Required Graded Electives:
Health and Fitness: Students attend this course 1 -2 times a week.
Art/Music: Students switch between these two classes every other week to receive instruction in art and music.
Library/ Technology: Students attend this class once a week. The standards for Information Skills and Technology Skills are complementary allowing Mrs. Harris and Mr. Barker to plan the curriculum and teach effectively together. They collaboratively work with the entire junior high staff to integrate the learning in other subjects with the skills covered in Lib/Tech. The goal is to help our students grow as readers, thinkers, and effective users and producers of information ready for the rigor of high school.
Spanish: Every junior high student is required to take this course once a week. The Spanish class focuses on greetings and salutations, basic grammar structures, general vocabulary acquisition, and Hispanic culture. Students will work individually and in groups studying units that include the following: sports, food, family, music, and Latin American countries.
S.O.U.L. (Strengthening Our Unique Lives): This course is offered to seventh and eighth grade students on Fridays from 2:00 – 2:50 pm, and teaches positive interpersonal relationships with a focus on problem solving, leadership, team-building, and social skills (2nd Step/Steps to Respect Curriculum). The S.O.U.L. class period may be used for general class meetings, “buddy” interactions and for preparation for special events.
Additional Electives: (Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 – 2:50pm.)
1st Trimester Choices:
Leadership: Leadership students engage in activities involving service and spirit. They serve our community through service projects including the following: leading prayer services, Masses, and assemblies; developing and implementing service projects; sponsoring spirit days; and presenting our annual CSW Spirit Assembly and Talent Show. Leadership elective students also serve as liaisons between our parish and school communities.
Woodshop: Students in woodshop will learn the basics of woodworking using hand tools exclusively. This course will concentrate on learning basic ways to join wood with traditional joints and hand tools. This would be a good class for a true novice or someone who has worked with wood before.
Creative Writing: Writing creatively allows students to use their imaginations and personal experience to express themselves artistically. In this class, students will craft outstanding works of poetry and short stories, as well as have the opportunity to use technology to publish their work in visual and dramatic ways. As a culminating project, students will publish some of their work in a literary journal. We will also venture out on at least one fun writing field trip.
Game Theory and Strategy: This class will explore the basic strategy of different board and card games. We will learn how to play them and talk about ways that these games can apply to our own lives as we visualize, plan, risk, and use self-control. In other words, we are going to become better people by playing games.
Running Elective (1st and 3rd Trimesters): This will be a physically challenging but very fun class. We will combine strength training with long runs and track work throughout the week. Students will keep a training journal to record their daily workouts and to track their progress. Students will also have an opportunity to create and lead their own workouts. Be ready to work hard, get fit, and feel healthy!
Drama (1st and 2nd Trimesters): This elective group will explore the many elements of drama production through the preparation and production of a school play. In addition to acting, students will have the opportunity to create elaborate set designs, coordinate music, choreograph dances, and much more. All participants play an integral role in the success of the final product!
Art (3rd Trimester): This class will give students the opportunity to delve into all kinds of elaborate art projects. Lesson plans will be evolving, based on the suggestions and preferences you express to me over the next few months. For now, here are a few possible suggestions: Marshmallow architecture, glass art, terrarium gardens, paper mache dragons, miniature cities, hyperbolic crochet, product design, and oil painting. What do you want to make?! Start brainstorming – the sky is the limit!
Study Hall Elective: The Study Hall elective will be offered all year and supervised by a variety of junior high teachers. Is there a trimester when after-school activities cut into your homework time? Do you want to learn a few extra study skills to aide in your homework efficiency and completion? The Study Hall elective is a great way to gain some extra time for homework and ask supervising teachers for help.
Tiny House Elective: This beloved class offers students the unique opportunity to build a tiny house from scratch, right on HRS school grounds! Blending hands-on, technical experience with meaningful service learning, as the completed tiny house is donated to a local housing project.
Yearbook (2nd Trimester in Computer Lab): The majority of this class will be spent creating and producing the yearbook. In addition to becoming proficient with the yearbook software, students will learn the following skills: graphic design, effective page layout, computer technology, interviewing, photography, and publication. Students entering this elective will meet with the instructors a few times first trimester in order to prepare for Yearbook class. This class is open to 8th graders only. A written application must be turned in with elective form on Thursday.
Makers and Robotics (3rd Trimester in Computer Lab): This elective is a hands-on, problem-solving class. Students will learn how to build and program robots by way of exploration and group problem solving. Students will be encouraged to solve problems individually and in groups while the instructors act merely as guides. They will also have the opportunity to build small electronic devices using maker kits. Students will learn computer programming, or “coding” skills as well. No previous experience with Robotics is needed.
2nd Trimester Choices:
Yearbook: The majority of this class will be spent creating and producing our school yearbook. In addition to becoming proficient with the yearbook software, students will learn the following skills: graphic design, effective page layout, computer technology, interviewing, and publication. Please note: yearbook students will need to meet several times during the first trimester to determine the theme and cover. A written application must be turned in with elective form on Friday. Instructors: Ms. DeFeo and Ms. Arciaga
Leadership: In the second trimester leadership elective, we will be leading both service projects and spirit events for our school. For service, we will continue our Ugandan mission by promoting, collecting, counting money for our Ugandan students. We also will continue our relationship with Quail Park Memory Care Facility with some online visits. For spirit, we will be busy with organizing St. Nick’s Day, Christmas caroling, and possibly coming up with a new activity for CSW. It’ll be fun to find new, creative ways to continue our fun HRS traditions! Instructor: Mrs. Heuer
Clay Sculpture: During this class, students will sculpt mugs, bowls and animals. We will learn various ceramic techniques, glaze our work and fire it in the school kiln. Instructor: Ms. Mullin
Crafting and Community Service: For this class we will be helping both our school community and those around us by putting a little cheer into everyone’s lives. We will make Christmas ornaments, winter door coverings, cards, and other crafts to distribute to not only those in need, but to our friends at a few local retirement homes. If you like to use your imagination, craft, and spread joy, this is the class for you. Instructor: Mrs. Chiodo
Creative Writing: Writing creatively allows students to use their imaginations and personal experience to express themselves artistically. In this class, students will craft outstanding works of poetry and short stories, as well as have the opportunity to use technology to publish their work in visual and dramatic ways. As a culminating project, students will publish some of their work in a literary journal. We will also venture out on at least one fun writing field trip. Instructor: Mr. Secrest
Game Theory: We learn about character through playing board games. As we learn to play chess, cribbage, dominoes, hearts, poker, scrabble, and more, we’ll discuss qualities that help us in the games but also in life. We’ll look at qualities and virtues like patience, planning, courage, calculation, and spatial reasoning. If you take this class, you’ll have fun while learning about yourself. Instructor: Mr. Ritscher
3rd Trimester Choices:
Building a Tiny House: Students in this elective will learn basic construction skills as we build a small house that will be donated to a homeless village. We will work with all stages of construction; from reading plans to framing to putting in doors and windows and roofing. Instructor: Mr. Ritscher
Field Games and Fitness: Like running elective, this will be a great way to get and stay fit. Our primary way of exercising will be playing various games, mostly at Hiawatha, including ultimate frisbee, soccer, basketball, baseball, capture the flag, kickball, and football. A typical day will involve a quick warm-up stretch in the classroom, a jog to Hiawatha, a game, and a jog back to HRS. Instructor: Mr. Secrest
Leadership: Leadership students engage in activities involving service and spirit. Students will promote a Ugandan collection and hopefully continue a relationship with the residents at Quail Park. We will serve our community by leading our school through the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Our big spirit project is promoting, organizing, and running our spring Talent Show. In order to sign up for this elective, you must be in attendance in school on Good Friday (4/7). Students who have already taken third trimester leadership should try a different elective. We also need a pianist and a singer to help with the presentation of the Stations, so please let Mrs. Heuer know if this interests you! Instructor: Mrs. Heuer
Improv: Improv helps build skills needed for situations you’re not prepared for — whether an impromptu conversation at lunch or an unexpected question after a presentation in class. Improv will teach you how to be more confident in everything you do. We will play games as a whole class and in small groups. The plan is to put together a small show for our school at the end of the trimester showcasing our new talents. If you are looking to have some fun and a lot of laughs, join improv. It will get you out of your comfort zone. Instructors: Mrs. Chiodo
2D and 3D Design: Students will study elements of two dimensional and three dimensional design. Two dimensional projects may include the following: magazine covers, flyers, book covers and logos using the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign). Three dimensional design will include designing objects using SketchUp and creating objects with the 3D printer. There will also be opportunities to work with K’Nex, legos, makers kits, digital photography and coding software.
Instructors: Ms. DeFeo
Mural Design: Students will learn painting techniques and work collaboratively to paint our own mural at HRS. During this elective, each student will also draft their own design to paint the stools in the art room. Instructor: Ms. Mullin
Students will sign up for electives on FRIDAY of the first week of school. A parent signature on this sheet is required before signing up for electives.
Eighth grade students receive priority in elective selection. We encourage 8th graders to try different electives from last year.
Students will receive their elective schedules on the morning of the first day of elective classes.
