Advanced Placement

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES (539)

Grades 11-12:   Advanced Placement

(Year) 1.50 credits

Prerequisites: It is strongly recommended that students have taken a previous computer science course.

The AP Computer Science Principles course is designed to be equivalent to a first- semester introductory college computing course. In this course, students will develop computational thinking skills vital for success across all disciplines, such as using computational tools to analyze and study data and working with large data sets to analyze, visualize, and draw conclusions from trends. The course engages students in the creative aspects of the field by allowing them to develop computational artifacts based on their interests. Students will also develop effective communication and collaboration skills by working individually and collaboratively to solve problems, and will discuss and write about the impacts these solutions could have on their community, society, and the world.

AP ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION (015)

Grade 12:  Advanced Placement

(Year) 1.50 credits

Advanced Placement English emphasizes the development of skills in critical reading of imaginative literature: poetry, drama, novels, short stories, and in writing about literature. The course is for students up for the challenge of college level work. Most classes are conducted in seminar format. 

The short-term goal is preparing students for success on the Advanced Placement English Examination in Literature and Composition, administered by the Educational Testing Service for The College Board in May. 

Important long term goals include providing students the opportunity to learn at a pace commensurate with their ability; to engage students with intellectually mature material; to refine reading and writing skills; and to encourage life-long habits of reading, writing and thinking.

Learning activities include complete and close reading of literary texts, evaluation and analysis of literary works, active class participation and group discussion. Writing is integral to the study of learning, thinking and communicating. Students will practice for the AP Exam with released AP: Literature and Composition exams from previous years. They will respond to and analyze multiple choice questions from these exams. Students are strongly advised to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May, and those who do so will be exempt from the course final examination.

AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION (017)

Grade 11: Advanced Placement(Year) 1.50 credits

AP English Language and Composition is a writing course focused on the rhetorical analysis of nonfiction text and practice of developing well-reasoned analytical and argumentative writing. For the purposes of this course, rhetoric is the effective use of language to clearly express ideas with a specific purpose and audience in mind. In this course, we examine the author’s use of rhetoric- the ways in which authors use language to influence their audiences. We also construct our own arguments, employing the tools of rhetoric in order to persuade our audiences. 

This course is designed for students who enjoy readings in various kinds of expository and argumentative prose and the study of language in the genre of prose. Students engage in becoming skilled readers of prose written during a variety of periods and indifferent disciplines and rhetorical contexts. Students will become skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Student writing will be commensurate with their readings as they will write in a variety of forms including narrative, exploratory, expository and argumentative and on a range of subjects. The goal is to read complex texts and to write fluent prose rich with insight and evidence. Students will identify writers’ strategies and then practice them. Study of fiction and poetry focuses on rhetorical and linguistic conventions. 

AP Spanish (404)

Grades 11 & 12: Advanced Placement

(Year) Credits: 1.50

Prerequisite: B or better in Spanish 4 Honors, and teacher recommendation

Taught exclusively in Spanish, this rigorous course requires students to be at advanced low levels of proficiency in Interpersonal, Interpretive and Presentational Communications.  Students will develop an advanced level of cultural proficiency as they are provided with a rich and diverse background of the cultures and traditions of the Spanish speaking world through the thematic integration of authentic sources.  Students will learn to communicate with control, and clarity.  Students are challenged to compare and connect their own culture with that of a culture in the Spanish speaking world.  Students will refine their proficiency skills previously developed, while gaining the confidence and knowledge to discuss topics related to the global themes:  Families & Communities, Global Challenges, Contemporary Life, Personal & Public Identities, Beauty & Aesthetics, and Science & Technology.  Advanced grammatical structures, academic writing skills, sophisticated vocabulary, colloquialisms, creative writing, and other key tools will be taught so that students can produce, understand, and appreciate authentic Spanish at advanced proficiency levels.

AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS (124)

Grade 10 and 12:  Advanced Placement

(Year) 1.50 credits

This course provides a college-level, nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States.  Students will study US foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions and other texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behaviors.  They will also engage in disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments.  In addition, they will complete a political science research, or applied civics project.  

Students enrolling in this course should have a high level of interest in history, government and politics. This is a college-level course that requires a substantial amount of daily reading and preparation.  There is a heavy emphasis on writing, debate, and discussion.

AP EUROPEAN HISTORY (121)

Grades 11-12:  Advanced Placement

(Year) 1.50 credits

Prerequisites:

1. A- or better in level 2, B- or better in honors, C or better in AP Social Studies course in grade 11 

2. Teacher recommendation

3. Successfully complete and submit to the teacher a summer assignment by the first day of school in September. This assignment will be assessed and become a key part of the first term grade.

One of the central goals of the course is to provide students with a basic narrative of the cultural, economic, political, and social developments in Europe that played a fundamental role in shaping our world.  In addition, the stated goals of AP European History include helping students to develop an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern world history, an ability to analyze historical evidence, and an ability to analyze and to express historical understanding in writing.

Students wishing to take the Advanced Placement European History course should be highly motivated, self-disciplined, and responsible workers, willing to spend at least one to two hours nightly per class in the collection, analysis, and production of required material. It is a writing-intensive and cumulative course, covering European History from the late Medieval Ages to the present.  Class activities range from guided discussions and debates to essay work and video/document analysis. Frequent testing and review of material is necessary. Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May, and those who do so will be exempted from the course final examination.

AP U.S. HISTORY (111)

Grades 11-12:  Advanced Placement

(Year) 1.50 credits

Prerequisites:

1. A- or better in level 2, B- or better in honors Social Studies course in grade 10

2.  Teacher recommendation

3. Successfully complete and submit to the teacher a summer assignment by the first day of school in September.  This assignment will be assessed and become a key part of the first term grade.

Advanced Placement is intended for those students with a serious interest in history.  Students recommended should be able to identify relations in readings and show direction and change in long term trends.  Students need good writing skills since expository writing is an essential activity.  The course fosters a critical appreciation of American traditions and institutions, toleration of differing viewpoints and respect for history's complexities and ambiguities.

Advanced Placement is a chronological survey of American history since 1492 with emphasis on the post-Civil War period.  In addition to exposing students to the historical content, Advanced Placement will train students to analyze and interpret primary sources, including documentary material, maps, statistical tables, and pictorial and graphic evidence of historical events.  Students will learn to take notes from both printed materials and lectures or discussions to write essay examinations, and to write analytical and research papers.  They will be able to express themselves with clarity and precision and know how to cite sources and credit the phrases and ideas of others.  The course is also linked to the History, Geography, Economic and Civics/Government Strands of the Massachusetts Frameworks.  The above mentioned units should be completed by mid-May; thereafter, students will be working on special projects.

This course uses college level texts and readings, primary sources and selected audio-visual materials.  Written work constitutes an integral part of skill development.  Essay assignments are given to develop expository skills.  This is a student-centered course which emphasizes informed dialogue and the seminar format.  Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May, and those who do so will be exempted from the course final examination.

Advanced Placement Economics 

Grades 11-12 

(Year) 1.5 credits

This course is part of the Advanced Placement Program, which makes demands on students “equivalent to those of an introductory year in economics at the college freshman level.” Students enrolled in this course will take a semester of Macroeconomics which focuses on a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole. In addition, students will take a semester of Microeconomics which focuses on the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual decision makers, both consumers and producers within the economic system.

These courses explore the general scope of economics and personal finance. They explore the American enterprise system, economic principles, economics of supply/demand, labor and industry, the Federal Reserve System, governmental fiscal policies, and the comparison of economic systems of major countries and economics philosophies to develop an understanding of the impact of global trade.

AP  PSYCHOLOGY (119)

Grades 11 -12:  Advanced Placement

(Year) 1.50 credits

This is a college-level class for juniors and seniors interested in rigorous study of the human mind and behavior.  This course will develop critical thinking, study skills and analytic habits of mind needed in college, and students will take the AP exam in May. Students are exposed to psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology and will perform experiments, test theories and question conventional wisdom about human and animal behavior. The major content areas covered are as follows: history and approaches, research methods, biological bases of behavior, perception, consciousness, learning, cognition, emotion, motivation, child development, personality, intelligence, abnormal behavior and treatment, and social influences. Teaching methods include lecture, experiments, group discussion, video excerpts, and internet research. Students will be assessed with tests, essays, presentations, discussion, behavioral journal writing, and experiment creation and write-ups.  

ADVANCED PLACEMENT DRAWING  (542)
Grades 11-12: AP
(Year) 1.50 credits 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of three advanced courses or portfolio review by course instructor.
Required meeting for summer work and receipt of parent/student contracts.

Advanced Placement Drawing is a college level course and is intended for highly motivated students seriously interested in careers in the visual arts or those with a deep passion for making art. Considerable out of class time is required, including summer assignments prior to taking the class. Units of study are defined by the College Board and are intended to satisfy the required sections of the exam. Students will be expected to produce 20 new works from summer to late April. All work is submitted the first week in May during the A.P. Exam period and includes artwork and supporting artist statements. Regular critique and one-on-one guidance are designed to assist the student in achieving this highly personal and complex portfolio.  

ADVANCED PLACEMENT 3D Art & Design (548)
Grades 11-12: Level A.P.
(Year) 1.50 credits 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Advanced Sculpture and/or Advanced Ceramics (both preferred).  Recommendation from Sculpture/ Ceramics Instructor required as well as a meeting regarding summer work and parent/student contracts .

Advanced Placement 3D Art is a college level course and is intended for highly motivated students seriously interested in careers in the 3D Visual Arts or those with a deep passion for making art. Considerable out of class time is required, including summer assignments prior to taking the class. Units of study are defined by the College Board and are intended to satisfy the three required sections of the exam: Breadth, Quality, and Concentration. Students will be expected to produce 20-25 new works from the summer prior to the class until late April. All work is submitted the first week in May during the AP Exam period and includes written support as well as artwork. Regular critique and one on one guidance are designed to assist the student in achieving this highly personal and complex portfolio. 

Please Note: This is a class especially designed for students considering careers in the 3-D Visual Arts (including figurative and non-figurative sculpture, architectural models, metal work, ceramics, 3-D fiber arts/fashion, jewelry and body adornment, and time-based media). It is expected that all students prepare a portfolio in accordance with instructor directions.

AP BIOLOGY (341/342)

Grades 11-12: Advanced Placement

(Year) 1.5 credits

A successful AP biology student will have:  

1. Completed Honors Chemistry with a B or higher

2. Completed Algebra 2/Trig Honors with a B or higher  

3. Successful completion or enrollment in Pre-Calculus  and/or

4. Teacher recommendation

The Advanced Placement Biology Program is a college level laboratory science course offered in high school. Students electing this course should be highly motivated and should exhibit a strong interest in life  sciences. 

Course content will be predicated upon the syllabus of the Advanced Placement Program and will include many levels of organization such as molecular, cellular, population, organisms, organ and tissue and others. Concepts related to each level of organization and to the entire syllabus will be explored, analyzed and discussed. 

Advanced placement students are expected to do considerable outside reading on topics that cannot be covered in class. Laboratory work is extensive and is correlated to the material being discussed. A lab report must be completed at the conclusion of most experiments. In addition to the development of laboratory procedures and techniques, cognitive skill development focuses upon critical thinking. Advanced placement students will also perform a considerable amount of mathematical analysis and should have strong mathematical skills. Advanced placement students are expected to have initiative, be responsible, and strive for excellence. 

Instructional methods include lectures, discussions, and student presentations, picture walks, reading guides, mini posters, drawings and a variety of teacher-directed and student-designed laboratory activities. Students are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement Examination, and those who do so will be exempted from the course final examination.