MS ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 7 A/B

Students grow as readers, writers, and thinkers in this MIDDLE SCHOOL course. With engaging literary and informational texts, students learn to think critically, analyze an author’s language, and cite evidence to support ideas. Students complete an in-depth study of Jack London’s classic novel White Fang and read excerpts from other stories, poetry, and nonfiction. Explicit modeling and ample opportunities for practice help students sharpen their vocabulary, grammar, and listening skills. Students also respond routinely to texts they have read. In extensive, process based writing lessons, students write topical essays in narrative, informative, analytical, and argumentative formats. In this full year course, students develop a mastery of reading, writing, and language arts skills.

MS ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 8 A/B

In this MIDDLE SCHOOL course, students build on their knowledge and blossom as thoughtful readers and clear, effective writers. A balance of literary and informational texts engage students throughout the course in reading critically, analyzing texts, and citing evidence to support claims. Students sharpen their vocabulary, grammar, and listening skills through lessons designed to provide explicit modeling and ample opportunities to practice. Students also routinely write responses to texts they have read, and use more extensive, process-based lessons to produce full-length essays in narrative, informative, analytical, and argumentative formats. In this full year course, students develop a mastery of reading, writing, and language arts skills.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 9 (HONORS OPTION AVAILABLE) A/B

This freshman-year English course engages students in literary analysis and inferential evaluation of great texts both classic and contemporary. While critically reading fiction, poetry, drama, and literary nonfiction, students will master comprehension and literary-analysis strategies. Interwoven in the lessons across two semesters are activities that encourage students to strengthen their oral language skills and produce clear, coherent writing. Students will read a range of classic texts including Homer’s The Odyssey, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game.” They will also study short but complex texts, including influential speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan. Contemporary texts by Richard Preston, Julia Alvarez, and Maya Angelou round out the course.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 10 (HONORS OPTION AVAILABLE) A/B

Focused on application, this sophomore English course reinforces literary analysis and twenty-first century skills with superb pieces of literature and literary nonfiction, application e-resources, and educational interactives. Each thematic unit focuses on specific literary analysis skills and allows students to apply them to a range of genres and text structures. As these units meld modeling and application, they also expand on training in media literacy, twenty first century career skills, and the essentials of grammar and vocabulary. Under the guidance of the eWriting software, students also compose descriptive, persuasive, expository, literary analysis, research, narrative, and compare-contrast essays.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 11 (HONORS OPTION AVAILABLE) A/B

 This junior-year English course invites students to delve into American literature from early American Indian voices through contemporary works. Students engage in literary analysis and inferential evaluation of great texts as the centerpieces of this course. While critically reading fiction, poetry, drama, and expository nonfiction, students master comprehension and literary analysis strategies. Interwoven in the lessons across two semesters are tasks that encourage students to strengthen their oral language skills and produce creative, coherent writing. Students read a range of short but complex texts, including works by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Emily Dickinson, Herman Melville, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Martin Luther King, Jr., F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sandra Cisneros, Amy Tan, and Dave Eggers.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 12 (HONORS OPTION AVAILABLE) A/B

This senior-level English course offers fascinating insight into British literary traditions spanning from Anglo-Saxon writing to the modern period. With interactive introductions and historical contexts, this full-year course connects philosophical, political, religious, ethical, and social influences of each time period to the works of many notable authors, including Chaucer, William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth I, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Virginia Woolf. Adding an extra dimension to the British literary experience, this course also exposes students to world literature, including works from India, Europe, China, and Spain.

 AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION A/B

In this introductory college-level course designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement exam, students advance their understanding of rhetoric and writing through the reading, analyzing, and writing of rhetorical texts. Throughout the course, students explore the basic tenets of writing and argumentation, such as rhetorical situations, claims and evidence, reasoning and organization, and style. Students will read and analyze a variety of nonfiction genres, including essays, journalism articles, political writings, science writings, nature writings, autobiographies, biographies, diaries, speeches, history writings, and criticisms from multiple perspectives and backgrounds. The primary focus is on writing evidence-based analytical, synthesis, and argumentative essays and analyzing the rhetorical choices of a wide range of nonfiction writers. In addition to explicit instruction and a variety of independent and collaborative learning opportunities, the course offers specific exam preparation lessons and practice.

AP® ENGLISH LITERATURE & COMPOSITION A/B

 In this introductory college-level course designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement exam, students develop the fundamentals of literary analysis and introductory college compositions. The course focuses on analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting literary fiction, poetry, and drama from a range of literary periods, authors, and perspectives. The diverse canon allows students to explore the function of character, setting, structure, narrator, and figurative language. Through a wide range of instruction and collaborative writing activities, students articulate their interpretation of literature through writing. The course includes exam preparation and practice that anticipates common student misconceptions.

LITERACY & COMPREHENSION I A/B

This course is one of two intervention courses designed to support the development of strategic reading and writing skills. These courses use a thematic and contemporary approach, including high interest topics to motivate students and expose them to effective instructional principles using diverse content areas and real-world texts. Both courses offer an engaging technology-based interface that inspires and challenges students to gain knowledge and proficiency in the following comprehension strategies: summarizing, questioning, previewing and predicting, recognizing text structure, visualizing, making inferences, and monitoring understanding with metacognition. Aimed at improving fluency and vocabulary, self evaluation strategies built into these courses inspire students to take control of their learning.

MATHEMATICS

MS MATHEMATICS 6 A/B

This MIDDLE SCHOOL course begins by connecting ratio and rate to multiplication and division, allowing students to use ratio reasoning to solve a wide variety of problems. Students further apply their understanding of multiplication and division to explain the standard procedure for dividing fractions. This course builds upon previous notions of the number system to now include the entire set of rational numbers. Students begin to understand the use of variables as they write, evaluate, and simplify expressions. They use the idea of equality and properties of operations to solve one-step equations and inequalities. In statistics, students explore different graphical ways to display data. They use data displays, measures of center, and measures of variability to summarize data sets. The course concludes with students reasoning about relationships among shapes to determine area, surface area, and volume.

MS MATHEMATICS 7 A/B

This MIDDLE SCHOOL course begins with an in-depth study of proportional reasoning during which students utilize concrete models such as bar diagrams and tables to increase and develop conceptual understanding of rates, ratios, proportions, and percentages. Students’ number fluency and understanding of the rational number system are extended as they perform operations with signed rational numbers embedded in real-world contexts. In statistics, students develop meanings for representative samples, measures of central tendency, variation, and the ideal representation for comparisons of given data sets. Students develop an understanding of both theoretical and experimental probability. Throughout the course, students build fluency in writing expressions and equations that model real-world scenarios. They apply their understanding of inverse operations to solve multi-step equations and inequalities. Students build on their proportional reasoning to solve problems about scale drawings by relating the corresponding lengths between objects. The course concludes with a geometric analysis of angle relationships, area, and volume of both two- and three-dimensional figures.

MS MATHEMATICS 8 A/B

 The MIDDLE SCHOOL course begins with a unit on input-output relationships that builds a foundation for learning about functions. Students make connections between verbal, numeric, algebraic, and graphical representations of relations and apply this knowledge to create linear functions that can be used to model and solve mathematical and real-world problems. Technology is used to build deeper connections among representations. Students focus on formulating expressions and equations, including modeling an association in bivariate data with a linear equation, and writing and solving linear equations and systems of linear equations. Students develop a deeper understanding of how translations, rotations, reflections, and dilations of distances and angles affect congruency and similarity. Students develop rules of exponents and use them to simplify exponential expressions. Students extend rules of exponents as they perform operations with numbers in scientific notation. Estimating and comparing square roots of non-perfect squares to perfect squares exposes students to irrational numbers and lays the foundation for applications such as the Pythagorean theorem, distance, and volume.

MS PRE-ALGEBRA A/B

This full-year MIDDLE SCHOOL course is designed for students who have completed a middle school mathematics sequence but are not yet algebra ready. This course reviews key algebra readiness skills from the middle grades and introduces basic Algebra I work with appropriate support. Students revisit concepts in numbers and operations, expressions and equations, ratios and proportions, and basic functions. By the end of the course, students are ready to begin a more formal high school Algebra I study.

ALGEBRA I A/B  (HONORS OPTION AVAILABLE) This full-year course focuses on five critical areas: relationships between quantities and reasoning with equations, linear and exponential relationships, descriptive statistics, expressions and equations, and quadratic functions and modeling. This course builds on the foundation set in middle grades by deepening students’ understanding of linear and exponential functions and developing fluency in writing and solving one-variable equations and inequalities. Students will interpret, analyze, compare, and contrast functions that are represented numerically, tabularly, graphically, and algebraically. Quantitative reasoning is a common thread throughout the course as students use algebra to represent quantities and the relationships among those quantities in a variety of ways. Standards of mathematical practice and process are embedded throughout the course, as students make sense of problem situations, solve novel problems, reason abstractly, and think critically.

GEOMETRY A/B

This course formalizes what students learned about geometry in the middle grades with a focus on reasoning and making mathematical arguments. Mathematical reasoning is introduced with a study of triangle congruency, including exposure to formal proofs and geometric constructions. Then students extend what they have learned to other essential triangle concepts, including similarity, right-triangle trigonometry, and the laws of sines and cosines. Moving on to other shapes, students justify and derive various formulas for circumference, area, and volume, as well as cross-sections of solids and rotations of two-dimensional objects. Students then make important connections between geometry and algebra, including special triangles, slopes of parallel and perpendicular lines, and parabolas in the coordinate plane, before delving into an in-depth investigation of the geometry of circles. The course closes with a study of set theory and probability, as students apply theoretical and experimental probability to make decisions informed by data analysis.

MATHEMATICAL MODELS WITH APPLICATIONS A/B

Broadening and extending the mathematical knowledge and skills acquired in Algebra I, the primary purpose of this course is to use mathematics as a tool to model real-world phenomena students may encounter daily, such as finance and exponential models. Engaging lessons cover financial topics, including growth, smart money, saving, and installment-loan models. Prior mathematical knowledge is expanded and new knowledge and techniques are developed through real-world application of useful mathematical concepts.

ALGEBRA II A/B

This course focuses on functions, polynomials, periodic phenomena, and collecting and analyzing data. The course begins with a review of linear and quadratic functions to solidify a foundation for learning these new functions. Students make connections between verbal, numeric, algebraic, and graphical representations of functions and apply this knowledge as they create equations and inequalities that can be used to model and solve mathematical and real-world problems. As students refine and expand their algebraic skills, they will draw analogies among the operations and field properties of real numbers and those of complex numbers and algebraic expressions. Mathematical practices and habits of mind are embedded throughout the course, as students solve novel problems, reason abstractly, and think critically.

 PRECALCULUS A/B

 With an emphasis on function families and their representations, Precalculus is a thoughtful introduction to advanced studies leading to calculus. The course briefly reviews linear equations, inequalities, and systems and moves purposefully into the study of functions. Students then discover the nature of graphs and deepen their understanding of polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions. Scaffolding rigorous content with clear instruction, the course leads students through an advanced study of trigonometric functions, matrices, and vectors. The course concludes with a short study of probability and statistics.

AP® CALCULUS A/B

 This college-level, yearlong course prepares students for the Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB Exam. Major topics of study in this full-year course include a review of pre-calculus, limits, derivatives, definite integrals, mathematical modeling of differential equations, and the applications of these concepts. Emphasis is placed on the use of technology to solve problems and draw conclusions. The course utilizes a multi-representative approach to calculus with concepts and problems expressed numerically, graphically, verbally, and analytically.

AP® STATISTICS A/B

This yearlong, college-level course is designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics exam. Major topics of study include exploring one-and two-variable data, sampling, experimentation, probability, sampling distributions, and statistical inference. These topics are organized into three big ideas: variation and distribution, patterns and uncertainty, data-based predictions, decisions, and conclusions.

SCIENCE

MS EARTH SCIENCE A/B

Students enrolled in this dynamic MIDDLE SCHOOL course explore the scope of Earth sciences, covering everything from basic structure and rock formation to the incredible and volatile forces that have shaped and changed our planet. As climate change and energy conservation become increasingly prevalent in the national discourse, it will be important for students to understand the concepts and causes of our changing Earth. Earth Science is a two-semester course that provides a solid foundation for understanding the physical characteristics that make the planet Earth unique and examines how these characteristics differ among the planets of our solar system.

MS LIFE SCIENCE A/B

Examining a broad spectrum of the biological sciences, Life Science is a full-year MIDDLE SCHOOL course for middle school students that builds on basic principles of scientific inquiry and translates those skills to more complex, overarching biological themes. The course includes units that help students understand the definitions, forms, and classifications of living organisms and learn to analyze the diversity of each unique group of living organisms. Other units introduce students to the structures and functions of cells, cell theory, and cell reproduction. These larger themes are then applied to other topics, such as genetics, Darwinian theory, and human biology and health. An introduction of ecology draws all of these concepts together to examine the interrelationships that help to maintain life on Earth.

MS PHYSICAL SCIENCE A/B

This full-year MIDDLE SCHOOL course focuses on basic concepts in chemistry and physics and encourages exploration of new discoveries in the field of physical science. The course includes an overview of scientific principles and procedures and has students examine the chemical building blocks of our physical world and the composition of matter. Additionally, students explore the properties that affect motion, forces, and energy on Earth. Building on these concepts, the course covers the properties of electricity and magnetism and the effects of these phenomena. As students refine and expand their understanding of physical science, they will apply their knowledge to complete interactive virtual labs that require them to ask questions and create hypotheses. Hands-on wet lab options are also available.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE A/B

Environmental science is a captivating and rapidly expanding field, and this two-semester course offers compelling lessons that cover many aspects of the field: ecology, the biosphere, land, forests and soil, water, energy and resources, and societies and policy. Through unique activities and material, high school students connect scientific theory and concepts to current, real-world dilemmas, providing them with opportunities for mastery in each of the segments throughout the semester.

BIOLOGY A/B

 This compelling two-semester course engages students in the study of life and living organisms and examines biology and biochemistry in the real world. This is a yearlong course that encompasses traditional concepts in biology and encourages exploration of new discoveries in this field of science. The components include biochemistry, cell biology, cell processes, heredity and reproduction, the evolution of life, taxonomy, human body systems, and ecology. This course includes both hands-on wet labs and virtual lab options.

 CHEMISTRY A/B

This rigorous, full-year course engages students in the study of the composition, properties, changes, and interactions of matter. The course covers the basic concepts of chemistry and includes eighteen virtual laboratory experiments that encourage higher-order thinking applications, with wet lab options if preferred. The components of this course include chemistry and its methods, the composition and properties of matter, changes and interactions of matter, factors affecting the interactions of matter, electrochemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, nuclear chemistry, mathematical applications, and applications of chemistry in the real world.

PHYSICS A/B

This full-year course acquaints students with topics in classical and modern physics. The course emphasizes conceptual understanding of basic physics principles, including Newtonian mechanics, energy, thermodynamics, waves, electricity, magnetism, and nuclear and modern physics. Throughout the course, students solve mathematical problems, reason abstractly, and learn to think critically about the physical world. The course also includes interactive virtual labs and hands-on lab options, in which students ask questions and create hypotheses.

AP® ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE A/B

Environmental Science is a laboratory- and field-based course designed to provide students with the content and skills needed to understand the various interrelationships in the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems, and to propose and examine solutions to these problems. Since this is an online course, the laboratory- and field-based activities will be completed virtually and via experiments that students can easily perform at home with common materials. The course is intended to be the equivalent of a one-semester, college-level ecology course, which is taught over a full year in high school. The course encompasses human population dynamics, interrelationships in nature, energy flow, resources, environmental quality, human impact on environmental systems, and environmental law.

AP® BIOLOGY A/B

This yearlong, college-level course is designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement (AP) Biology exam. Units of study include Biochemistry, Cells, Enzymes and Metabolism, Cell Communication and Cell Cycle, Gene Expression, Evolution and Genetic Diversity, and Ecology. This course includes student guides and materials lists for required hands-on labs; these materials are not included in the course.

HISTORY

MS U.S. HISTORY (8) A/B

Offering an interactive and comprehensive overview of American history, this MIDDLE SCHOOL course engages and inspires students to learn about the rich and diverse history of America’s native peoples, early European colonization and settlement in America, and the creation of a new nation through the American Revolution. Middle school students enrolled in this course will closely examine major changes brought about by the nation’s reconstruction, industrialization, urbanization, and progressive reforms and consider the implications each of these events had on the expansion of the United States’ global influence through modern times. Over the course of two semesters, interesting course content encourages students to think carefully about the challenges and opportunities facing the United States in the twenty-first century.

MS WORLD HISTORY (6) A/B

Providing students with an opportunity to learn the diverse history that has shaped our world, this MIDDLE SCHOOL course delves into the evolution of civilization from the rise of ancient empires through the twenty first century. Middle school students enrolled in this exciting and informative course investigate the development of medieval societies, the effects of the Renaissance and the Reformation, and the progress made during various periods of revolution, industrialization, urbanization, and reform. Over the course of two semesters, students analyze effects of political conflicts and social issues on the continuing development and interdependence among nations in the modern world.

MS WASHINGTON STATE HISTORY (7) A/B

In seventh grade, MIDDLE SCHOOL students become more proficient with the core concepts in social studies. Students study Washington State from its earliest inhabitants to the present day. The study of Washington State includes an examination of the various native people that inhabited what is now Washington State. a look at multiple cultural and immigrant groups that settled in Washington State, a survey of the history of Washington State from its beginnings through the 20tth century, and a study of Washington’s foundational documents including the purpose, structure, and organization of government at the local and state level. **Successful completion of WA State History is a requirement for High School Graduation.

U.S. HISTORY I A/B

U.S. History I is a yearlong course that dynamically explores the people, places, and events that shaped early United States history. This course stretches from the Era of Exploration through the Industrial Revolution, leading students through a careful examination of the defining moments that shaped the nation of today. Students begin by exploring the colonization of the New World and examining the foundations of colonial society. As they study the early history of the United States, students will learn critical-thinking skills by examining the constitutional foundations of U.S. government. Recurring themes such as territorial expansion, the rise of industrialization, and the significance of slavery will be examined in the context of how these issues contributed to the Civil War and Reconstruction.

MODERN WORLD HISTORY A/B

This yearlong course examines the major events and turning points of world history from the Enlightenment to the present. Students investigate the foundational ideas that shaped the modern world in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and then explore the economic, political, and social revolutions that have transformed human history. This rigorous study of modern history examines recurring themes, such as social history, democratic government, and the relationship between history and the arts, allowing students to draw connections between the past and the present, across cultures, and among multiple perspectives. Students use a variety of primary and secondary sources, including legal documents, essays, historical writings, and political cartoons to evaluate the reliability of historical evidence and to draw conclusions about historical events. Students also sharpen their writing skills in shorter tasks and assignments, and practice outlining and drafting skills by writing full informative and argumentative essays.

WASHINGTON STATE HISTORY (9-12) A

Students study Washington State from its earliest inhabitants to the present day. The study of Washington State includes an examination of the various native people that inhabited what is now Washington State. a look at multiple cultural and immigrant groups that settled in Washington State, a survey of the history of Washington State from its beginnings through the 20tth century, and a study of Washington’s foundational documents including the purpose, structure, and organization of government at the local and state level. **Successful completion of WA State History is a requirement for High School Graduation. 

CIVICS A

This semester-long course provides students with a practical understanding of the principles and procedures of government. The course begins by establishing the origins and founding principles of American government. After a rigorous review of the Constitution and its amendments, students investigate the development and extension of civil rights and liberties. Lessons also introduce influential Supreme Court decisions to demonstrate the impact and importance of constitutional rights. The course builds on this foundation by guiding students through the function of government today and the role of citizens in the civic process and culminates in an examination of public policy and the roles of citizens and organizations in promoting policy changes. Throughout the course, students examine primary and secondary sources, including political cartoons, essays, and judicial opinions. Students also sharpen their writing skills in shorter tasks and assignments and practice outlining and drafting skills by writing full informative and argumentative essays.

MODERN GLOBAL ECONOMICS A

This semester-long course invites students to broaden their understanding of how economic concepts apply to their everyday lives—including microeconomic and macroeconomic theory and the characteristics of mixed-market economies, the role of government in a free-enterprise system and the global economy, and personal finance strategies. Throughout the course, students apply critical-thinking skills while making practical economic choices. Students also master literacy skills through rigorous reading and writing activities. Students analyze data displays and write routinely and responsively in tasks and assignments that are based on scenarios, texts, activities, and examples. In more extensive, process-based writing lessons, students write full-length essays in informative and argumentative formats.

AP® UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS A

 This one-semester college-level course is designed to prepare students for the AP United States Government and Politics exam. Students will study the Constitutional underpinnings and structure of the United States government, issues of politics and political parties, and topics in civil rights and public policy, demonstrating their understanding and acquisition of skills through written work, project-based activities, and practice exams.

FITNESS & HEALTH

LIFETIME FITNESS (REPEATABLE FOR HS CREDIT) I A/B II A/B III A/B

Exploring fitness topics such as safe exercise and injury prevention, nutrition and weight management, consumer product evaluation, and stress management, this course equips high school students with the skills they need to achieve lifetime fitness. Available as either a semester or year-long course, Lifetime Fitness encourages students to assess individual fitness levels according to the five components of physical fitness: cardiovascular health, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Personal fitness assessments encourage students to design a fitness program to meet their individual fitness goals.

MS HEALTH QUEST A

This MIDDLE SCHOOL  Health course introduces students to the concepts of what good health is, why good health is important, and what students should do in order to achieve good health. By the end of this course, students will be able to demonstrate an awareness of health as it applies to their bodies, minds, and environment; identify the components of a healthy lifestyle; set reasonable wellness goals; and apply health concepts across multiple contexts.

CONTEMPORARY HEALTH A

Available as either a semester or year-long course, this high-school health offering examines and analyzes various health topics. It places alcohol use, drug use, physical fitness, healthy relationships, disease prevention, relationships and mental health in the context of the importance of creating a healthy lifestyle. Throughout the course, students examine practices and plans they can implement in order to carry out a healthy lifestyle, and the consequences they can face if they do not follow safe practices. In addition, students conduct in-depth studies in order to create mentally and emotionally healthy relationships with peers and family, as well as nutrition, sleeping, and physical fitness plans. Students also examine and analyze harassment and bullying laws. This course takes covers issues of sex and gender identity, same-sex relationships, contraception, and other sensitive topics. For a more conservative approach to health education, the Healthy Living course is also available.

HEALTHY LIVING A

Encouraging students to make responsible, respectful, informed, and capable decisions about topics that affect the well-being of themselves and others, this high school course provides students with comprehensive information they can use to develop healthy attitudes and behavior patterns. Available as either a semester or year-long course, this informative and engaging course encourages students to recognize that they have the power to choose healthy behaviors to reduce risks. This course is the conservative approach to health education.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

MS SPANISH 1 A/B

MIDDLE SCHOOL students begin their introduction to Spanish with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major Spanish-speaking areas in Europe and the Americas.

MS SPANISH 2 A/B

Students in MIDDLE SCHOOL continue their introduction to Spanish with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major Spanish-speaking areas in Europe and the Americas.

MS FRENCH 1 A/B

Students in MIDDLE SCHOOL begin their introduction to French with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major French-speaking areas in Europe and across the globe.

MS FRENCH 2 A/B

MIDDLE SCHOOL students continue their introduction to French with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major French-speaking areas in Europe and across the globe.

SPANISH I A/B

Students begin their introduction to high school Spanish with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major Spanish-speaking areas in Europe and the Americas.

SPANISH II A/B

High school students continue their introduction to Spanish with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, cultural presentations covering major Spanish-speaking areas in Europe and the Americas, and assessments.

SPANISH III A/B

In this expanding engagement with Spanish, high school students deepen their focus on four key skills in foreign language acquisition: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. In addition, students read significant works of literature in Spanish and respond orally or in writing to these works. Continuing the pattern and building on what students encountered in the first two years, each unit consists of a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major Spanish-speaking areas in Europe and the Americas.

AP® SPANISH LANGUAGE & CULTURE A/B

Spanish Language and Culture is an advanced language course in which students acquire proficiencies that expand their cognitive, analytical, and communication skills. The course prepares students for the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. It uses as its foundation the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) as defined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the Twenty-First Century. The course is designed as an immersion experience and is conducted almost exclusively in Spanish. In addition, all student work, practices, projects, participation, and assessments are in Spanish. The course teaches language structures in context and focuses on the development of fluency to convey meaning. Students explore culture in both contemporary and historical contexts to develop an awareness and appreciation of cultural products, practices, and perspectives. In addition, students participate in a forum where they are able to share their opinions and comments about various topics and comment on other students’ posts. The course also makes great use of the Internet for updated and current material.

FRENCH I A/B

Students in high school begin their introduction to French with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major French-speaking areas in Europe and across the globe.

FRENCH II A/B

Students continue their introduction to French in this second year, high school language course with review of fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, cultural presentations covering major French Speaking areas across the globe, and assessments.

FRENCH III A/B

In this expanding engagement with French, high school students deepen their focus on four key skills in foreign language acquisition: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. In addition, students read significant works of literature in French and respond orally or in writing to these works. Continuing the pattern and building on what students encountered in the first two years, each unit consists of a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major French-speaking areas in Europe and the Americas.

ELECTIVES

MS CAREER EXPLORATIONS A

This course prepares middle school students to make informed decisions about their future academic and occupational goals. Through direct instruction, interactive skill demonstrations, and practice assignments, students learn how to assess their own skills and interests, explore industry clusters and pathways, and develop plans for career and academic development. This course is designed to provide flexibility for students; any number of units can be selected to comprise a course that meets the specific needs of students.

MS CAREER EXPLORATIONS I A

Career Explorations I is a semester-long course designed to give MIDDLE SCHOOL students an opportunity to explore various CTE subjects. Specifically, students learn about careers involving human-related services. Each of the five units introduce one particular field and explains its past, present, and future. These units include: Career Management, Introduction to Careers in Health Sciences, Hospitality and Tourism Systems, Human Services, and Consumer Services. The goal is to whet students’ appetites for these careers. Students can then explore that career in more detail as a high school student.

MS CAREER EXPLORATIONS II A

Career Explorations II is a semester-long course designed to give MIDDLE SCHOOLl students an opportunity to explore various CTE subjects. Specifically, students learn about careers involving various technical fields from computers to agriculture. Each of the five units introduces one particular field and explains its past, present, and future. These units include: Information Technology, Introduction to Information Support and Services, Introduction to Network Systems, Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, and Introduction to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The goal is to whet students’ appetites for these careers. Students can then explore that career in more detail as a high school student.

CAREER PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT A

Introducing high school students to the working world, this course provides the knowledge and insight necessary to compete in today’s challenging job market. This relevant and timely course helps students investigate careers as they apply to personal interests and abilities, develop the skills and job search documents needed to enter the workforce, explore the rights of workers and traits of effective employees, and address the importance of professionalism and responsibility as careers change and evolve. This one-semester course includes lessons in which students create a self-assessment profile, a cover letter, and a résumé that can be used in their educational or career portfolio.

ONLINE LEARNING AND DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP A

This one-semester course provides students with a comprehensive introduction to online learning, including how to work independently, stay safe, and develop effective study habits in virtual learning environments. Featuring direct-instruction videos, interactive tasks, authentic projects, and rigorous assessments, the course prepares students for high school by providing in-depth instruction and practice in important study skills such as time management, effective note-taking, test preparation, and collaborating effectively online. By the end of the course, students will understand what it takes to be successful online learners and responsible digital citizens.

AP® HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

Human Geography is a college-level course designed to prepare students for the AP Human Geography Exam. The goal of the course is to provide students with a geographic perspective through which to view the world. Through a combination of direct instruction, documentary videos, and online readings, students will explore geographic concepts, theories, and models; human environment interactions; and interactions among human systems. Topics covered include population, culture, political organization of space, agricultural land use, industrialization, and urban land use. Students will demonstrate their understanding and acquisition of skills through essays, document-based questions, student collaborative activities, and practice AP exams.

PSYCHOLOGY A/B

This two-semester course introduces high school students to the study of psychology and helps them master fundamental concepts in research, theory, and human behavior. Students analyze human growth, learning, personality, and behavior from the perspective of major theories within psychology, including the biological, psychosocial, and cognitive perspectives. From a psychological point of view, students investigate the nature of being human as they build a comprehensive understanding of traditional psychological concepts and contemporary perspectives in the field. Course components include an introduction to the history, perspectives, and research of psychology; an understanding of topics such as the biological aspects of psychology, learning, and cognitive development; the stages of human development; aspects of personality and intelligence; the classification and treatment of psychological disorders; and psychological aspects of social interactions.

SOCIOLOGY A/B

Providing insight into the human dynamics of our diverse society, this is an engaging, one-semester course that delves into the fundamental concepts of sociology. This interactive course, designed for high school students, covers cultural diversity and conformity, basic structures of society, individuals and socialization, stages of human development as they relate to sociology, deviance from social norms, social stratification, racial and ethnic interactions, gender roles, family structure, the economic and political aspects of sociology, the sociology of public institutions, and collective human behavior, both historically and in modern times.

KEYBOARDING AND APPLICATIONS A

Keyboarding and Applications is a semester-long course that teaches students keyboarding skills, technical skills, effective communication skills, and productive work habits. Students learn proper keyboarding techniques. Once students have been introduced to keyboarding skills, lessons include daily practice of those skills. Students gain an understanding of computer hardware, operating systems, file management, and the Internet. In addition, students apply their keyboarding skills and create a variety of business documents, including word processing documents and electronic presentations. Required materials: ƒ Word-processing software (e.g., MS Word) ƒ Presentation software (e.g., MS PowerPoint)

MICROSOFT® OFFICE® SPECIALIST A/B

This two-semester course introduces students to the features and functionality of Microsoft® Office® 2016 while preparing them for the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of the Microsoft User Specialist (MOS) certification program. Through video instruction, interactive skills demonstrations, practice assignments, and unit-level assessments, students become proficient in Microsoft Word®, Excel®, PowerPoint®, Outlook®, and Access®. By the end of the course, students are prepared to demonstrate their skills by obtaining one or more MOS certifications.

INTRODUCTION TO CODING A

Intro to Coding covers a basic introduction to the principles of programming, including algorithms and logic. Students engage in hands-on programming tasks in the Python programming language as they write and test their own code using the approaches real programmers use in the field. Students will program with variables, functions and arguments, and lists and loops, providing a solid foundation for more advanced study as well as practical skills they can use immediately.

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS: OFFICE® 2016

This full-year course introduces students to the features and functionality of the most widely used productivity software in the world: Microsoft® Office®. Through video instruction, interactive skill demonstrations, and numerous hands-on practice assignments, students learn to develop, edit and share Office 2016 documents for both personal and professional use. By the end of this course, students will have developed basic proficiency in the most common tools and features of the Microsoft Office suite of applications: Word®, Excel®, PowerPoint®, and Outlook®. Required Materials: Office 365 is provided by OHSD for all students. Simply sign into Microsoft.com with your district username and password.