Middle School (6-8)

• Global Studies II (6th grade)

• U.S. History I (7th grade)

• U.S. History II (8th grade)

• Language Arts (6th grade)
  
  
• Language Arts (7th grade)
  
  
• Language Arts (8th grade)

• Math (6th grade)
  
  
• Pre-Algebra (6th grade) 
  
  
• Pre-Algebra (7th grade)
  
  
• Algebra 1 Honors (7th grade)
  
  
• Algebra 1 Honors (8th grade)
  
  
• Geometry Honors (8th grade)

• Earth Science (6th grade)
  
  
• Life Science (7th grade)
  
  
• Physical Science Honors (8th grade)

• Latin (6th grade)
  
  
• Latin (7th grade)
  
  
• Latin (8th grade)
  
  
• Spanish (7th grade)
  
  
• Spanish (8th grade)

• PE
  
  
• STEM
  
  
• Performing Arts
  
  
• Art
  
  
• Religious Studies
  
  
• Public Speaking
  
  
• Flex

This elective is for Saintly Strings students with prior experience on violin or cello. This ensemble will perform at chapels, assemblies, and concerts throughout the year.

This elective is for students who have experience singing or playing a musical instrument.  This advanced ensemble will perform at many different events throughout the year.  Expect to create/write music and perform throughout the semester. Some of these performances will include Chapel, Assemblies, and many other events.

This elective will allow a small group of students, chosen from among those who indicate an interest, the chance to think deeply about values and ethics and how to apply them to the world of AI and other new technologies. Students will have the opportunity to: 1) Help create a proposed set of student guidelines for AI use and present them to the school administration, 2) Craft a list of "essential AI skills and competencies" to present to curriculum coordinators, technology directors, and division leaders for their consideration, and 3) Help teachers to design lessons for younger students about AI from a perspective informed by our school's Episcopal identity and values. 

The world is your oyster! Being a Global Ambassador is a leadership opportunity that will help students build global knowledge, relationships, and skills. Ambassadors may meet people from other countries, make friends with students around the world, discover ways to improve the environment, support the global theme, and create ways to lead positive changes that begin at St. Mary’s. Activities may include making videos, interviewing guests, communicating internationally, drawing posters, teaching games, or possibly leading an assembly presentation. Students who participate will have input as to which activities they prefer. Students will hone skills and have fun as they add to their resume for high school. Please note: Each semester is limited to 12 students. Students will have the opportunity to participate both semesters, but 2nd semester priority will be given to students who have not had this elective.

In this fun and imaginative elective, students will dive into the world of storytelling through a variety of engaging and accessible formats. Designed to spark creativity and build confidence in writing, this course focuses on narrative writing with an emphasis on visual prompts, Six Word Memoirs, spine-tingling scary stories, and the structured use of graphic organizers to develop creative short stories. Students will learn to craft compelling characters, build tension, and create vivid settings while exploring different writing styles and techniques.

Be a part of St. Mary’s publications team and drive the creation of the 2023-2024 yearbook. This course is for students who are interested in learning more about design, photography, journalism, and the arts. Students will work collaboratively to design layouts, create content, and distribute the yearbook. If time allows, students may also explore creating social media feeds, crafting an online newspaper, and more. Please Note: This course is limited to 12 students. Students may sign up for the first semester only; however, second semester priority will  be given to students who participated in the first semester.  

In this fun and creative elective, students will explore the world of interior design. We’ll learn about the principles of design like balance, contrast, and harmony, and see how they are used to make spaces look and feel great. Students will learn how to make mood boards and plan out spaces that are both stylish and practical. Note: This course is limited to 20 students.

It’s robot fighting time!!! This elective is for students interested in learning how to design, build, and program robots using the VEX IQ robotics platform. Through a series of progressive builds and challenges such as maze-solving robots and dragsters, students will learn how to build and program fully autonomous sumo robots that rely on sensors, thoughtful programming, and creative design to defeat their opponents. They will record their ideas, their build and programming processes, and their successes and failures in an engineering notebook. Parents, please feel free to e-mail Mr. Breit (roger.breit@smeds.org) if you have any questions prior to requesting this elective.

Travel across continents and through time in this engaging elective that explores the Wonders of the World—from the ancient marvels of human engineering to the awe-inspiring modern feats of design and innovation. Students will investigate the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, delve into the New Seven Wonders, and discover modern wonders that continue to inspire curiosity and admiration today.

Through multimedia presentations, collaborative projects, and hands-on activities, students will examine the cultural, historical, scientific, and geographic significance of each wonder. Along the way, they’ll develop critical thinking, research, and presentation skills, all while building a global perspective and an appreciation for human creativity around the world.

Carefully curated films enhance science learning. Real world stories showcase science and scientists in action. In this elective we will watch and discuss a wide variety of science-related films. Films may include Will Smith’s One Strange Rock, October Sky, The Biggest Little Farm, A Plastic Ocean, Apollo 13, The Lorax, selections from David Attenborough and National Geographic, and more! The class will discuss each film, and students will complete hands-on projects and written and graphic summaries related to the films.

This elective is for highly motivated students to create the content and produce the broadcast for the "Saints@8" morning show! Students will create graphics, build professional scripts, and put on the “Saints@8” morning show for the entire school. Each student will be assigned content creator positions and be assigned one morning a week to arrive on campus at 7:45 a.m. to put on the live broadcast. "Saints@8" is a high profile production viewed by the whole school and goes on our school YouTube channel, so students are expected to act as leaders and be professional. We are going to have a blast!