Middle School Course Descriptions

Discover your own ability to write through reading, listening, and analyzing various texts, such as short stories and novels

Learn mathematics through animations, applications, videos, games, and real-world scenarios while creating, investigating, and demonstrating your knowledge.

Explore the foundations of science, including energy, Earth’s changing features and structures, Earth’s history, genetics, heredity, and the organization and interaction of living organisms.

Travel back in time to discover the secrets and benefits of our world’s history. You will learn about China’s ancient dynasties, the precision of Mayan astronomy, and India’s contribution to medicine, which have formed what we know and who we are today.

On-site option as well as online components;
Health curriculum is also part of this year-long class.

Become a critical reader and thinker using fiction and informational texts. Acquire the tools to understand and express yourself through writing

Gain a true understanding of higher-level concepts such as functions and systems of equations while experiencing intrigue and fun in this hands-on course full of slideshows, applications, videos, and real-world scenarios.

Prepare for high school science courses with this introduction of new topics and review of science basics. You will learn more about the nature of science, Earth and space science, properties of matter, changes in matter, matter and energy, and energy flow.

You will discover that history is full of adventure, colorful characters, and complex plots. Each plot is different and highlights an important story from our nation’s past.

On-site option in addition to online course.

Do you like to draw, paint, or take pictures? Whatever medium you prefer, this course will teach you the design elements and principles needed to create a work of art and explore your artistic inspirations. You’ll also travel back in time to look at art in different cultures and learn about the art of critiquing. Let’s turn your creative dreams into reality!

Across the decades, there have been many legendary animated characters, but now is the time for YOU to breathe life into the next great animation! In this course, you will explore the history of animation to understand it’s evolution. You’ll also learn the essentials of character development, color theory and design, and the principles of animation while applying your unique animation style to your own animated character. All of your hard work will culminate in your artist’s portfolio so you can show off your hard work. Let’s create a new life!

The world is filled with so many different forms of art – including digital art. In this course, you’ll explore this special genre of art found in everything from advertising to animation to photography and beyond. Additionally, you’ll tap into your creative side to create digital art and make it come alive!

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘music’? Do you think about your favorite band or artist? In this course, you’ll learn about how we hear music; how music affects our lives; essential elements of music like rhythm, pitch, and harmony; different musical genres; singing and your voice; various instruments; music composition; and the history and culture of music over the years.

Are you someone who likes to write to get the story straight? Skilled journalists know how to find key facts and write them up in a way that makes it easy for others to read. In this course, you’ll learn how to ask the right questions, how to gather information effectively, organize ideas, format stories, and edit your articles. Get ready to break that news!

You’ve probably heard of STEM, but what exactly is it? STEM is the process of applying a combination of science, technology, engineering, and math and brainstorming, building, testing, and seeking answers through research. In this course, you’ll begin to develop these skills and learn how STEM can shape the future and even solve the world’s biggest problems through innovation. Seems pretty cool, right? Let’s start digging for answers into this groundbreaking subject!

S1: 
We love to play video games, but have you ever wanted to build your own? If you are interested in a career in technology but also want a creative outlet, Game Design might be the field for you. Learn how to build a game from the ground up in this interactive and hands-on course that will teach you all the ins and outs of making your own game.

S2:
It’s time to take your Game Design knowledge up a level! You built your game design skills and Scratch techniques in the first part of this course. By the end, you wrote your game design document. Now you are ready to start developing that game! You’ll create details and add component pieces in a game while learning to prototype, troubleshoot, and test.

S1:
Photographs are all around us, and each helps to tell a story. Now it’s time for you to create your story through photos you learn how to take in this course. Learn the basics of using a camera, lighting, and how to choose great subjects to create magazine-worthy photos and amaze your friends and family with your skills.

S2:
Do you have vacation photos or pics of your pet that need a little editing? How about getting ready to add that new selfie you took to your social media platform? Taking photos is an art, and editing photos is a skill that many photographers seek to master. Explore how to manipulate angles and lighting, the purpose for different types of photo files, how to use different software to edit photos, and safe places you can store them. You’ll be well on your way to being an editing guru when you’re done with this course.

^ Requires approval; does not earn High School credit.

Learn basic Spanish grammar to help build your fluency and understanding, and apply what you learn through interactive games, written practice, listening, and speaking exercises.

Learn how the momentum of science is continually propelling engineers in new directions towards a future full of insight and opportunity. Explore the different branches of engineering and how problem-solving, sketching, collaboration, and experimentation can change the very fiber of our human lives. By examining astounding engineering feats and complex ongoing issues, you’ll begin to question whether the word impossible really exists.

Are you interested in business, leading people, or making decisions to help a business be successful? While there are many different career choices in the field of business, in this course, you’ll discover options such as management, human resources, business operations, information management, and accounting. Explore the skills you’ll need, common tasks, the technology used, and characteristics of various business careers.

Where do healthcare workers spend their days? What do they really do? From cruise ships to sports arenas, you can find healthcare workers in many places that you might not expect. Explore this field, including what it would be like to work in a medical lab. Learn what it takes to keep you and your patients safe, and begin to learn about the human body and basic first-aid.

Do you ever look at your man-made surroundings and find yourself fascinated at how it was created? Modern manufacturing is the answer. In this course, you will learn the big picture of manufacturing- categories, how companies decide what to produce, and how companies produce it- and making items in the most cost-effective way. You will also study the history of manufacturing technologies, so you can see the future possibilities for manufacturing more clearly as you start to do activities where you’ll learn how your ideas can become a reality. Get ready to unveil how modern manufacturing creates the world we live in. Let’s get started!