The Art of Expression at Fairview Middle
The Related Arts program at Fairview Middle is very diverse. Students have the opportunity to work with knowledgeable faculty to engage in remarkable pieces of art, high quality musical performances, captivating theater productions, exploring technology, and improve and maintain their physical fitness. Many of the students involved in these programs have had their work recognized and honored with state and local awards. Students are encouraged to explore their interest in the many areas shown below.
Art
6th Grade–Exploration
During the 9 week art rotation, students will work with several art media. We begin with still-life drawing to build confidence and observational skills. Color theory and painting follow with a project that connects to art history. A favorite of all 6th graders is the clay project related to one of their social studies units to help them make deeper connections in content (interdisciplinary connections.) Students follow up their works with written reflections.
7th Grade–Methods & Techniques
As students grow older, they have a greater desire to learn how to make something look “real” in art. Students walk away from this 9 weeks rotation with a greater understanding of these skills with value & shading in drawing, 1 point perspective, as well as the major color concept that nothing is ever one color but rather made up of many colors. Students put individual expression to their work as they paint and sculpt with clay. Students follow up their works with written reflections.
8th Grade–Personal Style
Students begin to understand what it means to develop a style as they spend a semester in this art rotation. Skilled drawing is explored with a thoughtful connection to self, pen & ink methods are developed, Pop Art is experienced through sculpting, and realistic drawing skills are developed with portraits. A mixed-media art piece is created with an interdisciplinary connection to English/ language arts and history. Students follow up their works with written reflections, artist statements and participate in art critiques.
Band
6th Grade Band
Students who are interested in learning a band instrument should join this class their sixth grade year. It is a year-long course that begins with choosing one instrument (with the help of the instructor) to focus on through their band career. Students will learn how to read treble and bass clef, as well as basic rhythms and musical notations. Students will play instruments every day in class and are expected to take instruments home to practice for best results. The 6th grade band will perform three times throughout the course of the year.
7th Grade Band
This course if offered to 7th grade students who were in 6th grade band the previous year or transferred from another band. Students will learn more advanced rhythms, notes, and musical concepts. Students will play instruments every day in class and are expected to take instruments home to practice for best results. 7th grade band will perform at three concerts throughout the year and will be invited to audition for MidState Band through the Middle Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association. Select students may also be selected to perform with the Williamson County Honor Band during quarter three.
***Any student wishing to join band without the requirements listed must get permission from the instructor before signing up for the course. If a student wishes to change instruments, that must be recommended from the instructor.***
8th Grade Band
This course is offered to 8th grade students who have two previous years of band instruction. Students will learn the most advanced rhythms, notes, and musical concepts for the middle school level. Students will play instruments every day in class and are expected to take instruments home to practice for best results. Students will also learn the fundamentals of marching in preparation for high school band. 8th grade band will perform at three concerts throughout the year, and in the Middle Tennessee State Band and Orchestra Association’s Concert Performance Assessment in the spring. These students will also be invited to audition for MidState Band through the Middle Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association. The 8th grade Band and Orchestra groups travel to Kentucky Kingdom together toward the end of the school year.
***Any student wishing to join band without the requirements listed must get permission from the instructor before signing up for the course. If a student wishes to change instruments, that must be recommended from the instructor.***
College, Career, and Technical Education (CCTE)
6th Grade Computer Science
Introduction into Computational Thinking and Programming is a 9-week course intended to provide students with exposure to various programming and digital literacy. This course is required to meet the Tennessee computer science requirement for middle school students. It is currently only being offered during a student's 6th grade year. The course meets the six core concepts as defined by the State of Tennessee. The core concepts are Foundational Concepts, Data & Analysis, Algorithmic Thinking, Networking & the Internet, Programming Concepts, & Impacts of Computing.
7th and 8th Grade Career Exploration
The purpose of Career Exploration is to help bridge the gap between the middle school and high school CCTE (College, Career, and Technical Education) programs of study. With a heavy emphasis on hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) projects, this course will help students with their high school CCTE courses, along with giving them the information and confidence necessary to increase their hirability once they begin their job search after high school.
Drama
Theatre I
The goal of 6th Grade Theatre I is to prepare students for the next level of theatre and help them gain confidence for 7th grade Theatre II and 8th Grade Advanced Acting. The skills students will have an opportunity to learn include: building confidence through performance, memorization, collaboration, reading comprehension and written expression. This semester long class will focus on the following specific areas:
- Develop character through games, performances and activities.
- Describe the relationship between theatre and society within a given time period.
- Creating character by replicating dialogue, movements and facial expressions of another person/object.
- Improvisation
- Develop memorization skills and further extend their reading comprehension.
- Write original scripts for in-class puppet performances.
- Creating hand props/puppets.
- Perform memorized monologues for in-class performances.
- Demonstrate proper audience etiquette.
Theatre II
The goal of 7th Grade Theatre II is to prepare students for the next level of theatre and help them gain confidence for 8th grade Advanced Acting and beyond. The skills students will have an opportunity to learn include: building confidence through performance, memorization, collaboration, reading comprehension and written expression. This semester long class will focus on the following specific areas:
- Develop character through games, performances and activities.
- Describe ways in which a selected art form is used in theatre.
- Demonstrate improvisation skills.
- Develop memorization skills and further extend their reading comprehension.
- Showing a character's emotion through the use of facial expressions.
- Demonstrate proper audience etiquette.
Advanced Acting
The goal of 8th Grade Advanced Acting is to prepare students for the next level of theatre and help them gain confidence for high school courses and beyond. The skills students will have an opportunity to learn include: building confidence through performance, memorization, collaboration, reading comprehension and written expression. This semester long class will focus on the following specific areas:
- Develop character through games, performances and activities.
- Write original scripts for in-class performances.
- Determine the needs and design the technical elements of scene.
- Collaborate with others to create a scripted scene.
- Develop memorization skills and further extend their reading comprehension.
- Learn the importance of set, make-up and costume design.
- Examine various art forms used in theatre (dance, music, stage combat)
- Demonstrate proper audience etiquette.
Music
Orchestra
Sixth Grade Orchestra
Students who are interested in learning an orchestra instrument should join this class their sixth grade year. It is a year-long course that begins with choosing one instrument (with the help of the instructor) to focus on through their orchestra career. Students will learn how to read treble, alto, and bass clefs, as well as basic rhythms and musical notations. Students will play instruments every day in class and are expected to take instruments home to practice for best results. The 6th grade orchestra will perform several times throughout the course of the year.
Seventh Grade Orchestra
This course if offered to 7th grade students who were in 6th grade orchestra the previous year, have had private instruction, or transferred from another orchestra. Students will learn more advanced rhythms, notes, and musical concepts. Students will play instruments every day in class and are expected to take instruments home to practice for best results. 7th grade orchestra will perform several times throughout the course of the year. Students in 7th grade also have the opportunity to audition for state and regional ensembles.
Eighth Grade Orchestra
This course is offered to 8th grade students who have two previous years of orchestra instruction. Students will learn the most advanced rhythms, notes, and musical concepts for the middle school level. Students will play instruments every day in class and are expected to take instruments home to practice for best results. 8th grade orchestra will perform several times throughout the course of the year. Students in 8th grade also have the opportunity to audition for state and regional ensembles.
***Any student wishing to join orchestra without the requirements listed must get permission from the instructor before signing up for the course. If a student wishes to change instruments, that must be recommended from the instructor.***
Physical Education
Physical Education
In Physical Education class, students will participate in individual and team sports along with lifetime wellness activities. Students will learn team and individual strategies/skills for the following sports... Volleyball, Football, Jump Rope, Disc It, Tennis and others.
Physical Education class also includes daily fitness activities designed to train/practice the Skill Related and Health Related Fitness components.
Various Timed Runs are performed, weather permitting, at the Fairview High School track, in addition to the Fitnessgram PACER test and various Shuttle Runs in the FMS gym.