Advanced Studies Classes Piney Grove Middle School 2011 – 2012

Advanced Studies Classes

Piney Grove Middle School2011 – 2012

The Criteria for Placement inAdvanced Studies Classes

at Piney Grove

ANY young man or young woman may be placed in an Advanced Studies Class.

Several expectations and other factors that students and parents should first consider.

Student Motivation is the key criteria

The student should be eager to commit to more rigor in his/her classes and want the challenge of advanced studies.

What Is Our Rationale For Affording All Students The

Opportunity To Take Advanced Classes?

Let's Begin With The End In Mind!

The Present Research Is Quite Clear As competition gets tighter in the U.S. job market,

surveyed employers anticipate hiring fewer people with only a high school diploma.

Job offers will increase for those with 2-year, 4-year, and post-graduate degrees.

In an interview this fall, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said “There are barely any jobs left for someone with only a high school diploma, and that diploma is only valuable today if it has truly prepared you to go on to a higher education without remediation --- the only ticket to a decent job”.

Workers without college degrees are increasingly unlikely to be middle class. Education is the real divider, and people with only a high school education – their wages are definitely falling behind.

The jobless rate for workers less than a high school diploma is 15.3 percent, compared to 10.1 percent for high school graduates and 8.5 percent for those with some college. The jobless rate for Americans with at least a bachelor’s degree is just 4.7 percent.

Helping students identify the post-secondary education appropriate to their interests, skills and learning styles will become even more critical.

Students will need to be ready for the challenge and rigor of some type of college. They will also need to be competitive to get in the college of their choice.

The Present Research Continued…

Thus, High School Preparation for College Will Be Key!

The rigors of High School Honors classes, Advanced Placement (AP) classes, and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses are quite challenging.

For those students who seek the challenge of these high school courses, 9th grade --- one of the most transitional and often difficult years in a young person's education --- is not the best time to learn what it will take to be successful in such classes.

So What Does That Mean at the Middle School Level ?

We know that opportunity plays a key role in making the most of human potential.

Exposing our middle school students to more challenging academic opportunities in order to

prepare them for such rigorous high school classes is key.

Building a Culture of Opportunity

At Piney Grove . . .

We want to provide those opportunities

for our students to

reach their fullest

potential as they so desire.

Advanced Studies Offerings atEach Grade Level

6th Grade

Language Arts

&

Mathematics

Advanced Studies Offerings atEach Grade Level

7th Grade

Language Arts

Mathematics

Social Studies

8th Grade

Language Arts

Mathematics

Social Studies

Physical Science(Offered for High School Credit)

Two Exceptions7th Grade Accelerated Math

(7th Grade and 8th Grade Math Standards Included In This Course)

High School Accelerated Math I(Taken In The 8th Grade)

Both of these classes will require teacher recommendation for student placement because the 8th grade course is taken for

High School credit and the 7th grade course is the pre-requisite for it.

Both of these classes will require teacher recommendation for student placement because the 8th grade course is taken for

High School credit and the 7th grade course is the pre-requisite for it.

High School Possibilities If You Take Advanced Math Or High School Accelerated Math I In 8th Grade

8th grade 9th Grade 10th grade 11th Grade 12th Grade

Conventional

Grade 8

Math

Integrated Algebra

Integrated Geometry

IntegratedAdvanced

Algebra

Intrgrated Trigonometry (Precalculus)

Or Advanced

MathematicalDecision Making

Advanced

Advanced Grade 8

Math

AcceleratedIntegrated

Algebra

AcceleratedIntegrated Geometry

AcceleratedIntegratedPrecalculus

AP Statisticsor

AP Calculus AB or BC

AcceleratedAccelerated Integrated

Algebra

AcceleratedIntegrated Geometry

AcceleratedIntegratedPrecalculus

AP Calculus AB or BC

Calculus II and III(Distance Learningwith GA Tech) or

Additional collegelevel coursework

Expectations for Advanced Studies Classes &

How They Will Differ From On-level Classes

Students will study, discuss, research and be held accountable for learning advanced concepts in these classes. Their studies will be more rigorous and will take them more in-depth and broader in scope.

Students will participate in academic extra-curricular competitions and/or opportunities for publication throughout the school year (Ex. Science Fair, Social Studies Fair, Oratorical Contest, Young Georgia Authors, Future Cities, Stock Market Game, Spelling Bee, Geography Bee, etc.). Students can expect to work on these activities both inside and outside of class.



Students will be engaged in more and higher level writing assignments and writing-based assessments throughout the school year (Higher Level = Application, Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation of concepts studied).

Students will spend more time reading inside and outside of class for their studies and assignments (Ex. novels, research documents, research articles on the Internet, etc.).



Students will be engaged more in work and studies outside of class.

Students will be engaged in more inquiry-based and project-based learning, with links to the community, for their academic work.

Students can expect to collaborate and work in teams with classmates and/or professional experts, as well as work independently as a self-motivated learner.



Students can expect to see more focus and emphasis on refining and polishing their presentation skills, sharing their final projects with authentic audiences and submitting their own work for publication.

Students will be highly encouraged to participate in service-oriented clubs and/or activities at Piney Grove or in the community.

Other Factors to ConsiderWill the student and/or parents be fine with possibly not making the PGMS Merit or Honor Roll? Advanced Studies classes will not be given more weight than regular classes. With the challenge and rigor of these classes, students may not always make a grade of an A or B.

Other Factors to Consider

Advanced Studies class teachers will offer “help sessions” for students in these classes just as they do for students in their on grade level classes. Teachers will not be asked, nor expected, to offer more “help sessions” for students struggling in an Advanced Studies class.

Other Factors to Consider Taking Advanced Studies classes in middle school, but particularly in the 8th grade, does not guarantee a teacher recommendation for Honors or AP classes freshman year

(9th Grade) in High School

Forsyth County High Schools do, however, allow parents to “waiver” their child into (or out of) such

courses. Parents and students make that final decision.

This is another excellent opportunity for students and parents to have those conversations about balancing

academic classes and other interests / pursuits (i.e. music, clubs, dance, athletics, religion, family, work) during the

high school years

Other Factors to ConsiderAt the 6 week juncture of the first semester, Advanced Studies class teachers will take note of any student who is struggling in their class and communicate their concerns to the student and parent. By the 9 week juncture, a final decision will have to be made as to whether or not a student remains in the Advanced Studies class or is moved to an on grade level class. After this 9 week juncture, students will remain in the Advanced Studies class for the rest of the 2011-2012 school year.

What Do Our Students Presently In Advanced Studies Classes Have To

Say About These Classes?

Additional Math Concepts for 6th Grade Advanced Math

Advanced 6th Grade Math consists of ALL of the 6th grade GPS plus:

Compare and Order Rational Numbers

Compute with Integers

Solve 2-Step Algebraic Equations

Identify and Quickly Convert Common Prevents, Decimals and Fractions

Solve Fraction and Decimal Arithmetic Problems Fluently

Graph Coordinates on a Coordinate Plane

Compute Basic Facts Quickly

Use the Order of Operations



Enrich the Study of Taking Verbal Problems and Turning Them Into Algebraic Equations (Without Guess and Check Tables)

Convert Numbers to Scientific Notation; Convert Scientific Notation to Numbers

Enrich How They Simplify Expressions

More Terms Combining Like Terms Parenthesis Square Roots

Solve Systems of Equations

Graphing Substitution


(Continued)

Solve Equations with Two Variables

Graph a Line Given Two Points

Solve Problems Using Proportions



Find the Equation of a Line Given A. 2 Points; B. 1 Point and the Slope; and C. 1 Point and an Equation of Either a Parallel or Perpendicular Line

Solve Systems of Equations Using 3 Methods

Understand Quadratics (When a = 1)

Identify Quadratic Equations Use the Quadratic Formula Apply the Use of Quadratic Equations Factoring Standard Form Properties


(Continued)

Use Midpoint and Distance FormulasEvaluate Rational Expressions (Multiplication, Division, Simplifying)

Solve Rational Equations (Multiplication, Division, Simplifying)

Understand Functions

Graphs Tables Algebra

Identify Congruent Triangles

Solve Problems with Distance, Rate and Time

Additional Science Concepts for 8th Grade Physical Science(Offered for High School Credit)

The Advanced 8th Grade Physical Science class will extend the High School Physical Science GPS to include the following topics:

CHEMISTRYAtomic Structure Including Historical Development of the Current Theory

Radioactivity

Isotopes

Valence Electrons

Atomic Mass, Protons, Neutrons, Electrons

Periodicity

Atomic Forces

Naming, Binary, Some Polyatomic, Some Basic Transition Elements

Compounds, Ionic Bonding, Covalent Bonding, Writing Compound Formulas, Writing Names for Formulas

Additional Science Concepts for 8th Grade Physical Science

(Continued)

CHEMISTRY (Continued)

Balancing Equations

Basic Acid and Base Properties

Conductivity

Solubility, Solute, Solvent

Gas Laws, Conceptual Understanding of P, V, and T Relationships

PHYSICS

Force and Motion, Velocity and Acceleration Calculations, Mechanical Advantage Calculations

Energy, Specific Heat Calculations

Electricity and Magnetism, Ohm's Law Calculations, Basic Series and Parallel Circuit Relationships of I, V, and R

PGMS Advanced StudiesReadiness Guides for Parents

Language Arts

Mathematics

Social Studies

ScienceParents & students can use these checklists as a guide to aid in their

decision for placement into an Advanced Studies class. Answering “yes” to all or nearly all would indicate a student's readiness for the challenge

and rigor of an Advanced Studies class

Registration Form Expectations Other Factors To Consider Class Registration Signed Student Commitment Signed Parent Commitment Student Essay(s) :One essay for each

Advanced Studies class you are registering for. (at least 250 words per essay)

Due Date: By Friday, June 3, 2011 to Our PGMS Office. No late registration forms and essays will be accepted!

Take With You Tonight

Advanced Studies Readiness Guides

Registration Form (Color-coded by grade level)

Ms. North's Business Card

On Our Piney Grove Website Now . . .

This Power Point Presentation

Student/Parent Advanced Studies Readiness Guides

Registration Forms

(These are all posted on our Piney Grove web site now, on the home page)

Some Closing Thoughts . . .

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.

---T.S. Eliot

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will

unlock the door to personal excellence.

--- Confucius

The PINEY GROVE . . .

P - Personal

A - Achievement

T - Through

H - High Expectations Hard Work Honest Efforts Heart

Follow the Piney Grove PATH to Greatness!

Q / A Time

If you have any questions after tonight, please feel free to email or call me and leave a

contact number where you can be reached in the evening. If you prefer some time to

conference face to face, then I will be happy to schedule a time in the evening to meet with

you and your child.

Documents

Advanced Studies Classes Piney Grove Middle School 2011 – 2012