Honors English & Literature (ELA): Grades 6-8
In grade 6, all students regardless of level, take both an English and a Literature course to satisfy the requirements for English Language Arts. Elements of both the general and Honors ELA programs are described below.
General Literature 6
Students read, discuss and write about books, articles, and poems that are at the sixth grade reading level. Students expand their understanding of Latin and Greek word cells. They expand their knowledge of literary elements and build their understanding of theme, central idea, and author’s purpose. Additionally, students are expected to independently choose books and read at home, on a daily basis, as part of Readers Workshop.
General English 6
Students read, discuss, and write about a wide variety of topics using short stories, articles, plays, and poetry. Students learn, practice, and apply sixth grade grammar rules. They write an autobiography, learn research skills, write arguments, build vocabulary, analyze poetry, write creatively, and strengthen both their verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
Honors English & Literature 6
Students are selected into Honors ELA through a rigorous selection process including the review of grade 5 coursework, student educational profiles (work habits, study skills, attitude and desire toward the subject and learning in general), performance on local, state and national assessments, and teacher recommendations. The scholars who have been most successful within our Honors ELA program are high-performing students, scoring above grade level norms who are avid readers and advanced writers. These students are willing to spend extra time building and strengthening their writing, reading and analyzing skills.
Honors 6 literature students read, discuss, and analyze complex and above grade level material. Students read short stories, epic poetry, novels, and plays. Students will read: Flowers for Algernon, The Iliad, Beowulf, Arthurian Legend, and Hamlet. Students are expected to read a minimum of two self-selected books each quarter as part of Readers Workshop. Students also learn above grade level vocabulary through the books read in class, Latin & Greek vocabulary units, and SAT word lists. Emphasis is placed on analyzing how authors create meaning within their texts through the use of literary elements and techniques.
Honors 6 English students are mature, above grade level writers who learn and follow the same curriculum as the general education English 6 class, but go beyond grade level requirements by being expected to write with greater detail, longer length, and greater complexity. On average, Honors 6 English students will spend 20-30 minutes each night of the school week completing both short term and long term writing assignments.
Honors English 7 & 8
Honors English 7
Students continuing in Honors 7 English have consistently demonstrated all of the qualities to be successful in previous Honors English classes. Students have a love of reading and writing, critical thinking and problem solving skills, self motivation, and a willingness to commit additional time and effort on Honors English assignments.
In Honors 7 students continue to read literature, discuss, and analyze complex and above grade level material. Beyond the standard ELA 7 curriculum, students will read Call of the Wild by Jack London, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, and more advanced novel choices in a Literature Circles Unit. Students are expected to read four or more self-selected books each quarter as part of Readers Workshop.
Students are also expected to maintain an independent Writer’s Notebook throughout the year. Writer’s Notebook offers a place for students to enjoy writing with the freedom to explore and be playful, inspired, creative, and take chances. In this notebook, students have the opportunity to write in a variety of styles, such as narrative, persuasive, poetry, etc… It is a chance to write in the comfort of a favorite style, or a chance to try a new one with minimal risk.
Honors English 8
Students in Honors 8 English have consistently demonstrated all of the qualities to be successful in previous Honors English classes. Students have expressed a love of reading and writing, critical thinking and problem solving skills, self motivation, and a willingness to commit additional time and effort on Honors English assignments.
In Honors 8 students continue to read literature, discuss, and analyze complex and above grade level material. Beyond the standard ELA 8 curriculum, students will read Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, a selection of short stories representing a variety of time periods and writing styles, and more advanced novel choices in a Literature Circles Unit. They will also be expected to choose more challenging titles for their historical fiction and research project. Students are also expected to read self-selected books each quarter as part of Readers Workshop.
Students will be expected to produce more lengthy writing assignments with more advanced vocabulary and sentence structure. They will write both creatively and analytically throughout the school year.
Honors English 8 has an enriched curriculum. Upon successful completion of their course of study, students will have the option to continue with high school Honors English classes. Students can remain on the Honors English track with 9th, 10th, and 11th grade Honors English courses followed by a choice of multiple college credit-bearing electives in their senior year. Please note, Honors English classes in grades 9, 10, and/or 11 are not prerequisites to advanced electives in grade 12, but may require teacher recommendation.
Accelerated Math: Grades 6 – 8
The O’Rourke Middle School mathematics program is designed to prepare all students to meet high school graduation requirements, which include taking three years of high school level mathematics and passing the one Regents exam (typically the Regents in Algebra I). Additional math courses and Regents exams may be taken during high school to achieve an advanced regents or BH-BL merit diploma. Please refer to the high school’s Curriculum Guide for additional information.
The ability to achieve either advanced diploma type is completely independent of enrollment in a particular level of math, but the advanced program prepares students and provides the access to additional and more rigorous coursework at the HS level.
Accelerated Math 6 (Math 6a)
This program is for the exceptional student who loves math and will spend extra time on homework and extra investigations in mathematics. Admission to this program is limited and based on stringent criteria. Students are selected into the program through a rigorous selection process including the review of grade 5 coursework, student educational profiles including work habits, study skills, attitude and desire toward the subject and learning in general, performance on local, state and national assessments, and teacher recommendations. Students entering the Middle School enriched math program will be successful because of his/her mathematical abilities, strong time management skills, personal responsibility, and consistent efforts both in the classroom and at home.
Accelerated Math 7 (Math 7a)
Students continuing in accelerated math 7 have consistently demonstrated all of the qualities to be successful in math 6a. This is a rigorous course that essentially combines regular math 7 and 8 into a one-year course. After successful completion of math 7a, students will take the first high school course, Algebra I, as 8th graders.
Accelerated Math 8 (Algebra)
Upon successful completion of accelerated math 6 and 7 students enroll in a high school level, credit bearing course in Algebra in grade 8. This course will culminate with the NYS Algebra I Regents exam, which students will take in June. The student’s final average and regents score will appear on your child’s high school transcript. Click here to read the course description in Algebra I.
Accelerated Science: The Living Environment
The O’Rourke Middle School Accelerated Science program takes place in 8th grade and provides our students with the opportunity to take a high school level credit bearing course, the Living Environment (formerly known as Biology). This course will culminate with the NYS Living Environment Regents exam, which students will take in June. The student’s final average and regents score will appear on your child’s high school transcript.
Click here to read the course description.
Students are selected by teacher nomination and thorough examination of previous science coursework, student educational profiles (work habits, study skills, attitude and desire toward the subject and learning in general) and performance on local, state and national assessments. Students must possess a passion for science, strong critical thinking and problem solving skills as well as a willingness to commit additional time to their learning and lab assignments.
It is important to note, while the 8th grade course is similar in content to the High School Living Environment course, certain topics are examined in greater depth and the class moves at a significantly accelerated pace. It is expected that students will be self motivated to complete significant work outside of class. Students must complete a minimum of 1200 minutes of hands-on, laboratory based learning during class.
Nomination, Selection & Maintenance Requirements for MS Honors/Accelerated Courses
Students in grades 5-7 are considered for honors/accelerated courses through a selection process including the review of current coursework, student educational profiles, performance on local, state and national assessments, and teacher recommendation. The assessment and student profile are further outlined below:
Assessment Profile
- Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT): The CogAT is given in the fall of 3rd and 5th grade. This test is a predictor of school ability and tests student aptitude in verbal, nonverbal and quantitative areas. A total score of 120 or greater is a typical benchmark for selection into honors/enrichment/accelerated courses.
- NYS ELA & Math Assessments: The NYS exams assess attainment of the standards in particular areas of ELA and math. Scores of 4 on the state assessments are a typical benchmark for selection into honors/enrichment/accelerated courses.
- iReady Assessments: The iReady diagnostic is administered three times throughout the school year in grades 2-5. It is an adaptive assessment for math and reading that adjusts its questions to suit students’ needs based on previous responses. Benchmarks on the iReady are grade and subject specific and are outlined below.
- NWEA Assessment: The NWEA MAP Growth diagnostic is administered three times a year in English and math for students in grades 6-8. Specific benchmarks vary based on the grade level and subject area and are outlined.
Student Profile (Teacher Recommendation)
Teachers will develop a student profile for each student using the following criteria:
- Work habits/Work completion (Homework/Classroom)
- Independent work
- Effort/Interest
- Classroom behavior
- Class/Group participation
- Collaborative work/Peer interactions
- Accepts feedback & strives to improve
Student Profile Levels:
- 4 = above grade-level expectations
- 3 = meets grade-level expectations
- 2 = meets grade-level expectations with assistance
- 1 = below grade-level expectations
7 criteria x 4 possible points = 28 maximum points
Combined assessment and student profile criteria to be considered for math and accelerated math are include here: 
Students must maintain the above criteria to continue in accelerate math throughout middle school.
Combine Assessment and Student Profile Criteria to be considered for Honors ELA.
5th to 6th Written work Performance: 5th grade T1 and T2 report card writing indicators must be 3+ for all criteria.
Writing Sample: Each spring, students complete a formal writing assessment as a component of the Honors ELA placement process for the subsequent academic year. Evaluation is based on the student’s ability to maintain a focused, well-developed central idea while demonstrating organizational coherence, stylistic sophistication, and a command of standard grammatical conventions.
Students in Honors English must apply every year. Students must meet the above criteria for their grade level to be considered for the following year.
Flexibility in Programming
While many students begin taking advanced coursework in ELA and math in grade 6, some students may demonstrate this potential further along their middle school experience. If your child’s teacher recognizes this potential they will have the opportunity to meet certain criteria to move into the corresponding courses during 6th, 7th or even 8th grade. To be considered students must be recommended by their teacher and meet the criteria for their grade level explained in the above section. Contact the appropriate subject area administrator if you have additional questions.