Freshman Seminar - Website

1  semester ½ credit

Grade 9

Adjusting to high school can be a strenuous and challenging task for most students. Students are adjusting to a new school, new academic demands, and the pressure of everyday teenage life.  Husker Discovery is designed to address the many issues that students face when entering high school and to provide them with the necessary skills to adjust successfully.  This course will help students feel more connected to our high school and develop more confidence in who they are as a person, a student and as a global citizen. The course will encourage social-emotional learning and will provide an environment where students can develop a sense of identity and awareness, discuss current issues and utilize the Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (STEPS-A) curriculum to successfully navigate stressful life events, cope with emotional dysregulation,  develop and maintain important family, peer and social relationships.

1 semester - ½ credit

Open to grades 9 & 10

This is a New York State required course for graduation.  General areas to be covered are physical, mental and emotional, social and community health.  Skill development in communication, advocacy, decision making, self management, stress-management planning, goal setting and relationship management is addressed. 

Required for grades 9 - 12    

full year – ½ credit

Students will be instructed based on concepts of wellness, programming fitness, adventure education and fundamental skills in a variety of lifetime fitness activities.  Adventure education for 9th and 10th graders will include low elements activities. These activities are centered on cooperative learning and team building.  Adventure education for 11th and 12th graders involves high elements such as climbing and belaying. All students must be enrolled in physical education each school year.

1 credit

The major objective of Concert Band is to provide a greater knowledge and enjoyment of music through participation. Students will be guided to improve their technical and musical skills and learn a "how to" approach to practicing. Concert Band rehearses on a daily basis. All members are required to attend one group lesson each week and are responsible for one half hour of home practice each day. The Concert Band will study a wide variety of musical material and will perform selections as the ability level of the group permits. Performances take place throughout the year and are an integral and required part of the course. Concert Band is open only to students currently enrolled in band OR by permission of instructor. This course fulfills the art/music requirement for graduation.

1 credit

An experiential group vocal music class. Daily rehearsals will consist of vocal training, study of music fundamentals, and preparation of vocal literature. Attendance at daily classes and performances are integral and required parts of the course. An enthusiasm for singing is required for this course. No audition is required. This course fulfills the art/music requirement for graduation.

1 credit

Open to grades 9-12

Prerequisite: Permission of director

The High School Studio Orchestra is for 9th grade string players and for players from 10 – 12 grades who need to revisit their basic string skills.  Emphasis is placed on acquiring key knowledge, rhythmic pattern familiarity, and ensemble playing skills.  A wide range of music will be studied and performed throughout the year.  The students are responsible for daily preparations and home practice.  In addition to daily rehearsals, all students are required to attend one group lesson each week.  Performances take place throughout the year and are an integral and required part of the course.  An instrument and a metronome are required. This course fulfills the art/music requirement for graduation.

1 credit

Open to grades 9-12

Music in Our Lives is a general music class with an emphasis on learning music by making music. Students learn various topics and musical concepts and practice these through assignments on Garageband. Assignments include composition, remixing, melodic dictation, creating drum beats, creating ringtones, and creating movie scores. Students will also learn basic ukulele skills, such as reading and playing chords, reading and playing tablature, and reading and playing musical notation. Students will also learn how to play hand drums and learn different styles of drumming and how to play various drumming rhythms. This course fulfills the art/music requirement for graduation.

1 year - 1 credit

Open to grades 9-12

A comprehensive foundation course focusing on composition and developing concepts for drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media and other art processes. Students are encouraged to develop their own ideas for art making and creative decisions. Following Studio in Art, the elective courses may be taken in any order. This course is required in preparation for the advanced major sequence courses: Drawing & Painting and advanced placement. Students are required to have a sketchbook and out of class work is expected. This course fulfills the art/music requirement for graduation.

1 year - 1 credit

Open to grades 9-12

A comprehensive foundation course that focuses on historical inspirations in the visual arts for drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media and other art processes. Course is for students who have an interest in history and would like to complete their art credit in a course that is historically informative as well as creative. Students are required to have a sketchbook and out of class work is expected. This course fulfills the art/music requirement for graduation.

1 year - 1 credit

Open to grades 9-12

A comprehensive foundation course in artmaking using technology. Course introduces students to basic skills to accomplish digital drawing and painting, image editing, animation and film. Various apps and programs such as Procreate, Adobe Photoshop, Premiere and Animate will be used. Students are encouraged to develop their own ideas for art making and creative decisions. Following Studio in Media Art, the elective courses may be taken in any order. Students are required to have a sketchbook and out of class work is expected.  This course fulfills the art/music requirement for graduation.

1 year - 1 credit

Open to grades 9-12

A comprehensive foundation course in artmaking that focuses on the art and process of design.  Topics covered include graphic design concepts, product design, perspective drawing, model building, architectural drafting, and interior design. Course includes a wide variety of experiences and practice with multiple mediums.  Students are required to have a sketchbook and out of class work is expected. A comprehensive three-year technical drawing/design sequence is offered after completion. This course fulfills the art/music requirement for graduation.

1 credit, 1 semester - ½ credit,

Open to grades 9 - 12

This course is an introduction to clay construction with a focus on design. Instruction in hand construction is offered to acquaint the student with the characteristics and nature of the material and tools. Techniques such as pinch, coil, slap, mold and form building will be achieved. Full studio orientation, material information, production and completion of ceramic projects will be achieved. Can be followed by Ceramics B (advanced) for additional .5 credit.

1 semester - ½ credit

Open to Grades 9 - 12

This course is structured to provide the student with basic computer graphic literacy in art and design using iPad apps, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop software. Designing for communication is stressed along with the 3 main graphic design tools: typography, photography and illustration. Students will go through the design process with each project. A digital portfolio will be generated throughout the course.

1 credit

Open to Grades 9-12

Prerequisite: None

First semester: Computer Programming utilizes Visual Basic 6.0. This language is OOP and Event Driven. Students learn basic programming concepts such as construction of GUI’s sequential coding, selective coding, loops, creating functions and using imported functions, use of arrays, timers, and other advanced topics. There is a strong mathematical component integrated into the material and it is recommended that students have a secure foundation in algebra, inductive/deductive reasoning and logic.

Second semester: This course is taught in Java. Java is a very popular high level language that is currently used in most programming occupations. There will be some Graphical Use Interface programs, but

most of the programs will run on DOS prompt screens. The majority of colleges teach computer programming in Java. There is a strong mathematical component integrated into the material and it is recommended that students have a secure foundation in algebra, inductive/deductive reasoning and logic.

.5 credit

Open to grades 9-12

co-requisite: math 1 (algebra)

Data Science is a 1/2 year mathematics elective course which is designed to give students an initial exposure to real-world applications of data and statistics.  This course will be focused on project work as opposed to the traditional tests seen in a typical math class. The projects will explore real-world applications of data that students are interested in.  Students will learn how to digest and break down real-world data and also how to present their statistical findings to others.  The course is suggested for any students who have interests in psychology, law, business, computer science or statistics.

1 semester- ½ credit

Open to grades 9-12

Prerequisite: none

This course is designed to be mostly performance based with an emphasis on in-class performance of monologues, improvisations, scenes, and one-act plays in order to understand the nature of the stage and acting. There will be great emphasis placed on understanding theories of acting, analyzing and developing characters, and the audition and rehearsal process. The course will culminate in a production that highlights the students' acting skills. A good attendance record and respect for others are required. 

1 semester ½ credit

Open to Grade 9 & 10

This course is a semester-long introductory course of scientific and engineering design exploration. Students will be researching real world issues and exploring their solutions. Students will research scientific advancements through various scientific publications and Internet websites. Hands-on experimentation and design will be conducted by the student. Students will be constructing, testing, analyzing and modifying their own experiments and designs.

1/2 credit per semester

Open to grades: 9-12.

This course is designed for students who want to write independently. Students will create their own syllabus and write in the styles in which they choose. This is an independent class where students go through the entire creative writing process. Peer tutors and The Writing Center teachers will assist with brainstorming, revising, and editing, but students have complete freedom in the genres and content of the work. Students must submit a portfolio and a project proposal prior to signing up for the course. Students are expected to write each day and produce a piece weekly. Writing pieces will be peer-reviewed by the peer tutors in the writing center. Please see members of the English Department for more information.

1 credit                                              

Open to grades 9-12

Prerequisite math 1

Students are introduced to the engineering design process, applying math, science, and engineering standards to identify and design solutions to a variety of real problems.  They work both individually and in collaborative teams to develop and document design solutions using engineering notebooks and 3D modeling software.

1 semester - 1/2 credit

Open to grades 9-12

Prerequisite: None, experience with The Voice is helpful

This course is designed for students to investigate the field of journalism, to learn the techniques of news writing and editing, and to gain experience writing news stories, conducting interviews and writing editorials. Students will study techniques of gathering and writing news stories, features, columns and editorials. They will critically analyze the news and editorial styles of local papers and national papers. Students will also be expected to confront and engage the ethical and moral responsibilities of journalism, to understand the basics of news judgment and address the needs of a varied, heterogeneous audience. This course will primarily focus on the nature of news writing, and therefore will mainly engage print journalism.

1 semester - ½ credit

Open to grades 9 – 12

Nourishment means so much more than just the food we eat.   In this course, we will explore how food has an impact on our physical, emotional, and mental well-being as well as a role in our social relationships.  We will learn the science behind the food we eat, how food safety plays a role in our kitchens, how access to foods connects to our health and we will learn the importance of recognizing problematic diet advice in the media.  Students are given freedom of choice and urged to explore their relationship with food to enhance the quality of their lives.  

Photography A/B- Digital- 1 year - 1 credit, 1 semester - ½ credit

Open to grades 9 - 12

Course offers the opportunity for students to explore photography and using image editing software to edit, adjust and/or create a work of art using the images taken. Focus of the course is on the photograph as a work of art, and creating images from these works. Point & Shoot cameras are provided, but students have the option to use their own SLR camera. Topics include: getting to know the functions of a digital camera, lighting, composition, exploring digital artist’s image, genre’s (portraits, landscapes, self-portraits, still life) and art styles. Course can be followed by Photography B (advanced) for additional .5 credit.

Open to grades 9  (no credit awarded) in the second semester.

The PIE Program is an alternative to study hall. It allows students to dedicate time to a project they are personally interested in. Instead of attending study hall, students will work on their PIE Projects in the library under the guidance of the Library Media Specialist. Students are encouraged to come up with their own proposal for their project. Some possibilities: learn a new language, create a font, build a computer, become Google certified, learn a new software program, create a fundraiser, get certified in first aid, make a scrapbook or bullet journal, read a book from every genre, create a travel itinerary, work on a family tree, learn how to crochet, create 3D designs, start a soundcloud channel, create a website, take a free online course...the options are endless!

½ credit

Open to grades 9-12

Prerequisite: None

View video course description

In this one-semester course, students will explore the business side of sports. They will address issues such as negotiating and preparing contracts for athletes; how to plan for and organize sporting events, oversee the development of new sports related merchandise and finally, students will learn the value of such names as Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and what they mean to the corporate sponsors.

I semester - ½ credit

Open to grades 9-12

This course introduces students to various aspects of the elements of theater, mask making, improvisations, costuming, and set and lighting design while studying theater history and various playwrights. A willingness to perform experimentally in a class setting, a good attendance record, a sense of deadline and using time well, and respect for others are required.

½ credit

Open to grades: 9-12

Prerequisite: None

Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of TV Production. This will be illustrated by the compilation of original scripts and a video portfolio that can enhance college applications. Students will perform in all crew positions and demonstrate on-air skills such as interviewing (recorded and live), on-site reporting, ad-libbing, anchoring, and acting. Behind-the-scenes skills such as writing, directing, editing, camera work, and audio work will be explored. Students will produce works that are reviewed and evaluated by faculty and fellow students, maintain a production journal which includes proposals, storyboards, technical issues, and evaluations for each project or assignment. Students will work in a fully equipped TV studio and assist in the production of a periodic show to be broadcast on cable television.

1 semester - ½ credit

Open to grades 9-12

This course is designed to encourage the writing of short stories, plays, poetry, and creative essays. Course structure follows that of college writing workshops which emphasize in-class review and discussion of student writing. As student writing is discussed, basic techniques and principles of the various writing genres are presented. Word processing is encouraged. A final writing product that is ready for publication is emphasized, and participation in Soupstone magazine, writing contests, and outside publications is encouraged.