Granite Oaks Middle School

This course engages students in the exploration of multiple art forms through the California State VAPA strands. The focus of the class is on the Elements of Art (line, shape/form, space, texture, value, and color). Students learn various art techniques including painting, sculpting clay, drawing, and more. Personal expression is a theme tying all projects together. This is a one-semester exploratory art course. There is a suggested lab contribution of $20 for this class.

 

This course continues student engagement in the exploration of multiple art forms through the California State VAPA strands. The focus of the class is on the Principles of Design (balance, contrast, unity, emphasis, rhythm, and movement). Students continue to build skills in various art techniques including painting, sculpting clay, drawing, and more. Creativity is a theme tying all projects together. This is a one-semester art course that requires passing Art 1 with a B or better. There is a suggested lab contribution of $20 for this class.

 

Band, also known as Concert Band (7th grade), or Symphonic Band (8th grade), is a 2-semester repeatable course for woodwind, brass and percussion students. The bands perform at multiple events each year and are a great way to make lifelong friends! Concert Band is a prerequisite for Symphonic Band. Join a music class at GOMS!

 

Orchestra is a 2-semester repeatable course for string (violin, viola, cello and bass) students. The orchestra performs at multiple events each year and is a great way to make lifelong friends! Join a music class at GOMS!

 

The Choir/Guitar class is a one semester, repeatable course that alternates between teaching group singing and individual guitar instruction. The choir performs at multiple events each year and is a great way to make lifelong friends! Join a music class at GOMS!

 

Symphonic Band

The Granite Oaks Publications course is designed to provide students with the journalism skills necessary for the production of the school yearbook. Units of study include media awareness, researching, reporting, writing, editing, photography, graphic design, and distribution. A strong commitment to publications are required in order to make an outstanding yearbook. As “reporters”, students will be expected to cover extra-curricular events after school, work independently, and be able to honor deadlines.

 

This course is an introduction to the Spanish language, culture, and history. This one-semester course will introduce the student to basic conversational Spanish. We utilize the online interactive curriculum Voces. Students will gain the necessary skills to appreciate the Spanish language through grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and daily class participation. To reinforce what is being learned, students will participate in games, do group activities, have daily warm-ups, and complete art projects.

 

Exploratory Spanish is not required in order to take Spanish I in 8th grade.

 

Spanish I is a year-long course designed so that the student will study vocabulary, have a basic mastery of regular verb conjugations in the present tense, and be able to answer basic questions. We utilize the online interactive curriculum Voces and successfully complete 7 units of study. In addition, students will develop a stronger cultural awareness, which is an essential aspect of learning a language. It is our hope that students will learn to converse with their basic Spanish rather than focusing only on the rules that govern Spanish grammar. Classroom activities will include paired and group activities, storytelling, translations, games, videos, presentations, art-related projects, daily warm-ups, book work exercises, and tests. This course uses the essential skills required by Rocklin and Whitney High School.  Prerequisite to enroll in this class is a 3.5 GPA, or higher.

*Exploratory Spanish is not required to take Spanish I.

Note: Upon completion of Spanish I, 9th grade students will be placed in Spanish II at both Rocklin and Whitney High School.

 

Manufacturing Technology is an exploratory class that introduces and builds important life skills and allows students to craft with their hands.  Both hand and select power tools are utilized to build up to four projects within the shop-style class.  Hammers, hand saws, cordless drills, and band saws are just a few of the tools that you will learn to use in Man Tech.

 A donation of $20 is requested to cover consumable materials. 

 

 Designed for students that want to take their Man Tech skills to the next level.  Advanced Manufacturing Technology students will design and build more complex projects with an expanded repertoire of tools at their disposal.

 

 Prerequisite:  Students must pass Manufacturing Technology with an A or B and have teacher approval due to limited space.

 

A donation of $20 is requested to cover consumable materials.  

 

In alignment with the National Standards for Family and Consumer Sciences, this introductory course aims to enrich students’ lives through a variety of project-based learning experiences.  It acquaints students with the career pathways connected to Clothing and Textiles, as well as Foods and Nutrition. In-class learning activities allow students to develop life-enriching skills, while showcasing their creativity and individuality. Our curriculum also provides a basis to pursue culinary courses in high school.  Students will use classroom sewing equipment to design and construct their own unique products. During their study of food science and nutrition, students will prepare and taste test an assortment of foods.  

Students are requested to contribute a $30.00 donation toward consumable lab materials.

 

In this course, students will engage in the three stages of video production: planning, recording, and editing, and present video projects while learning to use various audio/visual equipment and computer software. Students will work in teams, participating in a series of projects showcasing their editing and production skills for broadcast media. The goal of this course is to create a daily broadcast news show that is viewed by the entire student body and apply all the skills learned in the course.

 

This is an introductory course to computer science and coding. The course will cover programming, design, and "making" (creative design and development related to computer science). The curriculum includes a variety of lessons that will enable students to explore concepts and build their understanding. The primary goal of the course is to provide a common foundation upon which all students, regardless of their prior experience, can develop their knowledge of computer science concepts.

 

Computer Science I continues to build on topics explored in Exploratory Computer Science. In CSI, students will further explore the problem-solving process, programming concepts, web design, and “making” (creative design and development as related to computer science). Students will work through a series of in-class, project-based activities to learn about Design Thinking, physical computing (Arduino and Raspberry Pi microprocessors), robotics, along with app and game development. Students will also have access to 3D printers for “maker” projects.

 

Prerequisite: Exploratory Computer Science, enrollment in STEM, or teacher approval.

 

The Media Arts course is designed to introduce students to basic photography, video production, and animation.  Students will have fun exploring and developing their creative expression through a series of short projects exploring cell phone photography, digital storytelling (video production), and animation.  Each student will have their own Adobe Creative Cloud account for the semester.  The account allows access to Adobe’s entire suite of applications and project files both at school and at home.

 

Students enrolled in this introductory performance-oriented class will learn the fundamentals of theater. Students will learn the fundamentals of acting for the first few weeks, then they will audition, rehearse and prepare for an evening performance at the end of the semester. Class attendance is important and all students are expected to participate in the evening performance as part of their final grade. In addition to acting and production, students will be introduced to and help with sets, props and/or costumes. The course is designed to accommodate students who have no experience or may have previously been involved in theater.

 

Habit Lab is an innovative course designed to empower students to explore and master topics they are passionate about. During each month-long cycle, students select an area of interest—ranging from knitting or drumming to board game design or robotics—and dedicate time to practical, hands-on learning.

In addition to exploring their chosen subject, students develop essential executive functioning skills and positive habits that support both academic success and personal growth. Habit Lab provides a structured yet flexible environment where learners can engage in self-directed projects, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning.

This course is ideal for curious and motivated students eager to pursue their interests, take initiative in their learning journey, and develop skills that will serve them well beyond the classroom.