• 8th Grade Elective Descriptions

    In 8th grade, you can take 2 semester-long electives OR a year-long Spanish class.  Below are the 10 options available for you next year.  Please request two courses (or one, if it is Spanish 1) and two alternate courses for next year in the Infinite Campus student portal.  You must also record your choices on a google form.

    ❑Spanish 1 - ¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to Spanish I, a year-long course designed to provide a communicative foundation to second language acquisition through listening, speaking, reading and writing. The curriculum will follow the Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) method which focuses on acquiring language naturally through storytelling and reading rather than grammar and memorization. Students will develop a foundation of beginner Spanish language concepts and communication skills and will be better prepared for continued Spanish studies in High School.   If you choose Spanish, this will be your only elective for the year, as it is a year-long class!  

                                                                          -     OR    -                                                                               two of the following

    ❑PLTW Automation & Robotics - 1 semester   Students trace the history, development, and influence of automation and robotics as they learn about mechanical systems, energy transfer, machine automation, and computer control systems. Students use the VEX Robotics® platform to design, build, and program real-world objects such as traffic lights, toll booths, and robotic arms.

    ❑PLTW App Creators - 1 semester    This unit will expose students to computer science by computationally analyzing and developing solutions to authentic problems through mobile app development, and will convey the positive impact of the application of computer science to other disciplines and to society.   Students will customize their experience by choosing a problem that interests them from the areas of health, environment, emergency preparedness, education, community service, and school culture. Because problems in the real world involve more than one discipline, the unit will introduce students to biomedical science concepts as they work on solutions for the specific problems they choose to tackle.

    ❑Business Apps - 1 semester  This course will be run in a Learning Module System called a Moodle. Students will use various computer applications to create and promote their own business. Elements of webpage development, video production, financial planning/spreadsheet software, sound editing, community resources, and various web apps including Google Apps for Education will be used. Students will present their business at the culmination of the class. MUST HAVE AN MCPS GOOGLE ACCOUNT to take this class!! You can download the Google Permission Form on the WMS Homepage.

    ❑ PLTW Green Architecture - 1 semester Today’s students have grown up in an age of “green” choices. In this class, students learn how to apply this concept to the fields of architecture and construction by exploring dimensioning, measuring, and architectural sustainability as they design affordable housing units using Autodesk’s® 3D architectural design software. 

    ❑Art - 1 semester   Students will engage in many 2-D and 3-D studio art experiences that continue to explore the elements and principles of design using a wide range of media. Through the development of individuality and imagination, students will create artistic products that express unique concepts. The study of art history and art styles from many cultures and nations continues. Students will gain awareness of how art is a part of many different career options, society, and their future.

     ❑Yearbook - semester 1 only This course helps produce Washington Middle School's yearbook.  In this course, students will gain skills in the following areas:  page design, publishing techniques, copywriting, editing, photography, record keeping, time management, teamwork, marketing, and leadership skills. Students will also be responsible for attending events to capture photos. A device to take photos is highly encouraged, but not required. Students will need to apply for this course. Pick up an application at the office.  Due Monday, May 20!

    ❑Yearbook/Digital Art Projects/Photography   The semester is split between finishing production of Washington Middle School's yearbook and sending it to the publisher and finishing the semester with digital art skills, photography, and creating content for various classes. The final push to finish the yearbook will include copy writing, captions, editing, photography, interviews, page design, teamwork, and distribution. Students will need to apply for this course (see above).

    ❑Spanish 8 (S)  - this is  a semester long introduction to Spanish course

    ❑Competitive Sports - This course focuses on traditional team sports. Examples include, but are not limited to: basketball, football, soccer, lax, rugby, floor hockey, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, softball and fitness activities including plyometrics, jogging, fitness circuits.  Includes two days per week of fitness and three days of activity.