R.J. Grey Junior High School

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Course Description

Band

Band is an elective open to any student interested in performing exciting music with their friends and peers. It is highly recommended but not required that students have prior experience on a band instrument (woodwind, brass, or percussion), but if you have no prior experience with playing, you will need private lessons outside of school. If you’ve taken band in elementary school, we encourage you to continue your musical journey with new performance opportunities!

Chorus

Chorus is an elective open to all interested students. It will provide the opportunity to perform vocal music in a variety of styles and genres. Students will learn ways to improve their vocal technique and gain confidence as a performer. The class is designed to provide an authentic choral experience for students of all ability levels. No prior experience is necessary.

String Orchestra

String Orchestra is an elective open to musicians who play violin, viola, cello, or bass and are interested in performing with their peers. Ensemble playing offers valuable experience in teamwork as well as opportunities to develop individual skills while studying exciting music. If you played in elementary orchestra, we encourage you to join us!

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Course Description

Art Lab

This class gives students a chance to explore a wide variety of art materials.  Students can choose to follow their own artistic passions or explore some more guided projects provided.  Some materials are unique to the art lab and are different from those provided in 7th grade art.  Options may include clay, mosaics, fuse beads, alcohol inks, and more.

Digital Design

What makes a design pop?  What fonts, colors, images, spacing, and background work together to promote an eye-catching design that grabs a consumer’s attention to want to know more?  Students will use Chrome Canvas, Canva, and Pixir to get an in-depth view of aesthetic designs.  Students will kindly critique each other's designs to help enhance the final ‘look’. Students must be willing to revisit and improve their designs based on input.

Digital and Stop Motion Animation

In this class, students will learn the basics of animation using such platforms as Stop Motion Studio, Piskel, and Brush Ninja to become digital animators who use their creativity and technology to bring images to life.  We will explore computer technology, claymation, paper cutouts, Legos, and puppet animations.  The tools are simple to use, surprisingly powerful, and tremendously fun!

Engineering the Future

Projects will be based around the Engineering Design Process, where problems will be presented, and students will work together to find solutions. Students will use various tools and materials to create devices based on solutions to real-world problems.

Engineers Workshop

The class introduces the different engineering fields and their impacts on the world.  Some of the topics covered will include transportation, construction, and communication.  Students will design and build their projects in a hands-on environment using different materials and tools.

Fiber Arts Studio

Unleash your creativity in Fiber Arts, a fun and hands-on class where you'll explore the world of textiles and design! You'll learn techniques like weaving, embroidery, and paper-based art to create unique and colorful projects. No prior experience is needed—just bring your imagination and a willingness to try something new. This class is perfect for anyone who loves working with their hands and wants to discover the art of fiber in a fun and supportive environment.

Handmade Arts

This course will focus on creating handcrafted, decorative projects such as ornaments, boxes, and serving boards, primarily composed of wood, metal, acrylic, or fabric. Students will use small tools, paint, and dye to customize their creations. 

Lifetime Fitness

In this movement-based class, students will work to improve their overall fitness levels by participating in a variety of games, sports, and targeted exercises.  Students will also practice setting and monitoring personal fitness goals as well as tracking their heart rate.  Our goal is to work on fitness components such as cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and muscular strength in every class.

Stagecraft

Students will learn different aspects of theatrical design and production and have the opportunity to design, create, and decorate props and set pieces for different plays, including RJ Grey’s StageWorks productions.

Additional Phys Ed

All students in the Elective Rotation will be scheduled for PE as one of their Grey Block Electives.  If you are interested in a second quarter of PE, please choose “Additional PE class” as one of your top 5 classes when you register.