Welcome to Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School. The purpose of the course catalog is to inform parents and students about the academic courses offered at Pau-Wa-Lu and to provide information about graduation requirements, courses of study, and proficiency level benchmarks required by the Douglas County School District. It is intended that students and parents review this catalog together and make informed decisions about their course selections. School counselors are also available on campus to advise students and parents. Please feel free to contact them if you need assistance during the registration process. The middle school years are truly a unique period. Students are undergoing rapid and profound developmental changes during this time. Middle schools have the challenge of addressing both the educational and social needs of young adolescents. Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School and the Douglas County School District embrace this challenge in meeting the needs of all of our students.

7th Grade Program of Study

All 7th Graders at Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School are required to take the following courses:

English
Math
Science
Social Studies

Physical Education (Year-Long)
Electives

Students will have the required core classes (English, Math, Science, and Social Studies) for the entire year spread throughout a week schedule. Students will be required to take the PE elective which is year-long. Students will be able to choose 2 Semester Electives or 1 Year-Long Elective. There are a limited amount of Year-Long Electives. If a student takes Band or Choir (the only Year-Long Electives), students will be able to take only a Semester of PE and choose one more Semester Elective.

CORE CLASSES

English 7

Credits: 1.00 Course Length: Year

Seventh grade students will use Springboard, a nationally recognized Pre-Advanced Placement resource book, as the main focus of this class. Springboard activities are aligned with the Nevada Academic Content Standards as well as the critical content of Douglas County. Assignments embedded in the program will also meet the benchmark and competency requirements for Douglas County students. Students will each receive their own workbook at the beginning of the year.

Math 7

Credits: 1.00 Course Length: Year

In Math 7, instructional time will focus on four critical areas: (1) developing understanding of and applying proportional relationships; (2) developing understanding of operations with rational numbers and working with expressions and linear equations; (3) solving problems involving scale drawings and informal geometric constructions, and working with two- and three-dimensional shapes to solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume; and (4) drawing inferences about populations based on samples.

Accelerated Math 7

Credits 1.00 Course Length: Year Pre-Requisite: District Approval

A screening process is in place and used as an entry tool into this accelerated math course. The screening process occurs at the end of the 6th grade year. A series of data points to include the previous standardized math scores, a 6th grade math end of course exam, and 6th grade teacher recommendation work together to generate a singular score. If the score is above the assigned cut score, students may participate in this Accelerated Mathematics 7 class. The curriculum in this class is made up of the entire year's worth of seventh grade Common Core math curriculum plus one half of the 8th grade Common Core math curriculum. Successful completion of this Accelerated Mathematics 7 course will allow for the movement into an Accelerated Math 8 course the following year.

Science 7

Credits: 1.00 Course Length: Year

This one year course is designed to integrate science and engineering practices, cross-cutting concepts, and core ideas from the life sciences, Earth and space science, and physical sciences. The topics covered in science 7 include structure and properties of matter, chemical reactions, matter and energy in ecosystems, interdependent relationships in ecosystems, Earth's systems, history of the earth and human impact.

Social Studies 7

Credits: 1.00 Course Length: Year

This course takes students on a tour of the Eastern Hemisphere. Physical geography, social issues, world religions and various cultures are just a few of the topics explored in Social Studies 7. For each region being studied students get a close up look at the traditions, customs, struggles, and physical geography that affect the people of the Eastern Hemisphere. Social Studies focuses on the following five themes: Region, Location, Movement, Place, and Human Environment Interaction throughout the year.

ELECTIVE CLASSES

PE 7 (Required)

Credits: 1.00 Course Length: Year

Girls and Boys Physical Education: This class is designed to give a well-rounded Physical Education program that includes physical conditioning and participation in a variety of sports. Students gain knowledge of each sport and improve the necessary skills for success. Teamwork is of major importance – playing together with healthy competition.

Intermediate Band

Credits: 1.00 Course Length: Year

This band would be open to anyone in 7th grade who meets the following prerequisites: 1.) Played an instrument for one full year, 2.) Able to play Bb concert scale, 3.) Able to pass rhythm chart #26. All students are required to do several performances throughout the year. These events include out of town festivals, solo and ensemble festivals, Nevada Day parade, and a minimum of 3 evening concerts. It is also possible to participate in band class and still participate in school sports. School instruments are limited. Students will need to provide their own instrument. Beginners will only be admitted upon director approval.

Chorus 7

Credits: 1.00 Course Length: Year

This class is open to anyone in grades 7-8. No experience is necessary. If you enjoy singing, this is the class for you. This class will teach you how to read rhythms and how to sight sing music. All students will be required to do several performances throughout the year. These events may include out of town festivals, solo and ensemble festival, and a minimum of 3 evening concerts.

Student Leadership 7

Credits: 0.50 Course Length: Semester

Join Student Leadership! Panther Leadership is responsible for creating and organizing programs and activities that promote a fun, inclusive environment at PWLMS, including dances, fundraisers, and community activities. Because this is an application-based class, students are expected to uphold academic and behavioral standards. In order to sign up for the class, you must also fill out an application with the Leadership teacher. If you are someone who would enjoy an exciting, fun class that works to make a positive difference in your school, Leadership could be a good fit for you!

Journalism

Credits: 0.50 Course Length: Semester

Throughout time, people have told and written stories. Today, we have added other types of media to spread the word about people, events, and world worthy news. This class introduces you to print and online media. Students will gain knowledge in the areas of keyboarding, parts of a newspaper, print journalism, photojournalism, interviewing,teamwork,and problem solving skills. Throughout the semester we will create a school newspaper and blog.

Games, Activities, & Puzzles

Credits: 0.50 Course Length: Semester

Do you like playing games, solving puzzles and making things? Then this class is for you! Students will engage their creative, problem-solving skills to participate in games and to solve a wide range of puzzles. Also, students will improve their critical thinking skills by physically creating their own games or puzzles.

Human Machine

Credits: 0.50 Course Length: Semester

Over 300 muscles stimulated by 60,000 miles of blood vessels and 180,000 miles of nerves move your 206 bones through a system of pulleys and hinges. Thirty feet of intestine digest your food within 50 hours or so to provide fuel for everything you. 25,000 breaths and 100,000 beats of your heart each day make sure it all keeps going. This is the human machine. Come learn about it.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Gateway Curriculum

PLTW Gateway sparks a joy of discovery and illuminates the range of paths students can look forward to in high school and beyond. Students apply knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines. By tackling challenges like designing a therapeutic toy for a child with cerebral palsy, creating their own app, or solving a medical mystery, students are empowered to make a real-world impact. Although these are elective courses, they are academically challenging with emphasis on science and engineering.

PLTW Green Architecture

Credits: 0.50 Course Length: Semester

Design a house out of a shipping container? Learn how creative thinking and problem solving can change your world! Today’s students have grown up in an age of “green” choices. In this unit, 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.

PLTW Automation and Robotics

Credits: 0.50 Course Length: 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. The course is intended for students capable of a challenging curriculum and will serve as a springboard for the STEM program at Douglas High School.

HOW DO I CHOOSE MY CLASSES?

Please choose between Option A or Option B

Option A

2 Semester Electives

(ex. Human machine

& Journalism)

Option B

Band or Choir + 1 semester elective

(ex. Band

& Human Machine

& Semester of PE)

Log into your Student Portal on Infinite Campus
Click "Academic Plan" from the Menu on the right.
Make sure "Choose and Academic Plan" says MIDDLE SCHOOL
Click "Next"

For Language Arts:

Click English 7

For Math:

Click Math 7

For Science:

Click Science 7

For Social Studies:

Click Social Studies 7

For ELECT:

Select 2 Semester electives (Option A) or Band, Choir + 1 Semester Electives (Option B)

NO SELECTION FOR FINE ARTS

For PE:

Select PE 7

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