Core Curriculum Details

• Sentence combination and parallel structure.
• Capitalization and punctuation.
• Developing persuasive, descriptive, narrative, and expository paragraphs.
• Writing business letters and a longer expository composition.

During the second semester, students read, analyze, and respond to various literary genres including:

• Poetry.
• Short stories.
• Nonfiction.
• And the novel: “Neighbor Rosicky” by Willa Cather.

This course does not include the oral and visual communication standard.

• Verbals and subject/verb agreement.
• Clauses and sentence combination.
• Developing persuasive, descriptive, narrative, expository paragraphs and compositions.
• Engaging in practical writing activities such as business letters and letters to the editor.

In the second semester, students read, analyze, and respond to various literary genres including:

• Short stories
• Poetry.
• And the Greek drama: “Antigone” by Sophocles.

This course does not include the oral and visual communication standard.

• Review the basics of grammar.
• Refine writing skills.
• Improve vocabulary.
• Delve into the world of American literature.
• Apply the writing process to review paragraph writing and functional document writing such as business letters and resumes.
• Write longer descriptive and persuasive compositions and engage in several creative writing activities.  
• Apply research skills to develop a persuasive speech.

During the second semester, students will read, analyze, and respond to various genres of American literature including:

• Poetry.
• Short stories.
• Nonfiction.
• And the novel, “Ethan Frome” by Edith Wharton.

This course does not include the indicators in the oral and visual communication standard except for the development of a persuasive speech.

• Paragraphs.
• Persuasive and expository compositions.
• Reflective essays.
• An extensive research project and a formal research paper.

During the second semester, students read, analyze, and respond to various genres of British literature, including:

• Poetry.
• Essays.
• And the Elizabethan drama: “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare.

This course does not include the oral and visual communication standard.

This course will give students a strong foundation in Algebra and help to prepare them to continue their studies later in college-level courses. In this course students will:

In this course, students:

• Connect physical, verbal, and symbolic representations of the real number system.
• Investigate properties including closure.
• Demonstrate fluency in computations with real numbers.
• Solve and graph linear equations and inequalities.
• Use formulas to solve problems including exponential growth and decay.
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide monomials and polynomials.
• Solve quadratic equations with real roots by graphing, formulation, and factoring.
• Define functions, determine slope, calculate distance, and draw graphs of linear equations using slope, y-intercept, parallel, and perpendicular lines.
• Determine the characteristics of linear, quadratic, and exponential functions.
• Solve systems of linear equations involving two variables graphically and symbolically.
• Simplify and compute with rational and radical expressions.
• Model and solve problem situations involving direct and indirect variation.  
• Describe and interpret rates of change from graphical and numerical data.
• Find, use, and interpret measures of center and spread to compare and draw conclusions about data.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of data collection, analysis, and identify possible misuses of statistical data.
• Use counting techniques and the Fundamental Counting Principle to determine possible outcomes, compute probabilities of compound events, independent events, and simple dependent events.
• Make predictions based on theoretical probabilities and experimental results.
• Define basic trigonometric ratios in right triangles and apply proportions to solve problems involving right triangle trigonometry.

This course finishes preparing a student for college-level Algebra by building on what they already learned in College Prep Algebra I. In this course, students will:

In this course, students:

• Connect physical, verbal, and symbolic representations of the real number system.
• Investigate properties including closure.
• Demonstrate fluency in computations with real numbers.
• Solve and graph linear equations and inequalities.
• Use formulas to solve problems including exponential growth and decay.
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide monomials and polynomials.
• Solve quadratic equations with real roots by graphing, formulation, and factoring.
• Define functions, determine slope, calculate distance, and draw graphs of linear equations using slope, y-intercept, parallel, and perpendicular lines.
• Determine the characteristics of linear, quadratic, and exponential functions.
• Solve systems of linear equations involving two variables graphically and symbolically.
• Simplify and compute with rational and radical expressions.
• Model and solve problem situations involving direct and indirect variation.  
• Describe and interpret rates of change from graphical and numerical data.
• Find, use, and interpret measures of center and spread to compare and draw conclusions about data.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of data collection, analysis, and identify possible misuses of statistical data.
• Use counting techniques and the Fundamental Counting Principle to determine possible outcomes, compute probabilities of compound events, independent events, and simple dependent events.
• Make predictions based on theoretical probabilities and experimental results.
• Define basic trigonometric ratios in right triangles and apply proportions to solve problems involving right triangle trigonometry.

This course was designed to give students the foundation in geometry that they need to prepare them for more advanced college courses. In this course students will:  

In this course, students:

• Formally define geometric figures.
• Describe and apply the properties of similar and congruent figures, and justify conjectures involving similarity and congruence.
• Recognize and apply angle relationships in situations involving intersecting lines, perpendicular lines, and parallel lines.
• Use coordinate geometry to represent and examine the properties of geometric figures including slope, midpoint, distance, parallel, and perpendicular lines.
• Draw and construct representations of two- and three-dimensional geometric objects using a variety of tools such as straightedge, compass, and other technology.
• Represent and model transformations in a coordinate plane and describe results.
• Prove or disprove conjectures and establish the validity of conjectures about geometric objects, their properties, and relationships by counterexample, inductive and deductive reasoning, and critique arguments made by others.
• Use right triangle trigonometric relationships to determine lengths and angle measures.
• Use algebraic representations to model and solve problem situations and to describe and generalize geometric properties and relationships.
• Connect physical, verbal, and symbolic representations of irrational numbers.
• Calculate and explain the difference between absolute error and relative error.
• Interpret the relationship between two variables using multiple graphical displays and statistical measures.
• Model uncertainty problems with area models.
• Differentiate and explain the relationship between the probability of an event and the odds of an event.

This course teaches students to use advanced mathematics to solve both practical and theoretical problems. In this course, students will:

In this course, students:

• Determine what properties hold for operations with complex numbers.
• Apply combinations as a method to create coefficients for the Binomial Theorem.
• Solve problems involving derived measurements.
• Use radian measures to solve problems involving angular velocity and acceleration.
• Apply informal concepts of successive approximation, upper and lower bounds, and limits in measurement situations.
• Use matrices to represent translations, reflections, rotations, dilations, and their compositions.
• Derive and apply the basic trigonometric identities.
• Relate graphical and algebraic representations of lines, simple curves, and conic sections.
• Recognize and compare specific shapes and properties in multiple geometries.
• Analyze the behavior of arithmetic and geometric sequences and series as the number of terms increases.
• Translate between the numeric and symbolic form of a sequence or series.
• Describe and compare the characteristics of transcendental and periodic functions and represent the inverse of a transcendental function symbolically.
• Solve systems of equations using matrices and graphs, with and without technology.
• Use mathematical induction and explore the concepts of limit.
• Compare estimates of the area under a curve over a bounded interval by partitioning the region with rectangles.
• Translate freely between polar and Cartesian coordinate systems.
• Use the concept of limit to find the instantaneous rate of change for a point on a graph as the slope of a tangent at a point.
• Use descriptive statistics to analyze and summarize data, including measures of center, dispersion, correlation, and variability.
• Use theoretical or experimental probability to determine probabilities in real-world situations involving uncertainty.

The course addresses physical science and related principles in Earth and space sciences. Physical science concepts include the nature of matter and energy, identifiable physical properties of substances, and properties of forces that act on objects. In this course students learn about:

• Force and motion.
• Structures and properties of atoms.
• How atoms react with each other to form other substances.
• How molecules react with each other or other atoms.
• Earth’s interaction with the solar system.
• Gravitational forces and weather.
• Processes of scientific inquiry and how these processes use evidence to support conclusions based on logical reasoning.
• Ways in which science and technology combine to meet human needs and solve human problems.
• Historical development of scientific theories and ideas.
• Scientific literacy.

This course emphasizes the concepts, principles, and theories to help us better understand the living environment. In this course students learn about:

• Cells as well as their structure and function.
• The genetic and molecular bases of inheritance.
• Biological evolution.
• Diversity and interdependence of life.
• Earth’s history using geologic evidence.
• Earth’s resources.
• Processes that shape the Earth.
• The flow of energy and the cycling of matter through biological and ecological systems.
• The basic science processes of inquiry, modeling investigations and the nature of science.  
• Historical development of scientific theories, ideas, ethical guidelines, the interdependence of science and technology, and the study of emerging issues to become scientifically literate citizens.

In this course, students draw on their previous experience and connect Earth, space, life and physical sciences into a coherent study of the environment. In this course students learn about:

• The interactions between the Earth, ecosystems, biological evolution, and human populations.
• Matter and energy relationships.
• The human interactions with science and technology.
• How humans have modified current ecosystems and natural systems.
• How to use basic principles of scientific investigation to examine past events, current situations, and develop scientific predictions, ideas or theories.

Marine Biology is the study of the oceans and the life that makes its home there. Marine Biology is a survey course designed for students who already have had a successful foundation in biology:

• The first part of the course focuses on oceanography and looks at physical aspects of tectonics, tides, and currents.
• The second half of the course deals with the living components of the ocean, starting with the microscopic and then moving on to more advanced forms of life.

Students continue the chronological study of the history of the United States with emphasis on domestic affairs. The United States has had a measurable impact on the history of the world, this course will show you how it got to where it is.

• As students study historic eras, they consider the geographic, cultural, economic and governmental changes that have occurred.
• Students develop a deeper understanding of their role as citizens and continue to expand their command of social studies skills and methods.
• Knowing more about how the USA got to where it is today will help explain the role it plays in global society.

Personal economic responsibilities are highlighted in this course. Through a better understanding of economic theories, you can make more informed financial decisions. General topics addressed include:

• Effects of shortages and surpluses.
• Incentives.
• Inflation.
• Components of the economic system.
• Supply and demand.
• The purchasing power of money.
• Comparative advantage.
• Trade.
• Exchange rates.
• Taxes.
• Role of individuals and the consequences of economic choices.

Students engage in the chronological study of world history. While there is no way to fit the entirety of world history into just 36 lessons, this course will give a good overview of world events:

• Students learn about specific and world-changing events that altered the course of world history.
• As students study historic eras, they consider the influence of geographic settings, cultural perspectives, economic systems and various forms of government.
• Students gain a deeper understanding of the role of citizens and continue to develop their research skills.

The Government course focuses upon the historical roots of the political system and how it has changed over time. It continues to develop an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Knowledge of the political system allows citizens to act in ways to change policy and improve the country.  

Citizenship focuses on current events and recent history while allowing students to choose topics of particular interest. Students demonstrate skills necessary for active participation as citizens of this country.

As citizens, our lives are greatly impacted by the rest of the world and this is our opportunity to learn about many of these places and issues.  In this course, students have the opportunity to:

• Study the interaction of people and cultures, as well as natural and physical environments in the major areas of the world.
• The course is designed to familiarize students with the world and how they, along with their community, can play a role in its continued development.
• Study and develop an understanding of various regions of the world with a focus on several geographic topics in each region.  
• Develop an understanding of how physical geography impacts the way humans live and interact with their world and how humans have changed the world’s physical geography.