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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.
SEVENTH GRADE
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 Pre-Algebra
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
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.