Middle School AIM Integration

2025-2026

Spotlight on Monroe Middle

Monroe Middle School art classes learned about Canva and creating personal sketchbook covers through graphic design elements. Mrs. Duena and Ms. Medlin (AIM teachers) taught the 6-8 grades about Canva during their art period with the support of Mrs. Maravelias.

Students looked at how to create and/or choose their own borders and art work, choose a background, and develop different types of text boxes with their own personal touches of fonts and sizing. Using students' prior knowledge of art vocabulary, students work able to work on their gradient (changing from dark to light colors), kearning (letter spacing), baseline (invisible line under words), and color theory (complementary, secondary, primary, etc. colors) through the medium of computers via Canva. At the end of the week, students will have their graphic design sketchbook covers printed as a giant sticker for their yearlong art portfolios.

Mrs. Duena starting the lesson by explaining the different types of projects that can be created in Canva.

Ms. Medlin and Mrs. Maravelias supporting students as they start creating their graphic design sketchbook covers.

Spotlight on CSI

CSI middle school students have been hard at work building a positive sense of school wide community! Student ambassadors are working with the lower grade levels to teach Character Strong traits.

Mrs. Raudsep (AIM teacher) supports the middle school students with planning assemblies and recording monthly videos. This year the middle school student ambassadors are learning how to work with Canva to create the videos and record voiceovers. You can see their first video on Respect linked above!

Middle school students finalize the script before recording their voices for the September video.

Middle school and elementary school Student Ambassadors welcome the rest of the school to their September assembly.

2024-2025

Spotlight on Rolling Hills

Mr. Armann works with the leadership class to create the weekly announcements. Students create the announcements and then video record them and are learning to edit for a final video.

Mr. Newman and Mrs. Fang are supporting a class with engaging music and art lessons. Their students have learned how to play chords on the ukulele and play along with songs. They have also been able to create jellyfish with watercolor and creepy portraits in a Tim Burton style.

Check out one of the most recent Eagle Updates created with Mr. Armann's guidance!

Students were introduced to Ukuleles. By the end of the period they were able to play 3 different chords.

Students learned about watercolor and created an ocean scene of jellyfish.

Since it is so close to Halloween, the students created creepy portraits in a Tim Burton style.

2023-2024

January 2024

Spotlight on: CSI

Mrs. Raudsep offers a music club once a week at CSI. This drop-in style club provides a space for students to practice instruments and songs they already know or try something new. Students have access to a piano, ukuleles, and a variety of percussion instruments. They are able to request sheet music which creates a wide variety of songs being practiced. This week it ranged from Fur Elise by Beethoven to songs from Spongebob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical. One of the best parts of the club is the range of experience that students bring - this allows students to support each other and feel safe performing in front of their peers.

December 2023

Spotlight on: Monroe

Life Skills Club

Our students in the Life Skills Club, led by Ms. Vanessa continue to work on activities that can continue throughout their lifetime. The highlight of this month is that students are learning how to crochet. Ten students participate in the Life Skills Club and have been working on crocheting scarves, blankets, and bookmarks. For January, students will begin brainstorming more ideas for the club, with possible activities such as sewing, food preparation, and a possible field trip.

Zero Robotics Club

Monroe Voice Podcast Club

The Monroe Voice Podcast Club run by Mr. A has purchased additional podcasting equipment from a CUSD Innovation Grant. Students have been recording themselves answering weekly questions. Students have built their podcasting equipment from the grant. This will lead to an expansion in the spring of using the Soundtrap program to utilize podcasting and song-making elements.

The Zero Robotics Club

The Zero Robotics Club run by Mr. Jason, is creating an escape room utilizing Minecraft for younger elementary-age students. This is being done through programming tasks. This will continue throughout the upcoming months.

November 2023

Spotlight on: Rolling Hills

Podcast Club

Our students at RHMS have been excitedly working to create passion project podcasts with their new Podcasting Club teacher, Mr. Armann. These young podcasters are using their lunch club as a platform to discuss a wide range of topics from pop culture and school life to their favorite video games and mysteries. They received grant money from the CUSD Innovation Grant and are now using new equipment to improve their podcasts and will hopefully start sharing those with the larger RHMS community this spring.

Photography Club

The Photography Club, hosted by Mr. Neumann, is capturing moments of creativity and verisimilitude from around the Rolling Hills campus. These budding photographers are sharing their stories and through their lenses as they explore the nooks and crannies of RHMS. These students experiment with light, composition, and subject matter, sharing their evolving skills and unique perspectives with the world. The club not only documents their growth as photographers but also reflects the deep bonds formed within the club, where friendships are nurtured through shared experiences and the magic of freezing time through photography.

The ABC (Art & Beautification Club)

Our third lunch club at Rolling Hills is led by Mrs. Fang and seeks to improve the morale and aesthetics of the school campus with art. Comprised of a group of enthusiastic young, volunteer artists, the club breathes life into the school's surroundings with their artistic talents. Middle schools are designing stencils and decorative pavers that will be placed around the school to inject some color and creativity. The club not only serves as a platform for self-expression but also as a reminder that art can be a powerful catalyst for positive change and unity within the school community.

October 2023

Spotlight on: Monroe

Lunch clubs began during the month of October at Monroe Middle School. Monroe students signed up for lunch clubs during Club Rush, and are open to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Each Wednesday, clubs are held during lunchtime, and students are able to meet and participate in three lunch clubs: Zero Robotics Club, Life Skills Lab, and Monroe Voice Podcast Club.

Students in the Zero Robotics Club are focusing on learning coding skills by using Minecraft Education. In the Lifeskills Lab, students are learning life skills such as cooking, sewing, budgeting, and arts and crafts. Finally, the Monroe Voice Podcast Club is allowing students to talk about a variety of interests concerning Monroe, as well as their own.

Once up and running, the clubs will identify ways in which they can apply for a CUSD grant in order to solve the needs of students at Monroe.

September 2023

Spotlight on: Sherman Oaks

During the month of September, Sherman Oaks students signed up for the Makerspace Lunch Club. The Makerspace Club is open to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Meetings will be held Wednesdays during lunch in the library. The club will meet each week to learn how to use the Cricut machine, Glowforge (laser cutter) and Heat Press Machine. Students with interest in making things and using their creativity to help their school were encouraged to join.

The Club has been looking at ways they might can apply for a CUSD Innovation Grant to help out the school. It has been a great way for the students to find a need at their school and use their leadership skills to solve a problem.

Spotlight on CSI

Middle school students finalize the script before recording their voices for the September video.

Middle school and elementary school Student Ambassadors welcome the rest of the school to their September assembly.

CSI middle school students have been hard at work building a positive sense of school wide community! Student ambassadors are working with the lower grade levels to teach Character Strong traits.

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