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Courses for Middle School
History | Humanities | Literature | Math | Science
EIGHTH GRADE LITERATURE
Goodman’s Five Star Stories- Conflicts and More Conflicts
Jamestown Publisher Best Series
Jamestown Publisher-Critical Reading Series
Jamestown Signature Reading
Realms of Gold 3-The Core Knowledge Reader
These courses fulfill the Eighth grade Reading Comprehension and Literary Response and Analysis requirements put forth in the English-Language Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools and the Core Knowledge Sequence.
COURSE: Goodman’s Five Star Stories- Conflicts and More Conflicts
COURSE FEE: $24.00 (fee is for non-KTL students) CREDITS: 2.0 DURATION: 8 weeks (4 weeks per book)
DESCRIPTION:
This course is a collection of high-interest anthologies featuring well-known short stories. The language in the selections is slightly modified to facilitate easy reading. The course offers exercises in reading comprehension, vocabulary, critical thinking, and literary elements.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Student Text + Study Packet + Answer Key
COURSE: Jamestown Publisher Best Series
TOTAL COURSE FEE: $165.00 (fee is for non-KTL students)
Best Series-Best Nonfiction-Middle Level
CREDITS: 2.0 DURATION: 6 weeks
DESCRIPTION:
This course is a compilation of classic and contemporary works from diverse multicultural authors. The selections offered in this course demonstrate techniques used by authors in examining real people, events, and experiences in order to understand them. Literary lessons, comprehension reviews, writing exercises, and critical thinking activities are included with each selection.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Student Text + Teacher’s Notes + Study Packet
Best Series-Poetry-Middle Level
CREDITS: 2.0 DURATION: 6 weeks
DESCRIPTION:
This course offers poetry selections from multicultural authors. The selections help students gain the skills and understanding to appreciate poetry. Students are introduced to the major elements in poetry, techniques used in poetry and by authors in constructing their poems.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Student Text + Teacher’s Notes + Study Packet
Best Series-Short Stories-Middle Level
CREDITS: 2.0 DURATION: 10 weeks
DESCRIPTION:
This course will give students comprehensive reading experience. The short stories include adventures, science fiction, romance, and mystery. Students are introduced to the techniques used in creating characters, stories, and making the story interesting. Each selection includes comprehension and writing exercises.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Student Text
Teacher’s Notes
Study Packet
Best Series-Best-Selling Chapters-Middle Level
CREDITS: 2.0 DURATION: 10 weeks
DESCRIPTION:
This course is formatted as a collection of literature through the use of chapters from best selling novels. Students will learn how an author creates a novel and how the piece makes them feel.
This format allows students to gradually increase from chapters to novels.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Student Text + Teacher’s Notes + Study Packet
Best Series-Plays-Middle Level
CREDITS: 2.0 DURATION: 6 weeks
DESCRIPTION:
This course contains a compilation of plays written by well-known playwrights. Students are introduced to the components of plays and techniques used to write an entertaining play.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Student Text + Teacher’s Notes + Study Packet
COURSE: Jamestown Publisher-Critical Reading Series
COURSE FEE: $145.00 (fee is for non-KTL students) CREDITS: 1.5 per title DURATION: 5 weeks per title
DESCRIPTION:
This series contains fascinating nonfiction selections and exercises that build reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. Students will master important skills found on standardized tests, including finding the main idea, author’s approach, summarizing and paraphrasing, and compare and contrast.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Reading Text (Heroes, Disasters, Calamities, Eureka!, Rescued, Deceptions, Daredevils)
Answer sheet + Answer Key
COURSE: Jamestown Signature Reading
COURSE FEE: $ 72.00 (fee is for non-KTL students) CREDITS: 3.0 DURATION: 10 weeks per book
DESCRIPTION:
This course teaches students specific strategies needed to become independent readers. These strategies also show when and how to apply the strategies and understand the material they have read. Reinforcement practices help improve existing skills. This course focuses on main comprehension, literary elements, and word-study strategies.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Student Text (non-consumable) Level H, I, J + Teacher Edition
COURSE: Realms of Gold 3-The Core Knowledge Reader
COURSE FEE: $55.00 (fee is for non-KTL students)CREDITS: 1.0 DURATION: Full year
DESCRIPTION:
This course is a collection of the poems, stories, essays, speeches, and autobiographies that are specified in the Core Knowledge Sequence for Eighth grade.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Realms of Gold literature book + Core Knowledge Sequence
EIGHTH GRADE MATHEMATICS
COURSE: Saxon Math 87
COURSE FEE: $65.00 (fee is for non-KTL students) CREDITS: 5 credits DURATION: 36 weeks
DESCRIPTION:
This course emphasizes concepts and skills necessary for success in upper level mathematics courses. However, this course should only be taken if student needs reinforcement. Otherwise, student should skip this course and begin Algebra ½. Math 87 reinforces fraction, decimal, and percent concepts throughout the text. Geometry concepts are continually practiced as well. Concepts covered in Math 87 include ratio, integers, equations, geometry, probability and statistics.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Math 87 textbook
Homestudy packet (includes test forms, answer keys to text and test problems)
COURSE: Saxon Math Algebra ½
COURSE FEE: $ 100.00 (fee is for non-KTL students) CREDITS: 5 credits DURATION: Full year
DESCRIPTION:
This course covers all concepts normally taught in pre-algebra, as well as additional topics from geometry materials. This course is recommended for seventh graders who plan to take first year algebra in the eighth grade, or for eighth graders who want to take first year algebra in ninth grade.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Algebra ½ textbook + Solutions Manual
Homestudy packet (includes test forms, answer keys to text and test problems)
COURSE: Saxon Math Algebra 1
COURSE FEE: $ 100.00 (fee is for non-KTL students) CREDITS: 5 credits DURATION: Full year
DESCRIPTION:
This course covers topics typically taught in a first year algebra course, including equations, polynomials, word problems, the Pythagorean theorem, and statistics.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Algebra 1 textbook + Solutions Manual
Homestudy packet (includes test forms, answer keys to text and test problems)
COURSE: McDougal-Littell Algebra: Structure and Method
COURSE FEE: $ 150.00 (fee is for non-KTL students) CREDITS: 5 credits DURATION: Full year
DESCRIPTION:
This is a comprehensive textbook program that helps students build thinking and problem solving skills as well as their understanding of algebra. Each chapter is broken down into smaller lessons. Each lesson has worked out examples, oral and written exercises. Mixed review problems are included at the end of the lesson to maintain previously taught skills. Each chapter provides a self-test, chapter summary as well as chapter reviews and a chapter test.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Student Text + Teacher Edition
COURSE: Key to Algebra Series, Books 1-10
COURSE FEE: $35.00 (fee is for non-KTL students) CREDITS: 2.50 credits DURATION: 3-4 weeks per book
DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces algebra concepts that are explained in simple language with easy to follow examples. Word problems relate algebra to familiar situations to help students understand abstract concepts. This course is ideal for those students who may be intimidated by large texts or for those who need extra practice in algebra.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Key to Algebra workbook(s) (consumable) + Answer Key
COURSE: Key to Geometry, Books 1-10
COURSE FEE: $35.00 (fee is for non-KTL students) CREDITS: 2.50 credits DURATION: 3-4 weeks per book
DESCRIPTION:
This course consists of non-intimidating workbooks that prepare students for formal geometry. At completion of the series, students will have been introduced to 134 geometric terms and will be prepared to solve formal proofs. Concepts covered include lines and segments, circles, perpendiculars, and angles.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Key to Geometry workbook(s) (consumable) + Answer Key
This course fulfills the Eighth grade Geometry requirements put forth in the Mathematics Content Standards for California Public Schools and the Core Knowledge Sequence.