Electives
High School Seminar (required for all ninth-grade students)
9th Grade
0.5 credit, semester course
Welcome to Freshman Seminar, a course designed to assimilate all high school freshmen into the MSA high school. This course will help support students be successful in high school by providing them with foundational skills necessary for other high school classes. Students will learn skills such as touch typing and operation of Google Workspace apps. Students will also explore future planning that includes education and career goals.
International Film Studies
9th-12th Grade
0.5 credit, semester course
This course will examine films from their inception with M (1931) up through Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011). This course will focus on cinematic elements, theatrical elements, and the use of emotion to convey a message. Films can range up to PG-13 and have mature topics. A film list will be given at the beginning of the semester for students/guardians to preview the topics that will be shown. Students will also connect films to current events to talk about film as a sharer of history.
Entrepreneurship
9th-12th Grade
0.5 Credit, semester course
Welcome to Entrepreneurship, a dynamic course designed to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit within students and provide them with the knowledge and skills necessary to embark on their own business ventures. This course is designed for students who are interested in starting their own business, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and resilience in the face of challenges. Students combine all aspects of the class to create a business plan.
Accounting 1
9th-12th Grade
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Integrated Math II
Welcome to Accounting 1, a foundational business course designed to introduce students to the principles and practices of accounting. Students will gain an introductory understanding of the language of business through completing an accounting cycle for a service business organized as a proprietorship. Students will learn how to journalize, post, manage cash, and prepare financial reports.
Personal Finance
10th-12th Grade
0.5 Credit, semester course
Welcome to Personal Finance, a comprehensive course designed to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complex world of personal finance and achieve financial independence. In this course, students will gain a practical understanding of financial concepts including banking, credit & debt, investing, and more.
Intro to Marketing
10th-12th Grade
0.5 Credit, semester course
Welcome to Introduction to Marketing, an engaging course designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles and strategies that drive successful marketing initiatives. This course explores the dynamic world of marketing, covering essential concepts that form the foundation of effective communication, brand management, and consumer behavior analysis. Students will focus on the 4 Ps of marketing and how they impact business operations.
Engineering
10th -12th Grade
1.0 credit, year long course
This course will focus on basic principles of engineering including drafting, CAD, programming, and the engineering design process. The class will be project intensive as students work their way through the engineering process from beginning to end to find creative solutions to problems. Topics include: mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering with continual themes of environmental responsibility, engineering in the workplace, cost analysis, and testing of designed solutions.
Coding
10th-12th Grade
1.0 credit, year long course
This introduction to coding course teaches the foundations of computer science and basic programming, with an emphasis on helping students develop logical thinking and problem solving skills. Students need no prior coding experience. Students learn the fundamentals of computer programming as well as some advanced features of the Python language.
Public Speaking
10th-12th Grade
0.5 credit, semester course
Students will learn the role of communication in their lives, the effectiveness of language, the importance of proper delivery, and the tools needed to create the perfect speech for a variety of purposes and audiences. Students will be involved in oral interpretation as well as learning how to deliver outstanding presentations. Students may delve into great speeches that have changed the world, try their luck at extemporaneous and impromptu speaking, as well as group or partner speaking activities.
Children's Literature
10th-12th Grade
0.5 credit, semester course
Students will understand the importance of children's literature and its impact on young readers. Students will explore different genres of childrens’ literature. Students will be asked to read specific texts aloud to the class, read some texts on their own, read some texts in small groups. Students are expected to participate in class discussions, complete projects. Students will analyze and evaluate the texts. Students will also create their own children’s literature story.
Creative Writing
9th-12th Grade
0.5 credit, semester course
This course explores a variety of writing modes, focusing on poetry, prose, and creative nonfiction. Students will read examples for each mode and practice a wide range of techniques for effective writing.
Author Study- replacing Banned Books
9th-12th Grade
0.5 credit, semester course
This course explores Sir Arthur Conan Doyles' most famous character, Sherlock Holmes. We will read several of Doyle's most popular Sherlock stories and analyze the various adaptations of the character in different media forms since its creation.
Sociology
10th-12th Grade
1.0 credit, year long course
Sociology is the study of human interaction. It focuses on people and their ways of life as well as studying social trends, cultural changes, human development, social institutions and collective behavior. Sociology enhances students’ understanding of the social world and offers an accessible setting to learn and use scientific thinking, and consider how society might address social issues. A sociological perspective underscores the importance of examining the social world with a critical eye, and to question assumptions and generalizations about the world. In Sociology, you should be open to discussing many current issues including gender, race, class, religion, age, family structures and crime. Sociology will be offered during the even-numbered years.
MSA Yearbook
10th-12th Grade
1.0 credit, year long course
This course will produce the Math and Science Academy school yearbook. Students in this course are tasked with producing a timeless, creative, all-encompassing, and innovative publication which will record our school’s community, memories, and events. In this course, students will gain skills in the following areas: cover design, page design, publishing techniques, copywriting, editing, photography, record keeping, time management, teamwork, marketing, and leadership skills. Students will use various computer programs to complete the various yearbook creation tasks as well as Lifetouch’s yearbook design program.
Strength and Conditioning
10th-12th Grade
0.5 credit, semester course
Strength and Conditioning is a physical education class with the primary focus to develop one's athletic abilities by increasing their muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance. This class revolves primarily around weight lifting, running, and exercise circuits. By the end of the semester, students will be able to craft their workout sessions to match their personal fitness goals.
Team Sports
10th-12th Grade
0.5 credit, semester course
Team Sports focuses on developing fundamental skills, strategies, and tactics in a variety of team-based athletic activities. Students will have the opportunity to participate in team sports such as basketball, soccer, volleyball, and more. Emphasis will be placed on teamwork, sportsmanship, and physical fitness.