Options below include 1) additional full-year math courses, 2) semester math electives and 3) Computer Science courses. In some cases, a math course in this list may count toward the math requirement for graduation. See the course description for more information. The purpose of these electives is to enhance student appreciation and understanding in areas related to the core mathematics curriculum and allow students an opportunity to further explore areas of specific interest.

PRE-CALCULUS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Algebra II CP AND Teacher Recommendation

This course counts toward the math requirement for graduation if this is the third course in the student’s math sequence. This course builds on the mathematical foundations developed in Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. Students will work extensively with trigonometric functions, identities and graphs while also expanding their knowledge base of polynomial, radical, rational, logarithmic and exponential functions. Students will be exposed to real-world applications of the aforementioned functions and will use technology to enhance their knowledge of the subject matter. This course will prepare students for the Calculus CP course.

PRE-CALCULUS AB HONORS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Algebra II Honors with a B or higher test/quiz average OR Algebra II CP with an A+ or A test/quiz grade average + Teacher Recommendation

This course counts toward the math requirement for graduation if this is the third course in the student’s math sequence. This course is intended for those students who successfully complete Algebra II Honors, have a strong mastery of algebra and geometry and wish to prepare for the AB Advanced Placement Calculus course or a college mathematics course. It introduces the sketching and analysis of algebraic functions, expands these to include trigonometric functions, triangle trigonometry and the solution of trigonometric equations. It also includes the theory and solution of equations. The course examines the above topics in an analytical manner using algebraic techniques and in a graphical manner using the graphing calculator as an instructional tool.

PRE-CALCULUS BC HONORS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Algebra II Honors with an A- or higher test/quiz average + Teacher Recommendation

This course counts toward the math requirement for graduation if this is the third course in the student’s math sequence. This course reviews the sketching and analysis of algebraic and transcendental functions. It expands students’ knowledge to include parametric and vector functions along with the notion of the polar form of complex numbers. Systems of equations are studied along with sequences, series and probability. This course is intended for those students who have exceptional skills in algebra and geometry, and who wish to prepare for Advanced Placement Calculus BC or AB or a first-year college calculus course.

CALCULUS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Pre-Calculus AB OR Pre-Calculus CP + Teacher Recommendation

This course will expose the student to the fundamental concepts taught in a first course in calculus. Most of the emphasis is on differential calculus and its applications but an introduction to integral calculus is also included. Students will be exposed to many of the real-world applications of calculus in fields such as economics, physics, epidemiology and forestry. A student taking this course will be prepared for a college-level Calculus I course. It is NOT intended to prepare a student for an AP Calculus examination.

CALCULUS HONORS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Pre-Calculus AB with a grade of B- or higher OR Pre-Calculus CP with a grade of A- or higher + Teacher Recommendation

This course will expose students to the fundamental concepts taught in a first course in calculus. It will require students to interpret and make extensive connections with key concepts. Most of the emphasis in this course is on differential calculus, but several topics in integral calculus such as Riemann Sums and Differential Equations are also introduced. Students will have experience applying their understanding of calculus to real-world situations found in economics, physics, epidemiology, forestry and other disciplines. A student taking this course will be thoroughly prepared for a college-level Calculus I course. It is NOT intended to prepare the student to take an AP Calculus examination.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT CALCULUS AB

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Grade of B or higher in Pre-Calculus BC OR Grade of B or higher in Pre-Calculus AB + Teacher Recommendation; Requirement: Students are required to take the AP exam

This course is the equivalent of calculus at the collegiate level which is required for students majoring in one of the sciences or pursuing pre-professional training. The course parallels instruction in advanced physics. Instruction focuses initially upon basic functions with most of the later emphasis on differential and integral calculus. The course focuses upon developing student understanding of the broad concepts of calculus and providing experience with its methods and applications. Specifically, it develops the concept of limits and applies that concept to the determination of derivatives of algebraic functions. Integration in conjunction with derivatives and transcendental functions are introduced along with their derivatives and integrals. More than a course where students master content, they are also asked to apply differentiation and integration to problems involving the determination of such things as the instantaneous rate of change, lengths, areas, volumes, maxima and minima. In working problems, too, the students will be able to arrive at solutions from a graphical, numerical and analytical point of view as well as relate mathematical skills to appropriate technology.

Assignments include extensive readings from college-level texts in anticipation of approximately two to three exams per marking period using the AP model for assessment that, in addition to objective questions, includes open-ended inquiries. There are also frequent quizzes addressing shorter units of study. All assessments are diversified with some responses permitting the use of calculators and other instances where calculators are not permitted. One major project is completed annually requiring students to apply concepts acquired in the course. Students are required to take the AP exam. Many colleges will grant credit and/or appropriate advanced placement to students who score well on the AP exam.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT CALCULUS BC

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Grade of B or higher in Pre-Calculus BC OR grade of A or higher in Pre-Calculus AB + Teacher Recommendation; Requirement: Students are required to take the AP exam

This course is the equivalent of a college-level course in calculus, which is required for students majoring in the physical sciences or engineering. The course parallels instruction in advanced/AP Physics. Instruction focuses upon the calculus of functions of a single variable. It includes all topics covered in Calculus AB as well as additional content. Particular foci for the BC level include the exploration of infinite series, polynomial approximations and Taylor and Power Series. Analysis of planar curves given in parametric, polar and vector form is also addressed. Pacing of this course is rapid, with the entire AB curriculum (content and applications) completed by the mid-term exam in January.

Assignments include extensive readings from college-level texts in anticipation of approximately two to three exams per marking period using the AP model for assessment that, in addition to objective questions, includes open-ended inquiries. These exams are diversified with some responses permitting the use of calculators and other instances where calculators are not permitted. One major project is completed annually requiring students to apply concepts learned in the course. Students are required to take the AP exam. Many colleges will grant credit and/or appropriate advanced placement to students who score well on the AP exam.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT STATISTICS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Pre/Co-requisite: Teacher Recommendation; Current Honors Level: Grade of B or higher in Pre-Calculus Honors OR Algebra II Honors OR Current CP Level: Grade of A or higher in Pre-Calculus CP or Algebra II CP; Requirement: Students are required to take the AP exam

This course is the equivalent of a one-semester college-level statistics course. It is appropriate for most students who will pursue studies at the university level that require the analysis and interpretation of quantitative and/or categorical data. Students enrolled in this course will be introduced to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes: students explore data, describing patterns embedded in the data as well as departures from patterns; study sampling and experimentation techniques, planning, and conducting studies; make predictions about, and anticipate patterns by, exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation, and focus on statistical inference as students estimate population parameters and test hypotheses.

Students will be expected to frequently read and review texts, articles, and notes. Free-response inquiries, modeled after the AP exam, are used frequently as tools for learning, concept reinforcement, and practice. Assignments include extensive readings from college-level texts and completion of problem sets in anticipation of approximately two exams per marking period. In addition to objective questions, these exams include open-ended inquiries. One major project is completed annually requiring students to apply concepts learned in the course. Students are required to take the AP exam. Many colleges will grant credit and/or appropriate advanced placement to students who score well on the AP exam.

MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS

Semester | 2.5 credits | Grade Level: 12

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Algebra II

This course is designed as a hands-on, project-based program using an inquiry approach with a specific curriculum established by the Mathematics Department. Each project the students would complete are designed to allow for differentiation within each class and the projects integrate understandings of basic arithmetic, algebra and geometry concepts as well as skills students possess which relate to real-life models and experiences. The course is an extension and enrichment opportunity for students where they apply mathematical concepts into the real-world of design and beyond financial applications.

PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS

Semester | 2.5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Algebra II CP or Algebra II + Teacher Recommendation

This course stresses analysis, synthesis and the presentation of data, the interpretation of measures of central tendency, and the concepts of permutations and combinations to the solution of counting problems. Dependent, independent and mutually exclusive events are discussed as they relate to the solution of elementary probability problems. Application is also made of the normal distribution to approximate the probability of events.

TRIGONOMETRY

Semester | 2.5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Algebra II CP or Algebra II + Teacher Recommendation; Students who have successfully completed Algebra II Honors, Pre-Calculus CP, Pre-Calculus AB, or Pre-Calculus BC Honors are not eligible to take this course

This course counts toward the math requirement for graduation. This course defines the six trigonometric functions and determines functions of several angles. Trigonometric functions are applied to the solutions of triangles. Proving identities and solving conditional equations are emphasized. Graphing of the six trigonometric functions is a focus. The students will be able to model and solve real-life problems using right triangles and involving directional bearing as they apply their understanding of trigonometry.

SAT/ACT PREP FOR MATH

Semester | 2.5 credits | Grade Level: 11

Prerequisite(s): Algebra I and Geometry

Students will be given the opportunity to learn the mathematical techniques as well as mathematical concepts (arithmetic, algebra, geometry, functions, graphing, and advanced techniques) used on the SATs, ACTs and other similar standardized measures used for college admissions/placement. Students enrolled in this course MUST take an A-List practice SAT test given during the semester. This course is highly recommended for any student who plans to take the SAT or ACT and go on to college.

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER PROGRAMMING

Semester | 2.5 credits | Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): None

This course counts toward the 21st Century Life & Careers requirement for graduation. This semester course is an engaging introduction to the field of computer programming. Students will learn the fundamentals of software development, algorithm design, and programming in the context of actually creating their own computer games. The importance of algorithms in the development of functionality is emphasized. Additional topics addressed in this course include the management of visual and audio resources, objects and instances, state, and events and conditional execution. Also included is an introduction to programming in conventional language.

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER HARDWARE & SOFTWARE DESIGN

Semester | 2.5 credits | Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): None

This course counts toward the 21st Century Life & Careers requirement for graduation. This project-based course covers a broad range of topics in Computer Science. Students explore problem-solving and design processes, the importance and perils of data in the modern world, and a variety of ways in which data can be represented digitally. HTML and CSS are introduced in the context of making simple websites. The fundamentals of computer architecture, hardware components, and various input and output devices are discussed. Throughout the course, there is an emphasis on the role that computers play as tools for problem solving and communication.

COMPUTER PROGRAMMING HONORS

Semester | 5.0 credits | Grade Level: 10, 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Grade of A- or higher in Intro to Computer Programming and/or Intro to Computer Hardware and Software Design + Teacher Recommendation; Co-requisite: Algebra II (CP or Honors)

This course counts toward the 21st Century Life & Careers requirement for graduation. This course introduces students to formal programming using Visual Basic. The Visual Studio Express environment is used to build interactive graphical user interfaces. Students are exposed to the fundamental building blocks of programming including variables and assignment, input and output, Boolean expressions, selection statements, loops, procedures, functions and arrays. Algorithm design as a means of problem-solving is emphasized throughout.

TOPICS IN COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY HONORS

Semester | 2.5 credits or Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Teacher approval of student proposal

This course gives students an opportunity to choose a topic of interest for independent study. Sample topics include exploring programming paradigms or languages, advanced web design, graphics/multimedia development, and A+ or Oracle certification programs. The student must develop a curriculum, including an assessment model, and have it approved by the teacher before beginning the course. Depending on the topic and student schedule, the duration of this course can be anywhere from a single marking period to a full year.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COMPUTER SCIENCE A

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Grade of A- or higher in Computer Programming Honors + Teacher Recommendation; Co-requisite: Pre-Calculus CP/AB/BC;

Requirement: Students are required to take the AP exam

This course counts toward the 21st Century Life & Careers requirement for graduation. This course is the equivalent of a first-semester college-level course in computer science, designed for students who will pursue studies at the university level that require the analysis and interpretation of information and the design of algorithms. The course is designed to introduce and develop the object-oriented programming paradigm using Java. Students are exposed to all of the Java constructs and library classes in the AP Java subset. Major concepts include object-oriented design, algorithm design and implementation and data structures. The course also has as foci design and problem-solving, not the particulars of a specific language. Although the core concepts are studied in the context of the Java language, they are more widely applicable and can be applied to any language the student learns in the future.

Students enrolled in this course must diligently practice writing computer programs based on prompts provided to the class. These programs will need to be completed on the computer as well as written by hand, which is the expectation of the AP program as embodied by the AP exam. Supplementary assignments are provided requiring students to develop algorithms for solving problems which ultimately leads to the strengthening of programming skills. Assignments include extensive readings from college-level texts in anticipation of approximately 4 exams per marking period using the AP model for assessment that, in addition to objective questions, includes open-ended inquiries. The writing of programs is significant. On a small scale, this is a daily expectation. Additionally, at least once a month, students are presented with a problem which they must resolve “from scratch” and design all responses and programs to address it. One major project is completed annually requiring students to apply concepts acquired in the course and necessitating design work as well as thorough explanations. Students are required to take the AP exam. Many colleges will grant credit and/or appropriate advanced placement to students who score well on the AP exam.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Algebra I; Requirement: Students are required to take the AP exam

This course counts toward the 21st Century Life & Careers requirement for graduation. 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 will introduce students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity concerns, and computing impacts. AP Computer Science Principles also gives students the opportunity to use current technologies to create computational artifacts for both self-expression and problem-solving. 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. Students are required to take the AP exam. Many colleges will grant credit and/or appropriate advanced placement to students who score well on the AP exam.