ART MS 1, BEGINNING 

Grade: 6-8 

This course emphasizes fostering a deep awareness and sensitivity to both natural and constructed environments by exploring and applying the elements and principles of art. Students will engage in creative expression through various mediums—drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, photographic imagery, digital art and media, and fiber art—encouraging innovative and imaginative use of materials and techniques. Additionally, the course delves into the role of art within cultural heritage, examines potential career paths in the arts, and cultivates visual discrimination and critical judgment in assessing both peer and renowned artists' works. Students are expected to develop a portfolio. 

ART MS 2, INTERMEDIATE

Grade: 7-8

Prerequisite: Art MS 1 

This course builds on the foundational topics covered in the MS 1 beginning art class, aiming to enhance awareness and sensitivity toward both natural and man-made environments. Students will explore and apply art elements and principles while engaging in imaginative expression through various materials and techniques, including drawing, painting, printmaking,ceramics, photographic imagery, digital art and media, and fiber art. The course also emphasizes the significance of art within cultural heritage, explores potential careers in the arts, and fosters visual discrimination and critical judgment in evaluating both peer artwork and that of established artists. Students are expected to develop a portfolio that demonstrates progress. 

ART MS 3, ADVANCED

Grade: 8 

Prerequisite: Art MS 2 

This course blends theoretical instruction on the elements and principles of art with hands-on studio activities that invite students to explore concepts such as line, color, value, texture, shape, form, and space. Participants will apply principles like unity, emphasis, balance, variety, harmony, and proportion while engaging in creative expression across various mediums, including design, drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, digital art and media, and fiber art. Additionally, students will enhance their understanding of art history, cultivate an appreciation for diverse artistic expressions, and develop skills for critically evaluating both their peers' works and those of renowned artists, honing their aesthetic judgment along the way. 

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BAND MS 1 

Grade: 6-8

Band MS 1 is a full-year elective for students taking band for the first time in middle school, and no previous musical experience is necessary. This class is available to any student interested in learning to play a band instrument for the first time. Placement on an instrument is based on physical characteristics, student preference, director recommendation, and availability. Austin ISD band directors guide students in selecting the instrument for which they are suited. The class meets during the school day; however, there may be some outside of class time requirements at various times through the year to prepare for concerts. Participation in concerts is required.

BAND MS 2 

Grade: 7-8 

Prerequisite: Band MS 1, Director’s approval required for placement in all levels. 

Band students in their second year in middle school band enroll in MS 2 and are placed by audition into ability-based bands. Other factors that can affect band placement are experience, attitude/behavior, and director recommendation. MS 2 band students present concerts throughout the year for both the student body and the community and participate in several group and individual contests. Full band, small group, and Individualized instruction is provided to ensure the success of the students. Weekly section rehearsals, either before or after school, and participation in concerts and contests are required.

BAND MS 3 

Grade: 8

Prerequisite: Band MS 2, Director’s approval required for placement in all levels. 

Band students in their third year in middle school band enroll in MS 3 and are placed by audition into ability-based bands. Other factors that can affect band placement are experience, attitude/behavior, and director recommendation. MS 3 band students present concerts throughout the year for both the student body and the community and participate in several group and individual contests. Full band, small group, and individualized instruction are provided to ensure the success of the students. Weekly section rehearsals, either before or after school, and participation in concerts and contests are required.

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ORCHESTRA MS 1 

Grade: 6-8 

Orchestra MS 1 is a full-year elective for students taking orchestra for the first time in middle school, and no previous musical experience is necessary. This class is available to any student interested in learning to play an orchestra instrument for the first time. Placement on an instrument is based on physical characteristics, student preference, director recommendation, and availability. Austin ISD orchestra directors guide students in selecting the instrument for which they are suited. The class meets during the school day; however, there may be some outside of class time requirements at various times through the year to prepare for concerts. Participation in concerts is required.

ORCHESTRA MS 2 

Grade: 7-8 

Prerequisite: Orchestra MS 1, Director’s approval required for placement in all levels. 

Orchestra students in their second year in middle school orchestra enroll in MS 2 and are placed by audition into ability-based orchestras. Other factors that can affect orchestra placement are experience, attitude/behavior, and director recommendation. MS 2 Orchestra students present concerts throughout the year for both the student body and the community and participate in several group and individual contests. Full band, small group, and individualized instruction are provided to ensure the success of the students. Weekly section rehearsals, either before or after school, and participation in concerts and contests are required.

ORCHESTRA MS 3 

Grade: 8

Prerequisite: Orchestra MS 2, Director’s approval required for placement in all levels. 

Orchestra students in their third year in middle school orchestra enroll in MS 2 and are placed by audition into ability-based orchestras. Other factors that can affect orchestra placement are experience, attitude/behavior, and director recommendation. MS 3 Orchestra students present concerts throughout the year for both the student body and the community and participate in several group and individual contests. Full band, small group, and individualized instruction are provided to ensure the success of the students. Weekly section rehearsals, either before or after school, and participation in concerts and contests are required. 

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GUITAR MS 1 

Grade: 6-8

Prerequisite: Director’s approval required for placement in all levels. 

Guitar is offered at three levels of instruction. Students furnish classical guitars; however, some instruments may be available for use. Rapidly progressing students may be transferred to a more-Advanced Guitar as scheduling permits. Out-of-school rehearsals and performances are required.

GUITAR MS 2 

Grade: 7-8

Prerequisite: Guitar MS 1, Director’s approval required for placement in all levels. 

Guitar is offered at three levels of instruction. Students furnish classical guitars; however, some instruments may be available for use. Rapidly progressing students may be transferred to a more-Advanced Guitar as scheduling permits. Out-of-school rehearsals and performances are required.

GUITAR MS 3 

Grade: 8

Prerequisite: Guitar MS 1 and Guitar MS 2, Director’s approval required for placement in all levels. 

Guitar is offered at three levels of instruction. Students furnish classical guitars; however, some instruments may be available for use. Rapidly progressing students may be transferred to a more-Advanced Guitar as scheduling permits. Out-of-school rehearsals and performances are required

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DANCE MS 1 

Grade: 6-8

Students in their first year of dance in middle school enroll in Dance MS 1. The purpose of this class is to introduce students to dance, as well as basic choreography. The history of selected dance forms will be explored, and students will spend the majority of class time experiencing these dance forms through movement and performance. Students may be required to take Dance Wellness or Functional Dance opposite this course. This course is NOT a prerequisite for the Dance Team.

DANCE MS 2 

Grade: 7-8 

Prerequisite: Dance MS 1 

Dance students in their second year of dance in middle school enroll in Dance MS 2. These courses are full year courses designed to educate students in the art form of dance, as well as prepare them to live healthy lifestyles and be prepared for success at higher levels of dance instruction. Dance instruction includes but is not limited to the styles of ballet, modern, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, choreography and production. The students will learn correct terminology and the history behind each style of dance. In addition, students will learn and perform a routine for each style of dance in class and may have the opportunity to give public performances. Additionally, students may have the opportunity to create and choreograph their own routines.

DANCE MS 3 

Grade: 8

Prerequisite: Dance MS 2 

Dance students in their third year of dance in  middle school enroll in Dance MS 3. These courses are full year courses designed to educate students in the art form of dance, as well as prepare them to live healthy lifestyles and be prepared for success at higher levels of dance instruction. Dance instruction includes but is not limited to the styles of ballet, modern, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, choreography and production. The students will learn correct terminology and the history behind each style of dance. In addition, students will learn and perform a routine for each style of dance in class and may have the opportunity to give public performances. Additionally, students may have the opportunity to create and choreograph their own routines. 

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THEATRE MS 1 

Grade: 6-8 

Theatre MS 1 is an introductory course for students taking theatre for the first time in middle school, and no previous experience is necessary. Theatre MS 1 meets daily and is available to any student interested in exploring theatre as an elective. The class meets during the school day; however, there may be some outside of class time requirements at various times through the year to perform and prepare for performances. Students will have opportunities to develop their performance skills through a variety of in-class and outside of class performances, as well as improve their public speaking skills.

THEATRE MS 2 

Grade: 7-8

Prerequisite: Theatre MS 1 

Theatre students in their second year of theatre in middle school enroll in Theatre MS 2. These courses build upon the fundamental knowledge of drama and theatre arts and offer a more in-depth curriculum. Students will have opportunities to explore career possibilities in theatre and continued participation in high school theatre courses. In addition to technical projects and acting opportunities, activities may include field trips and guided preparation for high school theatre auditions.

THEATRE MS 3 

Grade: 8 

Prerequisite: Theatre MS 2 

Theatre students in their third year of theatre in middle school enroll in Theatre MS 3. These courses build upon the fundamental knowledge of drama and theatre arts and offer a more in-depth curriculum. Students will have opportunities to explore career possibilities in theatre and continued participation in high school theatre courses. In addition to technical projects and acting opportunities, activities may include field trips and guided preparation for high school theatre auditions.

 DISCOVERING LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 

Grade: 6

This is a non-sequential course that allows the student to explore other languages and cultures. The student demonstrates an understanding of the elements of language(s), demonstrates an understanding of cultures, and develops effective language study skills. ACTFL has established guidelines for proficiency levels that are used as a basis for the Texas essential knowledge and skills for world languages. ACTFL has identified national standards in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century (the five Cs of foreign language education). These standards describe the "what" (content) of world languages learning and form the core standards based instruction in the world languages classroom. Although languages may vary by campus, more attention is given to those languages currently taught in AISD. In some cases, special discovery courses in Spanish may be offered for students to explore the multiple regions where Spanish is spoken. 

SPANISH I, FRENCH I, MANDARIN I

Credit: 1 (World Languages LOTE) 

Grade: 7-8 

This course introduces the basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing across all three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Students learn common expressions to communicate about basic, everyday topics and are expected to actively participate in class. By the end of the first year of world language study, students should be able to understand and communicate in the target language using simple sentences and ask/answer questions about familiar topics. 

SPANISH II 

Credit: 1 (World Languages LOTE) 

Grade: 8 

This course reviews concepts taught in the previous level and continues with additional structures and vocabulary to increase language proficiency. Essary to communicate in everyday, realistic situations. Students will also expand their knowledge and appreciation of the culture and civilization of the target language. By the end of the second year of world language study, students should be able to communicate using simple sentences and ask/answer questions about familiar topics. Students are able to begin creating original sentences with language. 

SPANISH LANGUAGE 3A (Grade 6) & 3B (Grade 7) (Dual Language & non- Dual Language)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of K-5 DL program and/or proficiency in Spanish.

Level 3A is the first half of Level 3 course of sequential world language instruction designed to develop fundamental language across the interpretive, interpersonal and presentational modes of communication. Culture and civilization of the target language is integrated into all aspects of the course. Students will develop confidence in using the target language to describe familiar topics such as family, hobbies and school life. Students will also use the language to connect with other content areas, make comparisons with their own language and culture, and participate in communities beyond the classroom. Students should perform at novice mid proficiency by the end of the year. Students must complete part A in seventh grade and part B in eighth grade to earn 1.0 high school credit which will satisfy the first year of World Languages (LOTE) requirement in AISD’s Foundation High School Program. Students who complete only one part will earn 0.5 credit that will count toward state elective graduation credit, appear on the transcript and will be included in the high school grade point average. Students are expected to complete both years of the same LOTE course.

AP SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE DUAL LANGUAGE

Grade 8

Prerequisite: Spanish, Level III or equivalent proficiency. 

The Advanced Placement Program® has enabled millions of students to take college-level courses and earn college credit, Advanced Placement, or both, while still in high school. AP Exams are given each year in May. Students who earn a qualifying score on an AP Exam are typically eligible, in college, to receive credit, placement into advanced courses, or both. Every aspect of AP course and exam development is the result of collaboration between AP teachers and college faculty. They work together to develop AP courses and exams, set scoring standards, and score the exams. College faculty review every AP teacher’s course syllabus. The AP Spanish Language & Culture course emphasizes communication (understanding and being understood by others) by applying interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational skills in real-life situations. This includes vocabulary usage, language control, communication strategies, and cultural awareness. The AP Spanish Language & Culture course strives not to overemphasize grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. To best facilitate the study of language and culture, the course is taught exclusively in Spanish. At this level, it is crucial that students are exposed to a wide array of authentic materials such as audio and video resources as well as written and literary texts. The AP Spanish Language & Culture course engages students in an exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. The course develops students’ awareness and appreciation of cultural products (e.g., tools, books, music, laws, conventions, institutions); practices (patterns of social interactions within a culture); and perspectives (values, attitudes, and assumptions).Students may opt to take the College Board Advanced Placement examination in their target language. These exams provide a measure of a student's ability to communicate in the target language via tasks that allow them to demonstrate their skills in the interpretive, interpersonal and presentational modes of communication. The exam also assesses a student's familiarity with the target culture. An incentive for taking the exam is the potential for receiving a sufficient score that will grant college credit hours. In general, these exams are taken at the end of the AP course, although some students may wait until the fifth-year of language study to take the examination.

CAREER DISCOVERY 

Grade: 6

The Career Discovery course is designed to create a foundation for success in high school, future studies, and careers such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Business and Industry; Public Service; Arts and Humanities; and Multidisciplinary Studies. The students research labor market information, learn job-seeking skills, and create documents required for employment. Career and technical education instruction provides students a chance to explore all career clusters in order to determine a Program of Study for High School. 

CAREER AND COLLEGE EXPLORATION 

Grade: 7 

The Career and College Exploration course is designed as an introductory Career and Technical Education course. As part of the career development requirements for Texas students, the course intends to help students discover their individual interests and skills and the career pathways that best fit their abilities. Career and College Exploration is an early step on each student's journey toward selecting and pursuing a satisfying and rewarding Career. Students learn about themselves through aptitude and interest inventory assessments. Students will review the Texas CTE Career Clusters to investigate a range of career paths and discover the education and training required to pursue their career goals. 

FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTER SCIENCE 

Credit: 1 (Elective Credit) 

Grade: 7-8 

Prerequisite: NONE 

Fundamentals of Computer Science is designed to allow students to discover the background behind what makes our technology work. Basic programming skills will be acquired for a foundation that leads to a vast understanding of Computer Science. Students will foster their creativity and innovation through opportunities to design, implement, and present solutions to real-world problems. Students will collaborate and use computer science concepts to access, analyze, and evaluate information needed to solve problems. Students will learn the problem-solving and reasoning skills that are the foundation of computer science. 

PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING 

Credit: 1 (Elective Credit)

Grade: 7-8

Principles of Education and Training is designed to allow students to explore various careers available within the Education and Training Career Cluster. By using self-knowledge as it relates to educational and career information, students will analyze various careers within the Education and Training Career Cluster and develop a graduation plan that leads to a specific career choice in the student's interest area.

PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN SERVICES 

Credit: 1 

Grade: 7-8 

Principles of Human Services is designed to be a laboratory course that will enable students to investigate careers in the Human Services Career Cluster, including counseling and mental health, early childhood development, family and community, personal care, and consumer services. Each student is expected to complete the knowledge and skills essential for success in high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand human services careers. 

PRINCIPLES OF BIOSCIENCES 

Credit: 1 (Elective Credit)

Grade: 7-8 

Principles of Biosciences is designed to reinforce Biology content and provide an overview of biotechnology, bioengineering, and related fields. Topics include genetics, cell structure, proteins, nucleic acids, and the impact of immunological events in biotechnology. Students will further study the increasingly important agricultural, environmental, economic, and political roles of bioenergy and biological remediation; the roles of nanoscience and nanotechnology in biotechnology medical research; and future trends in biological science biotechnology.

AVID Prep Skills 6 - 8 

Grade: 6-8

These are students who have the desire to attend college and are capable of completing rigorous courses, but are not 

meeting their full potential and would benefit from AVID Elective support for college and career readiness. Typically, AVID    Elective students are underserved students in secondary institutions. 

The AVID class addresses key elements in college preparation: Rigorous Academic Preparedness, Opportunity   

Knowledge, and Student Agency. Students achieve this through AVID’s Core Strategies such as AVID Tutorials/ 

Collaborative Study Groups, Socratic Seminars (dialogue)/ Philosophical Chairs (debate), notetaking, and organization of 

time and materials. Students also prepare for college entrance examinations, including the PSAT and TSIA-2. 

AVID Prep EXCEL 6 - 8 

Grade: 6-8

Prerequisite: New AVID Excel students are required to meet the campus’s selection process which targets emergent 

multilingual students (long-term English language learners) who score at the mid to upper range on the TELPAS (English 

proficiency exam). These students also indicate a desire to go to college and achieve success. Although many of these 

students were born in the United States, they still carry the English language learner designation and frequently need 

support to progress through the proficiency levels and reach their academic potential. 

The AVID Excel class addresses key elements in college preparation: Rigorous Academic Preparedness, Opportunity Knowledge, and Student Agency. Students achieve this through six consistent learning strands - reading, writing, oral language, academic vocabulary, study skills, and self-determination and leadership

MIDDLE SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION 

Grade: 7-8

This course is for those students interested in spending more time with the concepts of living a healthy life and would be in addition to the required Health 1 course for graduation. This course addresses health concepts described in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health, Grades 7-8. The topics covered include: physical health and hygiene; mental health and wellness; eating healthy and physical activity; injury and violence prevention and safety; and alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Students will learn both the information needed to understand the concepts and the skills needed to make decisions about their health now and in the future.