipstudentswiththeknowledgeto
understandandparticipateintheseadvances.Scienceeducationneedstoincludecurrentcontentin
thedifferentdisciplines,andskillssuchascomputermodeling,hands-oninquiryanddiscoverylabs,
andasolidunderstandingofthescientificmethod.Achievingthesegoalsenablesstudentstobewell
equippedtothinkcriticallyanduseproblem-solvingabilitiestosucceedinhighschoolandbeyond.
6thGradePhysicalScience
Designed to introduce students to the basics of scientific inquiry, lab safety, and
problem-solving, this course lays a general foundation in many physical science topics
including heat, magnetism, sound and light waves, physical and chemical properties,
Newtonian laws, and the periodic table. It contains many hands-on learning experiences
to bring a kinesthetic element to the learning. Included in physical science is an in-depth
exploration of the scientific method and how it is used for answering questions and
solving problems. Sixth grade science also focuses on how to properly use bar and line
graphs as a means of recording data. Finally, students become familiar with the proper
use of the metric measuring system in all areas of science. In short, sixth grade science
is a study of how the physical world works, how we can better use and improve existing
technology, and how to use scientific knowledge to be better stewards of the world God
has given us.
7thGradeBiology
TheBiologycurriculumisdesignedtopreparestudentsforhighschoollevellifesciences.
Studentsstudythestructure,function,andrelationshipsamongGod’slivingcreations,andare
providedafoundationintheChristianworldviewoftheoriginoflife.Thecoursebeginswithan
overviewofthehistoryofScientificInvestigationandtheScientificMethod,coveringCreation
andleadingintothe21stcentury.Studentsdiscusstheimpacttechnologyhashadonour
understandingoflifeanditsorigins,andhowhumansareaffectingthesurvivaloflifeon
Earth.Thisfoundationenablesstudentstoappreciatetheprogressbeingmadeinbiological
sciences,andtorecognizehowscienceandtechnologycanbeusedtonurtureorhinderlifeon
Earth.Thisviewpointemphasizestheimportanceofmaintainingourvigilasstewardsofthe
Earth.SpecifictopicscoveredinBiologyincludebutarenotlimitedto:CreationandEvolution,
Plants,Ecology&NaturalResources,Arthropods,Invertebrates,DNA/Cloning,Amphibiansand
9
Reptiles,Mammals,Disease&OurImmuneSystem,andHumanBodyDesign.
8thGradeEarthScience
ThestudyofEarthSciencedelvesintoChemistryasabasistostudytheEarthanduniverse.
Astronomy,Geology,WeatherandClimate,andOceanographyandfreshwaterresourcesare
alsocovered.TheScientificMethodisreinforced,withstudentsusingcriticalthinkingand
problemsolvingskillstorelatecurrenttopicswithEarthSciencecontentknowledge.Emphasis
isplacedonstudents’creatingandinterpretingdatatablesandgraphs,anddrawing
conclusionsandunderstandingfromthesedatainstruments.Afterbecomingcomfortableusing
themetricsystemofmeasurementintheprevioustwoyears,studentslearntoconvertfrom
theEnglishsystemtothemetricsystem,andfromunitswithinthemetricsystem.Toreinforce
contentknowledge,thisclassdependsheavilyonusingcurrenteventtopicsandhands-onlabs,
frommodelingatomstoosmalltobeseen,tocomputer-modelingtornadoes.
SOCIALSTUDIES:
“If you would understand anything, observe its beginning, and its development.” Aristotle
Thestudyofhistoryandcurrenteventsarefoundationaltotheunderstandinganddevelopmentofa
contributingcitizenwhoendeavorstoimpacttheworldforChrist.Mankind’shistoryisreally“His”
story—God’sStory—ofcreation,justice,redemption,love,andsacrifice.Itisthroughthestudyof
historyandgeographythatstudentscometoagreaterappreciationoftheGodwhomtheyserveand
canbeginto“lovetheLord[their]Godwithall[their]mind”(Matthew22:37).Ourgoalinteaching
historyisthree-fold:ToadvancewithinourstudentsadeeperunderstandingoftheGodoftheBible
andhowHerelatestomankind;topreparestudentstounderstandandelucidatetheirChristian
heritageinaculturallydiverseworld,consideringthebigpictureofhistory,aswellas,noteworthy
individualswholivedinvariouscontextsoftime;finally,weendeavortoinspirestudents
tocatchavisionofChrist’smandatetobecitizenswhoare“saltandlight”(Matthew5:13-16)inthis
cultureandcanimpacttheworldforChrist“forsuchatimeasthis.”(Esther4:14)
6thGradeCulturalandPhysicalGeography
In6thGradeCulturalandPhysicalGeography,studentsstudytherelationshipsbetweenpeople,
places,andenvironments.Theyalsostudythedetails,features,religions,andidentitiesofa
placeorregion.Studentsexaminethephysicalprocessesthatshapeourearth,aswellashow
peopleinteractwithandshapetheearth,andhowthephysicalenvironmentmodifieshuman
interaction.Finally,studentsexperiencehowthestudyofgeographyaffectstheirlives,andcan
helpinterpretthepastandfacilitateplanningforthefuture.ByattendingtheYoungAmericans
CenterforFinancialEducationInternationalTowne,studentshavetheopportunityto
experienceanexceptional“handson”activityinglobaleconomics,exposingthemtothe
financialrealitiesofourglobalmarketplace.ThetextbookforthiscourseisTheWorldandIts
People(Glencoe/McGraw).Inaddition,studentswillusecomputers,videoresources,and
variousrelatedresources.
7thGradeWorldHistory
Thiscourseisdesignedtoexpandupontheconceptstaughtin6thgrade,providingan
examinationofworldhistorywithaChristianworldview.StudentsstudyancientMesopotamia
10
andEgypt,theancientIsraelites,Greekcivilizationandcontributions,theriseofRome,
Romancivilization,theriseofChristianityandmajorworldreligions,medievalEurope,the
RenaissanceandReformation,ImperialismandWorldWarsIandII.Studentsconsidervarious
historicalmethods,examinethelimitationsofarchaeology,determinehowtoformvalid
conclusionsbasedonevidence,andanalyzethedangersofhistoricalrevisionism.
Studentspracticevariousnotetakingmethods,organizational,andstudyskills.Students
participateindiversecross-curricularactivitiesincludingaresearchproject,artactivities,and
integrationofotherdisciplines.Inadditiontothetextbook,JourneyAcrossTime
(Glencoe/McGrawHill),studentsusetheBible,relatedprimaryandsecondaryresources,
Internetsources,andrelatedvideos.
8thGrade–U.S.History
Buildingonthefoundationstudentsreceivein7thgradeworldhistory,8thgradeU.S.history
beginswiththeearlysettlementsinpresent-dayAmericaandcontinuesthroughmoderntimes.
AsstudentslearnaboutallaspectsofU.S.historyandgovernment,theyarechallengedtothink
biblicallyabouttheeventsandpeopletheystudy.ThetextbookforthiscourseisTheAmerican
Journey,publishedbyGlencoe/McGrawHill.Anexcellenttextbookfromaneducational
perspective,thisseculartextgivesstudentstheopportunitytopracticecriticalthinkingskills
whiletheylearntointerprethistoryfrombothasecularandaChristianperspective.
ELECTIVES
SPANISH
Inaworldwhere500,000,000peoplespeakSpanish,itisimportantforCHCMStopreparestudentsto
communicatewiththispopulous,whetheritbeinthemissionfield,witnessingtoneighborsor
studyingabroad.Thevalueweplaceonourmissionworkintheworldisdirectlyreflectedinour
commitmenttoprepareourstudentswiththetoolstheywillneedtogoontothemissionfieldand
communicate,witnessandworkalongsideHispanics,aswehaveinJuarezforthepast13years.
Studentsarepreparedtoenterhighschoolandcontinuetopursuetheirlearningofaforeignlanguage
withtheconfidenceacquiredthroughtheeducationalexperiencereceivedatCHCMS.
UsingtheBible-basedcurriculum,GetRealSpanish,studentslearnSpanishandlearnBiblicalprinciples
throughmemorizingBibleversesinSpanish.Usingtheverbslearnedintheverses,translating
vocabularyandsentences,studentsbegintolearnhowtocommunicate.Bycomplementingthe
curriculumwithadditionalvocabulary,grammar,geographyandart,ourstudentsareexposedto
severalmethodsoflearning.TheCHCMSSpanishProgrambeginswithour6thgradersentering
SpanishI,consecutivelyforthenextthreeyears,asfollows:
SpanishI
GetRealSpanishisaBible-basedcurriculumthatinthefirstyearprovidesabasicfoundation
forlanguageacquisitionaswellasthetoolsneededtointroducestudentstoallthe
componentsofSpanish.Themainaspectsofthefirstyearcourseinclude:Bibleverse
memorization,verbconjugationandtranslations.Basicgrammarpointsandadditional
vocabularyaresupplementedfromvariousresourcesincludingthemagazineScholasticNews,
11
EdiciónBilingueNivel2,andthroughvariousinteractivewhiteboardlessonsandactivities.
InstructorsuseSpanishsongstoreinforcevocabulary,BibleVersememorizationand
pronunciation.StudentsalsolearnaboutvariousLatinoholidays,theMayas,theAztecsand
Mexico’scultureandgeography.
SpanishII
ThiscourseisdesignedtotakethestudentstothenextlevelofSpanish,puttingalltheverb
tensesandvocabularylearnedduringthefirstyearintoamorepracticalandconversational
context.GetRealSpanishcontinuestobethebasecurriculumusedthisyear;however,the
instructorutilizesvariousotherresources,includingthemagazine,¿Quétal?,andthecartoon,
Pocoyo,tofurtherthestudyofvocabularyandgrammar.Studentscontinueversememorization,verbconjugation,andtranslationinthiscourse.ThisyeartheteacherusesSpanishasthe
primarylanguageintheclassroom.StudentsaregivenaSpanish-onlygrade,encouragingthem
toriseabovetheircomfortlevelandspeakSpanish.SongswrittenandsungbynativeSpanishspeakingartistsarealsousedtoexposethestudentstoavarietyofdialectsandaccentswithin
theHispaniccommunity.ThestudentslearnabouttheCaribbeanandCentralAméricathrough
ourgeographystudies.Afterstudyingaparticularcountry,studentswriteareportinboth
EnglishandSpanish.
SpanishIII
AttheSpanishIIIlevel,studentscontinuelearningviatheBible-basedcurriculum,GetReal
Spanish.SpanishIIIintroducesthelasttensetheywillacquireduringthemiddleschoolSpanish
course.Attheendoftheirthirdyeartheywillhavemasteredeighttensesofverbconjugations,
memorized90versesofScriptureandtranslated1,980sentencesfromSpanishtoEnglishand
vice-versa.Inaddition,theycontinuetobuildvocabularyandconversationalskillsthrough
reading,LatinoandChristianmusic,groupdiscussionsandgamesinSpanish.
Thethirdyearofthecoursealsointroducesthe“ArteenEspañol”curriculum,wherehands-on
artinstructionisusedtoteachcreativewriting,vocabularyandcriticalthinkingskills.Spanishis
theprimarylanguageusedintheclassroom.InstructorsincludethegeographyofSpainand
Argentinainthethirdyear,astheycontinuetoteachthegeography,history,andmusicof
Spanish-speakingnationstoinsurewell-roundedlearningandunderstandingofSpanish
culture(s).
SPANISHIMMERSIONTRIP
Often(butnotalways)CHCMSoffers7thand8thgradeSpanishstudentstheopportunityto
traveltoaSpanish-speakingcountryforacomplete(oneweek)Spanishlanguageimmersion
experience.Studentsandchaperoneslivewithnativefamilies,studyatTheSpanishLanguage
Institute,andtourhistoricsites.Inaddition,studentsserveGodastheyspendanafternoonin
fellowship.Thisisonlyaportionofalltheyexperiencewhilelivingalltheyhavelearnedduring
theschoolyear!Inpastyears,studentshavevisitedCuernavaca,Mexico,CostaRicaandPuerto
Rico.
12
COMPUTEREDUCATION/TECHNOLOGY
Inthecomputerdepartmentthefocusisonusing21stcenturytoolstoteachstudentshowtolearn,
thinkcriticallywhileacquiringtheskillsnecessarytosucceedasaChristianintoday’stechnological
world.TheprojectswecoverinComputerclassesattempttoteachskillsthatcanbeusedinany
computerenvironment,notjusthowtouseanyspecificapplication.Withtheacquisitionofthe
PrometheantechnologyatCHCMS,thewaystudentslearnandhowtheteachersteachischanging.
Classesaremuchmoreinteractiveandstudentsareexperiencingatechnologytowhichonlyasmall
percentageoftheschoolpopulationoftheU.S.hasaccess.
6thGradeComputer
ThiscoursefocusesonthebasicsofMicrosoftWord,Excel,andPowerPoint.Whileworking
onimprovingtheirtypingskills,studentsexploretopicsabouttheInternetandacceptableuses
ofcomputers.Iftimeallowswemaycoveranintroductiontocomputerprogramming.
Evaluationandassessmentproceduresshallconsistofoccasionalhomeworkassignments,
projects,classparticipation,testsandquizzes.
7thGradeComputer
ThiscoursefocusesonadvancedWordandExceltopicsaswellassomemorefuntopicslike
videoeditingandFlashanimation.StudentsengageindiscussionabouttheInternetand
acceptableusesofcomputersInaddition,studentscontinuetostrivetoimprovetheirtyping
skills.Evaluationandassessmentproceduresconsistofoccasionalhomeworkassignments,
projects,classparticipation,testsandquizzes.
8thGradeComputer
ThiscoursecoversevenmoreadvancedWordandExceltopics,andstudentslearnWeb
Design,HTML,andComputerProgrammingaswell.Inaddition,students
continuetoexploretopicsabouttheInternetandacceptableusesofcomputers.Finally,
studentscontinuetostrivetoimprovetheirtypingskills. PHYSICALEDUCATION
PhysicalEducationforGrades6-8isdesignedforstudentstoestablishlife-longfitnessskills,andto
developtheirknowledgeandunderstandingofvarioussports.Studentsparticipateinstrength,
flexibilityandenduranceexercises.Thesedailyexercisesenhanceeachstudent’soverallfitnesslevel,
whileencouragingfurtherdevelopmentoutsideofschool.Studentsshareanddemonstratetheir
increasedfitnesslevelsthroughquarterlyevaluations.
Everysemesterstudentshavetheopportunitytoparticipateandlearnaboutsports,including,butnot
limitedto:basketball,volleyball,soccer,floorhockey,lacrosse,pickleball,andflagfootball.Focus
duringthesesportsunitsisplacedonbasicskillattainment,ruleknowledge,andtheChristianvaluesof
positivesportsmanshipandencouragementtoothers.
13
THEARTS
BecauseoftheAdministration’sencouragementandsupportoftheArtsatCherryHillsChristian
MiddleSchool,studentsexperienceatleastonequarterofMusicandDramaperyear.CHCMSalso
offersanumberofrelatedelectivesinDramaandMusicaswellasthreedifferentArtclassesfrom
whichstudentschoosetoroundouttheirfullschedulesandexploretheirGod-giventalents.
ARTEDUCATION
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”(James 1:17)
OurCHCMSArtProgramisdesignedtodevelopcreativityandprovideartisticknowledge,guidanceand
supporttoeachstudent.LearningtoseetheworldwithwhichGodhasblessedusasaninspiration
givesourstudentsnewoptionsofexpressionandproblemsolvingskills.Threedifferentclassesare
offeredeachsemester,givingallstudentsanopportunitytoparticipate.AllArtclassesaretaughtbya
Teacher/Artist,whichaddstothestudentexperiencebyprovidinginsightintotherealworldofart.
Art1:Painting
Paintingisbrokendownintothreebasicdisciplines:
• Colortheory:Studentsunderstandhowtousethe3primarycolorstocreateunique
colorpalettes,howtocreateanduseacolorwheel,howandwhycolor combinations
areusedtoevokeandexpressemotions
• Materials:Watercolor,acrylicandoilpaintsareintroducedusingArtistdemonstrations,
ArtHistoryandexamplesofhowartistsuseeachmedium.
• Technique:studentsworkinastudiosetting,practicebrushworkandlearnthespecific
propertiesofeachmediumandsurfaces.Theyareguidedtodeveloppersonalstyleand
creativitywhilelearninghowtopaintskillfully.
Studentsproduceapaintingineachmediumfrombothpatternsandstilllife,andeveryproject
endswithdiscussionandcritique.
Art2:CreativeArt
Studentslearntothinkoutofthebox,use-brainstormingskills,areintroducedtonewwaysof
approachingartmaterialsandtechniquesusingtraditionalandnon-traditionalmethods.A
varietyofartmediums,graphics,photography,computergeneratedelements,designand
collagearepresentedforstudentstocreateartwiththegoalofproblemsolving.Upon
completionofthiscoursestudentswillbeabletomakenewconnectionstotheoutsideworld
andunderstandtheimportanceoftheircreativeproblemsolvingskills.
Art3:Drawing
Taughtinaquietstudiosetting,studentslearnthestep-by-stepprocesstodrawinginarealistic
stylewithemphasisplacedondevelopingr-mode(engagingrightbraincreativehemisphere)
perceptualskills.Usingbasic,traditionalmaterials-sketchpad,pencilandcharcoal-students
aretaughtHOWtoperceiveedges,spacesandtherelationshipbetweenlightandshadow.
Puttingitalltogethertheylearnhowtocreatetwo-dimensionalrealisticdrawingsfromthree-
dimensionalmodels.
14
ArtDesign
Inthisclassstudentswillexploretheprinciplesofdesign(formandfunction),theprocessof
designing(withhands-onbrainstormingtechniques),andcompletethreedesignprojects.The
onlymaterialsrequiredisajournalornotebook-linesorunlinedpaper-itistheirdesign
choice.CHCMSwillprovideallothermaterialsusedinclass.Theobjectiveofthecourseisto
introducestudentstovariouscriticalthinkingstagesofgooddesignandstimulatecreativityand
imagination.
DRAMA
Lifeisfilledwithdrama...dramareflectslife!Itisthefocusofallthetheatreartsclassestoprovide
manyparticipatorydramaexperiences.Earlyexperienceswillemphasizegroupactivities.Itis
extremelyimportanttohelpmiddleschoolyouthdevelopconfidenceinfrontofpeopleandlearnto
appreciatethedifferencesofothersthroughtakingonrolesbeyondthemselves.Dramaskillswill
emphasizethecreativeprocessbywhichstudentslearncriticalthinkingskillsandgroupcreativity.
Theatreproductionswillofferstudentstheopportunityforpolishedperformanceforaudiences
beyondtheclassroom.
DramaandSpeech6thGrade
Thisclassmeetsdailyforonequarter.Oneoftheprimaryobjectivesofthisintroductoryclass
istohelpstudentsdevelopconfidenceinfrontofanaudience.Throughafewbasicspeaking
assignments,studentswillbeintroducedtoorganizingtheirownthoughtsandexpressing
themselves.Byparticipatingingroupandsolodramaprojects,studentswillbeintroducedto
pantomime,characterization,andreadingwithexpressionandfeeling.
Drama7thGrade
Thisclassmeetsdailyforonequarter.Studentscontinuetoexperienceproperuseofstage
movement,workingonfacialexpressionsandgesturestocreatebelievablecharacters.
Duringthisyearstudentsareintroducedtoavarietyofactivitiessuchas:readerstheatre,
puppetry,shortmemorizeddramaskits,orothertypesofperformances.Moreemphasis
ontheperformanceaspectofdramaaffordsstudentsopportunitiestodemonstratetheirskills
withanaudienceoutsidetheclassroom.
Drama8thGrade
Thisclassmeetsdailyforonequarter.Studentsbeginwithavarietyofimprovisational
activities.Studentsstrivetodevelopsomestrongcharacterizationsthroughgroup
choreographedmusicaldramapresentationsandafinalmemorizeddialog.Studentswillread
and/orviewdramaticscriptsandbeaskedtocriticallyevaluatecharacter,motivation,and
staging.Insmallgroups,studentswillbecomewriters,directors,actors,andvideographersfor
ashortcommercial.
15
MUSICEDUCATION
AtCHCMS,musicisanintegralpartoftheprogramofgeneraleducationforallstudents.Sixth,
seventh,andeighthgradestudentsparticipateinaGeneralMusicClassfornineweekseachyear.
Theclassesmeetdailyforaquarter.Studentsexploreanumberofdifferentmusicalopportunities
designedtointerestandchallengethemastheygrowintheirmusicalknowledgeandexperiences.
Musicisimportanttolifeandlearning.Itconnectseachnewgenerationtothosethathavegone
before.Thestudyofmusicallowsstudentstomaketheseconnectionsandtocomprehendtheworld
aroundthem.ThegoalsofthemusicclassesatCherryHillsChristianaretohelpstudentsunderstand
thebasicsofmusicandtoappreciateitseffectivenessintheirday-to-daylives.Unitsofstudyare
basedontheColoradoStateMusicContentStandards.Lessonsfocusonexpressingandcreatingmusic,
understandingthetheoryofmusic,andtheaestheticvaluationofmusic.Culturalandhistorical
traditionsareembeddedineachunitofstudysothatstudentsmakeconnectionsbetweenmusicand
itsrelevancetotheworldaroundthem.Opportunitiesforconcertperformancesmayariseduringthe
courseoftheyear.
Throughoutthisnine-weekclass,andacrossallgradelevels,studentsdevelopskillstoreadmusic,
becomemorecompetentusersofmusicalnotation,developmusiclisteningskills,recognizerhythms,
connectmusichistorytotoday'smusic,andlearnseveralinstrumentsincollaborationwiththeirfellow
classmates.Inaddition,studentsgrowintheirunderstandingoftheskillsnecessarytoparticipateina
performanceensemble.
Music6
Thecurriculumoffersopportunitiesforstudentstosingavariedrepertoireofmusic.In
addition,theyperformonseveralinstruments,improvisemelodies,readandnotatemusic,
describeandevaluatemusic,andlearntounderstandtherelationshipbetweenmusic,the
otherartsanddisciplinesoutsidethearts.Alongwiththevoice,instrumentsofstudyinclude
recorders,choirchimes,Orffpercussion,andanintroductiontopianosandacousticguitar.
Music7
Thecurriculumoffersopportunitiesforstudentstosingavariedrepertoireofmusic,perform
onseveralinstruments,improvisemelodiesandaccompaniments,readandnotatemusic,
tento,analyze,anddescribemusic,andunderstandtherelationshipsbetweenmusicand
theotherArts.StudentsstudythemainperiodsinmusichistoryfromAntiquitytoMusicof
the21stCentury.Aunitonpianokeyboardskillscompletesthisnine-weekclass.Other
instrumentsofstudyincludetheadolescentvoice,choirchimes,percussion,andacoustic
guitar
Music8
Thecurriculumoffersopportunitiesforstudentstosingavariedrepertoireofmusic,perform
onseveralinstruments,improvisemelodies,createlyrics,readandnotatemusic,andevaluate
performances.Studentsconnectmusictodisciplinesoutsidetheartsandappreciateits
relevancytotheworldtheyliveintoday.Studentscreatetheirownpersonalcompositions
usingthepianokeyboardsandcompletethenine-weekclasswithastudyofbeginningguitar
skills.Otherinstrumentsofstudyincludetheadolescentvoice,choirchimes,pianosand
acousticguitar.
16
ADDITIONALELECTIVES:
AdvancedPhysicalEducation
AdvancedPhysicalEducationisanelectiveofferedtoanystudent.Thecurriculumofthisclass
isdesignedtoenhanceandincreasethestudent'sknowledgeofsportsandfitness.Each
studentwillparticipateinfitnessactivitiesutilizingequipmentsuchas:medicineballs,weighted
fitnessbars,stabilizationballs,andweightedjumpropes.Studentswillparticipateincurrent
trendsoffitnesslikeCross-Fit,yoga,dynamicmovementandmuscleconfusion.Studentswill
demonstratetheirknowledgebyleadingfitnesswarmups.
Sportsplayedinthisclasswillbeplayedfollowingallnormalrules.Studentswillhavevery
limitedskilldevelopment,soastobestutilizeclasstimeforactualplay.Teamworkand
characterareanintegralpartofAdvancedPhysicalEducation.Studentswillparticipateinteam
buildingactivitiesthatdevelopcreativeproblemsolvingskillsandpeerrelationships.Students
areevaluatedontheirleadershipandencouragementofothersinanefforttocreateGodly
athletes.
AmericaatWar
ThisclassexploresAmerica’swarsbeginningwiththeSpanishAmericanWarandcontinuing
throughthecurrentdaywaronterror.StudentsdiscoverwhyAmericafoughtineachofthese
conflictsandtheoutcomeofeachofthem.Someofthequestionsdiscussedare:1)Whydo
countriesfightinwars?2)Whatalternativesaretheretofightingawar,andarethose
alternativessuccessfulinresolvingconflict?3)Whatthingsdoyoubelieveareworthfighting
for?4)What,ifanything,doesGodsayaboutwar?5)Whatcanwelearnfromeachof
America’swarstohelpuswithconflictresolutionintoday’sworld?Studentsarechallengedto
thinkcriticallyaboutthedifficultsubjectofourcountryatwarandtobeabletosubstantiate
theiropinions.
BibleTopics:
Studentsplayavitalroleinthedevelopmentoftheclassandthecontentisgeneratedthrough
studentsurveys;thatis,whatarethoseissuesthataremostonthemindsofthestudentsinthe
classregardinginformationfromtheBible?Examplesoftopicsdiscussedare:theEndTimes;
theexistenceofheavenandhell;angels;and,ministeringtoanon-believer.Facilitatedbytheir
instructor,studentssearchtheBibleforanswerstotheirquestionsonthesetopicsanddiscuss
theirfindingswiththerestoftheclass.Audio/visualresourcesareusedtoenhancethelearning
inthisclassofexcitingdiscovery.
Career
Thisclassexploresavarietyofcareerstohelpstudentsunderstandeducationalrequirements,
payscale,anddetailsaboutdifferentcareers.Thereisdiscussionaboutcollegegoals,college
requirements,athleticscholarships,andacademicscholarships.Studentswilltakeaninterest
inventorytohelpthemunderstandtheiraptitudesandhowtheycanbetransferredintothe
workworld.Theclassisagreatopportunityforstudentstoexploreandthinkabouttheir
futures.ArepresentativefromCollegeinColoradomaycometosharewithstudents.
17
Choir
Choirisayearlongclassdesignedforstudentswhoenjoysingingandperforminginalarge
groupsetting.Theclassisopentoallstudentsin6th,7thand8thgrades.Throughthe
ensembleexperience,studentsareexposedtoavarietyofqualitychoralliterature,music
theory,history,eartraining,andperformancetechniques.Anemphasisisplacedonthe
maturinganddevelopingadolescentvoiceanditsapplicationtopraisingandhonoringourGod.
Smallerensemblesmayemergefromtheclasstoaccommodatevariousvocalabilitiesand
performanceopportunities.Choirmemberswillperformatleasttwoconcertsperyear,with
off-campusperformancesatthediscretionoftheinstructor.
ComputerTopics
InthisclassstudentswillberesearchinghowtobestuseiPadsineducation.Thestudentswill
beusingiBooksAuthortocreateaneBooktopresenttheirfindingson"Bestpractices"for
iPadsintheclassroom.Theclasswillalsoexplore"VideoGameDesign,"whereestudentswill
learnthevocabularyandtheoryofvideo-gamedesign.Theywillthendesigntheirownvideogamesandhopefullyenjoyplayingoneanother’sgames.
CreativeWriting
Thiscourseisdesignedforstudentswhoenjoycreativewritingandwanttosharpentheirskills
andgrowtheirwritingtalent.We'llexaminetheelementsofagoodstory,experimentwith
differentfictionandcreativenon-fictionforms,andlearnhowtorespectfullyandconstructively
critiqueourfellowwriters'projects.Nopreviouscreativewritinginstructionorexperienceis required,justaloveofstoryandadesiretowriteyourown!
CurrentEvents
UsingaChristianworldview,thisclassusesthedailynewspaperfromtheInternet,selected
periodicals,videoclips,specialreports,etc.toteachstudentsaboutcontemporaryissuesthat
haverelevancetotheirdailylives.Studentsexaminebiasinreportingandresearchtopicsusing
avarietyofsources.Thisclassprovidespracticeintheskilloflisteningtoothersrespectfully
andsummarizinganother’spointofview.
DramaOutreach
Thisclassisavailableforallgrades.Itwillmeettwiceaweekforonesemester.Itisanelective
designedforstudentswhodefinitelywanttotakethestageandcreateperformancesforan
audiencebeyondtheclassroom.Studentswilluseavarietyoftheatricalpresentations,
including:skits,readers’theater,dowelrodorbannermusicinterpretationhumanvideo,
mime,oranyothercreativeartformtogettheirmessageacrosstoanaudience.Sincethisis
performance-based,emphasiswillbeplacedonmemorizingandpolishingeachassigned
project.
DramaProductionfor8thGraders
Thisperformanceproductionclassmeetsthreetimesweeklyforonesemester.Inthisclassthe
thrustisonanall-schoolproductiontobepresentedattheendofthesemester.Auditionsare
heldandstudentsexperiencepreparingforanaudition.Inaddition,studentsexperience
researchingcharacterand/orsettingoftheproduction,preparingpublicity,memorizinglines,
18
costumingforcharacters,stagingandblocking,andrehearsalsandperformancesoutsidethe
classroom.Uponcompletionoftheproduction,studentsareaskedtoreflectonandevaluate
theirownperformancesaswellastheoverallproduction.
FilmLiterature
Duringthissemesterlongcoursestudentswillview,predict,discuss,respondto,question,
interpretandanalyzefilms.Studentswillbeintroducedtofilmterminologyandcinematic
effects.Theywillalsomakeconnectionstoliterature,literarytechniques,andreading
strategieswhileengagingwithfilm.
GameStrategies
Thiscourseisdesignedprimarilyforthosewhoarebeginnersorrelativelynewtothegame.
Thebasicrulesofchessaswellassomebasictacticsandstrategiesarecovered.Studentswho
arealreadyavidplayersmaybenefitfromthiscourseaswell,andthehopeisthatallstudents
willadvancefromtheircurrentlevel.
HealthandWellness:
Healthandfitnessisanelectiveofferedtoanystudent.Thecurriculumofthisclassis
designedtogivestudentsknowledgeofvarioushealthandfitnesstopics.Thisclassispartial classroomworkandsomefitnessactivities.Studentswillexplorecurrenttopics onhealthy
eating,obesity,commondiseases,positiverelationshipbuilding,positivedecision-making,
goalsetting,andfitnesstrends.Thestudentswillgainknowledgeanddemonstratetheir
proficiencythrough;readings,videos,groupworkandclassleadership.Thiscoursewillfocus
onadesiretohaveeverystudentleavewithknowledgeofwhatisneededtoremain
healthythroughoutlife.
Keyboarding
Keyboardingisaone-semestercoursedesignedtohelpstudentsdevelopspeedandaccuracy
bylearningthetouchoperationofalphanumeric/keyboardcharacters.Emphasisisplacedon
thefollowing:masteryofthekeyboardwithdesirablekeyboardingtechniques:developmentof
speedandaccuracyandpropercareoftheequipment.Keyboardingisfoundationalfor
developingentry-levelskillsforbusinesscareers
LifetimeFitness:
Lifetimefitnessisanelectiveofferedtoanystudent.Thecurriculumofthisclassis
designedtoenhanceandincreaseastudent’scorestrength,flexibility,coordination,and
balance.Thestudentwillunderstandthecorrelationbetweenfitnessintheseareasand
howitrelatestolong-termwell-beingandhealth.Thecoursewillutilizelowimpact
activitieslike:dance,yoga,pilatesandzumba.Eachstudentwilldemonstrateimprovement
throughcore,flexibilityandbalanceevaluations.Furthermore,studentswillpracticestrong
leadershipandencouragementthroughgroupdanceactivitiesandleadingfitness
sessions.Thiscoursefocusesonlowimpactactivitiestoincreasefitnesslevelsthroughoutlife.
19
MediaProduction
Thiscourseisdesignedtoeducatestudentsanddeveloptheirskillsandtechniquesinthe
creationofmultipleformsofmedia,includingvideo,photograph,andprintmaterials.Oneof
theoverallobjectivesisthatasstudentsgainconfidenceintheircreativeabilities,theywill
usethemtoinfluencetheworldforChrist.SupplementalInstructionalmaterialsinclude:
IMovie,Photoshop,iPhoto,MicrosoftWordandotheronlineresources.
MediaStudies
Inourmedia-saturatedculture,wearecontinuouslyinundatedwithimpactfulimagery and words.Christiansmustbeequippedtowiselyevaluatethemessageswe’reexposedtoand
responsiblyhandlethetechnologiesusedtogeneratethem.Thiscourseexplorestexting,social
media,advertising,movies,TV,propagandadisguisedaspublicserviceannouncements,and
othermeansoursocietyusestoinfluencethinking.Relyingonabiblicalworldview,wewilllook
atboththepositiveandnegativedimensionsofmediaandprovidetoolsfordeconstructing
andanalyzingitsmessages.
MusicalTheater
TheCHCMSMusicTheaterClassworkstogethertooffertheschoolandcommunityahigh
qualityproduction.Inadditiontorehearsaltraining,studentsgainknowledgeinpropersinging
technique,actingskills,danceandchoreography,make-up,costuming,andpublicity.Stage
managers,lightingtechniciansandstagecrewallmakeimportantcontributionstothesuccess
oftheshow.
Piano
PianoClassisdesignedtointroducestudentstobasicpianokeyboardingskillsandtechniques.
Studentsworkattheirownpace,learninghowtoreadpianosheetmusicwhilstplayingawide
varietyofsongs.Theyarealsogiventheopportunitytoperforminmini"recitals"fortheir
peersinclass.Thisclassisaccessibletostudentsofalllevelsandishighlyrecommendedfor
anyoneinterestedinlearninghowtoreadmusic!
PublicSpeaking
Thiselectiveclassisavailabletostudentsfrom6ththrough8thgrade.Itmeetstwiceweeklyfor
45minuteseachperiod.Duringthesemester,studentswilllearnhowtoorganizetheir
thoughtsinoutlineformastheyprepareandpresentavarietyofspeeches.Emphasiswillbe
placedonvoiceandbodyprojection,cleardiction,goodinformationgathering,anddeveloping
confidenceinfrontofanaudience.Astimeallows,speechesmayincludeannouncement-
making,speechofintroduction,interviewtechniques,demonstrationspeech,and/ora
persuasivespeech,demonstrationspeeches,and/orspeechtoconvinceorpersuade.
Puppetry/Drama
Thisclassmeetstwiceweeklyforonesemester.Theemphasisistotallyonthepuppetryfield.
Studentsareintroducedtovarioustypesofpuppets,andlearnhoweachoperates.They
constructasimplepuppetintheclassroomanduseitinperformance.Theclassactsasone
largepuppetteam,whichcreativelyperformsbothsongsandskitswithagreatvarietyof
20
puppets.Thisclasspreparesapuppetshow(orshows)foranaudienceoutsidetheclassroom.
CHCMSpuppeteersperforminourcommunityduringourmissionsoutreachdaysandhave
alsohadtheopportunitytoperforminotherstatesandinMexicoduringMissionsWeek.
Radio-TVProductionClass
Thisclassisavailabletostudentsfrom6ththrough8thgrade.Itmeetstwiceweeklyforone
semester.StudentsconcentrateonequarteronradioandthesecondquarteronTV.Students
areintroducedtoradionews,commercials,andageneraloverviewoftheperformancesideof
radio.Theclasslearnscorrectmicrophonetechniquesandcreatesprojectsforradio
announcing.Duringthesecondquarterstudentslearntouseavideocameraandtaketurns
beinginfrontofandbehindthecameraforshortproductions.Fieldtripsand/orprofessionals
fromRadioandorTVareutilizedtogivestudentsamoreauthenticexperiencewithboth
areas.
ReadingPlus/PowerReading
Reading Plus is a web-based reading intervention/enrichment program that prepares students to
engage with complex text by developing all three dimensions of successful readers—capacity,
efficiency, and motivation—which are the foundation of success. Developed in partnership with
leading reading researchers, the personalized and dynamically adjusting program is proven to
increase reading achievement for students in grades 3 and beyond. Using their iPads, students are
assigned minimum numbers of activities in Reading Plus to be completed each week as they
work to achieve overall reading proficiency at grade level. Students may be assigned to Reading
Plus for intervention but may also choose the program for their own enrichment. For more
information about the program, see www.readingplus.com.
Robotics
Thiscourseconsistsoftwomaintopics:1)technologytroubleshootingand2)anintroduction
toRobotics.Studentslearntodiagnosebothhardwareandsoftwareissuesandhavethe
opportunitytovolunteerasbasictechsupportforclassroomteachers.Studentsalsoworkin
engineeringteamstodesign,build,program,andtestrobotsthattheyusetosolveproblems,
andDOBATTLE(J).Astheygainconfidenceintheirknowledge,usethetechnologyand
discusstheimportanceofitsapplicationintoday’ssociety,studentslearntoinfluencethe
technologyworldforChrist,whileenjoyingtheirexperienceinclass.
ScienceLab:Thiselectivesciencecoursegivesstudentspracticeininquiry-basedscience
learningandinthetechnologydesignprocess.Studentsincreasebackgroundknowledgeina
particulartopic(suchasstructures)andthenaregivenascenarioinwhichtheymustmeeta
challengeorsolveaproblem(forexample,spanaspecifieddistancewithabridgeusingonly
certainmaterials.)Studentswalkthroughtheprocessofinitialtrialsandprototypes,analysisof
results,applicationofresultingknowledgeinfurthertrials,andarticulation/communicationof
theprocesstoothers.
21
Sewing
Studentslearnbasicsewingtechniques.Classmemberscreateavarietyofhand-sewnand
machine-sewnprojectsforothersandwellassupplyfabricandcompleteaprojectfor
themselves.(Forexample,patchworkblanketsmaybemadeforhomelessteenagersorgroups
suchastheLinesProject).Asupplylistisprovidedandnopreviousexperienceisrequired.
StudySkills
Thisclassisdesignedtohelpmiddleschoolstudentsthatmaybehavingdifficultywith
organizationandkeepingupwiththeirhomework.Ministudyskilllessonsareprovidedinclass
toteachstudentsdifferentwaystostudytohelpthemfindamethodbestsuitedtotheir
learningstyles.Becausetheclassissmall,individualizedinstructionismorereadilyprovided.
Yearbook/Photography
Yearbook/Photographyisacombinedclassinwhichstudentswilllearnbasicphotographyskills,
AdobePhotoshop,andwillworkontheyearbooklayout.Thefirstquarteroftheyearis
focusedprimarilyonphotographyandlearningthebasicsofPhotoshop.The2-4thquartersare
morefocusedonyearbookdesignandcompletion.Thereareonly10spacesopenforthisclass
andstudentsmustsubmitaparagraphtoMrs.Thompson/Mrs.Gallegosexplainingwhythey
feelthattheywouldbeanassettothisclass.
22