Electives
6th Grade
The Arts Program in sixth grade provides students the opportunity to explore their creative abilities and develop an appreciation for the arts. All sixth grade students will be enrolled in Unified Arts Rotation and will then have the option to select the mindfulness/yearbook, music, or world languages course. The availability of all courses are based on student enrollment and the availability of staffing.
Unified Arts Rotation
Semester Elective Course Rotation
Full Year Elective Courses
The following courses are full year elective options for sixth grade students. Students will be able to prioritize their electives preference in the request form.
MS Beginning Wind Percussion
This course is for students who have no prior experience on a band instrument. Students will learn about and compare/contrast all of the band instruments. They will choose an instrument with the guidance of the music director and learn all prerequisite skills for Band 1 and Band 2. These skills include reading and performing music notation, writing music, and basic instrument-specific skills. Students will perform in two evening concerts at Shady Grove and participate in various other activities as described in the Instrumental Music Calendar.
MS Beginning Strings
This course is for students who have no prior experience on an orchestra instrument. Students will learn about and compare/contrast all of the orchestral instruments. They will choose an instrument with the guidance of the music director and learn all prerequisite skills for Orchestra 1 and Orchestra 2. Students will perform in two evening concerts at Shady Grove and have the opportunity to participate in various other music activities as described in the Instrumental Music Calendar. MS Orchestra I.
MS Orchestra I
This course is for students who have not taken a middle school level orchestra class, but do have prior experience from an elementary school. Students will review and refine instrument-specific skills learned in elementary school. Students will expand music vocabulary and learn to read and perform more advanced music notation. They will perform grade level 1-2 music. Students will perform in two evening concerts and participate in various other music activities as described in the Instrumental Music Calendar. Students in this course are eligible to audition for MCPS All-County and Honors groups.
MS Band 1
This course is for students who have not taken a middle school band class, but who do have prior experience from an elementary school. Students will review and refine instrument-specific skills learned in elementary school. Students will expand music vocabulary and learn how to read and perform more advanced music notation, performing grade level 1-2 music. Students in this course will perform in two evening concerts and have the opportunity to participate in various other music activities as described in the Instrumental Music Calendar. Students are eligible to audition for MCPS All-County and Honors groups.
