Course Listings and Descriptions
(Courses and Descriptions are subject to change.)
Advisory &
Parenting Education
Our weekly SEL Advisory helps students build a sense of community. Social Emotional Learning skills are taught and implemented at all levels from individualized interventions and targeted supports, to whole school events and activities. Goals are to develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success, use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships, and to demonstrate decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.
Every B week, students engage in a 65- minute Academic Intervention Block designed to support their individual learning needs. This dedicated time provides opportunities for grade recovery, skill enrichment, tutoring, and targeted intervention. Whether catching up on missed work, deepening understanding of key concepts, or receiving one-on-one support, students receive personalized assistance to stay on track academically and achieve success.
This weekly course helps young mothers develop essential parenting skills while balancing school and personal growth. Topics include parenting styles, child development, postpartum period, positive discipline, safety, early literacy, health and nutrition, time management, financial planning and self care/stress management. Through hands-on activities and expert-led discussions, students gain real world strategies, access community resources, and build a strong foundation for both themselves and their children.
Mathematic
Courses
In Algebra I, students begin to study number properties more generally and become fluent at manipulating symbols with multiple step methods. All students should regularly be engaged in the Standards for Mathematical Practice as defined by the Common Core. Mathematical content should be addressed through the study of big ideas allowing students to see the connections between multiple concepts. The mathematical content of Algebra I includes Properties of Rational and Irrational Numbers, Creating and Interpreting Expressions and Equations, Linear Equations and Inequalities, including Linear Systems, Solving Quadratic Equations using Multiple Methods, Interpreting and Building Functions using Proper Function Notation, and Summarizing, Representing, and Interpreting Data.
In Algebra II, students will extend their knowledge of functions to create and apply mathematical models to represent and interpret real-world contexts. The development and comparison of multiple solution methods and mathematical representations builds a level of fluency and conceptual understanding essential for the study of more advanced mathematics. All students should regularly be engaged in the Standards for Mathematical Practice as defined by the Common Core. Mathematical content should be addressed through the study of big ideas allowing students to see the connections between multiple concepts. The mathematical content of Algebra II includes Non-linear Relationships and Functions, Solving Complex Equations using Multiple Methods, Interpreting, Building, and Modeling with Functions, Making Inferences and Conclusions from Data, and Probability
In Geometry, students will reason inductively to construct geometric patterns, discover geometric relationships and formulate conjectures. Students will reason deductively to construct logical arguments and proofs using appropriate terminology. All students should regularly be engaged in the Standards for Mathematical Practice as defined by the Common Core. Mathematical content should be addressed through the study of big ideas allowing students to see the connections between multiple concepts. The mathematical content of Geometry includes Similarity and Congruence, Transformational Geometry, Right Triangles, Geometric Constructions and Proofs, Measurement and Dimension, Modeling, Coordinate Geometry, and Circles.
Visual Art
Courses
This introductory visual arts course meets the high school graduation requirement. Students will plan and create both two and three-dimensional artwork using a variety of media, learn about different artists, engage in artistic criticism and aesthetic discussions, and investigate career opportunities in the arts. Participants will read and write in addition to creating and completing artworks. Each student is required to explore and document ideas within a sketchbook.
In this course, students explore how artists and activists have responded to the call for social justice and change, whether through political or activist art, and the ways in which artists and art collectives “socially enact” their perspectives across various historical and social circumstances.
Students in this secondary level course will combine various art materials and techniques to create 2 and 3-dimensional works of art in mixed media. The class will focus on historic and contemporary expressions of this art form and involve students in a wide range of projects including collage, bookmaking, assemblage, and relief-work using text, images, and found objects with standard art materials. Participants will also investigate the work of artists like Georges Braque, Joseph Cornell, Romare Bearden, and others to engage in critical discussions about artistic focus, process, and intent.
Science
Courses
Biology is a standard introductory course into the scientific study of life and life processes that is designed for students who are developing their problem-solving, and analytical skills. Students taking biology will regularly experience hands-on, inquiry-based learning opportunities. Students will engage in the Science and Engineering practices as outlined in a framework for K - 12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards to learn about essential Big Ideas such as the structure, function, and information processing, matter and energy in organisms, inheritance and variation of traits, natural selection, and evolution.
Chemistry is a standard introductory course into the scientific study of the properties of matter and the changes that matter undergoes during reactions, which is designed for students who are developing their problem-solving and analytical skills. Students taking Chemistry will regularly experience hands-on, inquiry-based learning opportunities. Students will engage in the Science and Engineering practices as outlined in a framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards to learn about essential Big Ideas such as the structure and properties of matter and chemical reactions.
Physics is a standard introductory course into the scientific study of forces, motions, waves, and energy that is designed for students who are developing their problem-solving and analytical skills. Students taking Physics will regularly experience hands-on, inquiry-based learning opportunities. Students will engage in the Science and Engineering Practices as outlined in A Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards to learn about essential Big Ideas such as force and motion, waves, and interactions of energy and matter.
Social Science
Courses
Civics examines the structure and function of American systems of government and the role of citizens in the political process. This course explores the crucial role that citizens have in accessing power and mediating the forms of power that government and corporations have in American society. Civics classroom work encourages and leads students to authentic democratic participation and builds a strong sense of civic identity. Instruction is student-centered, utilizes multiple resources and pedagogical strategies, provides access to multiple forms of complex text, and is driven by authentic group projects.
This course will focus student learning on the peoples, ideas, and forces that have shaped our world, and enable students to investigate their place in and capacity to act in an increasingly interdependent global society. It will allow students to appreciate the rich cultures that exist across the world. This course will advance through a combination of content knowledge, inquiry, and appropriate analytical skills in a literacy-rich fashion. These thematic investigations will include an emphasis on interdisciplinary social sciences and build understanding of cultural, institutional, economic, and technological patterns that, along with geography, have set the human stage.
This course covers the founding and settling of the City of Chicago. From the founding to the present, this course will examine when, where, how, and why different ethnic groups settled in Chicago and how neighborhoods were founded. This course will examine Chicago’s economic impact and rights of citizens in Chicago, the socio-economic plight of citizens in the city, and the racial and social disparities experienced by citizens in the City of Chicago. Students develop knowledge concerning the impact of technological change on Chicago and the economic and demographic forces that have helped shape the city’s history.
This course will provide an introduction to all aspects of business. The impact and application of computer technology as it relates to business will also be introduced. Students will develop proficiency in technology related to the workplace, including all Microsoft Office Products and the Google Apps for Business. Emphasis will be placed on using the computer, along with workplace communication skills (thinking, listening, composing, revising, editing, and speaking), math, and problem solving. Students will be introduced to a wide range of careers in business and technology. Representatives of the industry, through guest speakers, will reinforce career and pre-employment skills. In addition, students will complete individual and team projects that will be presented to peers.
In English I students will engage in grade-level Common Core State Standards (CCSS) aligned reading and writing practices, through a wide range of literary and informational texts to bridge their learning from middle school to high school. Students will engage in practices to support their emerging mastery of the CCSS for Writing in their grade band and express themselves in multiple writing formats, including narratives, investigative reports, literary analyses, and research papers. Across all writing formats, students will write in the conventions of the CCSS writing modes. Students in English I will employ academic English in discussions that align with CCSS for Speaking & Listening.
In English II, students will engage in grade-level Common Core State Standards (CCSS) aligned reading and writing practices, through a wide range of literary and informational texts that will build upon English I. Students will engage in practices to support their mastery of the CCSS for Writing in their grade band and express themselves in multiple writing formats, including narratives, investigative reports, literary analyses, and research papers. Across all writing formats, students will write in the conventions of the CCSS writing modes. Students in English II will employ academic English in discussions that align with CCSS for Speaking & Listening.
In English III, students will engage in grade-level Common Core State Standards (CCSS) aligned reading and writing practices through a wide range of literary and informational texts that will emphasize college and career preparation. Students will engage in practices to support their emerging mastery of the CCSS for Writing in their grade band and express themselves in multiple writing formats, including narratives, investigative reports, literary analyses, and research papers. Across all writing formats, students will write in the conventions of the CCSS writing modes. Students in English III will employ academic English in discussions that align with CCSS for Speaking & Listening.
In English IV, students will engage in grade-level Common Core State Standards (CCSS) aligned reading and writing practices, through a wide range of literary and informational texts that will prepare them for post-secondary experiences. Students will engage in practices to support their mastery of the CCSS for Writing in their grade band and express themselves in multiple writing formats, including narratives, investigative reports, literary analyses, and research papers. Across all writing formats, students will write in the conventions of the CCSS writing modes. Students in English IV will employ academic English in discussions that align with CCSS for Speaking & Listening.
Students examine the principles of various media, including, but not limited to, print journalism, photojournalism, broadcast journalism, internet blogging, basic audio and video production, public relations, and media/press kits. Students create media using journalistic techniques and standards, study the role of law and ethics in journalism, the responsibility of journalists to the public, the First Amendment to the Constitution, and analyze bias in various media outlets. Students will work on creating and writing a school newspaper or newsletter, maintain a school blog, and use audio-visual and editing software to create school, community, and student-centered video productions. Students will also analyze documentary film formats.
Students will engage in a variety of physical activities designed to promote and develop lifelong health and skill-related fitness. Experiences may include, but are not limited to: fitness-based activities, fitness testing, health-related concepts, individual and team activities, and wellness walking. Students will also engage in a classroom-based health course that includes the following components of health: physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, environmental, and social.
Seminar courses are provided at grades 9-12. Each course is focused on the varying needs at each grade level. Grades 9 and 10 practice the note-taking, time management, study, social and human relations skills they need every day in their academic and elective subjects and in their “real” lives outside of school. We have also partnered with EMBARC, a program that provides community-driven, experience-based learning opportunities. Grades 11 and 12 Seminars focus on study skills, post-secondary explorations, college applications, financial studies, resume writing, job applications, and consumer education.
This course is designed to introduce non-native Spanish-speaking students to basic functional proficiency in Spanish with an emphasis on vocabulary development. Students will learn basic conversational topics, such as greetings and farewells, making descriptions of themselves and others, finding out information, talking about one’s family, ordering food, identifying personal belongings, identifying public buildings and places, making plans, making purchases, etc. The course enhances four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The emphasis is on student-student and student-teacher interactions to simulate real-world situations. Differentiation will be made for native speakers of Spanish.
This intermediate course is designed to introduce students to more advanced grammar structures in Spanish with an emphasis on sentence structure and verb tenses. It continues to enhance and further develop the four basic skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will be able to speak and write in the present tense, past tense, and future tense, plus the use of high-frequency irregular verbs. Students will be able to read passages and write paragraphs and short essays. The course focuses on a communicative-based approach that emphasizes fluency. As a result, students will engage in oral skits that model common real-life situations. Differentiation will be made for native speakers of Spanish.
The Public Speaking/Speech course is aimed at introducing students to the basic concepts of communication. It aims to make students not only better communicators, but better rhetoricians; people capable of using sound and ethical rhetoric and of analyzing other forms of communication for subtle usage of logos, ethos, and pathos. Regardless of which career path you choose, you will have to interact with people. Learning to communicate well and speak with poise is among the most beneficial skills with which you can leave high school. To get a job, you will have to go through an interview and, irrespective of how knowledgeable and well-qualified you are for the position, you must be able to convince the interviewer(s) that you are the best candidate. So, open your mind, clear your throat, and get ready to overcome your fears and become a better orator.
The study of United States History allows students to understand the people, ideas, and forces that have shaped this country. Moving through the development of our maturing democracy will allow students to explore both their individual and our collective place in an interdependent global society. Students will access diverse texts to explore what it means to live in America by studying the people, key ideas, and events that shaped our history, and include a focus on the struggles to achieve class, ethnic, racial, and gender equality, and the successes and failures that have shaped who we are.
This course will focus student learning on the people, ideas, and forces that have shaped our world, and enable students to investigate their place in and capacity to act in an increasingly interdependent global society. It will allow students to appreciate the rich cultures that exist across the world. This course will advance through a combination of content knowledge, inquiry, and appropriate analytical skills in a literacy-rich fashion. These thematic investigations will include an emphasis on interdisciplinary social sciences and build understanding of cultural, institutional, economic, and technological patterns that, along with geography, have set the human stage.
The students learn and enhance their written and oral communication skills by presenting their views and opinions to the class. Students learn how to arrange and present debates, speeches, and interviews to be effective leaders in today’s society.
ESL
Courses
ESL I focus is on the development of students’ communication skills for social and instructional purposes, as well as their ability to communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in all core subject areas. It is designed to comprehensively provide sequential language development in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. ESL I is based on intentional instruction with consistent exposure to complex texts, a variety of text types aligned to CCSS genres, high levels of analytical thinking, exposure to the history and culture of the United States, and differentiated to meet the language needs of students. ESL I curriculum is aligned to WIDA and Common Core State Standards.
ESL II focus is on the development of students’ communication skills for social and instructional purposes, as well as their ability to communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in all core subject areas. It provides sequential language development in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. ESL II is based on intentional instruction with consistent exposure to complex texts, a variety of text types aligned to CCSS genres, high levels of analytical thinking, exposure to the history and culture of the United States, and differentiated to meet the language needs of students.
ESL III focuses on the development of students’ communication skills for social and instructional purposes, as well as their ability to communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in all core subject areas. This course is based on rigorous and intentional benchmarked instruction with consistent engagement with high-quality literary and informational texts that builds knowledge, enlarges experience, and broadens worldviews. Writing and discourse development are emphasized along with a contextual understanding of the history and culture of the United States. ESL III is based on intentional instruction focusing on complex texts, a variety of text types aligned to CCSS genres, high levels of analytical thinking, exposure to the history and culture of the United States, and differentiated to meet the language needs of students.
This is a mixed-grade-level advanced word study and orthography course that provides systematic, explicit instruction on the encoding and decoding of English words. Students taking this course will be provided individualized, explicit instruction on these concepts: sound/symbol relationships, segmenting and blending of word sounds, six syllable types, prefixes, base words, and suffixes. Student progression through this course is based on mastery of previous concepts.
Dual Enrollment
Courses
The Black experience, focusing on African and African American culture, the slave trade, slavery, and emancipation in the Americas, 20th and 21st century social relations, and struggles for civil rights.
This course covers the scientific method, fundamental principles of sensory and thought processes, biological bases of behaviors, learning and language development, human development, mental health, exceptionality, emotion and motivation, personality, and group processes.
This course helps ELL students understand, read, and write English for everyday use.
Fundamentals of Speech Communication
Theory and practice of oral communication; development of poise and confidence, delivery, and speech organization; public speaking practice; small group discussion, and development of standards of criticism. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.
Fundamentals of Speech Communication
Students will examine both historical and contemporary public health stories, focusing on the United States, to begin to understand the contexts, systems, professions, tools, and skills associated with the public health enterprise.
Dual Credit Offerings
College Credit Business
Business 111 is a survey of modern US business. Business 111 focuses on analyzing organizations and types of businesses, major business functions, business and the environment, roles played by businesses and consumers in the economy, and various economic systems. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.
Business 216 focuses on Entrepreneurial skills, organization, promotion, and management in self-employment or administration in occupations and organizations. Students engage in research and discussions about successful owners and managers in the business community. Students receive practice in planning, decision-making, and self-evaluation. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.
Business Mathematics is a review of basic arithmetic principles, application of arithmetic operations to business forms, and analysis of the solution of problems of percentage, markup and markdown, discounts, interest, prorating, life and property insurance, taxation, and payrolls. The course includes writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline.
This course takes a dive into initiating the marketing process, creating customer relationships and value through marketing, ethical and social responsibility for sustainable marketing, understanding consumers – buyers and markets, understanding consumer behavior, and understanding organizations as customers.
Fundamentals of Speech Communication
Students will examine both historical and contemporary public health stories, focusing on the United States, to begin to understand the contexts, systems, professions, tools, and skills associated with the public health enterprise.
Coming Soon!
Emphasis is given to the scientific study of consciousness and human behavior. Topics include: human development, learning, thinking, perception, personality, testing, mental illness, and mental health, biological and social aspects of behavior. Outcomes: Students will master basic concepts and key theories and learn to apply them to real-world situations.