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.
Students in this semester-long course explore spirituality through the analogy of sports. Students will determine how human beings encounter the Holy in the midst of everyday life with emphasis on athletic experiences as an athlete and/or as a fan (of specific athletes, teams, and/or sporting events). Students will also examine the relationship between competitive, organized athletics and elements of communal religious practice and purpose. Included is a study of embedded meaning associated with the movement of the human body, an analysis of ritual practice, a survey of major events where sports and religious practice intersect, and a differentiation between religious practice and personal spirituality. Ultimately, students will come to know more deeply the ways in which one relates to the Holy or the Transcendent in the course of their own faith journey, and how personal faith contributes to communal practice and celebration of what is Holy and Transcendent.
At a pivotal moment in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus asks his disciples “Who do you say that I am?” The confusion that ensues among his followers is emblematic of the struggle that Christians and non-Christians alike have had throughout history to answer that very question. In this course, students will be challenged to offer their own unique contributions to the discourse on the identity of Jesus. They will grapple directly with the question Jesus posed to his disciples by developing responses based on multiple and intersecting paradigms: the personal, the historical, the theological, and the anthropological to name just a few. Effectively engaging with the course will lead to greater skills in the areas of critical thinking, cultural competency, and religious imagination, among others.
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
NOTE: This course is not being offered for the 2023-2024 school year. It may be available the following year.
In this course we will do an in-depth study of modern authors, contextualizing these voices as they fit into our cultural identity. In this one semester course, we will read short stories, creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and song lyrics. We will examine the narrator and the self, analyzing the way American individuality has shifted American literature. We will identify and analyze literary devices and structures in popular texts, and use these as models for our own creative writing. Formal grammar and vocabulary lessons will focus on clarification of voice. In addition to standard 5 paragraph analytical essays, we will write creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and a multi-genre research paper.
This course is a “hands-on” class designed to develop skills in design and composition, a variety of drawing styles, and acrylic painting. Students will receive instruction in a variety of media and will be required to use each of them in the creation of original work. The study of historical examples will be a springboard for the student’s creative expression. No previous drawing skills are required to take this class; just come with an open mind!
A studio-based problem-solving course that uses a variety of materials: paper, wood, plaster, found objects, and wire to explore the design process in 3 dimensions. Study of historical examples of sculpture will serve as a “spring board” for inspiration directed toward solutions to design projects. The work of 20th century sculptors such as Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson and Henry Moore will challenge the student to understand their own creativity. Field trips to local museums and some written work will complement the original work created by the student in the studio and at home.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
Music Appreciation A is designed for non-musicians and develops the art of perceptive listening and performance in musical composition through experiential activities. Lectures and experiential learning will cover the instruments of the orchestra, composers, performance practice, musical composition techniques, major compositions of the era, baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century eras, and Broadway musicals. Students will have practice in playing instruments, creating, listening to, analyzing, and describing music. They will evolve specific criteria for making informed critical evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of performances and compositions. Students will identify, explain and perform stylistic features of a given musical work. This is an introductory level course, meeting three times per week with extensive participation in musical activities, class projects, demonstrations and live performances.
