CURRICULUM GUIDE 2017-2018
Academic Advising and Counseling Services
Peggy Boon, Dean of Faculty and Academics Rebecca H. Hoffmann, Director/College Counselor (11-12 advisor) Molly Garnett, School Counselor (9-10 advisor) Anne Jamerson, Learning Specialist Carolyn Holshouser, Assistant/Registrar
COURSE OFFERINGS Core Curriculum
English
(All courses are year-long/1 credit, unless otherwise noted)
Mathematics
English 9/Honors English 9 English 10/Honors English 10 English 11/Honors English 11 English 12 /AP English Literature and Composition Creative Expressions (0.5)
Algebra I Algebra II/Honors Algebra II Geometry/Honors Geometry PreCalculus with Trigonometry/Honors Pre-Calculus with Trigonometry Introduction to Calculus, Probability & Statistics AP Calculus AB AP Statistics AP Computer Science Principles
History and the Social Sciences
Ancient & Medieval Civilizations: A Humanities Approach World History II/ Honors World History II United States History/ AP United States History United States Government/ AP United States Government and Politics Sociology (0.5)
Science
Biology/Honors Biology Chemistry/Honors Chemistry Physics I/Honors Physics I Anatomy & Physiology AP Biology AP Chemistry Physics II Environmental Science
World Languages French I, II, III Honors French IV Honors French V Latin I, II, III Honors Latin IV Spanish I, II, III Honors Spanish IV Honors Spanish V
Theology
Theology 9 Theology 10 Theology 11 Theology 12
Elective Offerings Health and Wellness (0.25 each) Visual & Performing Arts Fitness for Life Health I, II, & III Sports Skills (0.25) Weight Training (0.25) Basics of Dance/Dance Performance Yoga (0.25)
Belle Tones (0.5) Ceramics (0.5) Chorus (0.5) **Dance (0.25) Drawing (0.5) Introduction to Art (0.25) ***Graphic Design (0.25) Honors Ensemble (1.0) Technology (0.25 each) Honors Portfolio Art (1.0) Concepts in Coding ***Music Technology (0.25) Digital Literacy (online) Painting (0.5) Digital Video Design Tower Ringers (0.25) ***Graphic Design ***Music Technology Honors Classes earn .50 additional credit weight and Advanced Placement classes earn 1.0 credit weight. **Dance may be used as a Visual & Performing Arts credit or a unit of personal fitness. *** Music Technology and Graphic Design can be used as a Visual & Performing Arts credit or a technology credit. Note: Course enrollment may be terminated when the maximum number of students is reached. Courses may not be offered unless the minimum number of students is met. Families of students taking AP classes are responsible for paying AP (Advanced Placement) test fees. All students enrolled in AP courses are required to take the AP exams.
Core Curriculum Course Sequencing MATHEMATICS 9th grade Math course is dependent upon incoming Math Level & Teacher Recommendation
Algebra 1 ↙↘ Algebra 2
or ↙↘
Honors Algebra 2
Geometry
or ↙↘
Honors Geometry
Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry
Intro to Calculus/Prob & Stat
or ↙↘ or
Honors Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry
AP Calculus AB
Electives AP Statistics AP Computer Science Principles
SCIENCE 9th:
Physics I
or ↙↘
Honors Physics I
10th:
Chemistry
or ↙↘
Honors Chemistry
11th:
Biology
or
Honors Biology
Electives Environmental Science Anatomy and Physiology AP Biology AP Chemistry Physics II
ENGLISH 9th:
English 9
or ↙↘
Honors English 9
10th:
English 10
or ↙↘
Honors English 10
11th:
English 11
or ↙↘
Honors English 11
12th:
English 12
or
AP English Literature and Composition
Electives Creative Expressions
HISTORY 9h:
Ancient & Medieval Civilizations: A Humanities Approach ↙↘
10th:
World History II
or ↙↘
Honors World History II
11th:
US History
or ↙↘
AP US History
12th:
US Government
AP US Government and Politics
Electives Sociology
Advanced courses (honors and AP) require teacher recommendation. Recommendation is based on current class performance, standardized test scores and work habits.
Graduation Requirements Two courses of study are offered to the students at Saint Gertrude High School. Students may elect to pursue either a 22 credit or 24 credit diploma program. In addition, there are special requirements unique to Saint Gertrude High School that support our core values of promoting the development of the whole student-physically, spiritually and academically. Minimum requirements for each program are listed. The college preparatory curriculum encourages taking five core curriculum subjects per year, in addition to other requirements and electives of interest, and normally includes at least 4 math courses and 4 science courses. Students are required to take SGHS classes to earn the graduation requirements for an SGHS diploma.
22 Credit Diploma
24 Credit Diploma
English
4
4
Mathematics
3
3
Laboratory Science
3
3
History and Social Sciences
4
4
World Languages
0
3
Electives
2
1
Health and Wellness*
1
1
*Health and Wellness includes the following quarter classes: Health 1, 2, 3 and Fitness for Life Special Requirements of Saint Gertrude High School Personal Fitness (PFU)*
7 Units
Service to Community
40 Hours
Technology Digital Literacy (online) Technology Elective
¼ Credit ¼ Credit
Theology
4 Credits
Visual & Performing Arts
½ Credit
*Personal Fitness units are required but will not be a part of the grade point average.
Report Card and Grading System Report cards are posted on GatorNet at the end of each quarter. The grading system is as follows: A+ 97-100
B+ 87-89
C+ 77-79
D+ 67-69
F Below 60
A 93-96
B 83-86
C 73-76
D 63-66
A- 90-92
B- 80-82
C- 70-72
D- 60-62
60% is passing. Students must earn a minimum year end course grade of C- (70) in in Algebra I in order to progress to Algebra II in order to progress to the next course, and students must earn a minimum year end course grade of C- in world language for advancement to the levels two and three of a language. Advancement to higher levels requires teacher recommendation. A grade point average (GPA) is determined by the quality point system listed below and is carried four decimal places. It is not rounded up. A+ 4.25
B+ 3.25
C+ 2.25
D+ 1.25
A 4.00
B 3.00
C 2.00
D 1.00
A- 3.75
B- 2.75
C- 1.75
D- 0.75
Advanced Placement (AP) course grades receive a +1.0 weight and Honors course grades receive a +0.5 weight when computing GPAs. Only grades earned at Saint Gertrude High School (except Personal Fitness units) are included in the average. Grades received at other Schools are reflected on the student’s transcript, but are not part of the Saint Gertrude High School GPA.
When a student earns an F grade, no credit is awarded for the course, but the grade is computed in the GPA. When the course is repeated, the credit is granted, but the grade is not included in the GPA. The new grade is shown on the student’s transcript. The transcript reflects only final grades earned in courses.
Electives Course Descriptions 2017-2018 The following is a list of courses being considered for next year (2017-2018). Not all courses will be scheduled; sufficient enrollment of students is necessary in order to offer the course. These courses are open to all grade levels unless otherwise stated. Rising Juniors and Seniors interested in pursuing two classes within the same department (e.g. two math, two foreign language) must see the subject teacher and department chair in the area of interest prior to making this request. The following courses may count towards your Visual and Performing Arts graduation requirement:
VISUAL and PERFORMING ARTS for QUARTER (.25) CREDIT Acting: This class will teach students acting skills that will enable them to portray believable characters on stage. Students will make creative acting choices in improvisations and theatre games, and refine these choices through collaborative rehearsal work in scenes and monologues. Voice and gesture skills are applicable to real-life presentation and leadership situations. Basics of Dance: Students will focus on learning the basics and history of dance, including Ballet, Modern, Swing, Jazz/Hip-Hop, and Tap. This course is open to students with little or no experience. This course may count as Visual & Performing Arts Credit or Personal Fitness Unit but not both. Dance Performance: Students will refine dance skills at the intermediate level in different dance styles, including Ballet, Jazz/Hip-Hop, Contemporary, and Musical Theatre. This course is for students who have some previous dance experience. A strong focus will be placed on performing opportunities. This course may count as Visual & Performing Arts Credit or Personal Fitness Unit but not both. Graphic Design: In this nine week class students will develop an understanding of the principles of graphic design, the design process, and how a designer works with a client. Students will become proficient using design software to edit photographs and manipulate visual elements. Working individually and collaboratively, student artists will learn to create effective layouts for print and electronic media. Students will develop an online portfolio that allows them to share their work and evaluate the process.This course may count as Visual & Performing Arts or Technology Elective but not both. Introduction to Art:The purpose of this nine week course is to help students develop an individual aesthetic awareness through engagement with art and art making. The course provides an opportunity to experiment with the primary techniques of art:
drawing, painting, mixed media and three-dimensional art. Music Technology: This class will focus on creating original songs in popular music styles using music production software. Students will develop and arrange musical ideas, improvise melodies, make live recordings, use digital effects, and develop other innovative uses of sound editing technology in a variety of real-world projects. This course may count as Visual & Performing Arts or Technology Elective but not both. Tower Ringers – This class will focus on the teamwork necessary to play music together in a bell choir. Students will learn bell ringing techniques and basic music notation through familiar music, including folk songs, hymns, Christmas carols, Disney tunes and other melodies. Students will progress to more complex ringing and mallet techniques to play more complicated music, ranging from sacred and classical music to transcriptions of contemporary songs. Tower Ringers will perform several times a year. This class meets during Mod Zero once a week.
VISUAL and PERFORMING ARTS for SEMESTER (.50) CREDIT Belle Tones A Cappella: The emphasis in this class is on developing student musical leadership, harmony singing, and communicating with an audience in performance. Students will choose popular songs and arrange them to sing without instrumental accompaniment. Belle Tones will perform at least once per semester. This class meets during Mod Zero twice a week. Ceramics: The goal of this semester course is to introduce students to hand construction techniques, design, aesthetics and the creative development of clay objects examining cultural, historical and personal modes of expression. Students will learn to approach ceramic artwork as both functional and sculptural objects. Various methods of glazing and firing are addressed as they relate to student work on specific projects. The class is designed to accommodate students of all experience levels. Every student will make a number of unique projects. Chorus 9/10, Chorus 11/12: Students will sing a variety of familiar and new songs in different styles for the Christmas and Spring Choral Concerts. The emphasis in Chorus is on singing expressively and successfully in harmony with others. (Full year, two days a week during ASH, no audition) Drawing: In this semester class students will develop skills with a variety of dry media. Instruction will cover pencil, pen, charcoal, and graphite. Techniques of contour and gesture will be covered along with practice in shading and perspective. Subject matter may include still life, landscape, figure studies, portraiture, and images from imagination. This class is suitable for beginners and intermediate level students.
Painting: In this semester class students will develop attitudes and behaviors that support creativity and innovative thinking. Students will have the opportunity to work with acrylic, watercolor, oil, encaustics and mixed media resources. Students will be encouraged to focus on making creative compositions that reflect an understanding of the elements and principles of art, while exercising choice in subject matter and style. While it is helpful to have taken drawing, the class is open to all. Individual instruction and help will be available.
VISUAL and PERFORMING ARTS for FULL (1) YEAR CREDIT Honors Ensemble: Students in Honors Ensemble will focus on developing advanced vocal skills and musicianship through performing music in a range of difficulty levels, styles, cultural and historical contexts, and languages. Honors Ensemble sings for a wide variety of venues, including school events, concerts in the Richmond community, and on tours. (By department selection only – audition required) Honors Portfolio Art: Emphasis in this full year class is on developing attitudes and behaviors that support creativity and innovative thinking that will help students transition into college. Students learn to visualize and hypothesize to generate plans for ideas and directions for creating art and design. Students are encouraged to choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices, following or breaking established conventions, to complete class projects and to plan the making of a personal series of works based on a theme, idea, or concept. This class will benefit students who intend to pursue art in college and wish to prepare an admissions portfolio or who, having had Honors Art and produced several AP quality works, wish to continue preparing a portfolio for Advanced Placement credit in drawing or design. The class may also be recommended for selected students pursuing advanced studies in specified areas of art. Requirements include exemplary performance in previous art classes and a recommendation from the art teacher. The following courses may count towards your Technology graduation requirement:
TECHNOLOGY FOR QUARTER (.25) CREDIT Concepts in Coding: Students in this 9-week class will explore the key concepts in computer programming, applying them to code animations, games, music, interactive graphics or simulations. With access to a range of web-based tools, students will enjoy a variety of options for investigation, including Java, SCRATCH, CSS, Python and Processing. Students will create projects that reflect their own interests in an environment that encourages “tinkering” and experimentation. Digital Literacy: (Required of ALL incoming students) Digital literacy is an online nine week course designed to give students the tools they need to be active and
engaged 21st century learners. Students will be able to access information responsibly, reflect critically on their findings, and communicate what they have learned with others. These academic skills will be valuable both during the student’s years at Saint Gertrude High School, as well as in college and beyond. During this course, students will develop knowledge of digital citizenship and put those skills into practice, in addition to awareness of their digital footprint. Digital Video Design: Students will study the basics for designing, creating, producing, and editing short films using video editing software. They will learn to use a camera, incorporate still images, sound, titling and special effects to effectively tell a story. Students should have some experience with a graphic editing program, music editing program or video editing program before taking this class. Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors. Graphic Design: In this nine week class students will develop an understanding of the principles of graphic design, the design process and how a designer works with a client. Students will become proficient using design software to edit photographs and manipulate visual elements. Working individually and collaboratively, student artists will learn to create effective layouts for print and electronic media. Students will develop an online portfolio that allows them to share their work and evaluate the process.This course may count as Visual & Performing Arts or Technology Elective but not both. Music Technology: This class will focus on creating original songs in popular music styles using music production software. Students will develop and arrange musical ideas, improvise melodies, make live recordings, use digital effects, and develop other innovative uses of sound editing technology in a variety of real-world projects. This course may count as Visual & Performing Arts or Technology Elective but not both.
The following courses may count towards your Health and Wellness graduation requirement:
HEALTH and WELLNESS FOR QUARTER (.25) CREDIT Health 2: This nine-week health course is required before graduation. This health course consists of units in human sexuality, lifestyle diseases, and drugs. This course will allow the students the opportunity to learn about female and male anatomy and also how to develop healthy relationships with others. This course also includes the diseases that can result from unhealthy lifestyles. The effects of drug use and abuse are included in this course, as well as what are other alternatives to drug use. The students will be able to choose healthy alternatives and incorporate them into their lifestyle. Health 3: This nine-week health course may be taken at any time while at Saint
Gertrude High School. This course includes First Aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training. The course will follow the American Red Cross guidelines. Each student that successfully completes the course (80 per cent or higher) will be certified in the completed areas of first aid training, adult, child, and infant CPR, and adult and child AED. The purpose of this class is to train each student in emergency situations. The student will be able to provide the care necessary to sustain life until professional medical personnel arrive.
The following courses may count towards your Personal Fitness Units graduation requirement:
PERSONAL FITNESS UNITS FOR QUARTER (.25) CREDIT Basics of Dance: Students will focus on learning the basics and history of dance, including Ballet, Modern, Swing, Jazz/Hip-Hop, and Tap. This course is open to students with little or no experience. This course may count as Visual & Performing Arts Credit or Personal Fitness Unit but not both. Dance Performance: Students will refine dance skills at the intermediate level in different dance styles, including Ballet, Jazz/Hip-Hop, Contemporary, and Musical Theatre. This course is for students who have some previous dance experience. A strong focus will be placed on performing opportunities. This course may count as Visual & Performing Arts Credit or Personal Fitness Unit but not both. Sports Skills: These courses will place a strong emphasis on personal fitness while focusing on different skills each quarter. These sports will include: Softball and Soccer; Basketball and Cross Country; Lacrosse and Volleyball; Field hockey and Tennis. Weight Training: Open for students of all fitness backgrounds, this nine-week course is designed to meet each student’s specific goals of a fitness program. The basics of weight training will be presented including the muscle groups targeted with certain exercises and how to increase muscle tone or muscle strength. Students will be taught proper lifting techniques as well as introduced to methods of increasing core stability. Each class will begin with a dynamic warm-up followed by the student’s individualized weight training fitness program and finish up with a cool-down stretch. Come ready to learn and participate in some new ways to increase your overall physical fitness! Yoga: Open to students of all ability levels, this course will guide students through a therapeutic sequence of postures. Students will practice a stationary-sequence style of yoga, as well as a vinyasa flow. Students will build a solid foundation of yoga principles and yoga poses. This course will guide students through meditation and meditation techniques. The goal of this course is to not only challenge the student's physical potential, but also to help them develop stress management techniques while promoting a well-rounded sense of health and well-being.
The following courses may count towards your General Elective graduation requirement:
GENERAL ELECTIVES for SEMESTER (.5) CREDIT SOCIAL STUDIES Sociology: How do individuals become socialized to learn acceptable social behavior? Why do cultural values differ so markedly around the globe? What external factors and group pressures influence the decisions you make? What hidden biases do you hold, despite seeing yourself as an accepting person? How do governments use surveys and polls to determine public policy that affects people in different social classes? Explore the social side of yourself as a member of various social groups as you engage in a new way of viewing the world around you. Open to juniors and seniors. ENGLISH Creative Expressions - Focus on Film: This course will focus on the elements of storytelling, exploring its essential components and genres across disciplines, including film, fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, oral and visual storytelling. Students will learn how to “read” and critique a film, participate in creative writing seminars, perfect their revision process, and expand their creative mind.
GENERAL ELECTIVES for FULL YEAR (1) CREDIT Math* AP Computer Science Principles: This course introduces students to the central ideas of computer science, instilling the ideas and practices of computational thinking and inviting students to understand how computing changes the world. Along with the fundamentals of computing, students will learn creative problem solving and how to apply computational processes to analyze large data sets. Programming is taught in the course, but no previous experience with coding is required. The AP assessment for this course consists of two performance tasks in addition to a multiple choice exam. Time will be given in class to work together to complete the performance tasks. Students may register by department approval only. A grade of B- or higher in Algebra 2 and PSAT Math and Critical Reading of 450 or higher are prerequisites. **This class is a Math elective that will also fulfill the .25 technology credit requirement. All students are required to take Digital Literacy.
Students who wish to add an additional Math or World Language class as an elective should speak with their current Math or World Language teacher.
SCIENCE ELECTIVES for FULL YEAR (1) CREDIT Rising Juniors and Seniors interested in taking a second Science course should see the subject teacher or Science department chair before selecting one of these courses. Environmental Science: Environmental Science provides students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and man-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. Environmental science is a multidisciplinary, applied science that builds on core ecological principles. In the class, students will be able to apply knowledge from the basic sciences and mathematics to these very interdisciplinary practical global problems. Case studies, lab work and field experiences are integral to the course. Saint Gertrude High School students will have access to our Outdoor Athletic Complex for field work. Chemistry is a prerequisite and Biology is a pre/co requisite. Physics II: If you enjoyed ninth grade physics, this is an opportunity for you to review some of the topics (i.e. motion and forces) you studied on a higher level, and to study new topics that better prepare you for the professional demands of a technological world. In first semester you will answer questions such as: What are the physics principles of the rides in amusement parks? How do these govern design principles and make roller coasters and other rides thrilling? You may, as we have done for the past several years in this course, visit an amusement park to explore these principles in a "real" setting. In second semester you will study electricity, magnetism, and nuclear energy. The professional of the future who will be most in demand is the one who not only knows how to use the technological advances available to them but also understands their basic workings. This course will explore the workings of simple and more complex pieces of technology while you gain very practical knowledge of how your home is wired, the cost of use and basic design of appliances, and how to protect yourself and your home from electrical malfunctions. In addition you will study nuclear energy, an important energy choice of the future, to enable you to make informed decisions about its use. Laboratory exploration is an integral part of this course. Algebra II is a prerequisite. Anatomy and Physiology: Are you interested in learning more about how amazing your own human body is and how it works? Anatomy and physiology is an introductory course designed to do just that in an in depth study of the 11 body systems. The course begins with an overview of cellular anatomy and a focus on cell specialization and histology. The ‘architecture’ of the body is also covered during the first semester with an overview of the integumentary, skeletal, and muscular systems. The second semester begins with the dissection of a cat to provide study and experiential learning of the visceral organs of the mammalian body. This provides a vantage point from which to study the major internal organ systems of the human body. During the second semester, emphasis is placed on the physiology of the major internal organ systems. Lecture material, dissection, outside readings, and appropriate technological resources accompany learning throughout the year. Chemistry and Biology are prerequisites. Honors Physics II: In this technological age, the highest demand careers will be those in science-related fields. This course is appropriate for students planning to pursue a career in engineering, architecture, health fields, computer fields, or other science-related fields. This course will expand on the topics learned in Conceptual Physics such as motion and light and
include a comprehensive study of topics not covered (i.e. circular dynamics, energy and electricity and magnetism). It will provide a strong background for related courses required at the college level. Laboratory exploration is an integral part of this course. Rigorous math required. This course is by department selection only. PSAT Math of 560 or higher and a B+ in your current science class are required. Enrollment in an Honors Pre-Calculus or AP Calculus is a pre/co- requisite. Advanced Placement Chemistry:​ This is an honors college-level survey course with an emphasis on laboratory experiences. Topics include an in-depth study of the principles of atomic structure, periodicity, equilibria, thermodynamics, kinetics, acids/bases, electrochemistry as well as other topics. The course culminates with the College Board AP exam in May. Chemistry is a prerequisite. PSAT Math and Critical Reading of 540 or higher and a B+ in your current science class are required. Enrollment in a math course is a co-requisite along with department recommendation. Advanced Placement Biology:​ This is an honors college-level survey course with an emphasis on laboratory experiences. Topics include an in-depth study of the chemical basis of living systems, cells and their functions, energy transformations in cells, Mendelian and molecular genetics, the origin of life and evolution, taxonomy, plant and animal physiology, and ecological relationships. The course culminates with the College Board AP exam in May. Chemistry and Biology are pre-requisites. PSAT Math and Critical Reading of 540 or higher and a B+ in your current science class are required. Enrollment in a math course is a co-requisite along with department recommendation.