Seventh grade OMS students have an 8-period daily schedule that includes both required and elective classes.  Some classes meet every day, while others meet every other day (1.0 period = every day; 0.5 period = every other day).   While certain classes meet for the entire school year, others meet for half of the year.  Elective class options include Band, Orchestra, Choir, and STEAM.  Students may select up to three (3) elective classes.  The remaining period(s) will be filled with a study hall.

Questions?  Contact Jan Neumann at 835-4810 or jmneumann@OregonSD.org

NOTE: 1.0 period = every day; 0.5 period = every other day 

1. Review class options (descriptions below).
2. Select the World Language course(s) your student would like to take.
3. Select the English course your student would like to take. 
4. Select up to three (3) elective classes (Band, Choir, Orchestra, STEAM).
5. Complete the course selection form

Seventh grade students may select which English Language Arts and World Language classes they would like to take.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
English is a required class that meets every day for the full year. Students may select either English 7 or Enriched English 7. Students who have not taken Enriched English in the past will be invited to participate in an interview to ensure that this class is appropriate for them.  All students in grade 7 will continue to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.  Preparation and participation is utilized for small group and class discussions.  Overall, students will be able to read and comprehend a variety of complex literacy and informational texts for many purposes (including enjoyment), including texts that reflect one’s experiences and experiences of others.  This includes independently and proficiently understanding grade-level text.

English 7 Course Description:
In 7th grade English, students will continue to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Students will be independent reading on a daily basis in class with a choice text. Students will engage with a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts. A focus will be placed on preparation, exploration, and participation involving small group and class discussions. Students will participate in several intensive book club units fostering critical engagement and discussion of genres such as dystopian. Students will develop and refine their public speaking skills throughout the year. Students will explore a variety of writing methods such as narrative, informative, persuasive, analytical, creative, and more.  All writing is grounded in the fundamentals of grammar practice and application.

Enriched English 7 Course Description:
Enriched English 7 will cover the same reading, writing, speaking, and listening standards addressed in the English 7.  In addition, Enriched English 7 will:

• Require additional reading and/or writing in and outside of class
• Require an increased level of independence 
• Move at a faster pace
• Focus on critical thinking and inquiry 
• Provide opportunities to work towards the next grade level standards
• Encourage participation in additional opportunities (Spelling Bee, Greater Dane Anthology Project, etc.)

WORLD LANGUAGE
All 7th grade students are required to take World Language.  Options include German and Spanish. 

German 
German meets every other day for a full year. The focus is to introduce students to the German language and culture in a fun and engaging style and to start to build a student’s confidence and ability to communicate in German. There is an emphasis on listening, reading, and speaking as well as cultural understanding. Students will develop skills by learning topics such as describing self and others, free time interests, and cultural products, practices and perspectives. Students will also create with the language. Students will practice skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking through fun and engaging activities. They will also examine the concept of culture and engage in cultural activities in order to better understand their own experience of culture and be able to compare and contrast cultures.

Spanish
Spanish meets every other day for a full year. The focus of 7th grade Spanish is to increase our vocabulary base as well as to learn about and apply grammar concepts in order to communicate more effectively in Spanish. Students will also have opportunities to practice reading, listening, and speaking skills as well as cultural understanding. Students will develop skills through a series of unit topics such as introducing oneself, school life, clothing and seasons, and describing one’s family. Each unit will focus on a specific language standard such as: stating personal preferences, asking and answering questions, and composing a letter in Spanish. Students will also engage in cultural activities throughout the year in order to compare and contrast cultures.

Heritage Spanish
Open to students currently enrolled in the Heritage Spanish Program.

Seventh grade students may select up to three (3) elective classes, which fills up to a total of 1.5 periods of elective classes (1.0 period = every day; 0.5 period = every other day).  Depending on the combination of classes selected, one or more may be every other day. Students who do not have 1.5 periods of elective classes will be placed in a study hall for the remaining periods. Below are elective course descriptions and a chart.

PLEASE NOTE: Once scheduled, elective classes can only be dropped during the first week of school or at the end of each semester, with approval from a parent/guardian, teacher and administration. If a student is enrolled in two every-other-day music/elective classes and chooses to drop an elective, the remaining music class will switch to every day – not a study hall.

MUSIC
The OMS Music Department offers courses in band, choir, and orchestra. These academic classes offer students the opportunity to learn and collaborate in large and small ensemble settings through the exploration of National and State Music Standards of Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting. Students will learn and develop technique and expression through the study of voice and/or instruments and build on their understanding of music’s relationships to history and culture. Music classes meet five days/week; however, students who choose to take two or more music classes will have one or two of their music classes every other day. For example, if Chris selects both choir and orchestra, Chris might have orchestra every day and choir every other day (students will be able to choose which of the music classes they have more frequently).

Students who join band, orchestra or choir are expected to participate in all concerts/performances unless illness or family emergency causes a conflict. Students who wish to join band or orchestra but have not been previously enrolled must have a home adult contact the music teacher to discuss the curriculum as well as instrument rental. Participation in the summer school band/orchestra small group learning is strongly encouraged.  NOTE: If a student is enrolled in two every-other-day music/elective classes and chooses to drop an elective, the remaining music class will switch to every day – not a study hall. 

STEAM 7
STEAM meets every other day for a full year. This course will introduce students to the interdisciplinary learning framework of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Students will engage in project-based and inquiry-based learning, which will involve productive communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Projects may include: technical drawing, kinetic sculptures (automata), board game design, bridge construction, or other engineering and environmental topics. 

ELECTIVE COURSE SELECTION CHART