Your school provides this course curriculum guide as a means of assisting students and parents in understanding and planning their course of study. Students are encouraged to carefully select related arts courses during the registration process. Your school's guidance counselors and teachers stand ready to assist them. Parents are invited and encouraged to actively participate by assisting their student.
Related arts classes are scheduled based upon student requests. However, due to schedule conflicts and changes in course offerings, the staff cannot guarantee that students will be scheduled for all courses they request. In addition, be aware that the school builds a master schedule and employs teachers based on students' requests; therefore, schedule changes will only be considered on a very limited basis.
Online Registration was implemented in 2004. It allows parents and students to request related arts courses for the next school year from home via the Internet. Families who do not have access to the Internet will be given opportunities to use school computers to register online. Parents and students should understand that requesting a related arts course through online registration does not guarantee that the student is placed in the course the next school year. Final placement in a course is dependent upon enrollment, scheduling feasibility, and teacher allocation. Schools will post the courses that they will be offering the next school year in a course curriculum guide which will be located on the school's website. Parents without Internet access at home will receive a printed copy of the course curriculum guide by request. The window for students to select related arts courses online is posted by the school on the school's website and in parent newsletters. Schools will provide instructions on accessing the online registration tool.
Charles Townes Center
Middle School
We are excited to welcome you and your child to middle school. The information listed below should answer most of your questions about course selection, middle school class periods, and everyday middle school life. If you have additional questions please contact either Mrs. Meisten or Mrs. Noble.
Mrs. Meisten: Assistant Principal 355-4592
Mrs. Noble: Guidance Counselor 355-4476
In 6th grade students have 4 core academic classes that meet everyday. Students also have 2 class periods of related arts everyday. Most related arts classes meet for one semester, with the exception of band and strings which are year long classes. Every 6th grade student will automatically be scheduled for one semester of PE/ Health.
Core Academic Classes:
All 6th grade students will automatically be enrolled in the same core academic classes.
Math 7 for 6th Graders
English GT 6
Social Studies 6
Science 6
Related Arts Classes:
Students will receive a paper copy listing of all the grade level related arts classes. Students will select and rank the classes they are interested in. Students will then go online and transfer their selections. Please remember that these are only requests and do not guarantee placement in the class. Related Arts selections may change depending on interest and staffing.
Project Time:
All 6th grade students are automatically enrolled in Project Time. During this class period 6th grade students will work on organization skills, complete enrichment activities, and participate in grade level activities. Every student has project time at the same time which enables 6th grade teachers to flexibly group students to better meet their needs.
The next year will be full of changes and new experiences for your middle school student. The following poem may help provide parents with insight into the life of a middle school student.
The Dilemma of Adolescents
There is something I don't know that I am supposed to know
I don't know what it is I don't know, and yet I am supposed to know it
and I feel I look stupid if I seem both not to know it and not to know what it is I don't know.
Therefore, I pretend to know it.
This is nerve-racking since I don't know what I must pretend to know
Therefore, I pretend to know everything.
I feel you know what I am supposed to know, but you can't tell me what it is because you don’t know that I don't know what it is.
You may know what I don't know, but not that I don't know it, and I can't tell you. So you will have to tell me everything.
Middle School Tips For Success:
First period begins at 8:00. Be here on time.
PTA sells planners at the beginning of the year. We require that you purchase this planner as it also contains Hall passes.
Grades are very important and can have an impact on your participation in clubs (Youth in Government, Model UN, and Jr. Beta Club) . How you perform academically will also impact your course choices in middle school and high school. If you plan on applying to a magnet high school your middle school grades, attendance and discipline record will all be reviewed.
Organization is a key to success in middle school. Start off writing assignments in your planner so you can get into the habit.
Dress code for middle school students is enforced. Skirts and shorts must be an appropriate length, no more than 4 inches above the knee and fit appropriately. Tanks with spaghetti straps are not permitted. Athletic shorts are not permitted for boys.
Cell phones and electronics are not allowed to be turned on in the school building. Cell phones should be kept in a locker. If a cell phone is confiscated from a child it will be handled as follows:
1st Offense: Phone will be returned to a parent
2nd Offense: Phone will be held by administration for 30 days
3rd Offense: Phone will be held by administration for 60 days
4th Offense: Phone will be held by administration for the remainder of the school year.
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English
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Title:
English GT 6
10013200
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
Identified as GTA (Gifted and Talented Academic)with a MAP RIT score >236
This course is designed to meet the needs of academically gifted and talented students who were identified through the standard measures implemented by The School District of Greenville County. The curriculum designed specifically for this course meets the guidelines set forth by the South Carolina State Department of Education as criteria for Gifted and Talented instruction. Students should expect to find the curriculum challenging in a number of ways: text complexity, analytical writing, problem solving, creative endeavors, and accelerated pace.
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Title:
Speech and Debate 6
10991700
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
This course is for students who wish to learn more about the art of public speaking. The course includes instruction in the fundamentals of speech composition and delivery, original oratory, and debate and parliamentary procedure. In addition, this course includes an introduction to forensic (speech & debate) competition with an overview of selected forensic events.
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Title:
Creative Writing 6
10992200
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
This course, designed for students interested in written expression, includes a study of the various forms of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Students will create portfolios of their own creative writing and experiment with various forms of expression.
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Math
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Title:
Math 7 for 6th Graders
21100900
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
Must meet district criteria including Teacher recommendation
The emphasis in this standards-based seventh-grade course is on algebraic thinking and on extending the understanding of the real number system to include integers, rational numbers, and irrational numbers. Students will investigate applications of number theory and will acquire skills in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers. Students will solve applied problems by using one-step equations and inequalities, percents, and proportional reasoning. Students will develop algebraic thinking by analyzing patterns to discover relationships, by representing information through symbolic, graphical, and tabular methods, and by identifying relationships that are linear. Throughout the course there is an emphasis on the process standards of problem-solving, communication, reasoning, representations, and connections.
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Science
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Title:
Science 6
12010000
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
The focus for science in sixth grade is to provide students with inquiry based experiences that develop science concepts in the following areas: Structures, Processes and Response of Plants-structure and function of plants; Structures, Processes and Responses of Animals-structure and function of animals; Earths Atmosphere and Weather-atmospheric properties and processes; and, Conservation of Energy-properties of energy, work, and conservation of energy.
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Social Studies
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Title:
Social Studies 6
13010000
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
Sixth grade social studies expands students’ understanding of history through the study of people, places, and events to the era of European exploration and settlement. Students focus not only on facts about various cultures but also on the significance of geography in history, their everyday lives, problems, and accomplishments of people, and their roles in developing the social, economic, and political structures of major civilizations. Instruction should emphasize the elements of social studies literacy—the tools, strategies, and perspectives necessary for understanding how history, geography, economics and government are interwoven.
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Arts
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Title:
Art 6
15010000
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
The purpose of this course is to enable students to communicate ideas and concepts through a variety of artwork, including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, arts, and crafts. A study of artists and their work will help students understand the techniques, skills, and diverse intentions of artists from many cultures and times. Students will focus on developing creative problem-solving skills, visual literacy, and personal expression.
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Title:
Band 6
15310000
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
This course provides beginning-level instruction on brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. No previous musical experience is required. The curriculum includes the development of fundamental skills, concepts, composition, cooperative learning, music as it relates to history and culture, and band techniques. The class will include an expectation for the purchase or rental of an instrument and individual practice at home. Concert performances will be an outgrowth of the study of musical concepts.
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Title:
Strings 6
15510000
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
This course provides beginning-level instruction on violin, viola, cello, and string bass. No previous musical experience is required. The curriculum includes the development of fundamental skills, concepts, composition, cooperative learning, music as it relates to history and culture, and string techniques. The class will include an expectation for the purchase or rental of an instrument and individual practice at home. Some larger instruments are available at the school, and parents should coordinate with the director for their use. Concert performances will be an outgrowth of the study of musical concepts.
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Title:
Music 6
15610000
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
This is a course providing students with the opportunity to explore musical concepts and further their understanding of music through listening, singing, playing instruments, and engaging in creative activities.
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Foreign Language
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Title:
Span Lang & Culture 6
16500900
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
This is the first course in an articulated, sequential, standards-driven program of foreign language study in middle school. It is for students with no previous experience with a second language. The focus is on proficiency, first oral and then written. Grammar is included only when the need arises and learned in context. Culture is centered around everyday customs and values. Students will continue their study of the lagnguage in all subsequent grades.
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Physical Education
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Title:
PE / Health 6
14401200
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
Enrollment in this course fulfills the regulation that all students will complete one quarter of physical education each year in grades 6 – 8 and all students will complete one quarter of health each year in grades 6 - 8. The content of the course will consist of both health and PE standards-based instruction.
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Miscellaneous
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Title:
Math Counts 6
11990100
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
Math Counts is a coaching and competition program for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders nationwide. Students who have a strong interest in mathematics can select this class to explore mathematics beyond what is typically taught in middle school classrooms. Participating schools will select individuals or teams to compete in written and oral competitions at the regional level in February. Top teams and individuals at the regional level will advance to the state competition in March. State level winners will then advance to the national competition.
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Title:
Life Fitness 6
14990200
Course Number:
Unit Credit:
0.00
Duration:
Grade Level:
6
Short Title:
Prerequisite:
None
Life Fitness is a related arts class taught through the physical education department. It focuses on nutrition, exercise, along with cardiovascular and strength building activities. The purpose of the class is to encourage habits that lead to healthy, active adult life.
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