Introduction to Art

This one-semester course covers art appreciation and the beginning of art history. The first section covers defining art, the cultural purpose of art, visual elements of art, terminology and principles of design, and two and three-dimensional media and techniques. The course is designed to help students appreciate art in their everyday lives. Students explore the various points of view by which people interpret works of art and learn to describe the formal elements (line, color, and shape) of a piece of art. The art history portion of the course covers art from the following time periods and places: prehistoric art, art in ancient civilizations, and world art before 1400.

Art History I

This one-semester high school course introduces art within a historical, social, geographical, political, and religious context for understanding of art and architecture through the ages. The course is organized by chronological and historical order, and world regions. Topics include Early Medieval Art and Romanesque Art; Art in the 12th, 13th, and 14th Centuries; 15th Century Art in Europe; 16th Century Art in Italy: The Master Artists; High Renaissance and Baroque Art; World Art, which includes the Art of Asia and Art of Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific Cultures; 18th and 19th Century Art in Europe and The Americas; and concludes with a modern art unit that covers Modern Art in Europe and the Americas.

Computer Applications: Microsoft^® Office^®2007

This one-semester course is intended for high school students. The course is divided into four units: Word^®, Excel^®, PowerPoint^®, and Outlook^®. Lessons contain application activities designed to provide students hands-on experience with tasks such as creating flyers, brochures, schedules, presentations, and mail merge. Microsoft; Office; Word; Excel; PowerPoint and Outlook are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Spanish I

This two-semester course for high schools students allows for an individualized development of the Spanish language through the study of the core grammatical structures and the vocabulary necessary for elementary communication. Spanish I also provides students with an introduction into the traditions and customs of Spanish-speaking people across the world.

Spanish II

This two-semester course is designed for students who have successfully completed Spanish I. High-frequency, thematic, and contextualized vocabulary is presented in each unit. Grammar is presented through structured practice and takes the student through open-ended communication. Homework Help accompanies the practice to help students achieve mastery of the concepts and real-life conversation activities are presented. Activities also encourage open communication to enable students to utilize the Spanish they have acquired. Cultural readings in the target language are presented in both text and audio format so that students are exposed to the Hispanic culture from around the world.

Lifetime Fitness

This one-semester high school course combines comprehensive online instruction with student participation in fitness activities. Throughout the course, students assess individual fitness levels according to the five components of physical fitness: cardiovascular health, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Through the application of personal fitness assessments, students will design a fitness program to meet their individual fitness goals. Upon completion of the course, students will have the knowledge to stay fit and active throughout their lifetime. Areas to be explored include: safe exercising and injury prevention; cardiovascular health; muscular strength and endurance; flexibility; nutrition and weight management; lifetime fitness; consumer product evaluation; biomechanical principles; team and individual sports; and stress management.

Healthy Living

This is a one-semester high school course designed to encourage students to make responsible, respectful, informed, and capable decisions about topics that affect the well-being of themselves and others. The course provides students with comprehensive information, which they can utilize to develop healthy attitudes and behavior patterns. Critical thinking and decision-making skills are taught and practiced throughout the course, as students are encouraged to recognize that they have the power to choose healthy behaviors in order to reduce risks. Areas to be explored include: making responsible decisions; communicating effectively; mental & emotional health; building self esteem; adolescence relationships & responsibilities; drugs, alcohol and tobacco; human sexuality; families & family relationships; preventing abuse & violence; and peer pressure.

Foundations of Personal Wellness

This is a year-long high school course that explores a combination of health and fitness concepts, creating a comprehensive and cohesive course which explores all aspects of wellness. The course uses pedagogical planning to ensure that as students explore fitness and physical health, they are also learning about the nature of social interactions and how to plan a healthy lifestyle. The course fulfills both health and physical education standards at the state and national level.

Language Arts 6

This two-semester course focuses on a variety of literary, expository, and informational texts. This course introduces the student to literary skills, including plot, setting, characterization, and theme. Course topics include genre studies; world literature; literary analysis of drama; analyzing nonfiction, such as speeches, biographies, and memoirs; and reading comprehension of informational texts. Targeted skills lessons teach students how to analyze and evaluate text for success on standardized tests. The writing process is taught in each essay; expository, narrative, literary analysis, creative, and functional essays are all included in the course.

Language Arts 7

This two-semester course teaches literary and reading comprehension skills. Each unit is constructed around several core types of lessons: skills, informational, communications, and grammar and writing. Skills lessons target the elements of literature and prepare students for high-stakes tests. Informational lessons introduce real-life topics connected to literary text. Communication lessons lead students in an exploration of visual literacy, effective listening skills, censorship, propaganda, and ethical reasoning. Grammar and writing lessons develop writing skills through persuasive essays, expressive writing, expository essays, and the research paper. Rigorous units introduce and reinforce a variety of literary elements, including plot, setting, theme, and style. Additional topics include literary criticism; world literature; tales, legends, and myths; drama; and reading comprehension of informational texts.

Language Arts 8

This two–semester course uses diverse and contemporary texts to prepare students for high school. Authors represented include Ray Bradbury, Toni Cade Bambara, Roald Dahl, Nikki Giovanni, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Gary Soto, and Desmond Tutu. Each unit is constructed around several core types of lessons: skills, literary and expository, informational, communication, and grammar and writing lessons. Skills lessons target the elements of literature and prepare students for high-stakes tests. Literary and expository text lessons explore and analyze a variety of classic and contemporary texts from different genres. Informational lessons introduce real-life topics connected to literary text. Communication lessons explore topics related to public speaking, effective listening, interviews, and media analysis. Grammar and writing lessons enhance student control of English conventions while also developing writing skills through persuasive essays, personal narratives, informative essays, literary analysis, compare-contrast essays, and a research paper. Literary elements targeted in the course include plot, subplot, character, setting, and theme. Focused units guide students in an exploration of poetry and prose, literary criticism, world literature, American folk tales, drama, and informational texts.

English Language Arts 9

A year-long course designed as a comprehensive 9th grade English Language Arts program, ELA 2064 provides rigorous training in the foundations of English Language Arts skills and strategies. In addition, it expands on and applies traditional concepts to modern, 21st century demands. In each themed unit, students will learn and immediately apply skills to classic and contemporary literature, expository text, drama, and poetry. Reading strategy lessons provide students with guidance and practice in techniques such as visualizing, making inferences and predictions, and recognizing organizational patterns in online and offline texts. Students will also receive hands-on training in applying the writing process, evaluating essays using the Six Traits of Effective Writing, and using MLA style and documentation. By the end of the course, students will have composed and evaluated literary, persuasive, narrative, and informative essays. Paramount to their writing skills are the grammar lessons and practice provided in every unit. Dedicated to creating effective and adaptable readers, writers, and consumers of media, e2020 has also infused the unit structure with lessons in 21st century skills, media literacy, and communication. language arts

Literacy and Comprehension I & II

These two one-semester reading intervention courses are designed for high school and middle school students who are reading two to three levels below grade level. The course design is based on scientific research (including the Reading Next report by the National Reading Panel (NRP)), reports from The National Institute for Literacy, and briefs from the Alliance for Excellent Education. ESL/ELL strategies are included in every lesson. Both courses include explicit and systematic instruction targeting the following comprehension strategies: summarizing, questioning, previewing and predicting, recognizing text structure, visualizing, making inferences, and monitoring understanding with metacognition. The courses use a thematic and contemporary approach, including high-interest topics to motivate struggling readers and exposing students to effective instructional principles using diverse content-area and real-world texts. Approximately 75% of the reading material is classified as nonfiction. The course also includes instruction aimed at improving fluency and vocabulary. Finally, the course offers structured writing opportunities through our engaging, technology-based interface. The courses have formative and summative assessments, as well as student self-evaluation, through the use of e-Goals and e-Reflections.

English Language Arts 10

This two-semester course focuses on preparing students for success on state exit exams. Each unit contains core lessons including skills, informational, communication, grammar, and writing lessons. The skills lessons equip students with the literary devices and terminology they will need to excel on high stakes tests. Informational lessons connect literary text to other content areas or real-life fields. In the communication lessons, students practice debate, analysis of formal speech, visual media analysis, and mass media analysis. Grammar lessons reinforce and expand on the foundations of the English language. In writing lessons, students will use the writing process to produce persuasive, descriptive, and expository essays. In addition, students will write an autobiographical narrative and compose a letter to the editor. This course features many unit topics, including literary analysis of poetry; evaluation of expository text; world literature (with a social responsibility theme); legends, epics, and myths; drama; and reading comprehension of informational text. Among other classic and contemporary texts, students will analyze Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.

English Language Arts 11

The focus of this two-semester course is American Literature. The course is structured chronologically by time period and literary era. Each unit contains introductory lessons that set the stage for the student to understand the background and historical events that have impacted American literary and expository texts. The topics covered include American origins (2000 BCE-1620 AD), slave narratives, Puritan style and sermons, Romanticism and Transcendentalism, Realism, the Harlem Renaissance, Modernism, and contemporary literature. Authors represented include Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Frederick Douglass, Chief Joseph, Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, Nathanial Hawthorne, Kate Chopin, Willa Cather, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Martin Luther King, Jr., Amy Tan, and Judith Ortiz Cofer. To add dimension to the American literary experience, this course also contains a world literature unit featuring stories from the Middle East, India, Japan, and Argentina. Informational, communication, grammar, and writing lessons are integrated throughout the course.

English Language Arts 12

This two-semester British Literature course is organized by chronological time period, including the Anglo-Saxon and Old English Period: 449 – 1066; The Medieval Period: 1066 – 1485; The Renaissance 1485 – 1660; 17th and 18th Centuries (Restoration & Enlightenment): 1660 – 1798; The Romantic Period 1798 – 1832; The Victorian Period: 1832 – 1901; and The Modern Period: 1901 – 1950. Each unit contains an introduction to the time period using a timeline and background lecture that discusses the philosophical, political, religious, ethical, and social influences of each time period. Authors represented include Homer, Chaucer, Boccaccio, William Shakespeare, Francesco Petrarch, Mary Wollstonecraft, Queen Elizabeth I, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Browning, and Virginia Woolf. To add dimension to the British literary experience, this course also contains a world literature unit with stories from India, Europe, China, and Spain. Informational, communication, grammar, and writing lessons are integrated throughout the course.

Introduction to Communications and Speech

This one-semester high school course covers communications in the first quarter of the course and speech in the second quarter. The course begins with an introduction that builds student understanding of the elements, principles, and characteristics of human communication and then progresses into an exploration of self-awareness and perception in communication. Verbal and nonverbal messages are thoroughly examined, and cultural and gender differences in the areas of listening and responding are also addressed. The communications part of the course concludes with units on interpersonal, group, and organizational communication. The speech section of the course starts with an introduction to public speaking and then goes on to take the student step-by-step through speech writing, covering a variety of topics: choosing a topic, purpose, and thesis; researching and supporting materials; and methods for writing and delivering a speech. The course concludes with units on informative and persuasive speeches, and students are given the opportunity to critique and analyze speeches in the course.

IDEA Writing

This one-semester-long intensive writing course, IDEA Writing: Instruction to Develop Expository and Applied Writing, is aimed at students in grades 9 – 12. The course uses the writing process and the Six Traits of effective writing as an overarching framework that encompasses targeted lessons on reputable research, effective communication, solid grammar, and compelling style. By the end of the course, students will have had hands-on experience writing personal reflections, definition essays, research essays, persuasive and informative pieces, and literary analyses. They will also be able to use and interpret the Six Traits rubrics to evaluate writing, articulate and apply strategies for research and writing, and summarize a variety of grammar and usage points. This one-semester course aligns to American Diploma Project standards

Classics Novel Package

Includes thirteen classic novels and two author-study courses. Novel titles include:

• 1984
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Borges Author Study
• Call of the Wild
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
• Gulliver’s Travels
• Heart of Darkness
• Jane Eyre
• Mrs. Dalloway
• O’Connor Author Study
• Portrait of the Artist
• Robinson Crusoe
• The House of Seven Gables
• The Red Badge of Courage
• The Three Musketeers

The two author-study courses are Jorge Luis Borges and Flannery O’Connor. All reading material is included in an online format for the student. Novel courses include lectures, web activities, journals, homework/ practice, quizzes, and a test.

Strategies for Academic Success

This one-semester course provides comprehensive study skills and strategies for high school and middle school students. Important study skills topics, including time management, note taking, online learning environment skills, and strategies for remembering key information, are taught using real-world activities.

Career Planning and Development

This one-semester course for upper-level high school students introduces them to the working world. Divided into four units, the course helps students investigate careers as they apply to personal interests and abilities, develop 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. A self-assessment profile, a cover letter, and a résumé are created and can be used by students in their educational or career portfolio.

6th Grade Math

This two-semester course focuses on statistics with an in-depth focus on the following: rational number systems (whole numbers, integers, fractions, decimals), plane geometry (including measurement and symmetry), introduction to variables and formulas, patterns, simple equations, number theory, probability, and functions. Opportunities for the development of middle school problem-solving skills are also included. These lessons are designed to be integrated into the regular classroom or may be used as a stand-alone mini-unit course. Learning strategies include working backwards, making a table, and creating a pattern.

7th Grade Math

This two-semester course solidifies students’ knowledge of number theory (including fractions, prime factorization, exponents, and percents), proportional reasoning, beginning algebraic concepts (including solving one- and two-step equations containing rational numbers), two-and three-dimensional figures, geometry topics, and an introduction to graphing on a coordinate plane. Opportunities for the development of middle school problem-solving skills are also included. These lessons are designed to be integrated into the regular classroom or may be used as a stand-alone mini-unit course. Learning strategies include writing equations, “try, check, and revise,” and drawing diagrams.

Pre-Algebra

This two-semester preparation course for students on the verge of Algebra I offers rational number theory (including comparing and ordering on a number line), drawing conclusions from statistical data, ratios, proportions and percents, spatial thinking (including congruency, translations, and symmetry), sequences and patterns, and polynomials and functions. Opportunities for development of vital problem-solving skills at the middle school level are also included. These lessons are designed to be integrated into the regular curriculum or may be used as a stand-alone mini-unit course. Learning strategies include writing algebraic expressions, generating patterns, and problem simulations.

Algebra I

This two-semester course provides in-depth coverage of writing, solving and graphing a variety of equations and inequalities, as well as linear systems. Functions are a central theme of the course which includes function notation, domain and range, rate of change, and transformations. Students use the properties of real numbers to explore, justify and simplify numeric and algebraic expressions, including laws of exponents, radicals and rational expressions. Lab activities provide students with opportunities to explore and discover algebraic principles on their own, often prior to the lecture. Students model and solve real world problems using algebra, functions, probability and data analysis. In the Making Connections sections, relevant, project-based learning activities provide students with a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Geometry

This two-semester, hands-on, and lecture-based course features an introduction to geometry, including reasoning and proof and basic constructions. Triangle relationships (similarity and congruency) and quadrilaterals enable a student to further hone such concepts as surface area and volume, circles, and transformations. Trigonometry topics include tangent ratios and the Laws of Sine and Cosine. Learning strategies include writing, analyzing, and using proofs.

Algebra II

This two-semester course serves as an extension of Algebra I. This course covers advanced algebraic concepts, including trigonometry, statistical analysis, permutations, and sequences and series. Students learn to manipulate and use matrices in various formats to determine data relationships and also delve into function types such as polynomial, logarithmic, quadratic, exponential, and rational and periodic. Upon completion of Algebra II, students will have the skills needed for state standardized tests and national exit exams.

Pre-Calculus

This two-semester course explores the relationship between advanced algebra topics and trigonometry. An exploration into the nature of graphs (including the twelve basic functions) is provided along with nonlinear systems and polynomial and rational functions. Logarithmic knowledge and application is developed. A large portion of the class focuses on trigonometric graphs and identities. Other topics include vectors, parametric equations, and sequences and series. Students are introduced to calculus by exploring topics of limits, continuity, derivatives, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Math Models and Applications – MA4072 This two-semester course designed for high school students is intended to reinforce, broaden, and extend 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. The finance topic includes growth, smart money, saving, and installment loan models. Through these various situations, prior mathematical knowledge will be expanded and new mathematical knowledge and techniques will be developed.

Financial Math

This two-semester course designed for high school students focuses on the applications of mathematics in personal and business settings. This course contains 15 major topics: personal financial planning, income, budgeting and wise spending, banking, paying taxes, the importance of insurance, long-term investing, buying a house, consumer loans, consumer credit, consumer debt, economic principles, traveling abroad, starting a business, and analyzing business data. Students apply math skills such as percents, proportions, probability, data analysis, linear systems, exponential functions and formulas to real life situations. In the Making Connections sections, relevant, project-based learning activities provide students with a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Life Science

This two-semester course for middle-school students offers a broad experience in the biological sciences. Beginning with life on a small scale through an introduction to cells, students are introduced to structures and functions of cells, cell theory, cell reproduction and genetics. A brief unit on evolution gives students some background on Darwin’s theory and evidence of the past. The classification and organization of living organisms and the characteristics of the variety of plant and animal groups is also addressed. An in-depth unit of human biology is included to emphasize the organ systems and their functions in maintaining a healthy life. The course also includes a study of ecology and the interrelationships that help to maintain life on earth.

Earth Science

This two-semester course covers many aspects of Earth science, including an overview of the Earth’s structure, rocks, minerals, and resources. A major unit on the forces that change the Earth includes lessons on plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and erosion, concluding in a section that discusses Earth’s history of change through the fossil record. A general study of oceanography explores such concepts as the sources of water, currents and climate, and the structure of the ocean environment. Atmospheric science with lessons in weather and climate are also included. A unit on space science exposes students to the interactions of the earth, moon, and sun and an overview of our solar system and the universe beyond.

Physical Science

This two-semester course provides students with a thorough introduction of chemistry, physics, and astronomy. Chemistry concepts include the structure and properties of matter, the periodic table, chemical bonds, and reactions, as well as acids, bases, and solutions. An overview of motion, forces, and energy is the focus of the physics section of the course. Newton’s laws of motion, work, machines, and energy are the major ideas explored. An introduction to Earth and its place in the universe completes the course.

Environmental Science

This two-semester course encompasses six major units which cover many aspects of environmental science: Ecology; The Biosphere; The Land, Forests, and Soil; The Water; Energy and Resources; and Societies and Policy. The course utilizes a two or three section lecture format to provide opportunities for mastery learning in smaller segments. Environmental Science contains Global Connections lessons which include unique activities that merge lesson material with real world issues pertaining to the environment. This course contains activities such as vocabulary, online content, journals, practice and homework, and skills lessons. Assessment questions in the form of a quiz follow each lesson and a summative exam follows each topic. A cumulative exam concludes the end of each semester.

Biology

This two-semester high school course covers an in-depth view of biological science concepts. A brief section of biochemistry leads into an overview of ecology and the interactions of the environment and populations of living organisms. A comprehensive section on cellular biology and genetics exposes students to biology on a small scale that leads to the theory of evolution and the history of life on Earth. The remainder of the course explores the complexity and variety of life on Earth with sections devoted to simple organisms, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates, as well as human biology.

Chemistry

This two-semester high school course covers the foundation for the composition, structure, and reactions of matter. It addresses scientific measurements, the general properties of matter, and the structure of the atoms. Also covered are the periodic table, types of bonds, and chemical equations. Other topics involve introducing the states of matter, chemical reactions, and the energy involved in chemical changes. Sections on organic chemistry are also included, as well as a brief overview of nuclear chemistry. This course requires students to have a solid foundation in math as calculations and conversions are basic components of chemistry.

Physics

This upper division, two-semester high school course provides the foundation for the laws that govern the concepts of motion and energy. This course relies on the use of mathematics to represent and illustrate different phenomena, so students need to have a strong math background to be successful. Major themes on this course include mechanics, states of matter, waves and light, energy and magnetism, and modern physics.

Psychology

This one-semester course for high school students introduces the primary facets of psychology. The components include an introduction to the history and research of psychology, an understanding of the biological aspects of psychology, learning and cognitive development, the stages of human development, aspects of personality and individuality, the development and management of psychological disorders, and the interactions of society as it relates to psychology.

Sociology

This one-semester course for high school students addresses the fundamental concepts of sociology. The elements examined include 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.

Middle School World History

This course will provide students an opportunity to learn the diverse history that has shaped our world. It begins by exploring the earliest human civilizations and the rise of ancient empires and continues to the 21st Century. Students will investigate the development of Medieval societies, the flourishing movements of the Renaissance and the Reformation, and the progress made during different periods of revolution, industrialization, urbanization, and reform. At the end of the course, students will be able to analyze the contributions of political conflicts and social issues to the continuing development and interdependence among nations in our modern world. This two-semester middle school course aligns to the National Social Studies standards and specifically addresses performance objectives focused on history, government, economics, geography, culture, and social studies skills.

Middle School U.S. History

This two-semester course for middle school students provides students with a comprehensive overview of American history, from pre-history to the present day. Students will 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 and the founding documents that endure to this day. They will experience the development and expansion of a young nation and travel with her people through the trials of civil war. In this course, students will examine the major changes brought about by the nation’s Reconstruction, industrialization, urbanization, and progressive reforms. They will closely examine the events and implications of the two World Wars and a worldwide economic depression. Students will have the opportunity to consider post-war America, including the struggle for global influence during the Cold War and the turbulent times of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam era. Students will be presented with a look at modern America coming into her own as a global power and have the opportunity to think carefully about the challenges and opportunities facing the United States in the 21st Century. This course is strictly aligned to state and national standards.

MS Civics Government and Economics

This two-semester eighth grade level course is built upon the National and state standards for Civics and Economics with emphasis on: Social studies Skills, Government, Citizenship, Economics, and the areas of Technology, Civic Participation, and Society. Semester one will introduce students to social studies skills they will need to analyze maps, charts, and data, as well as the ability to be problem solvers and decision makers. Students will also explore fundamental concepts and philosophies that lead to the creation of the United States Constitution. Students will also explore the structure of the United States government on a national, state, and local level, as well as examine tribal government and sovereignty. Semester two will allow students to investigate what it means to be an American citizen and explore the duties and responsibilities associated with such a role. Students will analyze the political process, political parties, and influences that affect them both. Students will also trace the evolution of technology and the changing effects it has had on politics and society. Students will then be introduced to economic concepts such as thinking as an economist, supply and demand, the banking system, and economics in business and government. Students will then explore both government and economics on a global scale.

World History

This two-semester high school course is aligned to the National Social Studies standards as well as to state standards and specifically addresses performance objectives focused on history, government, economics, geography, culture, and social studies skills. This course will provide students an opportunity to learn about the political, economic, and social aspects of world history, beginning with topics from prehistory and culminating in the events of the 21st Century. Students will journey through ancient river social studies valley civilizations, classical civilizations, and into the society of the Middle Ages. Students will also explore the major revolutions and social movements that have influenced different nations and eventually spread throughout the world. During this course, students will be exposed to a variety of pressing issues that have garnered opportunities for both conflict and cooperation in the modern world. Students must have completed the Middle School World History – SS1105 course in order to take this class.

U.S. History

This two-semester high school course is aligned to the National Social Studies standards as well as to state standards and specifically addresses performance objectives focused on history, government, economics, geography, culture, and social studies skills. This course will delve into the crucial political, social, economic, and cultural events that have shaped and enriched the history of the United States. It will trace the experiences and effects of important historical and political figures from the early colonial era all the way to the influential American leaders of the 21st Century. Students will be able to correlate the impact that European colonization had on the development of the colonies and analyze the underlying causes of the Revolutionary War. They will explore the passionate debates the led to the conception of the United States Constitution and understand why it is a country led by the people and a nation created for the people. By the end of this course, students will be able to summarize important historical events such as the Civil War, America’s westward expansion, the Great Depression, World War I and World War II, and the Cold War, as well as have the ability to analyze issues that are affecting the country today. They will investigate the evolution of technology, political thought, changing opinions, and life changing movements that have played a role in shaping this nation. Students must have completed the Middle School US History – SS1106 course in order to take this class.

Government

This one-semester 12th grade level course provides students with the opportunity to learn about the historical events, philosophers, and topical issues that helped create the democratic foundations of this nation. During this course, students will be introduced to the founding fathers and exposed to the ideas that shaped the nation. Students will examine the early documents that governed the United States, summarize the debates that led to the creation of the Constitution, and investigate the organization that has allowed the Constitution to remain the supreme law of the land for over 200 years. At the end of this course, students will be able to identify important political leaders, trace the development and organization of federal, state, and local government, explain the political process, and analyze the United States’ role as a global political and economic participant. This course is aligned to state and national standards. It specifically targets philosophies and foundations of the United States Government, the organization of the branches of government, government on a state and local level, civil liberties and laws, and how the United States compares economically and politically on a global scale.

Economics

This one-semester 12th grade level course provides students with an understanding of the foundational principles of economics. Students will apply the key microeconomic concepts of supply, demand, and the role of prices as they become familiar with how markets work. In addition, students will gain a new understanding of the world around them as they learn the fundamentals of macroeconomics including how economic performance is measured, the role of government in the economy, and the basics of monetary and fiscal policy. This one-semester 12th grade level course is aligned to state and national standards. It specifically targets important aspects of the world economy including international trade and global economic challenges. In addition to the important content knowledge they will gain, students will apply the economic way of thinking to a variety of situations relevant to their everyday life.

Human Geography

Two-semester high school level course takes a thematic approach to understanding the development of human systems. Building upon the National Geography Standards, the course focuses on human understanding of the world and human social organization. The course explores the human-environment interaction and the interactions among human systems. Semester one introduces students to geographic concepts, theories, models, and methods. Students will develop geographic skills including learning to interpret maps, analyze data, and compare theories. Students will apply their geographic and historical skills while studying physical geography of the major world regions, population and migration patterns, and cultural and political systems. Throughout their study, students will examine current global issues that impact our world today. Semester two explores global connections: tracing the development of modern civilization and human systems from the agricultural revolution to the technological revolution and the development of the modern urban space. Students will analyze economic trends and compare global markets and urban environments. Students will also examine the effects of technology on societies and environments, including human movement, communications, global warming, and pollution. Finally, students will identify challenges facing the modern world.

Geography

Designed as a two-semester high school course, lessons examine all aspects of geography providing students with a concrete understanding of major geographic locations, world economic activities, historical and cultural aspects of societies, and a comprehensive understanding of both geographical tools and themes. Major global regions studied include: North America, Latin America, Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Antarctica.