Curriculum Guide

Secondary Language Arts

English 6-8
A three-year cycle focusing in writing skills through the 6 + 1 Traits Writing program, emersion in contemporary literature, grammar and spelling.

English 9
Introduction to World Literature with a focus on literacy skills, grammar, and composition.

Literature for study includes: Antigone, Julius Cæsar, Lord of the Flies, Great Expectations, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Of Mice and Men and a sampling of works by authors from around the world.

English 10
Introduction to American Literature with a focus on literacy, research, grammar, composition, and test taking skills.

Literature for study includes: Our Town, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Chosen, Twelve Angry Men, Ghost Riders, A Raisin in the Sun, The Great Gatsby as well as selected works of American poets and samples of American folklore.

English 11
Survey course of Western European and some world literature with a focus on research, composition, analytical, and interpretive skills.

Literature for study includes: The Odyssey, European folk tales, Hamlet, Tale of Two Cities, selected authors and poets from around the world.

English 12
Survey course of British Literature with additional work on post secondary planning and business writing. The last twelve weeks of the year is spent working on the Senior Seminar Project.

Literature for study includes: selections from Shakespeare, Dickens, Shaw, the romantic poets, the study of plays as literature, as well as individually chosen classic and/or highly acclaimed selections of literature.

Secondary Social Studies

Social Studies 6-8

A three-year cycle which covers American History through the 1900”s, the Western Hemisphere, and the Eastern Hemisphere incorporating geography, historical perspectives, cultures, economics and government.

Civics

A one-semester class for freshman that examines all aspects of American government from its creation to how government plays a role in our lives today.  An emphasis is placed on core democratic values.

Holt American Civics

Economics

A one-semester class for freshman that covers basic economic principles with exploration into investing, economic systems, supply and demand and budgets.

Holt Economics

U.S. History

This year long course for sophomores is an in depth study of the American experience starting with the settlement of the west.  Other topics include WWI and WWII, Holocaust, Civil Rights, Vietnam War and the new century.
Glencoe The American Vision

Geography and Global Issues

A year long course for juniors that explores all 5 themes of geography through a multitude of maps, countries and cultures, weather conditions and environmental issues in today’s world.

Glencoe Geography: The World and Its People

World History

This yearlong course for seniors looks at the history of the world starting with the earliest people.  The class moves into the history of Asia, Europe and South America culminating with a world religions project.

Holt World History – The Human Journey

Secondary Mathematics

Mathematics 6-8

Basics in algebra and geometry as well as review of number operations in preparation for success in high school math courses.

Saxon Series and Connected Math Series

Algebra for 8th grade

This algebra course is offered to those students who have mastered the skills of Mathematics 8.

Addison – Wesley Focus on Algebra and Saxon Algebra I

Basic Algebra

A slow-paced but thorough coverage of the basics of algebra for high school students.

Globe Fearon Algebra I

Basic Geometry

New for the 2005-2006 school year!  A slow-paced but thorough coverage of geometry concepts for high school students.

Globe Fearon Geometry

Algebra I

An integrated course in all first year algebra concepts.  This course is for the committed college-bound high school student.

Addison – Wesley Focus on Algebra and Saxon Algebra I

Geometry

An integrated approach to the study of geometry.  For the serious college-bound high school student.

Addison – Wesley Focus on Geometry


Algebra II / Advanced Math

A comprehensive study of functions and advanced math concepts.  Includes probability and trigonometry.  A good preparation for calculus. Offered for 1 credit or 1.5 credits.

Addison – Wesley Focus on Advanced Algebra

Trigonometry

Designed for independent study as a 4th or 5th math credit for serious math students.

Addison – Wesley Trigonometry (college level)

Statistics

Offered as a 4th math credit every other year or as a .5 credit in conjunction with Advanced Math.

Bluman Elementary Statistics (college level)

Business Math

Offered to juniors or seniors as a third math credit.  This course centers on business applications.

Glencoe Mathematics with Business Application

Secondary Science

General Science 6-8

A three year cycle using an integrated approach to the three main sciences:  Life, physical, and earth.

Prentice Hall Science Series

Biology

This course describes the living world, and the classification of its organisms on a cellular level, an ecological level, and a historical level, based on life’s processes.   Also included in this class is unit on Health that covers the MI curriculum standards for Health and HIV education.

Prentice Hall, Biology: The Living Science

Environmental Science

Offered every other year, a balanced approach to the study of the environment while applying knowledge on the lands of the planet and how they are used, considering the world’s inhabitants.

Holt, Rinehart, Winston Environmental Science

Chemistry

A focus on the properties of chemicals and chemical reactions while addressing matter and energy, organization of atoms and elements, chemical compounds and equations, and solutions and reactions.

Holt Chemistry: Visualizing Matter and Glencoe Chemistry: Matter and Change

Anatomy

Offered every other year as a fourth science credit, designed to develop an understanding of how the human body is constructed, how it functions, and how the structure and function are correlated.

Human Anatomy and Physiology laboratory manual, The Anatomy Coloring Book


Physics

Offered every other year as a fourth science credit, the course addresses the main areas of the natural world, including motion, heat and temperature, repetitive motion, light, electricity and magnetism, relativity and quantum mechanics.

Holt Physics

Secondary Visual Arts

Middle School Art

Using a wide variety of materials, students will be exposed to art production, art history and art aesthetics.  Many art projects are integrated with other disciplines such as social studies, math and music.

High School Art

Offered for 1 credit or .5 credit, using the principles of composition and the elements of design students will experience drawing, painting, 3 dimensional sculptures, collage and many other mediums.

Secondary Performing Arts

Middle School Dance
Introduction to balance, weight shift, elevation and basic dance terminology.  Basic floor patterns, memorization skills, and rhythmic sequences of movement.  Working together as a unit as well as individually.

Level I Dance
Beginning in high school, an introduction to balance, weight shift, elevation, isolated body parts and rhythmic sequences.  Basic floor patterns, memorization skills, and dance terminology.  Working together as a group, partnering and individually.

Level II Dance
Building on skills learned in Level I, working on longer and more complex patterns.  Exploring more than one dance discipline:  Modern and/or Jazz.  Focus on stronger technique, turns, floor work, leaps, and traveling combinations.  Demonstrate performing skills while dancing.

Advanced Dance
Building on Level II skills, a focus on interpretation of movement.  Body articulation, strength in all areas as well as agility.  Demonstrating strong memorization skills for extended movement sequences.  Quick study skills, high level of coordination and commitment to all movement.  Vocabulary of dance terminology is more extensive.

Ballet
Introduction to the basics of Ballet.  Terminology appropriate skeletal alignment.  Beginning ballet studies, plies, balance, flexibility and turn combinations.  Learning to artistically keep the movement clean and flowing.  Studying beginning classical ballet as well as modern ballet.  Center work and floor patterns.

Secondary Musical Arts

Intermediate Band
Second and third year students are taught to perform with expression and technical accuracy, music representing diverse genres and cultures.

Advanced Band
In addition to performance skills, the subject matter includes a study of the rudiments of musical materials, along with the harmonic, melodic, rhythmic, and basic formal procedures necessary in developing a respect for music, its theory, performance and creation.

Middle School and High School Choir
Vocal development techniques, along with theoretical studies are exercised at the beginning level through warm up procedures, sight reading exercises, and performance.  In later grades students develop reading and performance skills by studying and signing a varied repertoire of music.  Students are also taught to vocalize with the expression and articulation appropriate for the music being performed.

Beginning Guitar
Choice melodies are used to teach notes.  Accompaniment technique (introduced at the precise time the pupil is ready) is implemented to teach chords.

Intermediate Guitar
Students are introduced to the second level of scales and chord progressions.

Percussion Ensembles
Students are taught to identify, define, and perform standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, and expression through the development of all rhythmic cadences studied.

Secondary Electives

Spanish I

Basic conversational Spanish, present tense of verbs, vocabulary including school supplies, clothing, household items, etc.

Ven Comigo!! Spanish for Mastery and Spanish Verb Tenses

Spanish II

More advanced conversational skills, future, condition, progressive, preterit verb tenses, writing skill emphasis.

Ven Comigo!, Spanish for Mastery, Spanish Grammar and Spanish Verb Tenses

Mass Media

Course work includes yearbook, publicity, production, videography and multimedia production as well as a brief study of media legal issues and ethics. The mass media class is responsible for the updating and maintenance of the school’s website.

Course offering updates for the 2006-2007 school year are currently being made.  Updated information will be available on this website prior to registration.