LITERATURE/COMPOSITION I (3) 9 REQUIRED
OR ACCELERATED LITERATURE/COMPOSITION I
Ninth grade language arts emphasizes the basic skills of reading and writing. Included are paragraph development, correct usage, spelling, and vocabulary development. Students are introduced to different types of literature: drama, short story, novel, and poetry. At least one semester of this course will concentrate heavily on writing and related skills.
LITERATURE/COMPOSITION II (3)10 REQUIRED
OR ACCELERATED LITERATURE/COMPOSITION II
This course provides students the opportunity to improve their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Attention to basic skills is an important part of the course. A variety of selections from world literature provides numerous opportunities for critical thinking. There is a concentration on writing and related skills throughout the year. A research paper is required.
LITERATURE/COMPOSITION III (3) 11 REQUIRED
OR ACCELERATED LITERATURE/COMPOSITION III
This course will focus on a survey of classic and contemporary American literature and expository writing. Equal emphasis will be placed on reading and writing skills. A research paper will develop both research skills and documentation techniques.
AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE/COMPOSITION (3) 12 ELECTIVE
This course is designed to parallel college-level English courses, AP English Language and Composition courses expose students to prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts. Emphasis is placed on the interaction of authorial purpose, intended audience, and the subject at hand; students learn to develop stylistic flexibility as they write compositions covering a variety of subjects and intended for various purposes.
JOURNALISM (1,2) 9-10-11-12 ELECTIVE
The students study and practice the methods of journalistic writing. They also study the technical aspects of design, layout, interviewing, leads, copy editing, computer skills, and headlines needed for newspaper and yearbook production.
ADVANCED JOURNALISM (1,2) 9-10-11-12 ELECTIVE
Prerequisite - Journalism and Instructor's Permission
This course is designed to train students to practice clear, concise, accurate written expression; to organize their thinking; to distinguish fact from propaganda; to exercise initiative, ingenuity, and good judgment; to utilize their talents through a worthy outlet; to develop an understanding of the true significance of journalism and free press; to explore journalism as a possible career. Students will publish the Smoke Signals. The work involves aspects of publications including writing, business management and paste-up. A student may elect to enroll for five semesters of credit.
PUBLICATIONS (1,2) 9-10-11-12 ELECTIVE
Students enrolled in this class are all Chief staff members. Their common goal is to produce and distribute the school yearbook. This task will involve publications skills such as layout & design, copyediting, interviewing, photography, business management and desktop publishing skills. Students not enrolled in the class may still participate in Chief production. A student may elect to enroll for additional semesters of credit. Students are strongly urged to take Journalism or Photography prior to registration.
NEWSPAPER INDEPENDENT STUDY (1,2) 12 ELECTIVE
Prerequisite - Journalism, Advanced Journalism, Teacher Recommendation
To enroll in this course a student must have the approval of the Smoke Signals adviser. Other requirements include serving as an editor or photographer on the newspaper staff. Students enrolled in independent study will have a variety of experiences including: extensive reading and editing of other student journalists' writing, extra journalism writing assignments, responsibility for contacting advertiser concerning problems in billing, design, and deadlines, and assisting the adviser in any way deemed necessary. Additional time will be required outside the school day. Newspaper Independent Study must be taken as a sixth (6th) subject exclusive of Physical Education. Students may only earn two credits in this course.
SPEECH COMMUNICATION I (1,2) 9-10-11-12 ELECTIVE
All types of communication are considered in this class. Students begin by looking at the process of communicating and examine communication in the world around them. Primary consideration is given to formal speaking for a group. Also covered is the informal speaking that is done each day. Besides speaking skills students learn about "body language," nonverbal communication and group communication. Every class member is expected to participate in class activities and to learn more about herself/himself through constructive feedback.
SPEECH COMMUNICATION II (1,2) 9-10-11-12 ELECTIVE
Prerequisite - Speech I
This class is a continuation of Speech Communication I and will deal with many of the same topics. Students are then invited to select some specific areas of interest and the class will concentrate on skills that are of particular concern to the people in the class. Some of the possible areas of concentration include: interpretive reading and speaking, Lincoln-Douglas debate, persuasive speaking, acting, Student Congress, and discussion skills.
MASS COMMUNICATIONS (1,2) 9-10-11-12 ELECTIVE
The course is designed to acquaint the student with a variety of media forms: radio, advertising, magazines, music, film, newspaper and television. Students should be prepared to assist with the "Good Morning Senior High" morning video program. This is a project-oriented class dealing with commercial writing, news writing, film criticism and advertising campaign organization.
READING IMPROVEMENT I (1,2) 9-10-11-12 ELECTIVE
READING IMPROVEMENT II (1,2) 9-10-11-12
This course is designed to help students who experience difficulty with reading. The goal is to move each student from his/her present reading level to a higher level. Those who apply themselves should expect to advance more than one reading level in a semester. Students may enroll in this course only with permission of the department and instructor.
INDIVIDUALIZED READING (1,2) 11-12 ELECTIVE
To encourage students to read and enjoy novels, each may select his/her own books in this one-semester course. After reading a book, the student will have an individual oral conference with the teacher and a written response. Freedom will be permitted in the choice of books.
WRITING LABORATORY (1,2) 12 ELECTIVE
RECOMMENDED PRE-REQUISITE - WORD PROCESSING
Writing Lab is an elective writing course designed to focus on the students' discovery of their own writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing) and writing to learn. Students will do personal writing (journals) and essay writing as they learn about how best to compose within their own writing process, to utilize peer response, to compose at the computer, to redraft, edit and revise, to effectively use collaborative learning, and to benefit from teacher/student class conferences. The course is designed to meet both the needs of college-bound students and those students who would like to develop their skills as writers.
CREATIVE WRITING (1,2) 10-11-12 ELECTIVE
This course emphasizes imaginative and creative writing, primarily in such forms as poems, short stories, plays, and personal narratives. Students examine all types of creative writing in order to analyze the writers' style, tone, and other literary techniques employed. The writing process will also be examined and discussed. Group and individual conferences will be utilized to provide improvement and evaluation of student work. Students will be encouraged to publish their pieces in the Chief Literary Magazine and enter writing contests. A student editor is appointed for an independent study credit. The editor must have previously earned an [A] in the class.
PROBLEM SOLVING (1,2) 10-11-12 ELECTIVE
The main focus of this one-semester class will be the investigation into the nature of logic and how people make decisions, especially under stress. Logic games, exercises, and scenarios will be utilized. Role-playing will be a common activity. Many competitive and/or cooperative group activities will be used, particularly in playing various simulation games. Open conversation and discussion groups will be implemented for the consideration of many human problems.
PHOTOGRAPHY COMMUNICATIONS (1,2) 11-12 ELECTIVE
This course is designed to give the student technical preparation in all aspects of black and white photography. Special emphasis will be placed on photo-journalism and documentary photography. Its goal is to raise the student's appreciation and understanding of the photographic medium. Additionally, personnel from the class will provide still photo support to the journalism, publicity, and Comment staffs of Senior High. *Each student will be required to purchase film.