Electives

In order for students to use their hearts and minds to their fullest potential, Quimby Oak offers a variety of electives to enrich their academic and personal learning. Creativity and presentation are two incredibly valuable skills in the modern world. In these classes, students are challenged to learn a variety of skills, learn more about themselves and their fellow students, and learn the rich histories of art, music, or technology. We look forward to a wonderful and exciting year with all of our students.

Please review the 2020-2021 Program Directory

Art

Students will explore the Elements of Art and the Fundamentals of Design through various 2-D and 3-D projects. Students will make journals to record Art History notes and drawings. Paper- mâché masks, fabric and paper collage, plaster cloth action figures, a technology project, and much more awaits in the art studio!

3D- Sculpture (20-21)

Students will explore various materials including clay, Model Magic, cardboard, fabric, and plaster cloth in order to create 3-D sculpture projects. This course is open to any students interested in Art and is open for students at all levels who especially like to work with their hands while molding and forming with select materials.

Cartooning Then & Now (20-21)

An approach to drawing and creating cartoon style characters through a variety of styles and mediums. Students will learn cartooning techniques so that they can develop their own characters. They will also learn about the history of cartooning in the East and West. This art course is for students at all levels, and for anyone interested in art with a cartooning emphasis

Music (only year-long elective)

• Concert Band is a beginning/intermediate level group, though no prior experience is necessary. New members join this band on a yearly basis with recent or no experience and leave seasoned and ready for the more advanced Symphonic Band. Membership is for 7^th and 8^th graders with a strong interest in learning a wind instrument, growing their performance skills, and learning more about music through the band curriculum. Students learn how to read music, play an instrument to an intermediate level, and perform in several concerts throughout the year. Students gain the performing ability necessary to play music at a level difficult enough for preparation and performance in school concerts and to audition into the Symphonic Band. The ensemble performs in our two big concerts, the big Elementary Concert in May, and other special events throughout the year.
• Symphonic Band is an intermediate/advanced level group and is for those 7^th and 8^th grade students who have mastered their first method book or beyond. Students enrolled in this class have either been auditioned or met the requirements from previous enrollment based on teacher recommendation. This ensemble travels for local music festivals and receives consistent high marks in festival performance, having received Unanimous Superior and Excellent ratings the past two years. The goal of this class is high school preparation, honing ensemble performance skills, and continued development of individual instrumental technique and musical knowledge. The ensemble performs in two concerts a year in addition to performing at many school functions, including: Spirit Rallies, Elementary Visits, School Carnival, and more. Students are expected to engage in outreach and mentorship with our feeder elementary bands and community. Students in this ensemble may also wish to audition for California All-State and regional Honor groups.
• Sound, Beat, and Synthesis 1 - Intro to Music & Technology This is a semester-long, technology based music class with an emphasis in PBL and cross-curricular learning segments. Students learn the foundations of music and electronic music production in a creative and fun group environment, including: beginning music literacy skills, basic piano knowledge, and an introduction to GarageBand. No music experience necessary.
• Sound, Beat, and Synthesis 2 - Recording and Production- Stepping off where SBS 1 leaves off, students learn the foundations of recording sound and dive deeper into projects. While basic skills are revisited, this class aims to push student skills towards personal expression. Music experience is suggested. This is a semester-long, technology based music class with an emphasis in PBL and individual creative projects using GarageBand, Logic Pro X, iMovie, and more.

Lobo Leadership

Lobo Leadership focuses on the relationships between students, their school, and their community. Students in leadership learn how to develop responsibility, initiative, creativity, and school pride. Students will plan, manage, and participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities such as noon events, assemblies, and dances.

This elective encourages positive student/faculty connections, teaches students about the internal administration of the school, and develops government and school community concepts. Students are taught how to identify community needs, select projects that are meaningful to them, apply practical skills, reflect on their learning experiences, and behave responsibly as a service provider.

Students will be empowered to be a positive influence in their community and at school by designing and conducting a service-learning project where they contribute to a greater good. Students wishing to take this elective must secure teacher and administrator approval. Students in this class must maintain good academic standing and model positive behavior.

Peer Advisory

Prepare yourself for the future by learning how to collaborate with others, improve your digital citizenship, and build your character by participating in a life simulation project. The goal of this course is to provide you with all the necessary life skills to help you to become a better citizen and individual. Successful students will learn coping skills, peer pressure resistance skills, and peaceful conflict resolution skills. All projects in this course are designed to prepare you for the real world!

Discovering Coding

Are you interested in the mathematical skills and coding behind websites, games and applications? Discovering Coding empowers students to create authentic artifacts using creativity, communication, problem-solving and fun! An introduction to Javascript and computational thinking for beginning and more experienced coders. Students will create animations, interactive games, and a circuit board maker project. Whether you already love coding or have never tried it before, this class is for any student who wants to upgrade their problem solving skills and try something new.

Yearbook Arts

Students will design and create the Quimby Oak Middle School yearbook. Course topics will include principles of creating content, publishing, editing, editorials, production, marketing problems, distribution methods, and impact of content within the Quimby and Evergreen communities. Students will also develop leadership and social skills needed to work in a highly collaborative classroom environment.

Hip Hop Dance

Students will learn dance routines, steps, and movements set to hip-hop music. There is no experience necessary to participate in this course just an interest in dance and a love of hip-hop music! The class is differentiated into two levels of choreography so that beginning and experienced dancers can participate together! The goal of the course is to use the power of dance to build endurance and cardiovascular fitness.

Weight Lifting

This class is intended to teach students how to use “free weights” and weight machines correctly to enhance strength, physical fitness, decrease body fat, increase lean muscle mass and mental discipline through weight training. This course is designed for students who wish to learn about this area of fitness. It will also help all students to gain a better understanding of equipment used in order to become more knowledgeable and safer in a weight room and gym type setting. Experience isn’t required.

Volleyball

Do you have a love for volleyball? This course is designed around building the techniques, skills, and strategies to increase success on the court and at the net! Students will participate in scrimmages and volleyball tournaments. The goal is to increase knowledge about the game and the overall skills to be a confident competitor. No experience required, just a passion for having fun and a drive to learn more about volleyball as a sport!

Wrestling

Are you interested in wrestling? This course is designed to reinforce the conditioning, fundamental holds, and mat skills needed to be a wrestler. Safety and overall wrestling concepts will be introduced. Students will participate in matches and tournaments. This course is open to all students and experience isn’t required.

Lighthouse

Lighthouse focuses on the relationships between students, their school, and their community. Students will learn all about the New Tech Network and LSI’s five school-wide learning outcomes. Students will focus on activities that support LSI’s motto TRR: Trust, Respect, Responsibility. Students in Lighthouse learn how to develop responsibility, initiative, creativity, and school pride. Prepare yourself for the future by learning how to collaborate with others, improve your digital citizenship, and build your character by participating in a series of life simulation projects.

Lighthouse News

Students will design and create the LSI monthly newsletter and digital broadcast. Course topics will include principles of creating content, publishing, editing, editorials, production, marketing problems, distribution methods, and impact of content within the LSI community. Students will also develop leadership and social skills needed to work in a highly collaborative classroom environment.

Lighthouse STEAM

Almost half of the 30 fastest growing occupations in the next decade will require some background in STEAM. Innovation comes directly from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. With Art and Design added into the mix, this will transform our economy in the 21st century like science and technology changed the last. Science: utilize the scientific method to generate and explore lab experiments Technology: utilize technology to expand access to appropriate information and enhance communication Engineering: invent, construct, and refine solutions to various real-world problems Art: develop creative solutions to proposed problems and use various media to communicate understanding Math: functional math used in everyday science will be used regularly to aid in understanding the math application found in daily life

Lighthouse Coding

Are you interested in the mathematical skills and coding behind websites, games and applications? Coding empowers LSI students to create authentic artifacts using creativity, communication, problem-solving skills, and fun! Coding will help you build your math reasoning and application skills. Through a series of design challenges, students will learn how to better understand the needs of users while developing a solution to a problem.