The mission of the special areas department
of South Fayette Middle School is to provide
the opportunity for involvement in diverse creative
and problem solving endeavors for all students.
Participation in these areas benefits the students
as they learn life-long skills that enrich them
artistically, academically, kinesthetically,
technologically and culturally both inside and
outside the school environment.
Special
Areas at South Fayette Midlde School include the
subjects listed below. Click on any subject to
learn more about the teacher and courses.
Art 5 - Fifth grade art class enhances
student’s imagination while engaging their
critical thinking skills and furthering their
knowledge of art history. Students draw using
their ability to bring out the line and shape
of a form. Warm and Cool color schemes are used
when producing a painting using tempera paint
as the medium. A 3-dimensional project may also
be produced. Possibilities include origami, mask-making,
sculpture, or clay modeling.
Art 6 - Sixth grade art class enhances
students’ imagination while engaging their
critical thinking skills and furthering their
knowledge of art history. Students draw using
their ability to bring out the value of a form
(for example, shading techniques are introduced
in the class). Multiple color schemes are used
when producing a painting using tempera paint
as the medium. A 3-dimensional project may also
be produced. Possibilities include origami, mask-making,
sculpture, or clay modeling.
Art 6 - Elective - This class provides a more
in-depth approach to art with the main focus on
a 12-week theme from which all projects originate.
Students are able to choose from a wider range
of media when creating art projects. The highlight
of this course is the scratchboard drawing technique.
A 3-dimensional project may also be produced.
Art 7 - Seventh grade art class encourages students
to use their imagination and critical thinking
skills as well as their knowledge of artists in
their historical and cultural contexts when they
produce various projects. Students may be introduced
to linear and atmospheric perspective at this
grade level. Watercolor is the medium of choice
for their painting project. Watercolor techniques
such as “flat wash,” “graded
wash,” “dry brush,” and “block-out”
are introduced and practiced. Students base their
projects from a 12-week unit of study such as
pop art or surrealism to name a few.
Elective Art for Grade 7/8 - This
class provides a more sophisticated approach to
art with the main focus on a twelve-week theme
from which all projects originate. Students are
able to choose from a wider range media when drawing,
painting, and creating 3-dimensional projects.
A highlight of this course is the “Mystery
Grid Drawing” in which students review the
concept of proportion. The drawing is a subject
matter related to the current theme, and students
have the chance to draw using “pen and ink.”
Students meet every other day for a twelve-week
period.
Grade 7-8 Band - The Seventh and
Eighth Grade Band meets as a class on alternating
days for the entire duration of the school year.
The repertoire will reflect a diverse selection
of music including but not limited to marches,
movie soundtracks, popular music (rock, pop, Latin,
etc…), Broadway musicals, jazz, world music,
and traditional and contemporary concert band
literature. Students will focus on a variety of
concepts including major and minor key signatures,
time signatures in both duple and triple meter,
concert transposition, music notation, effective
tuning practices, performance assessment and evaluation,
historic and cultural context, and key components
of musical practice and performance, as outlined
in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and National
Standards for Arts Education.
Students are regularly assessed and evaluated
based on daily preparation, participation, practice,
and performance. The Seventh and Eighth Grade
Band performs at various intervals throughout
the school year, including the annual Holiday
Concert, Celebration of Excellence, and the annual
Middle School Spring Band Concert.
Business Technology 5 – PowerPoint
- Students in this course are introduced to PowerPoint,
a presentation software. They create quality presentations
as on-screen slide shows. The students use the
program to enhance slides with graphics, text,
bullets, color, and animation. Some emphasis is
placed on presenting orally to the class.
Business Technology 5 – Keyboarding
- The main objective of this course is to teach
the correct reach technique to the alphabetic
keyboard. Students are able to key text in paragraph
format, open, retrieve, save, and close files.
In addition, students are able to change font
style, font size, and line spacing. Emphasis is
placed on proper reach technique with “Eyes
on Copy” and NOT on speed.
Business Technology 6 – Desktop
Publishing (Elective) - Students are introduced
to desktop published and its uses. Through classroom
instruction and exercises they are able to create
flyers, calendars, business cards, post cards,
and tri-fold brochures.
Business Technology 6 – Keyboarding - Students
review the correct reach technique to the alphabetic
keys and learn the correct reach technique to
the number and symbol keys. Students are able
to center documents horizontally and vertically
and to use proper report formatting. In addition,
students are graded on their keyboarding speed
and accuracy.
Business Technology 7 – Keyboarding II -
Students will continue to review their keyboarding
skills. In addition, they will enhance their word
processing skills. Timed writings are given to
evaluate the student’s speed and accuracy.
Family and Consumer Science 5 –
Clothing Care/Textiles/Sewing - Students will
learn about the characteristics of natural and
synthetic fibers, fabric construction, and uses
of fabrics to help them make informed clothing
choices and learn how to care for fabrics. The
students will be taught laundry skills, including
reading care labels, laundry steps, stain removal
and ironing. Students will learn how to select
clothing based on their needs. In addition, students
will learn basic hand sewing and will complete
a sewing project using basic hand sewing techniques.
Family & Consumer Science 6
– Child Care/Family & Community Responsibilities
- Students will learn the basics of child care
and child development to help prepare them to
care for siblings and/or baby sit in the community.
Learning activities will involve child safety,
play activities, child development stages, feeding
children and preparing healthy snacks, and other
age-related care for children. The students will
visit the preschool to observe child behavior
and learning. The second part of this course has
students discover how to be a responsible member
of their family and community by exploring the
family life cycle, good citizenship and leadership
skills in groups. Students will participate in
various cooperative learning activities involving
family relationships, community service and teamwork.
Family and Consumer Science 6 – Resource
Management & Life Skills - Students will explore
strategies that will help them develop good life
management skills and how they can use their personal,
material and community resources effectively.
Students will learn the management and decision
making processes, goal setting, and time management
skills. Students will apply their knowledge to
research a career path of their interest. In addition,
students will learn about environmental resources
and how they are managed in the home and community
using conservation and recycling. Students will
also participate in the Abitibi Paper Recycling
Program in place in the Middle School.
Family and Consumer Science 7 –
Food & Nutrition - Seventh graders will learn
the basics of working in the kitchen including
tools and equipment, kitchen safety, food safety
and sanitation, and procedures for working in
a foods lab group. Basic food preparation techniques
and meal planning skills using the food guide
pyramid will be taught. Healthy eating will be
emphasized, and students will learn about the
role of nutrients in foods.
Elective Family & Consumer Science 7/8 –
Consumerism/Money Management - Students will learn
the principles of consumer education, including
how to make buying decisions, evaluate media messages,
do comparison shopping, understand consumer rights
and responsibilities, and money management. The
role of budgets, banking services, credit and
debit cards, and saving money for students and
families will be discussed. Students will be able
to practice consumerism skills by working in the
school store.
Elective Family & Consumer
Science 7/8 – Food & Nutrition - Students
will learn the basics of working in the kitchen,
including tools and equipment, kitchen safety,
food safety and sanitation, and procedures for
working in a foods lab group. The basics of baking
and the baking process will be taught with students
preparing a variety of different quick and yeast
breads, cookies, and other baked products. Students
will also do product comparisons using cost, quality,
and convenience. A meal planning project using
the food guide pyramid will also be included.
Swimming 5 - Fifth grade swimming
is a co-educational 6 week course that meets everyday.
This course introduces students to the current
American Red Cross basic skills that are taught
in a sequential manner. Students develop competency
in survival skills and water safety. Instruction
is adapted to meet different ability levels.
Swimming 6 - Students participate
in 27 classes of swimming. During swimming, students
develop safety habits when they are in and around
the water. The program covers personal safety,
stroke development and basic survival skills combined
with water games and conditioning.
Physical Education/Swimming 7 -
Physical Education focuses on skill development
and game play. Students develop the fundamental
skills and understanding of rules to participate
in a variety of team sports. Swimming instruction
includes the continuation of stroke development
along with the introduction of diving skills.
Physical Education/Health 8 - The primary focus
of 8th grade health is to educate students to
acquire and use the knowledge and skills necessary
to promote a state of physical, mental, and emotional
well-being. Students will get a better understanding
of wellness to promote good health habits throughout
their life. Eighth grade health familiarizes students
with material related to growth and development,
teenage coping skills, disease control, substance
abuse, human sexuality, AIDS instruction and nutrition.
Health consists of 15 class periods.
During the physical education part of the class,
students will participate in a variety of different
team sports. Physical education consists of 15
class periods.
Students receive training on instruments
during their fourth, fifth, and sixth grade years.
Instruction at this level operates on a “pull-out”
lesson schedule, in which students are excused
from class each week for 25 minutes to attend
a small group lesson. Students focus on the fundamentals
of musical literacy and instrumental performance,
as presented in the Rubank band method books.
Successful completion of the Rubank Beginner and
Intermediate books and/or the skills and objectives
outlined in these methods warrants a student prepared
for the Seventh and Eighth Grade Band.
Library 5 - Library instruction
at the fifth grade level is a continuation of
acquiring library skills. Students learn how to
use the library: the online card catalog, fiction
shelving, the Dewey Decimal System and other printed
resources. Students also are introduced to Power
Library, an online collection of searchable databases
containing up-to-date research information.
Library 6 - Library instruction
at the sixth grade level focuses on the research
process. Students will learn techniques for searching
for information on-line and how to evaluate information
found on the Internet. Students will also utilize
print materials, online databases and websites
to complete a research project, including citations
in MLA format.
Music 5 - All fifth grade students
take music class every day for six weeks. Each
student in Music 5 will develop his/her individual
musical potential through a variety of activities.
Students will use problem solving skills to accomplish
authentic musical tasks at each meeting through
creating (composing, improvising and arranging
music), performing (singing and playing music)
and responding (analyzing, interpreting and critiquing
music and musical performances). In addition,
students will expand their knowledge of musical
contexts (personal, social, cultural and historical),
aesthetics and the creative process. Fifth grade
music students develop their musicianship through
daily music reading and writing activities, playing
Orff instruments, listening and movement activities
while investigating the characteristics of American
folk music and the birth and development of jazz.
Music 6 - All sixth grade students
take music class every day for five weeks. Each
student in Music 6 will develop his/her individual
musical potential through a variety of activities.
Students will use problem solving skills to accomplish
authentic musical tasks at each meeting through
creating (composing, improvising and arranging
music), performing (singing and playing music)
and responding (analyzing, interpreting and critiquing
music and musical performances). In addition,
students will expand their knowledge of musical
contexts (personal, social, cultural and historical),
aesthetics and the creative process. Sixth grade
music students develop their musicianship through
daily music reading and writing activities, playing
Orff instruments, listening and analysis activities,
while investigating vocal mechanics, vocal artistry
and world music, as well as an introduction to
musical composition.
Music 7 - All seventh grade students
take music class on every A Day or B Day for twelve
weeks. Each student in Music 7 will develop his/her
individual musical potential through a variety
of activities. Students will use problem solving
skills to accomplish authentic musical tasks at
each meeting through creating (composing, improvising
and arranging music), performing (singing and
playing music) and responding (analyzing, interpreting
and critiquing music and musical performances).
In addition, students will expand their knowledge
of musical contexts (personal, social, cultural
and historical), aesthetics and the creative process.
Seventh grade music students develop their musicianship
through daily music reading and writing activities,
playing Orff instruments and the Yamaha MIE-II
system keyboards, listening and analysis activities.
Seventh grade students deepen their understanding
of the fundamental elements of music while considering
the relationship between music and history, with
special emphasis placed on music of the Medieval
and Renaissance time periods.
Grade 7-8 Chorus - The 7th and 8th
grade chorus is open to all 7th and 8th grade
students who are interested in performing as a
member of a vocal ensemble. The chorus meets in
two sections, either every A Day or every B Day
for the entire school year. Given this division
of the choral rehearsals, additional after school
rehearsals combining both A Day and B Day sections
will occasionally be required in preparation for
performance. These rehearsals will be announced
well in advance, and all chorus members are expected
to attend.
Students will learn music of various styles, languages
and time periods as they prepare to perform in
the winter and spring Middle School performances
and in other outside performances. Repertoire
may include selections including but not limited
to the great Western art music (sacred and secular),
folk and multicultural music, vocal jazz, pop
and musical theater. Emphasis in rehearsal is
placed on the importance of individual contribution.
Students will strengthen their individual vocal
technique and enhance their music listening and
reading skills throughout the year.
Music 8 - All eighth grade students
take music class on every A Day or B Day for twelve
weeks. Each student in Music 8 will develop his/her
individual musical potential through a variety
of activities. Students will use problem solving
skills to accomplish authentic musical tasks at
each meeting through creating (composing, improvising
and arranging music), performing (singing and
playing music) and responding (analyzing, interpreting
and critiquing music and musical performances).
In addition, students will expand their knowledge
of musical contexts (personal, social, cultural
and historical), aesthetics and the creative process.
Eighth grade music students develop their musicianship
through daily music reading and writing activities,
playing the Yamaha MIE-II system keyboards, listening
and analysis activities. Students expand their
knowledge of music theory, and special emphasis
is placed on the student as composer, with students
using the Yamaha MIE-II system as a tool to create
several original musical compositions.
Physical Education 5 - The fifth
grade Physical Education Program is designed to
provide a continuation of the scope and sequence
of manipulative skills. Students practice working
and playing within groups and individually to
develop decision making and problem solving skills
relating to body management. Students develop
an understanding of the rules, regulations, safety,
game play strategies and good sportsmanship. Through
their movement and manipulative experiences students
have the opportunities for the development of
positive personal and social behavior. Indoor
sport specific shoes and safe, appropriate dress
are required.
Physical Education 6 - The physical
education session involves a review of manipulative
skills, fitness, and a coordinated selection of
lead-up games. Students participate in 27 physical
education classes.
Elective Physical Education 7/8
- Students participate in a variety of team sports.
Introduction to Technology Education
5 - Students learn to prepare for their future
by developing skills and knowledge about technology.
Students will engage in a variety of hands-on
experiences by learning the processes of mass
production. Safety, group dynamics, design, and
proper hand-tool use will be emphasized. The second
half of the course is designed to make students
aware of the use of robots in technology and society.
Students will explore different uses of robots
and learn to use robots as a technological tool
to solve problems. Science, math, and problem-solving
skills will be integrated and emphasized throughout
the course.
Automation 6 – Elective -
This course reinforces the basic skills from the
Introduction to Technology through the practical
applications of automation. Students will design
and build robots using the Lego Dacta building
system and program them through the use of robotic
software to solve various problems. Students will
also experience the use of sensors as inputs to
a robotic system. Application of problem-solving,
design, and construction skills will be emphasized
through various hands-on projects. Students will
apply major science and math skills throughout
this learning experience
Technology Education 6 – Material Process
- This hands-on course will emphasize the proper
and safe use of basic tools and machines used
in the manufacturing field. Students will operate
woodworking machines to explore the world of custom
manufacturing. Problem-solving, design skills,
and basic measurement skills will be integrated
throughout the course. During the second part
of this course, students will be introduced computer-controlled
manufacturing. Students will use a computer to
design and control a C.N.C. mill to make a manufactured
part.
Technology Education 7 – Exploring
Communication and Transportation Systems - With
a solid foundation in technology, students enhance
their ability in planning and design. Fundamentals
of technical drawing and communication processes
enable students to convey ideas and solutions
to real-world problems Advanced tool usage and
knowledge will be stressed as students use their
design skills to build and test a Magnetic Levitation
vehicle while exploring transportation systems.
Major math and science concepts will be stressed
throughout the course.
Technology Education 8 – Applying Technology
- In this course, students will apply their knowledge
to solve real-world problems. Through a real-world
approach students will be asked to develop creative
solutions while part of a design team. Students
will also explore the world of construction as
a system of technology. The concepts of enterprise
and marketing will be explored throughout this
process. Through the use structural geometry,
math, and science concepts, students will build
models of structures that will achieve a high
strength to weight ratio.
Elective Introduction to Acting
7/8 - Introduction to Acting begins with the art
of pantomime, a sequence of facial expressions,
gestures, body positions, and movements that convey
a story or character without words. Students will
display skills in pantomime by using their imagination
and physical actions to create vivid, believable
characters. Students will also perform group improvisations,
creating a brief acting scene on the spur of the
moment with little preparation. This course will
also cover lessons in line memorization through
the use of “shadow scenes,” lines
of short dialogue which students must memorize.
Students will then experience the audition process,
and will learn terms such as “blocking,
and stage directions” through the study
of a one act play.
The mission of the South Fayette Township School District, as
an integral part of the community, is to foster development
and growth of each student's full academic, artistic and athletic
potential by providing exemplary opportunities in a caring,
safe, positive environment; to promote lifelong learning, and
to cultivate ethical, responsible, contributing members in a
global society.
![[ home ]](/images/menu/home.gif){kind=small}
![[ athletics ]](/images/menu/athletics.gif){kind=small}
![[ calendar ]](/images/menu/calendar.gif){kind=small}
![[ dare ]](/images/menu/dare.gif){kind=small}
![[ directions ]](/images/menu/directions.gif){kind=small}
![[ food services ]](/images/menu/foodservices.gif){kind=small}
![[ middle school guidance ]](/images/menu/guidance.gif){kind=small}
![[ news and notes ]](/images/menu/newsnotes.gif){kind=small}
![[ parentCONNECTxp ]](/images/menu/pcxp.gif){kind=small}
![[ parents ]](/images/menu/parents.gif){kind=small}
![[ photo gallery ]](/images/menu/photo.gif){kind=small}
![[ public notices of clubs, musical and theatrical productions, athletics and other opportunities ]](/images/menu/publicnotices.gif){kind=small}
![[ special education, nursing, and guidance services ]](/images/menu/pupilservices.gif){kind=small}
![[ staff directory ]](/images/menu/staffdirectory.gif){kind=small}
![[ teacher resources ]](/images/menu/teacherres.gif){kind=small}
![[ SF Lettering ]](/images/logo/trad-pride-excel-logo-EBEBE3-bg.jpg){kind=logo}
![[ Get Windows Media Player! ]](/images/general/wmp_88x31_ani.gif){kind=small}
![[ Get Acrobat Reader! ]](/images/general/acro-read-2006.gif){kind=small}
![[ Get QuickTime! ]](/images/general/qt7badge_getQTfreeDownload.gif){kind=small}
![[ South Fayette Middle School ]](/images/general/sfms.gif){kind=small}
