Middle School Honors

Taught by Meg Dana, Middle School Humanities Faculty

This engaging and fast-paced class is designed for curious and motivated middle school students who want to explore the major events, ideas, and individuals that shaped modern America. Students will study topics including World War I and II, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War through interactive discussions, debates, primary source analysis, and project-based learning. Along the way, students will strengthen their critical thinking, communication, and historical analysis skills while exploring themes of social justice, leadership, and change.

As a special extension of the course, students will have the opportunity to participate in an educational Civil Rights journey through Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma. By visiting significant historical landmarks such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood home, the 16th Street Baptist Church, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and the Edmund Pettus Bridge, students will gain a deeper and more personal understanding of the Civil Rights Movement and the individuals who helped shape the fight for equality in America.

Taught by Rafael Cordero, Director of Technology Services

The Honors Coding course introduces students to computer science through engaging, hands-on experiences using programs and tools from the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Firia Labs while aligning with the 2017 CSTA K–12 Computer Science Standards and Framework. Students explore both block-based coding and Python programming through guided, project-based learning that encourages creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. Using Raspberry Pi Foundation resources, students learn core computing and physical computing concepts through interactive projects, while Firia Labs tools such as the CodeX handheld device and the Python-programmable CodeBot rover allow students to experiment with sensors, robotics, LEDs, audio, and real-world coding applications. Throughout the course, students collaborate on interdisciplinary projects, share and showcase their work with peers, and develop teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills in a dynamic and supportive environment.

Taught by John Penton, Middle School Humanities Faculty

The Middle School Honors Composition and Grammar course is designed to equip students with advanced writing and editing skills through a strong command of grammar, mechanics, and punctuation. Through a combination of composing and examining formal writings, students will develop their ability to express complex ideas clearly and effectively. This course challenges students to refine their writing process, understand grammatical structures at a deeper level, and engage with a variety of literary and informational texts, culminating in the development of voice, style, and compositional confidence in the form of a final, year-end thesis paper.

Students will strengthen their mastery of formal writing, grammar, and sentence structure while developing their individual voice and style through critical thinking and analytical writing. The course introduces students to elements found in AP Language and AP Literature, helping them build advanced reading, writing, and communication skills. Instruction is designed to assess and support each student’s individual strengths, needs, and writing process in order to encourage growth, confidence, and academic excellence.

Taught by Rebecca Horrigan, Middle School Humanities Faculty

This course will develop students’ abilities to analyze a variety of texts, identify different writing techniques and strategies, and utilize them in their own writing to create an impressive portfolio of pieces. 

The first term will include a study of acclaimed short stories and an analysis of plot, figurative language, and strategies the author uses to make these stories so compelling. Students will implement what they learned by creating effective short stories of their own, which will go through the writing process to hone their editing and revision skills as well.

Term two will feature a study of various award-winning poets, an analysis of the effect of poetic devices in their works, and students' application of this learning in their own poetry portfolio. To enhance students’ speaking and listening skills and practice public speaking, students will also recite a poem of their choice aloud. 

Term three will focus on the fundamentals of Journalism beginning with a brief dive into the history of American media. Students will read and analyze a variety of popular article types including hard news stories, interviews, opinion pieces, and reviews. After gleaning inspiration from and identifying the skills needed to create these pieces, students will gain experience writing articles on subjects they are passionate about for publication on our own website. 

This course will have weekly assessments and will culminate in a well-rounded portfolio of processed writing.

Taught by Brianna Craviotto & Brian Lunardi, STEM Faculty (2 sections)

Math Honors builds off of skills developed in algebra, geometry, probability, and statistics through a survey based approach. Students will apply these concepts to real world and complex problems allowing them to develop a deeper understanding of math as a universal language. An integrated approach to these mathematical disciplines will increase mathematical fluency, problem-solving ability, and creative thinking. 

Taught at an honors level, this course moves at a quick pace. Weekly homework, unit tests, and projects are required.

Taught by Bryan Peariso, Middle School Faculty

Honors MUNDS is about developing public speaking skills. Public speaking is an important skill people need in a variety of jobs. Yet it is also the number one fear. Overcome the challenge of public speaking and develop a key skill needed for success! Students learn and practice four areas of speech, debate and the art of compromise over global issues. Speech areas include original oratory, dramatic interpretation, impromptu speaking, and soliloquy or duet acting. The Model United Nations guides students in the process of researching current international events and utilizing the procedures of a simulated UN organization to build a case for particular policies. Students thoroughly explore the unique perspective of a country in order to represent its interests on the global stage. Comprehensive research becomes necessary to understand a country’s stance on a range of critical international topics such as climate change, gender inequality, racial discrimination, and immigration.

Throughout the course, students learn to think critically and respond confidently in the moment while formulating persuasive arguments to defend a position on important issues. They practice speaking clearly and courageously in front of others, using their voice as a powerful tool for communication and advocacy. Along the way, students strengthen essential soft skills including leadership, collaboration, compromise, communication, and charisma as they learn how to speak, persuade, and debate effectively in both formal and interactive settings.

Taught by Tracy Williamson, JK-8 STEAM Integration Specialist

In the Honors Music Steel Band course, students will gain exposure to ensemble performance techniques in the Riviera Ridge Steel Band. Students will learn the history of the steel pan, how the instrument is made and then select a steel pan to learn for the year. We will practice scales, chord progressions and improvisation skills and we will learn and refine ensemble selections covering genres from traditional Trinidadian music, Calypso and Soca to Pop and Classical. Throughout the year, there will be opportunities for the steel band to perform at events within the Riviera Ridge community. Honors Music Steel Band students have a passion and enthusiasm for making collaborative music with peers, trying new musical skills, working together and supporting each other as a team and sharing music with the community. Students who enroll in Honors Music will be required to attend all classes unless excused and perform in concerts on campus.

Taught by MS Faculty, Mr. John Penton

From Plato to Socrates, Aristotle to Marcus Aurelius, this course begins with the ancient Greeks and Romans, where short readings will lead to class discussions, journal reflections, and analysis of these philosophies’ effect on present day societies.

Students in this course will explore rhetoric, philosophy, and argumentation while strengthening their critical thinking and analytical writing skills. Through the study of persuasion in advertising, media, and social media, students will examine how ideas influence public opinion and communication. The course also introduces logical fallacies and key philosophical concepts including metaphysics, epistemology, axiology, and logic to help students develop thoughtful, evidence-based arguments. Students will read excerpts from major philosophical movements such as the Enlightenment, Transcendentalism, and Existentialism, studying thinkers including Immanuel Kant, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Søren Kierkegaard. The course concludes with a personal philosophy essay and presentation, supported throughout the year by journals, discussions, creative writing, and critical essays.

Taught by MS Spanish Faculty, Mr. Damian Deveze

The primary focus of this class is to increase each scholar’s ability to communicate in Spanish with ease and confidence as they grow in understanding the perspectives, processes and products that represent the unique contribution of Hispanics to world culture. Scholars will continue to expand their use of higher-level vocabulary as they acquire a knowledge base of more advanced grammatical structures while they read, write, and discuss topics presented in class. A selected literary work will serve as source material in conjunction with the base text. Reading comprehension will be a primary focus for the class, as it is a vital part to creating sentence structure and understanding how to convey an idea or point of view in a coherent way. Understanding the foundations of Spanish grammar, including grammatical and sentence structures, parts of speech, and mechanics, scholars will better understand how to create sentences in the Spanish language.

In this course, students will engage in a comprehensive exploration of the Spanish-speaking world by reading, discussing, and analyzing a diverse selection of poetry, short stories, and essays. This rigorous curriculum offers high exposure to various authors and writing styles, fostering a deeper literary appreciation while providing an in-depth look at the geography, history, and rich cultural tapestries of Spanish-speaking nations. To ensure steady progress and mastery of the material, scholars will be evaluated through monthly quizzes or short-answer written assessments designed to reinforce their understanding of both the language and its global context.

Taught by Alex Torres, Visual Arts Faculty

Art Honors is a combination of art history, looking at the masters and their pivotal works, as well as gaining skills in painting and drawing techniques for more sophisticated products. Students will refine their observational drawing abilities, as well as their understanding of the seven elements of art. Scholars will take time to evaluate art, and artist’s themes as well as critique their own work and the work of other scholars using the elements of art. 

This class is an opportunity for individuals to explore many different mediums including acrylic paint, oil pastel, watercolor, printmaking, and clay. In some cases, scholars will bring home pieces to complete or have a single assignment to complete for homework. Scholars will leave with a wide range of skills across different mediums compiling their own portfolio and building their confidence as artists.