Connections

In the AgSTEM classes, students will explore a variety of topics and even get their hands dirty in our outdoor garden. Using our in class grow labs, students learn about agriculture and plant growth cycles. Students will study frog anatomy through dissection. AgSTEM students also track the growth and care for a small flock of chickens.

With an enrollment of 800 students, McConnell Middle School's music performance ensembles are an integral part of our school's culture. Our ensembles host semi-annual Fine Arts Festivals that welcome the community into our school.  Small ensembles perform for special activities and sporting events throughout the school year. Student musicians audition and perform in district and state level honors ensembles.

In our Business Education classes, students have the opportunity to learn how to apply skills to make them highly employable in their future. The following classes are offered to McConnell students:

• 6th Grade: Foundations of Business Administration
  • Students will develop employability skills, understand technology concepts, practice digital citizenship, enhance learning and creativity with software, apply effective business communication, create a positive business image, and engage in student organizations for leadership and service.
• 7th Grade: Exploring Marketing Education
  • Students will develop employability skills, understand and apply marketing concepts, explore the functions of marketing, create new products, enhance communication and promotion skills, develop leadership abilities through DECA, and build a career portfolio.
• 8th Grade: Foundations of Investing and Finance
  • Students will develop employability skills, understand banking and financial services, set personal financial goals, apply accounting procedures, explore the free enterprise system, investigate FinTech trends, and engage in student organizations for leadership and service.

In our Computer Science classes, students have the opportunity to learn variety of skills for future careers. The following classes are provided at McConnell:

• 6th Grade: Foundations of Computer Programming
  • Students will develop essential employability skills, understand basic computing and programming, apply computational thinking, design and debug computer programs, explore the relationship between hardware and software, and create digital artifacts to address current issues.
• 7th Grade: Foundations of Secure Information Systems
  • Students will develop employability skills, understand computer and network components, apply computational thinking, explore networks and the OSI model, learn cybersecurity basics and applications, analyze digital citizenship and ethics, and design and debug computer programs.
• 8th Grade: Foundations of Interactive Design
  • Students will develop employability skills, create and design websites and digital products, plan and build games, understand visual modeling, test and debug web and game projects, and design and execute computer programs.

Family & Consumer Science covers a wide range of topics essential for personal and professional development. Students will gain employability skills, explore leadership through student organizations, and apply principles of nutrition, culinary arts, fashion, and interior design. Additionally, the course delves into early childhood education, teaching, finance, and consumer behavior, providing a holistic approach to understanding the factors influencing individual and family decisions.

In health, students learn how to live healthy lifestyles and reduce their risks for unhealthy behaviors. Additionally, age-appropriate instruction regarding safety, personal health and wellness, mental and emotional health, healthy eating, alcohol and other drugs, tobacco, violence prevention and human growth and anatomy will be implemented.  Participation in health and physical education is an integral and inseparable part of the K-12 educational experience. 

Journalism students will develop skills in writing, editing, and reporting for various journalism purposes, while understanding and practicing ethical reporting. They will also learn to use technology for production, plan and conduct interviews, and explore career opportunities in journalism.

The Junior Leadership Corps (JLC) program influences students to be motivated to achieve their academic goals and to be successful, productive leaders who make a difference in their communities. Lessons include: time and money management, goal setting, healthy relationships, working with groups, health and physical fitness, community service initiatives, and leadership in a diverse world.

Media Arts students learn to generate, develop, and refine artistic ideas, and present and interpret artistic work. They will also analyze and evaluate art, and connect artistic concepts with societal, cultural, and historical contexts to deepen their understanding and personal expression.

Students in Music Technology will generate, develop, and refine musical ideas, and perform varied musical works with technical accuracy and expressive interpretation. They will also analyze and evaluate music, and connect musical concepts to personal experiences and broader contexts to deepen their understanding.

Physical education emphasizes skill-development, physical activity, health and skill-related fitness components, and lifetime enjoyment for being actively engaged in physical activity.  In physical education, students will learn how to participate in a variety of activities and game-like situations which focus on various motor and manipulative skills, movement concepts, physical fitness, personal and social responsibility, self expression, safety, and enjoyment. By the end of high school, students will be college and career ready to demonstrate and describe key concepts associated with successful participation in physical activity for a lifetime. Students will be able to plan and implement different types of personal fitness programs; participate in lifetime activities; and model responsible behaviors while engaged in physical activity.

In Theater Arts, students will organize, design, and refine theatrical work, develop scripts, and perform roles while incorporating technical elements into productions. They will also engage as audience members, critique theatre, and explore the connections between theatre, life experiences, careers, and societal contexts.

McConnell Middle School offers two languages: French and Spanish. In the 6th grade, students may be randomly assigned to French or Spanish Connections. This introductory course lasts one semester. In the 7th and 8th grades, the language classes are the equivalent to the Level 1 program offered at GCPS high schools. To participate, students must apply and be selected for the class. Upon successful completion of the program, students will earn on Carnegie unit or high school credit. 
To apply for the Level 1 course, students will be invited to complete and submit an application during the 6th grade. Students that are selected will begin in August of the 7th grade and complete the course in May of the 8th grade. 
If you are interested in learning more about our Level 1 language program, please watch this video.
Level 1 Application for Rising 7th Grade Students

In Visual Arts, students exercise their skills and creativity through traditional visual art process involving drawing, painting, and sculpture. Students explore and discuss the works of artists from the past and learn why art is important in the world.