7th & 8th Grade Course Registration
2024-2025 SEVENTH Grade Course Registration Sheet
As the Maconaquah Middle School counseling department prepares student schedules for the 2024-2025 school year, we are excited to offer a variety of high school credit courses. These courses will count toward High School graduation requirements and the grades will be figured into your students' High School GPA. There are several advantages to taking high school courses while in middle school. Students will earn credits earlier which may allow flexibility in his/her schedule for more dual credit classes while in High School. Taking these courses may also provide some flexibility in a student’s schedule for taking CTE (Career and Technical Education) courses.
Students may be placed in Math/ELA remediation if they are not showing proficiency on their iReady assessments and with teacher recommendation. This will be a semester class that is re-evaluated by the teacher and could be a year-long placement. A student may graduate from the program at the semester if they show significant improvement. Eligibility for a remediation course will remove an opportunity for an elective course. If currently in Choir or Band they will be scheduled in these classes for 2024-2025 school year. If a student who is not currently in Band or Choir, would like to join please let Mrs. Shone or Mrs. Townsend know.
Your child will be scheduled for the courses listed below.
Semester 1 Semester 2
On Wednesday, March 6th at 3:30p.m. your child will be able to log on to their Skyward account and register for 2 (if in band or choir) or 3 more class(es) which are listed on the below. Registration will be time stamped and students will be placed in class(es) on a 1st come 1st serve basis. Any technical issues can be addressed by communicating with our tech department during school hours. Students should be sure to log-in to their Skyward accounts before March 6th to avoid unforeseen log-in errors.
Elective courses offered with high school credit:
French 1, Spanish 1, Supervised Agriculture Experience
Course Descriptions:
FRENCH I (2 Semesters)
French I, a course based on Indiana’s Academic Standards for World Languages, introduces students to effective strategies for beginning French language learning, and to various aspects of French-speaking culture. This course encourages interpersonal communication through speaking and writing, providing opportunities to make and respond to basic requests and questions, understand and use appropriate greetings and forms of address, participate in brief guided conversations of familiar topics, and write short passages with guidance. This course also emphasizes the development of reading and listening comprehension skills, such as reading isolated words and phrases in a situational context and comprehending brief written or oral directions.
SPANISH I (2 Semesters)
Spanish I, a course on Inidana’s Academic Standards for World Languages, introduces students to effective strategies for beginning Spanish language learning, and to various aspects of Spanish-speaking culture. This course encourages interpersonal communication through speaking and writing, providing opportunities to make and respond to basic requests and questions, understand and use appropriate greetings and forms of address, participate in brief guided conversations on familiar topics, and write short passages with guidance. This course also emphasizes the development of reading and listening comprehension skills, such as reading isolated words and phrases in situational context and comprehension brief written or oral directions. Additionally, students will examine the practices, products and perspectives of Spanish-speaking culture; recognize basic routine practices of the target culture; and recognize and use situation-appropriate non-verbal communication. This course further emphasizes making connections across content areas and the application of understanding Spanish.
SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE (SAE)
Supervised Agricultural Experience is designed to provide students with opportunities to gain experience in the agriculture field(s) in which they are interested. Students will experience and apply what is learned in the classroom, laboratory and training site to real-life situations with a standard-based plan for learning. Students work closely with their agriculture teacher, parents and/or employers to get the most out of their SAE program.
Elective courses offered without high school credit:
Robotics (2 Semesters NOT for high school credit):
Students will learn about the basics of automation and robotics. Students will team up to design, build, program, and compete using VEX equipment. This course may be co-curricular, meaning students may be competing in Robotics competitions on select weekends.
Theater Arts (offered 6-8, 2 semesters NOT for high school credit)
Theater arts will be a creative class that will allow students to explore the world of performing arts. In this class, students have the opportunity to learn and participate in various roles such as directing, acting, writing, production, lights and sounds, and set construction. Participating in an art class, specifically theater arts, offers numerous benefits to students. First and foremost, it provides a platform for students to express themselves creatively. Through acting, directing, and other roles, students can explore different characters and themes, allowing their imagination to come to life. Class activities will include acting, writing, directing and choreographing. The goal is to perform two plays, one a winter play and one a spring play in the high school auditorium with all class participants having a role either on or behind stage.
Miami Indian Experience (offered 6-8, 2 semesters NOT for high school credit)
Students will experience Native American practices, such as fire starting, wigwam building, jewelry making, language, and more, with the help of guest speakers from the Miami tribe and beyond. In the fall and spring we will practice identifying local trees, wildflowers, and animals, and throughout the course, we will learn about the Miami Indian tribe, from history to present day.
Communications (offered 6-8, 2 semesters NOT for high school credit)
This course explores the art of communications, particularly in the areas of news media and marketing. Students will work on a variety of written and broadcast communication exercises, while reporting MMS news! Students will plan and carry-out interviews, arrange photo and graphic layouts, and create marketing pieces for school functions. Throughout this course students will learn to create news with ethics.
2024-2025 EIGHTH Grade Course Registration Sheet
As the Maconaquah Middle School counseling department prepares student schedules for the 2024-2025 school year, we are excited to offer additional courses that will be offered to eighth grade students for high school credit. These courses will count toward High School graduation requirements and the grades will be figured into your students' High School GPA. There are several advantages to taking high school courses while in middle school. Students will earn credits earlier which may allow flexibility in his/her schedule for more dual credit classes while in High School. Taking these courses may also provide some flexibility in a student’s high school schedule for taking CTE (Career and Technical Education) courses in high school.
All 8th grade students will take two 1 semester courses: Preparing for College and Careers and Health, along with 2 semesters of Physical Education. In addition to taking Preparing for College and Careers, Health and Physical Education for a high school credit, students will be allowed to sign up for two additional high school credit courses in eighth grade. Students may be placed in Math/ELA remediation if they are not showing proficiency on their iReady assessments and with teacher recommendation. This will be a semester class that is re-evaluated by the teacher and could be a year-long placement. A student may graduate from the program at the semester if they show significant improvement. Eligibility for a remediation course will remove an opportunity for an elective course. If currently in Choir or Band they will be scheduled in these classes for 2024-2025 school year. If a student who is not currently in Band or Choir, would like to join please let Mrs. Shone or Mrs. Townsend know.
Your child will be scheduled for the courses listed below.
Semester 1 Semester 2
On Wednesday, March 6th at 3:30pm your child will be able to log on to their Skyward account and register for elective courses which are listed below. Registration will be time stamped and students will be placed in class(es) on a first come first serve basis. Any technical issues can be addressed by communicating with our tech department during school hours. Students should be sure to log-in to their Skyward accounts before March 6th to avoid unforeseen log-in errors.
Elective courses offered for high school credit:
Students who are enrolled in Spanish I will be eligible to be scheduled into Spanish II.
Students who are enrolled in French I will be eligible to be scheduled into French II.
Introduction to Engineering Design
Introduction to Agriculture
Course Descriptions:
Preparing for College and Careers (1 Semester)
Preparing for College and Careers addresses the knowledge, skills, and behaviors all students need to be prepared for success in college, career, and life. The focus of the course is the impact of today’s choices on tomorrow’s possibilities. Topics to be addressed include twenty-first century life and career skills; higher order thinking, communication, leadership, and management processes; exploration of personal aptitudes, interests, values, and goals; examining multiple life roles and responsibilities as individuals and family members; planning and building employability skills; transferring school skills to life and work; and managing personal resources. This course includes reviewing the 16 national career clusters and Indiana's College and Career Pathways, in-depth investigation of one or more pathways, reviewing graduation plans, developing career plans, and developing personal and career portfolios.
SPANISH II (2 Semesters)
Prerequisite: Spanish I
Spanish II reviews and advances the learning in Spanish I. Vocabulary and grammatical concepts are expanded. Short simple novels are read. Writing sentences in the past, present, and future tenses along with reading comprehension is emphasized.
FRENCH II (2 Semesters)
Prerequisite: French I
In French II, students will expand upon the communication skills acquired in level one through listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities. They will interpret written and spoken language appropriate for level two, including digital media and culturally authentic resources (websites, videos, music, articles, ads, etc.). More advanced grammar structures will be presented. Students will continue to investigate the cultures of French-speaking countries, including francophone Canada and the castles of France. Students will correspond with native speakers at a school in France.
Introduction to Engineering Design (2 Semesters)
Introduction to Engineering Design is a fundamental pre-engineering course where students become familiar with the engineering design process. Students work both individually and in teams to design solutions to a variety of problems using industry standard sketches and current 3D design and modeling software to represent and communicate solutions. Students apply their knowledge through hands-on projects and document their work with the use of an engineering notebook. Students begin with completing structured activities and move to solving open-ended projects and problems that require them to develop planning, documentation, communication, and other professional skills. Ethical issues related to professional practice and product development are also presented.
Introduction to Agriculture,Food and Natural Resources (2 Semesters)
Introduction to Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources is a two semester course that is highly recommended as a prerequisite to, and as a foundation for, all other agricultural classes. Through hands-on learning activities, students are encouraged to investigate areas of agriculture. Students are introduced to the following areas of agriculture: animal science, plant and soil science, food science, horticultural science, agricultural business management, natural resources, agriculture power, structure, and technology, careers in agriculture, leadership, and supervised agricultural experience. An activity and project based approach is used along with team building to enhance the effectiveness of the student learning activities.
Physical Education (2 Semesters)
The class emphasizes the elevation and maintenance of physical fitness, the appreciation of athletic games, the knowledge of various organized physical activities, and the exposure of needed physical skills. The student receives experiences of a variety of physical activities which enhance his/her physical well-being.
Health and Wellness (1 Semester)
Health education is a learning experience which furnishes information concerning proper decisions about the student and world around them. The class acquaints the student with proper guidelines concerning his/her physical, mental, and social well-being. Discussion of health topics and the revelation of students’ attitudes toward controversial attitudes are stressed. This class emphasizes decision making by the student and the social, economic, and psychological consequences of his decisions now and the ones he/she will encounter throughout his/her lifetime.
Elective courses offered without high school credit:
Robotics (2 Semesters NOT for high school credit):
Students will learn about the basics of automation and robotics. Students will team up to design, build, program, and compete using VEX equipment. This course may be co-curricular, meaning students may be competing in Robotics competitions on select weekends.
Theater Arts (offered 6-8, 2 semesters NOT for high school credit)
Theater arts will be a creative class that will allow students to explore the world of performing arts. In this class, students have the opportunity to learn and participate in various roles such as directing, acting, writing, production, lights and sounds, and set construction. Participating in an art class, specifically theater arts, offers numerous benefits to students. First and foremost, it provides a platform for students to express themselves creatively. Through acting, directing, and other roles, students can explore different characters and themes, allowing their imagination to come to life. Class activities will include acting, writing, directing and choreographing. The goal is to perform two plays, one a winter play and one a spring play in the high school auditorium with all class participants having a role either on or behind stage.
Miami Indian Experience (offered 6-8, 2 semesters NOT for high school credit)
Students will experience Native American practices, such as fire starting, wigwam building, jewelry making, language, and more, with the help of guest speakers from the Miami tribe and beyond. In the fall and spring we will practice identifying local trees, wildflowers, and animals, and throughout the course, we will learn about the Miami Indian tribe, from history to present day.
Communications (offered 6-8, 2 semesters NOT for high school credit)
This course explores the art of communications, particularly in the areas of news media and marketing. Students will work on a variety of written and broadcast communication exercises, while reporting MMS news! Students will plan and carry-out interviews, arrange photo and graphic layouts, and create marketing pieces for school functions. Throughout this course, students will learn to create news with ethics.