Galva Junior High
Course Offerings & Descriptions
2014-2015
WELCOME!
This is your copy of the Galva Junior High School Class Offerings and Descriptions Booklet.
Our school staff hopes this will familiarize you with the educational opportunities found through
the learning process in 7th and 8th grades. Read this booklet carefully so you may be informed
about the classes that concern your academic advancement. Also, the administration, teachers,
and staff hope you find enjoyment through learning during your days at Galva Junior High. Be
yourself and maintain your individuality. Make every effort to have the courage to do and stand
for what is right. Remember that your personal choices do not eliminate the responsibility you
have in maintaining the fine traditions and reputation of our Galva School and our community.
Galva School District Mission Statement
The Mission of Galva CUSD #224 is to ensure excellence in education by providing innovative
solutions with available resources. Mutual respect, life-long learning, problem solving, skills
development, and an appreciation for economic and cultural diversity constitute the foundation
of policy decisions.
Galva School District Objectives
Galva CUSD #224 Board and staff believe the success of an educational program is measured by
the accomplishments of individual students. The accomplishments include the following:
A sense of personal responsibility and opportunity as citizens of local, state, country, and world
society;
An understanding of the physical, social, scientific, and economic world in which we live;
Effective use of energy, ability, and talent;
Clear, logical and independent thinking;
Due regard for the rights of others;
A moral and ethical sense shown by self-control, honesty, fairness, justice, tolerance, courtesy,
and kindness;
Development of communication skills in reading, writing, math, and language;
An appreciation of music and art;
Productive participation in society;
Preparation to enter higher education, training, or employment;
Development of robust healthy along with a desire and knowledge to safeguard it; and,
Psychological well-being in social, family, and leisure lives.
Promotion Requirements
Students must not fail more than three semesters of core coursework per year in order to advance
to the next grade level. Two semesters equal one school year. The Galva Junior High School
schedule contains slots for eight class periods per day.
Core Courses
The five core courses are listed below. Each student will take one full year of each subject
during their 7th and 8th grade year.
English
Reading
Math
Science
Social Studies
Other Requirements and Elective Options
7th Grade
8th Grade
Physical Education (Full Year)
Physical Education (Full Year)
Health (9 weeks)
Health (9 weeks)
Art (9 weeks)
Art (9 weeks)
Formatting (One semester)
Spanish, Agriculture Industry
and Industrial Technology. (Pick
two) Nine weeks of instruction in
each content area.
Students have a choice to select one option from the list below:
Band/Chorus
Band/Chorus
Band/Study Hall
Band/Study Hall
Chorus/Study Hall
Chorus/Study Hall
Study Hall
Study Hall
In accordance with the Illinois State Board of Education, students must pass the United States
and Illinois Constitution exams for promotion to high school.
Junior High Class Offerings and Descriptions
Electives
Art
7th Grade and 8th Grade Offering 55154A000-G
Both 7th and 8th grade students will take nine weeks of art each year. The student will learn the
basic vocabulary and history of art, studying from a text entitled “Exploring Art” by Mittler
Regans. The experiential portion of art will include an introduction to the elements and
principles of design, drawing, printmaking, painting, and sculpture.
Band
7th Grade and 8th Grade Offering 55101A000-G
Participation in the band program in the fall includes marching band. The marching band
performs at football games and marches in various area parades. Competitions are also a part of
the program. Practices are held every other day and some night practices.
Winter/Spring is concert band. Students perform pieces for concerts and may be a supplement
for the school play. Area concerts and competitions are part of the program.
Chorus
7th Grade and 8th Grade Offering 55110A000-G
The choral program at Galva Junior High School involves participating in seasonal concerts and
singing for area contests and programs. Choir practices are held every other day.
Agriculture Industry
8th Grade Optional Offering (Nine Weeks)
68001A000-G
Students will learn about a variety of topics including plant, soil and animal sciences as well as
the mechanical and technological aspects of agriculture and industrial technology. Students will
experiment with the landscaping and cad programs and the plasma cam and will complete small
projects.
Computer Formatting
7th Grade Offering (One Semester) 60004A000-G
Students will learn to create the documents which teachers will expect them to use in the projects
which are assigned. How to save and find documents will also be stressed. Documents such as
letters, memos, bound and unbound reports will be created. Students will also learn the correct
way of citing their work. Time will also be spent developing speed and accuracy when using a
keyboard to enter information.
Spanish Introduction
8th Grade Optional Offering (Nine Weeks)
56038A000-G
This nine week overview will introduce students to the basic elements of learning another
language. Spanish letter identification and numbers, basic words and colors and objects will be
learned. Sentence structure and diction will also be explored. A brief overview of what will be
taught in the high school curriculum will be discussed.
Woodworking
8th Grade Optional Offering (Nine Weeks)
63003A000-G
This course will introduce students to the various kinds of woods used in industry and offer
experience in using selected woodworking tools. Students design and construct one or more
projects. Correct and safe use of tools and equipment is emphasized. A focus will also be on the
terminology necessary to use power tools successfully, developing skills to use these tools in the
woodshop and becoming familiar with various kinds of wood-finishing materials.
Core Curriculum
English
7th Grade Offering
51137A000-G
This year long class emphasizes a study skills unit; oral communication unit including giving
basic directions, introductions, parliamentary procedure, as well as different types of individual
speeches; capitalization and punctuation; journal writing, letter writing, parts of speech
(specifically nouns, pronouns, and adjectives); and, some creative writing.
English
8th Grade Offering
51138A000-G
This year long class is a continuation of 7th grade English and emphasizes parts of speech and
usage in the sentences (specifically verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections);
study of the newspaper and types of news writing; study of advertising; essay writing
(specifically narrative, persuasive, and expository); study of poetry; and, research of Springfield
sites before the annual 8th grade field trip.
Health
7th Grade Offering
58051A000-G
The Health class is designed to allow all seventh grade students to learn and participate in
discussions on topics involving decision-making, goal setting, communication skills, risk factors
that affect one’s health, as well as associated behaviors that affect one’s overall health.
Personality, stress management, character traits, and relationships will also be discussed in the
class.
Reading
7th Grade & 8th Grade Offering 51035A000-G(7TH) 51036 (8TH)
This class is a literature based course emphasizing reading skills and strategies. Students will
read selections from a variety of genres, including short stories, fantasy/mythology, poetry,
drama, and nonfiction. In addition students will read selected novels independently, as well as
one -three class novels in a school year. Students are also given a spelling book from which they
will work on spelling/vocabulary exercises.
Mathematics
7th Grade Offering
52037A000-G
Seventh grade mathematics is a general mathematics course. Over the course of the year there is
a variety of general math topics covered such as the addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division of fractions and decimals. Other general mathematics topics include scientific notation,
factors, multiples, percentages, measurement and probability. Basic algebra topics covered are
two step equations and inequalities. More advanced Algebra topics such as linear functions and
representing slope on a plane are studied. Later in the year, the course turns to geometry topics
such as finding area, perimeter and angle measurements of polygons, surface area and volume of
polyhedrons and circumference and area of circles. The students are asked to use problem
solving strategies nod critical thinking to develop all these mathematic concepts. Students will
be expected to communicate mathematics by reading, writing, and verbalizing mathematically.
Mathematics
8th Grade Offering
52038A000-G
Eighth grade mathematics is a general mathematics course designed to get students ready to enter
Algebra I or Pre-Algebra. Over the course of the year, the student covers a variety of general
mathematics topics such as exponents, order of operations, percents, probability and ratios. A
major portion of time is spent on developing Algebra knowledge such as one and two step
equations, inequalities, linear equations, graphs, and polynomials. The other portion is devoted
to Geometry. Topics include angle measurements, area and perimeter, the Pythagorean
Theorem, surface area, and volumes. The students are asked to use problem solving strategies
and critical thinking to develop all these mathematic concepts. Students will be expected to
communicate mathematics by reading, writing, and verbalizing mathematically.
Physical Education
7th Grade and 8th Grade Offering 58039A000-G
The junior high P.E. curriculum seeks to promote physical fitness in our students by giving them
an understanding of how to improve and maintain personal fitness. Students are tested
periodically in various aspects of fitness to assess their progress.
Physical and social development are also encouraged by involving the students in various games
and activities intended to foster teamwork and cooperation, as well as providing fun and
enjoyment. The students are tested on their knowledge of the rules of these games and activities,
in addition to the skills necessary to participate in them.
Science
7th Grade Offering
53201A000-G
Seventh grade Science is an integrated course. Areas covered include Life, Earth, and Physical
Sciences. Specifically in Life Science, we cover cells, classification, growth, heredity, systems
of the body, and plants. In Earth Science, we cover weather, space, the atmosphere, minerals,
and rocks. In Physical Science, we cover chemistry, energy, and laws of motion. We also
include current events in Science as well as our concerns about the environment.
Science
8th Grade Offering
53201A000-G
Eighth grade Science is a continuation of the integrated Sciences. Life Science includes
interactions of living and nonliving things as well as heredity. Earth Science covers space and
geology. Physical Science includes chemistry, forces, motion, work, electricity, and other forms
of energy. We also discuss current events in Science and a real need to help our environment.
Social Studies
7th Grade Offering
54437A000-G
An overview and study of the political, economic, and social events that shaped the history of the
United States from the time of the earliest Native Americans up to the 1850’s. Also included in
the course is a study of federal and state government, with the main focus on our Federal and
State Constitutions.
Social Studies: 1865-2012
8th Grade Offering
54438A000-G
Eighth grade Social Studies begins with a review of the 7th grade concepts dealing with the
progression towards the Civil War. There is a focus on the following specific topics: The Civil
War Era: causation and effects the war had on the country; The transformation of the United
States: how industrialization, the growth of urban areas, settlement of the West, politics and
political reform, and the growth of the United States as a military power impacted the
transformation;. The 1920-1940 Era: major themes of the Roaring Twenties, the Great
Depression, the New Deal, Diversity in America, World War II , and the Equal Rights
Movement; and, The U.S.A. Today: how the country is adapting to globalization.
Special Education Classroom
7th Grade and 8th Grade Offering
The students participating in this program are All Inclusive students, meaning they go in the
classroom for ALL classes. Students are required to follow all school rules and the rules within
the individual classrooms. Either Mrs. Sullens or a paraprofessional go into the classroom with
each of the students to read tests, read assignments, modify assignments, and assist with
whatever needs arise for students in their core class. While IEP students are the main priority for
this program, any student needing help will receive the necessary services. With this approach,
the IEP students do not feel singled out as the only students who need help. When a student in
this program has a test from any of the classes they attend, the student will test in Mrs. Sullens
classroom as the test may need to be read aloud; or, extended time may be needed for completion
of the test.
Want To Remember What You Learn?
Read On…
How do you store, and then retrieve “mental files”?
Try using these four keys:
1. Learn It Well in the First Place
Make sure you really understand the material and then reinforce it by doing any assigned
reading or exercises. Make up and answer questions about what you are learning, or
teach/explain it to someone else (even if it is your pet dog, cat goldfish, etc…)
2. Give Yourself Time
Review something the same day you learn it – even if just for five or ten minutes. After that,
use regularly spaced review time to store it in your long-term memory (which also frees up
your short-term memory and makes it easier to learn new things!)
3. Review – Recite – Repeat
After reading a paragraph or section of your text, quickly summarize out loud what you
have read. This is much more effective than simply re-reading something.
4. Use “handles” to help you remember

Before you learn something new, think about what you already know about the
topics. If the new information connects with previous knowledge, it will be easier
to both learn and remember.

Learn things as part of the big picture; organize the information. Make a mental
outline of the main points and their sub-points.

Make it memorable by thinking of examples, pictures, metaphors, or mnemonic
devices (ex. “HOMES” for the Great Lakes).
How To Listen To Learn
Listening is a Skill. Skills can be learned and developed. Here are some key ideas for Listening
to learn:
Be a Critical Thinker – Judge and analyze everything. Does what you are hearing make sense?
Is it fact or opinion? Does anything you know prove or disprove what you are hearing?
Make Connections – How does what you are hearing fit in with things you already know?
Ask Questions and Get Involved – Need something made clearer? Ask now, instead of
wondering later. Not convinced of something? Challenge the teacher for more information.
Take Notes on the Main Ideas – Again, do not just copy down everything you hear.
 Use these notable hints
 Sift out the important points
 Use your own words
 Use initials and abbreviations
 Put your notes in point form
 Generally, write down everything the teacher puts on the board; and,
 Spend about 80% of your time just listening, and 20% of your time writing.
Test Time? Test Your Wits…
Before you begin the test, know what you are up against!
 Put your name on the test if it is asked for.
 Glance over the whole test when you get it.
- Immediately after looking over the test, jot down reminders or things you think
you might forget.
- Start with the parts worth the most points, and the parts you are most confident
about.
- Pace yourself if it is timed.
 Read Directions Carefully!
 After finishing the test, review your answers.
Math Test – Find out if you need to show your work. Usually you will get partial marks for
showing your steps.
Multiple Choice – Form an answer in your head before you read the choices. Watch out for
absolutes like always, never, and only. (Hint: longer, more detailed answers are often correct. If
there are two very similar answers, one of them is usually right.)
True/False – Find out if there is a penalty for guesses. If not, do not leave any answers blank.
Again, watch out for absolutes that make a statement false.
Matching – read through the whole list first. Start with the ones you are positive you know.
Need More Information Than What Is Given In The Classroom?
Use your “Toolbox” of resources: dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedias, atlas, library resources
and books and the internet.