Empower Every Learner to Thrive!
7th Grade Course Offerings
WACHTER MIDDLE SCHOOL
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS - SEVENTH GRADE CLASSES – 2024/2025
COMMUNICATIONS 7..........Full Year – 1 Period per Day
Communications 7 is designed to build self-confidence as students collaborate, communicate, create, and critically think. Eye contact, strong voice, confident poise & proper language are the foundational skills emphasized for speaking and listening (SL 1-6 and L 6). In addition, this course will serve as a support to the overall social, and emotional well-being of students and will incorporate digital literacy and cyberspace standards.
ENGLISH 7..........Full Year – 1 Period per Day
This course is an integrated program consisting of library, grammar, composition, literature, and speech. The students develop skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, studying, and researching.
GLOBAL STUDIES WESTERN HEMISPHERE......Full Year – 1 Period per Day
“The Western Hemisphere” is a course that examines Antarctica, South America, Central America, the West Indies, United States and Canada. Special emphasis is placed on the interdependence of these regions in the areas of economics, culture, religion, trade, and government.
HEALTH 7......... Full Year (Every other day/1 period)
This is a full year course designed for influencing the behavior of the individuals and improving their understanding of physical, mental and social health. Topics covered include chemical dependence, stress, mental health, nutrition, human sexuality, and the life cycle.
LIFE SCIENCE..........Full Year – 1 Period per Day
This course covers the scientific method, some of the tools used in the study of science, and laboratory methods. Subjects studied vary from sub-microscopic particles to the biosphere. Students explore the 5 major kingdoms: bacteria, protists, fungi, plants and animals. They also study and discuss mankind’s relationship of interacting with the many different types of ecosystems.
MATH 7..........Full Year – 1 Period per Day
The choice for most 7th grade students, Math 7 is aligned to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Students extend their understanding of fractions and decimals to solve problems involving all rational numbers, including those with negative signs. Proportions, percent, multistep equations, surface area and volume are also studied.
MATH 7 ACCELERATED..........Full Year – 1 Period per Day
Students in this course learn at an accelerated pace in order to study a combination of 7th grade and 8th grade standards in preparation for Algebra I as an 8th grade student. In addition to the 7th grade topics, students study linear functions, exponent rules, similarity, radicals, and the Pythagorean Theorem.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION 7..........Full Year (Every other day/1 period)
This is a full year course that introduces life time sports and activities. It promotes and encourages a healthy lifestyle. Some of the sports and activities include fitness testing, running, exercising, softball, soccer, flag football, basketball, volleyball, rhythms, aerobics, archery, and badminton.
ELECTIVES
ART 7.........Semester – 1 Period per Day
This standards-based-course provides students opportunities to develop an appreciation for the visual arts. Classroom activities provide students with a variety of experiences in art theory and practice. Projects in drawing, painting, ceramics, design, along with some art history create an environment to develop an interest and appreciation for visual arts. Class fee of $20.
AVID 7..........Full Year – 1 Period per Day
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is an elective course which provides students with an intensive preparation for higher education. AVID focuses on writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading (WICOR). Students also learn strategies in organization, note taking, and goal setting to enhance skills in preparation for college. Students participate in group tutorials, college visits, team building, service learning and research. AVID is for students who have the desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard. These are students who are capable of completing rigorous curriculum with support and utilize AVID to fulfill their own potential. Enrollment in AVID requires an application, interview and contract. If interested in AVID, please contact your counselor.
BAND 7..........Full Year – 1 Period per Day
The band meets daily, with basic fundamentals being taught. Band members will perform at concerts and may participate in the music festival as a soloist or in an ensemble. The Jazz Band is an extracurricular activity and auditions are held in the fall for this group.
CHOIR 7......... Full Year - 1 Period per Day
7th Grade Choir is a non-auditioned choral ensemble. 7th grade choir students will learn more about proper vocal techniques as well as expand their basic music knowledge. Focus will be on improving the individual voice and developing individual talent while learning to work closely with others in the large ensemble. Through vocal music literature, carefully selected by instructors, students will explore different styles, music history and music theory. Members will perform in required concerts (two per semester) with opportunities to further their abilities in optional events such as: State, Regional and National Honor Choirs and Middle School Music Festival.
SHOW CHOIR is an extracurricular activity made up of members of choir selected by audition. Popular, choreographed music is performed at concerts and other functions. Students must be a member of 6th, 7th or 8th grade choir in order to audition.
EXPLORING TECHNOLOGY 7.........Semester - 1 Period per Day
The goal of this class is to introduce the students to a wide variety of technologies. Subjects include robotics, flight, solar cooking hot dogs, digital design, and wood working just to name a few. Between working in the technology lab and in the wood shop, students will get many opportunities to design and build projects. Students can look forward to working with their hands and having lots of fun in Tech Ed this year!!!
Class fee $20.
FACS 7 (Family and Consumer Science) ..........Semester - 1 Period per Day
This course is designed to expose students to a broad range of daily living skills for today and in the future. Students will explore areas of foods, sewing skills, and child development with an emphasis on babysitting.
Class fee $20.
LIFETIME FITNESS AND RECREATION……Semester - 1 Period per Day
This class offers exposure of choices for recreational and leisure lifetime activities. The course will identify how to maintain life-long fitness through physical activity. Students will participate in a variety of indoor and outdoor recreational activities, team sports, and lifetime sports.
ORCHESTRA 7..........Full year - 1 Period per Day
Playing skills and music theory activities are utilized to develop a well-rounded orchestral player. Required performances include school concerts and tour opportunities.
SPANISH EXPLORATORY 7.......... Semester - 1 Period per Day
This course is designed to introduce students to the Spanish language and culture. Students can also expect to learn some basic conversational exchanges with an emphasis on building vocabulary.
STEM 7.......... Semester – 1 Period per Day
This course will empower students to become innovators in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Students will follow the Engineering Design Process to create projects related to energy, robotics, computer science and more. Sample projects will use Lego Robotics, digital science sensors, and online coding platforms. Students will also explore STEM careers. Class fee $20.
REQUIRED INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO MEET QUALIFICATIONS
APPLIED TOPICS IN DAILY LIVING…………Full Year – 1 Period per Day
A course designed to teach life skills impacting daily living and personal-social skills. Students will receive education in caring for personal needs; getting around the community; understanding self-awareness and socially responsible behavior; and developing appropriate interpersonal skills. This course may also include instruction in content areas (math, English, etc.).
APPLIED TOPICS IN ENGLISH…………Full Year – 1 Period per Day
A course designed to introduce concepts, expand English/Language Arts knowledge, allow application of skills, demonstrate proficiency in specific concepts, and maintain life skills impacting personal-social skills (maintaining good interpersonal skills and communicating with others). Students will receive instruction in listening and responding skills; communicating with understanding; knowing the subtleties of communication; and learning effective written/verbal language skills as they pertain to communication with others in a variety of personal, social, and occupational situations.
APPLIED TOPICS IN MATH……………Full Year – 1 Period per Day
A course designed to introduce concepts, expand Mathematics knowledge, allow application of skills, demonstrate proficiency in specific concepts, and maintain life skills in the math domain impacting vocational, domestic living, leisure and recreation curricular areas. Students will receive instruction in counting money, making change, estimating the value of objects, budgeting skills, and making purchases.
CORE MATH STRATEGIES 7………..Full Year – 1 Period per Day
Core Math Strategies provides small group instruction that reinforces classroom learning. Lessons are designed to pre-teach upcoming units, as well as reinforce previously learned material. Students that are performing consistently between the 10th and 20th%ile on assessment measures (i.e. Aimsweb, MAP) can be assigned to this course. In addition, teacher recommendations and standard scores are taken into consideration. Abilities will be assessed throughout the year using district assessments. This class is an encore class and is in addition to their core Math course.
READING/MATH STRATEGIES COMBO 7……….Semester – 1 Period per Day
This class is a full year class that is meant to support students with needs in both reading and math. Students may move into and out of this class as improvements are made in the intervention. Students about one year below grade level would be considered for this class. Class size will remain small to ensure direct, explicit instruction is adequate in both areas of need. Reading instruction will include direct instruction on reading comprehension strategies and fluency development. Math instruction will include pre-teaching and re-teaching of grade level concepts that are being worked on in the core Math class. Remediation of math skills will take place as needed to support student growth and access to general education curriculum. This class is an encore class and is in addition to their core English Language Arts and Math classes.
READING STRATEGIES 7.........Full Year – 1 Period per Day
Reading Strategies is a full year reading intervention course designed to meet the needs of students whose reading achievement is well below the proficient level. The course addresses individual needs through direct teacher instruction, high interest reading material, and adaptive instructional software. Depending on their proficiency level, some students might be in the course for two years. Students that are considered for placement would be two or more years behind grade level and/or struggle in comprehension and general literacy achievement.
TRANSITION MATH 7………Full Year – 1 Period per Day
This course utilizes the TransMath program. This course has three levels beginning with Level I (4th and 5th grade standards) for 6th grade students, Level II (5th and 6th grade standards) for 7th grade students and Level III (6th, 7th and 8th grade standards) for 8th grade students. Students that are performing consistently between the 3rd and 10th%ile on assessment measures (i.e. Aimsweb, MAP) can be assigned to this course. In addition, teacher recommendations and standard scores are taken into consideration. The course is designed to meet individual needs and help the student become proficient in mathematical concepts, computation, and problem solving. This course is a replacement for their core Math class. The goal is for students to be Algebra ready by mastering each unit by high school, students that are not Algebra ready will take alternative placement math classes.
TRANSITION MATH STRATEGIES 7………..Full Year – 1 Period per Day
Transition Math Strategies provides small group instruction that reinforces learning from their Transition Math course. Lessons are designed to pre-teach upcoming units, as well as reinforce previously learned material. Only students enrolled in Transition Math can take this course. This class is an encore class.