Electives for the student’s school year are determined by the options sheets submitted the previous Spring.  We do not do a second options sheet for semester 2. 

While we do our best to schedule students in their preferred courses, requesting a course does not guarantee enrollment in a course.

We also work to ensure that all elective course offerings are engaging and rigorous.

Visual/Performing Arts Course Requirement: Per Washington State mandate (Senate Bill 5878), beginning in the 24-25 school year, middle school students are required to take at least one (1) semester of a visual or performing arts course each year. Eagle Staff offers a variety of semester-long Arts courses as well as Band and Orchestra which are year-long.

SEMESTER LONG COURSES

Experience Music: Students have the opportunity to learn about musical concepts like rhythm, notes, and style by studying popular music, learning how to create digital music, and learning a modern instrument like piano, guitar, or bass. Students get to decide what kind of music they play and create by working individually or collaboratively by creating their own band. This class is open to any student with or without any past musical experience! (Visual/Performing Arts)

Guitar Lab: Great for beginning and more experienced musicians.  Students learn technique, music theory, musicianship, and develop a love of music.  Students work toward mastery of State and National Arts Standards. (Visual/Performing Arts)

Journalism: Students learn the fundamentals of Journalism from researching, writing, and reporting, to photography. One focus of this course is to have students become responsible and savvy consumers of all media in the digital age; we also hone our writing skills in a variety of genres, such as interviews, editorials, and movie or book reviews.

Percussion/Drum Lab: Great for beginning and more experienced musicians.  Students learn technique, music theory, musicianship, and develop a love of music. Students work toward mastery of State and National Arts Standards. (Visual/Performing Arts)

Problem Solving: This fun, foundational class allows students to develop important life skills that will engage in project based, hands-on, real-life problem solving lessons.  We’ll learn about financial literacy, kitchen and food safety, cooking skills, nutrition, etiquette, hand sewing, and much, much more!

Proyecto Saber: Students have the opportunity to explore their culture and identity as well as learn the positive impact that Chicanas/os and other underrepresented ethnic groups have had on World and U.S. history. (Please see Ms. Dalia Martinez regarding enrollment.)

Reading Empowerment: Students develop their own power as readers and leaders while acting as reading mentors to students in partner elementary schools.

STEM/Tech: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math come together in this exciting class.  Students engage in hands-on, project based learning.  Students work toward State and National STEM Standards.

Universal PE (formerly Partner PE): A class that creates a culture for learning and access for all abilities while participating in a variety of collaborative and inclusive physical activities that lead to a healthy, active life. This course is designed to have a maximum size of 25 students, a slower pace, repetitive routines, smaller group work, highlight collaboration and abilities, and intentional inclusive activities broken down into smaller components.

Visual Arts: Students work in a variety of media from drawing and painting to ceramics at the pottery wheel.  Students work toward State and National Arts Standards. (Visual/Performing Arts credit)

Visual Arts – Partner Art Option: Are you passionate about art and great at helping others? In Partner Art, you will still work with a variety of artistic mediums and techniques, but there is more of a focus on simplified projects, small group work, and supporting students at all levels and abilities for a fun and inclusive art experience!

YEAR LONG COURSES

Instrumental Music

Band: For students who currently play or wish to start playing a wind or percussion instrument. (Examples: flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, plus more!) (Visual/Performing Arts)

Orchestra: For students who currently play or wish to start playing a stringed instrument. (Violin, viola, cello, string bass) (Visual/Performing Arts)

Instrumental music is open to all students – no experience required! Students can begin an instrument in any grade. Instructors will determine the correct ensemble for students. (Premier, Intermediate, Concert)

World Language

Japanese and Spanish: Year 1 and Year 2. You may begin a world language course in 7th or 8th grade.

Students identified as Advanced Learners may take the Math class that best matches their Math learning pathway.

All of our Language Arts and Social Studies teachers teach both HCC and Scholar sections so that all our students have opportunities to deepen and extend their reading, thinking, and writing in both HCC and Scholar (not HCC) Language Arts and Social Studies classes.

We align our services with the other Seattle Public Schools Middle Schools that provide services for students identified as Highly Capable (HC): Washington Middle School, Hamilton International Middle School, Madison Middle School, and Jane Addams Middle School.  Our service models are consistent.

Students identified as Highly Capable receive their services and learning in blended classrooms. Our teachers are skilled at and committed to providing rigor, challenge, and relevance for all students.

Social Studies is the investigation, analysis, and understanding of humanity’s ongoing relationship with the created and cultural environments. In order to provide rigorous, authentic, and deep learning in Social Studies we, along with Jane Addams Middle School and Washington Middle School, will be integrating all Social Studies classes beginning in September, 2019. Our teachers will be working in collaboration with professional coaches and colleagues from across the District to ensure appropriate support and challenge for all students. We are ready to do this because we believe it is what is best for our students, our families, and our community.

All students will be challenged to read, reason, and write at high levels, and will be learning side-by-side in Social Studies classes. We have worked with our leadership teams, including the Building Leadership Team, Instructional Council, and PTSA leaders, and are inspired and energized by the unified commitment to providing the best possible learning opportunities to all of our students.

Details: 

• 6th Grade Course: World History and Since Time Immemorial (Tribal Sovereignty)
• 7th Grade Course: World History, Washington State History, and Since Time Immemorial (Tribal Sovereignty)
• 8th Grade Course: US History, Civics, and Since Time Immemorial (Tribal Sovereignty)

Students identified as part of the Highly Capable Cohort (HC) will continue to have their course identified as HCC on report cards and transcripts.

World language courses are available for students to begin in 7th and 8th grade.

Japanese

Japanese 1A is a year-long course that is equivalent to 1 Semester of High School Japanese. This course prepares students to carry on basic conversation in Japanese, read and write simple sentences about familiar topics, and explores Japanese culture. Close attention will be paid to developing communicative skills that focus on listening comprehension and speaking, as well as written expression. At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to ask and answer questions; carry on simple conversations; express opinions and needs; read and write the 2 syllabaries Hiragana and Katakana as well as 30 Kanji. In addition, students will experience the Japanese culture through our exchanges and hosting opportunities with our Japanese sister school, Japanese food preparation, and celebrations of Japanese festivals and holidays.

Japanese 1B is a year-long course that is equivalent to 1 Semester of High School Japanese. This course builds on skills developed in Japanese 1A. Students will continue to develop their communicative skills focusing on listening comprehension and speaking. Students will learn to read and write 60 additional Kanji.  At the conclusion of this course, students will have a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and be able to engage in conversation about themselves, interests, their surroundings, school, and daily life.  In addition, students will experience the Japanese culture through our exchanges and hosting opportunities with our Japanese sister school, Japanese food preparation, celebrations of Japanese festivals and holidays, speakers from the Japanese community and local field trips to explore the local Japanese community.

Japanese 2 is a year-long course that is equivalent to 1 Year of High School Japanese. Semester 1 is Japanese 2A, and Semester 2 is Japanese 2B. 

Japanese 2 will build on skills developed in Japanese 1A and 1B.  Students will learn 50 additional kanji. We will focus on communication skills, and students will be able to sustain conversation on familiar topics by asking and answering a variety of questions with justification, expressing opinions, feelings and needs. Students will be able to understand a variety of authentic written texts and audio and video recordings.  Students will use their Japanese language to create skits, videos, treasure hunts,  and presentations, including video production using green screen and other technology to create advertisements. 

If students successfully complete 3 years of middle school Japanese, (Japanese 1A, 1B, and Japanese 2 (A&B)) they will earn 2 years of Japanese High School credit and may continue in high school in Japanese 3.

In addition, students will experience the Japanese culture through our exchanges and hosting opportunities with our Japanese sister school, Japanese food preparation, celebrations of Japanese festivals and holidays, and local field trips to observe college level Japanese classes and explore Japanese culture in our community.

Spanish 

Spanish 1A is the first part of a two-year middle school course or one year high school course that introduces students to Spanish language and Spanish-speaking culture. The course prepares students to carry on basic conversation in Spanish, read and write simple sentences about familiar topics, and explores how and where Spanish-speaking people live. Close attention will be paid to developing communicative skills that focus on listening comprehension and speaking, as well as written expression. At the conclusion of this course, students can ask and answer questions; carry on simple conversations; express opinions and needs; read and write short paragraphs; gain knowledge and understanding of Spanish-speaking culture. 

Spanish 1B is part of a two-year middle school course or one year high school course that introduces students to Spanish language and Spanish-speaking culture. Because Spanish 1 is a full-year course, the description for 1A and 1B are the same. In 1B students continue to build their language and culture proficiency in order to be prepared for Spanish 2. The course prepares students to carry on basic conversation in Spanish, read and write simple sentences about familiar topics, and explores how and where Spanish-speaking people live. Close attention will be paid to developing communicative skills that focus on listening comprehension and speaking, as well as written expression. At the conclusion of this course, students can ask and answer questions; carry on simple conversations; express opinions and needs; read and write short paragraphs; gain knowledge and understanding of Spanish-speaking culture. The Spanish curriculum guided by a set of rigorously vetted course objectives that span basic word recognition to using memorized phrases and familiar vocabulary to talk about oneself and their surroundings. The course objectives encourage students to talk about themselves, their friends and family, home, school, food, clothing, travel, and interests. This course prepares students for college and career through a carefully constructed course of study that builds language and culture proficiency. The course broadens students? global perspective as they learn to communicate with different types of Spanish-speaking people. As a result students are prepared to carry on short conversations in Spanish, read and write short paragraphs about a variety of topics in Spanish, and understand the products and practices of Spanish-speaking cultures. Through a structured progression of topics that are current, relevant and meaningful for them, students will gain the knowledge and skills that enable them to become global citizens. At the conclusion of the course students will have a ready command of basic communicative use of the Spanish language at the ACTFL Novice-low to Novice-mid level preparing them for the focus of more complex use of the Spanish language in Spanish 2.

Spanish 2 A & B is a year-long high school course that builds upon skills developed in Spanish 1. The course prepares students to comprehend and sustain a conversation about self, family, friends, interests, daily routine, health, school, travel and personal history. Students will read written materials on topics of personal interest and derive meaning from selected authentic text. They will write about familiar topics and explore how and where Spanish-speaking people live. Close attention will be paid to developing communicative skills. At the conclusion of this course students will be able to initiate and sustain conversation on familiar topics with pronunciation that does not interfere with communication; ask and answer a variety of questions with justification; express opinions, feelings and needs, providing solutions to problems; comprehend main ideas of selected authentic audio recordings, broadcasts and video and understand selected authentic written text; write short paragraphs, stories, skits, and dialogues on familiar topics (up to 150 words); gain knowledge and understanding of Spanish-speaking culture. 

If a student wishes to seek a schedule change, they may do so after the start of the term (S1, S2) once they have received their semester schedule. Change Request forms will be available in the main office shortly after the start of the term.

Students must complete a Change Request form and return the hard copy to the main office in order for their request to be considered.  Phone or email requests for a schedule change will not be accepted.

In April when we receive our student names and information, we will send you a welcome letter with a course selection form. You can return this form by mail or in person. For students enrolled during the summer, course selection forms will be sent out in mid August.

We have a 6-period day at Eagle Staff Middle School. All students are assigned to 4 year-long core classes: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Math. This leaves two periods for elective classes. Elective classes can be year-long or semester-long. All students will be assigned to a semester of Physical Education unless they are taking two year-long electives or qualify for a PE waiver.

All Band and Orchestra classes; world language classes; Math Empowerment.

Experience Music, Guitar Lab, Journalism, Percussion/Drum Lab, Problem Solving, Proyecto Saber, STEM/Tech, Visual Arts, and Reading Empowerment. (See course descriptions online.) 7th and 8th graders can also be a Teacher Assistant in a classroom, the library, or the main office.

Physical Education is a required class and we have the best PE department in the district! However, if your student is taking two year-long elective courses (instrumental music and world language), she/he/they will not be assigned PE. Families can apply for a PE waiver. PE can be waived with documentation for a) religious reasons, b) health reasons, or c) directed athletics (significant team sport participation). PE waiver forms will be available late fall in the main office.

To ensure that all students receive instruction in the foundational K-8 math standards that lay the groundwork for algebra and higher-level math courses that students will take in high school, all students in Seattle Public Schools are enrolled in the next math course in the sequence based on their previous year’s math course enrollment. Please note that skipping over a course or taking a course independently is not an approved acceleration progression in SPS middle schools.

Additional information about math course sequence is posted on the SPS website

Visit the math department at SPS for more information about our courses

We honor the spirit and vision of every student’s IEP. We read each one carefully to learn about student strengths, needs, and goals, and create a schedule with the best combination of support to meet those goals. We provide services in a continuum of large group, small group, and one-on-one settings, which could include: communication services, occupational therapy or physical therapy services, modifications and accommodations in a large class setting, services provided in a co-taught class, services provided in a study skills or social skills class, and/or services provided in a small-group academic class. Services will be based on the student’s identified IEP strengths, needs, and goals.

We honor the brilliance of our students who speak multiple languages! We provide supports in large classes with instructional assistants, as well as in smaller classes with more support in the student’s first language as needed.

We align with other SPS Middle Schools that provide services for students identified as Highly Capable. Students receive their Highly Capable services in blended Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science classes. They have opportunities to deepen, extend, and accelerate their reading, writing, reasoning, and thinking, and our talented teachers will ensure that they are challenged and thriving. All students in Seattle Public Schools are enrolled in the next math course in the sequence based on their previous year’s math course enrollment. Please note that skipping over a course or taking a course independently is not an approved acceleration progression in SPS middle schools. Additional information about math course sequence is posted on the SPS website

6th Grade Orientation is usually the Thursday before the first day of school. Check our calendar for updated info.