Elective Course Descriptions

At The Sterling Hall School, one of our innovative curricular programs is the Grade 6-8 Electives Program. In the Elective Inquiry program, boys have the opportunity to explore an area of personal interest, using the five-step Inquiry process – Wonder, Plan, Seek, Analyze, and Defend. Grade 6-8 students share small multi-grade classes, with teachers who also have a deep interest in the subject matter.

Photography & Media Arts

Students in this Elective will learn the basics of photography as well as the use of technology as a creative tool, taking the still photograph beyond its limitations.  Starting with the basics of photography, building up to photo manipulation, digital editing, computer graphics, animation and filmmaking, technology is pushed to its limit by the students to create artistic pieces that reflect their ideas. Discovery of the many techniques will allow students to analyze and interpret media arts pieces and to plan and create pieces of their own.

Mathemagician Society              

As Mathemagicians, these students will uncover a series of strategic puzzles, games, magic tricks and math contests.  The content of our work together is generated by the boys, and they are lead to consider the imaginative complexity in their suggested ideas.

Novel Writers                                         

The Novel Writing elective will unleash the participants’ inner storyteller. Class time will be shared between novel writing skills and strategies and actual focused writing time. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in the exciting National Novel Writing Month Young Writers Program during the month of November. We will work through all the stages from outlining, drafting, writing, and finally editing our novels.

Animation Elective

Animation Elective will introduce the students to tools and skills needed to create two and three-dimensional digital animation. By highlighting basic shooting methodology, storyboard, action and movement; students will create visual stories through the means of stop motion computer program. Students will explore different animation techniques and combine sequences to create finished story.

Music Performance and Improvisation            

The Music Performance and Improvisation Elective is designed for students with an interest in additional performance opportunities.  Performers will be expected to collaborate and provide personal input into music selection and style.  Particular emphasis will be placed on improvisation and soloistic expression.

Robotics                           

Robotics teaches students how to build robots. By immersing students in design, construction, and computer skills, they will be making their own robots. Some robots may be entered in competitions. Students will work as apprentices at first, but then quickly take the lead on their robotic designs. The students will complete an inquiry about “What do robotics engineers do?”

Virtual Reality Programming    

This is a technology-based computer-programming course where students will use several pieces of software including NLVM, Scratch, and Alice to create virtual worlds, tell stories and create games.

Yearbook Design                        

Yearbook Design teaches students about planning, gathering, synthesizing, and presenting a publication of photographic and textual images. Students will learn what it takes to become an effective yearbook editor. They will be responsible for making decisions and building material for the pages of our 08/09 SHS Yearbook.

High Performance Sport Elective

This elective is for the serious, competitive athlete interested in actively pursuing and planning a program to better their athletic performance in sport. Through sport specific training and coaching, learning and understanding the concepts of exercise physiology, biomechanics and mental preparation, student athletes will begin attaining a better awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses. As well, students will formalize strategies to prepare for and pursue their athletic goals. It is recommended that students participate in their sport(s) outside of school and have a coach to help with determining practice and training plans.

Drama                                       

Students in Drama elective have the opportunity to learn about many types of theatre. They will be introduced to drama fundamentals such as mime, improv, Shakespearean text, and theatre of the absurd, but will also have the opportunity to inquire into areas of personal interest. The emphasis is on creating and performing.

Taking IT Global

This elective will empower teachers and students to work together in a collaborative environment using the Internet and other new communications technologies (web 2.0).  As 'critical consumers of information' the boys will take advantage of on-line school linkages to engage in meaningful educational projects with peers in their countries and around the world.

Business            

What makes a business successful?  Business leaders face all kinds of problems: Should they go global or stay local?  Should they go online or create physical stores?  Is it better to sell stuff cheap or make high-quality products?   Is business just about making money or is it also about social responsibility?  The most successful businesses are the ones that can solve these kinds of problems in new and innovative ways.  In this elective, we will be examining the problems that business leaders face and learning strategies for solving them.  In small teams, you will be challenged to apply your learning and run your own simulated business throughout the year.   An expert instructor from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto will be joining us all year to pass on problem-solving tools from the business school.