Lakenheath Middle School Elective Course Offerings 2014/15

Art 6th grade, one quarter: Students will explore with a variety of materials the elements and principles of
art to include line, shape, color, and texture.

Art 7th/8th grade, one semester: Students will explore the elements and principles of art using a variety
of materials. Materials will be more advanced and include watercolor, tempera paint, scratchboard, with
emphasis on projects incorporating many materials.

AVID: Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a program designed to help middle and high
school students prepare for college or university success. Students in the program commit themselves to
academic rigor and preparation for college. AVID offers instruction in essential academic skills necessary
for college success. The AVID program teaches the students how to study, read for content, take notes,
and manage time. Students participate in collaborative study groups, or tutorials, led by tutors who use
skillful questioning to bring students to a higher level of understanding. The students who participate in
the program are also exposed to different careers via guest speakers, college study trips, community
service, and various team building activities throughout the year. Students must apply and meet
requirements for the program by completing an application which is available upon request.

Band: The beginning band course is designed to introduce students to playing a woodwind, brass, or
percussive instrument. Students will learn how to play notes and basic rhythms, while being continually
challenged to play individually, in small groups, and in a large group concert band setting. No experience
or audition is required, but regular practice, a positive attitude and strong effort is expected.
Extension of the beginning band course is designed to further students the opportunity to learn more
about notes, the science of sound, extended rhythms, while have a more challenged opportunity to play
individually, in small groups, and in a large group concert band setting. Experience is required in previous
school bands, individual instrumental lessons, or practical music experience. Heightened practice is
expected.

Business Enterprise: This semester course is designed to introduce students to the world of workits
expectations, demand for skills, flow-of-activity, performance standards and need for interpersonal skills.
The first weeks concentrate on developing these capabilities; the following weeks set up a business.
Students will explore the roles they will assume as adults and acquire skills needed in life. Included will be
critical thinking, problem solving skills, information & communication skills, the basics of food selection,
and nutrition. Also included will be activities on business management, math skills, and improving reading
comprehension.

Choir, Intermediate: Students will sing a variety of choral music from different cultures and time periods.
Students perform with increasing technical accuracy in tone quality, articulation/diction, pitch, phrasing
and rhythms within the choir. Students will perform a minimum of four public performances per year. Such
concerts include a fall concert, winter concert, and two spring concerts. There will also be opportunities to
perform at community events.

Show Choir: Students perform a wide and varied repertoire of music. Teacher and students create their
own dance choreography-movements appropriate to the music being rehearsed. Combining
choreography with vocal music, demonstrating advanced singing accuracy via tone quality, articulation
and style is the central goal within show choir. In addition, students must demonstrate greater technical
accuracy in tone quality, articulation, phrasing, unison and two-three part harmony than the other two
chorus classes. Students will perform a minimum of four public performances per year. Such concerts
include a fall concert, winter concert, and two spring concerts. There will also be opportunities to perform
at community events.


Creative Writing: Creative Writing is a semester long course that explores different genres of writing
through reading and writing, as well as other technical elements to help develop and improve writing and
composition skills.

Drama (Quarter): This is an introductory drama course for 6th grade students. Classroom activities will
focus on developing your voice and body movement. You will work in acting groups and individually while
performing a narrative pantomime, story dramatization, reader's theatre, and a memorized monologue.

Drama (Semester): This course is designed for all 7th and 8th grade students. Classroom activiites will
focus on voice development, improvisation, stage composition, and theatre history. The class will perform
a one-act play for the students at LMS.

Family Consumer Science 6th Grade: This 9-week exploratory course is designed to provide students
with basic concepts, skills, and competencies essential to living in the 21st century. Students will explore
the roles they will assume as adults and acquire skills needed in life. Included will be the importance of
food selection and nutrition. Also included will be activities on personal relationships, family living,
adolescence, conflict resolution, consumer awareness, sewing (hand and machine), and meal
preparation.

Family Consumer Science 7/8th Grade: This 18-week exploratory course is designed to provide
students with basic concepts, skills, and competencies essential to living in the 21st century. Students will
explore the roles they will assume as adults and acquire skills needed in life. Included will be babysitting
skills, the basics of food selection, and nutrition. Also included will be activities on personal relationships,
family living, adolescence, conflict resolution, consumer awareness, sewing (hand and machine), and
meal preparation.

Guitar: This class introduces students to the study of guitar including chords, melodies, rhythms, and
reading music. They practice strumming and picking techniques, working with various guitar styles and
develop and build a music repertoire. There may be the opportunity for students to perform in shows
throughout the year.


Intercultural Education & Research: Intercultural Education is our students opportunity to learn about
the country where they are now living as they will study the culture, geography and history of the UK .This
exploratory option is a fun class that enables students to develop a greater understanding of the country
and builds student sense of place in the U.K. At LMS the class is an exploratory class lasting for one
quarter or a semester, as each year group studies different material it is possible to choose this subject
in each of a students three years at LMS.
The class complements the DODEA standards studied in Social Studies and emphasizes activity based
learning with students often working together in pairs or groups. Students frequently use computers for
projects and research and may also be involved in drama, art or other creative activities.

Math Support: Math Support is designed for students who need extra help in math. Current course
material is emphasized and reinforced through individual and group work. Remediation in basic math
skills and test-taking strategies are also addressed.


Photography: In this course students will explore digital photography and related technologies for the
production of Fine Art. Projects will require exploration and experimentation. The integration of technical
skills and aesthetic
expression are emphasized along with a study of photographic themes and important artists associated
with those themes. Emphasis is placed on the principles of photography.

Reading Support: Read 180 is the most thoroughly researched and documented reading intervention
program, proven to raise reading achievement. This lab utilizes a teaching system that provides an
individual and clear instructional path for reluctant readers.

Speech (Semester): The speech communication course is designed to prepare students to speak
publicly and create speeches that reflect careful thought in planning, organization, and delivery. Speaking
assignments to include but not limited to: The Warm-Up Speech; Introductory Speech; Children's
Literature Interpretation: Poetry Reading; Current Events Speech; Demonstration; Persuasive; Computer
Aided Speech; Dining Etiquette and Conversation; Job Interviews; Group Problem Solving and
Consensus; Team Debate.

Robotics - Applied Technology: This course presents an overview of robotics in practice and research
with topics including vision, motion planning, mobile mechanisms, robot design, use of sensors. In course
projects, students construct robots which are driven by a microcontroller, with each project students will
learn basic robotic principles. Students usually work in teams of two: an a mechanical engineer, and a
computer scientist.
This course will also expose students to some of the contemporary happenings in robotics, including
current robot lab research, applications, robot contests and robot web surfing.


STEM 21st century skills: The STEM course will focus on skills needed to be successful in the 21st
century. The class will include components of financial and social literacy with an emphasis on science
and technology. Students will collaborate on projects and hone their research skills.

Study Skills: STUDY SKILLS, up close and personal: All the things you wished you knew to be
successful in school! Its ALL ABOUT YOUR WORK ETHIC!
Time Management and Self Planning
Taking Personal Responsibility
The Hidden Curriculum of presenting yourself well, inter-personal relations of getting along with people,
and BODY ENGLISH says it all.
Understanding what really makes successful students. You will be surprised! Its not about high IQs.
The art of taking Cornell Notes, taking tests, tips and hints on HOW to study.

Intro to Video production: This course is designed to provide Middle School students with exploratory
and investigative activities dealing with camera functions, filming techniques, composition, and
nonlinear/linear editing.