Middle School Electives 2nd Semester Logo
  • Middle School Electives Course Selection

    Semester 2 for the 2024-25 School Year
  • It's time to choose your elective classes for the upcoming semester! Please select your top three choices for each elective period. 

    Questions? Please email connect@mountainsage.org.

    This form is due by December 2nd. Thank you!

  • About Electives

    There will be two elective periods per semester on your schedule next year:

    • Elective A on Wednesdays, 45 minutes long
    • Elective B on Fridays, 90 minutes long

    Take a moment to read the descriptions for each class and then pick your top three. We'll do our best to get you your first or second choice, but you may get your third choice so be sure to pick classes you like. Please note that some classes have a prerequisite.

    For easy viewing, click the link below the course descriptions to open them in a new window.

  • Elective A, Wednesdays from 2:35pm-3:20pm (45 minutes)

    To view these course descriptions in a separate window, click here.

    Choir

    Teacher: Dr. Roberts
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, may be taken both semesters

    Are you ready to unleash your inner star? Our middle school choir is the perfect place for you to have fun and make music with friends! Whether you’re a seasoned singer or just curious about trying something new, we welcome everyone! Join us for exciting games, amazing performances, and unforgettable memories. You’ll learn cool vocal techniques while having a blast! No experience needed—just bring your enthusiasm and love for music! Come be part of our choir family, and let your voice shine bright! We can’t wait to sing with you! 🌟🎤✨

    Creative Mindfulness

    Teacher: Ms. Bandong
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: No, can only be taken for one semester

    This elective blends together topics around mindfulness while also focusing on the importance of creativity. All students will present a favorite creative activity to the class, by offering a drawing prompt/activity or sharing a mindfulness technique (5-10 minute presentation). Mrs. Bandong will offer the application of a tuning fork while students independently draw. Creative Mindfulness is a space and time to unwind at the end of the day. 

    Elementary Teacher’s Helper

    Teacher: Maestra Kathol
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, may be taken both semesters

    Be a leader, educator and role model for the elementary students! If you are a middle school student interested in assisting younger students in handwork, on nature walks, in games class, as a tutor, as a peer mentor, or just a helper in various elementary classes, this is the elective for you! Middle school students interested in this class will have the chance to serve as student helpers in a variety of ways in grades K-5. Have fun, help out, and be a middle school student leader in our K-8 school community!

    Exploring Nature's Gifts: Foraging, Journaling, Sustainability, and Creativity

    Teacher: Ms. Buhrdorf
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, may be taken both semesters

    Welcome to an exciting elective where we dive into foraging, nature journaling, sustainability, and creativity in nature! Discover edible plants and natural treasures responsibly and safely. Sketch, write, and observe to connect deeply with the natural world. Learn practices to preserve biodiversity and care for our planet. Express yourself through nature inspired art. 

    Performance Skills

    Teacher: Ms. Mae
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, may be taken both semesters

    Performers will concentrate on developing a wide range of vocal, physical, and imaginative skills. They will be challenged to break out of their comfort zone while tapping into their own creativity, gain self-confidence, and experience working collaboratively with others. These concepts are fundamentals that all performers work on to continue their growth as an artist.

    Solutionary Zine Design

    Teacher: Maestra Bolton
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, may be taken both semesters

    In this class we will learn about important topics that are happening in the world and seek out solutions. Students research a topic of their choice in a self directed process, then design a small publication (zine) on their work. This class involves research, critical thinking, connecting real-world issues to our local community, and learning ways to impact change on the issues you care about. We will use writing, art and design to process the information and create small books which can be easily reproduced and distributed.

    To view these course descriptions in a separate window, click here.

  • Elective B, Fridays from 8:35-10:10am (90 minutes) 

    To view these course descriptions in a separate window, click here.

    Farm to Fork Level I

    Teacher: Ms. Buhrdorf
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: No, can only be taken for one semester

    Students will harvest, prepare, and preserve produce from our bountiful school garden in this introductory cooking class. We will learn about food safety, knife skills, and cooking techniques to make the most out of our harvest. During the gardening season, we will emphasize sustainable food preservation practices including dehydrating, pickling, and fermentation. During the winter months, we will explore nutrition and food science with different fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins that can be grown locally.  This class will occur in the Spring semester for students who have not taken a Farm to Fork class.

    Middle School Handwork

    Teacher: Ms. Anderson
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, students can take both semesters

    In this class, students will expand their knitting, crochet and/or sewing skills (hand and/or machine sewing). Students who are new to these crafts will choose a craft to learn and start with beginner projects, while intermediate and advanced handwork students will have the opportunity to choose their own crafts and projects with guidance from Ms. Anderson. The focus for these students will be on deepening their understanding of these crafts, learning how to use patterns and choosing appropriate materials for a given pattern. Students will be graded on work habits and projects.

    Music Performance Ensemble

    Teacher: Dr. Roberts
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, students can take both semesters

    Calling all young musicians! Are you ready to make music together? Our middle school instrumental ensemble is the perfect place for you to grow as a player and have a blast with friends! Whether you play the flute, trumpet, violin, or any other instrument, you’ll get the chance to collaborate on exciting pieces and explore different styles of music. Enjoy fun rehearsals, engaging challenges, and the thrill of performing for an audience! No matter your skill level, we welcome you to be part of our musical family. Bring your passion and let’s create something amazing together! Join us and let your talent shine! 🌟🎻🎺✨

    Passion Projects

    Teacher: Maestra Kathol
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, with teacher approval

    A passion project is an endeavor that is uniquely yours; an opportunity for you to explore an area of interest that is unique to you; something you are intrinsically motivated to pursue because it brings you joy, intellectual and creative fulfillment, and personal satisfaction. Have you ever wanted to learn more about a certain topic, test a hypothesis, build or create something, learn a new artistic or musical skill, organize a service project or educate others on something? Then this is the class for you. You will have support to organize and design your project and the freedom to explore one of your passions during our 90 minute class together.

    Performing Arts and Theatre

    Teacher: Ms. Mae
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, may be taken both semesters

    Being in a play is more than just memorizing lines – it’s telling a great story while collaborating with all of the other actors and artists. In this 90 minute theater class, students will dive deeper into theatre study. Using scenes, plays, and devised work they will come to see that what a character says is often only the tip of the iceberg. Objectives, actions, tactics, and emotions lie beneath the words. They will learn how to use acting tools to discover and express these things on stage.

    Photography

    Teacher: Maestra Bolton
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, may be taken both semesters

    In this hands-on Photography course, we will practice observation of the physical world, and learn how to use focus, composition, and light to create amazing images. Student photographers will learn  camera functions, apply artistic principles of design and create their own portfolio of work. You may use your personal smartphone or tablet, or one provided in the class. **Student artists: please repeat this class if you enjoyed it already! Your skills will continue to improve, and we have added new topics.

    Three Dimensional Art, Level II

    Teacher: Mrs. Bandong
    Prerequisite Required: Yes, open to 7th and 8th grade students only, 7th grade students must have taken Level I
    Repeats: No, can only be taken for one semester

    This class will focus on creating 3-dimensional artworks while having fun together. Students will learn how to create artwork with clay by utilizing handbuilding techniques. Students will also enjoy the transformative process of glazing  pottery artwork. Working with clay will be the focus of this elective, and other 3-dimensional projects will also be explored like working with plaster cloth. Students need to have taken Level I or be in the 8th grade to take this class.  

    Team Sports

    Teacher: Mr. L
    Prerequisite Required: No
    Repeats: Yes, may be taken both semesters

    This course will provide students with a learning experience that will help aid the development of basic skills in team sports. Sport activities that may be included are: volleyball, spikeball, basketball, flag football, ultimate frisbee, team handball, kickball, pickleball, badminton, tennis, and tchoukball. The goal is for students to acquire adequate skills and knowledge, that in turn will inspire and promote physical activity for a lifetime.

     To view these course descriptions in a separate window, click here. 

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