Arizona College PrepMiddle School

 Arizona College Prep – Oakland Campus

Jr. High School Elective Course Catalog

2023-2024

Junior High Course Requirements 

At Arizona College Prep, all students are required to take one year of honors language arts, honors math, honors social studies and science in both the seventh and eighth grade. In addition, ACP requires students to take high school Spanish 1 and 2 as one of the core classes. Students will have one elective course each semester.

                                                                     Grade 7          Grade 8

Honors Language Arts               1 credit             1 credit

Honors Math                                  1 credit             1 credit

Accelerated Science                  1 credit             1 credit

Honors Social Studies               1 credit             1 credit

Spanish 1 & 2                                   1 credit             1 credit

Electives                                           1 credit             1 credit

In order to be promoted to the next grade within the Chandler Unified School District, students need to earn a minimum of 4 credits.  Failure to pass both language arts and math will result in retention. Additionally, if students fail to pass one or more of the other core academic classes (science or social studies) they will either be retained or be required to attend summer school.

Elective Classes

The availability of elective classes will depend on the grade level of the student, special program eligibility, the number of students who register for the course, and school resources.

Computer Science Discoveries - One Semester

CS Discoveries is an introductory computer science course that empowers students to create authentic projects and engage with computer science for creativity, communication, problem solving, and fun.  Students become familiar with coding concepts and the design process through web development, the construction of games and apps, and physical computing.  Students create and share content through a series of puzzles, challenges, and real-world situations.

Concert Band - One Year

Concert Band is open to any student with previous instrumental music experience.  Most continuing band students take this course.  The student continues to improve note recognition, rhythmic accuracy, sight-reading, and tonal development, as well as developing a value of music history and expression.  Students perform several times at various concerts, school functions, and festivals throughout the school year.

Symphonic Band - One Year

Symphonic Band consists of a select group of eighth grade students who have reached a high degree of playing proficiency.  The objective of this band is to meet the needs of the more advance musicians who require more challenge than that asked of other band students.  The Symphonic Band will perform several times throughout the year for various school and community functions, as well as at festivals and contests.  Attendance at all rehearsals and scheduled performances is mandatory.

Concert Orchestra - One Year

Concert Orchestra consists of group instruction for those students who have completed Cadet Orchestra or are at a level that is more advanced than the Cadet Orchestra.  The objective of this orchestra is to meet the needs of advancing students who need a challenge but are not quite ready for the Chamber Orchestra.  Students in this class will be expected to:

1. Perform several times throughout the school year.
2. Perform at a state festival
3. Expand on bowing technique and shifting

Attendance at all performances is mandatory.

Chamber Orchestra - One Year

Chamber Orchestra is a select group of eighth grade students who have reached a higher degree of playing proficiency.  The objective of this orchestra is to meet the needs of the more advanced musicians who require more challenge than any other junior high string student.  Students in this class will be expected to:

1. Preform several times throughout the school year for various school and community functions
2. Perform at various festivals and contests.
3. Expand on bowing technique, shifting, and vibrato.
4. Become more aware of belonging to an active musical organization.

Attendance at all rehearsals and schedule performances is mandatory.

Physical Education - One Semester

This course offers students a basic foundation by exposing them to a variety of individual and team sports. An emphasis is placed on promoting lifetime sports and physical fitness. (May not be paired with Yoga)

Yoga - One Semester

Students will learn the skills of various yoga techniques.  Yoga will not only strengthen and stretch muscles, but will improve balance and focus.  Over time, yoga practice will not only develop a stronger body, deeper breathing, and decrease risk of injury in other sports, but it will also increase your concentration and relieve stress.  This course will also cover health standards of movement and nutrition as students learn to be active healthy teens into adults.  Students to provide own yoga mat, PE uniform, gym shoes, and journal. (May not be paired with PE)

Three-Dimensional Art - One Semester

Students in this class will create projects in ceramics, sculpture and pottery. Art history, principles of design and elements of design will be incorporated into the various subjects.

Project Lead the Way – Design & Modeling - One Semester

Project Lead the Way is a one semester foundational junior high level STEM program that incorporates aspects of engineering field of study.  Students will experience hands-on challenges, which will take them through the process of design and modeling.  All students will receive basic skills which will help prepare them to be competitive in the global economy, including designing, sketching, 3D computer modeling, understanding mechanisms, robotic building, and graphic based computer programming.  During this semester long class students will also have opportunities to explore CUSD STEM programs along with local tech corporations and universities.  There is no pre-requisite to this class.  This introductory class feeds into all CUSD High School STEM programs.

Digital Media - Application Required  - One Semester

This course allows 8^th grade student to express themselves creatively through digital media.  We will explore graphic design, photography, image editing, typography and audio/video editing through several innovative projects.  The software used in this course includes the industry standards of Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe After Effects.

Publications/Yearbook- Application Required (Offered to 8^th grade only) - One Year

Students in the publications class learn copywriting, photographic layout and design skills involved in the production of school publications. It is the responsibility of the class to produce the school yearbook.

Student Aide- Application Required (Offered to 8^th grade only) - One Year 

Students are assigned to the office, library, or teacher to assist with clerical tasks.  They are expected to maintain acceptable grades, behavior, and attendance.

Geometry- Teacher Recommendation Required - One Year 

This course is the second year of a standards-based mathematics curriculum. Number sense topics include the concept of using estimation strategies reasonably and fluently. Probability focuses on recording data from a probability experiment and comparing the outcome to predictions made prior to performing the experiment. Discrete mathematics topics include understanding and demonstrating the systematic listing and counting of possible outcomes. Geometric properties will be used to analyze the attributes and properties of two and three-dimensional shapes and developing mathematical arguments about their relationships. Students will learn to use logic, reasoning and mathematical proofs to evaluate situations and select problem-solving strategies.