INTRODUCING GRADES 6, 7, 8

DEMYSTIFYING THE MIDDLE GRADES AT OVO

FIRST OF ALL, WHY K-8?

Studies Show the K-8 Environment is Better!● Students at K-8 schools have higher levels of achievement in

both math and reading.

● Students at K-8 Schools have better performance in terms of emotional and social outcomes such as self esteem, leadership, and attitudes towards school.

● Studies note the stronger relationships among students, teachers, between students and teachers, and between parents and teachers.

(Coladarci et al, 2002,Offenberg, 2001, Yakimowsky and Connolly, 2001, Weiss & Kipnes, 2006)

Rigor & H

igh Achievement

Come be inspire

d by your peers!

OVO Grade Level Results Gr 6-8: English Language

Arts

OVO Grade Level Results Gr 6-8: Mathematics

Campus Environment

Effective Instructional Strategies - 2017 Parent Survey

School Community Safety - 2017 Parent Survey

Parent/Family Involvement - 2017 Parent Survey

ACADEMICS @ OVO Middle Years

Academic & Personal CounselingEmily Marchant-West

-Social/Emotional counseling for individuals and groupsEmotion management Peer mediationProblem solving

-Academic SupportLearning skills Study skillsTest taking strategies Goal setting

The OVO Learning Plan - Personalization, Goal Setting, and Differentiation all in ONE!

6th Grade @ OVO

HOW WILL 6TH GRADE WORK?

• Departmentalized: Students will have a core class (the same teacher for two of the following classes: science, math, ELA, and history), PE every day, and an elective.

• Students now get letter grades. Participation, completion of class work, homework, assessments, and projects all contribute to the grade.

MATH AND SCIENCE – 6TH GRADE

• 6th grade common core math consists of ratios, proportions, percentages and fractions.

• Go Math is the adopted curriculum for 6th grade.• Problem solving and in-class math projects are also

incorporated into the curriculum to give a hands on approach to using math in the real world.

• The science curriculum in 6th grade focuses on earth science. Students learn in depth how the planet was formed, forces that shape the earth and how landforms develop.

• At the end of the year, 6th grade goes to Yosemite for a week, giving the students the ability to see and experience what they have been learning all year in science.

LANGUAGE ARTS AND HISTORY – 6TH GRADE

● Use of Amplify, the adopted language art program for 6, 7, and 8th grades.

● Introduction to expository writing integrated with the social studies curriculum,

● In-class novels highlighting character themes, Habits of Mind, and extra support to social studies curriculum.

● Accelerated Reader

SIXTH GRADE FIELD TRIPS

Fall Trimester:Ropes Course at Sac StateArchaeological Dig at the Discovery Museum

Winter Trimester:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose

Spring Trimester:Yosemite National Park for 5 days in May (Cost: $480)

PC PALS

• Sixth grade students have the opportunity to pair up with Intel employees in a year-long email mentoring program.

• Once a week, in class, students email their PC Pal, discussing how their week went in school, or what they are studying, etc.

• Meet-and-Greet at the beginning of the year, students meet their Intel Pal at school.

• Field trip to Intel at the end of the year

Grades 7-8 @ OVO

Highlights of 7 & 8 Program

• A six period day—6 classes

• One teacher to teach all math classes

• One teacher to teach all science classes

• Physical Education every day

• Multiple teachers for English, History, Project Based Learning - Exploration

• Students are mixed with different peers in different classes

.

HOW DOES 7-8 WORK?

7-8 Daily Schedule 8:25-9:27 Homeroom/Period 1 9:30-10:27 Period 2 10:27-10:37 BREAK 10:37-11:34 Period 3 11:37-12:31 Period 4 12:31-1:11 LUNCH 1:11-2:07 Period 5 2:09-3:05 Period 6

OVO Middle Years Master Schedule

OVO 2018-19 Master Schedule Draft

PeriodSpecialist - PE

Specialist - PE

HM HOMERM 6 HOMERM 6 HOMERM 7/8 HOMERM 7/8 HOMERM 7/8 HOMERM 7/8HOMERM 7/8

1 Ancient Hist CCSS Math 6 Hist Core 1 Prep English Science CCSS Math 8 PE 7/8

2 English 6 Science 6 English Core 1 History Prep Science CCSS Math 7 PE 7/8

3 Prep Science 6 Hist Core 2 History English Prep CCSS Math 8 PE 6 PE 7/8

4 Elective Elective English Core 2 Elective Elective Science CCSS Math 8 Prep

5 Ancient Hist CCSS Math 6 Prep History English ScienceCCSS Math 7 & IM 1 PE 7/8

6 English 6 Prep Elective Elective Elective Science Prep PE 6 PE 7/8

FN Maria C Phillip Barb Pete Maria N Aaron Loni Alyse David

OVO Honors

Multiple Pathways for Honors Level Curriculum:-Separate Honors English Class-Contract Based Honors Projects available in every class

On Grade Level (Non- Honors) Honors

Reading Analyze grade level texts Multiple Primary Sources Analysis - Grapple with works of exceptional craft and thought--analyze above grade level text

Writing Grade level written analysis in multiple genres and formats

In-depth written analysis of topics meeting above grade level standards; Multiple genres & formats; Supporting personal beliefs with evidence

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking skills taught at grade level using grade level text and written expectations

Use Higher Order Thinking Skills to study: ethical issues, relationships and themes over time, as well as environmental issues and geopolitical conflicts from multiple perspectives.

Mathematics

--Accelerated 7 offered in two formats

--1st period math at Carnegie

--online/blended learning class at OVO

IM1 offered in 3 formats

--1st period math at Carnegie

--online/blended learning class at OVO

--independent collaborative small group

7th grade CC math and 8th grade CC math

SJUSD Math Pathways

CORE Class

What is Core?Core is a 2 hour interdisciplinary class focusing on

blending History and English

Feedback from students… “we have more flexible time to learn and understand”

“we get to know our teacher and classmates better” “students have a voice in learning activities”

History

- 7th & 8th graders combined for history

- Looped curriculum - US history one year and world history the following

- Getting ready for HS - tests, writing & technology

- OVO philosophy continues - Hands on projects - Interactive historical units- Honors contract

offered for trimesters and projects

- Optional Washington DC trip over Spring Break

English 7/8

Study of short stories, novels, drama, poetry, expository texts, and grammar.

Students participate in meaningful class discussions, creative projects, speeches and theater arts.

With an understanding of the fundamentals of literary analysis, students will be able to construct a multi-paragraph essay, as well as experiment with a variety of writing types.

Introduction to Research Report (with bibliography)

Personal and/or Fictional Narrative

Response to Literature

Argumentative Essay

Summary

Book talk (optional)

Accelerated Reader-Students read 1 million words/year

Honors English 7/8

Honors requires many of the same writing types as General English, but with greater depth and complexity as well as more independence.

Written arguments will be longer, more sophisticated and/or better researched. Students are expected to integrate more sentence variety and style into their writing, and in some cases emulate an author’s style.

Greater emphasis on speaking standards

Research-based analytical essay (with parenthetical citations and a works cited page) Fiction and/or Personal Narrative

Book talks

Argumentative Essay and Debate

Literary Analysis

Socratic questioning seminar

Business letter

Science is offered as a lab-based, two-year sequence:

1) Life Science2) Physical Science

Units developed by:

OVO Science 7/8 Learning by Doing:Issues Oriented Science

OVO Science 7/8 Learning by Doing:Issues Oriented Science

- Should you throw your old computer into the trash?- What can you do to reduce the risk of getting food

poisoning?- How can releasing your unwanted pet into the wild

affect the environment?

These are the types of personal and societal issues that SEPUP uses to engage students in the study of science. Students are provided with some evidence about the issue at hand, but they often realize that they have more questions than answers. These new questions are addressed in a series of science activities that introduce and teach relevant science concepts. Eventually, students apply their new science knowledge to reconsidering the issue.

OVO Science 7/8 Learning by Doing:Issues Oriented Science

The goals of issue-oriented science are:● to engage students in the process of learning science● to encourage students to use scientific evidence to make

decisions● to help educate tomorrow's citizens about the application of science to

everyday life.● SEPUP curriculum does not advocate a particular position on issues, but

encourages students to support their views with relevant evidence. SEPUP selects issues that:

○ Require an understanding of important scientific concepts and processes○ Require an application of evidence are interesting and accessible to diverse

groups of students are complex enough to foster discussion and debate

Physical Education

• More opportunities to participate, in smaller classes• We know all our students, their strengths and needs• Consistent program and support from the first through eighth• Various field trips (disc golf, foot golf, etc)• Greater privacy-all students must participate but changing is optional

2 Year - Project Based Learning Exploratory Classes

Students will be given the opportunity to select their top three choices in May:

- Foreign Language (Rosetta Stone or Teacher Led)

- Community Service- Life Skills- Debate- Art/Music/History

- Book Club- Online OVO Blog/News- Student Aides- Leadership- Yearbook- Sports History

Project Based Learning - World Cultures

Trimester Based Language Experience

7th and 8th grades: 5 days in Mission Springs near Santa Cruz one year and 3 days in Ashland, Oregon the other.

Cost for Mission Springs: $200Cost for Ashland: $300

OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIPS IN 7-8

OTHER PROGRAMS IN 7-8

Community Service• Required of all students in 7th and 8th grades

Student Aides• Trimester long commitment

Independent Study Project• Yearlong• Once every two years• Community involvement

Guest Speaker Series• Parents/Community members share their travels, careers, expertise• Open to all 7-8 students who are interested.

THE GARDEN: FROM SEED TO SUSTENANCE

• Maintained by 7-8

• Brings students of different grade levels together

• Acts as a springboard for learning about NGSS Science Standards via real-life lessons on nutrition, sustainability, healthy living, and cooking

• Teaches collaboration and the value of hard work

DANCES AND SOCIALS

7-8 Dance and Socials Events:•Dances: four times a year in the evening.•Socials: off site in the afternoon.•Lunchtime social club plans all socials, facilitated by parent volunteers.

LUNCHTIME ACTIVITIES

•Vary from year to year•Depend on parent volunteers

AFTER SCHOOL AND BEYOND SCHOOL

Athletic programs •Flag football, basketball, volleyball offered though Orangevale

Recreation and Parks Department• Track and field and wrestling offered through the district• Open to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students

Washington, D.C field trip•Offered every other year during spring break

OVO 6/7/8 USES TECHNOLOGY EXTENSIVELY

•Computers—6/7/8--one to one computers in every classroom•iPads•Projectors and interactive software•Smart TVs and Apple TV•Google Drive—used in all classes•Google Classroom•Q—online program for checking grades etc.

OVO BELIEVES IN…..

Community:• Students don’t fall through the cracks. It really is the place “where everybody

knows your name…”• Round Robins bring students of all ages together.• Career Day brings parents, alumni, and community members to campus to

share their expertise with our students.• Monthly parent informational meetings foster grade level communities.• Parents participate in all aspects of school culture to benefit the students.

OVO BELIEVES IN…

Authentic Learning while Guiding Students to Independence:• Every grade level--from kindergarten through eighth grade--goes on

overnight field trips.

• Field trips are an extension of the curriculum and all students are able to participate

• Some of students’ favorite memories are of the field trips they take at OVO.

OVO BELIEVES IN…

• Working hard and setting high expectations, while still allowing time for creative expression.

SO HOW DO OVO STUDENTS DO WHEN THEY LEAVE?

Robbie Kimbler--Casa Roble High School, currently in 10th grade•Elected Student Body treasurer, 9th grade.•Member of the cross country team and various clubs•Is excelling academically

“Robbie has blossomed in high school. His experience at OVO allowed him to discover his strengths and challenges, making it possible for him to develop strategies for dealing with the challenges. He…had the time and space at OVO to develop a strong sense of self before being launched into high school.”

“The teachers at OVO hold their students to a high standard and impart … to each of them that through education they have the power and opportunity to be world changers. To this day, as a current graduate student at UC Davis, I am still drawing upon the foundational academic tools I received as a student at Orangevale Open.”  

Brittany Nugen--UC Davis graduate•Has a Master’s Degree in Education.• Currently teaching fourth grade

SO HOW DO OVO STUDENTS DO WHEN THEY LEAVE?

My appreciation for creativity, individuality, sense of family, and "can-do" attitude is attributed to my childhood journey at Orangevale Open. I'm forever grateful that my parents chose such a wonderful school that built a foundation of who I am today.”

Tori Brodsky—graduate of UC Berkeley--studied Nutritional Sciences • Nutritionist for startup ContentChecked.com in LA. • Taught middle school students about nutrition and health • Taught high school math at a tutoring company • Mentored elementary school students SO HOW DO OVO STUDENTS DO WHEN THEY LEAVE?

WE PROMISE...

….that OVO’s 6th, 7th, and 8th grades will continue to embrace the open philosophy that is so much a part of our school.

…that parents will continue to be an integral component of the upper grades, although your participation may look different. We cannot do what we do without you.

Visitation Days

Come See Us In Action: Wednesday 12/13/17 9:00amFriday 1/12/18 9:00amThursday 1/18/18 9:00am