Program Overview

Middle School Curriculum

The Middle School curriculum at Ricks Center for Gifted Children is designed to provide a comprehensive and challenging education for gifted learners in grades 5-8.

Humanities - English Language Arts and Social Studies

Social studies and language arts teachers work closely together to integrate their content. The reading in Language Arts classes reflects the areas of study in social studies. For example, students study the Age of Enlightenment while reading Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities set around the French Revolution. Curriculum for these courses are designed using National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and English Language Arts Common Core standards, with an emphasis on overarching themes such as Conflict, Discovery, and Power. Students have the opportunity to develop projects based upon areas of personal interest during these classes.

Math

The math curriculum is designed to enrich and extend the learning experience for gifted learners. The environment provides advanced content, accelerative options, and high-level enrichment to continuously challenge students throughout all grades. Students are grouped by ability level, and pre- and post-unit assessments are used to accurately determine appropriate placement and differentiation. The 5th grade curriculum is a sequence of compacted courses in Bridges in Mathematics, and the 6th through 8th grade curriculum uses BigIdeas Math for the foundation. The curriculum is dynamically and thoughtfully supplemented using a variety of resources, including:

• YouCubed
• Kahn Academy
• NRICH
• 3-Act Math
• NCTM Illuminations
• EngageNY

Science

The science curriculum is vertically aligned and meets the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Middle school science students have the opportunity to visit the planetarium, undergraduate science labs, and use other University of Denver resources. Within individual units, students have opportunities to expand and explore topics of interest, such as:

• Astronomy
• Biochemistry
• DNA markers

Foreign Language

Students in grades 5-8 receive foreign language instruction in Spanish, French, or Japanese. The goal is to develop proficiency in the chosen language rather than mere exposure. There is an emphasis on both oral and written language in Spanish, and emphasis on grammatical construction, vocabulary development, and reading in Latin. The expectation is that students leaving Ricks after 8th grade will place into upper-level high school Spanish, French, or Japanese classes as freshmen.

Connections

As part of the comprehensive curriculum, middle school students participate in:

• Art
• Music
• Physical education
• Foreign language (Japanese, Spanish, or French)

Electives

Electives are designed with the eclectic interests and passions of high-achieving students and the talents and interests of teachers in mind. Classes are multi-aged, and instruction is tailored to class interests and abilities. Electives may include options such as:

• Structural Engineering
• Innovation Lab
• Creative Writing
• Math Counts
• Student Council
• Communications
• Photography

Field Trips

Field trips are scheduled throughout the year to complement course content. Students visit sites throughout the metro Denver area and the University of Denver campus. Additionally, middle school students spend one week in May (Week Without Walls) on extended field trips that align with the curriculum. Examples of field trips include:

• Touring Washington, DC
• Camping in the Rockies