BAMS Unified Arts Department
Welcome to the Unified Arts Department! This department is unique as there are different content areas within the department. The Unified Arts program also known as “Specials” is a graded ten week rotation for all BAMS students in Grades 6-8. Students will have four of the contents in a year having one subject per quarter, with the possibility of Computer Education twice in 6th and 7th grades with different core curriculum or PLTW twice in 8th Grade. As part of this program of study, students’ knowledge will be enhanced in the following areas: art, computer education, PLTW, health, music, drama, and world languages.
Art (Mrs. Jennifer Byrne, Mrs. Jessica Hansrote, Mrs. Abby Marconi - long-term substitute for Mrs. Hansrote)
The visual arts support the student's ability to solve
problems creatively, think critically, and persevere
through challenges. In this ten week art course,
students will be charged with exploring 4 fundamental
areas of visual literacy: Drawing, Painting, Three Dimensional Design (Sculpture), and Visual
Communication (Two-Dimensional Design). Students
will use visual art as a tool to communicate and
express their own original ideas while drawing
inspiration from art history, contemporary art, art of
other cultures, and the world around them.
Computer Education
and PLTW (Mrs. Sandra Castellano, Mrs. Meaghan Podgorski, Mrs. Jill Orsini)
During the ten week quarter, computer education and
PLTW (Project Lead the Way) courses give students a
foundation for exploring interests and achieving
success that can help them in a possible career and
college degree along with practical and useful skills for
their everyday lives. The real-life related experiences
and instruction are broadly based, leading to a wider
variety of future career options that they wouldn’t
have had an opportunity to know
about otherwise.
6th Grade:
Students will have the opportunity to
participate in:
1. Computer Science Discoveries - Students will focus
on creating authentic artifacts and engaging with
computer science while utilizing problem-solving
and computing as well as web development.
2. Design and Modeling - Students will focus on the
Engineering Design Process and 3D computer
drawing.
7th Grade:
Students will have the opportunity to participate in:
1. Computer Science for Innovators and Makers - Students will focus on using programming to
combine hardware design and software
development to create tangible and real life
projects based upon computer science concepts
and skills.
2. Scratch Encore - Students will explore coding using Scratch Encore curriculum. Scratch Encore is a unique computer science curriculum designed for students in 5th to 8th grade. Scratch is a visual programming language that allows students to create their own interactive stories, games, animations music, and art. As students design Scratch projects, they learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.
3. Green Architecture - Students will explore home
design software and creations.
8th Grade:
Students will have the opportunity
to participate in:
1. App Creator - Introduces students to the field of computer science and the concepts of computational thinking, through the creation of mobile apps. Students are challenged to be creative and innovative, as they collaboratively design and develop mobile solutions to engaging, authentic problems. Students experience the positive impact of the application of computer science to society as well as to other disciplines, particularly biomedical science.
2. Techquity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Students will focus on
the fundamental knowledge of Artificial
Intelligence and understanding AI's potential for
good and harm. AI features hands-on and computer
-based activities on AI concepts, ethical issues in
AI, creative expression using AI, and how AI
relates to the future in daily life and workplaces.
3. Automation and Robotics - Students will focus on
building VEX robots and using coding software to
operate the robots.
Discovery Language (Mrs. Amber Wilson, Ms. Brittany Csar, Ms. Leah Kim)
Discovery Language (Spanish for 6th grade/French for 7th grade) is a course that seeks to introduce learners to the language and culture of the people who speak the language. Students will use simple, high frequency, practiced and memorized words and vocabulary phrases from topics that may include greetings, numbers, days, months, weather, colors, clothing, and foods to interact with the instructor and other students as well as derive meaning from written text and spoken language. They will also develop an appreciation for the cultures, and social manners and mores of the diverse and global Francophone or Hispanophone communities. This course is intended to introduce students to a new language and is NOT a requirement for enrolling in a level 1 course. Students may have discovery language on their schedule as part of the randomly selected Unified Arts rotation in 6th or 7th grade.
BAMS is excited to offer Level 1 Spanish or French language study to all 8th grade students. Level 1 language is an introductory course with a strong emphasis placed on acquiring vocabulary, basic grammar structures, and cultural information about the global population of speakers. Students will begin to become comfortable listening, reading, speaking, and writing in the target language. Students will be assessed in three different modes of communication: interpersonal, presentational, and interpretive. By the end of this course, students will reach the “novice-mid” proficiency level (MSDE World Language Readiness Standards)
Level 1 language study is a high school level course and successful completion will earn students a high-school credit as well as eligibility to enter level 2 language in 9th grade.
The world language teachers include:
Brittany Csar (Spanish 1 for 8th graders)
Leah Kim (Discovery Spanish for 6th graders / Spanish 1 for 8th graders)
Amber Wilson (Discovery French for 7th graders / French 1 for 8th graders)
Health (Mrs. Erin Grad, Mrs. Kathy Deyesu)
Health Education is an integral part of the school curriculum that focuses on promoting skill development, attitudes, and behaviors. This helps to enable students to make responsible decisions regarding their health and wellness. Students will learn the following health skills throughout their middle school experience:
6th Grade:
Analyzing Influences and Goal Setting
7th Grade:
Interpersonal Communication and Decision Making
8th Grade:
Self-Management and Advocacy
Kathryn Deyesu
Unified Arts Department Chair