8th grade students can choose from fine arts and wellness classes.
Note: Successfully completing two semesters of fine arts classes during grades 7-8 can fulfill the high school fine arts graduation requirement though it does not earn high school credit.
This is a one semester class offered in the fall.
In Art 8, students are introduced to design elements and principles, as well as contemporary art-making processes. In addition, students will explore the act of conceptual thinking.
This is a one semester class offered in the spring.
In Music 8, students are introduced to a variety of music genres and instruments. They explore the concepts of rhythm, melody, timbre, texture, dynamics, form, and rhythm, and they learn to sight read music. Students listen to various examples of songs to interpret performances, and they compose and perform their own song.
This is a one semester class offered in the fall.
Middle School Health introduces students to the dimensions of health and explains how students' decisions, along with various influences, affect their health and well-being. Students will learn about positive and negative peer pressure and how to apply the decision-making process to help them make safe, informed choices. They will have the opportunity to develop and apply their refusal skills when faced with questionable circumstances, such as pressure to use drugs or partake in other risky behaviors. Self-evaluation and goal-setting techniques are introduced to help a student achieve success, whether it be intellectually or physically. Students will learn about healthy eating habits, safe exercise routines, and ways to prevent disease. In addition, students will learn the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and how to handle conflicts by demonstrating effective communication skills. They will also study the body and how to care for each system, especially as their body matures and grows. Finally, students are introduced to basic first aid care and procedures to help keep themselves and others safe inside and outside the home.
This is a one semester class offered in the spring.
In Middle School Nutrition and Personal Fitness, students explore nutrition, dietary needs, and physical fitness. With a foundation in nutrition principles and practices, students read food labels and identify food safety concerns. With regard to physical fitness, students analyze exercise guidelines that promote healthy lifestyles.