How do honors courses compare to regular courses for our ninth graders?

English Science Social Studies

English

Summer Reading Assignment
Honors English 9

The research tells us that kids who read over the summer and exhibit their understanding of that reading not only do better in school but also are more literate for life. Reading should be a habit, and we, as your English teachers, want to encourage you in that regard.

Books

You will read two books this summer to provide your Honors English 9 class with some common literary references and to expand your reading experience. The books below may be found at the public library or at any bookstore. We recommend that you purchase these books so that you can highlight and/or take notes in them at will. Please contact Ms. Thomas at Elkton High School if you have trouble obtaining the books for any reason.

1. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
2. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

Dialectical Journals

Dialectic means “the art or practice of arriving at the truth by using conversation involving question and answer.” For both of the novels above, you will complete dialectical journals to aid in your understanding of the books as you read them and to demonstrate that understanding to your teacher. In these journals, you are essentially having a “conversation” with the text (jotting down insights, questions, ideas, and thoughts) and with yourself.

Procedure:

1. Purchase a notebook to serve as your journal. Divide that notebook into two sections, one for each novel.
2. For each chapter of each book, draw a vertical line in the middle of a page in your journal notebook.
3. At the top of the left column, write the heading “Reading Notes” (something from the text).
4. At the top of the right column, write the heading “Comments and Questions” (something from you).
5. After you read every two chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird and every 20 pages of Fahrenheit 451, complete a journal entry in which you write down an interesting quote, summarize an important passage, or jot down a key idea from that chapter in the left column (with the date and page numbers).
6. In the right column, write down YOUR ideas, insights, questions, reflections, or comments on the text item in the left column.
7. To focus your reading, be sure that each journal entry deals with one of the following elements in the story: plot, character, setting, or theme. Note in the left column which of these four elements you are discussing.
8. Be sure to be as specific as possible in your observations in the right column. Consider discussing any of the following when analyzing a passage:
1. Make a judgment about a character’s actions
2. Comment on a character’s attitude
3. Apply the situation in the novel to what you know about the time period in which the story takes place
4. Make predictions about future plot twists
5. Analyze a character’s motivations
6. Explain the theme of the novel

Academic Honesty Policy

Be sure that in your zeal to complete these assignments accurately and superiorly that you do not borrow work from other authors or students. You may consult on-line or published resources to help you in understanding the text, but do not present the ideas in those resources as your own (doing so is plagiarism, however unintentional it may be). If you are unsure about any aspect of plagiarism or what constitutes academic dishonesty, please call or e-mail Ms. Thomas.

Sample Journal Entry
To Kill a Mockingbird Journal

Please e-mail Ms. Thomas (teacherthomas@comcast.net) for help on any of these assignments or if you or your parents have any concerns about the honors program.

Summer Reading Grading Rubric
A:            Selects detailed, meaningful passages, with both plot and quote selections
(90–100%) Includes thoughtful interpretation and commentary about the text (avoids clichés)
                Focuses commentary on plot, character, setting, and theme
                Makes insightful personal connections and asks thought-provoking questions
                Involves coverage of text that is complete and thorough
                Is neat, organized, and professional looking (student has followed directions)

B:            Is less detailed, but good plot and quote selections
(80–89%)   Includes some intelligent commentary; addresses thematic connections
Includes some literary elements, but does not completely address how they contribute to the meaning Includes some personal connections; asks pertinent questions
Adequately addresses all parts of the assignment. Is neat and readable (student has followed directions)

C:            Includes few good details from the text
(70–79%)                Includes commentary that is vague, unsupported, or merely plot summary
                Includes some listing of literary elements; virtually no discussion of meaning
                Involves limited personal connections; asks few questions or asks obvious questions
                Addresses most of the assignment, but is short and not thorough
                Is relatively neat (student has not followed all directions)

D or F:    Includes very few good details from the text
(50–69%)                Involves notes that are plot summary or paraphrases
                Includes few literary elements with virtually no discussion of meaning
                Involves limited personal connections and no good questions; limited coverage of the text (much too short)
                Is sloppy and unorganized (student has not followed directions)

Science

Honors Earth Science and Earth Science
Both courses require two formal lab reports per semesters and expect students to write a hypothesis and design their own investigation to test that hypothesis when presented with a problem statement.

Honors Biology and Biology
The Honors Biology course goes into more depth on most topics to explore the science of life. Both courses have the same required labs and two formal lab reports per marking period. In both courses students are expected to write a hypothesis and design their own investigation to test that hypothesis when presented with a problem statement.

Honors Chemistry and Chemistry
The Honors Chemistry course covers more topics than regular Chemistry and includes more required lab activities. The calculations in Honors Chemistry are more sophisticated than regular Chemistry. In both courses students are expected to write a hypothesis and design their own investigation to test that hypothesis when presented with a problem statement.

** This curriculum is being updated for the 2008-09 school year.

Social Studies

Honors Government is a challenging course that is designed to prepare students for the rigors or college courses. This course provides students for the rigors of college courses. This course provides students with the understanding necessary for active citizenship in a participatory democracy. Students are introduced to the historical foundations of United States govenment, its institutions, functions, responsibilities, and impact on citizens. Students also understand the role and responsibliities of citizenship toward ensuring the continuation of the American way of life. In addition, students are introduced to the concept of world interdependence and the influence of our nation in world affairs. Solid reading and writing skills, along with a willingness to devote considerable time to homework and study, are necessary to succeed. Emphasis is placed on critical and evaluative thinking skills, using historical perspective, essay writing, adn interpretation of primay and secondary source documents. Along with numerous Document Based Questions (DBQ's) and essays, oral and written research projects, current events projects are required to be completed outside of the school day. Topics include: Nature and Purpose of Government, Values and Principles of Democracy, the Constitution, the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch, the Judical Branch, and Public Policy and Societal Issues. The themes will include discussion of the structure and functions of government and politics in the United States, evaluation of how the United States govenment has maintained a balance between protecting rights and maintaining order, analysis of the interpendent relationship of United States politics and government to world affairs, comparison and evaluation of the effectiveness of the United States system of government and various other political systems, an understanding of the relationship of cultural and physical geographic factors in teh development of government policy, economic principles, institutions, and processes required to formulate government policy. This course is designed to be distinct from the standard Government course and is intended fro students who are self-motivated and aggressive learners.

Requirements and Activities for Honors Government:
Activities will be individual, group or teacher-directed. The activities used are designed to help students to develop high-level analytical skills that will facilitate analysis of primary source documents, secondary scholarship and global historical content. Typical activities may include but are not limited to the following:

1. Summer Assignment: prior to the beginning of the school year students will be required to complete a summer reading assignment, which involves independent reading and written responses. All summer assignments are due the first week of semester one. This applies to all students, including those scheduled for the second semester. Transfer students are still responsible for completing the summer assignment. The assignment must be completed within three weeks of the transfer.

2. Extended writing: DBQ: Students will complete seven or more extended writing assignments such as document based questions and historical investigation based on historical readings and primary sources. Successful responses to these prompts will require a coherent thesis adn multiple paragraphs of development. These will consist of both timed in-class essays and longer out of class assignments.

3. Reading: Students will be expected to read approximately 10 to 15 pages per week outside of class time. The readings may include the text, as well as other supplemental materials.

4. Reflection: Independent and/or Interactive Notebooks, Electronic Portfolio, and/or other reflection tools may be required.

5. Socratic discussions: Students read primary source documents on a given topic and come to the discussion prepared to discuss the issue. They are graded on their participation rate and the quality of their answers while the teacher's role is one of facilitator.

6. Simulations: students will be asked to simulate a variety of situations including but not limited to press conferences, cabinet meetings, symposiums, role playing, interaction of historical figures.

7. Mini Projects/Presentations: Projects on a historical topic; students may be asked to present information in the form of a PowerPoint or slide show involving use of primary sources or use of other technological mediums that will facilitate teh delivery of the information.

8. Course Case Analysis: Students will be asked to read and analyze a variety of court cases to understand the issues and decisions inherent in the cases. Emphasis will be on minority and majority opinions as well as long-term significance of the cases.

9. Research Paper: The research paper is a required part of the course. Details about this paper will be provided by the teacher.