Below are MTDA’s middle school course offerings as well as a checklist for parents to help decide if MTDA is a good fit. All enrollment into MTDA comes through your local public school so if you are interested your first call is to your local public school to determine access.
Current Offerings:
Middle School 2D Art
Course Length: One-semester course Course Description: Close your eyes and imagine you’re standing in an art studio—the smell of paint, the heat of the kiln, and the infinite creative possibilities that linger in the air. This is where art is born, and in 2D Studio Art, you’ll learn how to bring your art visions to life. Whatever
Middle School English Language Arts Grade 6
Course Length: Two Semesters Course Description: Through a study of myths, fables, and folk tales from different cultures—as well as novels and other modern forms of narrative, students learn the elements common to all forms of literature and also the elements that are unique to each form. In lessons focused on writing and language study,
Middle School English Language Arts Grade 7
Course Length: Two semesters Course Description: Through analysis of written, spoken, and multimedia texts, students will become more critical consumers of information and of various forms of media. They will also synthesize and organize ideas to prepare structured essays in several different modes, including narrative, persuasive, and expository. Each lesson will guide students in learning
Middle School English Language Arts Grade 8
Course Length: two semesters Course Description: During the first semester of this year-long course, students will read and analyze various kinds of written texts, include novels and short fiction, informational texts representing a wide range of topics and forms, and several one-act plays. Lessons in Semester A will also guide students in writing their own
Middle School Exploring Health Science
Course Length: One-semester Course Description: Where do healthcare workers spend their days? What do they really do? From cruise ships to sports arenas, you can find healthcare workers in many places that you might not expect. Explore this field, including what it would be like to work in a medical lab. Learn what it takes
Middle School Exploring Music
Course Length: One-semester Course Description: What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘music’? Do you think about your favorite band or artist? In this course, you’ll learn about how we hear music; how music affects our lives; essential elements of music like rhythm, pitch, and harmony; different musical genres; singing and your voice;
Middle School French
Course Length: One-semester course Course Description: Middle School French teaches foundational language skills designed to introduce students to French language and culture, and to prepare students for high school language courses. Students learn pronunciation, useful communicative expressions, an introduction to verb conjugation and the principles of gender agreement. Weekly topics include greetings, numbers, age, calendar,
Middle School Health
Course Length: One-semester Course Description: Middle School Health aids students in creating a foundation of personal health. Beginning with properly defining health, this course then builds upon basic health practices to emphasize the importance of balance. Attention is given to each of the six dimensions of wellness; namely, physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental.
Middle School Indigenous Studies
Course Length: One-semester course Course Description: In this course, students will learn about the 12 tribes of Montana. Each unit includes a little history, culture and contemporary information about tribes, and some units have a taste of Indigenous language. It’s a great way to learn about the first people of our state! Prerequisites: None Course
Middle School Math Grade 6
Course Length: two semesters Course Description: Students begin the first semester of this course with a review of basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers. More complex concepts are built on these basics. Students learn how to add, subtract multiply and divide integers, decimals and fractions. The course also includes lessons on ratios
Middle School Math Grade 7
Course Length: two semesters Course Description: In this first semester of grade 7 math online course, students work with problem-solving skills, beginning algebra skills, geometry, decimals, fractions, data analysis, number theory and patterns, percents, and integer use. Projects measure the student’s ability to integrate and apply the course objectives. In this continuation of the first
Middle School Math Grade 8
Course Length: two semesters Course Description: The first semester of grade 8 Math online course will help students move from the world of simple mathematics to the exciting world of Algebra and Geometry and will provide them with a concrete understanding of the basics for algebraic thinking. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the
Middle School Science Grade 6 Life Science
Course Length: two semesters Course Description: Life Science is the study of cells, heredity, biological populations and their changes over time. It includes human biology, ecology, diversity of organisms and the history and nature of science. In this course, students will have the opportunity to conduct and design experiments, identify and classify organisms. Students will
Middle School Science Grade 7 Earth Science
Course Length: Two semesters Course Description: In the first semester students will learn about the scientific method and hone their understanding of using scientific measurements to Earth and Space Science. Also included are lessons on Earth maps and globes including detailed instruction on how to find specific locations using latitude and longitude. Students will learn
Middle School Science Grade 8 Physical Science
COURSE LENGTH: two semesters COURSE DESCRIPTION: Physical Science Grade 8 is an introduction to the Physical Sciences and scientific methodology. The objectives are to impart a basic knowledge of the physical properties and chemistry of matter. Skills are developed in the classroom, and reinforced through homework reading, and interesting labs that relate to everyday life.
Middle School Scratch Coding
Course Length: One-semester Course Description: Scratch is a program developed by MIT teaching students the basics on how computers think! This program will introduce students to real coding programs and allow them to drag and drop coding blocks creating a fully functional program. The simple user interface and tutorials allow students to quickly create and
Middle School Social Studies Grade 6 Ancient World
Course Length: two semesters Course Description: The first semester of Social Studies 6 introduces students to the beginnings of ancient civilization. We will trace the path of human origins in Africa and follow the path of migration around the Earth. This course will help students understand why we study history and the process in which
Middle School Social Studies Grade 7 US History
Course Length: two semesters Course Description: This study of the history of the United States emphasizes how ideas, events, and philosophies have shaped the nation. Students will learn about America’s past while mastering the skills of historical interpretation. Study begins with the earliest arrivals of people and ends with the conclusion of the Civil War.
Middle School Social Studies Grade 8 Government and Civics
Course Length: Two semesters Course Description: In this course, students will understand the significance of government, law, and politics. They will examine the United States foundational documents and how they shaped the United States government. Students will examine the purposes and functions of federal and state government, law, and political systems. Learners will evaluate their
Middle School Spanish
Course Length: One-semester course Course Description: Middle School Spanish teaches foundational language skills designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of the Spanish language and to prepare students for high school language courses. Students learn pronunciation, useful communicative expressions, an introduction to verb conjugation, and the principles of gender agreement – all through weekly topics