Honors courses will substantially exceed the content standards, learning expectations,
and performance indicators approved by the State Board of Education. Teachers of
honors courses will model instructional approaches that facilitate maximum interchange
of ideas among students: independent study, self‐directed research and learning, and
appropriate use of technology. All honors courses must include multiple assessments
exemplifying coursework (such as short answer, constructed‐response prompts,
performance‐based tasks, open‐ended questions, essays, original or creative
interpretations, authentic products, portfolios, and analytical writing). Additionally, an
honors course shall include a minimum of five (5) of the following components:
a. Extended reading assignments that connect with the specified curriculum.
b. Research‐based writing assignments that address and extend the course
curriculum.
c. Projects that apply course curriculum to relevant or real‐world situations.
These may include oral presentations, power point, or other modes of sharing
findings. Connection of the project to the community is encouraged.
d. Open‐ended investigations in which the student selects the questions and
designs the research.
e. Writing assignments that demonstrate a variety of modes, purposes, and
styles.
(i) Examples of mode include narrative, descriptive, persuasive, expository, and expressive.
(ii) Examples of purpose include to inform, entertain, and persuade.
(iii) Examples of style include formal, informal, literary, analytical, and
technical.
f. Integration of appropriate technology into the course of study.
g. Deeper exploration of the culture, values, and history of the discipline.
h. Extensive opportunities for problem solving experiences through
imagination, critical analysis, and application.
i. Job shadowing experiences with presentations which connect class study to
the world of work.
