2017-2018
Willow Springs MS
Course Catalog
Dear Parents and Guardians,
This document provides the detailed Course Catalog for Willow Springs Middle School. It includes middle school course descriptions that allow students and parents to make informed decisions about course selections.
As you use this catalog to plan your child’s courses at Willow Springs Middle School, please consider the following:
· Middle school is a time for the exploration of interests, discovery of talents, and development of skills. Students are encouraged to sample a wide variety of course offerings and to participate in multiple extracurricular activities. Students who have had a diverse middle school experience are often more equipped to define their goals in high school.
· Middle school academic programming is structured to provide developmentally sound courses that will support the learning required in high school.
· The best predictor for success in college is the completion of a rigorous secondary school curriculum.
In the spring semester of each year, Lovejoy ISD students who will be enrolled in grades 7and8 will receive information on multi-year plans designed to plot the necessary coursework that will meet graduation requirements, fulfill individual student goals, and provide for a successful transition to the post high school years.
I look forward to working in close partnership with you throughout your child’s middle school years. Please know that I am committed to establishing a learning community where we promote the development of body, mind, and character for each student.
Sincerely,
Kent Messer
Principal
Willow Springs Middle School
- THE LOVEJOY ISD
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM
Middle school is an exciting and challenging time in a student’s life:
· Students are growing in physical and intellectual abilities.
· Their areas of interest are expanding.
· They are taking on increased responsibilities.
· They are developing new thinking skills that will transition them into the young adult years of high school and beyond.
To meet these challenges, Lovejoy ISD and Willow Springs Middle School offer a rigorous menu of academic courses, as described in this guidebook. Each class carefully adheres to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) guidelines to assure that all instruction is based on the state-mandated, grade-level-appropriate curriculum goals used in all Texas school districts.
Course Scheduling and Academic Planning
Lovejoy offers extensive resources to help students and their parents make informed course choices.
Academic Planning
During the spring semester of each school year, students who will be enrolled in 7th and 8th grades the following school year, will work with parents, teachers, and counselors to prepare six-year academic plans that:
· Meet academic needs.
· Explore areas of students’ interests and goals.
· Fulfill high school graduation requirements.
· Prepare for a successful transition to the post-high school years.
Schedule Changes
We determine master schedule and staffing needs based on initial student requests for electives. Classes quickly fill up and may not be offered during all class periods, so transfers may be difficult once a student’s schedule is made in the summer. Therefore, we encourage students and parents to gather information and make informed choices when selecting classes. We do understand, however, that schedule changes are occasionally necessary. In these cases, please follow these guidelines:
· Obtain a Schedule Change Request Form from the Student Support Center. Be sure to obtain necessary signatures before returning the completed form to a counselor.
· Schedule changes must be requested within the timeline given by the WSMS counselors. Requests after this time will be considered on an individual basis.
· Teacher change requests require a parent/teacher/administrator conference.
Athletics and year-long electives require extra time and effort. Please take academic and family obligations into account before making these commitments.
Promotion and Retention
To be promoted from one grade to the next, each middle school student must:
· Maintain yearly grades for English/Language Arts/Reading (ELAR) and Mathematics at or above 70%.
· Maintain yearly grades for either Science or Social Studies at or above 70%.
· All 8th Grade students must meet standard on STAAR Math and STAAR Reading.
· Maintain attendance at or above 90% (see WSMS Student Handbook).
Levels of Academic Instruction
Lovejoy provides coursework at all levels of instruction to meet the individual academic needs of each student.
Pre-AP
The state of Texas designates three levels of instruction for the core academic areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies:
· Traditional
· Pre-AP (Preparation for Advanced Placement) – Challenging coursework that engages students on a high level in preparation for high school AP courses.
· AP (Advanced Placement) – Advanced high school coursework taught on a college level. Students who pass AP exams can earn college credit. AP classes are offered at the high school level only.
Lovejoy believes that every student should have the opportunity to achieve his/her highest potential. To that end, all regular core academic middle-school courses are taught at the Pre-AP level. Not all students will choose to continue into the high school AP program, but all students are given the opportunity to prepare for this option.
Gifted/Talented (GT)
Gifted/Talented (GT) classes are designed to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of the gifted learner. GT courses teach the same content as the Pre-AP courses, but in a more in-depth, condensed format. GT core classes are enriched by a thematic leadership study at each grade level. Additionally, GT students focus on depth and complexity issues such as:
· Important details and big ideas.
· Different points of view.
· Ethical considerations in controversial issues.
· Analysis of trends and patterns that have developed over time.
· The influence of the content across disciplines.
· Debate of unanswered questions in the field.
Students identified in GT Language Arts will automatically be placed in GT Social Studies/History (unless otherwise requested). Students identified in GT Math will automatically be placed in GT Science (unless otherwise requested). Qualification for individual GT core courses is also available.
Click here for more information about the Lovejoy ISD GT Program.
Special Services
Individualized instruction is always available for those students who need additional support to ensure their success.
Special Education/504/Dyslexia Support
Students identified as needing special education, 504, or dyslexia services have access to a variety of special programming, including life skills, resource math and language arts, inclusion support in regular education classes, and dyslexia support, including multi-sensory reading classes. Students are placed in appropriate courses according to their learning needs, as specified by their dyslexia, ARD, LPAC, or504 committees.
English as a Second Language (ESL)
English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are available at all levels. Students will be individually matched to an appropriate level of instruction.
Core Subjects
The four core subjects include English/Language Arts/Reading (ELAR), mathematics, science, and social studies. The core subject courses offered at Willow Springs Middle School are summarized in the following table.
Elective courses are summarized on page 13.
Grade / Course8 / Pre-AP English, 8th
Pre-AP/GT English, 8th
Pre-AP English, 7th
Pre-AP/GT English, 7th
7
8 / Pre-AP Math, 8th, Foundations of Algebra
Pre-AP Math, 8th, Algebra 1
Pre-AP/GT Geometry
Pre-AP Math, 7th
Pre-AP/GT Algebra 1
7
8 / Pre-AP Science, 8th
Pre-AP/GT Science, 8th
Pre-AP Science, 7th
Pre-AP/GT Science, 7th
7
8 / Pre-AP US History, 8th
Pre-AP/GT US History, 8th
Pre-AP Texas History, 7th
Pre-AP/GT Texas History, 7th
7
For specific course descriptions, click on course title or refer to the Course Descriptions section of this guidebook.
The following section explains the sequence of core classes from 7th through 12th grade.
Sequencing Overview, Core Courses Grades 7– 12
The following sections summarize the sequence of courses of the four core subjects from 7th to 12th grades. Note that several paths are available in order to provide appropriate instruction for students of all levels.
English/Language Arts/Reading (ELAR)
The following charts show the sequence of middle school and high school ELAR courses.
Path / Grade / Course OptionsPre-AP
or
Pre-AP
to AP / 7 / Pre-AP / English, 7th
8 / Pre-AP / English, 8th
9 / Pre-AP / English I
10 / Pre-AP / English II
11 / Pre-AP / English III
11
12 / AP / English III, Language
English IV
12 / Dual-Credit* / English IV
AP / English IV, Literature
GT / 7 / Pre-AP/GT / English, 7th
8 / Pre-AP/GT / English, 8th
9 / Pre-AP/GT / English I
10 / Pre-AP/GT / English II
11 / GT/AP / English III, Language
11
12 / AP / English III, Language
GT/AP / English IV, Literature
12 / AP / English IV, Literature
AP / English IV, Literature
Mathematics
The following charts show the sequence of middle school and high school mathematics courses.
Middle-school students begin math at the Pre-AP level, then progress at their own rates, choosing from the course options shown below.
Grade / Pre-AP / Pre-AP to AP7 / Pre-AP / Math, 7th
8 / Pre-AP / Math, 8th, Pre-Algebra / Pre-AP / Math, 8th,Algebra I
9 / Pre-AP / Algebra I / Pre-AP / Geometry
10 / Pre-AP / Geometry / Pre-AP / Algebra II
11 / Pre-AP / Algebra II / Pre-AP / Pre-Calculus
12 / Pre-AP / Pre-Calculus / AP / Calculus AB
Students identified as GT may opt to follow the GT path, choosing individually appropriate classes in higher grades.
Grade / GT7 / Pre-AP/GT / Algebra I
8 / Pre-AP/GT / Geometry
9 / Pre-AP/GT / Algebra II
10 / Pre-AP/GT / Pre-Calculus
11 / AP / Calculus AB
AP/GT / Calculus BC
12 / AP / Calculus BC
AP/GT / Calculus BC
AP / Statistics
AP/GT / Statistics
For more information about Lovejoy’s accelerated math program, including a discussion of single- and double-blocked classes, see page 18.
Science
The following charts show the sequence of middle school and high school Science courses.
Path / Grade / Course Options / Path / Grade / Course OptionsPre-AP / 7 / Pre-AP / Science, 7th / Pre-AP / 7 / Pre-AP/GT / Science, 7th
8 / Pre-AP / Science, 8th / 8 / Pre-AP/GT / Science, 8th
9 / Pre-AP / Biology / 9 / Pre-AP/GT / Biology
10 / Pre-AP / Chemistry / 10 / Pre-AP/GT / Chemistry
11 / Pre-AP / Physics / 11 / Pre-AP/GT / Physics
12 / Anatomy and Physiology
Forensic Science
AP / Biology
AP / Chemistry
AP / Physics
AP / Environmental Science
Social Studies
The following charts show the sequence of middle school and high school Social Studies courses.
Path / Grade / Course OptionsPre-AP
Or
Pre-AP to AP / 7 / Pre-AP / Texas History
8 / Pre-AP / US History
9 / Pre-AP / World Geography
10 / Pre-AP / World History
AP / World History
11 / Pre-AP / US History
AP / US History
12 / Government and Economics
AP / Government and Economics
Dual-credit* / Government and Economics
GT / 7 / GT / Texas History
8 / GT / US History
9 / GT / World Geography
10 / AP / World History
AP/GT / World History
11 / AP / US History
AP/GT / US History
12 / AP / Government and Economics
AP/GT / Government and Economics
Dual-Credit* / Government and Economics
*Dual-Credit courses earn both high school and college credit.
Electives
Students must follow these requirements when choosing electives:
· Physical Education: Every student must complete four semesters of Physical Education during middle school. This includes two semesters of 6th grade PE, plus two or more semesters of Personal Fitness (which may include Cheerleading, Foundations of Dance, Color Guard, and Off-Campus PE) or Athletics during 7th and 8th grades.
· Music classes are available and are highly recommended (but not required) for 7th and 8th grades.
· Other: All 7th and 8th graders may choose at least two elective courses each year. 8th grade students who qualify to take a single-blocked math course may choose up to four electives.
Physical Education (PE)
Every student must complete two semesters of Physical Education between grades 7-8:
· 7th and 8th grades: Students choose two (or more) semesters of :
o Personal Fitness (including Cheerleading, Foundations of Dance, Color Guard, and Off-Campus PE) and/or
o Athletics.
Many students complete more than the minimum two semesters of PE requirements.
PE / Personal Fitness / 7 / 8 / Personal Fitness7 / 8 / Cheerleading
7 / 8 / Off-Campus PE (OCPE)
7 / 8 / Foundations of Dance
7 / 8 / Color Guard
Athletics / 7 / 8 / Athletics / Boys
7 / 8 / Athletics / Girls
Languages Other Than English (LOTE)
Willow Springs Middle School offers LOTE courses in Spanish only. Students who are interested in other languages, including French, Chinese, and American Sign Language (ASL) will have the opportunity to study these subjects in high school.
Click on course names or see Course Descriptions section for more detail.
Language Other Than English(LOTE)
8 / Spanish I
Service Learning
Click on course names or see Course Descriptions section for more detail.
Service Learning / 8 / PALS8 / Office Aide
8 / Library Media Tech
Independent Studies
Click on course names or see Course Descriptions section for more detail.
Independent Studies / 7 / 8 / Independent Studies, Level 1- COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
The following sections contain course descriptions and goals for all middle school classes listed in the tables above.
English/Language Arts/Reading (ELAR)
In middle school, ELAR students are introduced to and learn to effectively use basic reading, writing, and literary analysis tools through increasingly complex presentations, reading selections, and written compositions, preparing for advanced study at the high-school level. In every area of language arts, students are challenged to think on the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (application, analysis, evaluation, and creativity).
Pre-AP English, 7th 7th