English
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English 9 & 10 Basic |
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English 9 & 10 Basic |
| This two-year course emphasizes reading, writing, and vocabulary development with an emphasis on the acquisition of fundamental English skills. Students are exposed to grade-level appropriate curriculum content and work with a variety of core literary pieces, including short stories, poetry, novels, and plays. The students' multiple skills levels are addressed through a variety of student-based pedagogical techniques, and they acquire a core set of vocabulary words through repetition and contextual use. Class size is small to allow for more individual attention. |  |
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English 9 Regular |
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English 9 Regular |
| Students are introduced to a broad view of world literature; this includes a variety of genres which covers classical and Arthurian mythology, novels, poetry, the short story, and drama. Reading comprehension, analyzing literature, and learning to draw inferences through reading, writing, and discussion are emphasized, and vocabulary study and grammar development are integral parts of the curriculum. The writing focus is on the five-paragraph paper, the research paper, responses to literature, and SAT/ACT-type prompts. | |
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English 9 Honors |
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English 9 Honors |
| Honors students are above grade level in reading and writing skills and must be willing to accept the additional workload required at this level. The analysis and study of world literature continue as students further develop and hone their skills. Students will read, analyze, and draw sophisticated inferences from a variety of great works in literature, including Arthurian legend, world classics, poetry, and drama. Grammar skills are refined and incorporated into written products. Honors students are expected to respond to literature through expository writing, discussion, and oral presentations as well as to implement the vocabulary they learn. They will also write a research paper and practice SAT/ACT-type prompts. The course objective is to challenge high achievers to expand and refine their knowledge of literature and to develop a high level of vocabulary and writing skills. | |
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English 10 Regular |
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English 10 Regular |
| Students pursue a course of study that builds on their previously-acquired skills. They enhance their knowledge of the elements of fiction through reading great works in literature, including an in-depth analysis of a Shakespearean play, and they analyze, interpret, and react to literature through reading, writing, and discussion. Grammar skills are refined and incorporated into written products, and students acquire a core set of vocabulary words through repetition and contextual use. In addition to expository writing assignments and continued practice in SAT/ACT-type prompts, the major emphasis is on the entire process of the research paper. | |
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English 10 Honors |
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English 10 Honors |
| The honors English program at this level is designed to meet the needs of and challenge the highest achieving students. Honors students must demonstrate seriousness of purpose and must be willing to accept the additional workload required in this program. Students will read, analyze, and draw sophisticated inferences from novels, two Shakespearean plays, and essays and will respond to literature through expository writing, discussion, and oral presentations. Improved writing is the ultimate goal of the grammar program, for grammar is considered a tool whereby students can communicate more effectively and efficiently. In addition to continued practice in SAT/ACT-type prompts, the major emphasis is on the entire process of the research paper, including an instructive oral report. An intense vocabulary program is incorporated into the program, and development of recreational reading is fostered through assignments during major school breaks. PSAT practice is included at the beginning of the year. | |
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English 11 & 12 Basic |
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English 11 & 12 Basic |
| Students in this two-year program follow a basic course of study in American, British, and other works of literature. Students are exposed to grade-level appropriate curriculum content and work with a variety of core literary pieces, including short stories, poetry, novels, and plays. The students' multiple skills levels are addressed through a variety of student-based pedagogical techniques. The vocabulary course of study is grade-appropriate. Students also work on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT tests and practice SAT/ACT-type prompts to prepare them for the college application process. Class size is small to allow for more individual attention. | |
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English 11 Regular |
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English 11 Regular |
| Students explore various facets of American literature presented in a chronological format and inclusive of all literary genres. Students will study the relationship between historical occurrences and the writings inspired in the same periods. In addition, particular attention is directed to preparation for the verbal and writing sections of the PSAT, SAT, and ACT in a timely manner. Vocabulary study is incorporated into the program as are successful completion of several timed essays and an argumentative research paper. | |
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English 11 Honors |
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English 11 Honors |
| The 11th grade English honors program is designed to meet the needs of and challenge high achieving students. The program requires a substantially greater amount of preparation, reading and homework than the regulars level. Students read widely and extensively from various facets of American literature presented in a chronological format and examine the relationship between historical occurrences and the writings inspired during the same periods. An intensive vocabulary program is included, and attention is directed to preparation for the verbal and writing sections of the PSAT, SAT, and ACT in a timely manner. A major persuasive research paper forms a key part of the program. | |
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English 11 Language & Composition AP |
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English 11 Language & Composition AP |
| The AP Language and Composition course assumes that students already have a strong command of standard English grammar and are accomplished, insightful readers. Students develop their comprehension and writing skills through extensive reading and through writing, writing, writing. In essence, analysis in reading, along with application in writing, is the primary focus of the course. Students are also expected to be knowledgeable world citizens, able to analyze current events topics in written form - giving pros, cons, and their own views on a variety of subjects. By reading and analyzing selected novels and assorted essays, students recognize how the writer's topic, aim, mode, audience, and voice influence decisions about language, structure, and content. As they examine what language conveys and the conventions of different genres, they learn to write effectively in different rhetorical modes, dissect and revise their own written products, and develop their own style and voice. Vocabulary based on student-generated lists and grammar mini-lessons based on common errors in writing assignments are included. All students take the AP examination. | |
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English 12 Regular |
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English 12 Regular |
| Senior English is devoted to the study of great works of literature. Emphasis is placed on insights derived from training in reading; to facilitate such growth, students read poetry, drama, and prose from England and examine great works that have been translated. Students develop critical thinking skills and inferential questioning techniques through the use of core literature, and they analyze and interpret literature through oral discussion and written assignments. Students also write research using both conventional sources and the Internet. | |
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English 12 Honors |
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English 12 Honors |
| The Senior English honors program is designed to meet the need of and challenge high-achieving students, who are willing to accept the more rigorous workload of this course. Students read poetry, drama, and prose from England and examine great works that have been translated. They read and react to complex themes, interpretations, and inferences techniques through the use of core literature. Students also write research using both conventional sources and the Internet. A year-end major paper in preparation for college is a component of the course. | |
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English 12 Literature & Composition AP |
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English 12 Literature & Composition AP |
| Senior AP English is based on both British and world literature, and students read some of the greatest, most challenging works of literature ever penned. As students read for nuance, tone, and an appreciation of style, they develop the insights of true readers and life-long learners. Through demanding assignments, they learn to write complex ideas with ease and grace so that they are able to identify and analyze the stylistic elements of a variety of authors, identify and explain symbolic elements within a piece of literature, identify and interpret the elements of a poem, and relate how major social, cultural, and philosophical trends influence and are reflected in works of literature. Special preparation for the AP exam includes full-scale practice tests. All students take the AP examination. | |
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Expository Writing |
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Expository Writing |
| Semester Course This course is a writing workshop. It has been included in the curriculum both to improve writing skills and to prepare students for the SAT II, which incorporates essays in the evaluation process. A variety of short reading selections are used as models for writing, and in-class assignments coincide with literature that is being studied in the core English classes. While a review of the mechanics of writing is included in the program. the emphasis of the course is exploration and application of various strategies which enable writers to develop meaningful ideas and to express these ideas clearly. |
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Performance Studies |
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Performance Studies |
| This course will allow students the opportunity to analyze the performances of individuals in various media, including stage, film, television, and electronic media. Students will then relate those choices to their own decisions as writers, actors, directors, and designers. Anyone interested in Pulitzer Prize winning drama through really bad sit-com acting will enjoy this course, which focuses both on critical viewing of productions and relating that analysis to a student's performance. Students interested in writing, artistic design, directing, or multi-media production are encouraged to take part in this course which is not just about acting! | |
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Public Speaking |
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Public Speaking |
| This course introduces the basic principles of speech communication and the respective responsibilities of speakers and listeners. A major purpose of the course is to instill a positive orientation toward speech making. Students will plan and present speeches to inform, to persuade, to explain, and to entertain. There is no interscholastic competition requirement. | |
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Psychology Honors |
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Psychology Honors |
| This course is designed to provide the same knowledge and understanding as the Psychology Regulars course. Honors students will gain additional knowledge at levels applicable to their abilities from more complex information presented in lectures. In addition, breadth is added to the course through critical thinking/problem solving activities as well as cooperative learning projects. The course content includes, but is not limited to, the following: the history, major theories and theorists of psychology; personality; abnormal behavior and the psychological modalities used to treat them; sensation and perception and the different views of learning. | |
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Psychology |
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Psychology |
| This introductory course is designed to provide students with an awareness of the field of Psychology. It includes such areas as the history of psychology, major theories and theorists that contributed to the development of the field, the basis of learning styles, along with intelligence and how it is tested. The course emphasizes personality and its development, according to different theorists, as well as abnormal behavior and how it can be treated/modified through different therapeutic modalities. | |
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Psychology AP |
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Psychology AP |
| This course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory psychology class usually taken by psychology majors their first year in college. The content follows that given by the College Board and is geared toward the successful completion of the Advanced Placement Test. The course content includes, but is not limited to, the following: the history, major theories and theorists of psychology; statistical research and psychological testing; personality; abnormal behavior and the psychological modalities used to treat them; states of consciousness; motivation and emotion and social psychology. | |
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Advanced Academic Strategies |
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Advanced Academic Strategies |
| This course is available for grades 9 and 10. It is highly recommended in 9th grade. A one semester course designed to provide students with advanced skills in organization and time management, identifying and adapting each student’s unique learning style to the increased rigor of the curriculum. Memory skills, test-taking skills, research strategies, and designing their individual 4-year graduation plan will be a significant part of the course content. | |
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Creative Writing |
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Creative Writing |
| This course will serve the writing student in several ways. Students will refine and enhance writing skills learned in previous English composition courses, to learn the various forms and structures of creative writing. Students will learn the elements of poetry and short fiction through analyses of a variety of examples. They will produce their own poetry and short fiction with an eye toward submission for publication in both school and outside venues. | |
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Contemporary Literature Honors |
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Contemporary Literature Honors |
| The purpose of this course is to enable students to develop knowledge of contemporary literature through integrated educational experiences in the language arts strands. Emphasis will be on works of major contemporary authors, representing various cultures, whose writings reflect the characteristics, problems, and themes of modern culture and society. Content should include, but is not to be limited to, the following: reading for meaning through varied texts, elements of literature, analysis of contemporary literature, writing for varied purposes, effective listening, speaking, and viewing strategies, power and impact of language, influence of history, culture, and setting on language, critical and aesthetic response, research processes. | |
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Social Studies
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World Cultural Geography |
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World Cultural Geography |
| This course will encourage students to weave a thread of continuity across the globe as they explore human history from political, social, and economic perspectives. Students will realize a connection between the geographical region of origination and the fundamental beliefs and means of survival of a civilized people. This course will guide students on a journey through a time period spanning from pre-history through the Renaissance. The chronology of events will be approached thematically, assisting students in formulating connections to their own lives. Past events will be compared and contrasted to those occurring in similar regions today, examining the causes and effects contributing to their existing condition. Selected themes will focus on social systems, religious and value systems, economics and technology, diversity, global interaction, literature, and the arts. Information will be derived from a variety of sources; knowledge will be expressed through multiple means of communication; assessments will reflect a cognizance of diverse learning styles. | |
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World Cultural Geography Honors |
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World Cultural Geography Honors |
| This course will encourage students to weave a thread of continuity across the globe as they explore human history from political, social, and economic perspectives. Students will realize a connection between the geographical region of origination and the fundamental beliefs and means of survival of a civilized people. Students will consistently be offered opportunities to utilize higher-order thinking skills as application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation will be incorporated as objectives in the daily lessons. This course will guide students on a journey through a time period spanning from pre-history through the Renaissance. The chronology of events will be approached thematically, assisting students in formulating connections to their own lives. Past events will be compared and contrasted to those occurring in similar regions today, examining the causes and effects contributing to their existing condition. Selected themes will focus on social systems, religious and value systems, economics and technology, diversity, global interaction, literature, and the arts. Information will be derived from a variety of sources; knowledge will be expressed through multiple means of communication; assessments will reflect a cognizance of diverse learning styles. Students will be required to demonstrate active participation in class using an interchange of thoughts and ideas and proficient listening skills | |
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World History |
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World History |
| In this course we will examine some of the major developments in humanity from the times of the Renaissance through to modern day Globalization. We will pay particular attention to the historical development of political, economic, cultural, and social regions in the world. In this area we will examine how our own cultural /geographic bias has on an impact on how we view the world historically to the present day. In particular we will objectively make comparisons, examine continuity in the rise and fall of empires, trading systems and gender issues to name a few. We will focus on looking at common themes in history to make better sense of the world in which we live today. | |
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World History Honors |
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World History Honors |
| In this course we will examine some of the major developments in humanity from the times of the Renaissance through to modern day Globalization. We will pay particular attention to the historical development of political, economic, cultural, and social regions in the world. In this area we will examine how our own cultural /geographic bias has on an impact on how we view the world historically to the present day. In particular we will objectively make comparisons, examine continuity in the rise and fall of empires, trading systems and gender issues to name a few. We will focus on looking at common themes in history to make better sense of the world in which we live today. | |
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World History AP |
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World History AP |
| This is a rigorous college course designed to develop greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts, in interaction with different types of human societies. This understanding is advanced through a combination of selective factual knowledge and appropriate analytical skills. The course highlights the nature of changes in international frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as companions among major societies. (Prerequisite: an 85% average in AP American History or a 92% average in World History Honors AND work ethic assessment and teacher recommendation.) | |
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American History |
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American History |
| This is a general survey course in American history. Using coalition techniques which encourage small group work and focusing on independent research by students, material is presented in such a way that students learn through participatory activities. The first goal of the course is to develop an appreciation of the diversity of people who contributed to the creation and development of the nation and the continuing struggle to remain a free and democratic nation. The second goal of the course is to explore the cultural, political, economic, human and democratic traditions of this land from the indigenous peoples to the present. A strong emphasis is placed on exploring America in the twentieth century. | |
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American History Honors |
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American History Honors |
| This is an in-depth survey of American history. Students use a college text, as well as an interpretative text and documents. The primary goal of the course is to develop an appreciation for the diversity of people who contributed to the creation and development of the nation and the continuing struggle to remain a free and democratic nation. The second goal of the course is to explore the cultural, political, economic, human, and democratic traditions of this land from time of its inhabitation by the indigenous peoples to the present. | |
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US History AP |
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US History AP |
| This course gives students grounding in the subject matter of American history and in major interpretive questions from the study of selected themes. Units of study are organized around six periods of major emphasis in the Advanced Placement Exam: Revolution and Constitution, Jacksonian Democracy, Civil War and Reconstruction, Populist and Progressive Movements, the Depression and New Deal, and Domestic and Foreign concerns since World War II. | |
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Human Geography AP |
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Human Geography AP |
| The purpose of the AP course in Human Geography is to introduce students in the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of the earth's surface. Students employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to analyze human social organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their science and practice. | |
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Economics/ American Government |
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Economics/ American Government |
| This year course is divided into American Government and Economics. In American Government students explore the American governmental structure at the federal, state, and local levels, citizenship responsibilities, and a comparison of democratic and non-democratic models. The economics course provides the student with a basic foundation in business and economics. It also provides students with an understanding of our free enterprise system, markets, ethics, and entrepreneurs. | |
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Economics/ American Government Honors |
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Economics/ American Government Honors |
| This year course is divided into American government and economics. In American Government students explore the American governmental structure at the federal, state, and local levels, citizenship responsibilities, and a comparison of democratic and non-democratic models. The economics course provides the student with a basic foundation in business and economics. It also gives an understanding of our free enterprise system, markets, ethics, and entrepreneurs. Students compare and contrast the domestic market to the global markets, i.e: NAFTA, EC, APEC, GATT, and W.T.O. | |
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Economics Honors/US Government and Politics AP |
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Economics Honors/US Government and Politics AP |
| This course is designed to present students with a critical perspective on government, politics, and foreign policy in the United States. It requires an understanding of the various institutions, groups, ideas, and core beliefs that make up this American political system. In particular, the course concentrates on the constitutional underpinnings of American government, political beliefs and behaviors, political parties and interest groups, institutions, and policy processes of government and civil rights and civil liberties. The economics course provides the student with a basic foundation in business and economics. It also provides students with an understanding of our free enterprise system, markets, ethic, and entrepreneurs. | |
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Sociology |
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Sociology |
| Through the study of sociology, students acquire an understanding of group interaction and its impact on individuals in order that they may have a greater awareness of the beliefs, values and behavior patterns of others. In an increasingly interdependent world, students need to recognize how group behavior affects both the individual and society. | |
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Ethics for the 21st Century |
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Ethics for the 21st Century |
| The purpose of this course is to help students develop the ability to make reasoned and ethical choices when confronted with the many complex, controversial moral dilemmas faced in today’s society. Students will become acquainted with the foundations of ethical thought and theories as well as gain an insight into the process of moral development. Students will also identify typical fallacies in flawed moral arguments. Students will also be given the opportunity, both orally and in writing, to apply the skills they acquire to real life moral dilemmas. | |
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