Education and Community Justice Pathway

Required 10th Grade Course for this Pathway:

Intro Education and Community Justice

Course Number(s): C40221

Course Length: 1 Semester (2 Credits) 

Prerequisites: None

Grade: 10-12

This introductory course is designed to attract students to the rewarding field of Education and Community Justice.  Students will critically examine current events related to Education and Social Justice that impact communities.  Students will gain an understanding of how the fields of Education and Community Justice impact their world.  Students will engage in an Youth Participatory Action Research Project, an innovative approach to positive youth and development based on social justice principles (source: YPARhub).  Students will have the opportunity to participate in the Govie Leaders program as sophomores to practice leadership skills related to these career pathways.

Note: Required 10th Grade class for the Education and Community Justice Pathway.

Other Courses for this Pathway at Johnson

CIS Exploring the Teaching Profession I & II 

Course Number(s): N490101

Length: 2 Semesters (4 Credits) 

Prerequisite: None

Grade: 11-12

In this College in the Schools Course CI 3901, students explore and respond to the question, “Why teach?” In doing so, they examine their own interests in teaching while taking a close look at the multiple factors (social, historical, political) that shape schools today. Students will volunteer in area schools in a service-learning capacity, attend class, make presentations, write reflective papers and blog posts in response to assignments, participate in discussions, and engage in small group learning activities. Service-learning experiences are central to learning, and along with course readings, provide the basis for discussion and reflection.

Note: College in the Schools is a program in which a University of Minnesota course is taught in high school.  Upon successful completion of this course, students receive two semester credits from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

Student Government/Student Council

Course Number(s): N402111

Length: 2 Semester (4 Credits)

Prerequisites: None

Grade: 11-12

Would you like to work on projects that positively impact our school community? Do you want to improve your leadership and interpersonal skills? Do you want to help organize our JHS Govie Leaders? Are you passionate about representing all voices in our Johnson community? Consider joining our Govie Captain team by taking this class and bringing your voice directly into the conversation as we try to put into practice our leadership motto “What hurts my brother or sister hurts me”.

Districtwide Career Pathways Courses for this Pathway:

MSU Mankato: Criminal Law & Procedures
C54121* PSEO MSU Mankato: Criminal Law

Location: 3M Advanced Training Center
Time: 1:00-2:30 Spring Semester, Mondays/Wednesdays

Transportation: Yellow School Bussing to DCPP and back to home high school except for Johnson and Creative Arts.

4 College Credits (11-12 grades)

Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA.

MSU Mankato admission requirements

Learn about the history, development, and application of criminal laws and criminal procedures in the criminal justice system. 

MSU Mankato: Juvenile Delinquency and Justice
C54106* PSEO MSU Mankato: Juv Justice

Location: 3M Advanced Training Center
Time: 1:00-2:30 Spring Semester, Tuesdays / Thursdays

Transportation: Yellow School Bussing to DCPP and back to home high school except for Johnson and Creative Arts.

3 College Credits (11-12 grades)

Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA.

MSU Mankato admission requirements

This course will introduce students to a critical consideration of definitions of juvenile delinquency, emphasis on micro and macro level of struggle in which delinquent behavior takes place, critique of current theories on delinquency, and the juvenile justice response to delinquency from a criminal justice lens.

Supplementary Courses for this Pathway:

Public Speaking  

Course Number(s): L406411 

Length: 1 Semester (2 Credits) 

Prerequisites: None 

Grade: 10-12 

This class is designed for anybody who wants to learn  to become a better speaker in front of groups. The class  will become a tight-knit group as students speak and  listen to each other on a daily basis. A variety of  speeches will be learned and performed, including  informative speeches, demonstration speeches,  persuasive speeches, and debate. This skill of knowing  what you want to say and saying it well will help you to  get what you want throughout your entire life! 

Debate 

Course Number: L406301

Length: 1 Semester

Prerequisites: Successful completion of 9th grade Eng.

Grade: 10-12

Beginning Policy Debate teaches students to organize and shape arguments. While Policy Debate is emphasized, Lincoln-Douglas (LD) debate is introduced for the purpose of comparing the two debating styles and for pointing out the differences in research, debate structure and impact of the two styles. Students learn the debate process, practice team and individual debates, and develop techniques of persuasion they can use throughout life. Students will meet the writing requirement for graduation in this debate class.

Introduction to Journalism  

Course Number(s): L405311 

Length: 1 Semester (2 Credits) 

Prerequisites: None 

Grade: 9-12 

Students learn to research and narrow topics for writing  articles and using iPads to produce media. They will  practice the skills necessary for an accurate, responsible  and thoughtful publication and news video segments  with their iPads. Students will be taught the essential  skills related to gathering news, presenting the facts,  and respecting the integrity of responsible journalism.  

The changes in journalism throughout history will be  covered as well as objective and subjective writing.  Students will analyze journalistic publications such as  the New York Times, the Pioneer Press, and the Star  Tribune. The students will learn to evaluate different  forms of media. 

Sociology

Course Number(s): H407101

Length: 1 Semester (2 Credits)

Prerequisites: None

Grade: 9-12

Sociology stresses the social contexts in which people live, who influences us, which social institutions shape us the most, how society is structured, what roles people play in society, how inequalities shape our world, and how gender issues impact society. Students will have opportunities to discuss current events with high relevance in their lives. This course will emphasize empowering individuals through increased awareness and understanding of how society works and how it can be improved upon. Social movements/social change will be the focus of the final summative project.

Psychology 

Course Number(s): H407301 

Length: 1 Semester (2 Credits) 

Prerequisites: None 

Grade: 9-12 

This course introduces students to the study of  behavior, thinking, and emotions. Topics covered  include research methods (What makes psychology a  science?), intuition and critical thought (Can we trust our  gut? Why do we need to challenge what we see and  hear?), biology (what affects us more - genetics or our  environment?), sensation and perception (Why don't we all see the world in the same way?), states of consciousness  (What makes us aware of our surroundings? Why do we  dream?), learning and memory (Why are afraid of certain  things? Where do we learn to act in certain ways? How  much can we trust our memory? Why do we forget where we  put things?), motivation and emotion (What drives us?  Why do we experience anger and sadness?), developmental  psychology (How do we change during our lifetimes?),  theories of personality (What makes us who we are? Can  we change who we are?), psychological disorders and  therapy (What is the different between stress and  anxiety? How do we know if a person needs professional  help? How can we improve our daily lives?). This course  connects well with many different career choices and  will also offer practical mental health skills throughout  the course, including mindfulness and coping  skills. Students will look at their own life experiences,  interact with their classmates and the instructor, try to  think like a psychologist, and attempt to see the value  psychology offers all of us. 

Law and Justice 

Course Number(s): H408211 

Length: 1 Semester (2 Credits) 

Prerequisites: None 

Grade: 10-12 

Interested in a career in law? Students in this class will  be introduced to the basic structure of law and the  United States justice system. Students will study the  main legal institutions in the United States such as the  legal profession, criminal & civil law, law enforcement,  issues, fundamental fairness, societal costs, and  freedom.  

African American Studies

Course Number(s): H496011

Length: 1 Semester (2 Credits)

Prerequisites: None 

Grade: 9-12

This course examines historical periods and events in African and African-American history from African background to Reconstruction, their role in the evolution of America’s historical development, and their impact on African-Americans in the United States. Political, social, economic, and cultural aspects will be analyzed and evaluated. Special attention will be given to the conflict between slaves and slaveholders, as well as the issues and philosophies surrounding that conflict.

Unified Physical Education 

Course Number(s): G404361 

Length: 1 Semester (2 Credits) 

Prerequisites: Physical Education 

Grade: 11-12 

This course combines students of all abilities to  participate in developmentally appropriate activities  including lifetime activities, physical fitness, and sport.  Students will work together to increase competence and  confidence in a variety of physical activities. Through  ongoing leadership opportunities, members of this  course will be empowered to help create a more  inclusive and accepting school environment for all  students. 

AP Statistics (Honors)

Course Number(s): M456111 

Length: 2 Semesters (4 Credits) 

Prerequisites: C or better in Intermediate Math III

Grade: 11-12 

Statistical data, summaries and inferences appear more  frequently in the work and everyday lives of people  than any other form of mathematical analysis. Students  in this course will learn to collect, organize and analyze  data and then draw reasonable, usable conclusions.  They will study applications in business, physical and  social science, economics, and engineering.  Students  will be prepared to take the advanced placement exam  in Statistics in the spring. This is a wonderful way to  earn college credit while in high school!  

Biomedical Science and Forensics (PLTW) 

Course Number(s): S434911

Length: 2 Semesters (4 Credits)

Prerequisites: None

Grade: 10-12

Principles of Biomedical Science (PBS) is a full-year high school course in the PLTW Biomedical Science Program. This course serves to provide foundational knowledge and skills in fields such as biology, anatomy & physiology, genetics, microbiology, and epidemiology as well as engage students in how this content can be applied to real world situations, cases, and problems. Through both individual and collaborative team activities. projects, and problems, students will tackle real-world challenges faced by biomedical professionals in the field. They will work with the same tools and equipment used in hospitals and labs as they engage in relevant hands-on work. Students will develop skill in technical documentation to represent and communicate experimental findings and solutions to problems. In addition, students will explore how connections to other disciplines such as computer science and engineering shape the future of medicine and practice collaboration techniques that will help them connect with professionals across any field.