6th Grade: Year-Long

Art 6

Art 6 is the perfect place for students who love Art as well as those who just want to give it a try.  Everyone is welcome. In this year-long elective!  No matter what your art skills are, I will help you get better!   You will learn how to use the elements of art and design, which include line, shape, color, form, value, and texture all through various 2D materials and techniques.  I will make Art the class you look forward to coming to!

Performing Arts 6

This class is for beginner and experienced students at singing and producing in genres such as pop, Broadway, Choral, and Classic Standards.  Students will also have the opportunity to add instruments to vocals and productions like guitar, ukulele, keyboard, drums, etc.  There is a role for EVERYONE! This class will ALSO work with Drama and be a part of full showcase productions.  Students will learn to be a player on or off the stage!

Beginning Band

This class is designed for first-year band students who wish to learn how to play a wind or percussion instrument and develop their skills as a member of a traditional concert band ensemble. No prior musical knowledge or experience is required. Students will learn the basics of music reading and music theory, learn playing skills on their chosen instrument, perform in at least three concerts outside the school day, and discover the camaraderie of playing together in a group working toward a common goal. Students may provide their own instruments and consumables (reeds, oil, etc.) a black three-ring binder with page protectors, along with the designated performance attire. Music equipment and materials will be provided for those in need. 

Concert Band (Intermediate Level)

This class is designed for band students with at least one year of experience who wish to refine their skills as a member of a traditional concert band ensemble. Switching to a related instrument (alto saxophone to tenor saxophone, trumpet to baritone or tuba, etc.) will be supported.

Students will learn the basics of music reading and music theory, improve their skills on their chosen instrument, discover the joy and satisfaction of playing together as a group, and perform in at least three concerts outside the school day. Attendance at all performances is required to meet the performance standard. Students may provide their own instrument and consumables (reeds, oil, etc.) a black three-ring binder with page protectors, along with the designated performance attire. Music equipment and materials will be provided to those in need. 

Performing Arts 6

This class is for beginner and experienced students in singing and producing in genres such as pop, Broadway, Choral and Classic Standards.  Students will also have the opportunity to add instruments to vocals and productions like guitar, ukulele, keyboard, drums, etc.  There is a role for EVERYONE! This class will ALSO work with Drama and be a part of full showcase productions.  Students will learn to be a player on or off the stage!

Strings 6

This class is for beginning and experienced students who play violin, viola, cello, upright bass, guitar, ukulele, and piano. The Strings class will have ONE Performance per Trimester

Intro to Coding

Students will learn the basics of programming through visual coding ‘blocks’, using Scratch, CS First, and more! You will also learn the basics of Python to be introduced to a text-based programming language toward the end of the trimester.  This approach will allow them to gradually progress to coding using syntactically driven languages.

7th and 8th Grade - Trimester

Art and Design

Art and Design is the class to take if you would like to try a variety of different Art mediums. Students will create three unique projects, which include, drawing, clay sculpture, and printmaking.  Students will learn the techniques necessary to draw and shade objects realistically, hand-build in ceramic clay, and carve a linoleum plate to create their own prints. 

Painting

Welcome to the beautiful and complex world of watercolor painting!  In this class, students will learn techniques such as wet-into-wet painting, dry-into-wet painting, dry brushing, color washes, blooming, salt techniques, as well as various textural and realistic painting applications.

Performing Arts (Trimester with option as Year-Long)

This class is for beginner and experienced students in singing and producing in genres such as pop, Broadway, Choral and Classic Standards.  Students will also have the opportunity to add instruments to vocals and productions like guitar, ukulele, keyboard, drums, etc.  There is a role for EVERYONE! This class will ALSO work with Drama and be a part of full showcase productions.  Students will learn to be a player on or off the stage!

Performing Arts (7th and 8th Grade - Trimester with option as Year-Long)

This class is for students beginning and experienced at singing and producing in genres such as pop, Broadway, Choral and Classic Standards.  Students will also have the opportunity to add instruments to vocals and productions like guitar, ukulele, keyboard, drums, etc.  There is a role for EVERYONE! This class will ALSO work with Drama and be a part of full showcase productions.  Students will learn to be a player on or off the stage!

Coding

This intermediate course in programming will use coding and scripting languages to give students informational skills. Students will use a variety of online resources to learn and practice their coding skills. We will begin with Python, CSS, and HTML.  Once we have a basic understanding of how these work, we will begin learning Javascript. It’s going to be a fun way to learn how computer programs work!

Strings (Trimester with option as Year-Long)

This class is for beginning and experienced students who play violin, viola, cello, upright bass, guitar, ukulele, and piano. The Strings class will have ONE Performance per Trimester

Forensics

Learn to use some of the techniques practiced by forensic scientists during a crime scene investigation, through hands-on laboratory investigations and activities. Fingerprinting, impression evidence, DNA, blood typing and blood spatter, shoe print analysis, forensic anthropology, and more. Learn how science is used to unravel some of America’s greatest unsolved mysteries and crimes!

Robotics

Design, Build, and Program a Robot! In this class, students will explore their interest in S.T.E.A.M. They will work in teams and use the Engineering Design Process to invent and innovate. Learn about mechanical systems, energy transfer, machine automation, computer control systems, and more while getting hands-on experience.

Social Movements in the U.S.

This trimester elective will center around the many movements, both current and past, that have had an impact here in the United States. We will look at topics such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQIA+ rights, justice for Asian American//Pacific Islanders,  and how these movements have brought about change, those who have stood up for these movements, and how their voices have been heard. The class will also be project-based learning, where students will not only learn but put into action that learning through a culminating project to be presented in class.

W.E.B. Mentorship

This class is designed to help build and strengthen students’ leadership skills. Students will plan activities to help the 6th graders feel more welcome and at home on our campus, build peer-mentor relationships with our new 6th-grade Spartans, and help 6th graders balance all things involved in being a middle schooler! 

Activity for Life

In this class, students will explore new and different ways to look at physical activity, sports, health, and fitness. The physical activities you will learn in this class will be some that you can enjoy for the rest of your life. You will experience golf, tennis, orienteering, swimming, self-defense, bicycling, round net, weight training, dance, gymnastics/acro/adventure activities and so much more!!!

7th and 8th Grade: Year-long

Drama

In this introductory course, students are introduced to the basics of acting and stage production.  Students engage in improv, duo and group acting, solo monologues, dance, singing, and other various classroom activities to work on improving their acting skills. Students learn how to use facial expressions, body movements, and voice to convey meaning and create dynamic characters. In addition to working on developing as actors, students are introduced briefly to the basics of set design, costume design, and prop management.  Please note that all students are required to participate in both the winter musical and spring student-directed show as part of the class. 

Symphonic Band 

This class is designed for students who have completed at least one year of instruction on a wind or percussion instrument. Students play a variety of music, from classics to modern works, both standards and pop. Symphonic Band performs at school concerts, community events, and music festivals to meet the performance requirements. Students may provide their own instrument and consumables (reeds, oil, etc.), a black three-ring binder with page protectors, along with the designated performance attire. Music equipment and materials will be provided for those in need. 

Journalism and Yearbook 

In this course, students will join the journalism and yearbook staff.  Students will help capture memories and document major events at school. They will also learn photography basics and work with DSLR equipment, plan, produce, and distribute the school yearbook, create content for newsletters, podcasts, and other mediums, and learn to manage time effectively, meet deadlines, and work with a team.

Spanish 1 

This is a full-year course specially tailored to 8th-grade students who may want to acquire novice-level world language competence in Spanish, prior to attending a high school class. The language skills of speaking, reading, listening, and writing in Spanish as a world language are introduced and reinforced. Conversational skills and practical vocabulary will be highly emphasized. Cultural aspects of Spanish-speaking countries are presented to enhance understanding of the connections between culture, language, and heritage. The use of online learning tools is embedded into the course to provide learners with constant access to innovative and real-world applications of language learning.

To determine the range of competencies in a world language, the students can refer to the following link from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages https://www.actfl.org/publications/guidelines-and-manuals/ncssfl-actfl-can-do-statements  

AVID

The goal of the AVID elective is to help students become active learners. The curriculum is designed to help students be successful in rigorous academic classes. Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization and Reading form the basis of the curriculum. Students may take field trips to local colleges, businesses, and other places within the community. Students interested in AVID must submit a completed application and be interviewed in the spring.

AVID Excel

This branch of the AVID program is specifically designed to support English Learners with college readiness.  Students will utilize AVID strategies, systems, and thinking to foster success in their academic courses.  Students may take field trips to local colleges, businesses, and other places within the community. Students interested in AVID must submit a completed application and be interviewed in the spring.

Leadership

The Leadership class at SMS is an opportunity for students to take on the role of project managers and learn the concepts of effective leadership. Students also learn the concept of service by planning and executing great experiences for their fellow students at Sunnyvale Middle School.  Students in the Leadership class organize many events for the student body, including dances, assemblies, lunchtime activities, spirit week, and many more.  Leadership students also help with the day-to-day function of SMS by planning, filming, and editing Spartan TV, broadcasting the morning announcements, and staffing the various events on campus. Finally, leadership students work in conjunction with the Student Council to help decide and implement changes on behalf of the student body.

Please contact Dewey Huang at dewey.huang@sesd.org for the application form to be a part of the team!

8th Grade - Trimester

AVID Teacher Aide

AVID Teacher Aide is a year-long elective for 8th-grade students only. AVID Teacher Aides will serve as both teacher’s aide and peer tutor in the AVID elective. Student aides will be trained by the AVID teacher for both roles. In these roles, students will develop their leadership skills while supporting their peers. AVID Teacher Aides should be responsible, trustworthy, and reliable. Interested students need to submit an AVID T.A. application that can be picked up in the front office. Completed applications should be turned in to the front office.

6th, 7th, 8th - Full Year

Heritage Speakers Spanish 

Heritage Speakers Spanish is a full-year course specifically designed for students with speaking and listening competence in Spanish at approximately their current grade level (6th, 7th, and 8th). The main goals of the course are to strengthen reading comprehension, develop written expression, and bolster vocabulary acquisition at rigorous academic levels. The class also offers a cultural component that acquaints students with authors, artists, guest speakers, and current issues of the Spanish-speaking world in order to promote a sense of pride and linguistic identity. Students interested in Heritage Speakers Spanish will be encouraged to consider applying for the State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) in high school. For more information on the SSB requirements and procedures, refer to this CA State Seal of Biliteracy Webpage.

Español para hispanohablantes es un curso de un año entero diseñado para estudiantes competentes en expresión oral y comprensión auditiva en español a un nivel aproximado al de su grado escolar (6to, 7mo y 8vo). Los objetivos principales del curso son fortalecer la comprensión de lectura, desarrollar la escritura, e impulsar la adquisición de vocabulario a altos niveles de rigor académico. La clase también ofrece un componente cultural que se enfoca en presentar a autores, artistas, ponentes invitados, y temas de actualidad dentro del mundo hispanohablante para fomentar un sentido de orgullo e identidad lingüística. A las y los estudiantes interesadas/os en cursar la materia de Español para hispanohablantes se les animará a cubrir los requisitos del Sello de alfabetización bilingüe del Estado de California (State Seal of Biliteracy) en la preparatoria. Para más información sobre el Sello de alfabetización bilingüe (SSB), favor de referirse a esta página electrónica del Depto de Educación de CA.