Course Descriptions for 2008-2009
ENGLISH
English 100. This is the
first course of English for the high school student. Work will emphasize grammar and composition
skills as well as reading for comprehension.
Literature units will include Shakespeare and the novel. Composition skills will incorporate the four
types of essay writing.
English 101. This is the
first course of English for the high school student. It is designed to be an accelerated course
that gives the student a greater in depth look at the language and
literature. Greater emphasis will be on
literature and writing. The student will
be able to accurately define the genres of literature, and interpret and
discuss short stories, poetry, novels.
Compositions skills will emphasize building to long essays and research.
English 102 Pre-AP. This
freshman-level course is designed for the academically motivated student who
intends to pursue the highest level of English courses offered. The focus of the class will be in reading and
writing about literature. Literary
selections will be chosen from a variety of genres including drama, short
stories, novels, and epic poetry.
English 200(Composition) English 200, the
second course of the English curriculum, is a writing intensive course. This course concentrates on grammar skills,
reading skills, and oral communication skills.
Literature is used as a springboard to understand the writing
process. A research paper is taught.
English 201(Composition). English 201,
the second course of the English curriculum, is a writing intensive course.
This course concentrates on research and writing skills, analytical skills and
the oral presentation of ideas. The
class utilizes works of authors from Shakespeare to Steinbeck and analyzes them
to give an appreciation of the writing process as well as an understanding of
the insights which may be gained through literature. The focus of the course in the third quarter
is a major writing assignment, which the student will research and present
before the class.
English 202 Pre-AP. This
sophomore-level course continues studies began in English 102 Pre-AP. Once again, this is a writing intensive
course with literature as the focus.
Students will continue to write about literature both in and out of
class. The study of research skills will
culminate in a short research paper.
English 300(Composition). English 300 is
a junior-level course, which focuses on the study of American literature. Students will read short stories, poetry,
essays, dramas, and novels written by major American writers. All literature units will involve writing
experiences. Student writing will also
serve as a source for discussion and study of grammar and usage problems.
English 301(Composition). English 301 is
a junior-level course designed for the advanced English student. It focuses on a chronological study of
American literature and traces the development of our literary heritage and
philosophy from the early Puritan settlements to twentieth century novelists.
Writing assignments will be varied, but will emphasize analytical and critical
thinking skills. Study in grammar and syntax will be geared towards preparation
for the ACT.
AP English Lit/Comp. This junior-level
course is designed for the highly motivated, college-prep student who is
interested in academic challenge and the possibility of earning college credit
while in high school. This course will
require intensive reading from many periods in history and extensive writing in
several genres. The course will focus on
the reading of many respected authors, mostly American, in a variety of genres,
for the main purpose of studying the way writers use language for differing
purposes. In-class and out-of-class writing assignments will analyze the use of
language in such areas as punctuation, word choice, and structure and how such
elements influence the tone, style, and purpose of the work. A research paper will also be
literature-based.
English 400*. This is a
senior-level, one-semester course that is designed for students who do not
intend to pursue a four-year college degree.
Literary study involves novels and a Shakespearean play. Writing experiences are based on both
personal experience and on the literary selections that are read. There is also some work in sentence structure
and revision.
English 401. English 401 is
a senior-level, two-semester course that is designed for the student who
intends to pursue a four-year college degree.
The course focuses on a chronological study of British Literature from
Beowulf to the 20th century.
Writing assignments include both literary analysis and personal
essays. A 7-10 page research paper is a
required element of the course. Grammar
and usage study is based on the students’ own writing.
AP English Lang/Comp. This
senior-level course is designed for the highly motivated, college-prep student
who is interested in academic challenge and the possibility of earning college
credit while in high school. The course
will focus on the careful reading and careful analysis of British literature in
both discussion and writing. In-class
and out-of-class writing assignments will consider a work’s structure, style,
and themes as well as such elements as the use of figurative language, imagery,
symbolism, and tone. A research paper
will also be literature-based.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Spanish I. This course is
for the purpose of developing oral comprehension and speaking skills. It introduces grammatical concepts within the
limitations of the first level. In
addition to the language itself, it covers identifying with people, their
needs, hopes, feelings, reactions, and those things which they have in common
with us...as well as those things uniquely their own. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in English.
Spanish II. Basically,
this is a continuation of the skills learned in Spanish I. Three fundamental steps are followed in the
teaching and learning of Spanish. First,
a student must listen to the language.
Second, he/she must attempt to speak the language. Finally, the student should be able to write
the language. In this course these
skills are continued and perfected.
Spoken Spanish is emphasized as much as possible. Prerequisite:
Spanish I.
Spanish III. Spanish III is
a grammatical review of Spanish I and II.
Students will increase their use of Spanish through reading, writing,
and conversation. Grammatical accuracy
is encouraged; however, emphasis is placed on improving communication
skills. Prerequisites: Spanish I and Spanish II.
Spanish IV. A continuation
of Spanish III. Prerequisite: Spanish I, II, III.
MATHEMATICS
recommendation.
Algebra IB. This course is
a full year class and worth 1 credit.
This course is designed for students who have a general understanding of
fundamental math concepts, but do not have them mastered. The pace of this class is slower than that of
Algebra I. Students in Algebra IB study
the topics covered in the second semester of the Algebra I course. This includes solving systems of equations and
inequalities, quadratic equations and functions, and exponential
functions. Students will also work with
right triangles and polynomials. Some
time will be spent reviewing standardized test results and addressing any weak
areas of math. Students will also cover
a brief introduction to geometry. Prerequisite:
Passing grade in Algebra 1A.
Algebra I. This class is
a full year class and worth 1 credit.
This course is offered for students who have a good understanding and
mastery of the fundamental math concepts.
Students in Algebra I will study the basic operations of whole numbers,
integers, rational and irrational numbers.
They will also study functions, work with equations and inequalities,
right triangles and polynomials. Other
topics covered include: graphing and writing linear equations, solving systems
of equations and inequalities, solving quadratic equations and functions, and
working with rational functions.
Prerequisite: Math Placement scores and Teacher
recommendation.
Geometry 200. The following
topics are covered: inductive and
deductive reasoning with proofs, basic geometric postulates and theorems,
congruence and its applications similar polygons, applications of similarity to
right triangles, circle and angle properties, areas of polygons and circles,
volumes of solids. The course includes a
brief study of coordinate geometry, right triangle geometry and
transformations. Prerequisite: Passing grade in Algebra 1A and IB, or
Algebra 1.
Geometry 201. This course
covers all topics of Geometry, but in somewhat more detail. Prerequisite:
A or B in Algebra I and Math achievement test score above 85th
percentile.
Algebra II. This course
provides a short review of the basic material of earlier work in Algebra
I. The following additional topics are
covered: real number systems (with
roots, radicals, and operations), complex numbers, operation of polynominals, factoring,
operation of rational expressions, graphing techniques, relations and
functions, linear and quadratic equations, logarithmic and exponential
equations, matrices and determinants, and coordinate geometry. Prerequisite: Passing Grade in Geometry 200
or Geometry 201.
Trigonometry*. This semester
course provides a review of functions and relations from Algebra II. Other topics are: circular functions and their inverses,
graphs, trigonometric identities and their proofs, right and oblique triangle
trigonometry, trigonometric equations and polar equations. Prerequisite: Second semester grade of C or
better in Algebra II.
Pre-Calculus*. The detailed
study of Analytic Geometry is offered as a preparation for the study of
calculus and linear algebra. Topics
include: vectors in the plane, lines in
the plane, application of lines, conic sections (equations and graphs),
transformations of coordinates. Other
topics covered may be natural logarithms, curve sketching, induction,
probability, combinations and permutations, and an introduction to limits. Prerequisites: Second semester grade of C or
better in
Algebra II. Trigonometry recommended.
Advanced Placement
Calculus. This course provides a quick review of the
basic material of earlier work in previous courses and an in depth preparation
for the AP Calculus Exam. The following
topics are covered: lines and graphs,
functions, trigonometric and logarithmic functions, limits, continuity,
derivatives of a function, implicit differentiation, extreme values, Riemann
sums, integration, and slope fields.
Prerequisite: B or better in both
Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus.
SCIENCE
Physical Science. Physical Science can be divided into two
categories: biological sciences and
physical sciences. While the biological
sciences examine living organisms, the physical sciences analyze the nature and
properties of energy and non-living matter.
However, as with most other subjects, all sciences are related to each
other. This course will integrate
chemistry, physics, earth science (geology, meteorology, and oceanography),
astronomy and applied mathematics. This
course will emphasize the connections between these subjects and provide
students with a strong foundation so they will be successful in other areas of
science. Physical science is a year-long
college prep laboratory course earning one credit.
Biology. Biology’s
topics include cell biology, genetics, cell respiration, photosynthesis,
biochemistry, cell division, RNA/DNA, bacteria, protista, fungi, botany and
zoology. About one third of the class is
spent in laboratory work and this course includes the dissection of various
animals. A leaf collection project is
required for the class. Biology is a
year-long college prep laboratory course earning one credit.
Advanced Biology. Advanced
Biology is for those students who feel a keen interest in biology and may
pursue this as a career. Emphasis is
placed on the development of laboratory skills, the scientific-study methods,
and human anatomy and Physiology. The
dissection of a cat, plus various sheep organs are included in the course. Prerequisite:
Modern Biology with a grade of A or B.
Physical Chemistry. This course
includes a study of the physical and chemical properties of water and the gases
in air as they relate to the way we use water and gases. The labs are designed to teach the student
how and why water (and gases) is used in industry and at home. A study of the properties of plastics,
metals, and ceramics will be included.
The course includes many practical labs that are not included in a
standard chemistry or physics class.
Chemistry. A study of the
structure and composition of materials and changes which they may undergo. Essential to preparation for any of the
medical and biological fields and helpful in the understanding of practical
problems pertinent to our environment.
This is a lab course.
Prerequisite: Algebra I.
Physics. Physics is the
study of the physical universe and the relationship between matter and
energy. This is a lab course covering
force and motion, heat energy, wave transfer energy, nuclear energy, physical
optics, and electricity.
Prerequisite: Algebra II or
concurrent enrollment in Algebra II.
SOCIAL STUDIES
World Geography*. World
Geography consists of a cultural, social, customs, economic, and comparative
approach to geography. Major areas of
concentration are
World History. An examination
of various cultures in both time, historically, and location is included. Besides western cultures, stress is also
placed on Asian, Mid-Eastern, African, and Latin American peoples.
Sociology*. Sociology is a
study of people as they interact within a social structure. We strive for an understanding of social
structure and the relationships of an individual to the group
situation. We want to become aware of our social environment--to
help us develop more completely as social entities. This is an overview and not intended for
in-depth study.
Psychology*. The overall
objective is to present psychology as a science, give the student some insight
into his personal problems of adjustment, and to help the student realize the
larger problems of society and what it means to be human.
Government*. (
Economics*. A course in
basic economic principles. Emphasis is
placed on inflation, taxes, GNP and their effect on the students.
FINE ARTS
Art I. Art I consists
of the study of the elements and principals of two-and three-dimensional
design, through basic experience in painting, sculpture, drawing, and graphic
arts, ceramics, and general crafts.
Knowledge of basic skills and techniques, and ability to recognize art
of all forms through the study of art history and an ability to express one's
own ideas are major curriculum concerns.
Art II. Based on
knowledge and skills acquired in Art I.
The Art II students work with more advanced materials and processes in
areas of sculpture, painting, drawing, graphic arts, ceramics, and crafts. Emphasis is placed on use of new expressive
ideas, individuality of style and a clearer understanding of the values,
meanings, and purposes of art.
Prerequisite: Art I with a grade
of C or better.
Art III. Students will
set up their own projects and goals.
Prerequisite: Art I and II.
AP Art History. The AP
offering in Art History is designed to provide the same benefits to secondary
school students as those provided by an introductory college course in art
history: an understanding and knowledge of architecture, sculpture, painting,
and other art forms within diverse historical and cultural contexts. In the course, students examine major forms
of artistic expression from the past and the present from a variety of
cultures. They learn to look at works of
art critically, with intelligence and sensitivity, and to analyze what they
see. Many colleges and universities
offer advanced placement and/or credit to students who have performed
successfully on the AP Art History Examination.
AP Art History is open to seniors willing to engage in college level
work. Juniors may be permitted to take
this class by obtaining the permission of both their guidance counselor and the
course instructor.
Computer_Graphics*. Computer
Graphics is a basic computer art class.
This course will provide the necessary skills for the beginning computer
student to produce artwork on the computer.
The artwork will include manipulation of photographs and original work
done by the student.
Band. Band at
Chorus. Chorus is a
vocal group that performs throughout the school year, as a whole, and as solos
and ensembles. The group performs for
school events, as well as civic events, and competes in I.H.S.A. competition. Special programs, including a variety show,
show choir, madrigals, and IMEA, are also a part of the vocal program. The most important requirement for membership
is a desire to sing and to share in constructive musical experiences. Singing talent and ability will be developed
through the education of music theory and singing techniques, which will take
place in the rehearsal periods.
VOCATIONAL
Introduction to Family
& Consumer Science.
9th grade (Full
year) 1.0 credit
This course is the first
course for all family and consumer science programs. It is designed to present basic subject
matter in six areas.
1.
Clothing and
textiles
2.
Resource
Management
3.
Foods and
Nutrition
4.
Housing,
Furnishings and Equipment
5.
Human Development,
Interpersonal, and Family Relationships
6.
Introduction to
the World of Work
Learning
experiences assist students in understanding themselves, their roles in today’s
society and the nature of family and consumer science careers. This course includes some sex education.
Enrolling
in FACS course provides students an opportunity to join Family, Career, and
Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), a national student organization that
promotes family involvement, leadership, career, and peer education, through
Family and Consumer Science education.
Child Development*.
10th, 11th,
and 12th Grade (semester) .5
credit
Students will study the
developing child from conception through school age.
This study will focus on:
-encouraging positive guidance techniques
-applying decision making and goal setting skills
-setting guidelines for health and safety standards for
children
-providing experiences that encourage children’s greatest
potential
-identifying the stages of pregnancy in the mother and
developing child
-including some sex education
-developing effective communication skills with children
-gaining knowledge and understanding about the physical,
emotional, social, and intellectual
development of the
child
-recognizing the risks and consequences of teen parenting
-providing information related to careers in child care
Clothing
Design/Marketing*.
10th, 11th,
and 12th Grade (semester) .5
credit
In this orientation level
clothing and textiles course, classroom and laboratory experiences focus on
clothing selection, fashion terms, and styles, textiles and fabric selection
and care, apparel construction skills, along with careers related to marketing,
textiles and fabrics.
Foods and Nutrition I*.
10th, 11th,
and 12th Grade (semester)
.5 credit
This orientation-level
course includes classroom and laboratory experiences needed to understand basic
food principles and nutrition. This
course centers around the following: applying overall wellness and nutrition,
meeting health and sanitation standards in planning, emphasizing cooperation
and teamwork in preparing and serving food, while exploring individual
nutritional needs. Related career areas will be examined.
Foods and Nutrition II*.
10th, 11th,
and 12th Grade (semester) .5
credit
A second orientation level
foods course focuses on food selection and preparation for specific
circumstances and dietary needs. Course
content includes diet and health, current nutritional issues, food budgeting
and purchasing, food safety and sanitation, prevention of food-borne illnesses,
conservation in providing food, food preservation, international foods, influences
on food customs, and careers in foods and nutrition. Laboratory experiences provide food
preparation opportunities and an introduction to commercial food service and
food management.
Prerequisite: Foods and Nutrition I.
Adult Living*.
11th and 12th
Grade (semester) .5 credit
This course is designed to
assist individuals and families in achieving life satisfaction through
responsible participation as adults in the home, community, and workplace. Emphasis is placed on the development of life
skills essential to this process.
Various resources to assist with life problems are explored, including
setting short and long range goals, demonstrating decision-making skills,
developing effective relationships to promote communication, adapting basic needs
to assume roles and responsibilities, and evaluating the impact of family and
career changes. This course includes
some sex education.
Housing/Interior Design*.
10th , 11th
and 12th Grade (semester) .5
credit
Learning experiences are
designed to provide students with the basic knowledge and skills needed to
select, acquire, maintain and manage living environments that meet the needs of
the occupants. Emphasis will be placed
on the application of basic management principles, locating and managing housing,
using goal setting and decision making skills, creating, maintaining and
evaluating of living space and housing choices, relating to changing family,
individual and career patterns, selecting resources in creating living
environments, and environmental concerns.
Related career development is emphasized.
Resource Management*.
11th and 12th
Grade (semester) .5 credit
Learning experiences focus
on the understandings and skills needed to make decisions which contribute to
being an informed consumer leading to an improved quality of life.
The course content includes
the following:
-utilizing career awareness, resources and consumer
information
-accomplishing financial goals
-evaluating and use of resources
-applying consumer rights and responsibilities in the
marketplace
-analyzing resources/consumer management skills necessary for
present and future decisions
This course meets the
requirement for consumer education instruction as required by the School Code
of Illinois. (Section 27-12.1)
Parenting*.
10th,11th
and 12th Grade (semester) .5
credit
This course is designed to
help students examine expectations and responsibilities of parenthood. It will identify the influences of the
developing child and parenting practices upon the individual, family, culture
and society across the life span.
Experiences include applying decision-making and goal setting skills,
and the basic principles of the parenting process, practicing health and safety
standards, as related to parenting, encouraging human relations skills in
children and adolescents, and evaluating the impact of parenting on the
family. The course also includes some
sex education. Careers related to
parenting are explored.
Introduction to Business. (Year) 1
credit. Open to grades 9 and 10.
This course is designed to
make you aware of how the business world affects you in everyday life and to
introduce you to the opportunities available in the business field. Units include: our economic system, business in our economy,
labor and government in our economy, careers in our economy, living and working
with technology, financial institutions and banking services, the business of
credit, planning your savings and investments, protection from economic loss,
and financial management. Because this
course deals with the student's role as a consumer, this course will meet the
consumer education requirement for every high school graduate in the State of
*KEYBOARDING/COMPUTER
APPLICATIONS I. (Year) 1 credit. Open to grades 9, 10, 11,
& 12.
The
first semester will emphasize using the touch method to key data and learning
proper format for letters, memos, tables, and manuscripts. Speed and accuracy building will be
emphasized throughout the year. The
second semester will be devoted to becoming familiar with the Microsoft Office
software. The majority of the time will
be spent on Word and a lesser amount of time will be spent on Excel and
PowerPoint. This course is an excellent
introductory course for those who want to enroll in any other computer
courses. Students must pass the first
semester in order to remain in the second semester portion.
ADVANCED
WORD PROCESSING/DESKTOP PUBLISHING*. (1
semester) 1/2 credit – Software used – Microsoft Word XP. Open to grades 10, 11, & 12.
This
course is designed for students who desire to learn skills necessary for work
in a modern computer-oriented office or who desire personal skills necessary to
create technical documents required by college courses or professional
situations. Advanced word processing
applications such as tables and mail merge will be covered along with learning
to use styles, macros, autotext, and templates to streamline work. Heavy emphasis will be placed on desktop
publishing as students learn to create newspaper style layouts, flyers,
brochures, calendars, labels, etc. incorporating clip art, scanned objects, and
pictures taken with a digital camera.
SPREADSHEETS & PRESENTATIONS*. (1 semester) ˝ credit – Software Used –
Microsoft Excel XP & PowerPoint XP.
Open to grades 10, 11, & 12.
Students
who are interested in careers in business administration, accounting,
engineering, or any field dealing with statistical data or presentation media
will find this course a good choice. The
semester will begin with work on Excel as students work with functions and
formulas to calculate worksheets, advanced formatting and editing of
worksheets, linking and embedding of information in worksheets comprising a
workbook, creating charts from worksheets in various styles and formats. The last part of the semester will be spent
learning PowerPoint, presentation software that creates slides that can be run
on a computer. Projects will be
completed so that students learn to incorporate transitions, sound, animation,
and automatic timings into their presentations, as well as creative design
techniques.
WEB
DESIGN*. (1 semester) ˝ credit – Software used –
Dreamweaver. Open to grades 11 & 12.
The
semester will be spent learning the basics of designing websites. The course will include how to create a web
site, develop a web page, use cascading style sheets, use & manage images,
create links & navigation bars, work with tables & layers, and updating
& maintaining a web site. Students
will be guided through a basic tutorial book and then given the opportunity to
develop at least two websites on their own.
Game Design* Open to grades
11 and 12.
This course includes design
and content creation for video games.
Survey and critical study of history, design, production, and marketing
processes of game development will be covered.
This course also consists of hands-on skills, tools, and methods
involved in the art and design of 3D video games. Fundamentals in graphics will be
covered. This would include such things
as modeling, lighting, shading, texturing, and rendering.
Office Procedures I*. (1 semester)
1/2 credit. Open to grades 10, 11 and
12.
This course develops skills
necessary for employment as administrative office workers, whether the
position be general in nature or be
specialized in the legal, medical, or word processing areas. Course content includes: a discussion of proper office personality,
dress, and behavior; learning proper employment-seeking skills; developing
competency in handling the mail, the telephone, and receptionist duties;
learning to operate the electronic calculator by touch; learning how to compose
and format letters and reports; and learning the rules for properly filing and
retrieving documents, and using the world wide web to make travel plans and an
itinerary for a business trip.
Business Law*. I (1
semester) 1/2 credit Open to grades 11
and 12.
This course is an
introductory course where students become familiar with the legal vocabulary
that is used in normal business situations and become familiar with the
interpretation and solving of real cases.
Some of the areas studied include the history of our legal system,
crimes, torts, how minors are affected by the law, family, and consumer law. A large part of the course deals with contract
law. Although this is a beneficial
course for anyone who is interested in learning more about law, it is an
excellent course for anyone who is planning to become an accountant, business
administrator, or an attorney. Students will be required to participate and
complete projects, debates, and mock trials.
Business Law II*. (1 semester)
1/2 credit - Prerequisite: Completed
Business Law I.
This is a continuation of
Business Law I. Areas to be studied
include how you are affected by law in the areas of credit, employment,
property laws, and commercial paper. Law
involved in insurance and business organizations will also be studied. Students
will be required to participate and complete projects, debates, and mock
trials. Open to grades 11 and 12. Students must pass Business Law I in order take
Business Law II.
Marketing/Entrepreneurship
(Year -1 credit). Open to grades 11 & 12.
This
course will educate students on all aspects of running their own business. Students will examine the necessary communication
skills, math skills, and decision-making skills. Throughout the class, students will design a
business plan for a particular business of their choice. This plan will include topics covered in
class such as the type of ownership, a market analysis, what legal requirements
are involved, and what equipment, supplies, and inventory are needed. The business plan will also include how the
business will be promoted and financed.
Students will leave the class with an understanding of the commitment of
running your own business, as well as an understanding of the flexibility that
can also be available.
Accounting I. (Year) 1 credit.
Open to grades 10, 11, and 12.
This course is designed to
give the student a foundation in basic bookkeeping and accounting by studying
the accounting cycle and various business forms and transactions for a sole
proprietorship, partnership, and a corporation.
Accounting II. (Year) 1 credit.
Open to grades 11 and 12.
This course is designed to
give the student a more in depth study of accounting procedures learned in the
first year of accounting. This course is
excellent preparation for anyone planning to study accounting or other business
related majors in college or for anyone wanting to work in the bookkeeping or
accounting field after graduation from high school. Prerequisite: Completed Accounting I.
Consumer Education*. (1
semester) 1/2 credit. Open to grade 12.
This course is designed to
help the student prepare for consumer and economic problems that they will face
once they are out of high school. The
direction of the course is aimed at understanding budgeting, banking, credit,
insurance, taxes, housing, transportation, job application, and consumer
problems and remedies. Students will
learn to make wise choices in buying and learn how to be a smart shopper so as
to make their incomes go farther and buy more. This is a required course to
graduate.
Technology Concepts I
Communication and Production. This course is one of two courses that will
provide an orientation to the principles of technology. The course consists of two basic units. The first introduces the technologies
involved in drafting, computer aided drafting (CAD), electronic communications,
computer graphics and word processing, electronic paste-up and printing, and
video and graphic arts production. One
segment introduces the technologies used in production and manufacturing,
labor/management, material processing and handling and industrial employment. Students will be presented with a wide
variety of materials from a technological standpoint. They will be involved in hands-on activities,
be subjected to critical thinking, and become aware of the technological
society in which they live and how they may prepare themselves for the future.
Technology Concepts II
Energy and Transportation*. This course is one of two courses which will
provide an orientation to the principles of technology. The course is divided into two nine-week
segments. The first segment introduces
the resources, technical processes, industrial applications, and technological
impacts of energy utilization technology.
It includes experiences with the extraction, conversion, storage, and
conservation of fossil fuels, solar resources, wind and water resources, and
nuclear energy resources. The second segment introduces the technologies used
in transportation and power technology, power transmission, engine technology
and electronic and robotic systems.
Students will be presented with a wide variety of materials from a technological
standpoint. They will be involved in
hands-on activities, be subjected to critical thinking, and become aware of the
technological society in which they live and how they may prepare themselves
for the future.
Metalworking, Materials
and Processes*. Students are introduced to hand, portable
electric tools, metal lathes and the basic sheetmetal fabricating machines used
in industry. This class includes a wide
variety of "hands-on" activities involving the layout, measuring,
cutting, joining, fastening,
forming, fabrication and
finishing of metal products. Units
include: sheetmetal, bench metal, and
basic foundry. Each student will construct
several take-home projects. In addition
to the manipulative skills, students will learn safe work habits, how to read
simple drawings, layout and measurement techniques, and other related
information. Students are required to
reimburse the school for materials used for projects. Prerequisite:
Prod. & Transp. Tech.
Woodworking, Materials
and Processes*. Students are introduced to hand, portable
electric tools, and the basic woodworking machines used in the construction and
production industries. The class work
includes a wide variety of "hands-on" activities involving the cutting,
joining, fastening, forming, and finishing of wood and other similar
materials. Each student will
construct several take-home
projects. In addition to the manipulative
skills, students will learn safe work habits, how to read simple drawings, and
other related information. Students will
be required to reimburse the school for the materials used for projects. Prerequisite:
Comm./Energy Tech.
Custom Cabinetmaking.* In this
course, emphasis is placed on more advanced woodworking techniques utilizing
both hand and power woodworking machines.
The focus of the course will be cabinet making and the development of
skills that will be needed to successfully pursue a career in custom
woodworking. Students will continue to
develop efficient wood working skills and desirable work ethics. In addition, students will gain knowledge in
cost estimating; material selection; problem solving expertise and finishing of
products. Students will take responsibility
for the selection of production projects and time management. Finally students will be encouraged to
develop electronic portfolios to assist in post high school work.
Residential Carpentry. This course
provides experiences related to the erection, installation, and maintenance of
residential building and related fixtures.
Planned learning activities will allow students to become knowledgeable
of fundamental principles and methods and to develop technical skills related
to masonry, carpentry, and finish work.
Instruction will include safety principles and practices, recognition of
standard lumber sizes, foundation layout methods, building concepts and
procedure, local, state, and national codes, cost estimating and blueprint
reading. Open to juniors and seniors. Prerequisite:
Woodworking, Materials, and Processes.
AutoCADD Drafting and
Design. Computer Aided Drafting. Semester course. Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors.
Introduction to
Agriculture. This orientation course provides an
opportunity for students to learn how the agricultural industry is organized;
its major components; the economic influence of agriculture at state, national
and international levels; and the scope and types of job opportunities in the
agricultural field. Basic concepts in
animal science, plant science, soil science, horticulture, agribusiness
management, agricultural mechanics, and aquacultural science and technology
will be presented. Improving computer
and workplace skills will be a focus. Participation
in FFA activities and Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects is an integral
course component for leadership development, career exploration and
reinforcement of academic concepts. This
class is open to all students.
Satisfactory completion of Introduction to Agriculture and Ag Business
Management meets consumer education requirement.
Agricultural Technology. This
second-level course builds on basic skills and knowledge gained in the
Introduction to Agriculture course.
Major units of instruction include soil science, advanced plant science,
biotechnology, advanced animal science, surveying, and Global Positioning
Systems/Global Information Systems technologies. Participation in FFA activities and
Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects is an integral course
component for leadership development, career exploration and reinforcement of
academic concepts. Open to all students
except freshmen. Previous completion of
Introduction to Agriculture recommended.
Biological Science
Applications in Ag. This course is designed to reinforce and
extend students’ understanding of science by associating basic scientific
principles and concepts with relevant applications in agriculture. Students will examine major phases of plant
growth and management in agriculture and the specific biological science
concepts that govern management decisions, as well as examine many phases of
animal agriculture and specific biological science concepts that govern
managing decisions in the animal industry.
Sample topics include:
1)
Ag Research Methodology
2) Initiating plant growth—germination, plant
sensory mechanisms, enzyme action, and
absorption
3)
Managing plant growth—photosynthesis, respiration, translocation,
metabolism, and growth
regulation
4)
Growth and
Development of Animals – embryology, ethogy, nutrition, immunity systems;
5)
Processing Animal
Products – preservation, fermentation and pasteurization.
Students will maintain an
SAEP and be encouraged to be a member of the FFA organization. Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
only. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Modern Biology. BSAA
meets lab science entrance requirements to
Horticulture Science. This full-year
course is designed to familiarize the student about horticulture and teach them
various horticultural skills that could be used in a related job or in related
tasks around the home. Horticulture, by
definition, is the production and sale of garden crops which include fruits,
vegetables, plants grown for ornamental purposes, as well as spices and
medicines.
Horticulture topics to be
covered include lawn care and development, tree planting and care, landscaping,
gardening (vegetable, fruit, and flower), plant growth, plant propagation,
managing the growing environment, and flower arranging. This applied agriculture science class gives
students experiences such as seeding a lawn, planting trees, fertilizing trees,
using herbicides and insecticides, testing soil, rooting cuttings, forcing bulbs,
breaking seed dormancy, mixing growing media, arranging flowers, and making
corsages.
The greenhouse will be an
important teaching tool utilized throughout this course as students will learn
how and grow fall mums, poinsettias, Easter lilies, and spring garden &
bedding plants. Students will maintain
an SAEP and be encouraged to be a member of the FFA organization. This course will be open to all juniors and
seniors.
Ag Business Management This course will
develop student’s understanding of the agricultural industry relating to the
Agricultural
Mechanization and Technology This year-long course is designed to give
students an overview of mechanics that are used in an agricultural
setting. Time will be given to study
Small Engines, Electricity and Welding.
The small engines component
will teach students to select, operate, service, maintain, repair and overhaul
small engines. It will develop knowledge
and skills in preventative maintenance, principals of operation, systems of the
engines, use of test equipment and tune-ups.
The electricity component
will include instruction and practice in inspecting, maintaining, repairing and
diagramming circuits and equipment. In
addition, students will learn how electric motors and controls are used in
agriculture to regulate temperature, ventilation, lighting and more.
The welding section will
cover arc, oxy-acetylene, MIG, and plasma-arc cutting. Students will maintain
their Supervised Agricultural Experience Program and be encouraged to be a
member of the FFA Organization. This
class is open to juniors and seniors only.
Aquaculture &
Environmental Science This year-long course will devote 18 weeks to
Aquaculture Science and Environmental Science.
Aquaculture Science portion is designed to develop student knowledge and
skills in the area of aquacultural species; reproduction processes, genetics,
nutrition and health in aquacrops; ecological balances; and environmental
requirements of aquatic plants and animals.
Water quality, chemical and temperature analyses will be conducted for a
variety of aquacrops. The aquaculture
system will be extensively used in this class. The Environmental Science
portion of this class examines the relationship of agriculture and the
environment. The impact of plant and
animal production practices on the environment and the adoption of practices
leading to improved air, land, and water quality are investigated. Encouraging students to be conscious and
concerned about the environment and recognizing the need to conserve the
environment and its resources will be a theme throughout. Students will maintain as SAEP and be
encouraged to be a member of the FFA organization. Open to juniors and seniors.
MISCELLANEOUS
Physical Education. Physical
Education is devoted primarily to helping students develop skills, power,
efficiency, endurance, and conditioning, and attitudes and understanding that
lead to total well being. It is required
of all students to take and pass four years of physical education with the
exception of needing to complete course work in Health and Drivers Education. Also,
a student may be excused from Physical Education if he or she is a junior or
senior and is participating in a varsity-level sport.
Health*. This freshman
health course is taught on a semester basis.
The materials covered are: health
problems, nutrition, physical fitness, mental health, reproduction,
dependency-type substances, respiratory systems, infectious diseases,
environmental health, and first aid.
This is a required course for all students; preferably taken in their
freshman year. This course also includes
some sex education. Please see principal
or counselor for further information if needed.
Driver Education*. Driver
education is taught concurrently (classroom and laboratory driving at the same
time). It is a quarter course covering
fundamentals of driving. A minimum of 30
clock hours in the classroom and six clock hours of behind-the-wheel is
required.
Interrelated
Co-operative Education. (I.C.E.) Interrelated Cooperative Education
is designed for seniors who are interested in pursuing careers in any of the
five occupational areas. Students are
released from school for their paid cooperative education work experience and
participate in at least 200 minutes of related classroom instruction per
week. Classroom instruction focuses on
providing students with job survival and career exploration skills plus other
employability skills. Skills related to
the job are based on a task list of the job being learned by the student.
A training plan developed
jointly by the teacher coordinator, the training sponsor and the student,
identifies training to be provided based upon areas where on-the-job
performance indicates a need. Seniors
only.
Visions: School
yearbook.
Library Internship. Each year up
to six students are accepted as library interns of the PBL High School Library,
with no more than one student assigned to the library during any given class
period. Students who are selected as
interns learn, practice, and perform many of the duties of a professional
librarian. In addition, careers in
Information Science and its related fields
are explored through
assigned papers and field trips.
One-half credit is awarded for each year completed as an Intern. Open to juniors and seniors.
Work Study Class. A full year
class that focuses on providing students with job survival and career
exploration skills, plus other employability skills. Also covered are consumer education issues
such as credit, checking accounts, and income taxes. This class is for students in grades 11 and
12 with an IEP and fulfills their consumer education requirement for
graduation. (One Credit)
Work Study. Students are
released from school for work experience.
A work plan and contract are jointly developed by the teacher, STEP
coordinator, and employer. This is a
full year programming earning one to three credits depending on the number of
hours worked. The classroom component is
required. This class is for students in
grades 11 and 12 with an IEP. Up to 3
credits.
*Denotes semester course.