GATE

 

GATE stands for the Gifted and Talented Education program.

 

GATE students are identified through district assessments and criteria that evidence their potential to excel in academics. Honors students are also high achievers; while they are not GATE-identified, they demonstrate a high level of academic success.

 

What are Honors classes? 

These are secondary level courses specifically designed to be advanced in rigor and/or accelerated in pace. They are designed to prepare students for Advanced Placement (AP) classes in high school.

 

GATE and honors students take honors Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science together.

GATE and honors students are clustered in the same classes as their grade-level peers for both Physical Education and electives (heterogeneous groupings).

In both settings, students are offered differentiated instruction, an adaptation of the curriculum to meet the unique needs of learners by making modifications in complexity, depth and pacing.

 

HONORS ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 

Honors English Language Arts (ELA) is offered to7th and 8th grade students at Valadez Middle School. Honors ELA classes focus on meeting or exceeding the California State Content Standards.

 

Through advanced or accelerated pacing, 7th Grade Honors ELA students will:

 

Read and analyze both fiction and nonfiction texts with a focus on critical thinking skills and formal arguments.

Novels will include the district-approved texts, Freak the Mighty and The Giver. Students will focus on the depth and complexity of these texts.

Write frequently for assignments as well as for formal essays.

To create college and career ready individuals, the 8th Grade Honors ELA program strives to achieve the following goals:

 

Students are given daily opportunities to use collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and innovation.

Communication is a key within this classroom, utilized through numerous small group projects, and activities such as Philosophical Chairs and Socratic Seminars.

Digital citizenship is highlighted as students use Chromebooks weekly to interact within the Google Classroom.

Students will participate in the Chapman University Holocaust Remembrance Contest. In this remarkable event, student create a piece of writing, art, or film based upon viewing a Holocaust survivor's testimony. In the spring, students have the opportunity to attend a field trip to an awards ceremony and remembrance event including Holocaust survivors at Chapman University.

 

MATHEMATICS 

Math placement is determined after reviewing a number of criteria, including state test scores, district placement tests, fluency tests and grades. Instruction focuses on providing students with an academically appropriate and challenging curriculum that provides for depth, complexity, and acceleration. Math classes at Valadez also strive to develop organization and study skills while providing educational experiences for students that meet their abilities, needs, learning styles and interest.

 

Courses Include: Accelerated Math 6/7, Accelerated Math 7-8 Accelerated, and Algebra I.

 

Honors Social Science is offered to7th and 8th grade students at Valadez Middle School.

 

7th Grade Honors Social Studie students will become historical thinkers, and critical readers and writers. Students will be able to communicate connections between historical content and modern day issues. They will practice skills that will help them for academic success in their future academic journey. Students will analyze primary and secondary sources, learn to incorporate reliable historical evidence into writing, and make connections between historical patterns. Strategies include Close Reading, debates, Socratic Seminar, analytical writing, Document Based Questions (DBQs), and studying the geographic, religious, political, economic, and social implications of different issues within World History.

 

8th Grade Honors Social Studies students will think like historians by analyzing primary and secondary sources. Students will incorporate their learning of historical content and apply it to present-day issues that face our world. Students will practice critical thinking and gain learning skills that will equip them in their future academic endeavors. Some strategies used to accomplish this include Socratic Seminar, Document Based Question (DBQ) analysis and essay writing, Close Reading, Visual Literacy, and Geographical studies.

 

Honors Science is offered for 8th Grade students. In this course, students will master science content at the highest level in preparation for high school Honors , AP, and IB Science classes. Students experience a variety of learning opportunities including:

 

Experimental design

Hands-on experimentation and engineering

Real world problem solving and science content application

Cross-curricular projects

 

Art	Speech/Drama	STEM Lab
AVID	ASB Leadership	Peer Leadership (PC)
Video Production	Yearbook/Newspaper	Beginning Orchestra
Vocal Ensemble	Performing Band	Intermediate Orchestra
Mixed Chorus	Beginning/Intermediate Band	Advanced Orchestra