Student Electives 24-25

2024-2025

(Electives subject to change)

Advanced Art

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Year

The major emphasis of this course is to extend the student’s technical skills, media exploration, studio production and aesthetic valuing that they learned in intermediate art though two- and three-dimensional design projects.

Advanced Band

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Year

Advanced Band is a course for students who have had previous experience in playing a wind or percussion instrument. The emphasis in this course is on the continued development at an advanced level on individual technique, musicianship, ensemble skills and personal responsibility in order to develop the students as independent musicians, as well as prepare them to progress to music classes at the high school level.

Advanced Computers (7th & 8th Grade)

1 Semester

This elective will build on proficiencies acquired in the Intermediate Computer course. Students will integrate previously learned tools, i.e. word processing, multimedia, spreadsheet and database, into a cumulative Web design project.

Advanced Orchestra

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Year

The emphasis in this course is on the continued development at an advanced level on individual technique, musicianship, ensemble skills and personal responsibility in order to develop the students as independent musicians, as well as prepare them to progress to music classes at the high school level.

PLTW App Creators

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Semester

*STEM

Students will be introduced to the field of computer science and the concepts of computational thinking, through the creation of mobile apps. Students are challenged to be creative and innovative, as they collaboratively design and develop mobile solutions to engaging, authentic problems.

PLTW Automation & Robotics (6th - 8th Grade)

1 Semester

*STEM

Students are given the opportunity to combine mechanisms with input and output devices to automate the mechanisms. Construction and programming skills are layered, and projects and the problem provide students the opportunity to connect their learning throughout the lessons in the unit. Students take on the role of interns, and work in teams to identify design requirements and create prototypes to meet the needs of clients. They also explore different aspects of automation and robotics, and experience how solving real-life problems involves the teamwork of mechanical engineers, software developers, and electrical engineers.

Beginning Band

(6th Grade)

1 Year

Beginning Band is a course for students who have had little or no previous experience in playing a wind or percussion instrument.

Beginning Orchestra (6th Grade)

1 Year

Beginning Orchestra is a course for students who have had little or no previous experience in playing a string instrument violin, viola, cello and string bass.

Debate

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Year

Debate is a language arts elective course designed to improve skills in the four language arts areas (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Students will also practice to mastery their research skills, reasoning ability, and critical thinking competency.

PLTW Design and Modeling

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Semester

*STEM

Students discover the design process and develop an understanding of the influence of creativity and innovation in their lives. They are then challenged and empowered to use and apply what they’ve learned throughout the unit to design a therapeutic toy for a child who has cerebral palsy.

Drama

(6th - 8th Grade)

1 Year

This introductory course offers students opportunities to read, interpret, write and create purposeful theater.

Exploratory Art

(6th Grade)

1 Semester

Through the application of the elements of art and principles of design, students create a variety of unique artworks that demonstrate foundational art techniques.

Intermediate Art

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Semester

Students interested in continuing the study of art will experiment with two-and three-dimensional art forms, such as drawing, painting, linear perspective, and paper mache.

Intermediate Band

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Year

Intermediate Band is a course for students who have had some previous experience in playing a wind or percussion instrument. The intermediate Band is a course for students who have had some previous experience in playing a wind or percussion instrument. The emphasis in this course is on the continued development of individual technique, musicianship, ensemble skills and personal responsibility in order to develop the students as independent musicians.

Introduction to Psychology

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Semester

Psychology is the study of human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Within this course students will study such topics as influences of heredity and environment on personality, normal and abnormal behavior, principles of learning, social cognition, and adolescence.

Journalism

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Year

Our Journalism elective is designed to introduce students to the fundamental elements of news writing, photography and page layout. Journalism also includes a study of modern newspapers, the history of journalism in the United States, newspaper organization, analysis of news, the effects of propaganda, and newsgathering and writing.

Office Assistant

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Year

*Application available in the

Main Office

Office assistants are assigned to work in various school offices. They learn filing systems, do typing and/or duplicating tasks, answer telephones, take messages, and acquire general office work experience.

Prerequisite: 2.0 GPA, no N’s or U’s and must sign a Non Academic Course Enrollment Form

Physical Education (P.E.) Extension

(7th & 8th Grade)

1 Year

This course will provide students with opportunities to examine and explore various careers in sports. This year-long course will involve research in various sports-specific career fields like broadcasting, marketing, umpiring, coaching, and representation. Units within this course will be 3 to 4 weeks, and include the following: Broadcasting/Journalism, Marketing/Advertising, Coaching, Nutrition/Training, Umpiring/Game Management (scorekeeping, groundskeeping, etc.), Mascots/Promotion, Collectibles, and Ethics/Law.

Spanish 1-2

(8th Grade)

1 Year

Spanish 1-2 is an intensive introduction to Spanish emphasizing communicative based listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish and the rudiments of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will, at an accelerated pace, learn to use Spanish to deal with discrete linguistic elements of daily life in predictable common settings.

Student Council

(6th - 8th Grade)

1 Year

*Application Required

Training and practical experience in organizing and administering activities connected with student body functions. Members are expected to be conscientious students with the ability to work with their peers, faculty and administration toward the common goal of improving the culture at a school site.

Teacher Aide

(7th - 8th Grade)

1 Year

*Application available in the

Main Office

The course provides students opportunities to assist classroom teachers with duplicating tasks, filing, keeping records, and preparing bulletin boards and instructional materials.

Prerequisite: 2.0 GPA, no N’s or U’s and must sign a Non Academic Course Enrollment Form

World of Work:

Exploring Digital Art

(6th Grade)

1 Quarter

Exploring Digital Art will introduce students to a special genre of art found in everything from advertising to animation to photography and beyond. Students will explore a variety of careers found in digital art and design

World of Work:

Exploring Gaming

(6th Grade)

1 Quarter

Exploring Gaming will introduce students to game development through an interactive and hands-on approach. Students will explore a variety of careers in the gaming industry.

Nondiscrimination Statement: The Long Beach Unified School District prohibits discrimination, intimidation, harassment (including sexual harassment) or bullying based on a person’s actual or perceived ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, immigration status, national origin, religion, race or ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.