Considering Honors Classes?

The Honors program is for students who have demonstrated high achievement in a specific area of academic strength.

Students should be committed to rigorous academic work.

 FCPS encourages students to take at least one Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course before graduating from high school. 

Honors classes in middle school help prepare our students for challenging classes in high school.

Displays a genuine interest and a willingness to learn in the specific subject area(s).Demonstrates emerging autonomy and independence, especially in completing class assignments and fulfilling course expectations.Read on or above grade level.Takes initiative to locate and research answers to their own questions in order to learn and solve problems.Shows strength in using evidence and information to support and defend ideas

Developing Skills for Honors

What This Looks Like in the Classroom

Essential/Expected (Gen Ed)

Extension (Honors)

• Teacher provides texts with various patterns. Students identify patterns and provide evidence.

• Students analyze author’s purpose for choosing each pattern.

• Students take a piece of their own writing and determine the purpose.

• Students choose an appropriate pattern and make revisions to their writing.

• Students describe the impact of the pattern on the reader’s comprehension.

• Students bring in a text of their choice in which they have identified the pattern.

• Students rewrite the text in a different organizational pattern.

• Students evaluate the effectiveness of each pattern and determine the importance of information in each text.

• Content• Organized thematically in units where student are exposed to

both fiction and non-fiction texts simultaneously •

• Reading Requirements:3 texts in class (both fiction and non-fiction)

4 full-length texts out of class (Independently chosen with teacher approval)

• Writing Requirements:3 full-length essays (5 paragraphs each) using all of the

steps of the writing process:1. Planning 2. Drafting 3. Revising

4. Editing 5. Publishing

7th Grade English

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7th Grade English

Essential/Expected Extension

• Recognize organizational pattern to enhance comprehension, including:

• Cause and Effect• Compare/Contrast• Listing• Chronological• Process• Concept/Definition• Generalization

Modify the internal structure of a piece to change author’s purpose.

Analyze why multiple structures are used within one structured piece of writing.

7th Grade English English 7 English 7 Honors

Comfortable reading lexile level

Reading topics varied/student choice designed to engage reluctant readers

Established support and organizers in class for writing

Will do independent and group work but with supports and scaffolding

Homework is either review or extension of classwork

More challenging reading > or = to 7th grade lexile level – (Students should be on/above reading 7th grade lexile level.)

Reading topics designed to challenge the curious

Independent homework for writing – Quality, not just completeness

Homework often requires more analytical skills

During class, work is a bit more independent with students critically thinking with others about key questions or discoveries

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Teachers assist more directly in your learning.

Students enjoy deeper English study independently..

History 7▪ Geography▪ Reconstruction▪ Westward Movement▪ Immigration & Urbanization▪ Industrialization▪ Progressive Movement▪ Imperialism/Spanish American War▪ World War I▪ 1920s▪ Great Depression/New Deal▪ World War II▪ Cold War▪ Post Consumer Culture/Contemporary Issues▪ Civil Rights▪ Globalization

History 7 Cornell Notes: Honors vs. General Education

Geography Performance Assessment

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HONORS (Brochure) GENERAL (Stamp)

History 7 Essay Question Examples

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HONORS GENERAL

IV. Paragraph Writing (25 points): Using the information we have covered in this unit, write a paragraph to answer the question below. Make sure you write in complete sentence.

How did the lives of American Indians

change with westward expansion?

IV. Paragraph Writing (25 points): Write a paragraph to answer the question below. Use the following words in your response. Be sure to use them correctly. westward expansion settlers land Dawes Act reservation buffalo conflict How did the lives of American Indians

change with westward expansion?

Investigations in Environmental SciencesScience 7 builds on the experiences in the life sciences introduced to students in the upper elementary gradesTopics include: o Cellular structure & function o heredity o diversity o populations and ecosystems

Classes include structured inquiry based investigations labs

Science 7-Exploring Living Things

Unit – Cells 8 cell organelles & functionsCompare and contrast plant & animal cellsGiven analogy to match to cell organelle functionSlotted notes from video, reading, and direct instruction

General Education

Students explore all of the Gen Ed content with:Additional organelles (10) & functionsCreate analogy of each organelleNotes with structured outline from videos, reading, and direct instruction

Honors Class

Differentiated for Science 7 Honors Class

Differentiated for Science 7 Honors Class

Three 7th Grade Math OptionsMath 7• On Grade Level• Prepares

students for Pre-Algebra or Algebra I

• Takes Math 7 SOL

Math 7 HN• Pre-Algebra

(Math 8) Curriculum plus Honors Topics

• Prepares students for Algebra I or Algebra I Honors

• Takes Pre-Algebra SOL (Math 8)

Algebra I HN• Students must qualify

by (1) taking advanced math in 6th grade; (2) a score of 91% on the IAAT, and (3) scoring Passed Advanced on the Math 7 SOL

• Students take Geometry Honors as 8th graders

• Takes Algebra SOL

Portrait of a Math StudentMath 7

•Good mathematics skills

•Good organizational and study skills

•Math may not be their favorite subject

•More of a concrete thinker. Example: using a number line to add and subtract integers.

Math 7 HN• Likes math!• Very strong in mathematics

(will be skipping a full grade level of Math 7)

• Willingness to complete 30 minutes of math homework a night

• Strong organizational and study skills

• Able to think abstractly. Example: Why are there two solutions to this problem?

Algebra 1 HNLOVES math!• Excellent mathematics skills,

including basic computation facts

• Excellent organizational and study skills

• Willingness to complete 45 minutes of math homework a night

• Able to think abstractly, and communicate algebraically and in writing

• Willing and able to advocate for themselves

• Actually wants to take Algebra I HN

Math 7 or Math 7 HN?MATH 7 HONORS:

If your child takes Math 7 Honors, it is all Math 8.

Students are expected to have all Math 7 knowledge prior to starting this course. They

will be on track to take Algebra I HNS in 8th grade.

Some Math 7 concepts...:● Integer Operations● Proportional Reasoning● Two-Step Equations● Inequalities● Functions

MATH 7: If your child takes Math 7, then they are taking on grade level math.

FYI: If your child then decides to skip Math 8, they must teach themselves the following items to take Algebra as an 8th grader:● Multi-Step Equations● Two-Step Inequalities● Graphing Lines● Advanced Functions

Math 7 or Math 7 HNS?Things to consider:

•Remember your child can still go from Math 7 to Algebra in 8th grade

– Rushing into Math 7 HNS too early can cause frustration toward math

•Not sure if your child is ready?– Can your child take a released Math 7 SOL now

and Pass Advanced?•Our goal is to help your child grow a strong math background at their own level and pace

Math 7 or Math 7 HNS?

Comparison of 3 LevelsMath 7 Math 7 Honors

Answer has infinite solutions

Algebra Honors

Answer has one solution

Students learn Order of Operations in Math 7 that include negative numbers

Order of Operations with negative numbers is assumed prior knowledge, students start incorporating square roots, cubes, absolute value, and nesting

*Math 7 and PreAlgebra is assumed prior knowledge; students begin incorporating positive and negative cube roots

2(4x – 3) – 8 = 4 + 2x

Answer has one solution

The Big QuestionWhat class is your child socially and emotionally

ready for?

Honors courses require self advocacy, motivation to spend more time on homework, organizational

skills, and a solid work ethic.

Course selection subject to change based on middle school beginning of the year assessments. It is

imperative that your child is placed in the correct course so that they are successful in the long run.

Chinese, French, and Spanish offered.It is an elective, yet required for the HS Advanced Diploma.You do earn high school credit after completing one of these options.

Option One

7th grade / 8th grade Level 1 (2 year option)Part A – 7th grade (1 semester)

Part B – 8th grade (full year)Option Two

8th grade Level 1 (1 year option)

World Language Options

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⚫ Course selections should be made through the collaborative efforts of teachers, counselors, parents/guardians, and students working together to select the courses that will help each child reach his/her potential.

⚫ Course selection sheets have an honors option for all core subjects – please choose carefully as the commitment will be for a full year.

⚫ Students enrolled in the 7th grade Honors program usually carry over their placement to 8th grade unless there is a question regarding the placement.

⚫ Students should consider their time commitments to extracurricular activities in regards time needed to complete work in order to have a healthy balance

Course Selection

February- Parents/students select courses and students enter courses online

Feb. 28-Course Selections inputted and due to LJMS

March-Middle Schools review data and enroll students who have not selected courses

April-June Course selections are reviewed and confirmed. Schools and parents work together if achange needs to be made.

July-Algebra I Honors Placement Letters mailed to parents.

Course Selection Timeline

Please contact :

Tanya Shuford Director of Student Services

703-204-8122 twshuford@fcps.edu

Questions?