Grade 7 Courses

JACKSON CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL – HOME OF THE JAGUARS

2009-2010 Grade 7 Course Selection Information

? Informational Letter to Parents/Guardians (Please keep.)
? Required Course Descriptions (Please keep.)
? Elective Course Descriptions (Please keep.)
? Music Information Sheet
(This sheet must be detached from the packet and returned with the course
selection sheet for all students enrolled in Band, Mixed Choir, or Strings.)
? Course Selection Sheet
(This sheet must be detached from the back of the packet and returned to
Jackson Creek Middle School.)

Monroe County Community School Corporation

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to Jackson Creek Middle School! It is the purpose of this letter and the packet that follows to help you
understand important information concerning academic planning for the first year of secondary education for
your son/daughter at JCMS. Your son/daughter has received this packet to help you decide what courses to
enroll him/her in next year.

Your son/daughter will be enrolling in seven (7) courses. Five (5) of the courses are required by the State of
Indiana, and two of the courses are elective courses.

The five (5) required courses are as follows: (See Elective Course Descriptions for more information.)

1. Language Arts
2. Mathematics
3. Grade 7 Exploratory (P.E.-1 semester / Health – Art – Family & Consumer Science: 6 weeks each)
4. Science
5. Social Studies

You will be selecting both of the elective courses. Every attempt will be made to place your son/daughter in
his/her first choices. However, scheduling conflicts, lack of space, and teacher changes may prevent a 1^st
choice from being fulfilled.

Placement in a mathematics course is determined by middle school teachers based on test results and prior
teacher recommendation. Your son/daughter will be taking a placement test in the late spring of 2009. The
levels of mathematics are as follows:
? Accelerated Learning Program - Algebra 1-2
? Advanced Grade 7 Mathematics
? Standard Grade 7 Mathematics

There are multiple sections of Advanced Grade 7 Mathematics and of Standard Grade 7 Mathematics offered
because of the number of students enrolled in those courses. The MCCSC’s automated scheduling program will
try to place your son/daughter in a section that does not conflict with the two elective choices.

Courses in Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies are teamed in a block and offered at two levels of
placement. The levels are as follows:
? Accelerated Learning Program – Grade 7 Humanities (Language Arts & Social Studies) & Advanced Grade 7 Science
? Standard Grade 7 Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies

The MCCSC’s automated scheduling program will randomly place your son/daughter in a teamed block of three
classes. No general education students are hand-scheduled to a particular team by a JCMS administrator or
guidance counselor as only the computer program makes team assignments. The automated computer program
randomly places all of the students in a team that is composed of Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies
classes. The only students who are hand-scheduled to teams are as follows:
? Special Education & ENL students who are following an Individualized Education Plan as per federal and state law.
? Qualified ALPs students who are accepted in the district’s gifted and talented program.

All 7^th graders eat lunch with each other every day during Lunch B (11:35 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.). They will have
time to be with their friends from elementary school every day. Please keep in mind that the size of the 2009-
2010 Grade 7 class is going to be approximately 250 students. This new 7^th Grade class is notably larger than the
6^th Grade class they are leaving. Please keep in mind that there are so many sections of courses that it makes it
impossible to hand-schedule students with their friends and/or specific teachers. Thank you in advance for your
understanding of this situation.

The JCMS staff is looking forward to having your son/daughter successfully enter Jaguar country. Please
contact a JCMS Guidance Counselor at 330-2451 with any questions and/or concerns you might have. Thank
you!

Sincerely,

Donna Noble

Mrs. Donna Noble
Principal

Jackson Creek Middle School Grade 7 “Required” Courses

Jackson Creek Middle School integrates information skills,
technological skills, reading and writing skills, and critical-
thinking/problem-solving skills into the curriculum of every course
offering.

EXPLORATORY COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Grade 7 students will be assigned to the following four courses:
? Physical Education: (semester) This is a required course which will
continue to involve students in activities which emphasize the
importance of physical conditioning, physical fitness, and lifelong
leisure skills. Students will learn the rules, basic skills, game strategies,
sportsmanship, proper etiquette, and teamwork while participating in
each unit of study. No matter what the student ability level is at the
beginning of a unit, the students are encouraged to do their best to
achieve continuous improvement.

? Health Education: (six weeks) This required exploratory course will
include units such as growth and development, nutrition, wellness and
appearance, and mental health.

? Visual Art: (six weeks) This required exploratory course helps fulfill
the State of Indiana’s fine arts curriculum requirement. This course is
designed to allow students to continue their exposure to the world of
art and art making. The curriculum will build upon the elementary art
curriculum through structured lessons using a variety of two- and threedimensional
media. Students will be given opportunities to learn
appropriate use of tools and materials as well as techniques for
increased visual perception. Projects will challenge students to increase
their art behaviors of manual skill, learning the language of art, choosing,
and interpreting in a problem-solving environment.

? Middle Level Family & Consumer Sciences: (six weeks) This
required exploratory course helps fulfill the State of Indiana’s practical
arts curriculum requirement. This course explores the clothing and
textiles along with foods and nutrition. The students learn a variety of
hand sewing stitches used to mend a tear, hole or ripped seam. Students
will hand sew a felt pin cushion. Students will learn through food labs
the beginning concepts in cooking, basic food safety and sanitation,
equipment and its uses, and the components of a balanced diet.

LANGUAGE ARTS COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Language Arts: (two semesters) This required course will expose
students to the various components of language arts. The primary focus
will be on major skills such as speech, composition, spelling, vocabulary,
and the various genres of literature. Major emphasis will be placed on
grammar with respect to usage and mechanics, and developing
compositions utilizing the writing process.

Humanities: (two semesters) Placement in this course is based on
the selection process of the Accelerated Learning Program. This
interdisciplinary course replaces the standard required language arts
course, and the Language Arts Humanities students will be enrolled in the
Social Studies Humanities course also. The course will expose students to
the various components of language arts. Emphasis will be placed on
grammar with respect to usage and mechanics, developing writing skills,
information skills, public speaking skills, and literature which relates to
the social studies component of Humanities. Emphasis is placed on
student-directed learning, presentations, and projects.

SCIENCE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Science: (two semesters) This required course concentrates on the
study of life science. Life science features cells, living things (plants and
animals), and ecology. Hands-on learning is encouraged while students
are learning to be good citizens through understanding the impact of
science in their lives and the impact of their choices on the environment.

Accelerated Science: (two semesters) Prerequisite: Placement in
this course is based on the selection process of the Accelerated
Learning Program. This course replaces the standard required science
course. The course concentrates on the study of life science with an
emphasis on the scientific method and research skills. Life science
features cells, living things (plants and animals), and ecology. Hands-on
learning is encouraged while each student is learning to be a good citizen
through understanding the impact of science in their life and the impact of
their choices on the environment. Each student will conduct a year-long
scientific investigation which includes extensive research and
experimentation.

SOCIAL STUDIES COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Social Studies: (two semesters) This required course is a survey
course which focuses on several disciplines: anthropology, cultural
studies, current affairs, economics, geography, history, political science,
and sociology. This course is taught in a topical rather than area studies
fashion, but emphasis is placed on the non-western world, particularly
Africa and Asia. Students will be exposed to the traditional social studies
skills along with the expansion of student expertise in the utilization of
research and presentation skills.

Humanities: (two semesters) Prerequisite: Placement in this
course is based on the selection process of the Accelerated Learning
Program. This interdisciplinary course replaces the standard required
social studies course, and the Social Studies Humanities students will be
enrolled in the Language Arts Humanities course also. This course is a
topical course which includes ethics, history, literature, economics,
political science, sociology, environmental studies, and future studies.
This course emphasizes student directed learning, participatory activities,
critical and creative thinking skills, independent reading, and creative
writing.

MATHEMATICS COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Standard Mathematics: (two semesters) This required course is
designed to reinforce and expand upon concepts and skills introduced in
the 6^th grade. The curriculum spans a wide range of proficiencies which
include translating, reasoning, connecting, estimating, place-value,
operations with rational numbers, evaluating expressions, solving simple
equations, measurement, perimeter, area and volume formulas, ratios,
proportions, percents, appropriate use of calculators, probability,
statistics, data collection, graphing, and data analysis.

Advanced Math: (two semesters) Prerequisite: Prognostic test
scores, teacher recommendation, or a combination of both will
determine placement in this course. This course replaces the standard
required mathematics course. This course introduces and explores topics
that provide a foundation for taking either Pre-Algebra or Algebra I in the
8^th grade. Students will be exposed to abstract applications with rational
numbers, variable expressions, equations, inequalities, ratios, proportions,
percents, number theory, graphing in a coordinate plane, geometry and its
applications, square roots and right triangles, irrational numbers,
polynomials, probability, and statistics.

Algebra I: (two semesters) Prerequisite: Placement in this course is
based on the selection process of the Accelerated Learning Program.
This course replaces the standard required mathematics course. Topics in
this course include operations with exponents, radicals, and variable
expressions; solving and graphing linear equations and inequalities;
relations and functions; pairs of linear equations and inequalities; factoring
polynomials; algebraic fractions; quadratic, cubic, and radical equations;
and mathematical reasoning and problem solving. This course may be
organized in a 6^th/7^th/8^th grade combination format.

Geometry: (two semesters) Prerequisite: Placement in this course
is based on the selection process of the Accelerated Learning
Program. This course replaces the standard required mathematics course.
This rigorous course is for students who successfully completed Algebra
I in the 7^th grade. This course consists of a study of the undefined terms,
the axioms, and the theorems of Euclidean geometry. Emphasis is placed
on understanding the deductive processes involved in proofs, numerical
and algebraic exercises and geometric constructions. The topics covered
include inductive and deductive reasoning, triangles, perpendicular and
parallel lines, constructions, area, the Pythagorean theorem, circles and
area, loci, and similar and regular polygons. This course is organized in a
7^th/8^th grade combination format

Jackson Creek Middle School Grade 7 “Elective” Courses

ELECTIVE– Course Descriptions

Music Selections: Students with a desire to expand their music
education may elect to choose one course from this group of
offerings.

Band: (two semesters) Band is explored through the study of
performance fundamentals on a woodwind, brass, or percussion
instrument as a soloist, in small ensembles, and with the full band.
Placement in a specific band class will be determined by a student’s
musical background and ability. Beginners and experienced musicians are
welcome. Regular at-home practice is encouraged. Each class performs 2-4
concerts per year with the possibility of performing at annual ISSMA
Festivals. Instruments, books, and supplies may be obtained through
local music stores. Instruments, not available through the local music
stores, may be rented through the school’s music department. Full or
partial scholarships for instrument rental are available on a limited basis.
? Band – designed for students who want to start playing a band
instrument and for those with some experience who strive to sharpen
their skills for future inclusion in the Concert Band. No experience
necessary.
? Concert Band – designed for students who excel in playing their band
instruments, read music well and have significant experience playing
in ensembles, large and small.

Mixed Choir 7: (two semesters) Choir is explored through the study of
a wide variety of choral literature with emphasis being placed on
developing vocal techniques, understanding the fundamentals of music,
and refining choral performance skills. Choreography is also a major part
of the class. Each class will perform 2-4 concerts per year with the
possibility of performing at the annual ISSMA Festivals.

Strings 7: (two semesters) Orchestra is explored through the study of
the fundamentals of performance on an orchestral stringed instrument -
the violin, the viola, the cello, or the bass - as a soloist, in small ensembles
and with the full string orchestra. Regular at-home practice is encouraged.
Each class performs at least 2-4 concerts per year with the possibility of
performing at the annual ISSMA Festivals. Instruments and supplies may
be obtained through local music stores. Cellos and basses may be rented
through the school’s music department.

Foreign Language Courses: If selecting a foreign language elective,
select one of the following:
? French I 7: (two semesters) This elective foreign language course is
the first year of study in a two-year middle school program which is
designed to prepare students to enter the high school foreign language
program at Level II; however, no high school credits are earned. This
course provides an introduction to the four basic skill areas of listening,
speaking, reading, and writing in a foreign language.
? Accelerated French I: (two semesters) Prerequisite: A Language
Arts GPA of 3.0 on a 4 point scale and the recommendation of the
grade 6 Language Arts teacher. This elective foreign language course
is the first year of study in a rigorous middle school program designed
to prepare students to enter the grade 8 foreign language program at
Level II. Successful completion in this particular middle school foreign
language course is the equivalent of completing Level I in the high
school program; however, no high school credits are earned. Middle
school classes meet about four-fifths the amount of time as high school
classes, but a student in the accelerated class will be expected to cover
the same material as a high school foreign language student. This course
stresses the four basic skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, and
writing in a foreign language.

? Spanish I 7: (two semesters) This elective foreign language course is
the first year of study in a two year middle school program which is
designed to prepare students to enter the high school foreign language
program at Level II; however, no high school credits are earned. This
course provides an introduction to the four basic skill areas of listening,
speaking, reading, and writing in a foreign language.
? Accelerated Spanish I: (two semesters) Prerequisite: A Language
Arts GPA of 3.0 on a 4 point scale and the recommendation of the
grade 6 Language Arts teacher. This elective foreign language course
is the first year of study in a rigorous middle school program designed
to prepare students to enter the grade 8 foreign language program at
Level II. Successful completion in this particular middle school foreign
language course is the equivalent of completing Level I in the high
school program; however, no high school credits are earned. Middle
school classes meet about four-fifths the amount of time as high school
classes, but a student in the accelerated class will be expected to cover
the same material as a high school foreign language student. This course
stresses the four basic skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, and
writing in a foreign language.

PAIRED SEMESTER – Course Descriptions

Art & Artist: (one or two semesters) This elective course is designed
for the student who wishes to refine their skills by creating a variety of
visual media in both two- and three-dimensions using drawing, painting,
and print making to develop and strengthen the skills of observation and
imagination. Students will be challenged to find creative solutions to
problem solving by using clay, paper mache, and fibers. Students will
explore how art history can integrate personal expression with the
appreciation of world cultures. The first semester will cover the tribal
arts of the Americas (North, Central, and South). The second semester
will cover the arts of the non-Western world consisting of Asia, Africa,
the Far East, and the Middle East. Art experiences will allow students to
acquire the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed to critically view
the art and the artifacts of past and present world cultures. Students will
learn professional criteria for judging, interpreting, and analyzing works of
art which will teach students to form a basis for looking and talking about
their own art in a critique setting. Each semester is autonomous.

That’s Life (FCS 7): (one semester) This exciting elective course will
teach you different skills related to everyday living. You will be
introduced to clothing construction; exciting nutritious food labs; table
setting and etiquette; learn about babysitting; and career opportunities.
Get on board and figure out what life is all about.

Computer Applications 7: (one semester) This semester-long elective
is designed to familiarize students with numerous computer programs
that are commonly used in the workplace. Word processing,
presentation, and spreadsheets are covered in this hands-on computer
course which features practice and projects. In addition, students
complete a digital camera project, which allows them to integrate cameras
and computers.

Business Technology 7: (one semester) This semester-long elective
has two main areas of focus: careers and technology. In careers, students
assess themselves and develop personal goals for their futures. They
then explore careers that relate to their interests. Diversity, personal
responsibility, and time management are also covered in this part of the
course. In the technology portion of the class, students will learn the
basics of web pages and how to gather valid information from the
Internet. Computer ethics and responsibility are also issues covered in
the course.

Keyboarding 7: (one semester) This semester-long elective courses
teaches students to use the proper technique when keying information
into the computer. The goal is for students to type as quickly and
accurately as possible without looking at the keyboard. To enhance
keying abilities, students will create a restaurant menu and brochure and
practice keying letters and other documents with speed and accuracy,
while learning the correct formatting and purpose of the documents.

ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE – Course Descriptions

ISTEP+ Reading / Language Arts: (one semester) Prerequisite:
Referral by teacher or ISTEP+ remediation conference This course
is designed for those students who have obtained ISTEP+ scores below
the standard for passing in Language Arts.

ISTEP+ Math: (one semester) Prerequisite: Referral by teacher or
ISTEP remediation conference. This course is designed for those
students who have obtained ISTEP+ scores below the standard for
passing in Math.

Resource 7: (two semesters) Prerequisite: Referral by a teacher
or case conference committee. This course is designed as an
individualized program for students who exhibit various learning
difficulties as specified by the case conference committee. The objectives
of the individualized program are developed by the case conference
committee.

English as a New Language (two semesters) Prerequisite:
Students attending schools in the United States for less then 3
years or referral by teacher. This course provides students with
instructions in English that will improve their proficiency in listening,
speaking, reading and writing. Emphasis is placed on helping students
learn to independently function in an English speaking school.

Jackson Creek Middle School
2009-10 Grade 7 Elective Course Enrollment Sheet

Attention Parents: The boxes below allow you to help your child with the selection of his/her elective courses. Every attempt possible will be made to secure primary choices of electives, but no promises can be made. Please return this sheet as soon as possible to help ensure that your son/daughter secures the best possible chance to get his/her first choices of electives.

Directions: Using the Elective course descriptions in this packet as your guide please rank at least your TOP FOUR (4)
CHOICES (1 = your first choice, 4 = your lowest choice).
Teacher Approval: The student is responsible for obtaining the appropriate teacher initials for classes requiring
prerequisite approval.

The offering of all electives is subject to their meeting minimum class enrollment standards.
+ JCMS may require a student to take the ISTEP+ remediation courses if they have failed one or more sections of the ISTEP test
* Students will not be enrolled in two music or two foreign languages.
# Specific placement based on musical experience and ability