Programs

GATE

The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program at Granada is designed to provide students with appropriately challenging learning experiences and to assist them with the achievement of academic excellence.  This is accomplished through maintaining academic rigor in each classroom as well as through our honors and enriched classes in both Language Arts and Mathematics.

 

Honors Classes

Along with the standard coursework, we offer both Honors Language Arts and Honors (Accelerated & Enriched) Mathematics at all three grade levels.  We rely on a number of measures to identify students for placement into these programs including: SBAC scores, teacher recommendation, and district benchmark results.  

 

ASB Cabinet

This elected student-led group on campus, made up of highly motivated 7^th and 8^th grade student leaders who care about our school, represents the entire Associated Student Body and works to create a fun and interactive environment for all students as they attend middle school. Making up just half of our extensive Leadership Program at Granada (along with the INSPIRE Mentors Program), ASB is responsible for putting together a variety of traditional school events and activities such as dress-up days, dances, spirit rallies, and theme weeks and play an integral role in approving and allocating funds collected by the student body and campus clubs and organizations.

ASB is an excellent group to join to strengthen leadership skills and build confidence. It is for those who believe themselves to be role models for other students and for those who want to make a difference during their years here at Granada Middle School. General ASB elections and application process for the following school year begin in February/March.

 

INSPIRE Mentors Program

The INSPIRE Mentors Program – Inspiring New Students with Purpose, Involvement, Responsibility, and Encouragement – makes up the second half of our Leadership Program at Granada (along with our ASB Cabinet) and focuses on helping 6th graders transition into middle school as well as helping to bridge the gap between all grade levels through the introduction of such programs as the Olweus Anti-Bullying Program, Kindness Matters Campaign, #iCANHELP Delete Negativity on Social Media Campaign, and the DUDE. be nice Project. These 7^th and 8^th grade students act as mentors to the newest students on our campus and work to plan meaningful events and activities that focus on kindness, wellness, and bettering our overall school culture and climate.

INSPIRE Mentors are highly regarded by their teachers and peers and exhibit true leadership – the kind that exists when no one is watching. General INSPIRE elections and application process for the following school year begin in February/March.

 

6^th Grade Wheel Electives

Our 6^th graders have the opportunity to survey a variety of topics in the quarter-long wheel of electives.  They explore technology, STEM, leadership, and art with the goal of expanding their knowledge in these areas and piquing their interest.  Our newest addition, Intro to Leadership, will give our students the opportunity to explore leadership styles and skills, how leadership is shown in a variety of careers, the creation of a lesson for their fellow classmates, and application of what they've learned in a project that benefits the school.

 

Physical Education

Students at Granada will develop their physical fitness by participating in cardiovascular activities, flexibility exercises, sports units, strength training and wellness education. All Activities emphasize the importance of daily exercise, social skills, sportsmanship, teamwork, cooperation and the enjoyment of physical activity.  Some of the activities include:  Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Bocce, Boxing, Capture the Flag, Cardio/Core Workouts, Circus Skills, Cricket, Cooperative Games, Dance, Dodgeball, Fitness Circuits, Flag Football, Floor Hockey, Frisbee Games, Golf, Gymnastics/Tumbling, Lacrosse, Melon ball, PaddleTennis, Nutrition, Rugby, Soccer, Socci, Softball, Speedminton, Spin Cycles, Tchoukbal and Track & Field.

Visual Arts

In the art room, students create hands on projects that are tied to an artist (for ex. Keith Haring) or art movement (for ex. pop art) while at the same time exploring a different media with each project. The different media include; pencil, colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolors, three-dimensional sculptures, tempera paint, metal embossing, collage, soft pastels, printmaking, scratchboard and mixed media. The art curriculum is new every year so that returning students are exposed to new artists and medias. To see what we are up to check us out on facebook.com/mrswillesartroom and on our http://mrswillesartroom.blogspot.com/.

 

Ceramics

 

Video Production Elective

Granada Video Production creates a weekly Matador TV Show for our students. Matador TV showcases weekly happenings at Granada and important information. Students are introduced to the art of storytelling, journalism, and script writing through the use of video media. Students learn the basics of filming regarding digital, audio, and video camera usage. Students also create their own graphic designs and backdrops utilizing their Google Drive. 

 

Spanish 1 

This year long elective course aims to expose students to the beautiful Spanish language. Taking a fun and interactive approach where students drive the learning enables students to practice the language within the comforts of their own classroom. This course focuses on the basics of the Spanish language stemming from the essential elements of language acquisition: 1) Vocabulary, 2) Exposure, 3) Repetition, and 3) Practice. Students will not only learn the basics of vocabulary using a variety of educational tools (especially catchy songs and video clips) and interactive experiences, but they will also be exposed to the vast array of cultures and traditions set forth by different Spanish-speaking countries from around the world! 

 

Yearbook

Yearbook is a yearlong elective in which students produce the Granada Middle School yearbook. In this class students will develop skills in page design, copy writing, editing and digital photography all while producing a creative yearbook which records school memories and events. Students also gain valuable real world skills in time management, marketing, teamwork and design principles. In order to be considered for yearbook an application must be submitted. Students must be willing and available to take pictures at on-campus activities both during and after school.

 

Technology

Technology is a year long elective in which students learn valuable 21^st century skills through computer programming, aka coding. Utilizing resources from Code.org, Scratch, Khan Academy, or other various digital curriculum's, students gain a solid foundation in computational thinking and programming logic. Students will begin using Blockly to create programs in animations, stories, and games and eventually move up to JavaScript.

 

Robotics

This is a beginning course in robotics. The objective of this course is to introduce the student to basic programming as well as problem solving strategies. This course will involve students in the development, building and programming of a robot. Students will work hands-on in teams to design, build, program and document their progress. Topics may include motor control, gear ratios, torque, friction, sensors, timing, program loops, logic gates, decision-making, timing sequences, propulsion systems and binary number systems. Student designed robots will be programmed to complete a variety of tasks.

 

After-school & Lunch Clubs

At our school, we are dedicated to enriching the educational experience beyond regular classroom hours by offering a variety of after-school and lunchtime clubs tailored specifically for our students. These clubs cater to diverse interests and passions, ranging from STEM activities like robotics and to creative pursuits such as arts and crafts. We believe in providing a nurturing environment where students can explore new talents, develop leadership skills, and forge friendships with peers who share similar interests. Our goal is to foster a well-rounded educational experience that not only enhances academic learning but also encourages personal growth and a sense of community among our students.

 

After-school Sports

Our students have the opportunity to try-out for our after-school sports teams.  These are teams that compete against other middle schools in the area in the following sports: Fall – Flag Football & Volleyball, Winter – Boys Basketball & Girls Soccer, Spring – Girls Basketball & Boys Soccer.