NEW BRIGHTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
Electives
Intro art
Intro Art is an introductory art class examining many basic principles of art ranging from line, value, texture, contour and color. Students explore these principles through different media such as pencil, colored pencil, charcoal, collage, cut paper, chalk and oil pastel, and paint. Students will learn techniques to improve their artistic skills. Occasionally, projects may be tied to the 6th grade social studies curriculum. This fun, hands-on class is a place to explore your creative ideas, and a great precursor to Art II. Students will have the opportunity to submit projects to be showcased in the annual art show.
art ii
In this semester-long course, students will delve into a more in-depth understanding of the principles of design and elements of art presented in 6th grade. Through the exploration of renowned artists across history, students will tackle various projects ranging from pencil to block printing, painting to mixed media, wire sculpture to sketchbooking. Students will also focus on communicating ideas by creating personal artist statements. Exploration of careers in art will also be presented throughout the semester. Students will have the opportunity to submit projects to be showcased in the annual art show.
Ocean science
About 71% of Earth’s surface is covered by the ocean. Through this elective, we will explore the living and physical aspects of some of the amazing local ocean ecosystems, from the sandy shore to the deep sea of the Monterey Canyon. Despite how vast the ocean is, it is not immune from the negative impacts of human actions on land. In order for students to take action to protect the ocean, they need to be inspired, to be ocean literate, and to be confident. This elective would allow students to learn about the amazing wonders of the ocean and from there, plan and implement a community action project focused on ocean conservation solutions in our local community. Through a deeper dive into our local marine ecosystems, students will grow to love and protect our ocean!
band7/8 (YEAR LONG)
Through individual and group instruction, students will practice, rehearse and perform music in preparation for performances at a festival, school, and community events. Music will be from a wide variety of pep/pop, jazz and concert band literature. One-year experience on your instrument is highly recommended and all piano players and percussionists are encouraged to participate. This is a year-long course.
Healthy Living
Students will participate in a variety of healthy activities and learn about healthy lifestyles. Activities and topics will include preparing healthy food, gardening, exploring Capitola on foot, developing stress management techniques, healthy communication/expression, healthy choices, teen/pre-teen issues, media literacy, yoga, participating in activities that enhance an appreciation for our environment, and solar energy cooking. Special guests with expertise in these areas will join us periodically.
(This class may be repeated with teacher/administrator permission).
Woodshop
After being trained in the safe use of hand and power tools, students will build a variety of creative and practical projects with a high degree of independence and individual responsibility. Along the way, students will gain confidence, develop an aesthetic sense, learn how to deal with setbacks, and find their way into “the quality zone” through focus and perseverance. Students will also do a little drafting/technical drawing.
AVID 7 & 8
(Application Deadline has passed)
The AVID program, designed to help students develop the skills and knowledge to enter college directly after high school, provides strategies for studying, writing, inquiry, organization, and reasoning. Students work with college tutors in collaborative groups. They set goals to achieve success, research college entry information, and investigate possible career choices. To promote college and career readiness, AVID students take tours of local college campuses. Interested students fill out an application, are interviewed, and must be accepted into the program to be part of the AVID elective. This is a year long course and students have already been informed if they have been accepted into the program.
coding
Computer coding is quickly becoming an important part of our digital world and may soon be a language everyone needs to understand to be successful in life. This class will focus on learning how to code using JavaScript within the Code Naturally platform. Additionally, students learn how computers and programming languages work. Students also design their own website to act as an online e-portfolio to showcase their projects. This class may be repeated if approved with teacher permission.
YEARBOOK & SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
Calling all writers, graphic designers, and/or photographers!
This course combines Yearbook (in which students are responsible for the production, publication, marketing, and distribution of the school yearbook) and Newspaper (in which students take part in the regular production of the school newspaper). Students learn the basics of photography, design, and graphic layout. Students will practice interviewing skills and writing as they create the "story" of the school year through the regular school newspaper and yearbook. In Newspaper, students will create engaging content and publish their original work for all to enjoy. As a student-driven class, your strengths and areas of interest will shine in different sections of the newspaper, including entertainment and review, profiles and spotlights, sporting events, and school wide happenings. This class may be repeated if approved with teacher permission.
TEACHER AIDE
TA positions are available for students on a semester-long basis and can be taken in lieu of a semester-long elective course.
Office aide positions are available for students on a semester-long basis and can be taken in lieu of a semester-long elective course. Students are responsible for providing customer service at the office window, completing late slips and passes to class, running call slips to classrooms, and other office duties.
OFFICE AIDE
ceramics
This semester-long course is open to first-time students as well as advanced artists. Students will learn hand-building techniques such as wedging, uniform slab rolling, and proper coil formation. Students may also create simple sculptures and everyday objects while considering the basic principles and elements of art as well as functionality of form. Students will generate and conceptualize their projects two-dimensionally before working with their hands in the medium. Students will have the opportunity to submit projects to be showcased in the annual art show.