Super 8 Program
Orion’s Super Eight program combines Orion’s proven program for students with non-verbal learning disabilities, executive function disabilities, and social skills deficits with an 8th grade curriculum designed for gifted students.
Orion’s Program
Orion’s program is designed to build students’ independent learning and social skills by providing concrete tools and strategies in a predictable, low-anxiety environment. Curriculum. Every aspect of our program aims to our goal of equally emphasizing academics, pragmatic language, and social skills development.
Super 8 Social Program
The social skills program is a 4 day a week program that will stress developing a class identity, a set of social norms, and positive self image within the group. The goal of this year is practicing increased social expectations and taking responsibility for personal behavior. There will be team building activities, social skills instruction and practice and in the spring a one day-long trip designed by the students to challenge themselves to use their new found skills.
Super 8 Academic Program
The Orion Super 8 program provides an 8th grade curriculum with greater depth and complexity than typical middle school programs. The curriculum allows students and teachers opportunities for enrichment into subjects not normally covered in the standard curriculum, extension into subjects that individual students find fascinating, and remediation of skills that students may need in order to continue to excel as students. Orion’s Super 8 program is a hands-on theme based learning that challenges the gifted student’s mind in order to help them to realize their full potential.
To request an application for the Super 8 Program, please click here.
Super 8 Overview:
Focus: The program will divide the year in to three general focus areas. We begin with the big picture. This helps the students see their place in the larger world. Next the students look at themselves in community. Finally, the students examine themselves as individuals.
Theme: Each semester (12 weeks) has a theme that focuses the student work. This helps the students to focus while giving them a platform for understanding the content. Each theme will have a “problem” to solve that is associated with the theme. These problems will be explored and presented in Personal Projects, Orion’s unique way of teaching organizational and executive function skills.
Trimester 1
FOCUS THEME GUIDING QUESTION
Self and Family: Heroes Journey “How can I strive for my fullest potential?
Science: Nutrition and Fitness (physics of motion and energy in food and burning
Social Science: Personal Accounts in History: Native Americans, African American Slaves, Autobiographies and Great Speeches
Literature: The Odyssey and Kindred
Rotation: Mythology, Intro to Art, and Drama
Field Trip: Horse back Riding
Trimester 2
FOCUS THEME GUIDING QUESTION
Community: Group Dynamics “How does a group survive on deserted island?”
Science: Survival Science: Solar still, weather predicting, buoyancy, boat building, food and foraging
Social Science: Early US History: Constitution, federalist papers, free press, law-making process, causes of civil war, etc
Literature: Lord of The Flies ,
Rotation: Volunteerism, Web Design, Navigation
Field Trip: California Academy Of Science
Trimester 3
FOCUS THEME GUIDING QUESTION
Global: Greener Earth: “How do we make the Earth healthier?”
Science: Global Structure (chemistry, cell bio, ecology)
Alternative Energies
Social Science: US expansion: Lewis and Clark, geography, effects of the industrial revolution etc.
Literature: In Defense of Food, and Midsummer Night’s Dream
Field Trip: Trapeze Arts and Team Building
Overnight at Briones
Rotation: Astronomy, Gardening and Comic Books