SAINT BRIGID MIDDLE SCHOOL
Course Descriptions 2012-2013
Seventh and Eighth Grades
All students will take the following core subjects:
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Religion
Math
Language Arts
Social Studies (Eastern Hemisphere - 7th; American History - 8th)
Science
Choice of Electives:
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Spanish I & II
Mrs. Holly Tellander
These courses are for any student who has a personal interest in learning Spanish or in
trying a world language. The purpose of the course is for the student to learn to
understand, speak, read, and write elementary Spanish and become familiar with
Hispanic culture and its influence in America. The conversational method is used to
establish basic language patterns and stress basic vocabulary. Reading and writing
reinforces the oral learning. Various methods in media are utilized including text, CDs,
computer activities and video.
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Band 1st & 2nd year
Ms. Judyth Peterson
Judyth Peterson, our band instructor, is a well-respected teacher in the Midland area.
She has been the percussion instructor at Midland High School since 1983. She also
has been managing director of the Midland Symphony Orchestra at Midland Center for
the Arts. Ms. Peterson is very enthusiastic and has worked hard in the past to bring
about the Saint Brigid Shamrock Band. Ms. Peterson will work with the 5th-6th grade
band instructor to bring about joint concerts. These are well rehearsed and very
entertaining performances. Ms. Peterson is the author of the Saint Brigid Victory song.
To support our band program, there is an additional fee of $50 per month.
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Public Speaking
Mrs. Michele Link
In our public speaking class you will speak about yourself, your ideals, current events,
and other topics. We have a mass media unit in which you will explore and create
advertising and news programming.
**Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, public speaking was a required course for
students to take either their 7th or 8th grade year at Saint Brigid School.
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Drama
Mrs. Michele Link
Drama class gives you the opportunity to write and perform your own scenes, study wellknown plays, and perform for other schools and grades. We also welcome guest
speakers who help us realize the power of the spoken word.
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Creative writing
Mrs. Michele Link
All that makes you unique is explored in this class. What are your feelings, thoughts, and
dreams? You will be able to express them as you write your own mythology, create a
children’s book, write a play, interview guest speakers, and explore the world through
the eyes of a poet. You may analyze song lyrics, write journals, and best of all, tell your
own story. Creative writing evolves just as you, the writer, should too.
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Current Events
Mrs. Holly Tellander
In this class we will use different resources to identify events taking place in our
community and the world. We will incorporate media analysis, geography, public
speaking, classification, debate, and activism to become more aware and active
members of our society.
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Student Ambassador Program
Mrs. Servinski
This course is intended for students who are interested in serving as mentors for
students in the first through sixth grades that are in need of some extra academic
assistance. Students will learn the various learning styles and accommodations for
assisting struggling learners. They will also receive sensitivity training in order to
effectively serve as mentors in the classroom. The students will spend approximately 4
weeks in the classroom learning the required skills before being placed in a classroom
setting.
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Reading Workshop
Mrs. Kuchek
The purpose of the reading workshop is to utilize reading strategies for students to
practice within largely student-selected texts. This class is for the student who would
like to read more of their own selections within a variety of genres. Also, whether a
strong reader who would like to improve comprehension and critical thinking of texts, or
a struggling reader who would like more opportunities to improve strategy practice, or
any reader in-between, reading workshop will make you a more confident and hopefully,
happier reader. The teacher will model reading strategies as a whole class in teacherselected passages; the students will then apply those strategies to chosen materials in
the same genre. The students will finish the year able to apply several reading
strategies independently to new texts.