Cycle Courses

In this course, students will have the opportunity to explore team building. Trust, cooperation and team work are just a few components that will make this course exciting fun. **Grade(s) 6, 7 & 8**

The Mindfulness course will develop the whole child by addressing a student's physical, social, emotional and mental well-being. Mindfulness is the practice of bringing awareness to present moment thoughts, feelings and body sensations without passing judgement. Mindfulness will increase a student's focus, concentration, emotional awareness and their ability to manage stress through the development of personal intentions directly aligned with their individual skills and needs. This course will help students to define personal short and long-term goals. **Grade(s) 6, 7 & 8**

Sixth Grade Ancient Art is designed to enable students to explore a variety of media as they create art inspired by the North American Region. Students experience units in clay, textiles (dye fabric) and painting that encourage appreciation of cultures and ancient art forms. **Grade(s) 6**

Sixth Grade Visual Art is designed to enable students to explore a variety of media. The Elements of Art will be examined through the process of creating individual art pieces. Students experience units in painting, drawing and mixed media that encourage creativity and inventive decision-making. **Grade(s) 6**

This course provides students with the necessary skills to make informed career and financial decisions, engage as responsible community members in a digital society and successfully meet challenges and opportunities in an interconnected global economy. Throughout this course, students will develop their technology literacy through a series of digital tasks and projects pertaining to financial literacy. **Grade(s) 6** -- Note -- this course fulfills the NJSLS-CLKS requirement and is already requested in Genesis for all 6th grade students. Students who are enrolled in Grade 6 Enrichment will not be enrolled in this course.

This course is designed to give students a hands-on basic introduction of the concepts and principles of nutritious food preparation. Throughout the course, procedures will be developed and learned to help create a safe, efficient environment as well as develop the knowledge and independence of working in a kitchen and developing skills for life. Topics will include kitchen basics, nutrition and eating healthy meals at breakfast, lunch and snacks. **Grade(s) 6 & 7**

This course is a second level culinary arts experience for students interested in continuing to develop their culinary arts skills in the home kitchen. Preparing full course dinner menus will be the main focus of this cycle. Throughout the course, procedures will be expanded which include helping to create a safe, efficient environment as well as expanding their knowledge and independence of working in a kitchen. **Grade(s) 6 & 7** Prerequisite: Chefs in Training I

The sixth grade music curriculum teaches students basic musical concepts through music listening and appreciation, piano performance and composition. Students are exposed to the world of music using the classroom’s powerful music technology lab. Students will learn to play the piano keyboard, record their performances and create music using GarageBand and other music software. Each student will participate in the fun and engaging MusicFirst Classroom (a comprehensive learning management system for music education).  **Grade(s) 6**

Twentieth century art is a study of modern art styles and movements. This course will provide opportunities for students to be inspired by the arts of 1900 to 1940. Projects and activities will be enhanced with discussions of the culture of the time period corresponding to the major artistic styles and movements. Students will work in areas of painting, drawing and mixed media/printmaking.  **Grade(s) 6**

Reduce, reuse and recycle!! This course is for students who care about our planet and want to create solutions to help solve environmental problems. Students will learn to calculate their human footprint, investigate the greenhouse gas effect, explore renewable clean energy sources and much more! In addition, students will learn about other STEM topics necessary to create solutions to preserve the environment for future generations! **Grade 6**

Students will be introduced to technology by exploring design through creative engineering challenges. Students will learn the engineering design cycle and problem solving as they create hands-on projects in drafting, stop motion, virtual reality, laser cutting and 3D modeling. Collaboration, communication and problem solving will be emphasized throughout this course.  **Grade(s) 6**

Seventh Grade Ancient Art is designed to enable students to explore a variety of media as they create art inspired by the South American Region. Students experience units clay, weaving and painting that encourage appreciation of cultures and ancient art forms. **Grade(s) 7**

Seventh Grade Visual Art is designed to enable students to explore a variety of media. The Principles of design will be examined through the process of creating individual art pieces. Students experience units in painting, drawing and mixed media that encourage creativity and inventive decision-making. **Grade(s) 7**

Students will use factual evidence from texts/videos to construct a claim, analyze an argument for counterarguments and prepare rebuttals to the arguments of others. This course will help students develop and refine speaking and listening skills and provide the opportunity to learn the basics of debate format, procedure and protocol. **Grade(s) 7**

Students will explore innovative and integrated science, technology, engineering and math challenges. Students will build a suite of simple machines including electrifying Rube Goldberg devices, catapults and rubber band powered cars. Students will learn to express their creativity through engaging problem-solving activities and imaginative design challenges.  **Grade(s) 7**

Students will further their understanding and appreciation of music through fun and engaging music activities. Emphasis is placed on the comprehension of the various elements of music through the study of the guitar and the keyboard. Through various performance projects, units of study and ensemble playing, students will acquire the skills necessary to perform simple melodies and chords on both instruments. Students will learn to play piano keyboard, record their performances and create their own music using the latest music technology software programs. Students will continue to participate in the MusicFirst Classroom where they will learn about music through a broad range of engaging music activities. **Grade(s) 7**

Twentieth century art is a study of modern art styles and movements. This course will provide opportunities for students to be inspired by the arts of 1950 to 1980. Projects and activities will be enhanced with discussions of the culture of the time period corresponding to the major artistic styles and movements. Students will work in areas of painting, drawing and mixed media/printmaking.  **Grade(s) 7**

Students who want to learn more about the science behind solving a crime will explore the areas of gathering evidence, identifying patterns and evaluating evidence through fictional case studies using real forensic science techniques. Students build collaborative skills working as a team to solve these fictional crimes using relevant evidence and sequencing key events, then communicate their conclusions with valid support and logical reasoning. **Grade(s) 7, 8**

Eighth Grade Visual Art is designed to enable students to explore media and create in both two and three-dimensional forms. The elements of art and principles of design will be stressed, along with aesthetic valuing, critical analysis and art history/culture. Students experience units in painting, drawing and mixed media that encourage creativity and inventive decision making. **Grade(s) 8**

Students will have the opportunity to produce professional quality digital media projects with the interactive power of computer and communications technology. Media Arts I teaches students media literacy: the ability to communicate in a variety of powerful ways. Students learn basic skills needed to produce quality digital media projects featuring music, photos, video and the written and spoken word. Students will acquire hands-on skills using cameras, video cameras, microphones and computers while working with different media projects. Making professional quality videos, podcasts and being able to combine picture and sound effectively is a skill that can be applied throughout life. **Grade(s) 7, 8**

Students will continue to develop skills learned in Media Arts I and produce advanced multimedia projects such as enhanced audio podcasts and applying audio to video. Students will have the opportunity to create professional looking photo books, cards and calendars while learning advanced editing skills. In addition to Photos, iMovie and GarageBand, students will have an opportunity to work in Adobe’s Creative Cloud, with apps such as Lightroom and Photoshop. The course also introduces the basics of video production, utilizing video recorders and video editing software. Students will learn video pre-production, production and post-production skills while studying basic equipment operation, video composition, audio production and visual storytelling. The ability to use assorted multimedia tools that can be used to enhance future educational or work-related projects and presentations will also be explored. **Grade(s) 7, 8** Prerequisite: Media Arts I

8th Grade Music class serves to enhance the students’ comprehension of various music elements through the performance of both guitar and keyboard. Additional areas of concentration include blues guitar, rock guitar and advanced ensemble playing. Students will further their keyboard skills through the use of a classroom piano method book and independent study with the instructor. Students learn the basics of music production through the use of professional music software to create, arrange, mix and produce original music compositions. This cycle class will help students to prepare for the high school’s music technology program. **Grade(s) 8**

RMS Chef is designed to give eighth grade students a variety of hands-on experiences in the Foods Lab. Future chefs will expand upon their understanding of the principles and skills of food preparation. Students will learn about general etiquette and the art of “Tablescaping.” Dinner preparations from start to finish will include meal planning, creating a menu and budgeting. Both International and regional cuisines will be explored to shed light on culinary influences. The course ends with the skills students need to engage in a culinary competition. This course will also help to prepare students who are interested in being a part of the Randolph High School Culinary Arts program. **Grade(s) 8**

Students will use their scientific knowledge of rockets, electricity, inventions and more to explore these exciting topics through hands-on experiences. By the end of this course, students will be able to design and build straw rockets, a glider, a model airplane and a circuit with a motor to solve real-world problems. **Grade(s) 8**

Ceramics and Sculpture is a hybrid course offered only to eighth grade students. The Elements of Art and Principles of Design will be infused into creating three-dimensional forms. Students will develop a strong understanding of the creative process by utilizing clay and other sculptural materials. Form and function components are applied to both ceramics and mixed media sculptures. Grade(s) 8**

Students will explore graphic design concepts along with its impact on daily lives. Multimedia art will be created with the use of such software as Photoshop and Illustrator. Students will learn the basic concepts of how to manipulate graphics and develop creative designs for real-world problems. **Grade(s) 8**

RMS Bake Shoppe is designed for any eighth grade student interested in the food and hospitality industry. Students will receive hands on experience in preparing a variety of baked goods, demonstrating knowledge of ingredients with the roles they play, preparation techniques and baking equipment. Areas of study include: quick breads, yeast breads, pies, cookies, cakes and cake decorating. Food presentation will be emphasized throughout. This course will also help to prepare students who are interested in being a part of the Randolph High School Culinary Arts program. **Grade(s) 8**

Students will explore computer programming using the student-friendly tool Scratch. Students will apply their computer programming knowledge to solve computational problems and create interactive games and programs. **Grade(s) 6, 7, and 8** -- Note -- this course is one of two which fulfills the NJSLS-CS&DT requirement.

This course focuses on civil, mechanical and structural engineering design concepts. Through an interdisciplinary approach, students will develop and enhance their engineering knowledge and apply problem solving, creative and technological skills to create real-world solutions. Students will gain a fundamental understanding of the engineering design process, bridge design, projectile motion and transportation technology. **Grade(s) 8**

Students will study how food products are developed and use the engineering design process to create a new food product. Students will explore the impact of biotechnology on the food supply and engage in ethical discussions about human needs and wants. A culminating independent research project gives students a deeper connection and perspective about a topic of interest and provides an opportunity to share their knowledge and findings with others. **Grade(s) 8**

Students will engage in creating robotic systems that they construct, code and test themselves. Students will watch their design, programming and building skills come alive as the robots execute commands and perform tasks that they envisioned it to complete. **Grade(s) 7,8** -- Note -- this course is one of two which fulfills the NJSLS-CS&DT requirement.

Students will learn how the use of everyday math skills is related to the world of sports. Students will also be given an opportunity to see how science affects particular sports equipment, players and the overall play of different games. **Grade(s) 7**

Students will be immersed in problem-based learning activities that will allow them to apply skills and problem-solving strategies obtained in Robotics I. Through teamwork, students will engage in researching, designing, coding, developing and operating robots, resulting in opportunities for realistic high tech interdisciplinary applications of content to solve real-world problems. **Grade(s) 7, 8** Prerequisite: Robotics I

Students will dive deeper into the realm of Computer Science by constructing functioning programs using text-based languages. Students will create websites in html, learn how to solve computational problems using python, and will be introduced to physical computing with microchips and drones. **Grade(s) 7, 8**