Honors Biology is designed to challenge and engage students with a strong interest in the life sciences. This course covers a wide range of topics within biology, focusing on advanced concepts, critical thinking, problem solving, and hands-on laboratory experiences. Students will delve into the intricacies of the natural world, from the molecular level to ecosystems, and explore the relationship between living organisms and their environment.
UC/CSU Subject D Approval (Pending)
Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
Heritage speakers are individuals who have a strong linguistic, familial and cultural connection to a language other than the one used in their formal education.
Spanish for Heritage Speakers 1 Honors will build upon the deep knowledge that heritage speakers of Spanish bring to the language classroom. With a focus on the formal registers of Spanish, this course will advance a student’s proficiency in Spanish for multiple contexts–academic, professional, and personal. Special attention will be given to building vocabulary for specific contexts, using advanced grammar, strengthening formal composition skills, and deepening academic reading ability. In this course, students will increase their knowledge of a variety of topics including but not limited to topics such as identity, communities, world challenges, and literature from the Spanish speaking world. Taught exclusively in Spanish, this course is designed for heritage speakers only.
Upon successful completion of this course and the course final exam, students are recommended to enroll in further Spanish courses, such as Spanish Heritage Speakers 2 – Honors.
This full-year course is intended for the seniors who qualify in two ways: First, they must have the desire to sustain a high degree of effort throughout their senior year; second, they must have the proven ability to do accelerated work. The course itself has two goals: 1) to prepare the students to pass the AP exam administered in May of the senior year, and 2) to prepare them to take their place in a sophomore English class at whatever college they attend. The content of the course is divided into two major parts. The first is the study of literature required by the AP exam. Here the students become familiar with the novel, short story, poem, drama, and essay, particularly in their historical development. In the second part, the students work at perfecting their writing skills. Here they do two separate kinds of practice: 1) that aimed at proficiency for the exam itself, and 2) that aimed at proficiency in written expression for college level audiences. Admission to this course is by application, recommendation of the junior year teacher, and approval of the Chair. English 403AP is a senior English course in which the 1.00 increment is awarded by the UC system.
Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
Advanced Placement (AP) Music Theory is a fast-paced course including a substantial amount of homework in preparation for the AP music theory exam in May. This course prepares students to complete college level work in the areas of reading and analyzing notated music and aural training. Particular emphasis will be placed upon developing listening skills, sight-singing ability and knowledge of rhythm, melody, harmony, form and other compositional devices.
Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
**This course meets during the regular school day, periods 1-7, during fall OR spring semester.
In Latin 2H, the more advanced students will more quickly acquire new knowledge of Latin grammar and sentence structures to enable them to read more sophisticated works of prose and poetry. Students continue to learn about various aspects of Roman culture and history using the Cambridge Latin Course Unit 3.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA
French 4AP is a two-semester advanced language course designed for students who have excelled in French 1, 2H, and 3H and who are interested in pursuing a more rigorous course of study in the language and cultures of the francophone world. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate and improve proficiency in the three modes of communication—Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational—defined as foundational in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century. This course will enhance the student’s cognitive, analytical, and communicative skills while emphasizing both fluency and accuracy in French. Authentic materials from the francophone world will be used to enhance student exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. There are 6 primary themes presented throughout the year: Beauty and Aesthetics, Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Family and Community. These themes, which also parallel the content of the AP exam, will be addressed through literature, art, music, poetry, politics, and world events. The class is conducted entirely in the target language and students are expected to speak in French at all times.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
**Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
Cambridge Latin Course Unit 4. Latin 3H is an advanced language course designed for the superior Latin students who wish to continue to refine their Latin skills and reading ability. New grammar includes all uses of the subjunctive mood, gerund and gerundive; the student’s overriding task is to read and comprehend the variety of clauses and constructions which typically form the Latin periodic sentence. A study of rhetoric accompanies readings from speeches of Cicero. In addition to the prose readings mentioned in the description of Latin 3, the 3H student will study a selected Latin author, reading excerpts from his original works. Latin 3H is strongly recommended for students intending to enroll in Latin 4AP in the following year.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
French 3H is an advanced language course designed for students identified during their first two years as superior French students, who wish to become fluent in French and prepare themselves for French 4 AP. Students will practice the major grammar structures previously studied, as well as more complex grammar concepts, including expanded uses of the subjunctive mood. Considerable emphasis will be given to enriching the students’ active vocabulary and increasing their ability to comprehend and express themselves in spoken and written French. Students will be required to speak in French in a variety of situations ranging from class discussion to oral presentations and situations. Students will be able to read with comprehension selected short stories and newspaper and magazine articles. Through a variety of cultural activities the course will enhance students’ knowledge and appreciation of the incredible diversity of the French–speaking world, will encourage and enable the student to broaden his/her “French life,” and will prepare the student for French 4AP. This class is conducted entirely in French, and students are expected to speak French at all times.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
AP Mandarin 4 is a two-semester advanced language course designed for students who have excelled in their previous Mandarin study and who are interested in pursuing a more rigorous course of study in Mandarin language and Chinese culture. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate and improve proficiency in the three modes of communication—Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational—defined as foundational in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century. This course will enhance the student’s cognitive, analytical, and communicative skills while emphasizing both fluency and accuracy in Mandarin. Authentic materials will be used to enhance student exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. The class is conducted mostly in Mandarin and students are encouraged to speak in Mandarin at all times.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
**Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
Mandarin 3H is an advanced language course designed for students identified during their first two years as superior Mandarin students, who wish to become fluent in Mandarin and prepare themselves for Mandarin 4 AP. This course broadens the range of grammatical structures the students can effectively use in communication. Considerable emphasis will be given to enriching the students’ active vocabulary and increasing their ability to comprehend and express themselves in spoken and written Mandarin. The students will be required to speak in Mandarin in various situations ranging from class discussions to oral presentations and skits. Students will be able to read with comprehension selected short stories and various articles. This course includes a closer look at the classic and modern Chinese culture, enriching the student’s vocabulary and deepening his or her awareness of the Mandarin-speaking world. This class is conducted mainly in Mandarin and students are expected to speak in Mandarin at all times.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
