Middle School Electives

Middle school electives offer students a chance to explore their creativity, develop new skills, and express themselves through music and visual arts.

New, incoming students to ZESD 6 Middle Schools (both Shiloh Park Middle School and Zion Central Middle School) will need to sign up for elective classes here.

6th Grade Elective Program Options

General Art & Music

Students will take one semester of General Art and one semester of General Music. In art, they will explore drawing, painting, sculpture, and crafts while developing skills, vocabulary, and creativity. In music, they will create, perform, and respond to music while building vocal or instrumental skills and connecting music to other subjects.

Choir

Students will learn the fundamentals of good choral singing and overall musicianship. Students will start to develop solfege skills, music reading skills, and singing in 3-part and 4-part harmonies.

Band

Students can express themselves and develop musical skills by playing brass instruments. In middle school, they join ensembles, meet daily in class, and perform throughout the year.

Orchestra

Students can express themselves and develop musical skills by playing violin, viola, cello, or bass. In middle school, they join ensembles, meet daily in class, and perform throughout the year.

7th & 8th Grade Elective Program Options

2D Design Studio

Students will learn basic drawing and painting skills using a variety of media, including watercolor, tempera, acrylics, pencils, markers, pastels, and non-traditional materials.

3D Design Studio

Students will create 3D art using traditional and non-traditional materials. They will explore ceramic techniques such as hand-building, glazing, under-glazing, and slip casting.

Choir

Students will learn the fundamentals of good choral singing and overall musicianship. Students will start to develop solfege skills, music reading skills, and singing in 3-part and 4-part harmonies.

Band

Students can express themselves and develop musical skills by playing brass instruments. In middle school, they join ensembles, meet daily in class, and perform throughout the year.

Orchestra

Students can express themselves and develop musical skills by playing violin, viola, cello, or bass. In middle school, they join ensembles, meet daily in class, and perform throughout the year.

Piano

Students will learn the proper technique, music theory, chord recognition, ensemble work, and music history as it relates to playing the piano.

Guitar

Students will learn to apply their knowledge of proper technique, music theory, chord and tablature recognition, ensemble work, and music history to playing and performing with the guitar.

PaCE Framework

The Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework is a state-wide guidance tool that outlines the essential experiences and information students need for college and career planning, starting in middle school.

View the competencies by grade level by expanding the accordion folders or selecting the links.

PaCE Framework Overview (English)

PaCE Framework Overview (Spanish)

By The End of 6th Grade

Aspiration:

Students gain exposure to a wide range of careers.
Students explore various interest and skill areas.

Planning:

Students utilize vocabulary and language that emphasizes individual skills, strengths, and assets.
Students apply strengths to challenges, problems and projects presented to them.

Self-Advocacy:

Students apply basic practices of a growth mindset.
Students speak of their abilities with confidence.

By The End of 7th Grade

Aspiration:

Students engage in guided self-reflection and feedback activities.
Students articulate aspirations and interests.
Students engage in activities that envision a positive future.

Planning:

Students explore examine their beliefs, habits and behavior.
Students identify different ways to create or change a habit.
Students record their progress related to work/job skills.

Self Advocacy:

Students explore their strengths.
Students effectively ask for help.
Students understand and practice applying a growth mind set to difficult projects or skills.

By The End of 8th Grade

Aspiration:

Students understand the concept of career clusters.
Students are exposed to the relationship between school activities and interests and career goals.
Students can compare and contrast personal interesests, strengths and motivations related to a career of choice.
Students identify and participate in a job shadowing opportunity.

Planning:

Students complete interest inventory.
Students select a career pathway within a career cluster of interest.
Students explore job growth and educational plan needed in a field of interest.
Students prepare a budget using a income information from a career of interest.
Students attend a Career Day Event.
Students take a tour of the high school and technical campus to gain awareness of non-traditional post-secondary routes.

Self-Advocacy:

Students explore learning styles and work activities to determine what is enjoyable.
Students Identify a support network.