Special Programs
model for learning in all disciplines. Students use art as a means of inquiry to become lifelong
learners and creators whose learning leads discovering new relationships. Students make active use
of advanced technology to communicate and learn through inquiry and reflection. Students benefit
from an integrated curriculum that is aligned to the State Curriculum Frameworks and the Rutherford
County Scope and Sequence. Collaboration among teachers provides connections within all disciplines.
Students also participate in the following classes on a 6 week rotating schedule:
The Middle School elective program at TFAA encourages students to pursue interests and passions beyond the core curriculum. Some electives are a year-long commitment, so be sure to review the descriptions carefully. Students have the opportunity to select from the electives shown below:
ART (Semester) Grades 6-8
2-D Art Elective (Fall)
Students will have the opportunity to increase their understanding and appreciation of art through responding to and making two-dimensional works of art. Using Art History, the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design as our foundations, students will experiment with a variety of mediums such as drawing, painting, printmaking, digital art, animation and photography. Students will work both individually and in groups as they explore self-expression, communication and problem-solving within the artistic process.
3-D Art Elective (Spring)
Students will have the opportunity to increase their understanding and appreciation of art through responding to and making three-dimensional works of art. Using Art History, the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design as our foundations, students will experiment with a variety of mediums such as clay, sculpting, wire, and fiber arts. Students will work both individually and in groups as they explore self-expression, communication and problem-solving within the artistic process.
CODING (Semester) Grades 6-8 (1st Period only)
Students will explore different types of coding. HTML – is a webpage coding. Scratch uses animation, audio, images, and text to: tell stories, explain concepts, and create art. Mini robot coding – like Evo students drawing paths and codes with markers, students can learn the basics of programming. We may even go back to BASIC. We will be studying one of the first programing languages for the computer.
DANCE (Semester) Grades 6-8
Do you love to dance? How about choreographing routines and being in control of the direction of your own class? Have a great ear for blending songs together and finding rhythm? If you answered yes to the three of those questions then dance elective is for you! This class is extremely student driven and based off of the choreography foundations you already have from years of dance class here at TFAA. Students choose the style of dance, the songs, and do a large part of the choreography to culminate in a school wide performance each quarter. Semester 1 regularly has 3 full routines and semester 2 usually focuses on 2 full routines. Come join us in the dance studio for 18 weeks of expressing yourself through the art of movement!!
GUITAR (Yearlong) Period 2 Grades 6-8
Guitar Class - Guitar Class just got better! A year long course for beginners and experienced alike. Take this opportunity to learn to play your favorite songs. Find out how notion, tablature, chord charts, and good technique make learning faster and easier. You will have opportunities to play for the school and have a chance to explore your artistry through a variety of fretted instruments. This class is perfect for students who sing and write songs, and those who just want to learn to play guitar. Don’t miss out on this chance! TFAA Guitar Elective is limited and will fill up quickly.
PE (Semester) Grades 6-8
The Wide World of Sports Elective will consist of looking at a wide range of sports (including both Team sports, Individual and Dual sports). We will be focusing on learning the basic skills, Lead-up games, basic rules along with scoring for each sport, and play the sport with a tournament at the end. Sports that we will be focusing on: Volleyball, Basketball, Floor Hockey, Soccer, Badminton, Pickleball, Table –Tennis, 4-Square, and include games from around the world. Each student will be asked to do a project where they will be researching a sport, putting together a power-point about the sport, and finally presenting the power-point to their classmates.
SPANISH (Yearlong) Grades 7-8
Do you want to be ahead before entering High School, be considered bilingual, stand out when applying for college scholarships or even travel around the world and be able to make friends from other cultures, all while at the same time having fun learning another language? If your answer is yes, Spanish High school class is the place to be!In class, we don't just learn the basics, we learn to speak, read, and write in Spanish. We enjoy native Spanish speaking visitors, we go out to eat at Mexican restaurants and practice speaking and ordering food, we learn how to have full conversions on the phone; we learn how to sing new songs in Spanish, and even earn your first High School credit while still being in middle school! Don't miss this opportunity to get ahead and expand your horizons!Spanish I will be a yearlong course for 7th and/or 8th grade, which will cover the high school Spanish. Spanish I will be offered this year so there will be a Spanish II option next year. In order to meet high school requirements, homework, tests, quizzes, and semester exams may be given. There will be an EOC given at the end of year, which must be passed in order to receive high-school credit.
TV Productions (Semester) Fall 8th grade only - Spring 7th grade only
Student will oversee the production of the TFAA live morning show. Students will operate all equipment (camera, lights, sound, production mixer, etc.), write scripts, gather school news, create/edit videos andgraphics, host and produce the show. Students will be required to attend several afterschool events, come in early to setup, and/or stay afterschool to practice hosting, use equipment and/or software.
Vocal Arts and Music Exploration Course (Yearlong) Period 1 Grades 6-8
This is not your Granny's music class! No 6 day rotation. YOU WILL HELP DESIGN THE SYLLABUS. This course will meet for the entire year so choose carefully. In this class we will explore music instruments and songs you are interested in. Let's work toward fuller vocal resonance, greater flexibility, and better expression and control. Just imagine working on Bohemian Rhapsody one moment, a Bach Chorale the next, and then ending our week playing an Aerosmith song on guitar. If you like variety and are ready to apply yourself then look no further - you just found the perfect class. Let’s read some scripts, sing parts, form a drum circle, prep a concert, write songs, play ukulele and discover possibilities together.
A² The Arts and Academics (Semester) Period 2 Grades 6-8
This is not just an academics based class-it is so much more! Join the middle school teachers as we continue exploring the world of academia mixed with the arts. In this course, you will be integrating the sciences, with theater, storytelling, creative writing, and experiments. This a semester long discovery course that you do not want to miss. We, the teachers, are excited about the opportunity to make connections and build relationships through this elective.