Apex Middle School

March 2014

Today • Counselor will discuss courses for next year and

elective choices

After today • Take home registration card and discuss your

elective choices with your parents

• Rank the choices 1-4, you sign, parent signs

By March 27, 2014 • Return registration card to homeroom teacher

Math – placement sheet will go home

English Language Arts

Science

Social Studies

Healthful Living

Elective(s): Yearlong or 2 semester

electives

First, list the electives that you had this

year in the box

We will look at descriptions of the

different electives that you can choose

from for next year

You can write notes about the classes if

you want to remember anything for later

Computer Skills & Applications I

Computer Skills & Applications II

Exploring Business, Marketing &

Entrepreneurship (8th only)

FACS – Family Focus

FACS – Consumer Focus

Technological Systems: Engineering

Technological Systems: Mechanical Drawing

Technological Systems: Small Engines

Technological Systems: Woodworking

In CSA I, you will learn valuable skills that

will help you throughout the rest of school,

work & life - lots of real world application!!

A portion of the course will help you master

the touch type method

You will also learn how to format and create: • E-mails (using your own WCPSS student e-mail)

• Tables

• Reports in MLA with Works Cited

• Personal business letters (you will write to a real

company!)

Digital Literacy • Understand the computer system; use Microsoft’s e-

learning site Desktop Publishing

• Scanning, menus, brochures, flyers…. Spreadsheet Basics

• Microsoft Excel – formulas, functions, tables, graphs…

Database Basics • Microsoft Access – develop forms with fields and

records Presentation Skills

• Microsoft PowerPoint & other software programs to develop solid 21st century presentation skills

Do you think you will work in a business field or

start your own business one day?

This course will let you explore the different

components of business operations including

starting one

Marketing includes advertising and getting people

to want to buy something

A variety of industries could be looked at

including: banking, fashion merchandising, public

relations, travel & tourism, information

technology………

You will do a lot of work on the computers to

complete the projects in this class

Previously known as “Life Skills” courses

Now, there are 2 courses and each has

different units/modules

FACS – Family Focus

FACS – Consumer Focus

http://cpsed.net/consumer/index.htm

FAMILY FOCUS • ARC Babysitters

Training

• Intro to Interior Design

• Personal Communications

• Basic Food Prep

CONSUMER FOCUS • Personal Finance &

Resource Mgmt

• Hospitality & Food/Meal Preparation

• Apparel / Hand & Machine Sewing

CUPCAKE

WARS!

Design your own

bedroom

Red Cross

Certification

available Everfi Vault Financial

Certification

eFood Handlers

Certification

Pillowcase dresses

for Africa & Haiti

Children’s

Book

There is no specific order for taking the

FACS courses • You can take Family Focus and then Consumer

Focus or vice versa

Rising 8th grade: • If you took Life Skills I as a 7th grader, you can

only sign up for FACS – Consumer Focus (you

will have already completed the units in the

Family Focus course)

Create, Design, Build, Collaborate!

Learn how to solve problems Learn how the things around you work Learn how to draw and design and then

create products Hands-on projects:

• CO2 cars

• Puzzle Cube

• Rube Goldberg

Learn about using tools and machines Learn how the internal combustion

engine works Learn about the different types of

measurements and instruments and then apply that to engines

Learn about basic manufacturing processes

Teamwork and Problem Solving!

Small

Engines

Basic Manufacturing

Engine

Parts

How engines work

Make technical

drawings Use drafting

equipment

Create 3-D

models

Design your

own

inventions.

Draw

building

plans.

Learn to

read

technical

drawings

Learn the names

and uses of

common tools.

Learn and master

woodshop skills

Design

and build

your own

invention.

Build a

wood

project

from a set

of plans.

Learn to make

accurate

measurements

Visual Arts • Visual Composition

• Pottery/Sculpture

Performing Arts • Chorus

• Drama

• Band (7th: Intermediate / 8th: Advanced)

2 different courses that are offered to

both 7th and 8th graders • Visual Composition and Pottery/Sculpture

You can take both courses in middle

school but you can only take each course

once

Chorus • Students may take Chorus in both grades –

different content each year

• Students may take 2 semesters of Chorus –

MARK a 1 & 2 next to Chorus for your choices

Drama • Students may take Drama in both grades –

different content each year (but only 1 semester

each year)

Band • 7th grade: Intermediate Band

• 8th grade: Advanced Band

You need to have been a Beginning Band

student

Instruments and additional band groups

are discussed with Mrs. Bishop

Spanish is offered at Apex Middle

7th grade: Beginning Spanish • You do not need to have taken Spanish before this

course • Semester course

8th grade: Advanced Spanish (Spanish I)

• This is a high school credit course • Yearlong course • Need to have taken a semester of Beginning Spanish

in 7th grade

7th and 8th graders can apply to be student assistants • Media Center

• Front office

• Student Services

This requires filling out an application (with an essay) and getting teacher recommendations

There are very few spots available

We work very hard to schedule your

electives based on your 1 – 4 choices

We will not change electives when the

new school year begins

Additional handout will tell all about

math placement criteria and your

individual placement for next year’s math

class

If your parents have questions, they can

contact the counselor.

Make your top 4 elective class choices and rank them 1 – 4 (1 is highest choice)

Take registration card and math placement sheet home to parents • Discuss together

• Parent and student signature on card

Return registration card to homeroom

teacher by March 27, 2014