Githens’ Elective Classes
Fine Arts
Art
Art (6/7/8th Grade)
In choosing art, you are selecting a creative, peaceful environment where young artists are encouraged to stretch themselves creatively. This semester course covers: drawing foundations, color theory, 3D art forms, general art history and the use of technology in visual arts. Although the projects change each semester, 6th graders will always experience a combination of 2D and 3D art forms; such as ceramics, drawing, painting and printmaking. Technology-based weekly Sketchbook Challenges are driven by class interest; recent topics have included Masters’ reproductions, amine and optical illusions.
Band
Beginning Band (6/7/8th Grade)
Students in the Beginning Band will learn how to play an instrument. There are many ways to get an instrument. Many students in the beginning band are learning a new instrument for the first time - NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED! While learning to play your instrument, you will also learn how to read music and grow quickly as a musician. Beginning Band instruments include the Flute, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone & Percussion as starting instruments. Students in the beginning band typically perform two concerts - one in the winter and one in the spring.
Advanced Band (7/8th Grade)
Students in the Advanced Bands have completed one year of Beginning Band and are continuing to grow as musicians through performance. Students in the Advanced Bands will have at least 4 performance opportunities: The winter and spring concerts, a small ensemble performance and a performance trip combining all Advanced Band Members. Students in the Advanced Bands also have the opportunity to represent Githens by auditioning into honors bands to play with other great musicians. These honors bands include the DPS County Band, All-District Honors Band and North Carolina All State Honors Band. Students in the Advanced Bands are also eligible to participate in the Jazz Band co-curricular club.
Chorus
Beginning Chorus/Digital Music (6/7/8 Grade)
If you enjoy singing and have never taken Chorus before, this is the class for you! Students in Beginning Chorus will learn to sing, read, and write all types of music. Students will perform in a chorus concert at the end of the semester for friends and family. Students will also use their computers to learn how to write, record, and produce their own beats and remixes of popular songs.
Advanced Chorus (6/7/8 Grade)
Students in the Advanced Chorus classes love to sing and make music. This is a class for students who want to sing at the highest level Githens has to offer. Students will get to perform in 3-4 concerts per year, as well as participate in various free field trips throughout the school year. Students in these advanced classes also have the option to audition for events like All County Chorus, Evening of Entertainment, and DPS Fest.
Orchestra
Beginning Orchestra (6/7/8th Grade)
Students in Beginning Orchestra learn to play an instrument choosing from the violin, viola, cello or bass. There are many ways to get an instrument. Intended for students with little to no experience, this is a chance to get to learn to read, write, and play music for friends and family. We have multiple concerts and field trips throughout the year!
Advanced Orchestra (7/8th Grade)
Students in Advanced Orchestra get to collaborate with friends all coming together from different backgrounds to make some amazing music! Intended for students with prior strings experience, this is the course meant for building on and improving playing and theory skills from previous years of orchestra. Be a part of overnight trips and experiences such as concerts and competitions that build unforgettable memories!
Theater
Theater (6/7/8th Grade)
If you like to be on stage or act, this is the class for you! Students will explore dramatization through mime, script reading, improvisation and basic acting.
Applied Arts
Health Science
Health Science (6/7/8th Grade)
This middle school course will place emphasis on Human Anatomy and Physiology. The class will focus on careers in the Healthcare professions. The course begins with medical vocabulary and culminates with units covering skeletal and muscular anatomy.
Keyboarding/Office Productivity
Keyboarding and Basic Word Processing (6th Grade)
This middle school course is composed of instructional modules designed to provide hands-on instruction in keyboarding skills, basic word processing and computer concepts.
Introduction to Office Productivity/Office Productivity (7th Grade)
This middle school course will introduce students to applications within the Microsoft Suite such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher. Students will have the opportunity to explore collaboration when using applications like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. Students will learn the art of creativity with these different applications and Canva.
Economics and Introduction to Entrepreneurship (8th Grade)
This middle school course explores personal finance and entrepreneurship. Students will learn the basics when it comes to personal finance. Students learn techniques in money management and life. The class focuses on the concepts of being an entrepreneur and what it may take to operate a business.
Spanish
Exploratory Spanish (6/7/8th Grade)
This course introduces students to the target language and its culture. This class develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, with emphasis placed on interpersonal communication and proficiency. Students will acquire skills through real-world situations and use their experiences to practice these skills. Students develop an appreciation for how languages and cultures work by comparing the target language and culture(s) to their own.
Heritage Speakers (7/8th grade)
This course is designed specifically for native/heritage and/or near native/heritage speakers of Spanish who already have substantial oral language proficiency and who need literacy focus in the language. Students develop, maintain, and enhance proficiency in Spanish as they listen, speak, read, and write in a variety of contexts and for a variety of audiences. Students explore the cultures of the Hispanic world and gain a better understanding of the nature of their own language. This course is taught entirely in Spanish.
Spanish - High School Credit (8th Grade)
Spanish I introduces students to the target language and its culture. This class develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, with emphasis placed on interpersonal communication and proficiency. Students will acquire skills through real-world situations and use their experiences to practice these skills. Students develop an appreciation for how languages and cultures work by comparing the target language and culture(s) to their own. Classes are conducted primarily in the target language after the first quarter.
Technology
Meeting Technology (6th Grade)
This middle school course focuses on applying the design process in the invention or innovation of a new product, process, or system.
Technological Systems (7th Grade)
Students will be exposed to robots through LEGO Mindstorms robotics kits. Students begin by learning about loop systems and programming the robots including the basic blocks and programming flow. Students learn the basic LEGO parts, how they fit together and their correlations to the real world. They build simple models to demonstrate how the parts can be used in combination with their knowledge of simple machines to solve problems.
Engineering and Design (8th Grade)
An introduction that offers a variety of topics in engineering and design. The course material begins with a basic overview of the history of the technology, its current applications and its future possibilities. Students will demonstrate their ability to solve modern problems by introducing the engineering design mindset and applying simple design concepts to machines.