During this course, students will cover the fundamentals of problem solving, program design, algorithms, and programming using a high-level language (Java). Students will build and program robots in laboratory sessions, and develop skills in mechanical computer-assisted design (CAD) as they work in teams to build simple and complex robotic devices. Students will apply concepts learned in physical science and physics classes to mechanical devices using a variety of hands-on activities culminating with their participation in the global FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition during the second semester. The class will also explore usage of robotics in modern business and industry and examine how robotic devices are affecting our lives and shaping our culture. No previous computer programming or electronics experience is necessary.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
Foundations of Kinesiology is a course that introduces students to the field of Kinesiology and its overall relationship with exercise science, sports performance, and sports psychology. This UC/CSU approved College Prep Elective (“G”) course will be taught in two one-semester courses allowing maximum flexibility in scheduling. Students do not have to take Foundations of Kinesiology 1 to take Foundations of Kinesiology 2.
While each course will share common threads in training, nutrition, sports, psychology, and basic human anatomy, each course offers a slightly different approach to discovering the keys that improve performance. Both courses will involve some physical activity.
Foundations of Kinesiology 2 will concentrate on “why” the body moves by understanding the relationship between fitness principles of exercise and how to improve sports performance. Foundations 2 will also introduce to students the vocations/careers associated with the field of Kinesiology.
*This class will be offered pending staffing availability and adequate enrollment.
Foundations of Kinesiology is a course that introduces students to the field of Kinesiology and its overall relationship with exercise science, sports performance, and sports psychology. This UC/CSU approved College Prep Elective (“G”) course will be taught in two one-semester courses allowing maximum flexibility in scheduling. Students do not have to take Foundations of Kinesiology 1 to take Foundations of Kinesiology 2.
While each course will share common threads in training, nutrition, sports, psychology, and basic human anatomy, each course offers a slightly different approach to discovering the keys that improve performance. Both courses will involve some physical activity.
Foundations of Kinesiology 1 will concentrate on “how” the body moves by investigating human movement and understanding the benefits of kinesiology. Foundations 1 will explore the purpose of exercise and sports nutrition.
*This class will be offered pending staffing availability and adequate enrollment.
Exploring Computer Science A is an introductory computer programming class where students will learn basic coding skills with an emphasis on object-oriented programming. Students will explore multiple programming languages, including but not limited to JavaScript, Python, and Swift. Students will be introduced to fundamental concepts such as: variables, looping, conditional statements, functions, graphics, and the algorithms that make computers work. Students will demonstrate critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills in hands-on collaborative lab experiences.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
**Fall Semester ONLY
AP Computer Science Principles (AP CSP) is equivalent to an introductory college-level computing course that introduces students to the breadth of the field of computer science. Students learn to design and evaluate solutions and to apply computer science to solve problems through the development of algorithms and programs. They incorporate abstraction into programs and use data to discover new knowledge. Students also explore how computing innovations and computing systems work (including the Internet), explore their potential impacts, and contribute to a computing culture that is collaborative and ethical. Roughly half the course is focused on learning to program in either the Python or Javascript programming languages, but the selection of a programming language is at the teacher’s discretion while the other half of the course covers non-programming topics of computer science.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
**This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
***Students are required to take the AP Computer Science Principles exam in May.
English 300 covers the literature of the United States from the Puritan Era to the present. All the forms of literature which have been studied specifically in themselves during the first two years are now studied as they emerge historically through the imaginative lives of major U.S. authors. This course complements the study of American History, which is also taken during the junior year. The students’ writing aims at greater and greater control over the expository essay and specifically at developing analytical theses on literature. Students will write at least twelve papers during the year in various rhetorical modes including the personal narrative (at least 1), the expository essay (5-7), the synthesis essay, the timed quick-write, and the creative composition. After consulting with their teachers, students taking this course may opt to take the AP Language and Composition examination. Both this course and the honors course prepare students to pass the Junior Writing Exam taken in the second semester. Students who do not pass this exam with an acceptable score must take Literature and Composition: Non-fiction during the senior year.
English 303H fulfills all the goals of English 300 but requires the students to read several more books and to write longer and more (approximately 20) papers. These papers require a good understanding of the forms of literature in order that the students will be able to formulate and support accurate, interpretative theses about the literature under study. At the end of 303H, students usually take the AP English Language and Composition examination.
Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations.
Designed to offer students the chance to learn about the art of architectural design in society and its effect on our sense of culture. Particularly interesting for students who plan to major in architecture and/or design of any kind, the class will provide field trips, involvement with our rich cultural environment, and an introduction to “hands-on” skills involving design and composition. Coursework will include short papers, a non-written final project, and opportunity for original creative expression. Students do not need to have experience in drawing in order to take this course.
This course introduces beginning technique, warm-up exercises, in-class choreography, movement in space, and improvisation. Students will study ballet, jazz, and social dance forms including Charleston, swing, and hip hop. As a final project, students will create a dance in small groups and will research the history of a style of dance.
In Drama 1A, we will explore various approaches to acting. We will begin by playing a series of theatre games, move to improvisations, then perform professionally scripted and student-written monologues. Students will develop an approach to enact short monologues from professional play scripts for final presentation. Students will receive an overview of the major historical periods of theatre history throughout the world from Ancient Greece to the 19th Century using student projects and teacher presentations. By the end of the course, students will have developed an appreciation for the art of the theatre, a respect for working within an ensemble of artists, and an appreciation for the variety of approaches to actor training.
