ALP 12th Grade

CONTEMPORARY TEEN ISSUES​ ​(831)

Grades 9-12: Level 2

(Year) 1.50 credits

This course is designed specifically for students enrolled in the Alternative Learning Program. Its purpose is to assist students in coping effectively with life’s challenges, explore their aspirations and lifetime goals, and to address core issues impacting adolescents and society.

The course provides personal growth opportunities, as well as experiences within a group setting of engagement and collaboration. Global, national and community issues will be examined, as seen through the lens of adolescence. Planning for one’s future after high school will also be focal point, with students being given an opportunity to explore educational and career options via field trips and in cyberspace.

Individual research is emphasized, and students will be required to make both individual and group presentations regarding their findings. Of prime importance is assisting students in applying what they have learned to their own lives.

Upon completion of the course, students will be better equipped to understand causes and consequences of human behavior; better able to cope with their own needs and frustrations; develop a clearer concept of identity and self-worth; and strive to respect the dignity and worth of every individual.

NATURAL HISTORY OF CAPE COD (837)

Grades 9-12: Level 2

(Year) 1.50 credits

This course explores the biological, physical, cultural and economic evolution of the area from prehistoric times to the present. It is a synthesis of several fields of study: biology, anthropology, earth science, oceanography and social studies.

Topics studied include abiotic factors that influenced the Cape’s formation, plant and animal species, ecosystems, Native Americans and early settlers. Additionally, students examine current issues relating to the environment, development and resource use. Appreciation for the Cape’s unique environment and ecosystem diversity is stressed.

Methods of instruction consist of class discussions, field trips, laboratory activities, audio-visual presentations and guest speakers, as well as library and Internet research.

PLEASE NOTE!!! Students enrolled in this class are expected to participate in numerous outdoor activities!!!

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS (856)

Grades 10-12: Level 1

(Semester) .50 credits

Organizational Skills is a course offered by ALP staff that is similar to that offered by the Special Education Department, the Student Support Center. It is intended to teach students about their own learning styles and how to apply that knowledge to enjoy successes. The class also provides students the opportunity to build up - in some cases, develop - the study skills frequently lacking in students whose academic careers have been uneven.

Every class begins with students planning and organizing their study materials, followed by a consultation with the instructor, where work is prioritized. Students then engage in independent work on homework and classwork, with tutorial help from the instructor, as needed. Each class closes with students summarizing that day’s accomplishments and assessing that day’s performance.

Organizational Skills/Student Support Center (SSC) Organizational Skills is a Pass/Fail course; students are required to complete and maintain a daily class log, which will be the basis for formative evaluation on an ongoing basis, as well as the summative evaluation at term’s end.

Students are expected to be in class every single day, equipped with those materials needed to accomplish their work. Students are expected to manage their time well; be respectful of the learning environment; and complete their assignments in a timely manner.

ELEMENTS OF NONFICTION (824)

Grades 9-12: Level 2

(Year) 1.50 credits

Elements of Nonfiction focuses on prose based on facts and real-world events and people, including biography and history. Writing assignments include personal narrative, journal-keeping, letter-writing, essays, news writing, and biography. Primary texts for the class include selected memoirs, newspaper articles, professional writings, recounts of historical events, and a variety of biographies.

The course emphasizes the following skills: recognizing the differences as well as the similarities between nonfiction and fiction; improving writing skills; distinguishing between the various forms of nonfiction and the reasons for employing them; becoming familiar with and using various literary devices; developing strategies for generating topics; developing editing accuracy; increasing spelling accuracy; improving reading comprehension; and expanding vocabulary.

Vocabulary is derived from literature read for class; spelling comes from individual student writing.

INTEGRATED GEOMETRY (871)

Grades 9-12: Level 2

(Year) 1.50 credits

Prerequisite: A grade of D- or higher in Integrated Algebra I or teacher recommendation.

This course is similar to the Integrated Geometry course offered by the Mathematics Department and fulfills the same requirements.

Topics studied include concepts in plane geometry such as angle relationships, circles, similarity and congruence correspondences, geometric constructions, and coordinate geometry as well as systems of linear equations and inequalities, power models, symbolic manipulation of polynomial and rational expressions, properties of space-figures including area and volume and the ability to work with and estimate radicals.

Four dimensions of understanding are emphasized: carrying out various algorithms with increasing skill, developing and using mathematical properties and relationships, applying mathematics to realistic situations and representing or picturing mathematical concepts.

Classroom activities will include teacher and student explanations and class discussions of concepts, techniques and homework problems.

INTEGRATED ALGEBRA I (839)

Grades 9-12: Level 2

(Year) 1.50 credits

All students should take this course which focuses on algebra for a variety of reasons. Algebra builds competency in arithmetic, encompasses formulas, graphs and the translation to the language of math of everyday situations which abound in the workplace. Algebra also enables students to recognize that arithmetic is not merely a collection of unrelated rules and procedures.

Students should expect homework every class period and are required to have a scientific calculator for classwork and homework. Before the purchase of calculators and notebooks, the student is advised to consult with his/­her teacher.

Integrated Algebra I exposes students to statistics and geometry as the framework for the study of linear expres­sions, equations and inequalities. The study of probability provides a context for fractions, functions and set ideas. Content and methodology reflect real-life applications and current technology. Geometric concepts are integrated through­out this course as a context for algebraic applications and as preparation for geometry. Throughout these topics, reading, problem solving and the graphic representation of solutions are emphasized.

Four dimensions of understanding are emphasized: carrying out various algorithms with increasing skill, developing and using mathematical properties and relationships, applying mathematics to realistic situations and representing or picturing mathematical concepts.

Class­room activities will include teacher and student explanations and class discussions of concepts, tech­niques and homework problems.

INTEGRATED ALGEBRA II AND TRIGONOMETRY (834)

Grades 9-12: Level 2

(Year) 1.50 credits

Prerequisite: A grade of D- or higher in Integrated Geometry.

This course is similar to the Integrated Algebra II and Trigonometry course offered by the Mathematics Department and fulfills the same requirements.

Topics include work with trigonometric ratios and circles, multiple-variable models, algebraic relations and functions, formal reasoning and deduction as well as further work with linear, exponential, power, and periodic models.

Four dimensions of understanding are emphasized: carrying out various algorithms with increasing skill, developing and using mathematical properties and relationships, applying mathematics to realistic situations and representing or picturing mathematical concepts.

Classroom activities will include teacher and student explanations and class discussions of concepts, techniques and homework problems.

UNITED STATES HISTORY I: U.S. History from 1763 to 1900 (833)

Grades 10 -12: Level 2

(Year) 1.50 credits

Students will examine the historical and intellectual origins of the United States during the Revolutionary and Constitutional eras. The important political and economic factors that contributed to the Revolution as well as the consequences of the Revolution, including the writing and key ideas of the U. S. Constitution, will provide the foundation for this course. Other topics to be studied in U.S. History I will be America’s westward expansion, the establishment of political parties, and economic and social change in the new nation. The course will culminate with study of the growth of sectional conflict in the emerging nation, the resultant Civil War and the consequences of the Civil War, including Reconstruction. The reading of primary source documents is a key feature of this course.

Students will be asked to develop a variety of skills in an effort to meet the course objectives. Specific concepts and skills include, but are not limited to: long and short- term cause and effect relationships, distinguishing fact from opinion, interpretation of historical maps, charts and graphs, distinguishing intended from unintended consequences, gathering and assessing evidence, historical context and the language skills necessary to become and independent learner.

Instructional strategies and materials include the use of discussions, readings, role-playing, lectures, cooperative learning, audio-visual programs, research and computer activities.

CELLULAR BIOLOGY, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION (836)

Grades 10-12: Level 2

(Year) 1.50 credits

This course is designed to provide ALP students with a basic understanding of the workings of cells, heredity and evolution, and prepare them for the High School Biology MCAS Exam, one of three MCAS exams that students must pass as one prerequisite for high school graduation in Massachusetts.

Beginning with a look at cellular biology, students will learn the contents of the cell with particular emphasis on mitosis and growth, and then they learn about the cell’s role in sexual reproduction, meiosis and heredity.

The geologic time scale will be introduced with specific emphasis on the fossil record and will be used to explore topics in evolution including natural selection, adaptation, adaptive radiation and speciation.

Students are expected to recognize the patterns in inheritance that led to Mendel’s tenets of heredity and, also, those patterns within the fossil record that led to general evolutionary theory as well as Darwin’s theory of natural selection. An appreciation for the challenges that these scientists and others faced when first introducing their paradigm-shattering theories to the scientific and political communities of their day will be stressed.

The basic concept of this course is that data and information can be utilized to make inferences about the workings of the natural world. Students will develop the skills necessary for making a scientific inquiry, synthesizing information and communicating their information through a variety of means.

Methods of instruction consist of class discussions, field trips, laboratory studies, audio-visual presentations and guest speakers, as well as library and Internet research.