Ninth Grade Advanced Courses

South Jordan Middle School

2018-2019

Course Options

• Biology
• Honors Language Arts 9
• AP Human Geography or Honors Geography

​

Student Commitment

• Commit time and effort to learning, not just try to “get a grade.”
• Commit to the challenge of learning and achieving at a high academic level.
• Commit to completing assignments thoroughly and completely.
• Commit to having excellent attendance and participating in class.
• Students who are frequently absent or unprepared will find it very difficult to be successful.

How Can Parents Help?

• Assist students in making appropriate choices based on individual situations, personal motivation, academic ability, time management skills, and personal commitments.
• Encourage students to make selections that reflect their personal interests, abilities, and future plans.
• Parents and students: Please do not choose courses based on the performance or choices of older siblings.

​

Application Process

• Get an application form tonight
• Review course descriptions, considering student motivation, interests, and abilities
• Make selections on the form by initialing boxes next to the desired course(s)
• Complete the back of the application

Application Form

Registration Process

• Ninth grade registration cards will be given to students on Tuesday, February 20th in their science classes
• Take both forms (registration card and honors application) to the appropriate teacher(s) to have the registration card signed
• Mrs. Taylor (110), Mrs. Reddish (208), Mrs. Lawes (Portable 3)
• Staple the honors application to the 9th grade registration card

Registration Process

(continued)

• Turn in both the registration card and honors application to your science teacher on or before Friday, February 23rd.
• You are then committed to take the courses you have chosen!

Language Arts 9 Honors

Language Arts Ninth Grade Honors

Literature

What makes this class different?

​

• Summer Reading Project
• Additional reading requirements during the school year.
• Advanced vocabulary

assignments/quizzes

• One additional essay

per quarter

• Accelerated pace
• Multiple group projects
• Longer research paper
• Interviews
• Stricter grading & late work policies

​

​

Skills Needed To Be Successful

• SRI of 1200 or higher to ensure that the student is able to read the more difficult texts.

​

• Self-Starter:  Students must be able to complete longer, more complicated assignments independently.

​

• Students should be able to contribute to group work.

​

• Student should be comfortable speaking in front of the class.

​

• Regular school attendance.

Summer

Reading Assignment

• Anthem by Ayn Rand
• Students will read the book, annotate it, and complete assignments associated with the text. The text and assignments will be distributed in May.
• Students will complete a literary analysis on this text when school begins in August.

​

• Personal Choice Text
• Students will complete a chapter-by-chapter reading journal.
• Specific requirements (genre options, page number recommendation, lexile) will be included in the summer packet.

9^th Grade Social Studies

Honors World Geography

• This course offers an in- depth, accelerated study of geography based on the Utah State Core

​

• It focuses heavily on the development of academic skills such as college level reading, essay writing, test-taking strategies, and critical thinking

​

​

What is Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography?

• Equivalent to an entry-level college course (Geog. 130)

​

• Curriculum is established by the College Board

​

• Provides students an opportunity to begin earning college credit

​

How is AP College Credit Earned?

​

• The exam is taken in May and costs approximately $95
• It consists of 75 multiple-choice questions and three essays
• A passing score is 3 and above

Why Take AP Human Geography?

• It is the first AP course students are allowed to take in high school, thus helping to prepare them for challenging classes in the future

​

• It provides an opportunity for students to develop and hone college-level thinking, reading, and writing skills in a supportive environment

​

• It helps students improve time management, organization, and collaborative skills

​

Why Take AP Human Geography?

​

​

Why Take AP Human Geography?

​

​

Who Should Consider Taking AP?

Students who:

• Are motivated and want to be challenged

​

• Have time management skills and are academically prepared

​

• Are willing to commit 3 hours per week for independent study

​

• Are willing to complete a summer assignment

​

• Have an SRI of 1200 or higher

AP Summer Assignment

• Complete detailed maps of ten world regions

​

• Read a 15 page overview of the first unit and complete a vocabulary assignment

​

Is Taking AP Worth the Time and Effort?

“My parents didn’t think I was very smart, but I knew I was just lazy. AP really pushed me and helped me find out what I was capable of doing. Now I push myself to do things I thought I couldn’t do. It has really changed my life. Seriously.” Ryan L.

​

“I learned so much in AP and it has helped me so much at BHS! Tests are so easy now! I’m a lot better at studying and staying on task.” Abby R.

​

“...driving down the road I find myself connecting things we learned in AP to the world around me. After the first month, I started to believe that if I worked hard enough, I could do it. While the class was hard, I knew I had done my best whether I passed the test or not (I passed!).” Camery H.

What is the AP Pass Rate at SOJO?

​

2015-16: National 52% SOJO 76%

2016-17: National 49% SOJO 90%

2017-18: National 54% SOJO 93%

​

​

​

​

​

9^th Grade Science

Earth Systems or Biology

​

Biology vs. Earth Systems?

​

Earth Systems (only offered in 9th grade)

• Content - basic astronomy, atmosphere, water systems, geology, and solar energy, weather/climate
• 33% of science section of ACT covers this content

​

​

Biology

• Content – Ecological interactions, Cells, Genetics, Organ Systems, and Evolution
• 33% of science section of ACT covers this content

​

​

​

High School/College Requirements?

• High School Graduation requirements:

9^th-12^th grade students must have 3 years of science to be eligible for graduation

• 2 years of a core science (Earth Systems, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics)
• 1 year of an additional core or elective science
• BYU, U of U, and Utah St. requirements:

3 total years of science

• 2 years must be (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
• 1 can be any other science (Earth Systems, Anatomy, etc.)

What is the ACT?

​

Sections for the ACT test

English - 75 questions in 45 mins

Math - 60 questions in 60 mins

Reading - 45 questions in 35 mins

Science - 40 questions in 35 mins

• ACT is a college entrance exam to measure skill and preparation for college level courses

How important is a specific science class for ACT success?

​

SCIENCE

• Biology (33%), Chemistry/Physics (33%), and the Earth/Space Sciences (33%)
• “background knowledge acquired in general, introductory science courses is needed to answer some of the questions” (ACT website)
• The test emphasizes scientific reasoning skills over recall of scientific content.

​

​

BIOLOGY - Requirements

​

• Secondary Math 2H or Secondary Math 1H for the 2017-18 school year
• Those choosing Biology will have to take PHYSIC and CHEMISTRY at Bingham which are Heavy math sciences.

​

• Recommendation - SRI about 1200

​

BIOLOGY - Summer Project

​

• Organism Collection (training sessions after school in May 2018)
• Due second week of school

​

• Summer Earth System Class offered by Jordan School district
• (5 weeks - mid June to mid July taught at South Hills by 2 amazing Teachers - space is limited)

​

OR

Utah Science Technology �and Research Funded �Summer Courses

USTAR grant funding provides opportunities for students to take FREE summer courses in mathematics, technology and science.

WHY take a summer course?

• To accelerate your progress in math, science or technology, allowing you to take more advanced courses or attend the Jordan Applied Technology Center as a junior or senior.
• To prepare you for the ACT test taken your junior year.
• To use your summer time productively in an engaging and interesting environment. These are great courses taught by wonderful teachers!
• To fulfill high school graduation requirements. Many summer USTAR cores are core classes.

​

HOW to sign up?

• Sign up in March, some classes have limited enrollment.
• Go to: jordanschooldistrict.org

​

Registration Information

Registration Cards distributed:

• February 20, 2018 (in science)
• After receiving and filling out your registration card, take your registration card and honors application to each teacher for SRI verification and signature.

​

Registration Cards Due:

• Friday, February 23, 2018 (in science)

​

Summer Assignments Distributed:

• Late May 2018
• Training for science summer collection will be provided after school in late May 2018

​

Copy of Tonight’s Presentation

• Available on the school’s website at sojomiddle.org