LACHSA  |  ELECTIVES

CINEMATIC ARTS ELECTIVE

Media Production 101 combines theory and hands-on practice with the goal of building foundational production skills. In this class, students will create several short form productions while honing basic skills of visual story telling. Students will learn methods and techniques to aid them in transforming written words into motion pictures. This course is designed to teach students fundamental and technical skills of single camera, digital cinema production. This will include script analysis, storytelling and inspiration methods, script and shot list breakdowns, directing actors, camera angles, exploration of light, color, and sound, and editing/post-production techniques.

CINEMATIC ARTS ELECTIVE

Advanced Media Production is a production lab in which students work to produce individual and group projects. Students will receive on-the-job training throughout the duration of their narrative projects, such as the “silent film” and the “short narrative”. Throughout the course, students will enhance technical skills in the areas of: screenwriting techniques, visual storytelling (storyboards), lighting, audio, shot composition, sound design, and editing.  Students will learn hard skills necessary to obtain production jobs in the media production industry, including, but not limited to: producer, director, art director, camera operator, assistant camera, audio technician, director of photography, script supervisor, and editor.

VISUAL ARTS ELECTIVE

Students work under the guidance of a faculty advisor to plan and create the student yearbook. The yearbook course offers students total involvement in the production of the school yearbook. Activities include: advertising, layout planning, photography, copy writing, and proofing. Students enrolled in yearbook complete various spreads and assignments and copy edit. They master advanced layout and design of desktop publishing, digital imagery and photo placement.

MUSIC ELECTIVE

This course focuses on teaching non-piano majors basic piano skills. Students work at their own pace in a workshop setting. The course is designed to teach the concepts and fundamentals needed to perform on the piano. It will increase musical understanding beyond just reading notes by teaching students a vocabulary of chords and keys, accompaniment patterns, and improvisational techniques. 

CINEMATIC ARTS

This course focuses on teaching non-piano majors intermediate piano skills.  Students work at their own pace in a workshop setting. Students will continue working on fundamentals learned in Basic Piano.  Students will develop good practice habits and learn techniques to increase the muscular agility and flexibility of their hands. We will delve into music at its source, find out how music is constructed, and discover the composers and history behind the music. PREREQUISITE: Must complete Beginning Piano.

THEATRE ELECTIVE

Musical Theatre Production is open to students in all Arts Departments Grades 10-12. The Musical Theatre Department presents two musicals a year, one in December and one in May. The Musical Theatre Production class is interdisciplinary and integrates Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts and Cinematic Arts. Each semester culminates in a fully staged production. Acceptance into the Musical Theatre Production is based on auditions held on a show-by-show basis. All LACHSA students are eligible to audition, with the exception of 9th grade students. Students accepted into the Musical Theatre Production Class must enroll in the class for both periods 5 and 6. Also, additional weekend rehearsals may be required. NOTE: This course does not count toward the credits required for Physical Education. PREREQUISITE: Audition required.

GENERAL ELECTIVE

This class will offer a space for supplemental learning in areas such as social-emotional learning, digital citizenship/safe use of social media, health and life skills, testing, college readiness and applications, SAT/ACT test prep, announcements, presentations, assemblies, and more. This mandatory course for 9th and 10th grade students allows for time dedicated for all of the above.  An advisory teacher will track homework, help students stay organized, and provide additional supports. Time may be allotted for study and homework, as in a study hall.

GENERAL ELECTIVE

A quiet supervised time on campus for students to work on course work. 

GENERAL ELECTIVE

Home Study allows Junior and Senior students in good standing to have an independent study hall period at home prior to the start of their school day. During this time, students must remain off campus. Parents and students are required to sign the home study contract and return it during Summer Registration in August. 

GENERAL ELECTIVE

This course emphasizes and supports the development of leadership skills and habits by providing opportunities for students to plan, coordinate, and implement school activities. Student body officers, arts department representatives, and student reps to SDMC assume significant leadership roles in the school community. PREREQUISITE: Students must be elected into an ASB position to join this class.

GENERAL ELECTIVE

Encompass is an elective class offered through a community partnership between LACHSA and Encompass. Encompass is a non-profit organization that uses the arts and facilitated dialogue to reduce prejudice and conflict among youth. The instructors are ENCOMPASS staff members. Service learning combines community service with classroom instruction, engaging students in critical, reflective thinking and encouraging personal and civic responsibility. The primary service project uses live theater to train teachers and administrators. Training topics include racial-bias, gender-bias and homophobia in the classroom. Other projects involve creating educational videos and using improvisational theater to train students in conflict resolution. The class is open to juniors and seniors who are skilled in acting, visual arts and/or filmmaking and are interested in exploring the issues Encompass addresses. Open to all majors. NOTE: Community Service Credit is awarded upon course competition. PREREQUISITE: Audition and interview required.

ENGLISH ELECTIVE

Students in this course will explore different genres, classic archetypal themes, and a variety of forms of story telling, including the short story, script for theater or screen, graphic novel, narrative ballet, vignette, and creative essay. Tools for discovering original ideas, crafting strong plots, creating convincing characters and lively dialogue, employing tension, building vivid fictional worlds and getting past writers block will also be covered. Imagination and creative expression will be emphasized, as well as the poetic nature of language and the steps of the writing and editing process. Students in the course will learn the methods of publication for literary works and apply these to the submission of their own work for publication in the school’s literary magazine, The Works. LINK: LACHSA's 2020 Literary Magazine "The Works: Artists in the Time of Coronavirus"

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