Middle School Program

MSSP COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 2010-11

ACADEMIC CHALLENGE 1 period per week

Do you have a wealth of trivia at your fingertips? Do you like to show what you know about events, names, dates and places? Academic Challenge will allow you to be the resident expert and share information with team members. Qualifying students will participate in the Fall and Spring Knowledge Master Open, a world-wide computerized competition.

CREATIVE THINKING 1 period per week
1 semester only (1st or 2nd semester)

Do you enjoy brainstorming, problem solving, and thinking outside of the box? Creative Thinking will allow you to develop meta-cognitive techniques to creatively solve problems, look at different points of view, and adapt to unusual situations. You will learn to develop infinite solutions, as you progress from convergent to divergent learning styles. Bring your imagination and let your brain soar!

FIND OUT 1 period per week - Required
(6th grade only)

Find Out is an opportunity for you to share your experiences and opinions with classmates in a supportive environment. Topics include perfectionism, time management, self-awareness, friendship and other concerns you might have as a sixth grade MSSP student. You will participate in projects and activities, which will enable you to learn more about yourself and those around you. Lift your spirits, as you FIND OUT more about you!

GLOBAL ISSUES 2 periods per week
2nd semester only

How much do you know about geography, pollution, biomes, civil rights, international relations, and the judicial process? Global Issues gives you an opportunity to engage in stimulating discussions on a broad spectrum of such environmental issues. You will develop and present your personal analysis and/or possible solutions to problems and issues that cross state and international boundaries. You will examine divergent points of view, establish a thoughtful base for rational decision-making and arrive at alternative solutions for universal coexistence.

GUIDED INDEPENDENT PROJECTS 1 period per week

Guided Independent Projects makes you the investigator. This course provides a forum for you to share the results of your in-depth exploration of an idea, topic, or area of interest. You will investigate and develop your project under the guidance of your MSSP teacher. This is your chance to search a variety of sources and create a dynamic presentation. Guided Independent Projects may be taken for one period per week or you may choose to add an additional period, in which to research and prepare your findings.

MOCK TRIAL 1 period per week

Mock Trial is a great way to mix literature, critical analysis, and principles of the law. Do you love a good debate? In this class you will participate in a trial as part of the defense or prosecution team. A case is constructed around a novel. As part of the legal team, you will develop creative strategies to bring your characters to life as witnesses in a Mock Trial. The lawyers will ask questions, cross-examine witnesses, and offer opening and closing statements. Witnesses will answer questions about the incident in question. The judge will deliberate in an effort to deliver “equal justice under the law.”

MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2 periods per week
1st semester only

In Model UN, you will learn about the United Nations as an international peace keeping organization. You will have the opportunity to participate as a delegate from a member nation in a United Nations simulation. Your delegation members will research your country in depth, learning about its people, culture, and language. You will study your country’s responses to a variety of global challenges such as human rights, the plight of indigenous people, pandemic diseases, and terrorism. If you are ready to engage in research, debate pros and cons, and ponder solutions to pertinent topics, Model UN is for you!

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD 2 periods per week

Science Olympiad is a course that will invite students to explore various fields of science through problem-solving, hands-on activities, work with local scientists/engineers, and research. MSSP Teachers and identified Science Teacher Advisor will work together to provide support and guidance as students prepare to compete as a team in Invitationals and a Regional Tournament in the spring of 2011.

SEMINAR SERIES 2-4 period sessions - SCHEDULED THROUGHOUT EACH SCHOOL YEAR
8TH GRADE ONLY - Open to all identified gifted 8th graders (MSSP particpation not required to particpate)

Seminars will be offered throughout the school year on a variety of topics. Students are encouraged to attend seminars based upon individual area(s) of interest. For a description of scheduled Seminars, please visit the Calendar page off of the Gifted website.

Middle Level Accelerative Opportunities –
Acceleration is a huge umbrella of services available to gifted students is meeting their needs, including (but not limited to) subject acceleration, grade-skipping, curriuculum compacting, etc. Qualifying identified gifted students may have accelerative opportunities based on their individual academic needs. Please complete a Referral for Accelerative Options form (available within each school's Main Office or by clicking HERE) and/or contact your school's Gifted Specialist or our Coordinator for Gifted / Arts - Jane Simeri - at (216) 320-2182 or via e-mail at: j_simeri@chuh.org with inquiries.

The process for consideration is consistent across the district and includes the folowing steps:

1) Areas of gifted identification are reviewed - Math, Reading, and Superior Cognitive Ability for grade level acceleration, and Superior Cognitive Ability and the content area for a subject-related acceleration.

2) Once we have these areas of identification, we administer above-grade level standardized assessments in the content area(s) - looking for scores at or above the 85th percentile.

3) Upon completion of above-grade standardized assessment, we also administer informal summative assessments to determine if there are any gaps in learning which we may need to fill if an acceleration occurs.

4) The final step is to gather this data and assemble the Acceleration Committee - which includes parent/guardian(s), the Gifted Cooridnator, a Gifted Specialist, the Principal, the counselor, the classroom teacher(s), an above-grade level teacher, and any other school district staff who might further inform the decision. We meet to review the data, complete a document called the Iowa Acceleration Scale (if a full-grade acceleration is considered), and discuss the student’s academic, social, and emotional needs. If the Committee determines that an acceleration will occur, a Written Acceleration Plan is drafted, which indicates what type of acceleration will occur and how it will be implemented and monitored.

For additional resources related to acceleration, please visit: www.nationdeceived.org. This site provides access to "A Nation Deceived: The Templeton Report on Acceleration". This report is a compilation of years of research on acceleration and dispels many myths which have existed regarding the implications of acceleration. The document also provides information which describes the myriad of accelerative opportunities which may exist for gifted students.

Qualifying identified students may have opportunities to enroll in accelerated courses based on their individual academic needs. Please contact your school's MSSP teacher or our Coordinator for Gifted / Arts - Jane Simeri at (216) 320-2182 with inquiries.

Other Academic Programs of Interest to Gifted and/or High Ability Students -

An Accelerated Math Program (grades 6-8) and an Honors Reading/ELA Program (grades 6-8) exist within each middle school. Information regarding these programs and the eligibility criteria is available by visiting: http://resources.chuh.org/programs/