Honors Courses Offered

Honors Courses Offered at South Valley

The guiding principles of our Honors Program are based on the expectation that all students can perform at rigorous academic levels, and that students should be continuously challenged to expand their knowledge and skills to the next level.
The emphasis with Honors courses is that students and parents make the commitment to the additional effort required. Therefore, it is an expectation that students complete the year in the level (standard or Honors) in which they enroll. Based on instructional best practice and the limitations of the master schedule, we do not support midterm changes in course level.

Honors English 7

This course integrates reading, writing, speaking, listening and language skills using a thematic based program to teach the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards. It is designed for those students who possess the motivation and skills necessary for the accelerated classroom and who are ready to more deeply connect writing and reading. Advanced writing skills and reading strategies will be emphasized through the use of a Pre-AP curriculum, including formal writing workshops and independent reading of multiple literary genres.

Honors History 7

This course is designed for those students who possess the motivation and skill levels necessary for the honors classroom. Advanced reading strategies and writing skills will be emphasized through the use of a Pre-AP curriculum, focusing on the Arizona College and Career Readiness Standards for reading and writing (AZCCRS). Students will also go more in depth with a focus on activities that involve analysis, reasoning, debate, higher-level discussion, evaluation, and synthesis of content.

Honors Math 7

This course covers the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards for 8th grade. The domains are Number Systems, Equations and Expressions, Functions, Geometry and Statistics and Probability. This class is for the able and ambitious with first priority given to identified Gifted/Talented students. The next class in this sequence is Honors Algebra IA/Algebra IB.

Honors Science 7

SEVENTH GRADE

This advanced course is designed to teach a selection of Earth and Life Science topics. Students will use inquiry as a discovery method in order to explain the relationship among objects in the solar system, describe the properties and composition of the Earth’s structure, explain the Earth’s geological processes, and analyze the interactions of living organisms within ecosystems. Scientific persona and events of historical significance will be integrated. The course will be accelerated and students will learn additional depth of content through the study of a supplemental curricular resource.

EIGHTH GRADE

Honors English 8

Honors History and Social Sciences 8

This course is designed for those students who possess the motivation and skill levels necessary for the accelerated classroom. Advanced reading strategies and writing skills will be emphasized through the use of a Pre-AP curriculum, focusing on the college and career readiness anchor standards for reading and writing (CCSS). Students will also go more in depth than regular education social studies, with a focus on activities that involve analysis, reasoning, debate, higher-level discussion, evaluation, and synthesis of content.

Honors Algebra IA/IB

This course has an in-depth focus on measurement, geometry, data analysis, algebra patterns and relations, and analytic reasoning with an emphasis on communication, problem solving, and application through the use of technology. This course will be comparable to a first-year high school algebra course. Upon successful completion of this course, students will receive one math credit on their high school transcript. The letter grade received in this course will be documented on the high school transcript and will be factored into students' high school GPA.

Honors Science 8

This advanced course is designed to teach 8th grade students basic fundamentals of chemistry, physics, and biology. The chemistry section will begin the study of the atom: physics will be focusing on motion and Newton’s laws, the genetics component of biology and the structural and behavioral aspects of adaptations. This inquiry-based course will teach hands-on laboratory skills and methods as a means to learning the content curriculum. This course will reflect on the nature and history of science as well as looking into the impact science has on modern society. The course will be accelerated and students will learn additional depth of content through the study of a supplemental curricular resource.