Career & Technical Education

Prerequisite: None
7th and 8th grade Semester

Computer Applications and Programming is a survey course offering students exploration in a variety of Computer Science related topics. Students gain understanding of Graphic Design principles through Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Animate, and Character Animator.

Text-based and block-based coding in Python, JavaScript, and Java are explored.  Use of variables, randomness, Boolean logic and conditional statements, functions and procedures, classes and objects, animation, program debugging are practiced.  Students design and develop interactive 2D and 3D video game applications. Students learn to develop Android apps using MIT App Inventor and iOS apps using Swift.

Prerequisite: None
7th and 8th grade Semester

Explorations in Technology 1A students will be exposed to aspects of a working in a technical environment. Students will be given design challenges in which they will design a product that will solve the challenge. They will then draw the solution using either traditional drafting techniques or by appropriate computer software. They complete the process by building a prototype of their solution. Students will also have the opportunity to explore some different technology modules such as plastics, metals, and electronics.

Prerequisite: Explorations in Tech 1A
7th and 8th grade Semester

Exploration in Technology 1B contains more advanced challenges with projects in drafting, civil and mechanical engineering. Projects may involve electric vehicles, robotics, and flight technology.

Prerequisite: None
7th and 8th grade Semester

Family and Consumer Sciences (Home EC) utilizes fun, hands-on activities covering many areas of consumer and homemaking education. Students will explore areas such as personal development, budgeting, managing personal space, foods and nutrition, consumer education, child development, and practical sewing skills. Students will be given the opportunity to develop leadership and dynamic living skills in this project-oriented class. Curriculum will be different in 1A and 1B so that a student may take the course in consecutive semesters and not repeat the same material.

Prerequisite: None
7th and 8th Grade: Semester

Media Studies students will investigate techniques of video production from pre production - planning, to production - videotaping, and post production - editing. Students will learn the grammar of film production and the power of the media through journalism as they study different areas of filmmaking including PSA’s (Public Service Announcements), commercials, news segments, and magazine format stories and documentaries. There will be hands on training in video production skills including scripting, shot set up, interview techniques, lightening, sound, music, and editing. The fundamentals and safety of operating a camcorder, tripod, and editing equipment will be stressed. The course will culminate in an exhibition of original student video projects. This course is a prerequisite for Video Journalism.

Prerequisite: Media Studies
7th and 8th Grade: Semester

Video Journalism is an intensive laboratory course in gathering, writing and producing news for a daily broadcast. Students will learn radio and television production techniques; at the end of each semester, students will produce up to a 15-minute newsmagazine that showcases their reporting, editing, and production skills. Operation of broadcast newsrooms, ethics in broadcast journalism, interviewing techniques, and media criticism will also be examined in the course. Since this course is designed to allow students to go into the field to develop their own reports on local stories of significance and do their own production work (recording, editing, etc.) a significant “after hours” commitment is required.

Prerequisite: Computer Applications & Programming
8th grade: Semester

Web Design students will learn to code websites using HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript. Students learn the purpose of websites and identifying elements that contribute to an effective website.  Elements of HTML include two-column and three-column layouts.  CSS will be used to make web pages more web-friendly, accessible for all users, and responsive to accommodate a variety of device screen sizes.  Students will use jQuery to make their web pages interactive.  Inclusion of e-commerce elements like HTML and JavaScript forms, dynamic form validation, JSON, and AJAX are practiced.    

In developing original web content, students gain deeper understanding of Digital Animation using Adobe Animate and Character Animator.  Principles of animation explored include Rigging, Spring and Bounce Effects, Linear Interpolation, use of Bezier Curves, frame-by-frame sequencing, and use of motion paths.