Liberty Middle School Program of Study

Enrichment/Accelerated is not a “track.” A student who is in one accelerated course, is not automatically in all accelerated courses. A student who is in an accelerated course in middle school isn’t automatically enrolled in an accelerated course in high school. Students must meet specific criteria/requirements.

Math

Fifth Grade Math advances to  Sixth Grade Math  advances to Seventh Grade Math or Seventh Grade Math Enrichment advances to Eighth Grade: Algebra 1 Accelerated : credit bearing, accelerated, high school course, weighted, Regents exam required.

6th Grade Math to 7th Grade Math Enrichment

Criteria

  • STAR Math Percentile Ranking: 50 or greater, *Spanish STAR Scores as well
  • STAR Math Grade Equivalency: On grade level or one grade level above/or more than students’ current grade *Spanish STAR Scores as well
  • NYS  Math Assessment: Level 3 or greater
  • Overall Math Grade: 90% or greater
  • Teacher Recommendation:
    • Work Ethic:
      • Student regularly works to find solutions; puts forward his/her best effort; sees challenges as opportunities for growth; and does not give up on learning.
      • Student frequently participates in class activities in appropriate ways that contribute to learning.
    • Attendance:
      • Student attends 90% or more of expected school days and classes.
  • Behavior:
    • Student consistently practices and models school’s Leader in Me/7 Habits.
    • Student has minimal referrals in SchoolTool.
      • Referrals are for minor infractions.

Placement will be reevaluated at Progress Report and Report Card intervals.

If a student is not making adequate progress, a parent meeting is scheduled, to discuss and determine next steps.

If a parent/teacher feels that a student didn’t meet all the criteria, but shows potential, please complete this Google form as a referral for consideration in the Enrichment/Accelerated program. 

  • This form must be completed no later than the  third week of school, after that a student will not be permitted to enter the program.
  • Placement will be reevaluated at Progress Report and Report Card intervals.
  • If a student is not making adequate progress, a parent meeting is scheduled.
    Enrichment/Accelerated Recommendation Form

Algebra 1 ACC to HS Regents Geometry

Geometry is a one-year course. Students will have the opportunity to make conjectures about geometric situations and prove in a variety of ways, both formal and informal, that their conclusion follows logically from their hypothesis.  This course will employ an integrated approach to the study of geometric relationships.  Integrating synthetic, transformational, and coordinate approaches to geometry, students will justify geometric relationships and properties of geometric figures.  Congruence and similarity of triangles will be established using appropriate theorems.  The classroom teacher will use transformations including rotations, reflections, translations, and glide reflections and coordinate geometry to establish and verify geometric relationships.  A major emphasis of this course is to allow students to investigate geometric situations.  Properties of triangles, quadrilaterals, and circles should receive particular attention.  Students will use the traditional tools of compass and straightedge as well as dynamic geometry software that model these tools more efficiently and accurately, to assist in these investigations.  Geometry will lead students to an understanding that reasoning and proof are fundamental aspects of mathematics and something that sets it apart from the other sciences.

  • Grade: 9-12
  • Prerequisites: Successful completion of Algebra 1 ACC and a passing grade on the Algebra 1  Regents Exam
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Final Evaluation: Geometry Regents
  • HS Credits: 1
  • Next Course: Algebra 2 (only with a passing Geometry Regents exam grade), or SCCC Advanced Algebra, or Math w/ Financial Applications).

Algebra 1ACC  to HS Informal Geometry

Informal Geometry is a one year course that emphasizes a practical approach to the study of geometry and deemphasizes an abstract, formal approach. Topics include properties and operations of real numbers; evaluation of rational algebraic expressions; operations with and factoring of polynomials; simple quadratics; properties of plane and solid figures; rules of congruence and similarity; coordinate geometry including lines, segments, triangles and parallelograms in the coordinate plane; concepts of similarity, parallelism, perpendicularity, and proportions; and rules of angle measurement in triangles.

  • Grade: 9-12
  • Prerequisites: Successful completion of Algebra 1 ACC- but did not pass the Alg 1 Regents
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Final Evaluation: Final Exam
  • HS Credits: 1
  • Next Course: Regents Geometry (with a passing Algebra Regents exam grade), College Algebra (with passing Algebra Regents exam grade), Elementary Statistics, or Math w/ Financial Applications

English Language Arts ELA

Fifth Grade ELA advances to Sixth Grade ELA  advances to Seventh Grade ELA (advances to Eighth Grade ELA) or Seventh Grade ELA Enrichment advances to Eighth Grade ELA or Eighth Grade ELA Enrichment (not credit bearing)

6th Grade ELA to 7th Grade ELA Enrichment/ 7th Grade ELA Enrichment to ELA 8 Enrichment/ 8th Grade ELA Enrichment to 9 Honors

Criteria

  • STAR ELA Percentile Ranking: 50 or greater *Spanish STAR Scores as well
  • STAR ELA Grade Equivalency: On grade level or one grade level above/or more than students’ current grade *Spanish STAR Scores as well
  • NYS ELA Assessment: Level 3 or greater
  • Overall ELA Grade: 90% or greater
  • Teacher Recommendation
    • Work Ethic:
      • Student regularly works to find solutions; puts forward his/her best effort; sees challenges as opportunities for growth; and does not give up on learning.
      • Student frequently participates in class activities in appropriate ways that contribute to learning.
    • Attendance:
      • Student attends 90% or more of expected school days and classes.
    • Behavior:
      • Student consistently practices and models school’s Leader in Me/7 Habits.
      • Student has minimal referrals in school tool.
        • Referrals are for minor infractions.

Placement will be reevaluated at Progress Report and Report Card intervals.

If a student is not making adequate progress, a parent meeting is scheduled, to discuss and determine next steps

Students who are not successful in ELA 7E will be placed in ELA 8

Students who do not meet the criteria for ELA 8 E, will be placed in English 9

If a parent/teacher feels that a student didn’t meet all the criteria, but shows potential, please complete this Google form as a referral for consideration in the Enrichment/Accelerated program. 

  • This form must be completed no later than the  third week of school, after that a student will not be permitted to enter the program.
  • Placement will be reevaluated at Progress Report and Report Card intervals.
  • If a student is not making adequate progress, a parent meeting is scheduled.
    Enrichment/Accelerated Recommendation Form

English 9 or English 9 Honors

This course builds upon the language arts skills mastered in English 8 Enrichment. The teacher will reinforce reading comprehension skills through study of common core adapted modules. This course focuses on writing that is applicable to common core-based Regents essay tasks. All students will also receive training (via the library) in the research process, particularly as it relates to researching online.

  • Grade: 9
  • Prerequisites: A recommendation for English 9H could come from ELA 8 with a passing average of 90% or better. A recommendation from English Enrichment 8 with an average of 85% or better.
  • Length: 40 week
  • Final Evaluation: Test
  • Credits: 1

Social Studies

Fifth Grade Social Studies advances to Sixth Grade Social Studies  advances to Seventh Grade Social Studies (advances to Eighth Grade Social Studies ) or Seventh Grade Social Studies Enrichment advances to Eighth Grade Social Studies or Eighth Grade Social Studies Enrichment (not credit bearing)

6th Grade SS to 7th Grade SS Enrichment/ 7th Grade SS Enrichment to SS 8 Enrichment/ 8th Grade SS Enrichment to 9 Honors Global

Criteria

  • STAR ELA Percentile Ranking: 50 or greater *Spanish STAR Scores as well
  • STAR ELA Grade Equivalency: On grade level or one grade level above/or more than students’ current grade *Spanish STAR Scores as well
  • NYS  ELA Assessment: Level 3 or greater
  • Overall Social Studies Grade: 90% or greater
  • Teacher Recommendation:
    • Work Ethic:
      • Student regularly works to find solutions; puts forward his/her best effort; sees challenges as opportunities for growth; and does not give up on learning.
      • Student frequently participates in class activities in appropriate ways that contribute to learning.
  • Attendance:
    • Student attends 90% or more of expected school days and classes.
  • Behavior:
    • Student consistently practices and models school’s Leader in Me/7 Habits.
    • Student has minimal referrals in SchoolTool.
      • Referrals are for minor infractions.

Placement will be reevaluated at Progress Report and Report Card intervals.

If a student is not making adequate progress, a parent meeting is scheduled, to discuss and determine next steps

Global History  9 and 9H

The first part of a two-year study of Global History and Geography contains five units of study.  The first unit focuses on an introduction to the methods of social sciences:  history, geography, economics, political science and culture.  The second unit covers the period from Early Man (4000 BC) to the end of the Classical Civilizations (500 AD).  It includes the rise and fall of Great Empires and the emergence and spread of belief systems: Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese philosophies, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  The third unit focuses on Expanding Zones of Change and Encounter (500 AD to 1200 AD).  The next unit explores the Global Interactions that include Japan, China, and the emerging European countries.  The final unit of study introduces the First Global Age (1450 to 1770), which concentrates on the rise of Meso-American Empires and the encounter between people of the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

  • Grade:  9
  • Prerequisites: successful completion of 8th grade social studies; placement in Honors based on 8th grade performance and teacher recommendation. In order to receive a recommendation for an Honors-level course, the student must have a 90 average.
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Final Evaluation: Cumulative Test
  • Credits:  1

Science

Fifth Grade Science advances to Sixth Grade Science  advances to Seventh Grade Sciences (advances to Eighth Grade Social Studies ) or Seventh Grade Science Enrichment advances to Eighth Grade Science or Eighth Grade Live Science: Biology Accelerated: high school course, weighted, credit bearing, Regents exam required.

6th Grade Science to 7th Grade Science Enrichment/7th Grade Science Enrichment to 8th Grade Life Science: Biology Accelerated

Criteria

  • STAR ELA & Math Percentile Ranking: 50 or greater *Spanish STAR Scores as well
  • STAR ELA & Math Grade Equivalency: On grade level or one grade level above/or more than students’ current grade *Spanish STAR Scores as well
  • NYS  Science Assessment: Level 3 or greater
  • Overall Science Grade: 90% or greater
  • Teacher Recommendation:
    • Work Ethic:
    • Student regularly works to find solutions; puts forward his/her best effort; sees challenges as opportunities for growth; and does not give up on learning.
    • Student frequently participates in class activities in appropriate ways that contribute to learning.
  • Attendance:
    • Student attends 90% or more of expected school days and classes.
  • Behavior:
    • Student consistently practices and models school’s Leader in Me/7 Habits.
    • Student has minimal referrals in SchoolTool.
      • Referrals are for minor infractions.

Placement will be reevaluated at Progress Report and Report Card intervals.

If a student is not making adequate progress, a parent meeting is scheduled, to discuss and determine next steps

Students who are not successful in Science 7E will be placed in Science 8, instead of moving to 8th Grade Accelerated Life Science: Biology Students who are not successful in 8th Grade Accelerated Life Science: Biology, will be placed in Earth Science, instead of moving to Earth Science H

SCI 7 Enrichment

This course covers the NYS middle school NGSS Life Science Standards. Some topics of study include: What is science?, Levels of organization from cells to planets, Who am I and how’d I get here? (body systems, genetics, evolution), With great power comes great responsibility. What will your impact be? (Ecology, Human impact). Students in this class will experience the curriculum with more ownership of the learning process. With the teacher guiding and facilitating the process students will start to develop more of their own questions, and creating experiments to solve them, guiding more of their own learning, through a higher level of inquiry. Through problem and project based learning, the students will be immersed in a science experience that teaches them critical thinking, problem solving, communication and that they can use the scientific process to help them solve any problem they come across in life.

8th Grade Life Science: Biology Accelerated  to Earth Science

Classes of middle school and high school Life Science: Biology meet everyday for one period and every other day there is one period of lab.  Laboratory work must be successfully completed with evidence in the form of 30 passing lab grades in order to qualify for the Regents examination. There are three new required investigations from NYSED that must also be completed successfully to gain entrance to the exam. Specific course content covers:  Evolution; Energy, Matter and Organization; Maintaining a Dynamic Equilibrium; Reproduction, Growth, and Development; Interaction and interdependence through all levels of a system starting from a single cell to those taking place in an entire biosphere

  • Grade: 8
  • Prerequisites: Accelerated students take 8th Grade  Life Science: Biology Accelerated based on criteria above in the chart.
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Final Evaluation: Regents
  • Credits: 1 HS

Honors Earth Science (Regents)

Classes of high school Earth Science meet every day for one period and every other day there is one period of lab.  Specific course content covers the four major branches of Earth Science: astronomy, geology, oceanography and meteorology. Within these major branches, some sub-topics covered include earth’s motions, energy and its exchange in the atmosphere, rock formation, geologic history, water and climate, landscape development, and environmental change.

  • Grade: 9 for accelerated middle school students, 10 for high school students
  • Prerequisites: Successful completion of 8th grade Accelerated Living Environment; teacher recommendations; must have a MINIMUM of a 90% average in Science in 8th grade Accelerated Living Environment and must be enrolled in Accelerated Math
  • based on work ethic, absenteeism, behavior
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Final Evaluation: Regents
  • Credits: 1

STAR Assessment Scores

Percentile rank (PR) is a norm-referenced score that provides a measure of a student’s reading ability compared to other students in the same grade nationally. The percentile rank score, which ranges from 1 to 99, indicates the percentage of other students nationally who obtained scores equal to or lower than the score of a particular student. For example, a student with a percentile rank score of 85 performed as well as or better than 85 percent of other students in the same grade.

Grade equivalent (GE) is a norm-referenced score that represents how a student’s test performance compares with other students nationally. For example, a fifth-grade student with a GE score of 7.6  performed as well as a typical seventh-grader after the sixth month of the school year. This score doesn’t necessarily mean that the student is capable of reading seventh-grade material—it only indicates that the student’s reading skills are well above average for the fifth grade.

NYS Math & ELA Assessments

When looking at your child’s report, the state has provided four different levels they rank your child at, on a scale of 1-4. Below is the proficiency rating for each of the four levels.
Level 1: Student performance at this level means your child is well below their expected grade level. This ranking means your child’s skill level for the section is insufficient for their current grade level and needs vast improvement.
Level 2: At level two your child is considered partially proficient for their grade level. They are considered on track to meeting New York State Graduation requirements but are deemed insufficient to meet Common Core standards for their grade level.
Level 3: At Level three your child is considered on track for both New York State graduation requirements and that of the Common Core standards for their grade level.
Level 4: At level four your child is excelling and is well above the expected standards for the grade level. They are going above and beyond what is expected of them at their current grade level.

Liberty Middle School Honor Roll Criteria

  • Honor Roll quarterly average of 90-96.
  • Principal’s Honor Roll quarterly average of 97-100.

Acceleration & Enrichment

Acceleration allows students to move through the curriculum at a faster rate and enrichment adds topics or skills to the curriculum.

Enrichment activities build upon the regular curriculum to offer greater context and a deeper dive into the subject matter. These can be easily implemented in the classroom because students with similar abilities can be grouped together to complete activities at their learning levels. For example, students can be grouped together by reading level to read books at various difficulty levels.

Enrichment in a middle school course typically refers to activities or materials that go beyond the standard curriculum to provide students with deeper learning experiences. These activities are designed to challenge students intellectually, foster critical thinking skills, and promote creativity and exploration. Enrichment activities may include projects, experiments, discussions, field trips, guest speakers, or independent research projects that allow students to delve into topics in greater depth or explore new areas of interest. The goal of enrichment is to engage students, encourage their curiosity, and provide opportunities for them to apply their learning in meaningful ways.

World Languages

Students will choose either Spanish 1 Accelerated or Mandarin 1 Accelerated to study in 8th grade.

Students whose first language in SchoolTool is Spanish should take Spanish Heritage.  If the student wishes to take Mandarin 1 Accelerated and there is space, then the student will be allowed to take Mandarin instead.

Upon completion of the World Language courses in Grade 8, students will take the  LOTE Checkpoint A exam. Students must pass both the course and the exam to earn the high school credit. If the student does not pass both the course and the exam, they will be placed in Spanish exploratory or Mandarin 1 in Grade 9.

Spanish 1 ACC

The Spanish 1 is an accelerated class at the middle school level. This class offers 1 Credit of the world language requirement for the high school diploma. This interactive course for middle school students is filled with diverse, multimedia language activities.  Students begin their introduction to Spanish by focusing on the four key areas of foreign language study: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  Each new unit consists of a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, multimedia cultural presentations, and interactive activities and practices which reinforce vocabulary and grammar. There is a strong emphasis on providing context and conversational examples for the language concepts presented in each unit.  Students should expect to be actively engaged in their own language learning, become familiar with common vocabulary terms and phrases, comprehend a range of grammar patterns, participate in simple conversations, respond appropriately to basic conversational prompts, analyze and compare cultural practices, products, and perspectives of various Spanish-speaking countries.  The class is also aligned with the NYS Standards for World Languages as well as the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages.

  • Grade: 8
  • Prerequisites: none
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Evaluation: LOTE Checkpoint A Exam
  • Credits: 1
  • Credit bearing AND weighted

Spanish Heritage ACC

  • Look at language preference in SchoolTool (first or second language is Spanish)
  • Language Survey

The Spanish Heritage course uses the New York State Standards and the World-Readiness for Learning Languages (National Standards) as an academic framework.  The course was designed for heritage students, who already are familiar with Spanish, and, for many, it is spoken at home as the primary language.  Goals for the course are to improve reading comprehension, writing, grammar and communication skills in Spanish.

  • Grade: 8
  • Prerequisites: none
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Evaluation: LOTE Checkpoint A Exam
  • Credits: 1
  • Credit bearing AND weighted

Mandarin 1 ACC

This  a one-year course, introducing the Mandarin language and culture.  No previous knowledge of Mandarin is assumed or required.  Students will practice the four language skills – listening, speaking, reading, and writing – with an emphasis on building basic communication skills.  In addition, students will survey aspects of the history, culture, geography, and daily life in Mandarin speaking countries.  The New York State Learning Standards for World Languages and World Readiness Standards for Learning Languages provide the curricular framework and rationale for the course.  Students that successfully complete this course will take High School Mandarin 2 the following year in the high school.

  • Grade: 8
  • Prerequisites: None
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Final Evaluation: LOTE Checkpoint A Exam
  • Credits: 1
  • Credit bearing AND weighted

Mandarin 2

This is the second year course in a 3 year Regents track Checkpoint B sequence. The New York State Learning Standards for World Languages and World Readiness Standards for Learning Languages provide the curricular framework and rationale for the course. The basic skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) continue to be developed with increasing emphasis on developing greater proficiency in reading and writing.  The introduction of more complex grammar topics occurs with more regularity. The teacher will revisit and expand upon some topics from Mandarin 1 with additional vocabulary and more sophisticated content and concepts.

  • Grade: 9-12
  • Prerequisites: Successful completion of Mandarin 1 Accelerated and the Checkpoint A final exam in the middle school; in the high school, successful completion of Mandarin 1
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Final Evaluation: Cumulative Test
  • Credits: 1

Spanish Language Arts

The Spanish Language Arts course uses the New York State Standards and the World Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (ACTFL) ) as a framework for instruction. The main goal of the course is to improve literacy in students whose first language is Spanish. While the topics follow the mentioned standards, they were also chosen because they are interdisciplinary; that is, their study could benefit students’ comprehension of content in their other classes, such as ELA, science, history, math, art, and music. By examining and studying these subjects in Spanish, it is hypothesized that students will encounter high frequency words, tasks, and objectives characteristic of, and inherent in, the respective subjects.

  • Grade: 9 – 12
  • Prerequisites: For students whose first or second language is Spanish, or for those whose first or second language is not Spanish but have successfully completed Spanish 3 and the final exam.  Teacher recommendation is required.
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Final Evaluation: Cumulative Test and/or Project
  • Credits: 1

Spanish 2

This is the second year course in a 3 year Regents track Checkpoint B sequence. The New York State Learning Standards for World Languages and World Readiness Standards for Learning Languages provide the curricular framework and rationale for the course. The basic skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) continue to be developed with increasing  emphasis on developing greater proficiency in reading and writing.  The introduction of more complex grammar topics occurs with more regularity. The teacher will revisit and expand upon some topics from Spanish 1 Accelerated and  Spanish Heritage  with additional vocabulary and more sophisticated content and concepts.

  • Grade: 9 – 12
  • Prerequisites: successful completion of Spanish I Accelerated or Spanish Heritage in the middle school.,  .  Students taking Spanish 1 Accelerated and Spanish Heritage in middle school must also have passed the checkpoint A local exam to be eligible for the course.  Students who pass Spanish Exploratory at the high school are eligible to take the course with teacher recommendation.
  • Length: 40 weeks
  • Final Evaluation: Local Exam
  • Credits: 1

To receive one unit of high school credit for world languages prior to grade nine, pursuant to section 100.2(d) of this Part, a student must take and pass the second language proficiency examination when available, or beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, successfully complete two units of study in a world language and pass a locally developed test, both of which are aligned to the Checkpoint A learning standards for world languages, which has been approved for high school credit by the public school district superintendent or chief administrative officer of a registered charter or nonpublic high school.

One (1) accelerated unit of study (in grade 8) and passing a locally developed comprehensive examination that is aligned to the Checkpoint A Learning Standards at the end of grade 8.

Liberty Middle School Enrichment/Accelerated Courses

  1. Parents of all students in Grades 7 & 8 will receive notification of the course placement their child is enrolled in.
    1. Enrichment/Accelerated Letter LMS
  2. Parents and Students will sign, indicating they understand the requirements for remaining in the Grade 7 Enrichment Program and Grade 8 Accelerated Program.
  3. Placement will be reevaluated at Progress Report and Report Card intervals.
    1. If a student is not making adequate progress, a parent meeting is scheduled to discuss and determine next steps
  4. If a parent/teacher feels that a student did not meet the criteria, but shows potential, please complete this Google Form as a referral for consideration in the Enrichment/Accelerated courses.
    1. This form must be completed no later than the third week of school, after that a student will not be permitted to enter the Enrichment/Accelerated courses.
    2.  Placement will be reevaluated at Progress Report and Report Card intervals.
    3. If a student is not making adequate progress, a parent meeting is scheduled, to discuss and determine next steps

Curriculum Resources