Middle School (5-8) Program Overview
Students placed in our middle school high ability program will experience an accelerated and differentiated curriculum specifically designed for students with high ability.
5th and 6th Grade High Ability
High ability students in 5th and 6th grades will have access to core courses designed to be differentiated in content, pace, and complexity. Mathematics curriculum is accelerated at least one year.
A transitional mathematics class is also available. This course compacts 5th, 6th, and 7th grade mathematics over two years.
7th and 8th Grade High Ability
Accelerated classes offered at the 7th and 8th grade level include language arts, science, social studies, and math (algebra is offered in 7th and 8th grade for high ability students).
Mathematics: Students who take high ability pre-algebra in the 7th grade are placed in high ability algebra in the 8th grade. Student who take high ability algebra in 7th grade are placed in honors geometry at the high school in 8th grade. The HA algebra class offered is an honors course more demanding than the regular freshman algebra course at ZCHS. The regular middle school algebra class offered is the same course offered to freshmen at ZCHS.
Two years of intensive world language study are offered in 7th and 8th grade. The HA world language program beginning in seventh grade covers two years of a world language so that students enter high school ready for the third year. High school credit will be awarded for successful completion of the second year and will be recorded as part of the high school record. The expectation is that students who participate in this program will continue the world language through the 5th& 6th levels or take an additional world language during high school. (By comparison, the regular World Language program beginning in seventh grade covers one year of a world language over two years. These students enter high school ready for the second year of a world language.) HA World Language classes are designed to provide greater depth and breadth of understanding within and across the areas of study. Instruction in the HA class differs in the level of complexity and a pace more suited to exceptional abilities.
The options for students at the middle school are designed to offer many ways to develop and extend a child’s unique talents and interests as well as providing rigorous academic preparation for further study.