Gorzycki Middle School Course Descriptions

Gorzycki Middle School 7th Grade Course Descriptions

Detailed descriptions of course offering are available in the Austin ISD Secondary School Information Guide. The guide is available online at http://www.austinisd.org/academics/curriculum/school_guide/index.phtml

Required Courses:  All students should select only one course offering (R for Regular or H for Pre-AP) for each of the core subject areas of English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.  Students will be placed in Pre-AP classes based on TAKS results or parent signature on choice sheet. Pre-AP courses are recommended for students who have achieved a commended score on a standardized test, such as TAKS or ITBS, in the selected subject area. Students identified, as Gifted/Talented must be registered for Pre-AP classes in the area(s) in which they have been identified in order to maintain G/T designation.  The Accelerated 7th grade Math course is designed for students who will take Algebra in the 8th grade. Students move very quickly through the 7th grade Math TEKS and concentrate on 8th grade Math TEKS. For placement in Accelerated Math, students current 6th grade Accelerated math grade, Math TAKS results and Math readiness test will determine eligibility.

Required Electives: All students are required to have one semester of Physical Education during the 7th grade year, unless the District Athletic Offices grant Category II waiver. Students must apply for the waiver through the District Office (see the AISD website www.Austinisd.org for more information). The completed waiver packet must be received in the District office on or before the first day of each semester. Athletics and Dance are also courses that may be used to fulfill the Physical Education requirement. Physical Education: In grade 6-8 students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement and physical activity that provide the foundations for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically active lifestyle. Students learn about functions of the body, learn to measure their own performance more accurately, and develop plans for improvement. Athletics-is designed for students who want to compete in team sports for GMS. Circle Fall or Spring (or both to take Athletics all year) on the choice sheet.  Fall semester sports are: Boy’s Football, Girl’s Volleyball and Girl’s Basketball.  Spring semester sports are: Boy’s Basketball, Boys and Girl’s Track. Choosing the Athletics class does not determine who makes the actual team. Coaches will determine final selection. There will be no schedule change out of athletics for students who do mot make the team. Students can play sports even though they are not in Athletics. Dance- is a semester long technique-based curriculum designed to provide students the opportunity to explore the various forms of traditional & contemporary dance and fulfills the district requirement for Physical Education. Students will learn the major bones and muscles of the body as well as the history of the dance techniques. Students will be required to purchase a specific uniform and shoes for the dance class. GMS Tigeretes is a yearlong advanced level performance-based dance class. Selection into GMS Tigerettes is by an audition process only.

TAKS Preparation Classes: It is required that students who did not meet minimum expectation on the TAKS Reading or Math test enroll in an intervention class to prepare for success on the future TAKS test. Counselors work with students to determine the best placement in a required intervention course. Mathematics Lab- It is required that any student who did not meet minimum expectation on the TAKS Math test take this course as one of the elective choices. It is a one-period, yearlong course designed to improve specific math skill areas and is in addition to that student’s Mathematics class. Reading Elective- It is required that students who did not meet the minimum expectation on the reading portion of the TAKS test take this intensive reading class that build skills needed for students who are close to passing their Reading grade level TAKS test. The class is a yearlong, one-period elective in addition to English Language Arts.

General Electives: Journalism: Publication English-Newspaper-is offered as a yearlong elective for students who which to apply their writing skills to journalism. Students write and/or edit the school newspaper. Projects involve photography, layout and design, and extensive writing. Publication English- Yearbook- is offered as yearlong elective for students who wish to apply their writing skills to journalism. Students write and/or edit the school yearbook. Projects involve photography, layout and design, and extensive writing.

Fine Arts: Art- provides comprehensive learning in visual knowledge and skills, In Art, competencies and content are taught through the 4 basics strands- perception, creative expression, historical and cultural heritage, and critical evaluation. It is a yearlong or a semester elective. Band- provides students with continued instruction on a chosen band instrument. Students will be placed in a specific band class based on their current skill level and previous experience. It is a yearlong elective. We will work with student’s current band directors to assist in students’ placement. Stage/Jazz Band- is an instrumental ensemble designed to study the performance techniques of popular and traditional Jazz music. Students must be in 7th or 8th grade, and concurrently enrolled in band or orchestra to participate. The band is a one semester elective. Current Teacher approval required for placement. Choir- is the study of vocal music techniques. Students will be placed in a specific choir based on their current skill level and previous experience. Orchestra- is the continued instruction on a chosen orchestral instrument. Students will be placed in a specific orchestra class based on their current skill level and previous experience. It may only be taken as a full year elective. We will work with the students’ teacher to determine placement. Theater Arts- is offered as a yearlong course that covers basic and advanced techniques in acting. Students will study areas such as improvisation, play writing, and directing.

Career and Technology Education (CATE) Classes: Exploring Careers- Students will take interest inventories, learn about their skills and talents, and then discover exciting careers that match their abilities. They will explore different career clusters and learn how to start preparing for a great career, while they’re still in middle school. They will take field trips to discover “a day in the life of” some awesome careers! Skills for Living- Skills for Living is an introduction to the field of Family and Consumer Sciences, where students will learn how to manage every aspect of their lives. Through practical hands-on labs, sewing and cooking labs, and computer-based modules, students will learn how to manage many aspects of their lives that will help them in middle school and beyond. Culinary Arts and Hospitality Careers-Prerequisite: Skills for Living In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of cooking, baking and food styling. They will apply the principles of nutrition and wellness to creating healthier versions of their favorite foods. Students will explore the many career options in the recreation, hotel, resort, and amusement industries. Safety and use of proper skills will be heavily emphasized in this course. Technology Careers- (Previously Tech Education) Interested in building and flying airplanes, filming and editing movies, constructing balsa wood bridges, experimenting with solar energy, designing circuits, and exploring lasers? In Technology Careers, students gain practical experience with various technical fields and their associated careers through hands-on building and problem solving projects. Robotics Careers- Prerequisite: Technology Education, Technology Careers or Teacher Approval Exploring Robotics is an introduction to engineering using robots. In learning what robots are capable of, and how to specify their behaviors, students will learn much about the science of computing and some key concepts in both computer programming and engineering. Students will be building Lego Mindstorms NXT robots and programming them using the included NXT software (based on National Instruments’ LabView). Information Technology Careers I- (Previously Exploring Computer Apps) Prerequisite: Technology Education, Technology Careers or Teacher Approval Interested in everything about computers? In this course, students will explore information technology careers that involve designing, developing, supporting and managing computer hardware, software, and multimedia. Specific topics typically include computer hardware and troubleshooting, 3D modeling, digital imagery & manipulation, video game development, web page authoring, animation, and basic computer programming. Construction and Manufacturing Careers- Prerequisite: Technology Education, Technology Careers or Teacher Approval Do you like building things from scratch? Do you like working with tools? This course is designed to enable students to investigate careers in the construction and manufacturing industry while learning practical woodworking skills they can use now. In our Woodshop, students will be provided with opportunity to learn basic woodworking techniques, including concepts of safety, working with hand and power tools, and basic design and construction techniques. Safety is the top priority and is heavily emphasized.

Local Electives: Creative Writing- is a one-semester elective that provides an opportunity for student to refine their creative writing skills beyond those developed in the required English classes. The goal of this class is to help students develop appreciation and enjoyment of literature in all of its forms. Students will learn and practice skills that help them create original, fresh, and insightful work while sharpening their critical reading skills through reading discussion, and writing assignments. They will learn the conventions of critique and collaboration in a writer’s workshop setting and compile a portfolio of their own revised work. Creative Problem Solving- is a one-semester elective that teaches students proven and effective means of decision making in order to solve problems. CPS promotes the use of higher order thinking skills, creativity and ability to generate many ideas essential for development of creative solution, innovations, and inventions. Students utilize problem-bases learning to complete projects and present solutions for their community.

High School Credit Courses: Keyboarding- is a one-semester high school credit course in which students apply technical skills to address business applications of current technologies. Keyboarding should be taken in middle school in either Grade 7 or 8. Due to limited enrollment, priority will be given to eighth grade students who sign-up for this class. Remaining opening will be filled during the scheduling process. LOTE- Foreign Language- French, German, and Spanish will be offered. Foreign language is a high school credit course that covers the first year of the chosen language over two years at middle school. A commended score on the TAKS reading test is recommended before taking a foreign language. Grades earned in this course are included in the high school grade point average. Students who desire to receive high school credit for foreign language taken in Middle school must begin the study of a foreign language in 7th grade and continue that study in 8th grade. Completion of only one year of foreign language does not qualify for high school credit.

Due to District staffing allocations, students may not receive their first choices for elective classes and some classes may not be available due to staffing constraints.