FRESHMEN LIT/COMP                  

Grade 9

Credit: .5 per semester / year-long course

Freshman literature and Composition will integrate early and modern American literature with extensive writing composition practice.  A major component of the instruction will involve thorough preparation for expository writing in high school and college.  Thematic units will often conclude in expository or persuasive assessment products.  Literature study will involve interpretation, analysis, and evaluation of significant works of American fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.  Performances may include monologues, independent scenes, and one-act plays.

Intermediate Algebra    

Grade 9

Credit: .5 per semester / year-long course

The content of Intermediate Algebra is organized around families of functions, with special emphasis on linear, exponential, and quadratic functions. As you study each family of functions, you will learn to represent them in multiple ways - as verbal descriptions, equations, tables, and graphs. You will also learn to model real-world situations using functions in order to solve problems arising from those situations. Students are required to have a Texas Instrument TI-83 or TI-84 calculator.

EARTH SCIENCE 9                            

Grade 9

Credit:.5 per semester / year-long course

Earth Science is a composite of science which covers many different areas.  Equal time will be given to the study of Earth’s forces, the atmosphere and astronomy.  There will be continued emphasis on scientific method of discovery. This course will meet all Minnesota Academic Standards in the areas of 9th grade Physical Science, and it will meet 1.0 of the required science credits needed towards graduation.

CIVICS                    

Grade 9

Semester

Credit: .5

This curriculum is designed to meet four main goals of civic education:

  1. To instill in students the qualities of good citizenship that will enable them to put their knowledge into action.

  2. To provide students with a thorough understanding of our nation’s system of government.

  3. To provide students with the skills they will need to participate fully in a democratic society.

  4. To familiarize students with the contemporary issues that face the United States, so that they will make wise decisions on which the nation’s future depends.

MN State Standards: meets standards set forth by the state of Minnesota in the area of Social Studies.  

AMERICAN STUDIES           

Grade 9

Semester

Credit: .5

The early American History course will study how America came to be.  We will study the first inhabitants to the continent, the European exploration of American, the colonial period, and the growth of the colonies.  The course will also cover the founding of our nation by studying the colonists’ interaction with Great Britain and the Revolutionary War.  Finally, we will look at the formation of the new republic and the westward expansion.  MN State Standards: meets standards set forth by the state of Minnesota in the area of Social Studies.  

BAND

Elective

Grades 7-12 (grade 7 & 8  must choose either band, choir or both)

Year - 3 days (MWF)/week

Credit: .5 (.25 per semester)

No audition is required for admission.  Band members must have an excitement and willingness to work for the success of the group.  Band lessons are once a week during the school day. Additional practice outside of the school day is a requirement. Students will participate in 3 concerts during the school year.  

CHOIR  

Elective 

Grades 7-12 (grade 7 & 8  must choose either band, choir or both)

Year - 2 days (T/Th)/week

Credit: .5 (.25 per semester)

No audition is required for admission. Choir members must have an excitement and willingness to work for the success of the group. Students will attend 3 lessons (minimum) per semester and have vocal assessments each quarter. The students must learn their specific parts and participate in 3 concerts during the school year. 

Differentiated Math

Grades 9, 10, 11, 12

Semester

Credit: .5

Students will be placed in Differentiated Math by teachers based on 8th grade classroom math grades, MCA Math scores, STAR Math scores, and also at parent request.  Differentiated Math provides an extra hour of math support for students who need it. 

Students can move out of Differentiated Math during the semester if they have proven that they do not need that extra hour of support. 

Intro to Woodworking

Grades 9, 10, 11, 12

Semester

Credit: .5

This class builds on the information learned in Industrial Technology class.  Students will learn the proper use of hand tools and how to take care of them.  They will learn the proper safety procedures for all the wood shop equipment.  They will learn how to read a ruler, design a project and how to assemble and build it.