Creative Writing focuses on the four-step Process Writing model and the reading of professional writings to motivate students to create original essays, poems and short stories. The writing assignments include narration, definition, process analysis, cause and effect and comparison/contrast. Students learn self-editing skills by following the instructor’s detailed suggestions for the revision and refinement of their work.

*Pre-requisite: English I* This intermediate English course combines the study of world literature along with a continued focus on composition skills. Students will read, reflect, synthesize, and respond to several different types of world literature. A research paper is a requirement.

*Pre-requisite: English III* This is a class that will prepare students for the skills they will need to be successful in college and in life. When they have completed the class, students will have acquired the reading and critical thinking skills necessary for understanding challenging new material, analyzing that material to deduce meaning, and applying what they have learned to our world. They will have the composition skills needed to communicate their understanding effectively to a variety of audiences. Students will read and analyze classic works of literature because these works contain literary qualities that merit study and provoke thinking, not because of requirement to know a particular work or author. They will also look at modern and contemporary works as they examine all genres: plays, short stories, poetry, essays, and novels. Students will learn to apply critical literary terms as tools for learning, understanding, and communication. Learning activities include close reading, paraphrasing, discussions, essays, short answer exams, research papers, reflective journals, web quests, oral presentations, and others. The unit structure below identifies the main headings of the units only. Most units will include a combination of genres and activities. The structure to the class is not based upon a sequence of chronology, national origin, or genres. It is instead based upon the sequence that best supports the learning needs of the student.

*Pre-requisite: Geometry* In this course students will use their prior knowledge from previous courses to learn and apply Algebra II skills. This course will include topics such as functions, radical functions, rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometry, geometry, conic sections, systems of equations, probability, and statistics. Students will apply the skills that they learn in this course to real world situations.

This comprehensive review and study of arithmetic skills apply to both personal and vocational business opportunities. Topics include whole numbers, fractions, percentages, basic statistics, and graphs. Practical applications in finance, taxes, budgeting, banking and home ownership are provided.

Students will build mathematical skills that will allow them to solve problems and reason logically. Students will be able to communicate their understanding by organizing, clarifying, and refining mathematical information for a given purpose; students will use everyday mathematical language and notation in appropriate and efficient forms to clearly express or represent complex ideas and information.

*Pre-requisite: Trigonometry* This course is designed to go through the major topics of Pre-Calculus and to prepare students to move on to Calculus. After completing this course students will understand polynomial functions, polar coordinates, complex numbers, conic sections, exponential functions, logarithmic functions, sequences and series.

This course is an introduction to general biology and to the processes of scientific inquiry and thinking. It will include the fundamental principles of living organisms including physical and chemical properties of life, cellular organization and function, the transfer of energy through metabolic systems, cellular reproduction, the classification of living things, the six kingdoms of life will be examined. The main focus is to present biological information in an understandable and straight forward way that will capture the students’ interest dealing with up to date principles and concepts.

This introductory Earth Science course incorporates the body of knowledge and facts accumulated from people’s observations of the Earth around them and the skies above them. This observed information of the earth has evolved over centuries into the branch of science known as earth science. Earth science has several different branches of study: the solid earth (geology); the earth’s waters (hydrology and oceanography); the earth’s atmosphere (meteorology); and the universe beyond earth (astronomy). Using careful observation and experimentation, students will learn to effectively analyze and evaluate the earth’s natural phenomena and their causes, as well as, its relationship in the universe by focusing on the four major areas of study.

This course provides students with instruction in the nature of science, including scientific processes, the scientific method, and scientific inquiry. It covers safety in the lab and the field, principles for conducting experiments, and the need for scientific communication. The course then covers the atomic nature of matter, classification of the elements, the periodic table, acids, and bases. Next, students are introduced to energy. They learn what energy is and the various forms of energy. They explore energy transformations and specifically discuss the production of electricity. The course discusses energy in motion, with emphasis on defining work, power, velocity, acceleration, forces, and gravity. Students learn about Newton’s laws of motion and simple machines and have the opportunity to design their own machine using the basic principles of physics. Finally, the course discusses the composition and structure of the universe, the life cycles of stars, and space exploration.

This course is designed to provide the student with a basic understanding of American History. The content will focus on the origins of the nation’s democratic principles and continue through present day domestic and foreign issues that affect American society. There will be a particular emphasis on the individuals and groups that have not only been impacted by the nation’s development but those who have made contributions as well. Students will utilize critical thinking and problem solving skills as they participate in interactive discussions, and complete assignments establishing real-world connections.

AP U.S. History is a survey course with extensive chronological coverage on a broad variety of topics to include economic history, cultural and intellectual history, and social history, in addition to political-constitutional and diplomatic history. This course covers all of the material outlined by the College Board as necessary to prepare you to pass the AP US History exam.

Civics can be expressed as a study in citizenship and government. This course will provide the learner with a basic understanding of civic life, politics, and government; a short history of its foundation and development, what rights the American government guarantees its citizens, and a survey of the duties and responsibilities American citizens must exercise in order to maintain their government. It will introduce the workings of our own and other political systems as well as the relationship of American politics and government to world affairs.

This Geography course will examine a broad range of geographical perspectives covering all of the major regions of the world. Each region will be reviewed in a similar structure in order for students to more clearly see the similarities and differences between each region. Specifically, the course will explore where each region is located along with its physical characteristics, including absolute and relative location, climate, and significant geographical features. The exploration will then continue on to look at each region from a cultural, economic, and political perspective, closely examining the human impact on each region from these perspectives as well as how human activities impact the environments of the region.

This course will introduce the student to an overview of good nutrition principles that are needed for human physical and mental wellness. Discussion of digestion, basic nutrients, weight management, sports and fitness, and life-span nutrition is included. Application to today’s food and eating trends, plus learning to assess for reliable nutrition information is emphasized.

In the digital photography and graphic design lessons, students begin by learning general photographic concepts. Then composition skills are added to photographs and image-editing techniques are practiced. Students learn how to use layers, crop images, color and lighting concepts, hue and saturation, and exposures and special effects. Graphic design, artistic elements, and software skills are taught while producing graphic images. The concept of design as a manner of visual communication is carried throughout. Students build a portfolio of work and explore the fields of photography, graphic arts, advertising and illustration.

In this introductory course, students learn how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2000 to create, analyze, edit, share and publish information for a variety of audiences and purposes. Through step-by-step tutorials and a project-based approach to learning, student become familiar with the key concepts and basic skills of today’s information technology sector.

This course presents basic programming and teaches the essential concepts of VisualBasic.net (VB.NET). As an introduction to VB.NET, students will see the basic uses of the programming language, its similarities to the English language (and others), and its flexibility as a programming language. The course helps participants understand the processes involved in software development and object-oriented programming. This is an introductory course that could lead to careers such as software engineer, developer, or game designer. The course participants will also complete a series of hands-on projects covering built in data types, operators, control structures, classes, and objects.

This course is a foundation of theory for responsible driving. Emphasis is placed upon mechanics of driving, execution of driving operations and rules of safe driving. This course is the equivalent of a one-semester course.

Understanding financial management concepts is an important life skill. From credit to insurance to taxes, it is imperative that students understand the consequences of their choices. Wisely managing their money, students become citizens that are more responsible. A thorough understanding of financial concepts, with practical application through activities and projects, will enable students to leave this course with applicable, useful skills for life. This course surveys the basic personal financial needs of most individuals and emphasizes the basics of budgeting, saving, checking, investments, credit, the wise use of insurance, and paying and preparing income tax returns. After high school, students face a world filled with possibilities, and the more knowledge they can acquire, the higher the probability that their financial future will be secure. Students taking this course will learn to better prepare for their financial futures.

*Pre-requisite: French I* French II has been carefully designed to meet the standards of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). These standards call for a method of teaching that focuses on successful communication through speaking, writing, reading, and listening, as well as a thorough grounding in aspects of culture. Each unit embodies all of these standards in accordance with the theories described in this document. Unit activities blend different forms of communication and culture to ensure that the student meets all standards. Course strategies include warm-up activities, vocabulary study, reading, threaded discussions, multi-media presentations, self-checks, practice activities and games, oral and written assignments, projects, quizzes, and exams. Learning activities in each unit are focused upon a specific theme.

*Pre-requisite: German I* German I has been carefully designed to meet the standards of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). These standards call for method of teaching that focuses on successful communication through speaking, writing, reading, and listening, as well as a thorough grounding in aspects of culture. Each unit embodies all of these standards.Unit activities blend different forms of communication and culture to ensure that the student meets all standards. Course strategies include warm-up activities, vocabulary study, reading, threaded discussions, multi-media presentations, self-checks, practice activities and games, oral and written assignments, projects, quizzes, and exams. Learning activities in each unit are focused upon a specific theme.

This is a beginning level course that will introduce the student to a variety of areas of Mandarin Chinese (simplified). In this course, the student will learn listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through activities that are based on pedagogically proven methods of foreign language instruction. Grammar is introduced and practiced in innovative and interesting ways with a variety of learning styles in mind. Culture is sprinkled throughout the course in an attempt to help the learner focus on the Chinese speaking world and their culture, people, geographical locations and histories. The course is aligned to national Foreign Language standards.

Spanish I has been carefully designed to meet the standards of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). These standards call for a method of teaching that focuses on successful communication through speaking, writing, reading, and listening, as well as a thorough grounding in aspects of culture. Each unit embodies all of these standards in accordance with the theories described in this document. Unit activities blend different forms of communication and culture to ensure that the student meets all standards. Course strategies include warm-up activities, vocabulary study, reading, threaded discussions, multi-media presentations, self-checks, practice activities and games, oral and written assignments, projects, quizzes, and exams. Learning activities in each unit are focused upon a specific theme.