Students at Folly Quarter are always being talent spotted and course placements are continuously monitored. The amount and rate of academic progress a student makes varies throughout their academic career. The FQMS Staff works hard to make sure each student's academic needs are being met within their "zone of proximal development". (Vygotsky) Below is a synopsis of course placement and of the Gifted & Talented Content Area Classes. Be sure to visit our Howard County Gifted & Talented website for a more complete description of these courses. Please contact your school's GT Resource Teacher if you have any other questions about course placement.
Placement through Testing Testing is offered to all students in 5th Grade using the CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test). Students, new to HCPSS who enter after this testing has been completed can request testing when enrolling at Folly Quarter. The SCAT (School and College Ability Test) is administered and course placements are recommended according to eligibility.
Placement through Review PLACEMENT PROCESS- The placement process enables the school staff and parents to work together to provide the student with the most appropriate educational placement. This placement should provide a pace of learning and level of challenge commensurate with the student’s achievement level and abilities. A placement review may be conducted for students entering grades six through eight who demonstrate outstanding academic performance but who were not eligible for one or more G/T content area class(es) based on the initial testing criteria. INITIATING THE PLACEMENT PROCESS- A parent or student advocate may begin the placement review process by writing a letter to the G/T Resource Teacher to request a review of the student’s placement(s) for middle school. The letter should describe in great detail the outstanding performance, which has been observed outside of the classroom. The letter should support the parent’s assertion that the student should be enrolled in G/T class(es) (Middle School: social studies, English, science and mathematics). The letter from the parent or student advocate must include documentation and/or examples of exemplary student products to support their request. DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED TO THE PLACEMENT COMMITTEE- The parent or student advocate should present any materials, which document the student’s high-level abilities and performance, to the G/T Resource Teacher. Examples may include: • Anecdotal information • Journals, stories, plays, poetry, articles written by the student • Experiments and/ or models designed by the student that are related to subject content areas • Evidence of participation in advanced-level extracurricular activities (e.g. Maryland State Summer Centers for Gifted and Talented Students, Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY), HCPSS Summer Institutes for Talent Development) • Evaluations from consultants and test data from standardized tests administered outside of the school system. THE PLACEMENT COMMITTEE- At each school, a committee of educators meets to conduct the placement review. This committee is comprised of a school administrator, G/T Resource Teacher, classroom teachers, and guidance counselor. At this meeting, the student’s placement is reviewed and evaluated. The information and documentation provided by the parent or student advocate and the committee of educators are shared and discussed. The G/T Resource Teacher will communicate the placement decision to the parent or student advocate in writing. The parent or student advocate may appeal the placement decision to the school administrator.
GT English
Grade Six, Seven, and Eight -Accelerated pace, reading and analyzing challenging and complex literature and literary nonfiction independently. -Concepts are covered quickly through compacting, allowing teacher to streamline skills and concepts. -In-depth studies and written communication at an independent, application level. -Students are directly involved in the structure and direction of academic discourse, routinely applying high-level thinking skills and synthesizing materials. -Shared inquiry approach to literature discussion. -Students consider historical, social, and political textual connections; analyze ideas; consider opposing ideas; weigh the merits of opposing arguments ; and modify initial opinions as textual evidence demands. -Transfer learned knowledge when analyzing challenging unfamiliar texts. Some of the Grade Level G/T Texts Grade Six- Red Scarf Girl, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, The Prince and the Pauper Grade Seven- And Then There Were None, Upon the Head of the Goat, The Pearl, The Old Man and the Sea Grade Eight- Frankenstein, Romeo and Juliet
GT Social Studies
Grade Six and Seven- G/T Geography and World Cultures -Two year program -Human and physical geography; various regions of the world -Ancient History of regions, and of regional geographic and cultural issues -Grade Six- Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East, and Asia -Grade Seven- Western Europe, Eastern Europe & Russia, Latin America, Canada, and the Geography of the U.S.A. Grade Eight G/T United States History -United States from approximately 1754-1877 -Forces, people and events that shaped the U.S.A
GT Math
Grade Six- Pre-Algebra G/T 1. Formulating and reasoning about expressions and equations, modeling an association in bivariate data with linear equation, and solving linear equations and systems of linear equations. 2. Concepts of functions and using functions to describe quantitative relationships. 3. Analyzing two- and three-dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence, and understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem. Grade Seven- Algebra I G/T 1. Relationships between quantities and reasoning with equations. 2. Linear and exponential relationships. 3. Descriptive statistics. 4. Performing arithmetic operations on polynomial expressions, solving equations, inequalities, and system equations. 5. Using properties of rational and irrational numbers to develop and understanding of quadratic functions. Grade Eight- Geometry G/T 1. Transformational, Euclidean, and coordinate geometry with extensive real-world application. 2. Logic, inductive and deductive reasoning, geometric definitions, postulates, and proofs of theorems. 3. Introduction to trigonometry and vectors.
GT Science
Grade Six- Science G/T -Weather -Geologic Processes -Earth Systems -Solar System Grade Seven- Science G/T -Nature of Living Things -Human Biology -Genetics -Evidence of Change -Ecology Grade Eight- Science G/T -Forces and Motion -Energy and Motion -Basic Chemistry -Advanced Chemistry