ARIZONA CHARTER ACADEMY

Table of Contents

Middle School Core Class and Elective Requirements 
6th-8th Grades 

Elective Descriptions

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Middle School Core Class and Elective Requirements 
6th-8th Grades 

Middle School Core Class and Elective Requirements 
6th-8th Grades 

6th Grade- choose 2 electives from 2 different houses  
7th grade- choose 6 electives from 3 different houses  
8th grade- choose 6 electives from declared house of study 
*Az Merit based writing class may be assigned to 7th and 8th graders who need
additional support in writing 

PLTW Computer Science

An introductory computer science course. Computer Science Discoveries (CS Discoveries) empowers students to create authentic artifacts and engage with computer science as a medium for creativity, communication,
problem solving, and fun. CS Discoveries focuses on the skills that enable students to create and express  themselves in a variety of contexts and media. Whether they are developing their own website, designing an app, building a game, or creating a physical computing device, students are empowered to bring their ideas to life.

PLTW Computer Science

Design Challenge 

Design challenge will empower students to think outside of boundaries and conventional practices while learning how to collaborate, work in teams, and understand bias to action.  Students will gain empathy in order to help others, determine best design practices, learn from mistakes and increase speaking, writing and listening skills.  Students will establish high level critical thinking skills, learn research based best practices and implement several design processes.   

Odyssey of the Mind 

Odyssey of the Mind is an international creative problem-solving program. Students must have completed Design Challenge.   Odyssey of the Mind engages students in their learning by allowing their knowledge and ideas to come to life in an exciting, productive environment. Participants build self-confidence, develop life skills, create new friendships, and are able to recognize and explore their true potential. Odyssey of the Mind proves that students can have fun while they learn. All Odyssey of the Mind solutions require students to perform, not just the sciences, but the arts as well – whether it be set-building, costume-making, creating props, acting, singing, or playing an instrument. These skills are important to create a bal-anced education. Odyssey of the Mind students will compete in March at the regional tournament.  

Odyssey of the Mind 

Coding

The goal of the Business and Finance course is to allow you, the student to conduct all of the research necessary to identify the steps that take you through your educational career and into your chosen profession! After you identify “what you want to be when you grow up,” the next step is to find out how you accomplish that goal. For instance: What college offers the degree necessary for your career? Once you identify the college, then you will:  Determine what classes you should take in high school? - What GPA do you need to graduate high school with to be accepted by the college you wish to at-tend? - How important are extra-curricular activities? - How do you apply for college? -How do you pay for college? These are just a few of the many questions you will research to help you determine the path to college or a trade.  

Comprehensive personal finance curriculum for students that teaches students how to make thoughtful, well-informed decisions about important aspects of personal finance, such as earning income, spending, saving, borrowing, investing, and managing money with real world examples and real-world issues going on today.    

Yearbook staff will choose the theme, pick the colors, and decide what is featured in next year’s book. In yearbook students will learn how to take pictures and design pages for the mid-dle school yearbook for purchase at the end of the school year.    

Non-Audition 6th-8th grade mixed choir.  This choir performs at the winter concerts and Spring Showcase and is a perfect place to try out choir for the first time!  Singers will work together to learn music in multiple languages and even some popular music! Some dancing and movement make the performances pop! 

Seventh and eighth grade audition only choirs. Meet every other day for the whole year. Choirs per-forming multiple performances in both the fall and the spring sing a different repertoire in different languages. Classes are comprised of warming up and saying, as well as performing and dancing pieces!  

Seventh and eighth grade audition only choirs. Meet every other day for the whole year. Choirs per-forming multiple performances in both the fall and the spring sing a different repertoire in different languages. Classes are comprised of warming up and saying, as well as performing and dancing pieces!  

Designed for students who are seriously interested in the practical experience of art and wish to develop mastery in the concept, composition, and execution of their ideas. Studio Art is not based on a written exam; instead, students submit portfolios or evaluation at the end of the semes-ter. In building the portfolio, students experience a variety of concepts, techniques and approaches designed to help them demonstrate their abilities as well as their versatility with techniques, problem solving, and ideation. Upon completion, students will have developed a portfolio in which they will show mastery of techniques, skills and creativity. Art can be mastered, but it isn’t easy! I will expect every student to come ready to work hard and learn to try again and again!  

This course will introduce students to basic drawing techniques and is designed to increase observational drawing skills. Emphasis is placed on the fundamentals of drawing and 2-dimensional de-sign using a variety of art materials and tools. In this course we will discuss and build on fundamentals of draw-ing in a project-based design. Upon completion, students will have a better understanding drawing techniques and skills. Art can be learned, but it isn’t easy! I will expect every student to come ready to work hard and learn to try again and again!  

An introductory course to the dramatic performing arts! In this course, students will learn the basic building blocks of theatre, practicing them in hands-on class activities and showcasing them in performances with their peers. This course is an excellent opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and try something 

Students have the opportunity to cultivate and pursue a passion for the theatre! Once they have developed basic skills of performance in beginning theatre, thespians will refine and hone those skills in Advanced Theatre through long-term performance projects and challenging performance pieces. This course is ideal for students who have developed a love of the fine arts and are looking to grow as actors!  

The course will explore and understand the musical theater genre. For eighth graders only. Meeting every other day for the whole year. Students will perform pieces from musical theater shows. The amount of performance will be determined upon the level of participation and interest in this new course. The goal will be to put on scenes and pieces from famous musicals  

If you like to watch “cop shows” and shows like “Law and Order” … OR … If you want to know how the ‘law works,’ then this is the course for you! BUT … this course is a LOT of work, you will be searched, handcuffed, must play the role of prosecutor/defense attorneys; police officers/victims/witnesses and suspects! You will be given ‘complicated fact patterns,’ and expected to solve them just as a law-yer would do! You may even get pretty good at “winning debates!” The goal of the course is to convene a ‘mock trial’ in which you, the student solves a mystery crime and bring the suspect to trial! Are YOU up for the chal- lenge? 

Historical Literacy covers a wide range of historical topics through the method of reading literature fiction and non-fiction.  Students will express the knowledge of history and the novels through projects, such as creating a model or writing a journal.  

This course covers public speaking and formal debate.  Students will research and learn how to ar-gue with evidence and time restrictions.  Students will also to choose from a variety of real world debate topics, such as Social Media does more harm than good or vice versa.  They will gain skills in public speaking, writing, research, and collaboration with their peers.  

The student council runs the leadership course.  The students in leadership plan all student of the month activities, dances, PAW Parties, Bully Prevention Week, Spirit Week and Field Day for our k-5 graders.  Leadership give our students a voice at ACA and the opportunity to demonstrate leadership.   

Each unit is designed to combat prejudice among our nation’s youth while promoting equality, inclusiveness and equitable learning environments in the classroom. This course utilizes the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance and the Journeys in Film curriculum.  These curriculums enhance critical thinking skills and meet the Common Core standards.  Students will learn how to make a difference in their community while preparing them for high school and college. The curriculum requires students to have a high level of maturity and desire to learn about issues that have changed the world we live in.