Connections
Class Descriptions
STEM
Grades 6-8
The STEM acronym stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These academic disciplines rely heavily on each other and are highly integrated in the professional and academic world. This course is intended to integrate the STEM fields through research and project-based learning. Students will be engaged by frequent hands-on activities and challenges geared towards each of the STEM disciplines.
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- • Identify and apply 21st Century skill (Collaboration, Communication, Creatively and Critical Thinking)
- • Apply the Engineering Design Process to a variety of challenges
- • Understand the challenges of working within a budget
- · Assess various products and their properties to come up with working solutions.
Engineering: Exploring Engineering and Technology
Grade 6
Students will be educated on the daily impact of engineering and the nature of technology. Students will learn safety standards, notations, and symbols. They will be introduced to the engineering design process and use it to develop a problem solution. Students will also explore tools and tool families and be introduced to proper hand tool use. A focus will also be on engineering communication and students will discuss and develop engineering drawings.
Engineering: Invention and Innovation
Grade 7
Students will work in teams to complete hands-on activities and projects, learning basic engineering concepts. Students will study the engineering design process and be introduced to using an engineering design portfolio and documenting their work. Students will explore proper safety techniques, and design and build prototypes. Students have hand and power tools available to them. Students will also examine the process for patenting and protecting inventions and innovations.
Engineering: Technical Systems
Grade 8
Students will continue to develop their skills using the engineering design process and electronic portfolio to document their work since these are foundational to understanding technological systems. They will design, develop, and execute a physical project to solve a specific task. Through this process, they will develop an understanding of the impact of technology on humans and the environment. Students have hand and power tools available to them as well as power machinery. Students will also discuss systems models in simplest form (input, process, output, and feedback).
Foundations of Computer Programming
Grade 6
This course is a 9-week introduction to computer hardware, software and beginning programming concepts. Students will complete hands-on activities to build a foundation of computer coding. The goal is for students to be prepared to enter the following pathways upon entering high school: Internet of Things, Programming, and Computer Science. This course utilizes a variety of resources and tools to expose students to computer science and computer programming.
Computer Programming Explorations
Grades 7
The Computer Science Explorations course will provide students with an exploratory foundation in computer programming. Students will learn basic JavaScript and Python through story-based activities. Through integrated instructional activities, students will also have opportunities to apply employability skills and to research possible career options in the information technology area. Students who successfully complete this course will be prepared for the following pathways upon entering high school: Internet of Things, Programming, and Computer Science.
Foundations of Interactive Design
Grade 8
The Georgia Foundations of Interactive Design course provides an exploratory foundation in the design and development of websites and games. Through integrated instructional activities, students will have opportunities to apply employability skills and to research possible career options in the information technology area. Students who successfully complete this course will be prepared for the following pathways upon entering high school: Internet of Things, Programming, and Computer Science.
Healthcare Science
Grade 6
In this nine-week course, students will participate in a variety of instructional methods as well as hands-on lab activities designed to learn and practice skills related to the state standards from the Georgia Department of Education. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate employability skills required by business and industry as well as instruction specific to the broad field of healthcare. The 6th grade program includes the application of anatomy to associated fields of clinical lab diagnostics as well as the understanding of applied anatomy associated with phlebotomy, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Students will summarize career aspects related to applied anatomy, clinical lab diagnostics, infection control, and participate in healthcare safety activities.
Healthcare Science
Grade 7
In this nine-week course, students will participate in a variety of instructional methods as well as lab activities designed to learn and practice skills related to the state standards from the Georgia Department of Education. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate correct work safety practices and infection control required to ensure a safe work environment in a healthcare setting. Students will explore strategies used in the field of health informatics/health information technology to ensure patient privacy. Students will practice common health informatics, health information management, and medical office procedures. Concepts related to careers, skills, and an understanding of anatomy concepts used in the field of biotechnology research and development will be explored.
Art
Grade 6
6th grade art is a quarter long (9week) course where students learn about the fundamentals of art, art appreciation, history, criticism, and creation. Students explore different media and techniques to produce personal works of art that encompass the Fulton Co. Art Standards. 6th Grade art focuses primarily on the elements of art (line, shape, color, value, texture, space, and form). Each unit/ project created introduces concepts and key skills that correlate directly with a particular element. Students in 6th grade focus on basic drawing skills and shading techniques, color theory/ mixing, clay building, and developing an individual creative process and voice.
Art
Grade 7
7th grade art is a (9week) course where students learn about the fundamentals of art (Elements and Principles of Design), art appreciation, history, criticism, and creation. Students explore different media and techniques to produce personal works of art that encompass the Fulton Co. Art Standards. In 7th grade students begin to explore the Principles of Design: (Pattern, Contrast, Rhythm, Emphasis, Movement, Unity, and Balance). Students review shading techniques, gain knowledge in multiple color scheme applications, demonstrate proper clay building processes, and build on their creative problem-solving skills and individual art making processes.
Art
Grade 8
8th grade art is a (9week) course where students learn about the fundamentals of art (Elements and Principles of Design), art appreciation, history, criticism, and creation. Students explore different media and techniques to produce personal works of art that encompass the Fulton Co. Art Standards. 8th grade art students review the elements and principles of design. Students will develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the arts, creative growth, and enhance their critical thinking skills. Students will experience working on more advanced levels in both the two and three-dimensional arts as they draw, paint, design, print, and sculpt in various media. Students will respond to and analyze artworks, thus contributing to the development of lifelong skills of making informed judgments and evaluations about artworks and art processes.
Intro to Art
Grade 8
Intro to Art (Art Comprehensive 1) is offered to 8th graders that complete an application process and is a semester long course (18 weeks) where students develop their understanding of the fundamentals of art: (Elements and Principles of Design), art appreciation, history, criticism, and creation. Students explore different media and techniques to produce personal works of art that encompass the Fulton Co. Art Standards. Successful completion of this course is required for advancement to other art courses in high school, such as Drawing and Painting, Ceramics, Sculpture, Photography, and Graphic Design. In this course students will develop fundamental skills in: drawing, design, printmaking, digital art, pottery, sculpture, painting, art history/ Criticism, and career opportunities in the field of art. Class projects, homework, tests, and participation will be used for evaluation. Students will develop their creative processes by sketch book journaling, class critiques, and self-evaluations.
Drama
Grades 6-8
Fundamentals of Theatre
Grade 8
This is an introduction to theatre class. Students will explore both performance and technical theatre. As actors, students will be exposed to several different performance styles and methods which will improve their performance skills. This course uses theatre to encourage cooperative learning, teamwork, organization, and leadership skills. Theatre’s forte is in the emotional arena, where participants can not only express emotion in a safe environment but more pertinently, able to learn how to calibrate their emotional responses to various stimuli. The class allows all students the opportunity to perform in class on a regular basis. Students will explore technical theatre components that support performances.
Chorus
Grade 6-8 Chorus utilizes a Standards-Based Curriculum which focuses on the following nine standards.
- · Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
- · Performing alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
- · Reading and notating music
- · Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
- · Composing and arranging music
- · Listening to, analyzing and describing music
- · Evaluating music and music performances
- · Understanding relationships between music and other disciplines
- · Understanding music in relation to history and culture
The following topics will be covered as our skills develop throughout the year: sight-reading, notating music, music theory, music history, proper breath support, appropriate posture for singing, diction, singing in head voice with appropriate tone, and performing. Students will experience music of all genres and many different cultures.
Band
Grades 6-8
The purpose of the Band program is to give students a solid foundation in the basics of music and to provide the opportunity to enhance this knowledge through performance. Northwestern has a history of excellence in its Fine Arts Programs and we are looking forward to continuing this successful tradition. The following topics will be covered as our skills develop throughout the year: proper posture, breathing techniques, characteristic tone quality, rhythmic studies, articulation, major scales, musical terms, music theory, music history and band literature.
Orchestra
Grades 6-8
Orchestra utilizes a Standards-Based Curriculum which focuses on the following nine standards.
- · Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
- · Performing alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
- · Reading and notating music
- · Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
- · Composing and arranging music
- · Listening to, analyzing and describing music
- · Evaluating music and music performances
- · Understanding relationships between music and other disciplines
- · Understanding music in relation to history and culture
The following topics will be covered as our skills develop throughout the year: sight-reading, notating music, music theory, music history, proper bow distribution, appropriate posture, and performing. Students will experience music of all genres and many different cultures.
Physical Education
Grades 6-8
All students will take a minimum of one 9-week quarter of PE each year. Most students will have three quarters of PE with the exception of students enrolled in a year long connections class such as band, orchestra or chorus. Our goal at Northwestern is for students to be introduced to and learn about a variety of physical activities, team and individual sports, as well as to increase overall fitness and health. The students will participate in state mandated fitness testing.
Health
Grades 6-8
All students will take a minimum of one 9-week quarter of Health each year. Most of the Fulton County Health curriculum is mad eup of units covering personal wellness, mental and emotional health, nutrition, substance abuse, violence and prevention, and human sexuality. All units and lessons follow the state standards.
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