Other Electives

Literature Author Study/Leo Lionni
“Story Stretching” activities will be used to expand favorite books by author/illustrator. Students will examine the literary and artistic style. Students will also “map” stories and create a time line of the author’s works. (1-2)

Poetry with Pizazz
Various forms of poetry and figurative language are introduced. Students will construct poetry journals, write different styles of poems, and learn to publish their writing in unique and creative 2- and 3-dimensional forms. (2-5)

Really Writing
Students will learn the basics of the writing process by working through the process of motivation, brainstorming, composing a first draft, self-evaluation, and publishing. This course will teach the basic language modes of narrative, descriptive, persuasive, informative, and expressive writing. It will include writing prompts and story dictations. (2-5)

Exploring & Learning Computers
Students will be able to name the basic computer components. They will learn the proper care of equipment. They will learn how to navigate within the Windows environment with the aid of the teacher. This class will utilize the use of a software package called Kid Pix, which will be used to help the children organize their thoughts and ideas into graphical and verbal stories. (1-2)

Exploring the Internet
Students will be introduced to the Internet. They will learn basic navigation through the use of kid and parent approved web sites. They will participate in such activities as Internet scavenger hunts. (3-5)

Keyboarding
Students will learn basics of hand placement and key recognition. The skills in this class will provide stepping stones to additional applications in subsequent courses. Software for this class will be Type to Learn Jr. (3-5)

Pond & Stream Ecology
The students will study and explore the CDSA pond and stream to learn the seasonal changes and patterns in the environment. Each student will learn classification of plants and animals within the pond and stream environment. (1-2)

Problem Solving
Simple machines will be built to solve problems. An example of one of the problems faced is moving an object from place to place. The materials used for the problems will be able to be found at hardware stores or on the CDSA campus. (3-5)

Pyramids & Mummies
Students will learn about ancient cultures through hands-on construction and exploration. Students will also see how temples and tombs were constructed and create their own models. (3-5)

Chess
Students will have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of playing chess. They will play other students as well as use the computer chess game and participate in a chess tournament. (3-5)

6-8 Electives
Storytelling
Students will learn how to tell a story so others will listen. They will utilize well-known folk tales and create tales of their own.

Playwriting
In this elective, students are encouraged to write, produce, and direct their own one-act plays. The plays are written in groups of different sizes and individually. Through the experience of creating their own plays, the students will discover various methods for writing dialogue, sustaining pacing, developing tension, and other dramatic techniques. The students will also perform at a morning assembly.

Basic Word Processing
Students will learn the basics of Microsoft Word. Basic concepts will include creating a new document, saving it, and reopening it again. Basic formatting concepts will be taught which will include: open, close, save, save as, cut and paste, and changing font size. This is an excellent chance for students to learn the skills necessary for typing a paper or project.

Advanced Word Processing
Students will learn more advanced concepts of Microsoft Word. Advanced topics will include: page headers and footers, table of contents, memos, wizards, clipart, tables, mail merges, bullet and numbering, frames and columns and converting to HTML. A great class for advanced research papers and thesis.

Keyboarding
This class is designed to help students learn and sharpen their typing skills. This will help all students typing their papers and projects.

Basic Database and Excel
Students will learn basics of what a database is and how it is used to capture data. Excel will be introduced and students will learn how to use the basics of Excel. This application will be helpful for making graphs relating to core course material.

Exploring the Internet
Students will learn the basics of Internet Explorer. They will become familiar with the toolbar, the command menu, and Internet vocabulary like: URL, web pages, Java, HTML, WWW, homepage, links, search engine, portal, and bookmark. Students will also learn how to print off the Internet, download files, and view source code. Advanced Internet class students will evaluate web sites for content, ease of use, and other criteria and present their findings. Higher-level concepts will include Java, Applets, and Jpeg programming languages. Students will use the Internet for a scavenger hunt. They will learn how to surf safely (cyber ethics for kids). Students will be given projects designed for use with Internet search and data gathering. Examples include the Seven Wonders of World, Christmas around the world, and Fairy Tales and what country they originated in.

Basic Multimedia Presentations
Student will learn the basics of Microsoft Power Point. They will create a slide show to tell a story and present it to the class.

Great Books
Students learn to think for themselves by addressing complex, multifaceted ideas in literature through discussion and writing.

Writing Workshop
This elective allows students to spend some extra time refining their grammatical and writing skills. The elements of language (parts of speech, sentences, and paragraphs) are reviewed, promoting a structural as well as a creative focus on writing.

Literary Journal
Students in this elective create short pieces of writing prose and/or poetry. They will edit their writing for inclusion in the CDSA Literary Journal, which will be published in booklet form.

Chess
Chess, because of its intellectual demands, is an important game for students to learn. It requires the players to use abstract thinking skills, to sequence in their mind a continually evolving series of events, to analyze dozens of variables and respond with thought and reflection, not impulse, and to play with good sportsmanship.
The Chess elective is open to players from the beginner through to the advanced levels. The participants partake in games each week against both their peers and the instructor.
For the beginning players, the emphasis is on learning the basic moves of the pieces and the overall rules of the game while actually playing against an opponent. The more advanced players learn how to optimize the strengths of each piece, how to develop a strategy that extends several moves out, and how to both figure out and defend against an opponent’s offense.

Yearbook
Students are involved in all aspects of design, layout, organization, and sales of the school’s yearbook. The students decide on advertising prices and incentives, and publicize sales of both advertisements and yearbooks. They are also responsible for collecting photos from events throughout the school year and organizing the corresponding sections.

Problem Solving
Students will build simple machines to solve simple problems, such as moving objects from place to place. Material will be found at hardware stores or on campus.

Pond and Stream Ecology
Students will use the CDSA campus pond and stream to study seasonal changes in the environments, classify plants and animals within the pond and stream environment.

News and Photography
The students learn how to use and understand these two types of media in order to write stories and take pictures of important events and people during the school year.
They learn to investigate possible news stories that are based around the school, interview people, and use the information to create articles. Photography is also an important part of the elective as the students are each put in charge of a simple camera, given film, and allowed to take pictures of important events and people at the school. The students not only learn how to use these simple cameras but also are exposed to more complex single lens reflex cameras and taught how to take pictures using these cameras. The students learn about f-stops, shutter speeds, and film speeds as well as how to construct an interesting photograph by using contrast, color, and subject.

Eighth Grade Thesis Class
To graduate from Country Day School of Arlington, each eighth grader is required to write a 12 – 14 page thesis paper. The paper is on a topic of the student’s choice so long as the student can, from that topic, create a thesis statement and subsequently prove it.
The thesis class meets twice a week for an hour. During this time students work their way through the process of creating a substantive thesis paper to include:

Identifying a subject area

Finding the required number and range of sources

Learning about the structure of a paper of this size

Conducting research

Taking notes

Creating an outline

Writing three to five drafts
This class is required for the first two quarters. Subsequent enrollment will depend upon the progress of the individual student.