2016-2017 COURSE BULLETIN ROBERTO CLEMENTE MIDDLE SCHOOL

COURSE BULLETIN
2016-2017
ROBERTO CLEMENTE
MIDDLE SCHOOL
“The best of all things is to learn. Money can be lost or stolen, health and
strength may fail but what you have committed to your mind is yours forever.”
–
Louis L’A mour
ROBERTO CLEMENTE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Administration – 301-601-0344
Mr. Jeffrey Brown, Principal
Dr. Tiffany Awkard, Assistant Principal
Ms. Rose Alvarez, Assistant Principal
Ms. Somer Snider, Upcounty Center Program Co ordinator
Mr. Scott Smith, Assistant School Administrator
Ms. Molly Murray, Middle Years Program m e Co o rdinator
Ms. Nicole Quiroga, Administrative Secretary
Counseling Department – 301-601-0343
Ms. Natalie Williams
Mr. Marcus Turner
Ms. Karen M. Jo seph
Ms. Wendy Mo rris
Ms. Catherine Reddingto n
Ms. Connie Monte
6th Grade Co unselor
7th Grade Co unselor
8th Grade Co unselor
Special Education Co unselor
Resource, 504, ESOL and Alt. 1 Co unselor
Registrar/Counseling Secretary
“Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and
you will.”
-
Vernon Howard
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January 19, 2016
Dear Roberto Clemente Middle School Families,
It is with great excitement that I welcome you to Roberto Clemente Middle Sc hool for the 2016-2017 school year. We take
pride in the diversity of our student population and the varied scheduling opportunities we offer each student. In this booklet
you will find the 2016-2017 course offerings. Whether you are an incoming grade 6 parent or a returning or new grade 7 or 8
parent we ask that you take time to review the course offerings and selections with your child.
As a Middle Years Programme (MYP) World School candidate, we teach to the whole child. There are ten characteristics to
well-rounded MYP students; these characteristics comprise the Learner Profile. Within this Learner Profile, all learners strive
to be: inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and
reflective. The aim of our MYP program is to develop internationally minded citizens who, recognizing their common
humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. The MYP learner profile
and global-mindedness are infused into all courses of study at Roberto Clemente Middle School.
We are very proud of the quality instructional program that our highly qualified staff members provide to all of our students .
The course offerings in this booklet vary widely, providing opportunities for all students to expand their knowledge, to be
challenged at all levels, and be prepared for any high school program of study they choose to pursue.
In middle schools, the school counselors provide valuable guidance and assistance for both students and their
parents/guardians. The middle school counselors’ role is one of transition: transition students from elementary to middle
school and from middle to high school. I encourage you to contact our counseling department if you have any questions while
navigating the course registration process. We are all committed to ensuring your child is appropriately scheduled.
Remember, we expect all Roberto Clemente Middle School students to maximize their potential. Please plan to work
collaboratively with teachers, counselors, and administrators to prepare your child to be prepared for high school and become
college and career ready.
Together, we are Roberto Clemente Middle School.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey T. Brown
Principal
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Table o f Co ntents
Administration and Counseling Information
.... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2
Letter from the P rincipal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Vision and Mission Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
International Baccalaureate at RCMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Organizational Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Extracurricular P rogram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Counseling Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
English for Speakers of Other Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Alternative P rogram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Special Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Magnet P rograms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
P artnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (P ARCC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Math P athways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Grade Course Descriptions (Gr. 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Grade Course Descriptions (Gr. 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Grade Course Descriptions (Gr. 8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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Vision Statement
We, the RCMS community, inspire a passion in each child by facilitating collaboration and risk taking in
authentic learning experiences through purposeful planning of excellent learning opportunities.
We collaborate to embrace our common responsibilit y to develop open-mined, caring citizens who learn
through multiple cultural perspectives.
As a result, we will become a successful community of lifelong learners who inspire global change through
inquiry and action.
“America’s future will be determined by the home and the school.
The child becomes
largely what he is taught; hence we m ust watch what we teach, and how we live.” –
Jane Adams
Mission Statement
We inspire a passion in each child by making connections to prior knowledge and adapting instructional
approaches to meet the varied needs of students.
We create authentic learning opportunities for students through planned self-discovery, recognizing student effort
and risk-taking. We plan learning that is relevant to student interest and current issues.
We facilitate purposeful planning by communicating our collaborative mission. We invite and facilitate
meaningful dialogue with students and teachers. We use academic language to frame communication. We
analyze student work as the data that drives our continuous improvement cycle.
We develop the whole child through integration of the learner profile within the basic structure of our instructional
program. We demonstrate the value and importance of teaching the whole child through strong, supportive
relationships with our students.
We increase international mindedness by modeling a respect for diversity and differences. We incorporate global
resources within our classroom inquiries. We support the growth of each student to become effective bi-lingual
communicators.
International Baccalaureate at RCMS
Roberto Clemente Middle School is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School candidate.
This is an
opportunity to continue the excellence seen within the walls of Roberto Clemente Middle School while
implementing a conceptual and global approach to teaching and learning.
The application for IB candidacy was submitted on April 1, 2014.
Staff spent the 2014-2015 school year
investigating the International Baccalaureate philosophy through professional development and instructional
implementation. The staff and students of Roberto Clemente Middle School will be fully prepared to apply for
International Baccalaureate Middle Years P rogramme authorization on October 1, 2016.
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As we continue to implement the philosophy of the IB P rogramme, we shift how we plan and deliver instruction
to students. Staff will continue to plan collaboratively, and will focus on cross -curricular concepts and units.
Staff will focus on educating the whole child through the implementation of the Learner P rofile and by
increasing international mindedness. Staff will continue to engage in International Baccalaureate professional
development embedded throughout the school day and beyond.
Students will take ownership of their learning by inquiring into concepts of interest while framing learning
through a Global Context, key and related concepts. Students will engage with their school community while
exemplifying the Learner P rofile.
Organizatio nal Structure
Roberto Clemente Middle Sc hool s tudents rec eive a c omprehens ive, rigorous ac ademic program at every grade level.
There are s even c las s periods and a lunc h period daily. All s tudents take c ours es in Englis h, Math, Soc ial Studies ,
Sc ienc e, Phys ic al Educ ation and a Reading or a World Language c las s , as well as one elec tive.
Our s tudents have the opportunity to s ample a variety of s ubjec ts throughout their three years in our Elec tives program.
Elec tives are divided into 3 pathways : Tec hnology, Mus ic and Exploration. For information about eac h c ours e, pleas e
review this c ours e bulletin. Cours e offerings may vary by grade level.
Note to Ce nte r Pare nts of I ns trume ntal Stude nts : All s ixth grade Magnet s tudents in the Math/Sc ienc e program
planning to apply to a magnet high s c hool are eligible to partic ipate in the RCMS Band, Orc hes tra, or Rock Band program
for at leas t two years . Students applying to Ric hard Montgomery High Sc hool’s IB program have a one year world
languages requirement. RCMS Math /Sc ienc e s tudents who c hoos e to partic ipate in ins trumental mus ic typic ally take an
ins trumental c las s for s ixth and s eventh grades in order to keep c ontinuity on an ins trument and fulfil their world
languages requirement in eighth grade. Sixth graders in the Humanities program are not eligible to partic ipate in the
ins trumental mus ic program in s ixth grade, but may partic ipate in s eventh or eighth grades .
Extracurricular Pro grams
Roberto Clemente Middle Sc hool offers a wide variety of after -s c hool programs and ac tivities in order to provide
opportunities for neweduc ational experienc es . Ac tivities run by RCMS s taff members range from Sc ienc e Team and
Rubik’s Cube Club to Student Government As s oc iation and Yearbook Club. We als o have various intramurals and
inters c holas tic athletic teams . Additionally, we hous e the nationally rec ognized Exc el Beyond the Bell (EBB) program
whic h offers free c las s es that inc lude Young Chefs , Hip Hop DJ Skills , Hair Des ign, Danc e, and muc h more.
All s tudents who s tay after s chool have the ability to get a hot s upper in the c afeteria between 2:45 and 3:15. When EBB is
in s es s ion, there are ac tivity bus es available at 5:15 for any s tudents who have s tayed for an organized ac tivity or extra help
with a teac her.
Co unseling Departm ent
Middle Sc hool c ouns elors provide a c omprehens ive s c hool c ouns eling program that addres s es the needs of s tudents in
grades 6 through 8. Sc hool c ouns elors at the middle s c hool level s upport s tudents as they trans ition from elementary
s c hool to middle s c hool and from middle s c hool to high s c hool.
The Roberto Clemente Middle Sc hool Couns eling Department provides s upport to s tudents in their ac ademic , c areer and
s oc ial development. The goal is to build s tudents up through ac ademic exc ellenc e, c reative problem s olving, and s oc ial
and emotional learning. This will provide s tudents with the tools to ac c es s the c ore c urric ulum, to advoc ate for learning
and to interac t in a pos itive manner with their peers and others . Sc hool c ouns elors are c ommitted to s upporting s tudents to
make informed dec is ions and live s uc c es s ful and fulfilling lives .
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RCMS c ouns elors enroll s tudents , review records , c reate c las s schedules and provide information to s tudents and families
regarding ac ademic programming. These dec is ions are made through collaborative teams and data to identify appropriate
plac ement for s tudents . This data is als o us ed to addres s s tudents ’ needs pertaining to attendanc e and behaviors .
RCMS c ouns elors provide prevention, intervention, and c ris is res pons e s ervic es to families and s tudents .
Sc hool
c ouns elors c onnec t families with outs ide agenc ies to help improve their s tandard of living and to offer s upport. Sc hool
c ouns elors , through c las s room pres entation, s mall group s es s ions , and individual c ouns eling help s tudents unders tand
their experienc es and develop effec tive s trategies for c oping with them.
English fo r Speakers o f Other Languages - 6, 7, and 8
ESOL is a c ours e des igned to teac h the four bas ic s kill areas of Englis h (lis tening, s peaking, reading and writing) to
s tudents w hos e native language is not Englis h. There are s everal levels of ESOL offered, from entering to bridging,
depending upon the Englis h profic ienc y level of the s tudent. ESOL levels are determined by an examination given to all
inc oming s tudents who enroll through the International Student Admis s ions Offic e. Emphas is is plac ed upon prac tic al
Englis h us age as well as grammar, s pelling, and voc abulary development. More advanc ed ESOL s tudents may take a
regular Englis h c las s c onc urrently with ESOL to fac ilitate their ex it from the program and entry into regular Englis h,
whic h oc c urs as s tudents demons trate profic ienc y on the WIDA ACCESS as s es s ment.
Alternative Pro gram – 6, 7, and 8
Eac h middle s c hool has been provided with s taffing to develop and implement a s c hool-bas ed alternative program. The
over-all purpos e of thes e programs is to provide s upports and direc t ac ademic , s oc ial/emotional, and behavior
management s ervic es to s tudents as well as s upports to s taff. With ongoing guidanc e and monitoring, s tudents in these
programs s hould be able to experienc e greater s uc c es s and remain in the mains tream of s c hool ac tivities .
Special Educatio n - Grades 6, 7, and 8
Place me nt is de te rmined by the I ndividualize d Education Program te am in consultation with the s pe cial e ducation
s upe rvis or.
Spe e ch and Language Program
The s peec h and language program provides diagnos tic , remedial and c ons ultative s ervic es to identified s tudents . The
s peec h language pathologis t works individually with s tudents or as an additional s upport in various general educ ation
c las s es .
Hours Bas e d Staffing (HBS)
Students with a learning and ac ademic dis ability require s pec ial educ ation s ervic es through Hours Bas ed Staffing as a
res ult of a learning dis ability that impac ts ac ademic ac hievement in the areas of mathematic s , reading and/or written
language. Students are ins truc ted in the general educ ation c urric ulum with differentiated ins truc tion to ac c ommodate the
unique learning needs of eac h s tudent.
Le arning for I nde pe nde nce Program (LFI )
The s tudents plac ed in the LFI program utilize the MCPS Curric ulum 2. 0 as well as c ritic al life s kills, whic h emphas izes
bas ic s kills , pers onal management, voc ational and leis ure s kills . Learning foc us es on functional ac ademic s related to real
life applic ations . Community ins truc tion foc us es on life s kills and s oc ial s kills , as determined by individual s tudent
needs .
GT/LD Program
The GT/LD program is one of three regionally loc ated programs for twic e exc eptional s tudents who need s pec ial
educ ation s upport for the majority of their ac ademic day. Students are ac c epted through an IEP Team dec is ion in which
they are c onfirmed as twic e exc eptional (i. e. highly gifted and learning dis abled). Often s tudents are plac ed in GT/LD
c las s rooms in their area of dis ability, most often being Englis h and reading. Students are typic ally plac ed in a mains tream
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c o-taught c las s with their gifted peers for s oc ial s tudies , s c ienc e and math. To s upport mains tream efforts , s tudents are
provided a GT/LD res ourc e period to work in their defic it areas ac c ording to their IEPs . Cas e managers work with
s tudents to help them unders tand their unique s trengths and needs and advoc ate for the ac c ommodations that will allow
them ac c es s to rigorous ins truction. Over the c ours e of their middle s c hool years , GT/LD s tudents generally inc reas e the
amount of time in the mains tream GT c las s es , as they learn how to us e compensatory tools and s trategies and how to s elfadvoc ate.
HBS Re s ource Clas s
Spec ial Educ ation s tudents who require additional s upport in areas of s tudy s kills , s oc ial s kills , organizational s kills , and
s elf-advoc ac y will be programmed for a Res ourc e clas s . The Res ource c las s will be s taffed by a c hild’s Spec ial Educ ation
Cas e Manager.
The c as e manager will work with s tudents in unders tanding their s trengths and needs , with ac c ommodations that allow
ac c es s to rigorous ins truc tion.
This c las s will have the additional benefit of providing s mall c las s ins truc tion that is tailored to the s tudents ’ doc umented
needs . The c las s will provide an opportunity for eac h individual s tudent to c omplete outs tanding work which was mis s ed
or inc omplete, helping them to maintain eligibility for c lubs and s ports , which will enhanc e their s c hool experienc e by
boos ting s elf-es teem and pride in their s c hool acc omplis hments .
The Res ourc e c las s will als o provide opportunities for s tudents to prac tic e PARCC s kills and develop an unders tanding of
s kills and know ledge that will be utilized on the PARCC exams . In addition, s tudy s kills and s trategies will be taught.
“L earning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” – Chinese
Proverb
Magnet Program s
Separate from the s tandard ac c elerated programs , Roberto Clemente Middle Sc hool is home to the Upc ounty Middle
Sc hool Center Program for the Highly Gifted. Students from nine upc ounty high s c hool c lus ters are identified for this
program through an applic ation proc es s in the fifth grade. Ac c epted s tudents will either take a c ore s et of c ours es in
Humanities & Communic ation or in Math, Sc ienc e & Computer Sc ienc e for grades s ix through eight. Clas s es outs ide of
the c ore c enter c ours es will be integrated with all s tudents , bas ed upon s c hedule c apabilities .
“It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to
use it well.” –Rene Descartes
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Partne rship for Asse ssme nt of Re adine ss for Colle ge and Care e rs (PARCC)
The P artnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (P ARCC) is a group of states working
together to develop assessments that measure whether students are on track in their learning and for success
after high school. These computer-based K-12 assessments in Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA)
are given in May and early June. All students take their grade level test for ELA. Many students will take their
grade level test in math, with the exception of students who are enrolled in Algebra. Those students will take the
P ARCC assessment for that Algebra rather than their grade level test.
Eighth grade students will also take the Maryland School Assessment for science during the month of March.
Registration
Parents and students should give special attention to the selection of courses during registration.
schedule of classes and the allocation of staff is based on your initial registration.
The master
After the registration period, schedule changes will be made in exceptional cases only. Requests for changes
by a student or parent must be for educationally sound reasons and submitted in writing. A parent conference
will then be scheduled to discuss the request. Course selections must be done with great care and preplanning.
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Course Descriptions
Grade 6
English 6
Englis h 6
This c ours e integrates the five Englis h/ language arts proc es s es (reading, writing, lis tening, s peaking, and viewing) and
the two c ontents (language and literature) in a thematic organization of four units . Rigor and c hallenge are es s ential
c omponents of the ins truc tional approac h to Englis h 6. Instruction in reading and writing s trategies , grammar, and
voc abulary is embedded in every unit.
Teac hers will implement the c urric ulum through the following thematic units :
Unit 1: Foundations
Unit 2: Adventures
Unit 3: Challenges and Barriers
Unit 4: Choic es
Students read, analyze, and s tudy different genres related to eac h of the themes and c omplete required c ommon tas ks.
Students have opportunities to pres ent their work orally and through the medium of tec hnology. All s tudents develop
portfolios and revis it their c ompos itions as they work to s trengthen their writing s kills .
Magne t Humanitie s Englis h 6
Humanities Englis h 6 is paired with Humanities 6 Reading to func tion as a Readers /Writers Works hop. Thes e cours es are
s truc tured together as an integrated reading and writing workshop: s tudents develop s kills in reading as s igned and s elfs elec ted texts purpos efully and c ritic ally ac ros s many genres and develop writing s kills in s upport of c ritic al thinking and
the s tudy of language and literature.
Along with c ritic al reading and writing c rafts mans hip, s tudents develop
c ommunic ation s kills of s peaking, lis tening, and viewing, engaging in c ollaborative and independent projec ts that
demons trate mas tery of c ours e objec tives . See Magnet Reading 6 des c ription.
Reading 6
Digital Lite racy 1
The Digital Literac y 1 c urric ulum foc us es on developing c ritic al and c reative thinking through reading, writing, s peaking,
lis tening, and viewing in a 21st Century approac h. Working through a problem-bas ed process , s tudents learn to define real
world problems of interes t, res earch the c auses of those problems using real-time global texts and then c reate s olutions to
addres s the problems . Students will advanc e their unders tanding of c omprehens ion, analys is , and evaluation of text as
well as voc abulary ac quis ition through reading c omplex informational and argumentative texts in a tec hnology -ric h
medium. Students will c ollaborate regularly both through the res earc h and the s olution phas es of their inves tigations .
Students ’ c urios ity and motivation will engage the s tudents in their inves tigations while learning and refining the
proc es s es that will enric h all other c ours es and prepare them for c ollege and c areer projec ts .
Magne t Humanitie s Re ading 6
Magnet Humanities Reading 6 is paired with Magnet Humanities Englis h 6 to func tion as a Readers /Writers Works hop.
Organized into five thematic units , the c urric ulum has ties to world s tudies and media produc tion c ours ework. Eac h unit
addres s es an over-arching theme through whic h s tudents explore the human experienc e ac ros s time and dis tanc e in their
own es s ays , narratives , poetry, drama, and vis ual arts . Independent reading, voc abulary, grammar, us age, and mec hanics
are ongoing throughout the year. See Magnet Englis h 6 des c ription.
Re ad 180
Read 180 is an intens ive reading intervention program (2 periods ) des igned to meet the needs of s tudents w hos e reading
ac hievement is below grade level. The program direc tly addres s es the needs of s truggling readers through differentiated
ins truc tion, adaptive s oftware, bac kground know ledge building, ins truc tional s oftware, high-interes t literature, and
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explic it ins truc tion in reading, writing, and voc abulary s kills . After the initial whole group direc t ins truc tion les s on,
s tudents rotate in s mall groups to different s tations that inc lude individualized ins truc tional s oftw are, audio books for
modeled reading, paperbac k books for independent reading, and s mall group ins truc tion with the teac her. Progres s
monitoring is embedded in the program.
Mathematics
Curriculum 2. 0 Math 6
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C2. 0) Math 6 extends s tudents ’ unders tanding of whole number and frac tion c onc epts developed
throughout the elementary grades . Ins truction at this level will foc us on four areas : (1) c onnecting ratio and rate to whole
number multiplic ation and divis ion and us ing c onc epts of ratio and rate to s olve problems ; (2) c ompleting unders tanding
of divis ion of frac tions and extending the notion of number to the s ys tem of rational numbers , which inc ludes negative
numbers ; (3) writing, interpreting, and us ing expres s ions and equations ; and (4) developing unders tanding of s tatis tic al
thinking.
Magne t I nve stigations into Mathe matics (I M)
This c ours e provides a motivating and c hallenging experienc e for s tudents . It is des igned to provide a s trong foundation
for future magnet mathematic s c ourses . The development of the language of mathematic s , properties and s truc tures are
s tres s ed as familiar topic s are extended and new topic s are introduc ed and s tudies . Emphas is is plac e on analys is ,
applic ation,
c ommunic ation and problem s olving.
Interdis c iplinary c onnec tions within topic s link
mathematic s /s c ienc e/c omputer s c ienc e through data c ollec tion and s imulation, data manipulation and dis play, and data
analys is .
Curriculum 2. 0 Mathe matics 7
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C2. 0) Mathematic s 7 extends s tudents ’ unders tanding of mathematic al c onc epts develop in C2. 0
Mathematic s 6. Ins truc tion at this level will foc us on four areas : (1) developing unders tanding of and applying
proportional relations hips ; (2) developing unders tanding of operations with rational numbers and working with
expres s ions and linear equations ; (3) s olving problems involving s c ale drawings and informal geometric c ons truc tions ,
and working with two-and three-dimens ional s hapes to s olve problems involving area, s urfac e area, and volume; and (4)
drawing inferenc es about populations bas ed on s amples . Students who s uccess fully c omplete this c ours e will be ready for
C2. 0 Math 8 in Grade 8, s trengthening their foundation for the Common Core State Standards Algebra 1 in Grade 9.
Curriculum 2. 0 I nve stigations into Mathe matics (I M)
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C2. 0) Inves tigations into Mathematic s (IM) extends s tudents ’ unders tanding of mathematic al c onc epts
developed in C2. 0 Mathematic s 6 and ac c elerates the pac e of ins truc tion to prepare for C2. 0 Algebra 1. This c ours e
c ompac ts all of the Grade 7 Common Core State Standards and muc h of the Grade 8 Common Core State Standards into a
s ingle year. Students who s uc c es s fully c omplete C2. 0 IM will foc us on four c ritic al areas : (1) developing a unified
unders tanding of numbers , recognizing frac tions , dec imals (inc luding both thos e that have a finite or a repeating dec imal
repres entation), and perc ents as different repres entations of rational numbers ; (2) us ing linear equations and s ys tems of
linear equations to repres ent, analyze, and s olve a variety of problems ; (3) c omparing two data dis tributions and reas oning
about differenc es between populations ; (4) analyzing geometric relations hips in order to s olve real-world mathematic al
problems .
Curriculum 2. 0 Alge bra 1A/1B
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C2. 0) Algebra 1 is des igned to analyze and model real-world phenomena. Exploration of linear,
exponential, and quadratic func tions forms the foundation of the c ours e. Key c harac teris tic s and repres entations of
func tions —graphic , numeric , s ymbolic , and verbal—are analyzed and c ompared. Students develop fluenc y in s olving
equations and inequalities . One and two variable data s ets are interpreted us ing mathematic al models . Stude nts who
s ucce s s fully comple te 1A/1B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in mathe matics .
“Learning without thought is labor lost.” - Confucius
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Science 6
I nve stigations in Scie nce 6 (I S6)
IS6 is a problem/projec t-bas ed c urric ulum. Instruc tion is interwoven around a relevant problem/projec t to allow a foc us
for s tudent learning. Students engage in minds -on inquiry and hands -on explorations , produc tive dis c ours e, and
purpos eful reading and writing. Units s tudied in IS6 c enter around topic s related to matter and its interac tions , ec os ys tem
dynamic s , human impac ts on the environment, energy, and waves. Students engage in s c ienc e, tec hnology, engineering,
and mathematic s (STEM) in order to propos e s olutions to identified problems .
Magne t Math/Scie nce Scie nce 6
In Magnet Sc ienc e 6 s tudents explore s c ientific des ign c riteria and c ons traints and analyze the value of models in
s c ientific explanation, ec ology and environmental is s ues . Students are introduc ed to the c onc ept of interrelations hip
between organis ms and their environment. Energy flow, c arbon and nitrogen c yc les are s tudied as well. Students will
als o learn about the c las s ific ation of plants and animals into kingdom, and s tudy adaptations and natural s elec tion. Students
will als o s tudy renew able and non-renew able res ourc es , ways in which res ourc es c an be us ed, abus ed, and pres erved.
Additionally, s tudents will learn about mas s , veloc ity, and time. The las t unit of s tudy in Magnet Sc ienc e 6 is alternative
energy. Students will s tudy elec tric ity, magnetis m, elec tric al energy produc tion, s olar energy, and c onvers ion of energy.
Wo rld Studies 6
The s oc ial s tudies program in middle s c hool builds c hronologic al and thematic unders tanding of world and United States
his tory, while als o developing the s oc ial s tudies s trands of geography, ec onomic s , politic al s ys tems , and c ulture. Eac h
s oc ial s tudies unit is organized around a his toric al era and a s oc ial s tudies s trand. A mix of modern c ontent and the
les s ons of his tory provide the bac kground knowledge and thinking s kills that prepare s tudents for high s c hool ins truc tion
and their res pons ibilities as c itizens .
Advance d World Studie s 6
Teac hers will implement the c urric ulum in Grade 6 as follow s : Unit
1: Patterns of Settlement in the Anc ient and Modern Worlds Unit 2:
Citizens hip and Governanc e in Clas s ic al and Modern Times Unit 3:
The Impac t of Ec onomic s in Anc ient and Modern China Unit 4:
Cultural Sys tems : The Firs t Millennium and Today
This c ours e provides enric hed opportunities for learning about anc ient world his tory. Building on the c urrent four units of
Grade 6 world s tudies , s tudents will deepen their unders tanding of the ric h c ultures and his tory from the earlies t human
s ettlements to great c ivilizations of the year 1000 CE. Students are c hallenged to analyze arc haeologic al evidenc e, as k
ques tions to further their know ledge, and unders tand his tory as an on-going inves tigation.
Magne t Humanitie s World Studie s 6
The Humanities program infus es the MCPS world s tudies c urric ulum with additional depth and rigor. Students engage in
reflec tive thinking and dec is ion-making as they partic ipate in experiential ac tivities s uc h as his toric al s imulations and
debates . Thes e ac tivities and the res earc h required of s tudents in their preparation provide a ric h foundation for further
s tudy in the s oc ial s c ienc es and the humanities .
Physical Educatio n /Health 6
The middle s c hool phys ic al educ ation program foc us es on health-related fitnes s , movement s kills and c onc epts , and
pers onal and s oc ial res pons ibility. Eac h phys ic al educ ation unit c hallenges s tudents to better unders tand the bene fits of
phys ic al ac tivity toward fitnes s , fundamentals of effic ient movement in phys ic al ac tivity and s port, and the es s entials of
res pons ibility in a movement s etting. The learning tas ks in phys ic al educ ation emphas ize and teac h problem -s olving and
dec is ion-making s kills . Students partic ipate in games and ac tivities that promote fitnes s , develop tac tic al awareness, and
indoc trinate s oc ial qualities .
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Comprehens ive health educ ation promotes pos itive health-related attitudes and behaviors that s upport s elf-relianc e and
s elf-regulation while developing health literac y and lifelong wellnes s . The health s kills emphas ized throughout the program
inc lude analyzing influenc es , ac c es s ing information, interpers onal c ommunic ation, dec is ion -making, goal- s etting, selfmanagement, and advoc acy. This nine-week c ours e inc ludes the following four units of ins truc tion: mental and emotional
health; alc ohol, tobac c o and other drugs ; pers onal and c ons umer health; and s afety and injury prevention.
Wo rld Languages 6
The goal of the Montgomery County Public Sc hools ’ world languages program is to educ ate s tudents in a language and
c ulture in order to make them knowledgeable and ac tive members of a global s oc iety. Students will learn to us e world
languages for meaningful c ommunic ation in both s poken and written form. The world languages program emphas izes
language as it is us ed in real-life s ituations that s tudents are mos t likely to enc ounter. Through world languages s tudy,
s tudents develop s ens itivity to the c ultural and linguis tic heritage of other groups , understand their influenc e on Americ an
c ulture, and bec ome prepared to partic ipate in a s oc iety c harac terized by linguis tic and c ultural divers ity. All world
languages cours es are des ignated high s chool level cours es . World languages grades earned at Roberto Clemente Middle
Sc hool will appear on the high s c hool trans c ripts . Students mus t meet reading profic ienc y requirement in order to regis ter
for world languages c las s es .
Middle School Fre nch or Spanis h Le ve l 1A (Full Year)
In this beginning Spanis h or Frenc h c ours e s tudents learn to c ommunic ate in s imple, everyday s oc ial s ituations . They
learn to introduc e thems elves , greet one another, tell time, and expres s the date, s eas on, and the weather. Students talk
about ac tivities they w ant to purs ue in and out of s c hool. They as k ques tions and formulate res pons es and opinions .
Convers ations inc lude the s tudent’s immediate world and des c riptions of people and everyday objec ts . Spanis h or Frenc h
c ulture is integrated into the c urric ulum through films , s pecial projec ts , and dis c uss ion. This c ourse is the firs t part of the
normal s equenc e for middle s c hool world languages s tudents . Students who elec t Level 1, Part A, of Frenc h or Spanis h,
will c omplete the firs t half of the high s c hool level 1 c ours e this year and c omplete the s ec ond half, Part B, in grade 7.
Upon s ucce s s ful comple tion of this course and le ve l 1B in grade 7, s tude nts will re ce ive one high s chool cre dit in
world language s .
Middle School Spanis h or Fre nch Le ve l 1A/1B
Students begin to learn to c ommunic ate orally and in written form about daily life. Emphas is is on voc abulary
development, s imple grammatic al s truc tures , and the bas ic c ulture of the people. Students are enc ouraged to us e the
language beyond the s c hool s etting and keep informed of c urrent events in c ountries w here the target language is s poken.
Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te 1A/1B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in world language s .
Electives 6
Students entering 6t h grade will s ign up for one full year elec tive. Humanities Magnet s tudents are required to take
Magnet Humanities Reading 6 and Magnet Humanities Media 6. They have no elec tive choice in the s ixth grade.
Math/Sc ienc e Magnet s tudents are required to take Magnet Computer Sc ienc e and may c hoos e either a world languages
elec tive (Spanis h or Frenc h), or a mus ic /arts elec tive. RCMS Math/Sc ienc e s tudents who c hoos e to partic ipate in
ins trumental mus ic typic ally take an ins trumental c las s for s ixth and s eventh grades in order to keep c ontinuity on an
ins trument and fulfil their world languages requirement in eighth grade. Sixth graders in the Humanities program are not
eligible to partic ipate in s ixth grade, but may partic ipate in s eventh or eighth grades . Students applying to Ric hard
Montgomery High Sc hool’s IB program have a world languages requirement of one year. The following elec tive c ours es
may be offered, pending s tudent interes t and s taffing.
Magne t Humanitie s Me dia 6
Media literac y c las s es are hands -on, process-oriented, and produc t-based experienc es. Media 6 s tudents explore a variety
of topic s inc luding human c ommunic ation, graphic des ign, advertis ing, digital art, radio, TV s tudio/video produc tion and
c reative dramatic s . Although media literac y experienc es are paramount as we c hallenge s tudents to bec ome s avvy
c ons umers of media and reflec tive c ommunic ators in a tec hnology-ric h and global s oc iety, partic ipation in humanities
team interdis c iplinary educ ational opportunities are als o inc luded in the c ours ew ork.
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Computer tec hnology s upports the mathematic s and s cienc e dis ciplines . Foc us is plac ed on the us e of the c omputer as a
tool for problem s olving in other s ubjec ts . Through the us e of real world tools and global educ ational res ourc es , the
s eminars prepare s tudents for s c ientific c hallenges and produc tive c areers . Students c ollec t, manipulate, graph, and
analyze data us ing the c omputer. They develop algorithms , w rite programs in various s truc tured programming languages ,
and us e c ommerc ial s oftw are to s olve problems.
Ex ploratio n Pathways Electiv e
Arts Rotation
Students rotate through 9 weeks of each of the following courses:
Art 6
Students identify and c reate artworks that c ommunic ate univers al ideas , and rec ognize that art is a global
purs uit. Students make interdis c iplinary c onnec tions between art and other s ubjec t areas as they inves tigate the arts
and c rafts of other c ultures . They us e art elements and des ign princ iples to c ompos e pers onal artworks
from obs ervation or imagination. Us ing art voc abulary, they es tablis h and apply c riteria for talking about art and
making aes thetic judgments . Students are taught s afe prac tic es in an art room and the proper us e of art equipment,
tools , and materials .
I ntroduction to Digital Mus ic
Digital Mus ic offers authentic experienc es in mus ic whic h demons trates the relations hip between mus ic and
tec hnology, and experienc es relating to the mus ic indus try. Students will s tudy mus ic theory and identify bas ic
mus ic notation s ymbols , bas ic rhythm patterns, and demonstrate the us e of bas ic mus ic voc abulary. Students will
des c ribe the elements of mus ic and develop evaluative c riteria appropriate for obs erving performanc es and
lis tening to mus ic . Students will perform keyboard s kill at a Level 1, c ompos e mus ic us ing notation s oftw are,
apply the bas ic elements of mus ic to s ong writing tec hniques , and arrange and c ompos e original s ongs us ing the
Mixc raft s oftw are. They will demons trate and apply know ledge of mus ic theory, s tyles and form.
Compute r Applications Ye ar 1
Computer Applic ations 1 provides s ixth grade s tudents with ac tive learning experienc es related to the produc tive
us e of c omputer-bas ed applic ations . Students us e word process ing, s preads heet pres entation, programming, and
res earc h s kills to c omplete authentic projec ts . This c ourse focus es on the s elec tion and us e of appropriate technology
tools and res ources to ac c omplis h a variety of tas ks and s olve problems . Cours e outc omes are bas ed on
national and s tate tec hnology s tandards s uc h as the International Soc iety for Tec hnology in Educ ation, the
National Workforc e Center for Emerging Tec hnologies , and the Maryland State Tec hnology Literac y Standards .
Conte mporary Communication
Students in Contemporary Communications explore how people express themes through the arts. Genres students
may explore include creative writing, storytelling, music, science fiction, art history, movies, and more. Content
is subject to change based on the instructor.
Lights , Came ra, Lite racy (LCL)
This c ours e inc reas es literac y in both written and vis ual text, improves c ollaboration s kills , builds c onfidenc e and
motivation, and provides opportunities for high-level thinking via s pec ific s trategies . Students trans fer their s kills as
viewers of film to s kills on the written page, as well as learn how to read vis ual text and c reate effec tive vis ual
c ommunic ations . The c ours e foc us es on all three areas of the MCPS Moving Image Educ ation —integrating,
dec ons truc ting, and c reating the moving image. Students trans fer reading s kills s uc h as inferenc e from s c reen to s c ript
page to book. They us e c ritic al thinking s kills and explore new voc abulary in the areas of lexic ography, c hes s , and film.
Students dec ons truct information at the literary, dramatic , and c inematic levels . Throughout the c ours e, s tudents reflec t
on their learning through s tudent-to-student dis course and journal writing. They work c ollaboratively to apply the various
s kills and us e tec hnology to produc e an authentic produc t—a s hort film.
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M usic Pathways Electiv e s
Chorus 6 (Full Year)
Students in Chorus 6 will perform s ongs in a variety of different s tyles , at s c hool and other venues. Students will develop
voc al s kills , mus ic reading s kills , and the ability to s ing in rounds and two-part harmony. In addition to developing the
s inging voic e, s tudents will develop awareness of mus ic al s tyles and mus ic his tory. Res pons ibility to the entire group is
enc ouraged s inc e the c horus is a c ohes ive team. Students ’ voic es are evaluated at the beginning of the s c hool year, and
after-s c hool remedial work may s ometimes be nec es s ary.
I nte rmediate Band 6/7 Grade 6 and Beginning Students (Full Year)
th
This c ours e is open to s tudents who have played an ins trument in elementary s c hool or 7 grade s tudents who wis h to
begin a s erious s tudy of a band ins trument. The main foc us of this group is learning to play together as an ens emble.
Mas tery of bas ic tec hnic al s kills is es s ential for partic ipation. Areas of s tudy inc lude the elements of balanc e and blend,
tone produc tion, mus ic al notation, mus ic al s ymbols , mus ic al s truc ture, and ins trument c are and maintenanc e. Home
prac tic e is required for partic ipation. Students perform at a variety of s c hool conc erts .
I nte rmediate Orche stra 6/7 Grade 6 and Beginning Students (Full Year)
This c ours e is open to 6t h grade s tudents who have played an ins trument in elementary s c hool or who wish to begin a
s erious s tudy of a s tring ins trument. 7t h grade s tudents wishing to learn a new ins trument s hould obtain permis s ion from
the ins truc tor. The main foc us of this group is learning to play together as an ens emble, s o mas tery of bas ic tec hnic al
s kills is es s ential for partic ipation. Areas of s tudy inc lude the elements of balanc e and blend, tone produc tion, mus ic al
notation, mus ic al s ymbols , mus ic al s truc ture, and ins trument c are and maintenanc e. Home prac tic e is required for
partic ipation. Students perform at a variety of s c hool c onc erts .
Guitar (Full Year)
Students will learn beginning guitar tec hnique, inc luding c hords , s trumming, finger pic king, s cales , notation and tablature
reading. Emphas is is plac ed on teac hing s tudents to play together to a s teady beat to prepare them for moving into an
ens emble c las s , such as Rock Band.
Mus ic theory and his toric al pers pec tive are s tudied as they relate to guitar
performanc e. This c ours e is open to all s tudents regardles s of mus ic bac kground. Although a s c hool ins trument is
provided, prac tic e at home is important, s o s tudents are encouraged to have their own guitar in order to prac tic e outs ide of
c las s . Owning your own guitar is not required.
Beginning Rock Band 6 /7/8) (Full Year) 6t h grade by Audition Only
This c ours e is open to s ixth grade s tudents with bas ic s kills on guitar, bas s , keyboard/piano, and drum s et. Students with
experienc e on thes e ins truments s hould c ontac t the ins truc tor to purs ue eligibility. The main foc us of this group is
learning to play together as an ens emble. Mas tery of bas ic tec hnic al s kills is es s ential for partic ipation. Areas of s tudy
inc lude the elements of balanc e and blend, tone produc tion, mus ic al notation, mus ic al s ymbols , music al s tructure, popular
mus ic his tory, mus ic al arranging and c ompos ition, ear training, improvis ing, ins trument c are and maintenanc e and live
performanc e. Partic ipation in c onc erts is part of the c las s room expec tations . Bec aus e this c las s primarily c ons is ts of
s maller ens embles , an equal number of s tudents on eac h ins trument is nec es s ary. Ins truments are as s igned bas ed on the
needs of the c las s . Permis s ion from the ins truc tor is required, and home prac tic e is es s ential.
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“Once the mind has been stretched by a new idea, it will never again return to its
original size.” -Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
Course Descriptions
Grade 7
English 7
Englis h 7
This c ours e integrates the five Englis h/language arts proc es s es (reading, writing, lis tening, s peaking, and viewing) and the
two c ontents (language and literature) in a thematic organization of four units . It builds on the s tudents ’ experienc es in
Englis h 6 but involves greater rigor and c hallenge in its approac h to the s tudy of Englis h. Teac hers will implement the
c urric ulum through the following thematic units :
Unit 1: Identity
Unit 2: A Sens e of Plac e
Unit 3: Pers pec tives
Unit 4: Expres s ions
Students in Englis h 7 examine language and literature in the c ontext of the c hallenges people fac e. Students read, analyze,
and s tudy different genres related to eac h of the themes and c omplete required c ommon tas ks . Anc hor texts inc lude
multic ultural, c ontemporary, and c las s ic titles . Students have opportunities to pres ent their work orally and through the
medium of tec hnology. Ins truc tion in reading and writing s trategies , grammar, and voc abulary is embedded in every unit.
Englis h 7 prepares s tudents , through ac tivities integrated into eac h thematic unit, for c ounty, s tate and national
as s es s ments .
Magne t Humanitie s Englis h 7
Seventh grade Englis h extends the 6t h grade reading/writing program with s tudent-selec ted reading. Writers ’ journals are
us ed to produc e c ritic al and original thought. Literature is als o s elec ted to c ompliment s tudents ’ experienc e in world
s tudies and to introduc e them to the bes t in c las s ic literature. Students are c hallenged to w rite c lear, enjoyable expos ition in
es s ays and res earc h papers , as well as advanc ed, publis hable c reative writing. Art is introduc ed as an aid to t heir
writer’s eye and as a us eful s kill in written and illus trated piec es . Res earc h and pres entation s kills are enhanc ed by
c ontinued us e of the internet, univers ity level res ourc es , and multimedia c omputer programs .
Reading 7
Digital Literacy 2
The Digital Literacy 2 curriculum focuses on increasing critical and creative thinking through reading, writing, speaking,
listening, and viewing through an integrated approach. By participating in a problem-based process, students learn to define,
analyze and evaluate real world problems of interest related to standards-based curriculum topics. Students will use research
skills to investigate problems using real-time global texts and then create solutions to address the problems. Students will
participate in sustained inquiry, analysis, and evaluation of text through reading complex informational, expository and
argumentative texts in a technology-rich medium. Students will hone their communication, collaboration, research, and
problem-solving skills and learn to give, receive, and use feedback to improve their process and products during complex
tasks. Digital Literacy creates authentic work for students to engage in by allowing for presentation of their solutions beyond
the walls of the classroom.
Re ad 180
Read 180 is an intens ive reading intervention program des igned to meet the needs of s tudents w hos e reading ac hievement is
below grade level. The program direc tly addres s es the needs of s truggling reader s through differentiated ins truc tion,
adaptive s oftw are, background knowledge building, ins truc tional s oftw are, high-interes t literature, and explic it ins truc tion
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in reading, writing, and voc abulary s kills . After the initial whole group direc t ins truc tion les s on, s tudents rotate in s mall
groups to different s tations that inc lude individualized ins truc tional s oftw are, audio books for modeled reading, paperback
books for independent reading, and s mall group ins truc tion with the teac her. Progres s monitoring is embedded in the
program.
Mathematics 7
Curriculum 2. 0 I nvestigations into Mathe matics (I M)
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C2. 0) Inves tigations into Mathematic s (IM) extends s tudents ’ unders tanding of mathematic al c onc epts
developed in C2. 0 Mathematic s 6 and ac c elerates the pac e of ins truc tion to prepare for C2. 0 Algebra 1. This c ours e
c ompac ts all of the Grade 7 Common Core State Standards and muc h of the Grade 8 Common Core State Standards into a
s ingle year. Students who s uc c es s fully c omplete C2. 0 IM will foc us on four c ritic al areas : (1) developing a unified
unders tanding of numbers , recognizing frac tions , dec imals (inc luding both thos e that have a finite or a repeating dec imal
repres entation), and perc ents as different repres entations of rational numbers ; (2) us ing linear equations and s ys tems of
linear equations to repres ent, analyze, and s olve a variety of problems ; (3) c omparing two data dis tributions and reas oning
about differenc es between populations ; (4) analyzing geometric relations hips in order to s olve real-world mathematic al
problems .
Curriculum 2. 0 Alge bra 1A/1B
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C2. 0) Algebra 1 is des igned to analyze and model real-world phenomena. Exploration of linear,
exponential, and quadratic func tions forms the foundation of the c ours e. Key c harac teris tic s and repres entations of
func tions —graphic , numeric , s ymbolic , and verbal—are analyzed and c ompared. Students develop fluenc y in s olving
equations and inequalities . One-and two-variable data s ets are interpreted us ing mathematic al models . Stude nts who
s ucce s s fully comple te 1A/1B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in mathe matics .
Magne t Math/Scie nce Alge bra 1A/1B
Magnet Algebra 1 inc ludes all the traditional topic s of Algebra 1 through a func tions approac h. Math s ys tems are
explored before the c las s undertakes an in-depth s tudy of the real number s ys tem. This c ours e is for s tudents who have
demons trated exc eptional mathematic al and verbal abilities and who have mas tered pre-algebra s kills . Students in this
c ours e take the s tate Algebra 1 PARCC As s es s ment, which inc ludes both algebraic and s tatis tic al c onc epts . This course
s atis fies the high s c hool Algebra 1 requirement. Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te 1A/1B e arn 1 high school credit
in mathe matics .
Curriculum 2. 0 Ge ome try A/B
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C2. 0) Geometry formalizes and extends s tudents’ geometric experienc es from the elementary and middle
s c hool grades . Students explore more complex geometric s ituations and deepen their unders tanding of geometric
relations hips , progres s ing towards formal mathematic al arguments . Ins truc tion at this level will foc us on the
unders tanding and applic ation of c ongruenc e as a bas is for developing for mal proofs ; the relations hip among s imilarity,
trigonometry, and triangles ; the relations hip between two-and three-dimens ional objec ts and their meas urements ;
exploration of geometric des c riptions and equations for c onic s ections ; and applic ation of geometric c onc epts in modeling
s ituations . Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te A/B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in mathe matics .
Magne t Math/Scie nce Ge ome try 1A/1B
The main thrus t in Magnet Geometry is to infus e logic , methods of proof in both two-c olumn and es s ay form,
c ons truc tion, loc i, trans formational geometry, and s olid geometry throughout the c ours e. Topic s not c overed in regular
geometry that will be c overed in Magnet Geometry inc lude affine geometry, non -Euc lidean geometry, and s olid
geometry. Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te A/B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in mathe matics .
Science 7
I nve stigations in Scie nce (I S7) 7
Like IS6, IS7 is a problem-bas ed c urric ulum. Ins truction is interwoven around a relevant problem/projec t to allow a foc us
for s tudent learning. Students engage in minds -on inquiry and hands -on explorations , produc tive dis c ours e, and
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purpos eful reading and writing. Units s tudied in IS7 c enter around topic s related to c ellular proc es s es , s truc ture and
func tion in living things , genetic s , Earth’s his tory, and biologic al evolution. Students engage in s c ienc e, tec hnology,
engineering, and mathematic s (STEM) in order to propos e s olutions to identified problems .
Magne t Math/Scie nce Scie nce 7
The c ontent of s eventh grade science continues the s piral approac h begun in s ixth grade. The emphas is is on the s truc ture
and func tion of c omplex s ys tems . Units on bas ic biology, botany, bas ic c hemis try, human anatomy, biochemis try, nutrition,
genetic s , as trobiology, and forens ic s cienc e expand on s ixth grade c ontent. During the year, s tudents s tudy the organization,
form, and func tion of multic ellular organis ms ’ c ells , tis s ues , and organ s ystems. Throughout the year, s kills of inquiry and
experimental des ign are highlighted and reinforc ed. This proc es s c ulminates with the development and dis play of a
s tudent-des igned experimental s c ienc e projec t.
Wo rld Studies 7
Advance d World Studie s 7
In grade s even, the foc us of s tudy is on anc ient world his tory and c ulture from As ia, Afric a, Europe, and Latin Americ a. At
all grade levels , s tudents build unders tanding of the modern world by applying c onc epts of geography, ec onomic s ,
politic al s ys tems , and c ulture to pres ent-day s c enarios . The 7t h grade World Studies c urric ulum is taught in four units .
Unit 1 c ons is ts of the foundation of modern politic al s ys tems in Europe. Unit 2 enc ompas s es the influenc e of c ulture in
Afric a. Unit 3 inc ludes geography and identity in Latin Americ a, and Unit 4 involves the impac t of ec onomic s in the
world, pas t and pres ent.
This c ours e extends the c ontent and c oncepts c ontained in the four units of World Studies 7. Through the s tudy of world
c ivilizations and global interac tions from 1000 CE to 1450 CE, s tudents learn about politic al, ec onomic , and s oc ial
s ys tems today. Analys is of primary s ourc e texts and vis uals is a c entral method for learning about the pas t and the
c hallenges of his toric al interpretation.
Magne t Humanitie s World Studie s 7
The Humanities program infus es the MCPS world s tudies c urric ulum with additional depth and rigor. Students s tudy the
geography and his tory of Afric a, Medieval and Renais s anc e Europe, and Mes o-Americ a foc us ing on the
philos ophic al/religious foundations of thes e c ultures and us ing primary s ourc es wherever pos s ible. (Parallel literaturebas ed units in Englis h and world s tudies foc us on the Afric a, the Middle Ages , and Renais s anc e in Europe, and
Mes oameric a). Field trips to mus eums , and c ulturally ric h areas of the c ity add to the world s tudies experienc e.
Wo rld Languages 7
The goal of the Montgomery County Public Sc hools ’ world languages program is to educ ate s tudents in a language and
c ulture in order to make them knowledgeable and ac tive members of a global s oc iety. Students will learn to us e world
languages for meaningful c ommunic ation in both s poken and written form. The world languages program emphas izes
language as it is us ed in real-life s ituations that s tudents are mos t likely to enc ounter. Through world language s tudy,
s tudents develop s ens itivity to the c ultural and linguis tic heritage of other groups , understand their influenc e on Americ an
c ulture, and bec ome prepared to partic ipate in a s oc iety c harac terized by linguis tic and c ultural divers ity. Students mus t
meet reading profic ienc y requirements in order to regis ter for a world languages c las s .
Middle School Fre nch or Spanis h Le ve l 1A (Full Year)
In this beginning Frenc h or Spanis h c ours e s tudents learn to c ommunic ate in s imple, everyday s oc ial s ituations . They
learn to introduc e thems elves , greet one another, tell time, and expres s the date, s eas on, and the weather. Students talk
about ac tivities they w ant to purs ue in and out of s c hool. They as k ques tions and formulate res pons es and opinions .
Convers ations inc lude the s tudent’s immediate world and des c riptions of people and everyday objec ts . Frenc h or Spanis h
culture is integrated into the c urric ulum through films , s pecial projec ts , and dis c uss ion. This c ourse is the firs t part of the
normal s equenc e for middle s c hool world languages s tudents . Students who elec t Level 1, Part A, of Frenc h or Spanis h,
will c omplete the firs t half of the high s c hool level 1 c ours e this year and c omplete the s ec ond half, Part B, in grade 8.
Upon s ucce s s ful comple tion of this course and le ve l 1B in grade 8, s tude nts will re ce ive one high s chool cre dit in
world language s .
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Middle School Fre nch or Spanis h Le ve l 1B (Full Year)
This c ours e is for s tudents who have s uc c es s fully c ompleted Frenc h or Spanis h 1A in grade 6 for the full year. Students
will learn to des c ribe how they feel, to dis c us s future plans , to des cribe their homes , to talk about family, to des c ribe their
pos s es s ions and the belongings of others , and to dis c us s ac tions and ac tivities involving other people. Students will als o
learn to dis c us s what they earn and s pend, food preferenc es , and to des c ribe hous ehold pets . The c ommunic ation
objec tives are s upported by the language/grammatic al objec tives . Culture is als o integrated into eac h unit. Students are
enc ouraged to s peak Frenc h daily and partic ipate in dialogue and oral ac tivities . All world languages c ours es are
des ignated high s c hool level c ours es . Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te 1A and 1B e arn 1 high s chool credit in
world language s .
Middle School Fre nch or Spanis h Le ve l 1A/1B
Students begin to learn to c ommunic ate orally and in written form about daily life. Emphas is is on voc abulary
development, s imple grammatic al s truc tures , and the bas ic c ulture of the people. Students are enc ouraged to us e the
language beyond the s c hool s etting and keep informed of c urrent events in c ountries w here the target language is s poken.
Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te 1A/1B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in world language s .
Middle School Fre nch or Spanis h Le ve l 2A/2B
Students expand their voc abulary and learn inc reas ingly c omplex expres s ions and s truc tures for written and oral
c ommunic ation to dis c us s the pas t. The c ulture of the people is examined in greater depth. Students c ontinue to make
c omparis ons between the language and c ulture s tudied. They are enc ouraged to us e the language beyond the s c hool
s etting and keep informed of c urrent events in c ountries where the target language is s poken. Stude nts who s ucce s s fully
comple te 2A/2B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in world language s .
Physical Educatio n /Health 7
The middle s c hool phys ic al educ ation program foc us es on health-related fitnes s , movement s kills and c onc epts , and
pers onal and s oc ial res pons ibility. Eac h phys ic al educ ation unit c hallenges s tudents to better unders tand the development
and implementation of long-term fitnes s and phys ic al ac tivity goals , the applic ation of tac tic s and movement s kills in
phys ic al ac tivities and s port, and the relations hip between teamwork and ac hievement. The learning tas ks in phys ic al
educ ation emphas ize and teac h problem-s olving and decis ion-making s kills . Students are c hallenged to utilize s trategies
that deepen unders tanding and promote s elf-effic ac y in learning c onc epts of movement, fitnes s , and res pons ibility.
Comprehens ive health educ ation promotes pos itive health-related attitudes and behaviors that s upport s elf-relianc e and
s elf-regulation while developing health literac y and lifelong wellnes s . The health s kills emphas ized throughout the program
inc lude analyzing influenc es , ac c es s ing information, interpers onal c ommunic ation, dec is ion-making, goal- s etting, selfmanagement, and advoc ac y. This nine-week c ours e inc ludes the following five units of ins truc tion: mental and emotional
health; alc ohol, tobac c o, and other drugs ; pers onal and c ons umer health; family life and human s exuality; and dis eas e
prevention and c ontrol.
Parents of Grade 7 s tudents will rec eive information about the family life and human s exuality unit and the dis eas e
prevention and c ontrol unit of ins truc tion prior to the s tart of c las s room ins truc tion. Information about res pons ibilities of
families , c omponents of healthy relations hips , and res pons ible dec is ion-making are inc luded in the family life and human
s exuality unit. The dis eas e unit inc ludes information about s exually trans mitted dis eas es and infec tions , inc luding
HIV/AIDS. Parents mus t s ign a permis s ion form c hecking “Yes ” for their c hild to partic ipate in thes e units of ins truc tion.
Parents who objec t to the c ontent of this ins truc tion will c hec k “No” on the parent permis s ion form and the c hild will be
exc us ed from that unit. If excus ed, the c hild will c omplete an independent -s tudy alternative unit of health educ ation that
does not inc lude information about human s exuality or dis eas e prevention, inc luding HIV/AIDS.
Electives 7
Students entering 7t h grade who do not s ign up for a full year elec tive will s ign up for s emes ter elec tives . The c ours es are
rotated eac h s emes ter (18 weeks ) and may inc lude Art; Computer Applic ations ; Mus ic Inves tigation; and Lights , Camera,
Film Literac y!. Cours es offered are dependent on s taffing and s tudent interes t. Students who are in one of the Magnet
programs will be as s igned a Magnet elec tive c las s and will als o s elec t either a Pathway elec tive or a World Languages
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(Spanis h or Frenc h) c las s.
Magne t Humanitie s Me dia 7
Media produc tion c ontinues with a proc es s -oriented produc t bas ed c ours e of s tudy that inc ludes authentic learning
experienc es . While s tudying the roles of audio and video elements and examining target audienc e, s tudents c ons truc t
multimedia pac kages within, but not limited to, the genres of s ilent film, doc umentary movie making, public s ervic e
announc ements , animation and news media. In addition, s tudents partic ipate in Humanities 7 interdis c iplinary projec ts ,
s uc h as : The Regions of Afric a Mus eum, Shakes pearean Theatre and Images : Capture, Create, Communic ate. This
enric hed and innovative c urric ulum s upports prac tic es of rigor, c ritic al thinking and inquiry bas ed learning.
Magne t Compute r Scie nce 7
The s tudents will learn how c omputers proces s data to program s martphone applic ations and c reate webs ites . They will
learn fundamental data types and databas es by us ing c urrent produc tivity tools . The s tudents will us e App Inventor to
program s martphone applic ations and gradually move ahead into projec ts us ing Vis ual Bas ic . Students will trans late their
know ledge of c omputer programming into the venue of web des ign w here they will us e Ado be Suite to c reate interac tive
webs ites us ing CSS and J avas c ript.
Engine e ring Pathway
Compute r-Aide d Drafting and De s ign with Applie d Robotic Engine e ring (CADD-ARE) 7 (Full year)
Students will develop a fundamental unders tanding of Engineering Des ign through the applic ation of Robotic s
Tec hnology and Computer Aided Drafting/Des ign (CADD). Inc luded is a prac tic al s tudy of the c ultural, s oc ial,
ec onomic , environmental and politic al effec ts of tec hnology; the role of s oc iety in the development and us e of tec hnology;
and the influenc e of tec hnology on his tory. Students will engineer des ign and s trengthen their ability to t roubles hoot
s ys tems , res earc h and develop, invent and be innovate, and experiment us ing models to problem s olve while learning to
us e and maintain tec hnologic al s ys tems .
Exploration Pathway
Semester Arts and Music Choices
Students select one Semester 1 course and one Semester 2 from the following courses:
Art 7 2D (Semester 1)
Students make interdisciplinary connections between art and other subject areas as they investigate the 2 dimensional
mediums of paint, pastels, charcoal, printmaking and drawing. Students identify and create artworks that
communicate universal themes about people, events, and values that unite communities. Students use art elements
and design principles to compose personal artworks from observation or imagination. Using art vocabulary, they
establish and apply criteria for talking about art and making aesthetic judgments. Students are taught safe practices
in an art room and the proper use of art equipment, tools, and materials.
Art 7 3D (Semester 2)
Students make global connections between personal experiences and the world around them as they investigate the 3
dimensional studies of sculpture, ceramics, glaze chemistry, metal working and glass. Students identify and create
artworks that communicate universal themes about people, events, and values that unite communities and celebrate
their individuality. Students use art elements and design principles to compose personal artworks from observation
or imagination. Using art vocabulary, they establish and apply criteria for talking about art and making aesthetic
judgments. Students are taught safe practices in an art room and the proper use of art equipment, tools, and materials.
Digital Music A (Semester 1)
In Digital Music A, students will study the conventions of music: how it’s made, what makes it sound good, what
goes into a song, etc. Students will use pre-recorded loops and tracks to create original music that fits into various
styles, including rock, pop, hip hop, techno, and more. Students who take Digital Music A will come away with an
increased appreciation for all music styles, a better understanding of their favorite music styles, and the basic skills
used by professional recording artists to mix, balance, and master their music.
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Digital Music B (Semester 2)
In Digital Music B, students will learn basic piano skills and apply them in original compositions that demonstrate
some of the basic elements of music: rhythm, melody, harmony, tonality, texture, and form. Students willapply these
skills into original works that cover multiple styles including classical, jazz, rock, pop, hip hop, rap, and more.
Students who take Digital Music B will come away with an increased appreciation for music, basic piano skills, basic
music composition skills, and a deeper perspective on how music is made.
Intro to Digital Art 7/8 (Full year)
This is an introductory course that explores both graphic design and digital photography. Students will create art using the
computer as they learn and explore the use of Photoshop to create original pieces of art using the art elements and principles
of design to guide them. Students will also become familiar with the use of a camera and the manipulation of photographs
both in print and on the computer. Using art vocabulary, they will establish and apply criteria for talking about art and making
aesthetic judgments. Students will learn about safe internet practices, copyright, and the ethical practices of the photographer.
Lights , Came ra, Film Lite racy! (Semester) (Completion of Lights, Camera, Literacy! is not required. )
This c ours e offers a s tudy of film and film his tory as the c ore for teac hing more advanc ed literac y s kills . Students learn
the phys ic s and his tory of motion pic tures , as well as how to apply filmmaking tec hniques to their own vis ual
c ommunic ations . Students read two novels as well as s horter written text s elec tions and s c reenplays . The eight units
inc lude: How Movies Got their Start, Silent Narrative Films , Early Talkies , Early Color, Genre Clas s ic s : The Golden Age
of Hollywood, Clas s ic Adaptations : The golden Age of Hollywood and Beyond, Doc umentaries , Animation, and The
Bus ines s of Film and Film Fes tivals . The LCL! c ours e s eries is of high interes t, allow s for eas e of differentiation, and
addres s es the vis ual, auditory, and kinesthetic learner. The LCL! s trand foc us is on inc reas ing literac y in both written
and vis ual texts , authentic us e of voc abulary, improving c ollaboration s kills , building c onfidenc e and motivation, and
providing opportunities for higher-level thinking
M usic Pathways
Treble Choir 7/8 (Full Year)
Female students will build upon previous chorus experiences and continue to develop tone production, vocal blending, partsinging, and music reading skills. Treble Choir 7/8 will perform songs in a variety of different styles, at school and other
venues. In addition to developing the singing voice, students will continually develop awareness of music history and
musical culture from around the world. Responsibility to the entire group is encouraged since the chorus is a cohesive team.
Students’ voices are evaluated at the beginning of the school year, and after-school remedial work may sometimes be
necessary.
Men’s Choir 7/8 (Full Year)
Male students will build upon previous chorus experiences and continue to develop healthy tone production during their
voice change along with vocal blending, part-singing, and music reading skills. Men’s Choir 7/8 will perform songs in a
variety of different styles, at school and other venues. In addition to developing the singing voice, students will continually
develop awareness of music history and musical culture from around the world. Responsibility to the entire group is
encouraged since the chorus is a cohesive team. Students’ voices are evaluated at the beginning of the school year, and
after-school remedial work may sometimes be necessary.
I nte rme diate Band 6/7 (Full Year) Beginning Students
This c ours e is open to s tudents who have played an ins trument in elementary s c hool or who wish to begin a s erious s tudy
of a band ins trument. The main foc us of this group is learning to play together as an ens emble. Mas tery of bas ic
tec hnic al s kills is es s ential for partic ipation. Areas of s tudy inc lude the elements of balanc e and blend, tone produc tion,
mus ic al notation, mus ic al s ymbols , mus ic al s truc ture, and ins trument c are and maintenanc e. Home prac tic e is required for
partic ipation. Students perform at a variety of s c hool c onc erts .
Advance d Band 7/8 (Full year)
Advanc ed Band is a c ompetitive group that partic ipates in MCPS County Fes tival and Mus ic in the Parks c ompetitions .
In addition, s tudents perform at a variety of s c hool c onc erts . Certain members als o partic ipate in the Clemente Mus ic
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Roc ks ! Touring Group. The band is primarily for s eventh and eighth grade s tudents who have been playing an ins trument
s inc e elementary s c hool and have partic ipated in middle s c hool band. Conc ert band s tudents c ontinue mas tery of their
ins trument pertaining to range, tone, and rhythm as well as begin to develop advanc ed mus ic al c onc epts of ens emble
playing and expos ure to a wider variety of repertoire. Playing in Advanc ed Band requires ins truc tor approval. Students
begin to as s ume leaders hip roles within the large performanc e ens emble. Home prac tic e is required for partic ipation.
Sixth grade students wishing to participate in Adv anced Band may contact the instructor to set up an audition.
I nte rmediate Orche stra 6/7 (Full Year) Beginning Students
This c ours e is open to 6t h grade s tudents who have played an ins trument in elementary s c hool or who wish to begin a
s erious s tudy of a s tring ins trument. 7t h grade s tudents wishing to learn a new ins trument s hould obtain permis s ion from
the ins truc tor. The main foc us of this group is learning to play together as an ens emble, s o mas tery of bas ic tec hnic al
s kills is es s ential for partic ipation. Areas of s tudy inc lude the elements of balanc e and blend, tone produc tion, mus ic al
notation, mus ic al s ymbols , mus ic al s truc ture, and ins trument c are and maintenanc e. Home prac tic e is required for
partic ipation. Students perform at a variety of s c hool c onc erts .
Advance d Orche s tra 7/8 (Full Year)
The Advanc ed Orc hes tra is a c ompetitive group. This c las s is primarily for 7 t h and 8t h grade s tudents who have been
playing an ins trument s inc e elementary s c hool and have partic ipated in the middle s c hool s trings program for a total of
approximately three years . Students in this c ompetitive orc hes tra have further opportunities to develop tec hnic al
profic ienc y and to improve rehears al tec hniques . There is a foc us on a wider range of dynamic s , s tyle, bowing, vibrato,
and mus ic al know ledge, as well as the s tudy of harmony and ear training. Students learn the c harac teris tic s of advanc ed
mus ic al s tyles and begin to ac quire a repertoire of s tring orc hes tra literature. Students begin to as s ume leaders hip roles w
ithin the large performanc e ens emble. The Advanc ed Orc hes tra c ompetes at the MCPS Dis tric t II Orc hes tra Fes tival
c ompetition and Mus ic in the Parks as well as partic ipates in a variety of s c hool c onc erts . Permis s ion from the ins truc tor is
nec es s ary and home prac tic e is required for partic ipation. Incoming 6t h grade adv anced students may arrange an
audition with the instructor f or participation.
Guitar 6/7/8 (Full Year)
Students will learn beginning guitar tec hnique, inc luding c hords , s trumming, finger pic king, s cales , notation and tablature
reading. Emphas is is plac ed on teac hing s tudents to play together to a s teady beat to prepare them for moving into an
ens emble c las s , s uch as Roc k Band. Mus ic theory and his toric al pers pec tive are s tudied as they relate to guitar
performanc e. This c ours e is open to all s tudents regardles s of mus ic bac kground. Although a s c hool ins trument is
provided, prac tic e at home is important, s o s tudents are encouraged to have their own guitar in order to prac tic e outside of
c las s . Owning your own guitar is not required.
Beginning Rock Band 6/7/8 (Full Year)
This c ours e is open to s eventh grade s tudents with bas ic s kills on guitar, bas s , keyboard/piano, and drum s et. Students
who have c ompleted the Guitar c las s are als o eligible to partic ipate. Students with experienc e on thes e ins truments s hould
c ontac t the ins truc tor to purs ue eligibility. The main foc us of this group is learning to play together as an ens emble.
Mas tery of bas ic tec hnic al s kills is es s ential for partic ipation. Areas of s tudy inc lude the elements of balanc e and blend,
tone produc tion, mus ic al notation, mus ic al s ymbols , mus ic al s truc ture, popular mus ic his tory, mus ic al arranging and
c ompos ition, ear training, improvis ing, ins trument c are and maintenanc e and live performanc e. Partic ipation in c onc erts is
part of the c las s room expec tations . Bec aus e this c las s primarily c ons is ts of s maller ens embles , an equal number of
s tudents on eac h ins trument is nec es sary. Ins truments are as signed bas ed on the needs of the c las s . Permis s ion from the
ins truc tor is required, and home prac tic e is es s ential.
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Course Descriptions
Grade 8
English 8
Englis h 8
Englis h 8 is c ompos ed of two s emester cours es: Writing and Language 8A and Literature and Language 8B. Writing and
Language 8A—like its c ounterpart in ninth grade—puts writing at the c enter of teac hing and learning. The c ourse focuses
on developing the s kills s tudents need to c ommunic ate effec tively for a variety of purpos es , audienc es , and media in a
world in which the means for c ommunic ation are rapidly c hanging. The writing c las s is a workshop: Students w rite
every day, keep a portfolio to trac k progres s and s et goals , and explore ways to c onvey their own voic e. They read as
writers , analyzing s hort texts , prac tic ing the writers ’ tec hniques , and imitating the s tyle and s entenc e s truc tures of
publis hed authors . They s tudy literature and language as an integral part of the writing and revis ion proc es s . Students w
rite to explore their own thinking, engage in reflec tion, and learn eac h day that they have c ontrol over improving their c raft.
Literature and Language 8B—like the firs t s emes ter c ours e—parallels Englis h 9B. Both c ours es c enter on the s tudy of
language and literature as the vehic le of c reative and c ritic al thought that enables s tudents to think about and unders tand
the world. The foc us s hifts in s ec ond s emester to a c areful s tudy of how profes sional writers c reate s tories and us e language
in thoughtful and deliberate ways . Students read s hort s tories , novels , nonfic tion, drama, and poetry and explore how
writers us e the s ame tec hniques s tudents have prac tic ed in their own writing. Through c areful reading of both print and
non-print texts , s tudents s earch for understanding and s ometimes learn to be c omfortable with ambiguity in a world of people
who have both c ommon and divers e experienc es . Ins truc tion in reading and writing s trategies , grammar, and
voc abulary is embedded in every unit. Englis h 8 prepares s tudents for the rigors of high s c hool Englis h c las s es as well
as for c ounty, s tate, and national as s es s ments .
Advance d Englis h 8
This c ours e involves implementation of the Englis h 8 c urric ulum s tudents with a lively interes t in the power and
vers atility of language. In preparation for advanc ed high s c hool Englis h c ours es, s tudents read c hallenging texts written in
various time periods and rhetoric al c ontexts. Students develop their ability to expres s ideas with c larity and prec is ion by
writing inc reas ingly c omplex c ompos itions for a variety of purpos es , inc luding literary analys is , pers uas ion, and res earc h.
Magne t Humanitie s Englis h 8
The s tudy of Englis h at this level melds writing with the intens ive, analytic al s tudy of literature. Texts c over a broad
s c ope of topic s , ranging from the 19th c entury Romantic s to the struggles fac ed by freed blac ks after the Americ an Civil
War. Foc us is plac ed on perc eiving, unders tanding, synthesizing, and interpreting. Throughout the term, students work to
further mas ter s kills related to res earc h writing, reflec tive journaling, expres s ive writing, analytic al/interpretive writing,
and writing for public ation.
Reading 8
Re ading 8
The Reading 8 c urric ulum is an intervention c ours e that develops and extends reading s trategies . This c urric ulum is
primarily des igned for readers who experienc e diffic ulty c omprehending grade-level material and who wish to improve
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their reading c omprehens ion of expos itory text as they prepare for the demands of high s c hool. Students will s pend time
unders tanding their pers onal learning s tyle and adapting the s trategies that will help them mos t in the c omprehens ion,
enjoyment, and extens ion of reading to their other c ontent c las s es. Students will apply res earc h -bas ed reading s trategies as
they read for information on a variety of topic s in order to identify their own interes ts and s trengths , as well as to identify
areas of s tudy and c areers they may wish to purs ue in the future. Students will c onduc t res earc h us ing elec tronic and
traditional texts to develop their ability to unders tand and evaluate the demanding expos itory texts they will enc ounter in
high s c hool.
Re ad 180
Read 180 is an intens ive reading intervention program des igned to meet the needs of s tudents w hos e reading ac hievement is
below grade level. The program direc tly addres s es the needs of s truggling readers through differentiated ins truc tion,
adaptive s oftw are, background knowledge building, ins truc tional s oftw are, high-interes t literature, and explic it ins truc tion
in reading, writing, and voc abulary s kills . After the initial whole group direc t ins truc tion les s on, s tudents rotate in s mall
groups to different s tations that inc lude individualized ins truc tional s oftw are, audio books for modeled reading, paperback
books for independent reading, and s mall group ins truc tion with the teac her. Progres s monitoring is embedded in the
program.
Mathematics 8
Curriculum 2. 0 Alge bra 1 A/B
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C2. 0) Algebra is des igned to analyze and model real-world phenomena. Exploration of linear,
exponential, and quadratic func tions forms the foundation of the c ours e. Key c harac teris tic s and repres entations of
func tions —graphic numeric , s ymbolic , and verbal-are analyzed and c ompared. Students develop fluenc y in s olving
equations and inequalities . One-and two-variable data s ets are interpreted us ing mathematic al models . Stude nts who
s ucce s s fully comple te 1A/1B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in mathe matics .
Curriculum 2. 0 Ge ome try A/B
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C. 20) Geometry formalizes and extends s tudents’ geometric experienc es from the elementary and middle
s c hool grades . Students explore more c omplex geometric s ituations and deepen their unders tanding of geometric
relations hips , progres s ing towards formal mathematic al arguments .
Ins truc tion at this level will foc us on the
unders tanding and applic ation of c ongruenc e as a basis for developing formal proofs ; the relations hip among s imilarity,
trigonometry, and triangles ; the relations hip between two-and three-dimens ional objec ts and their meas urements ;
exploration of geometric des c riptions and equations for c onic s ections ; and applic ation of geometric c onc epts in modeling
s ituations . Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te A/B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in mathe matics .
Magne t Math/Scie nce Ge ome try A/B
The main thrus t in Magnet Geometry is to infus e logic , methods of proof in both two-c olumn and es s ay form,
c ons truc tion, loc i, trans formational geometry, and s olid geometry throughout the c ours e. Topic s not c overed in regular
geometry that will be c overed in Magnet Geometry inc lude affine geometry, non -Euc lidean geometry, and s olid
geometry. Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te A/B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in mathe matics .
Curriculum 2. 0 Alge bra I I A/B (offered at the high school)
Curric ulum 2. 0 (C2. 0) Algebra II formalizes and extends s tudents ’ algebra experienc es from C2. 0 Algebra I. Building on
their work with linear, quadratic , and exponential func tions , s tudents extend their repertoire of func tions to inc lude
polynomial, rational, radic al, and trigonometric func tions . Students work c los ely with the expres s ions that define the
func tions , and c ontinue to expand and hone their abilities to model s ituations and to s olve equations , inc luding s olving
quadratic equations over the s et of c omplex numbers and s olving exponential equations us ing the properties of logarithms .
Students extend their know ledge of s tatis tic s and explore probability. Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te 2A/B e arn 1
high s chool cre dit in mathe matics .
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Science 8
I nve stigations in Earth Space Sys te ms 8
In this c ours e s tudents will demons trate the ability to us e s c ientific s kills and proc es s es to explain the phys ic al behavior of
the environment, Earth, and the univers e. This c urric ulum is a unique problem/projec t bas ed c urric ulum. The learning is
s tudent-c entered with the teac her acting as a fac ilitator. Ins truc tion is w oven around one main problem within eac h unit of
s tudy. Minds -on inquiry and hands -on explorations , produc tive dis c ours e, purpos eful reading and meaningful writing will
guide the s tudents through this exc iting s c ienc e c ourse! Students will be pres ented a reques t for propos als (RFP) at the
s tart of eac h unit. They will then us e a des ign-folio throughout the quarter to res earc h, develop, des ign and evaluate their
propos al. Units included in this c ours e are Solar Energy, As tronomy, Res tles s Earth, Earth Materials , and Earth His tory.
Magne t Math/Scie nce Scie nce 8
Sc ienc e proc es s es and inves tigation tec hniques from grades 6 and 7 will be reinforc ed in s c ientific problem -s olving, as
s tudents c omplete lab inves tigations and a required s c ienc e res earc h projec t. As in the regular 8 t h grade s c ienc e c las s es ,
s tudents s tudy the topic s of atmos pheric phenomena, formation and evolution of c eles tial bodies , c hemis try, and earth’s
s truc ture, but at a more in-depth level. They go beyond s tudying s c ienc e—they experienc e it and then develop ways to
apply thos e experienc es . Throughout the year, s tudents als o work to mas ter s kills related to res earc h writing, journaling,
analytic al writing, and writing for public ation.
U.S. Histo ry 8
Advance d U. S. His tory 8
The 8t h grade U. S. His tory c urric ulum begins with a s tudy of the Americ an Revolution. Unit 1 is Democ rac y, and the
Politic al Sys tem of the People 1763-1783. In Unit 2, Creating a National Politic al Sys tem and Culture, s tudents learn
about important values and doc uments that s hape the Americ an identity. During Unit 3, titled Geographic and Ec onomic
Change Shape the Nation, s tudents learn about territorial expans ion and its c os t and benefits to our people. In Unit 4, A
Nation Divided and Rebuilt, s tudents s tudy the Civil War and Rec ons truc tion eras .
This c ours e enhanc es the four MCPS Grade 8 U. S. His tory units through the development of s kills from high s c hool
Advanc ed Plac ement c ours es in his tory. In addition to the MCPS c ours e of s tudy, students deepen their unders tanding of
key c onc epts and events through reading, writing, document analys is , and his toric al thinking. Thes e s kills will be applied
in eac h unit and s tudents will be expec ted to s how progres s in s kill development and his toric al know ledge in exams and
his toric al doc ument-bas ed projec ts .
Magne t Humanitie s U. S. His tory 8
Students explore the development of Americ a as a nation of immigrants through Rec ons truc tion. They go beyond
s tudying our his tory—they experienc e it and then develop ways to apply thos e experienc es . For example, s tudents s tudy
the U. S. Cons titutional Convention of 1787 in the roles of the partic ipating c harac ters following the s tandards of
parliamentary proc edure. As they develop their powers of obs ervation, res earch, des c ription, and analys is , s tudents learn to
empathize with different people in different s ituations . In c ulminating ac tivities , they mus t s ubs tantiate their c onc lus ions
or s olutions .
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Wo rld Languages
The goal of the Montgomery County Public Sc hools ’ world languages program is to educ ate s tudents in a language and
c ulture in order to make them knowledgeable and ac tive members of a global s oc iety. Students will learn to us e world
languages for meaningful c ommunic ation in both s poken and written form. The world languages program emphas izes
language as it is us ed in real-life s ituations that s tudents are mos t likely to enc ounter. Through world languages s tudy,
s tudents develop s ens itivity to the c ultural and linguis tic heritage of other groups , understand their influenc e on Americ an
c ulture, and bec ome prepared to partic ipate in a s oc iety c harac terized by linguis tic and c ultural divers ity.
Middle School Fre nch or Spanis h Le ve l 1B (Full Year)
This c ours e is for s tudents who have successfully c ompleted Frenc h or Spanis h 1A in grade 6 or 7. Students will learn to
des c ribe how they feel, dis c us s future plans , des c ribe their homes , talk about family, des c ribe their pos s es s ions and the
belongings of others , and to dis c us s ac tions and ac tivities involving other people. Students will als o learn to dis c us s w hat
they earn and s pend, food preferenc es, and des cribe hous ehold pets . The c ommunic ation objec tives are s upported by the
language/grammatic al objec tives . Culture is als o integrated into eac h unit. Students are enc ouraged to s peak Frenc h or
Spanis h daily and partic ipate in dialogue and oral ac tivities . Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te 1A and 1B e arn 1
high s chool cre dit in world language s .
Middle School Fre nch or Spanis h 1A/1B
This c ours e combines French or Spanis h 1A and 1B in one year as is offered in high s c hool. All world languages c ours es
are des ignated high s c hool level c ours es . Students are required to take the c ounty high s c hool level exam at the end of
eac h level A and B s emes ter. Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te 1A/1B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in world
language s .
Spanish for Spanish Speakers 1A/1B
This course is designed for native speakers and heritage speakers of Spanish who are fluent in speaking the language at
home, but who want to strengthen their skills in reading, writing and cultural proficiency. Global learners will develop,
maintain, and enhance proficiency in their heritage language and culture by reinforcing and acquiring skills in listening,
speaking, reading, and writing, including the fundamentals of Spanish grammar. They will connect this course to other
content areas by using academic language and the MYP in order to gain and share knowledge about their home countries
and cultures. Students will also be aware of and discuss cultural issues that are relevant to their communities and their
culture. In order to gain admittance into this class, students will need to take a Spanish mastery test and score at least 70%.
Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te 1A/1B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in world language s .
Middle School Fre nch or Spanis h 2A/B
This c ours e is for s tudents who have s uc cess fully c ompleted Frenc h or Spanis h 1A and 1B. Thes e two s emes ter c ourses
c enter on Frenc h or Spanis h 1A/1B c ontent areas that are reinforc ed and expanded at this next level. The objec tives that
s tudents will mas ter inc lude: des c ribing different oc c upations w ithin the c ommunity; follow ing/as king/giving direc tions ;
des c ribing weather c onditions ; extending and ac c epting invitations ; identifying types of s tores and their merc handis e;
c omparing pas t and pres ent s c hool c las s es and their ac tivities ; s tating pers onal preferenc es ; c omprehending menus ;
dis c us s ing future travel plans ; daily family routines and c ommon hous ehold c hores ; as well as travel ac tivities . Students
will als o find evidenc e of c urrent or c ommunity events and holidays related to the Frenc h c ulture. The Frenc h c ulture is
als o integrated into the varied c ontent themes through films , projec ts , poems , s tories and c las s dis c us s ions of daily life.
Students are enc ouraged to s peak French daily and partic ipate in dialogues and oral ac tivities . Stude nts who s ucce s s fully
comple te 2A/B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in world language s .
Honors Fre nch or Spanis h 3A/B
Students c ontinue to build on previous ly developed s kills while expanding their ability to c ommunic ate on a variety of
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topic s . Inc reas ed grammatic al ac c uracy is s tres sed. Students continue to make c omparis ons with the language and c ulture
being s tudied, further their know ledge of other s c hool s ubjec ts , and keep informed of c urrent events in c ountries w here
the target language is s poken. Stude nts who s ucce s s fully comple te 2A/B e arn 1 high s chool cre dit in world
language s .
Physical Educatio n/Health 8
The middle s c hool phys ic al educ ation program foc us es on health-related fitnes s , movement s kills and c onc epts , and
pers onal and s oc ial res pons ibility. Eac h phys ic al educ ation unit c hallenges s tudents to adhere to their pers onalized fitnes s
and prac tic e plans , apply s trategic movement c onc epts in game s ettings , and engage in c ollaborative ac tivities that fos ter a
s ens e of members hip and affiliation.
Comprehens ive health educ ation promotes pos itive health related attitudes and behaviors that s upport s elf -relianc e and
s elf-regulation while developing health literac y and lifelong wellnes s . The health s kills emphas ized throughout the program
inc lude analyzing influenc es , ac c es s ing information, interpers onal c ommunic ation, dec is ion -making, goal – s etting, s elfmanagement, and advoc acy. This nine week c ours e inc ludes the following five units of ins truc tion: alc ohol, tobac c o and
other drugs ; personal and c onsumer health; family life and human s exuality; s afety and injury prevention; and nutrition and
fitnes s . Parents of grade 8 s tudents will rec eive information about the family life and human s exuality unit of ins truc tion
prior to the s tart of c las s room ins truc tion. Information about c omponents of healthy relations hips , human reproduc tion,
s exual limits and res pons ible dec is ion-making, c ontrac eption methods , ges tation, prenatal c are and parenting s kills
are inc luded in Grade 8 health educ ation. Parents mus t s ign a permis s ion form c hec king “Yes ” for their c hild to partic ipate
in thes e units of ins truc tion. Parents who objec t to the c ontent of this ins truc tion will c hec k “No” on the parent permis sion
form and the c hild will be exc us ed from that unit. If exc us ed, the c hild will c omplete an independent-s tudy alternative
unit of health educ ation.
Electives 8
Magne t Humanitie s Me dia Production 8
Students launc h into the eighth grade year with an intens e field produc tion unit. Student teams hone produc tion and
editing s kills throughout the year as they work together to c reate an informative, magazine-format TV s how. In addition,
s tudents addres s the his tory of moving images , performanc e and pres entation, c reating multimedia, the us e of film vs .
video, and animation. Students will als o addres s is s ues of graphic des ign, c ommunic ation mes s age, tec hnic al produc tion,
as well as media and vis ual literac y.
Magne t Math/Scie nce Compute r Scie nce 8
Beginning with a brief review of the Grade 7 topic s , s tudents learn advanc ed programming topic s in BASIC. The
programming ins truc tion is aimed at mathematic al and s c ientific problem s olving. Internet res earc h is required for c ertain
as s ignments and various applic ations are us ed to produc e multimedia objec ts in c onjunc tion with the projec ts . Students
c omplete readings c onc erning c urrent tec hnology trends . A final programming projec t is required of all s tudents ,
demons trating their ability to us e the know ledge gained during the three-year program.
Eng ine e ring Pathway
I ntroduction to Engine e ring Design A/B (I ED) 8 (Full year)
Prerequis ite: Students who have c ompleted Algebra or are c urrently taking Algebra and /or have c ompleted ComputerAided Drafting and Des ign with Applied Robotic Engineering (CADD-ARE) 7 may regis ter for this c ours e.
This
introduc tory c ours e will foc us on the des ign proc es s and its applic ation by us ing tec hnology to trans late c onc eptual
des ign into reproduc ible produc ts . Students will develop problem-s olving s kills through hands -on projec ts that emphasize
vis ualization and c ommunic ation s kills and doc ument their work. Students us e indus try s tandard 3 -D modeling s oftw are
to help them des ign s olutions to s olve propos ed problems , doc ument their work and c ommunic ate s olutions to peers .
Ex plo ration Pathways
Art Studio 8 (Full Year)
This is an advanc ed art c ours e for students who are motivated to explore and c reate a variety of art forms . Students will
utilize the elements and princ iples of art to analyze and c reate two-dimens ional and three-dimens ional works of art. The
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c las s foc us es on exploring a variety of two dimens ional media and tec hniques inc luding drawing, painting and
printmaking, as well as three dimens ional media and tec hniques , s uc h as relief and s c ulptures in the round.
Crafts mans hip, the s afe us e of tools and materials , and art room s afety prac tic es are emphas ized.
Intro to Digital Art 7/8 (Full year)
This is an introductory course that explores both graphic design and digital photography. Students will create art using the
computer as they learn and explore the use of Photoshop to create original pieces of art using the art elements and principles
of design to guide them. Students will also become familiar with the use of a camera and the manipulation of photographs
both in print and on the computer. Using art vocabulary, they will establish and apply criteria for talking about art and making
aesthetic judgments. Students will learn about safe internet practices, copyright, and the ethical practices of the photographer.
Mus ic I nve s tigation: Digital Mus ic 2 (Full Year) (Completion of Digital Music 1 in 7t h grade is required. )
Digital Mus ic 2 offers authentic experienc es in mus ic which demons trates the relations hip between mus ic and tec hnology,
and experienc es relating to the mus ic indus try. Students will s tudy mus ic theory and identify mus ic notation s ymbols ,
rhythm patterns , and demons trate the us e of music voc abulary. Students will des c ribe the elements of mus ic and develop
evaluative c riteria appropriate for obs erving performanc es and lis tening to mus ic . Students will improve keyboard s kills ,
apply the bas ic elements of mus ic to s ong writing tec hniques , and arrange and compose original s ongs us ing the Mixc raft
s oftware.
Lights , Came ra, Me dia Lite racy! 8 (Full Year) (Completion of “Lights, Camera, Film Literacy!” in 7t h grade is not
required. )
This c ours e offers a s tudy of media, its his tory, and bas ic phys ic s as the c ore for teac hing even more advanc ed literac y
s kills . Lights , Camera Media Literac y! pres ents a timeline of media with foc us on the his tory and phys ic s of
c ommunic ation from the earlies t times via s torytelling by troubadours and griots to today’s mas s media world. The units
inc lude s torytelling, the printing pres s , newspapers & print advertis ing, photography & film, radio, televis ion, c omputers
and the Internet and media & our world. Students develop related multimedia projec ts within eac h of thes e units . The
LCL! c ours e s eries is of high interes t, allow s for eas e of differentiation, and addres s es the vis ual, auditory, and
kinesthetic learner. The LCL! s trand foc us is on inc reas ing literac y in both written and vis ual texts , authentic us e of
voc abulary, improving c ollaboration s kills , building c onfidenc e and motivation, and providing opportunities for higher level thinking.
Multime dia and Digital Communications 8 (Full Year)
This c ours e, bas ed on the framework for 21s t c entury learning, inc ludes digital c itizens hip, vis ual c ommunic ation, and
game development units . Students will learn the importanc e of a digital footprint, the impac t of tec hnology on learning,
being c reators of tec hnology, not only c ons umers. Through multimedia tools and game development, this s tandards -based
c ours e gives s tudents opportunities to explore the many digital tools that are widely available. This c ours e will prepare
s tudents to c onfidently and c ompetently adapt to emerging tec hnologies in a s afe and res pec tful manner.
I ntroduction to Compute r Scie nce 8 (Full Year)
Students learn to s olve real-world problems us ing the Vis ual Bas ic programming language. Emphas is will be plac ed on
planning s olutions to large-s c ale as s ignments .
Music Pathways
Treble Choir 7/8 (Full Year)
Female students will build upon previous chorus experiences and continue to develop tone production, vocal blending, partsinging, and music reading skills. Treble Choir 7/8 will perform songs in a variety of different styles, at school and other
venues. In addition to developing the singing voice, students will continually develop awareness of music history and
musical culture from around the world. Responsibility to the entire group is encouraged since the chorus is a cohesive team.
Students’ voices are evaluated at the beginning of the school year, and after-school remedial work may sometimes be
necessary.
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Men’s Choir 7/8 (Full Year)
Male students will build upon previous chorus experiences and continue to develop healthy tone production during their
voice change along with vocal blending, part-singing, and music reading skills. Men’s Choir 7/8 will perform songs in a
variety of different styles, at school and other venues. In addition to developing the singing voice, students will continually
develop awareness of music history and musical culture from around the w orld. Responsibility to the entire group is
encouraged since the chorus is a cohesive team. Students’ voices are evaluated at the beginning of the school year, and
after-school remedial work may sometimes be necessary.
Advance d Band 7/8 (Full Year) Minimum 3 years’ experience
Advanc ed Band is the c ompetitive group that partic ipates in MCPS County Fes tival and Mus ic in the Parks Competition. In
addition, s tudents perform at a variety of s c hool c onc erts . Certain members als o partic ipate in the Clemente Mus ic
Roc ks ! Touring Group. The band is primarily for s eventh and eighth grade s tudents who have been playing an ins trument
s inc e elementary s c hool and have partic ipated in middle s c hool band. Conc ert band s tudents c ontinue mas tery of their
ins trument pertaining to range, tone, and rhythm as well as begin to develop advanc ed mus ic al c onc epts of ens emble
playing and expos ure to a w ider variety of repertoire. Playing in Conc ert Band requires ins truc tor approval. Students
begin to as s ume leaders hip roles w ithin the large performanc e ens emble. Home prac tic e is required for partic ipation.
Sixth grade students wishing to participate in Adv anced Band may contact the instructor to set up an audition.
Advance d Orche s tra 7/8 (Full Year) (Minimum 3 years’ experience)
Advanc ed Orc hes tra is a c ompetitive group. This c las s is primarily for 7 t h and 8t h grade s tudents who have been playing
an ins trument s inc e elementary s c hool and have partic ipated in the middle s c hool s trings program for a total of
approximately tw o years . Students in this c ompetitive Orc hes tra have further opportunities to develop tec hnic al
profic ienc y and to improve rehears al tec hniques . There is a foc us on a wider range of dynamic s , s tyle, bowing, vibrato,
and mus ic al know ledge, as well as the s tudy of harmony and ear training. Students learn the c harac teris tic s of advanc ed
mus ic al s tyles and begin to ac quire a repertoire of s tring orc hes tra literature. Students begin to as s ume leaders hip roles
within the large performanc e ens emble. Home prac tic e is required. The Advanc ed orc hes tra c ompetes at the MCPS
Dis tric t II Orc hes tra Fes tival c ompetition and Mus ic in the Parks as well as partic ipates in a variety of s c hool c oncerts .
Permis s ion from the ins truc tor is nec ess ary and home prac tic e is required for partic ipation. Incoming 6t h grade adv anced
students may arrange an audition with the instructor f or participation.
Guitar 6/7/8 (Full Year)
Students will learn beginning guitar tec hnique, inc luding c hords , s trumming, finger pic king, s cales , notation and tablature
reading. Emphas is is plac ed on teac hing s tudents to play together to a s teady beat to prepare them for moving into an
ens emble c las s , s uch as Roc k Band. Mus ic theory and his toric al pers pec tive are s tudied as they relate to guitar
performanc e. This c ours e is open to all s tudents regardles s of mus ic bac kground. Although a s c hool ins trument is
provided, prac tic e at home is important, s o s tudents are encouraged to have their own guitar in order to prac tic e outside of
c las s . Owning your own guitar is not required.
Beginning Rock Band 6/7/8 (Full Year)
This c ours e is open to eighth grade s tudents with bas ic s kills on guitar, bas s , keyboard/piano, and drum s et. Students
who have c ompleted the Guitar c las s are als o eligible to partic ipate. Students with experienc e on thes e ins truments s hould
c ontac t the ins truc tor to purs ue eligibility. The main foc us of this group is learning to play together as an ens emble.
Mas tery of bas ic tec hnic al s kills is es s ential for partic ipation. Areas of s tudy inc lude the elements of balanc e and blend,
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tone produc tion, mus ic al notation, mus ic al s ymbols , mus ic al s truc ture, popular mus ic his tory, mus ic al arranging and
c ompos ition, ear training, improvis ing, ins trument c are and maintenanc e and live performanc e. Partic ipation in c onc erts is
part of the c las s room expec tations . Bec aus e this c las s primarily c ons is ts of s maller ens embles , an equal number of
s tudents on eac h ins trument is nec es sary. Ins truments are as signed bas ed on the needs of the c las s . Permis s ion from the
ins truc tor is required, and home prac tic e is es s ential.
Advance d Rock Band 7/8 (auditione d) (Full Year)
Advanc ed Roc k Band is an advanc ed c las s for s tudents who have two years of playing experienc e on guitar, bas s , drums ,
or keyboard, have c ompleted Roc k Band, or have advanc ed s kills required to partic ipate. This c las s als o s tudies the
his tory of popular mus ic and performs advanc ed repertoire from a variety of dec ades and genres . Additionally, s tudents
mas ter advanc ed performanc e and rec ording tec hniques , improvis ation, arranging and c ompos ition of original material.
Inc oming 6t h grade s tudents who play a roc k ins trument may arrange an audition with the ins truc tor for partic ipation.
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Cover photo by former RCMS teacher, J ohn S tewart
Ro berto Clemente Middle School
18808 Waring Statio n Road
Germanto wn, Maryland 20874
USA
http://mo ntg o me rys chools md.org /s chools /cle me nte ms /
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