Academics Archive

0310 ICT ALGEBRA ABC-2

Possible 6 college credits

Cost: $94

Full Year 1 unit Grades 11- 12

Prerequisite: Successful completion of IB Mathematics or Pre-Calculus (95% or higher) and teacher recommendation

AP Calculus BC covers the entire Advanced Placement Calculus AB curriculum plus 3 more advanced units.  This course is intended for students who not only excel in mathematics, but also pick up concepts quickly as this course must go at a very quick pace to meet all the curriculum requirements.  A TI- 84 graphing calculator is required. Students are encouraged to take the AP exam in May for possible college credit. College credit depends on individual college requirements.

0081 Short Stories

Half Year ½ unit Grades 11-12

This course focuses on reading and studying the genre of classic short stories from around the world. Integrated into the course will be the analysis of the short story form, wherein a variety of critical approaches to reading literature will be explored. Students will compare these critical approaches, as well as the authors’ various literary styles. A comparative look at the cinema as it interprets selected short stories will also be explored. As a part of the course assessment, students will participate in group discussions as well as complete creative written and oral projects (short story talks, performances, short story pieces, and oral interpretation).

0514 Communications

Full Year 1 unit Grade 12

Prerequisite: Business Communications I is required before students enter Bus. Comm. II

* Please note that this course is not an approved English course through the NCAA clearinghouse.

Students will develop communication skills that are crucial for success in the 21st-century workplace by engaging in scenario-based activities that focus on effective communication and presentation, cultural diversity in the workplace, foundations of professional written communication, and career planning, among other topics. Students will also read and analyze a variety of books, articles, and reports, all of which are chosen to build critical thinking and decision-making skills. Both Business Communications I and II are reading- and writing-intensive classes. This course can be used toward a 4th unit of English credit.

NOTE: Priority will be given to seniors interested in pursuing a career and/or college major within the Business field. Students who enroll in Business Communication I must also enroll in Business Communication II.

0034 English 12R

Full Year 1 unit Grade 12

Prerequisite: English 11

This is a course designed to meet the needs of a mixed number of students who may be interested in pursuing a college education. Students will continue to develop the skills of close reading, analysis, writing, and communicating necessary in college and the workforce. Students will read poetry, essays, short fiction, and full length works, which may include The Catcher in the Rye, Johnny Got His Gun, The Things They Carried, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, among others. Students will also complete a research project, deliver a speech, and write a variety of papers throughout the year.

Full Year 1 unit Grade 10

* Please note that this course is not an approved Math course through the NCAA clearinghouse.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra ABC-1 (65% or higher)

This course is the continuation of Algebra ABC-1. This is a co-taught class that has fewer students thereby offering more individualized instruction. Students will study algebra as it relates to linear, quadratic, and exponential functions. Students will continue the study of statistics. There will be an emphasis on the application of these skills to real world situations. Students will take the Algebra Common Core Regents Exam in January. If needed, students can retake it in June.  A Texas Instruments TI-84 graphing calculator is provided by the district..

Half Year ½ unit Grades 11-12

This course is a study of Shakespeare’s comedies and tragi-comedies like Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, and The Winter’s Tale. We will read and view each of the plays to discuss characterization, humor, women’s roles, and theme. Students can expect to write papers, memorize lines, and discuss the plays in an open forum.

Half Year ½ unit Grades 11-12

* Please note that this course is not an approved English course through the NCAA clearinghouse.

In the 21st Century, so much of the media we read and watch happens on-line through social media such as Facebook or Twitter, web pages, blogs, story sharing sites like Medium, or video sharing like YouTube. Wouldn’t it be great to not only to study online media but also to participate and work on creating it for others?

In this course, students will do just that: Design content for the web. Students will learn aspects of digital writing, including blogging, website development, podcasting. They will research and write about topics of personal interest and then create media designed particularly for the web. Students will blog and share weekly writing in online environments. Along with personal blogs and websites, students will create larger multimedia projects such as video podcasts. By the end of the semester, students will explore ways to promote online writing and media to larger audiences.

Half Year ½ unit Grades 11-12

* Please note that this course is not an approved English course through the NCAA clearinghouse.

More than just comic books, graphic novels are narrative works where the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art. Throughout the course, students will study the graphic novel as literature, briefly investigating the history and evolution of sequential art, developing a vocabulary for evaluating and discussing the graphic novel as a narrative form, and closely analyzing representative works of personal and political memoir, social satire, and commercial escape. The goals of the course include: developing an understanding of the graphic novel as literature and art form, exploring the graphic novel as a means of gaining greater insights into human motivations and values, exploring the graphic novel as a means of gaining greater insights into human motivations and values, and developing skills in the analysis and written criticism of graphic fiction. Literature studied in this course includes, but is not limited to, the following: Persepolis, Maus I, Watchmen, and Kingdom Come.

Half Year ½ unit Grades 11-12

* Please note that this course is not an approved English course through the NCAA clearinghouse.

More than just comic books, graphic novels are narrative works where the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art. Throughout the course, students will study the graphic novel as literature, briefly investigating the history and evolution of sequential art, developing a vocabulary for evaluating and discussing the graphic novel as a narrative form, and closely analyzing representative works of personal and political memoir, social satire, and commercial escape. The goals of the course include: developing an understanding of the graphic novel as literature and art form, exploring the graphic novel as a means of gaining greater insights into human motivations and values, exploring the graphic novel as a means of gaining greater insights into human motivations and values, and developing skills in the analysis and written criticism of graphic fiction. Literature studied in this course includes, but is not limited to, the following: Persepolis, Maus I, Watchmen, and Kingdom Come.

Half Year ½ unit Grades 11-12

* Please note that this course is not an approved English course through the NCAA clearinghouse.

Beloved by audiences and critics alike, and well-known as “The Master of Suspense,” Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most skilled and influential filmmakers in history. This course will recognize Hitchcock’s thematic and aesthetic concerns as an auteur, and identify and evaluate his signature style, form, and narration. Students will read from a variety of critical and theoretical texts and assess Hitchcock’s innovative contributions to film and his enduring influence on other filmmakers.

NOTE: This is a reading and writing intensive course. Students will be required to read and write about every film we watch, and to read and respond to a great amount of film analysis and criticism. In addition, students will be expected to watch and analyze a substantial number of films from different time periods, which will challenge them to appreciate film outside their knowledge and experience.

0724 Transportation Systems

Half Year ½ unit Grades 10-12

Prerequisite: Material Processing 1

Transportation of products and people is a vital part of our society. This course utilizes hands on activities and experiments to explore land, space, aviation, and marine forms of transportation. Students will design, plan, build, and test various transportation devices.

0716 Computer Aided Drafting and Design

Half Year ½ unit Grades 10-12

Prerequisite: Design & Drawing for Production

This course incorporates the latest trends in the drawing and design industry. We will continue to address the concepts and skills of basic drawing acquired in DDP and take them to the next level. 3-D solid modeling software will again be the main drawing tool as students focus almost exclusively on product design activities. Every attempt is made to mimic “real world” design and drafting methods. Students will be capable of completing research, working drawings, color pictorial drawings, and presentation of ideas and design solutions to the class as a group. Students can expect to work on both mechanical and architectural drawings.