English 9 (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 10 (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 analyses, research, narrative, and compare-contrast essays. 

 

English 11 (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 12 (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. 

Honors Language Arts 9 (A&B)

This freshman honors English course invites students to explore a variety of diverse and complex texts organized into thematic units. Students will engage in literary analysis and inferential evaluation of great texts, both classic and contemporary. While critically reading fiction, poetry, drama, and literary nonfiction, honors students will master comprehension, use evidence to conduct in-depth literary analysis, and examine and critique how authors develop ideas in a variety of genres. Interwoven throughout the lessons are activities that encourage students to strengthen their oral language skills, research and critically analyze sources of information, and
produce clear, coherent writing. In addition to activities offered to students in core courses, honors students are given additional opportunities to create and to participate in project-based learning activities, including writing a Shakespearian sonnet and creating an original interpretation of a Shakespearian play. Honors students will read a range of classic texts, including Homer’s The Odyssey, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” and Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game.” Students will also read Sue Macy’s full length nonfiction work Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With
a Few Flat Tires Along the Way), and will study a variety of 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.

 

Honors Language Arts 10 (A&B)

Prerequisite: Honors Language Arts 9

This sophomore-year English course provides engaging and rigorous lessons with a focus on academic inquiry to strengthen knowledge of language arts. Honors reading lessons require analyzing complex texts, while concise mini-lessons advanced writing and research skills to craft strong, compelling essays and projects. Students will write argumentative and analytical essays based on literary texts, as well as an informative research paper using MLA style. Throughout
the course, students read a range of classic and contemporary literary texts including Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, George Orwell’s Animal Farm, and Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. In addition to reading a wide range of literary texts, students read and analyze complex informational and argumentative texts including Sonia Sotomayor’s “A Latina Judge’s Voice,” Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince, and the contemporary informational text Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science.  

Honors Language Arts 11 (A&B)                            Prerequisite: Honors Language Arts 10

 This junior-year honors English course invites students to delve into American literature from early American Indian voices through contemporary works. Students will engage in literary analysis and inferential evaluation of great texts, including the full length novel The Awakening by Kate Chopin. While critically reading fiction, poetry, drama, and expository nonfiction, honors students will master comprehension, use evidence to conduct in-depth literary analysis, and examine and critique how authors develop ideas in a variety of genres. Interwoven throughout the lessons are activities that encourage students to strengthen their oral language skills, research and critically analyze sources of information, and produce clear, coherent writing. To round out the course, students will read a range of short but complex texts, including Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience,” Floyd Dell’s drama King Arthur’s Socks, and works by Emily Dickinson, Herman Melville, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Martin Luther King, Jr., F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sandra Cisneros, Amy Tan, and Dave Eggers.

 

Honors Language Arts 12 (A&B)

Prerequisite: Honors Language Arts 11

This senior-year English Language Arts 12 Honors course provides engaging and rigorous  lessons with a focus on academic inquiry to strengthen your knowledge of language arts. Honors reading lessons support you in analyzing complex texts, while concise mini-lessons advance your writing and research skills to help you craft strong, compelling essays and projects. You will write argumentative and analytical essays based on literary texts, as well as an informative research paper using MLA style. You will have opportunities to show your creativity by creating a slideshow presentation, writing social commentary in a blog entry, and writing a narrative based on Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. You will also read from additional texts, such as The Smithsonian’s History of America in 101 Objects, to enrich your understanding of the concepts presented in the ELA 12 Honors course. 

 

English Language Learning Courses

English language learning classes are available to those students with identified, unique language needs which cannot be appropriately met in traditional classes. These classes cover grade-level content standards as well as Arizona ELD standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening. 

Literacy & Comprehension I (Not required/Elective)

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 area 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.

 

 

Literacy & Comprehension II (Not required/Elective)

Offering high-interest topics to motivate students who are reading two to three levels below grade, this course works in conjunction with Literacy & Comprehension I to use a thematic and contemporary approach to expose students to effective instructional principles using diverse content areas and real- world texts. Each of these reading intervention courses offers an engaging, technology-based interface that inspires and challenges high school and middle school 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.

Expository Reading and Writing (Not required/Elective)

This elective English course is designed to develop critical reading and writing skills while preparing high school students to meet the demands of college-level work. While students will explore some critical reading skills in fiction, poetry, and drama the focus of this course will be on expository and persuasive texts and the analytical reading skills that are necessary for college success. Students will read a range of short but complex texts, including works by Walt Whitman, Abraham Lincoln, Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King Jr., Langston Hughes, Julia Alvarez, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Gary Soto.

 

Introduction to Communications & Speech (Not required/Elective)

Beginning with an introduction that builds student understanding of the elements, principles, and characteristics of human communication, this course offers fascinating insight into verbal and nonverbal messages and cultural and gender differences in the areas of listening and responding. High school students enrolled in this one-semester course will be guided through engaging lectures and interactive activities, exploring themes of self-awareness and perception in
communication. The course concludes with units on informative and persuasive speeches, and students are given the opportunity to critique and analyze speeches.

 

 

AP English Language and Composition (Not required/Elective)

This college-level course prepares students for the AP English Language and Composition Exam while exploring and analyzing a variety of rhetorical contexts. This is a fast-paced, upper-level course designed for highly motivated students. Multiple opportunities are provided to enhance test-taking skills through critical reading, writing, classroom assignments, and discussion activities. AP English Language and Composition practice assessments and essays will be given throughout the course as well. This course provides students an opportunity to increase knowledge concerning prose of many styles and genres, including essays, journalist writing, political writing, science writing, nature writing, autobiographies/biographies, diaries, speeches, history writing, and critical writing. Throughout the course, there is an intense focus on writing and revising expository, analytical, and argumentative essays to prepare students for a broad range of writing purposes.

 

PreAlgebra 

This full-year course is designed for high school 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 

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.

Honors Algebra I

This full-year honors course introduces students to linear, exponential, and quadratic functions by interpreting, analyzing, comparing, and contrasting functions that are represented numerically, tabularly, graphically, and algebraically. Technology is utilized within some lessons to further support students in identifying key features as well as displaying images of the functions. The course builds upon the basic concepts of functions to include transformations of linear and non-linear functions. Students deepen their understanding of quantitative reasoning, piecewise functions, and quadratic functions through performance tasks. The additional performance-based skills allow the honors students to apply more of the concepts taught in the course. The course concludes with students analyzing data through displays and statistical analysis.

 

Geometry 

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. 

Honors Geometry

Based on plane Euclidean geometry, this rigorous full-year course addresses the critical areas of: congruence, proof, and constructions; similarity and trigonometry; circles; three-dimensional figures; and probability of compound events. Transformations and deductive reasoning are common threads throughout the course. Students build on their conceptual understanding of rigid transformations established in middle school as they formally define each, and then use them to prove theorems about lines, angles, and triangle congruency. Rigid transformations are also used to establish relationships between two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures. Students use their knowledge of proportional reasoning and dilations to develop a formal definition for similarity of figures. They apply their understanding of similarity to defining trigonometric ratios and radian measure. Students also make algebraic connections as they use coordinate algebra to verify properties of figures in the coordinate plane and write equations of parabolas and circles. Throughout the course, students investigate properties of figures, make conjectures, and prove theorems. Students demonstrate their reasoning by completing proofs in a variety of formats. The standards of mathematical practice are embedded throughout the course as students apply 9 geometric concepts in modeling situations, make sense of problem situations, solve novel problems, reason abstractly, and think critically. 

 

Algebra II 

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.

Honors Algebra II

The course begins with a review of concepts that will assist students throughout the course, such as literal equations, problem solving, and word problems. Students then progress to a unit on functions where students compute operations of functions, compose of functions, and study inverses of functions. To build on their algebraic skills, students learn about complex numbers and apply them to quadratic functions via the completing the square and quadratic formula
methods. Next, students solve linear systems and apply their knowledge of the concept to three-by-three systems. An in-depth study on polynomial operations and functions allow students to build their knowledge of polynomials algebraically and graphically. In the second semester, students study nonlinear functions. Students solve and graph rational and radical functions whereas the exponential and logarithmic functions focus on the key features and transformations of the functions. Expected value and normal distribution concepts expand students’ knowledge of probability and statistics. Students also cover trigonometric functions and periodic
phenomena.

 

Financial Math 

Connecting practical mathematical concepts to personal and business settings, this course offers informative and highly useful lessons that challenge students to gain a deeper understanding of financial math. Relevant, project-based learning activities cover stimulating topics such as personal financial planning, budgeting and wise spending, banking, paying taxes, the importance of insurance, long-term investing, buying a house, consumer loans, economic principles, traveling abroad, starting a business, and analyzing business data. Offered as a two-semester course for high school students, this course encourages mastery of math skill

 

Pre-Calculus (Not required; can be 4th year Math)

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.

 

Concepts of Probability and Statistics (12th grade level concepts; Elective)

This full-year high school course provides an alternative math credit for students who may not wish to pursue more advanced mathematics courses such as Algebra II and Pre-Calculus. The first half of the course begins with an in-depth study of probability and an exploration of sampling and comparing populations and closes with units on data distributions and data analysis. In the second half of the course, students create and analyze scatterplots and study two-way tables and normal distributions. Finally, students apply probability to topics such as conditional probability, combinations and permutations, and sets.

Statistics (Not required;can be 4th year Math)

This fourth-year high school math option provides a comprehensive introduction to data analysis and statistics. Students begin by reviewing familiar data displays through a more sophisticated lens before diving into an in-depth study of the normal curve. They then study and apply simple linear regression and explore sampling and experimentation. Next, students review probability concepts and begin a study of random variables. Later topics also include sampling distributions, estimating and testing claims about proportions and means, and inferences and confidence intervals.

AP Statistics A&B (Not required/Elective)

This is a yearlong, college-level course designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement (AP) Statics 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. This course is aligned to the new College Board AP Statistics course description that was introduced in 2019.

AP Calculus A&B (Not required/Elective) 

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.

 

Trigonometry (Not required; can be 4th year Math)

In this one-semester course, students use their geometry and algebra skills to begin their study of trigonometry. Students will be required to express understanding using qualitative, quantitative, algebraic, and graphing skills. This course begins with a quick overview of right-triangle relationships before introducing trigonometric functions and their applications. Students explore angles and radian measures, circular trigonometry, and the unit circle. Students extend their understanding to trigonometric graphs, including the effects of translations and the inverses of trigonometric functions. This leads to the laws of sines and cosines, followed by an in-depth exploration of trigonometric identities and applications. This course ends with an introduction to the polar coordinate system, complex numbers, and DeMoivre’s theorem.

Life Science

Examining a broad spectrum of the biological sciences, Life Science is a full-year 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.

 

Physical Science

This full-year 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.

 

Biology 

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.

AP Biology A&B (Not required/Elective)

This year-long, 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 Expressions, 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.

Honors Biology A&B 

This compelling full-year course engages students in a rigorous honors-level curriculum that emphasizes the study of life and its real-world applications. This course examines biological concepts in more depth than general biology and provides a solid foundation for collegiate level coursework. Course components include biochemistry, cellular structures and functions, genetics and heredity, bioengineering, evolution, structures and functions of the human body, and ecology. Throughout the course, students participate in a variety of interactive and hands-on laboratory activities that enhance concept knowledge and develop scientific process skills, including scientific research and technical writing. 

 

Chemistry 

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.

Honors Chemistry A&B

This rigorous two-semester course provides students with an engaging honors-level curriculum that emphasizes mathematical problem solving and practical applications of chemistry. Topics are examined in greater detail than general chemistry in order to prepare students for college-level coursework. Course components include atomic theory and structure, chemical bonding, states and changes of matter, chemical and redox reactions, stoichiometry, the gas laws, solutions, acids and bases, and nuclear and organic chemistry. Throughout the course, students participate in a variety of interactive and hands-on laboratory activities that enhance concept knowledge and develop scientific process skills, including scientific research and technical writing. 

 

Earth & Space Science

Students enrolled in this dynamic 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.

 

Environmental Science

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.

AP Environmental Science A&B (Not required/Elective)

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.

 

Physics (Not required; can be 3rd year Science)

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.

Honors Physics A&B (Not required; can be 3rd year Science)

This rigorous full-year course provides students with an engaging honors-level curriculum that emphasizes abstract reasoning and applications of physics concepts to real-world scenarios. Topics are examined in greater detail than general physics and provide a solid foundation for collegiate-level coursework. Course components include one- and two-dimensional motion, momentum, energy and thermodynamics, harmonic motion, waves, electricity, magnetism, and nuclear and modern physics. Throughout the course, students participate in a variety of interactive and hands-on laboratory activities that enhance concept knowledge and develop scientific process skills, including scientific research and technical writing. 

World History

This yearlong course examines the major events and turning points of world history from ancient times to the present. Students investigate the development of classical civilizations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, and they explore the economic, political, and social revolutions that have transformed human history. At the end of the course, students conduct a rigorous study of modern history, allowing them to draw connections between past events and contemporary issues. The use of recurring themes, such as social history, democratic government, and the relationship between history and the arts, allows students to draw connections between the past and the present, among cultures, and among multiple perspectives. Throughout the course, 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.

U.S History I

U.S. History I is a year-long 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 paved the way for the United States 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 the 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. 

 

U.S History II

 

U.S. History II is a year-long course that examines the major events and turning points of U.S. history from the Industrial Revolution through the modern age. The course leads students toward a clearer understanding of the patterns, processes, and people that have shaped U.S. history. As students progress through each era of modern U.S. history, they will study the impact of dynamic leadership and economic and political change on the rise of the United States to global prominence, the influence of social and political movements on societal change, and the importance of modern cultural and political developments. Recurring themes lead students to draw connections between the past and the present, between cultures, and between multiple perspectives.

 

Honors U.S History I 

 

From the first colonial settlements through the Gilded Age and industrialization, students will embark on a more rigorous yearlong study of the beginnings of our nation’s history. Students investigate the political, social, cultural, intellectual, and technological revolutions of the United States that have helped to lay the foundation of our country. Units progress through the course by starting with an indepth look at the first settlements and European explorations that eventually led to colonization. Students study the events and outcomes of the American Revolution, as well as the creation of the Constitution and the beginnings of our government. Manifest destiny and slavery are the next topics students analyze that lead into a closer look at the Civil War and how it changed our nation. From writing about the Lincoln-Douglas debates to analyzing the effects of immigration and urbanization, students are better equipped to understand what happened during our nation’s beginnings. Throughout this Honors course, students continuously analyze primary and secondary sources relating to the period of study. Incorporating activities from other disciplines gives students the opportunity to connect history to other subjects. Students read selections like “Your People Live Only Upon Cod,” and poetry such as “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus. Activities such as writing a personal narrative as either a slave or newly freed person and analyzing a report on child labor encourage students to perform throughout the course at a higher level.

 

Honors U.S History II

 

From the Industrial Revolution through today’s society, students will embark on a more rigorous yearlong study of our country’s modern history. Students investigate the economic, political, and social revolutions that have transformed our country into the nation it is today. Units progress through the course by taking an in-depth look at events such as those surrounding our nation’s expansion westward, civil rights in various eras, our nation’s involvement in World War I and II, as well as cultural aspects of our society. From analyzing landmark Supreme Court decisions to  writing about advancements in technology, students are better equipped to compare what happened in yesterday’s world with what is going on in our modern era. Throughout this Honors course, students continuously analyze primary and secondary sources relating to the period of study. Incorporating activities from other disciplines gives students the opportunity to connect history to other subjects. Students read excerpts from novels like Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, and Geronimo’s autobiography, Story of His Life. Activities such as writing about how the frontier is part of America’s history and national character and analyzing various Presidents’ speeches encourage students to perform throughout the course at a higher level.

 

U.S. Government*

 

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.

 

Honors U.S. Government*

 

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. The course culminates in an examination of public policy and the roles of citizens and organizations in promoting policy approaches. 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 a full informative essay. 

 

Economics* 

 

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.

 

Honors Economics 

This year-long honors level 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. 

 

Human Geography (Not Required/Elective)

 

Examining current global issues that impact our world today, this course takes a thematic approach to understanding the development of human systems, human understanding of the world, and human social organization. Divided into two semesters, this high school course will challenge students to develop geographic skills, including learning to interpret maps, analyze data, and compare theories. Offering interactive content that will grow students’ understanding of the development of modern civilization and human systems—from the agricultural revolution to the technological revolution—this course encourages students to analyze economic trends as well as compare global markets and urban environments.

 

 Dual Credit AP Human Geography (Not Required/Elective)

 

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. 

 

AP US Government and Politics* (Not required/Elective)

 

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. 

 

AP US History (Not required/Elective)

 

This course surveys the history of the United States from the settlement of the New World to modern times and prepares students for the AP United States History Exam. The course emphasizes themes such as national identity, economic transformation, immigration, politics, international relations, geography, and social and cultural change. Students learn to assess historical materials, weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship, and analyze and express historical understanding in writing. 

Spanish I 

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 

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 

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.

 

Fine Arts Electives

Introduction to Art* 

Covering art appreciation and the beginning of art history, this course encourages students to gain an understanding and appreciation of art in their everyday lives. Presented in an engaging format, this one-semester course provides an overview of many introductory themes: the definition of art, the cultural purpose of art, visual elements of art, terminology and principles of design, and two- and three-dimensional media and techniques. Tracing the history of art, high school students enrolled in the course also explore the following time periods and places: prehistoric art, art in ancient civilizations, and world art before 1400.

 

Art History 1*

Introducing art within historical, social, geographical, political, and religious contexts for understanding art and architecture through the ages, this course offers high school students an in-depth overview of art throughout history, with lessons organized by chronological and historical order and world regions. Students enrolled in this one-semester course cover topics including early Medieval and Romanesque art; art in the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries; fifteenth-century art in Europe; sixteenth century art in Italy; the master artists; High Renaissance and Baroque art; world art, which includes the art of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific cultures; eighteenth and nineteenth-century art in Europe and the Americas; and modern art in Europe and the Americas.

Other Electives

Lifetime Fitness*

This bundle includes three courses. Foundations of Personal Wellness is a full-year offering that combines health and fitness instruction. Two separate semester-long courses are also included: Healthy Living, which focuses exclusively on personal health but in a more conservative and traditional treatment than Contemporary Health, and Lifetime Fitness, which is a one-semester physical education course.

Healthy Living*

This bundle includes three courses. Foundations of Personal Wellness is a full-year offering that combines health and fitness instruction. Two separate semester-long courses are also included: Healthy Living, which focuses exclusively on personal health but in a more conservative and traditional treatment than Contemporary Health, and Lifetime Fitness, which is a one-semester physical education course.

Foundations of Personal Wellness A & B

This bundle includes three courses. Foundations of Personal Wellness is a full-year offering that combines health and fitness instruction. Two separate semester-long courses are also included: Healthy Living, which focuses exclusively on personal health but in a more conservative and traditional treatment than Contemporary Health, and Lifetime Fitness, which is a one-semester physical education course.

 

 

Psychology A&B 

This two-semester course introduces high school students to the study of psychology and helps students’ 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.

AP Psychology

 Psychology will introduce students to the systematic study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with the major fields within psychology. Students also learn about the methods psychologists use in their science and practice. The major aim of this course is to provide each student with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most introductory 19 college psychology courses. In addition, this course has been designed to help students successfully achieve a passing score on the AP Psychology exam. 

 

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.

 

Digital Citizenship*

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.

 

Banking Service Careers*

Banking Services Careers is a semester-long high school course that provides an overview of how the banking system works, what the Federal Reserve is, and the technical and social skills needed to work in banking and related services. Students explore career paths and the required training or higher education necessary and gain an understanding of the basic functions of customer transactions (e.g., setting up an account, processing a loan, establishing a business), cash drawer activity, check collection processes, and other customer service–related transactions. This course also discusses how technology has changed banking in the 21st century. The banking industry is responsible for many of the products that we use on a daily basis, from checking and savings accounts to debit cards, credit cards, and loans. 

Business Computer Information Systems

Business Computer Information Systems is a year-long course that explores the use of technology applications in both business and personal situations. The course provides key knowledge and skills in the following areas: communication, business technology, word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications, telecommunications, desktop publishing, and presentation technology, computer networks, and computer operating systems. 

Business Law* 

This semester-long high school course is designed to provide students with the knowledge of some of the vital legal concepts that affect commerce and trade, after first gaining some familiarity with how laws are created and interpreted. Students are then introduced to the types of businesses that can be created as well as the contractual and liability considerations that can impact a business. Laws that affect how a business is regulated are reviewed, particularly the impact of administrative rules and regulations on a business. Global commerce and international agreements, treaties, organizations, and courts are discussed to get a better sense of what it means to “go global” with a business. Dispute resolution strategies are also addressed. 

Career Explorations I 

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 introduces 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.

Career Explorations II 

Career Explorations II is a semester-long course designed to give middle school 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 Explorations III 

Career Explorations III is a semester-long course designed to give middle school students an opportunity to explore various CTE subjects. Specifically, students learn about careers from business to hands-on career paths. Each of the five units introduces one particular field and explains its past, present, and future. These units include: Introduction to Business and Finance, Introduction to Manufacturing, Introduction to Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics, Introduction to Architecture and Construction, and Introduction to Marketing. 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 Management*

Career Management is a semester-length high school course that assists students in their preparation for career selection. The course is designed to improve workforce skills needed in all careers including communication, leadership, teamwork, decision making, problem solving, goal setting and time management. Students complete activities that help identify personal interests, aptitudes, and learning styles. Students use results of self-assessments to determine careers that may prove personally satisfying. 

Careers in Logistics Planning and Management Services

Careers in Logistics Planning and Management Services is a semester-long course that provides high school students with the history of logistics and recent advances in the field. Units include supply chain management, inventory and transportation management, and safety in the workplace. Logistics is a high-growth industry and stable career choice. There is something for every career-seeker, ability, and experience level. The objectives of this course are to introduce the student to the field of logistics planning and management and to explain the career opportunities that are available in this field.

 

Careers in Marketing Research 

Marketing research is the foundation of all marketing activities because it provides the data needed to make key strategic decisions about products, promotions, pricing, and other key organizational decisions. Careers in Marketing Research is a semester-long high school course that provides information about the process of investigation and problem analysis by using research to produce key marketing statistics that are communicated to management and used throughout the organization. This course concludes with the execution, interpretation, and presentation of marketing research. 

Career Planning & Development

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 resume that can be used in their educational or career portfolio. 

Computer Science* 

This one-semester course introduces students to the basics of computer science through a series of PythonR programming projects that encourage creativity and experimentation. Students create a diverse portfolio of projects as they learn commands and functions, values and variables, Graphical User Interface, modular and object-oriented programming, and events and event-driven processes. Students also learn loops, debugging techniques, software-development processes, arrays and sets, generators and namespaces, packages and libraries, randomness, file handling, and how to program simple games. Students explore careers in programming, including profiles from a wide variety of programming professionals. 

Computer Applications: Office® 2019

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 2019 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:
Students must have access to MS Office 2019 or
Office 365
Presentation software (e.g., MS PowerPoint)

Construction Careers*

Construction Careers is a semester-long course that introduces high school students to the basics of construction, building systems, engineering principles, urban planning, and sustainability. Students learn the key techniques in building all types of buildings, as well as the key individuals involved in each step of the process. Many lessons present information on green building techniques and concepts that are becoming a standard part of the construction industry. Safety practices are emphasized in several lessons because construction is one of the most dangerous industries; students learn that there is no way to be successful in construction without taking such issues seriously. Lessons in this course also explore regulatory agencies and guidelines established for protecting not only construction workers but also the occupants of a building. 

Engineering and Design*

This semester-long course focuses on building real-world problem solving and critical thinking skills as students learn how to innovate and design new products and improve existing products. Students are introduced to the engineering design process to build new products and to the reverse engineering process, which enables engineers to adjust any existing product. Students identify how engineering and design have a direct impact on the sustainability of our environment and the greening of our economy. Finally, students incorporate the engineering design process, environmental life cycle, and green engineering principles to create a decision matrix to learn how to solve environmental issues.

Engineering and Product Development* 

This semester-long course provides an overview of the concepts of product engineering and development. Students analyze the life cycle of a product to prepare a product for distribution and for target markets. The course begins with building an understanding of the product life cycle, from the initial idea to drafting requirements to using 3-D modeling tools and other design tools. The final unit focuses on assembling the pieces within a project plan to achieve a product and evaluating the plans for a successful product launch. In addition, the course provides information about the different careers available to students interested in engineering, product development, and project management. 

Family and Community Services* 

Family and Community Services is a high school semester-long course that introduces applications within professions related to family and community services. Students identify degree and credential requirements for occupations in this pathway and identify individual, social, historical, economic, and cultural context to increase awareness of family and community services. Students develop the abilities necessary to evaluate and identify a range of effective communication strategies and skills for establishing a collaborative relationship with others. Students also complete a variety of projects to apply their skills and knowledge. Units are divided among career fields: Social Workers, Emergency Management and Planners, Therapists and Treatment Specialists, Education and Childcare. 

Food Products and Processing Systems*

Agriculture, food, and natural resources are central to human survival and civilization. The development, use, and stewardship of natural resources to create food products have a long and ever-changing timelines. This semester-long high school course that explores the history and evolution of food products, along with the processing methods that have arisen to feed an ever-growing world population. Students study specifics in a wide spectrum of food product topics, from early methods of preservation to technological advancements in packaging, regulations in labeling, and marketing trends. Students learn industry terminology in each area of the overall system, from “farm to fork” to vertical integration to smart packaging. 

Food Safety and Sanitation*

This comprehensive semester-long course covers the principles and practices of food safety and sanitation that are essential in the hospitality industry for the protection and well-being of staff, guests and customers. The course provides a systems approach to sanitation risk management and the prevention of food contamination by emphasizing the key components of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety system. After successful completion of this course, students are prepared to meet the requirements of state and national certification exams. 

Fundamentals of Computer Systems* 

Fundamentals of Computer Systems is a semester-long high school course that provides students with an understanding of computers and how they operate as well as a basic understanding of how to manage and maintain computers and computer systems. These skills provide students with the ability to configure computers and solve computer problems. Students learn details about the different elements of computers and computer systems, how to identify hardware devices and their functions, the role of operating systems as well as how to install and customize Windows operating systems. Students also learn about networking and the Internet, security issues, and current software applications, such as Microsoft® Office. In addition, students learn specifics about maintaining and troubleshooting computers, including managing files, backing up systems, and using the administrative tools in Windows operating systems. Lastly, students learn the basics of customer service and working as a help desk support technician. 

Fundamentals of Digital Media*

Fundamentals of Digital Media is a semester-long course that presents high school students an overview of the different types of digital media and how they are used in the world today. This course examines the impact that digital media has on culture and lifestyle. The course reviews the basic concepts for creating effective digital media and introduces several different career paths related to digital media. Students learn about the tools used as well as best practices employed for creating digital media. In the course, students explore topics such as the use of social media, digital media in advertising, digital media on the World Wide Web, digital media in business, gaming and simulations, e-commerce, and digital music and movies. Students also review the ethics and laws that impact digital media use or creation. 

Fundamentals of Programming and Software Development*

This semester-long course provides students with an understanding of basic software development concepts and practices, issues affecting the software industry, and the skills necessary to perform well in these occupations. Students learn details about core concepts in programming using Java, writing and debugging code, proper syntax, flow of control, order of operations, comparison operators, and program logic tools and models. Students learn the function of key program techniques including if statements, looping, and arrays, as well as web development using HTML and drag-and-drop development of user interfaces in an integrated development environment. Students explore the software development life cycle and different variations used to create software. Required materials: Activities in this course require that the Java Software Development Kit (SDK) and the NetBeans Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is installed on students’ computers. Instructions are included in Unit 1 lesson titled “Introduction to Java Programming.” 

Health Science Concepts*

This yearlong course introduces high school students to the fundamental concepts of anatomy and physiology—including the organization of the body, cellular functions, and the chemistry of life. As they progress through each unit, students learn about the major body systems, common diseases and disorders, and the career specialties associated with each system. Students investigate basic medical terminology as well as human reproduction and development. Students are introduced to these fundamental health science concepts through direct instruction, interactive tasks, and practice assignments. This course is intended to provide students with a strong base of core knowledge and skills that can be used in a variety of health science career pathways.

Introduction to Careers in Architecture and Construction* 

The goal of this semester-long high school course is to provide students with an overview of careers in architecture and construction in order to assist with informed career decisions. This dynamic, rapidly evolving career cluster is comprised of three pathways (fields): Design and Pre-Construction (Architecture and Engineering)’ Construction (Construction and Extraction); and Maintenance and Operations (Installation, Maintenance and Repair). The Architecture and Construction career cluster is defined as careers in building, designing, managing, maintaining, and planning the built environment. The built environment encompasses all zones of human activity-from natural conservation areas with minimal human intervention to highly dense areas with tall skyscrapers and intricate highway systems to suburban cul-de-sacs. The interrelated components that make up the built environment are as varied and unique as the professionals who help shape it.

Introduction to Careers in Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications* 

This introductory semester-long high school course provides comprehensive information on five separate areas of arts and communications as potential educational and career pathways, including: audio/video technology and film, performing arts, visual arts, printing technology, journalism and broadcasting, and telecommunication systems. Students who are interested in careers across a broad spectrum of professional positions, including fine artist, telecommunications administrator, magazine editor, broadcast journalist, or computer graphic artist, will gain useful perspective on industry terminology, technology, work environment, job outlook, and guiding principles.

Introduction to Careers in Education and Training*

 Introduction to Careers in Education and Training is a semester-long course that introduces students to the field of education and training, and the opportunities available for early-childhood through adult and continuing education. Students gain an understanding of the career options available in teaching, administrative work, and support services. They also explore the education and background experience needed to succeed in these careers. Students learn about the evolution of the modern educational system in the United States, and the policies and laws that govern educational institutions. They also discover the similarities and differences between the ethical and legal obligations of working with adults versus working with children.

Teaching and Training Careers

 Teaching and Training Careers is a semester-long high school course that introduces students to the art and science of teaching. It provides a thorough exploration of pedagogy, curriculum, standards and practices, and the psychological factors shown by research to affect learners. In five units of study, lessons, and projects, students engage with the material through in-depth exploration and hands-on learning, to prepare them for teaching and training careers. Students are given many opportunities to be the teacher or trainer, and to explore the tasks, requirements, teaching strategies, and research-based methods that are effective and high-quality.

Introduction to Careers in Finance* 

Introduction to Careers in Finance is a semester-long course that provides the fundamentals of the financial services industry in the United States and explores the jobs and career opportunities that the industry offers. Course units address a broad set of services in the industry including finance overview, financial services, securities analysis, investments, principles of corporate finance, banking services, risk management, and insurance. Introduction to Coding Introduction 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, 27 and lists and loops, providing a solid foundation for more advanced study as well as practical skills they can use immediately. 

Introduction to Consumer Services*

 In this semester-long course, students analyze various career paths in terms of employment opportunities and educational requirements, such as hard and soft skills, certifications, and licensures for different pathways. Developing research, analytical, and presentations skills are key components. This course is designed as an overview to prepare students for a consumer services-related career and to introduce them to specialty areas. Emphasis is placed on the human services aspect (vs. corporate concerns) of consumer services. Social issues and advocacy, as well as ethics and legalities, are a recurring theme. Students gain knowledge of current issues affecting various consumer services professions, and the impact of local, state, national and global issues on consumer services

Introduction to Entrepreneurship (Project-based)*

 This one-semester course teaches the key skills and concepts students need to know to plan and launch a business. Students learn about real-life teen entrepreneurs; characteristics of successful entrepreneurs; how to attract investors and manage expenses; sales stages, planning, and budgeting; how to generate business ideas and create a business plan; and how to promote and market a company. Topics include exploring factors of business success and failure, economic systems, competition, production, costs and pricing, accounting, bookkeeping, and financial reporting, working with others, and successfully managing employees.

Introduction to Business (Project-based)*

 In this two-semester introductory course, students learn the principles of business using real-world examples—learning what it takes to plan and launch a product or service in today’s fast-paced business environment. This course covers an introduction to economics, costs and profit, and different business types. Students are introduced to techniques for managing money, personally and as a business, and taxes and credit; the basics of financing a business; how a business relates to society both locally and globally; how to identify a business opportunity; and techniques for planning, executing, and marketing a business to respond to that opportunity. 

Introduction to Careers in Government & Public Administration*

 This semester-long course provides students with an overview of American politics and public administration, including how political institutions and public management systems at the local, state, and federal levels exercise supervisory authority and maintain accountability. Students explore the foundations of the U.S. government, the separation of powers, the federal civil service system, and the relationship between the government and state and local officials. Students learn about politics in the United States and the electoral process, political attitudes and opinions, and American political parties. Students explore the structure of U.S. federal governmental institutions, the nature of bureaucracy, and the functions of the three branches of government. Students also learn about policy making in American government, including discussions of foreign and defense policies. 

Introduction to Careers in Transportation, Distribution and Logistics*

 This semester-long course introduces students to the complicated world of commercial transportation. Students undertake an overview of the fields of transportation, distribution, and logistics, learning the differences between the fields and the primary services provided in each. Students learn how warehousing, inventory, and other associated businesses impact the economy, which includes the advantages and disadvantages of automation on employment. Students learn about the history of transportation including. Students examine the fields that serve to support and manage transportation systems. Lastly, the role of technology Introduction to Computer Science A&B This full-year course is designed for students in grades 9–10, although any students across grades 9–12 may enroll. This course introduces students to the foundational concepts of computer science and challenges them to explore how computing and technology can affect the world. Students have creative, hands-on learning opportunities to create computer programs, develop web pages, design mobile apps, write algorithms, and collaborate with peers while building strong foundational knowledge. This course provides a solid foundation for more advanced study as well as practical skills that students can use immediately. 

Science and Mathematics in the Real World

 Science and Mathematics in the Real World is a semester-long high school course where students focus on how to apply scientific and mathematical concepts to the development of plans, processes, and projects that address real world problems, including sustainability and “green” technologies. This course also highlights how science, mathematics, and the applications of STEM will be impacted due to the development of a greener economy. This course exposes students to a wide variety of STEM applications and to real world problems from the natural sciences, technology fields, the world of sports, and emphasizes the diversity of STEM career paths. The importance of math, critical thinking, and mastering scientific and technological skill sets is highlighted throughout. Challenging and enjoyable activities provide multiple opportunities to develop critical thinking skills and the application of the scientific method, and to work on real world problems using STEM approaches. 

Scientific Discovery and Development

 Scientific Discovery and Development is a semester-long high school course that explores the history of clinical laboratory science, learning how clinical laboratories evolved and became professionalized, and how scientific discoveries and breakthroughs fueled the development of the laboratory while the sub-disciplines in biology were advancing. Students learn about the circulatory system and about microbiology and the subfields within it. Cells and tissues, cell division and basic genetics is also addressed. This course covers the three major areas in bioresearch: biotechnology, nanotechnology, and pharmaceutical research and development. More than two dozen career fields are explored along the way including laboratory techs, phlebotomists, and pathologist assistants. Students learn what is necessary in the areas of education and credentialing with an idea of the job outlook and salaries. 

Scientific Research 

Scientific Research is a semester-long high school course that describes activities from the point of view of a professional scientist. The lessons provide support, accessible ideas, and specific language that guide students through most of the steps, insights, and experiences eventually faced if continued through higher education toward a graduate degree. Knowing the practical, everyday basics of scientific thinking and laboratory activity serves as a necessary first step to a career as a technician or a lab assistant. While these jobs are hands-on and technical, the intellectual and historical background covered in the course provides an awareness that is essential to working in such an atmosphere.

Introduction to Consumer Services 

In this semester-long course, students analyze various career paths in terms of employment opportunities and educational requirements, such as hard and soft skills, certifications, and licensures for different pathways. Developing research, analytical, and presentations skills are key components. This course is designed as an overview to prepare students for a consumer services-related career and to introduce them to specialty areas. Emphasis is placed on the human services aspect (vs. corporate concerns) of consumer services. Social issues and advocacy, as well as ethics and legalities, are a recurring theme. Students gain knowledge of current issues affecting various consumer services professions, and the impact of local, state, national and global issues on consumer services. 

Introduction to Health Science*

 This high school course introduces students to a variety of healthcare careers, as they develop the basic skills required in all health and medical sciences. In addition to learning the key elements of the U.S. healthcare system, students learn terminology, anatomy and physiology, pathologies, diagnostic and clinical procedures, therapeutic interventions, and the fundamentals of medical emergency care. Throughout the course, instructional activities emphasize safety professionalism, accountability, and efficiency for workers within the healthcare field.

 Health Science Concepts A&B 

This yearlong course introduces high school students to the fundamental concepts of anatomy and physiology—including the organization of the body, cellular functions, and the chemistry of life. As they progress through each unit, students will learn about the major body systems, common diseases and disorders, and the career specialties associated with each system. Students will investigate basic medical terminology as well as human reproduction and development. Students are introduced to these fundamental health science concepts through direct instruction, interactive tasks, and practice assignments. This course is intended to provide students with a 30 strong base of core knowledge and skills that can be used in a variety of health science career pathways.

 Introduction to Health Science A&B 

This high school course introduces students to a variety of healthcare careers as they develop the basic skills required in all health and medical sciences. In addition to learning the key elements of the U.S. healthcare system, students will learn terminology, anatomy and physiology, pathologies, diagnostic and clinical procedures, therapeutic interventions, and the fundamentals of medical emergency care. Throughout the course, instructional activities emphasize safety, professionalism, accountability, and efficiency for workers within the healthcare field.

 Introduction to Human Growth and Development

 This semester-long course focuses on human growth and development over the lifespan, as well as careers that help people deal with various physical, intellectual, and socioemotional issues, such as physicians, nurses, nutritionists, substance abuse counselors, clergy, teachers, career counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists. The course provides a background in human growth and development from before birth, through childhood, into adulthood, and through death and grief. It gives the student perspective and highlights where people in the caring professions are most needed. Students who take this course will come away with a broad understanding of all the careers that help people from birth to death.

Introduction to Human Services 

This semester-long course introduces high school students to the possibilities for careers in the human services professions. Through anecdotes, lessons, and a variety of assignments and projects, students learn about the broad variety of jobs available in the human services. These begin with entry-level positions, such as associate social workers, that require a two-year Associate of Arts degree. Students also learn ethics and philosophies of the helping professions. The history of the profession, as well as the impact of the cultural, social, and economic environment on individual people, especially those who need social services assistance, is also explored. 

Introduction to Information Technology*

This course introduces students to the essential technical and professional skills required in the field of Information Technology (IT). Through hands-on projects and written assignments, students gain an understanding of the operation of computers, computer networks, Internet fundamentals, programming, and computer support. Students also learn about the social impact of technological change and the ethical issues related to technology. Throughout the course, instructional activities emphasize safety, professionalism, accountability, and efficiency for workers within the field of IT

Introduction to Information Technology Support & Services* 

This semester-long course focuses on real-world application, including common industry best practices and specific vendors that offer tools for technicians, project managers, and IT leadership. Students learn how the IT department of an enterprise supports the overall mission of the company. Students apply their knowledge of hardware and software components associated with IT systems while exploring a variety of careers related to IT support and services. Students analyze technical support needs to perform customer service and configuration management activities. Students also evaluate application software packages and emerging software. Students demonstrate and apply knowledge of IT analysis and design by initiating a system project and evaluating applications within the IT system. 

Network System Design*

Network System Design is a semester-long course that provides students with an understanding of computer networks and how they operate, as well as a basic understanding of how to manage and maintain computer networks. These skills provide students with the ability to design, configure, and troubleshoot networks of all sizes. Students learn the basics of network design, including how to identify network requirements and determine proper network architecture. Students are introduced to network models. Students also learn about internet protocol and the basics of routing data on a network. Students learn about network security issues and network management. Lastly, students learn about network operating systems and their role in connecting computers and facilitating communications.

New Applications: Web Development in the 21st Century*

New Applications is a semester-long survey course that travels from the first software programs developed to facilitate communication on the Internet, to the new generation of mobile and native apps that access the Internet without a reliance on a web browser. New Applications is also a practical course in how to develop a presence on the World Wide Web using WordPress and other available web application tools. The goal of the course is to provide the learner insight into the rapidly evolving universe of programming and application development to support informed career decisions in an industry that is changing as quickly as it is growing. 

Software Development Tools 

This semester-long course introduces students to the variety of careers related to programming and software development. Students gather and analyze customer software needs and requirements, learn core principles of programming, develop software specifications, and use appropriate reference tools to evaluate new and emerging software. Students apply IT-based strategies and develop a project plan to solve specific problems and define and analyze system and software requirements.

Introduction to STEM* 

This semester-long course introduces students to the four areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics through an interdisciplinary approach that will increase 32 awareness, build knowledge, develop problem solving skills, and potentially awaken an interest in pursuing a career in STEM. Students are introduced to the history, fundamental principles, applications, processes, and concepts of STEM. Students are exposed to several computer applications used to analyze and present technical or scientific information. Finally, students explore the kinds of strategies frequently used to solve problems in these disciplines. Throughout the course, students discover their strengths through practical applications and awareness of the various STEM careers. 

STEM and Problem Solving

 Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are active components in the real world. STEM and Problem Solving is a semester-long high school course that outlines how to apply the concepts and principles of scientific inquiry, encouraging the use of problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to produce viable solutions to problems. Students learn the scientific method, how to use analytical tools and techniques, how to construct tests and evaluate data, and how to review and understand statistical information. This course is designed to help students understand what we mean by problem solving and to help understand and develop skills and techniques to create solutions to problems. Advanced problem-solving skills are necessary in all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines and career paths. This problem-solving course stresses analytic skills to properly format problem statements, use of the scientific method to investigate problems, the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches to construct tests, and an introduction to reviewing and interpreting statistical information. 

Legal Services* 

Legal Services is a high school semester-long course that provides students with an overview of the system of laws in the United States, the practice areas, and career options in the field. Students learn about how the legal system operates, the consequences to those who commit crimes, and how disputes are settled, as well as how criminal and civil cases reach court and are resolved. Students learn about the courtroom and the basics of a typical court case. Students explore constitutional rights and legal safeguards, types of evidence, as well as how technology has changed the practice of law. They also learn about legal education and various careers in the legal field. 

Marketing and Sales for Tourism and Hospitality* 

This semester-long course is designed as an introduction to the study of tourism and hospitality marketing and sales. Students are introduced to marketing theory and application of the basic principles of marketing as applied in hospitality and tourism. The relationship between marketing and other functions such as advertising, sales techniques, and public relations to maximize profits in a hospitality organization is addressed. Students have an opportunity to explore this multifaceted world, identifying multiple career paths and opportunities. 

Medical Terminology* 

This semester-long course introduces students to the structure of medical terms, plus medical abbreviations and acronyms. The course allows students to achieve comprehension of medical vocabulary appropriate to health care settings, medical procedures, pharmacology, human anatomy and physiology, and pathology. The knowledge and skills gained in this course provide students entering the healthcare field with a deeper understanding of the application of the language of health and medicine. Students are introduced to these skills through direct instruction, interactive tasks, practice assignments, and unit-level assessments.

Microsoft® Office® Specialist* 

This two-semester course introduces students to the features and functionality of Microsoft Office 2019 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. 

Nursing Assistant*

 This two-semester course prepares students to provide and assist with all aspects of activities of daily living and medical care for the adult patient in hospital, long-term care, and home settings. Through direct instruction, interactive skills demonstrations, and practice assignments, students are taught the basics of nurse assisting, including interpersonal skills, medical terminology and procedures, legal and ethical responsibilities, safe and efficient work, gerontology, nutrition, emergency skills, and employability skills. Successful completion of this course from an approved program prepares the student for state certification for employment as a Certified Nursing Assistant. 

Personal Finance* 

This introductory finance course teaches what it takes to understand the world of finance and make informed decisions about managing finances. Students learn more about economics and become more confident in setting and researching financial goals as they develop the core skills needed to be successful. In this one-semester course, students learn how to open bank accounts, invest money, apply for loans, apply for insurance, explore careers, manage business finances, make decisions about major purchases, and more. Students will be inspired by stories from finance professionals and individuals who have reached their financial goals.

Pharmacy Technician 

This two-semester course prepares students for employment as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) covering the skills needed for the pharmacy technician field. Through direct instruction, interactive skills demonstrations, and practice assignments, students learn the basics of pharmacy assisting, including various pharmacy calculations and measurements, pharmacy law, pharmacology, medical terminology and abbreviations, medicinal drugs, sterile techniques, USP 795 and 797 standards, maintenance of inventory, patient record systems, data processing automation in the pharmacy, and employability skills. Successful completion of this course 34 prepares the student for national certification for employment as a Certified Pharmacy Technician. 

Small Business Entrepreneurship A&B

This full-year course is designed to provide the skills needed to effectively organize, create, manage and own a business, while exposing students to the challenges, problems, and issues faced by entrepreneurs. Throughout this course, students explore what kinds of opportunities exist for small business entrepreneurs and become aware of the necessary skills for running a business. Students become familiar with the traits and characteristics that are found in successful entrepreneurs, and see how research, planning, operations and regulations can affect small businesses. Students also learn how to develop plans for having effective business management, financing and marketing strategies. 

Planning Meetings and Special Events

Planning Meetings and Special Events is a semester-long high school course designed as an introduction to the study of planning meetings and special events. Being a meetings and special events planner is both demanding and rewarding. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics employment of meeting, convention, and event planners is projected to grow 7 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations. Job opportunities should be best for candidates with hospitality experience and a bachelor’s degree in meeting and event management, hospitality, or tourism management. It’s not all fun and parties because a meeting coordinator is responsible for every detail of an event. Planners must know how to communicate, be empathetic, and think of their clients. It’s crucial to remember that in some instances the event will be a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, so it’s important to get it right. 

Sustainable Service Management for Hospitality & Tourism*

This comprehensive semester-long course covers the principles and practices of sustainable service management. The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of socially, environmentally, and financially sustainable hospitality management. The course provides a sustainable approach to service management, incorporating the role of the customer, employee, leaders, and the environment. After successful completion of this course, students understand and are able to explain the fundamentals of sustainability in the hospitality industry. 

Transportation and Tours for the Traveler*

Transportation and Tours for the Traveler is a semester-long course where students learn about today’s package tour industry, travel industry professionals, and package tour customers. Students find out who tour operators must work with to create travel products and what kinds of decisions they must make in terms of meals, lodging, attractions, and, of course, transportation. Finally, students learn about how technology, world events, and increased environmental awareness are affecting the travel industry today. Students focus on the different components that 35 go into creating a tour to get a sense of what working for a tour operator entails as well as what other careers are available in the tour industry. 

Technology and Business 

This year-long course teaches students technical skills, effective communication skills, and productive work habits needed to make a successful transition into the workplace or postsecondary education. In this course, students gain an understanding of emerging technologies, operating systems, and computer networks. In addition, they create a variety of business documents, including complex word-processing documents, spreadsheets with charts and graphs, database files, and electronic presentations.

Keyboarding and Applications

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.

Dual Work-based Learning Credit 

Work-Based Learning credit enables students to earn credit while working or volunteering on an approved job site and learning through the experience. A student must have taken or currently be enrolled in a Career Preparation related course to be eligible for work experience credit. Students will receive a pass/fail grade only for Work-based Learning credit. Students may earn ½ Work-based Learning credit for every 75 hours of approved paid or volunteer experience. Students can earn up to one Work-based Learning credit per calendar quarter. Students can only earn work-based learning credit for hours worked while enrolled in ArchwayOnline.