Course Description

English 9

The Evolution of Story: World Literature 
Course Objectives
Accelerated English 9 is an accelerated literature-based writing course that focuses on significant works of world literature and explores the ways in which time periods, societies and culture values frame our understanding of a literary work. The course is designed to prepare students for Accelerated English 10 and International Baccalaureate English 11-12. In this course students: 

• Develop advanced skills in reading and analyzing significant works of literature in thegenres of prose fiction, prose non-fiction, poetry and drama.
• Employ strategies that critical readers use and explore the ways in which reading strategies support or limit understandings of a text.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the techniques used by writers in each of the target genres. Through close reading, determine how the writer’s use of language (structure, rhythm and rhyme, phrasing and punctuation, choice of language, diction, imagery, etc.) impacts the reader and ideas.
• Develop the ability to clearly, concisely, and concretely express ideas in both written and oral discourse.
• Extend abilities to develop arguable claims through effective structure and well-integrated support. And extend understanding of prose fiction, poetry and drama through creative response.

English 10
The American Story – The American Dream
 
Course Objective
Sophomore Pre-IB English is a literature-based writing course that focuses on American literature and the American story. The course includes significant works of American literature by authors such as Marianne Robinson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sandra Cisneros, Arthur Miller, and Mark Twain. With a focus on literary style, structure, and analysis of theme, students will explore relationship between cultures and individuals in American society. Sophomore Pre-IB English is designed to prepare students for International Baccalaureate English 11-12. In this course students will: 

• Extend advance reading skills through analysis of significant passages of literature in the genres of prose fiction, prose non-fiction, poetry, and drama. Through critical reading they will move from inference to analysis. They will demonstrate detailed knowledge of and insight into the works studied.
• Extend understanding of the techniques used by writers in each of the target genres. Through close reading, dialogue and reflective writing, they will determine how the writer’s use of language impacts the reader, ideas and theme.
• Extend the ability to clearly, concisely, and persuasively express ideas in both written and oral discourse. Students will expand the ability to develop arguable claims through an exploration of counterclaim. They will use structure and logic to persuasively support arguments. In addition, they will extend understanding of pose fiction, poetry and drama through creative response to literature.

IB English HL II
Year 1 – Junior
Critical Methods and the Power of Narrative
 
Course Overview
The IB English program is an intensive college level study of literature and language that is taught over a period of two years. Year 1 is designed to extend analytical thinking skills through close reading of texts, oral commentary and analytical essay writing. Students will: 

• Identify concrete details and apply abstract ideas to universal themes in life and literature.
• Draw connections and synthesizing ideas encountered through multiple readings.
• Research and utilize outside sources to support arguments.
• Understand literary devices.
• Employ analytical and critical thinking to develop literary arguments in oral and written commentary.

First semester will focus on the power of storytelling and its relationship to survival and the human spirit.
Second semester will entail a detailed study of three literary genres: a play, nonfiction prose, and poetry.

IB English HL 12
Year 2 – Senior
Comparative Studies and Global Literature

Course Overview
The IB English program is an intensive college-level study of literature and language that is taught over a period of two years. Year 2 is designed to extend analytical thinking skills through close reading of texts, oral commentary and analytical essay writing. Students will: 

• Identify concrete details and apply abstract ideas to universal themes in life and literature.
• Draw connections and synthesizing ideas encountered through multiple readings.
• Reach and utilize outside sources to support arguments.
• Understand literary devices.
• Employ analytical and critical thinking to develop literary arguments in oral and written commentary.

The texts considered in the senior year requires and experienced reader who can discern temporal shifts as well as shifts in point of view, and can understand and appreciate the purpose and value of involving multiple narrators. In addition, the texts require a mature reader who can comprehend the political events and human rights issues depicted.

Math Integrated 1

Core Connections: Integrated I is the first course in a three-year sequence of college preparatory mathematics courses a North Star. It aims to deepen and extend student understanding built in previous courses by focusing on developing fluency with solving linear equations, inequalities, and systems. These skills are extended to solving simple exponential equations, exploring linear and exponential functions graphically, numerically, symbolically, and as sequences, and by using regression techniques to analyze the fit of models to distributions of data.

On a daily basis, students in Core Connections Integrated I use problem-solving strategies, questioning, investigating, analyzing critically, gathering and constructing evidence, and communicating rigorous arguments justifying their thinking. Students learn in collaboration with others while sharing information, expertise, and ideas.

Math Integrated 2
 
Core Connections: Course 2 is the second of a three-year sequence of courses designed to prepare students for a rigorous college preparatory algebra course.

On a daily basis, students in Core Connections, Course 2 use problem-solving strategies, questioning, investigating, analyzing critically, gathering and constructing evidence, and communicating rigorous arguments justifying their thinking. Students learn in collaboration with others while sharing information, expertise, and ideas. The course helps students to develop multiple strategies to solve problems and to recognize the connections between concepts. The lessons in the course meet all of the content standards and embed the “mathematical Practices” of the Common Core State Standards released in June 2010.

Math Integrated 3

Core Connections: Course 3 is the third of a three-year sequence of courses designed to prepare students for a rigorous college preparatory algebra course.

On a daily basis, students in Core Connections, Course 3 use problem-solving strategies, questioning, investigating, analyzing critically, gathering and constructing evidence, and communicating rigorous arguments justifying their thinking. Students learn in collaboration with others while sharing information, expertise, and ideas. The course helps students to develop multiple strategies to solve problems and to recognize the connections between concepts. The lessons in the course meet all of the content standards and embed the “Mathematical Practices” of the Common Core State Standards released in June 2010.

IB Mathematics SL 11:

Students who take IB Mathematics SL will begin by taking this first year of our two year IB Math SL program. In this year, students will learn the IB Topics of Algebra, Functions and Equations, Circular Functions and Trigonometry, Vectors, and most of the Statics and Probability content. This year is followed by the IB Mathematics SL 12 course which covers Calculus.

IB Math SL Course 12

The IB DP Mathematics Standard Level (SL) course focuses on introducing important mathematical concepts through the development of mathematical techniques. The intention is to introduce students to these concepts in a comprehensible and coherent way, rather than insisting on the mathematical rigor required for mathematics HL. Students should, wherever possible, apply the mathematical knowledge they have acquired to solve realistic problems set in a appropriate context. The internally assessed exploration offers students the opportunity for developing independence in their mathematical learning. Students are encouraged to take a considered approach to various mathematical activities and to explore different mathematical ideas. The exploration also allows students to work without the time constraints of a written examination and to develop the skills they need for communicating mathematical ideas.

The aims of all mathematics courses in group 5 are to enable students to: 

• Enjoy mathematics as well as develop an appreciation of the elegance and power of mathematics.
• Develop an understanding of the principles and nature of mathematics.
• Communicate clearly and confidently in a variety of contexts.
• Develop logical, critical and creative thinking, patience and persistence in problem-solving.
• Employ and refine their powers of abstraction and generalization.
• Apply and transfer skills to alternative situations, to other areas of knowledge and to future developments.
• Appreciate how developments in technology and mathematics have influenced each other.
• Appreciate the moral, social and ethical implications arising from the work of mathematicians and the applications of mathematics.
• Appreciate the international dimension in mathematics through an awareness of the universality of mathematics and its multicultural and historical perspectives.
• Appreciate the contribution of mathematics to other disciplines, and as a particular “area of knowledge” in the TOK course.

Curriculum model overview (with recommended number of classroom hours)

Topic 1: Algebra – 9 hours
Topic 2: Functions and Equations – 24 hours
Topic 3: Circular Functions and Trigonometry – 16 hours
Topic 4: Vectors – 16 hours
Topic 5: Statistics and Probability – 35 hours
Topic 6: Calculus – 40 hours
Mathematical Exploration – 10 hours

IB Math Studies Year 1

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The two year IB Studies SL course’s emphasis is on applications of mathematics, with the largest section on statistical techniques. It prepares students to be able to solve problems in a variety of settings, to develop more sophisticated mathematical reasoning and to enhance their critical thinking. The course covers seven topics:

Topic 1: Number and Algebra
Topic 2: Descriptive Statistics
Topic 3: Logic, Sets and Probability
Topic 4: Statistical applications
Topic 5: Geometry and Trigonometry
Topic 6: Mathematical Models
Topic 7: Introduction to Differential Calculus

The Internal Assessment (IA) for this IB course is a paper involving the collection, analysis and evaluation of information or measurements. The IA will be completed in the fourth quarter of this year.

IB Math Studies Year 2

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The two year IB Studies SL course’s emphasis is on applications of mathematics, with the largest section on statistical techniques. It prepares students to be able to solve problems in a variety of settings, to develop more sophisticated mathematical reasoning and to enhance their critical thinking. The course covers seven topics:

Topic 1: Number and Algebra
Topic 2: Descriptive Statistics
Topic 3: Logic, Sets and Probability
Topic 4: Statistical applications
Topic 5: Geometry and Trigonometry
Topic 6: Mathematical Models
Topic 7: Introduction to Differential Calculus

This second year we will be finishing Topics 5-7 and preparing for the exams in May.

World History 9^th Grade

Course Overview: This course covers world history 1450-1914, then takes a closer look at history in the Americas 1750-1914 as preparation for later courses in Government (10^th grade) and IB History (11^th and 12^th grades) a two-year course which focuses on 20^th century history.

Government 10^th Grade

Course Overview
This course covers government content for the United States and explores alternative forms of government in the world, in particular, totalitarian dictatorship. This course meets Idaho’s graduation requirement for government.

IB History HL 11

Course Overview
This course is the first year of a two-year IB higher level course covering 20^th Century history in the Americas and the world as a whole. Content and assessments in this course will help prepare diligent students for success in the IB History HL assessments including the Historical Investigation (IA = internal assessment due in the 12^th grade) and external assessments (EAs) taken in May of the 12^th grade (papers 1, 2 & 3).

Course Outline
1^st Semester:

• Emergence of the Americas in Global Affairs 1880-1914
• World War One and Aftermath 1914-1929
• The Mexican Revolution

2^nd Semester:

• Origins of World War Two 1919-1939
• World War Two 1939-1945
• Cold War (Part 1 of 3) 1945-1960

IB History HL 12

Course Overview
This course is the second year of a two-year IB higher level course covering 20^th Century history in the Americas and the world as a whole. Content and assessments in this course will help prepare diligent students for success on the IB History HL assessments including the Historical Investigation (IA = internal assessment due in the 12^th grade) and external assessments (EAs) taken in May of the 12^th grade (Papers 1, 2, & 3).

Course Outline
1^st Semester:

• Cold War (Part 2 of 3) 1961-1976
• Cold War (Part 3 of 3) 1977-1991

2^nd Semester

• Civil Rights and Social Movements in the Americas Post 1945
• The Americas 1980-2005

Microeconomics and Macroeconomics

This is an introductory course that teaches the fundamentals of economics. This course introduces microeconomic concepts and analysis, supply and demand analysis, theories of business and individual behavior, competition and monopoly. This course also provides an overview of macroeconomic issues: 

• The determination of output, employment, unemployment, interest rates, and inflation.
• Monetary and fiscal policies are discussed.
• Students will use the intentional trade and global economics information when they compete in the International Economics Summit in the Fall and Spring semesters. Students finish off the year with a comprehensive unit on Personal Finance as they begin thinking forward to living on their own.

Leadership Course Description

Leadership is a class that is derived from the belief that there is a need to provide high school students with training in becoming proficient in leadership skills, teamwork, and overall human relations. The skills involve interpersonal and intrapersonal communication, conflict resolution, group facilitation, decision-making, and understanding differences. By increasing students’ self-awareness, improving their communication skills, encouraging their leadership potentials, their role as school leaders and leaders in their communities will be enhanced.

Fundamentals of Oral Communicatin Course Description-Speech 9

Fundamentals of Oral Communication is a course intended to familiarize students with the elements of the communication process and how all of these elements affect their interactions with other. The students study each of the areas and participate in activities that practice their newly attained information.

The class also provides students with experiences in organizing their thought and materials in an orderly manner and effectively relaying this information to an audience. Students will be taught to deliver several traditional speeches in addition to refining their delivery techniques and citing information with the speech.

Entrepreneurship Course Description

Entrepreneurship acquaints the students with basic business and economic principles. It focuses on the concepts of entrepreneurship and small business ownership/management. It familiarizes students with current entrepreneurial trends as well as studying current and past entrepreneurs who are local, regional, national and international in scope. The students also participate in various career and entrepreneurial programs such as the Idaho Career Information System EverFi Venture Entrepreneurial Expedition program.

Advanced Chemistry

Chemistry is the study of the composition of matter and the changes it undergoes. It is mainly concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms and the energy involved in those processes. Students taking Advanced Chemistry will be studying atomic theory, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, intermolecular forces, reaction thermodynamics, nuclear chemistry, organic and biochemistry. This course is a dual credit through CWI chemistry course.

In General Chemistry

Students will study matter and the changes it undergoes, learning about: atomic theory, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, intermolecular forces, and reaction thermodynamics. This course is a foundation for our IB Biology course and the college-bound student.

Intro to Business (Dual Credit)

NSCS Freshmen Spanish 1 (Dual Credit – CWI Span 101)

Course Description
The focus of this course is to begin the acquisition process of Spanish with the goal of exchanging real-life information and ideas through the use of functional vocabulary and grammar. The four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be targeted as well the richness and diversity of Hispanic culture. This course is intended for beginning Spanish students.

Emphasis is on essential structures and vocabulary. We will acquire tools needed for effective face-to-face communication. Students who complete Spanish 1/CWI Span 101 with a high level of achievement will be able to:

• Communicate by speaking, listening, reading and writing in the present tense abut familiar topics that pertain to their daily lives, such s descriptions, class schedules, activities and families.
• Gain cultural knowledge about topics related to Hispanic cultures and communities.
• Connect with other disciplines through level appropriate reading and discussions in Spanish about geography, literature, music, history, and other content areas.
• Develop insights about the nature of language.
• Begin to see themselves as participants in a multilingual community.

PREREQ: NSCS Spanish 2, CWI SPAN 102 or Perm/INST.

Course Description and Focus
This course is a continuation of NSCS Spanish 1/CWI SPAN 101, with increasing emphasis on the student’s ability to use the language in practical situations. PREREQ: NSCS Spanish 1, CWI SPAN 101 or PERM/INST. The focus of this course will be on comprehension communication and cultural understanding. Emphasis is on essential structures and vocabulary. We will acquire tools needed for effective face-to-face communication. Students will be involved in activities requiring the communicative us of all four language skills: Listening, Speaking Reading, and Writing.

Emphasis is on essential structures and vocabulary. We will acquire tools needed for effective face-to-face communication. Students who complete Spanish 2/CWI SPAN 102 with a high level of achievement will be able to: 

• Communicate by speaking, listening, reading and writing in the present, preterite, and imperfect tenses.
• Gain cultural knowledge about topics related to Hispanic cultures and communities.
• Connect with other disciplines through level appropriate readings and discussions in Spanish about a variety of global issues.
• Develop insights about the connection between language and culture by comparing and analyzing linguistic and cultural elements of Spanish and English.
• Begin to see themselves as participants in a multilingual and multicultural communication.

NSCS Junior IB/Spanish 3 (Dual Credit – CWI SPAN 201)

Course Description and Focus
This course is an expanded reinforcement of the first two levels, concentrating on developing greater oral proficiency and reading skills, with some composition. Students will have the opportunity to increase Spanish proficiency in real-world terms. PREREQ: NSCS Spanish 2, CWI SPAN 102 or PERM/INST.

Emphasis is on essential structures and vocabulary. We will acquire tools needed for effective face-to-face communication. Students who complete NSCS Junior IB Spanish/CWI SPAN 201 with a high level of achievement will be able to: 

• Communicate by speaking, listening, reading and writing in the present, past, future, conditional, and perfect tenses about topics such as science and technology, the environment, social relationships, and health.
• Gain cultural knowledge about topics related to Hispanic cultures and communities.
• Connect with other disciplines through reading and discussions in Spanish about geography, literature, music, history, and other content areas using target vocabulary and grammar.

NSCS Senior IB/Spanish 4(Dual Credit – CWI SPAN 202)

Course Description
This course expands upon and reinforces the first three courses in the sequence, concentrating on developing greater proficiency in the four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will have the opportunity to increase Spanish proficiency in real-world terms and will continue to gain greater understanding and insights into Hispanic culture. PREREQ: NSCS Spanish 3,, IB Span 11, CWI SPAN 201 or three years of high school Spanish or PERM/INST.

Emphasis is on essential structures and vocabulary. We will acquire tools needed for effective face-to-face communication. Students who complete NSCS Senior IB Spanish/CWI SPAN 202 with a high level of achievement will be able to: 

• Communicate by speaking, listening, reading and writing in the present, past, future, conditional, and perfect tenses about topics such as science and technology, human rights, and global issues.
• Gain cultural knowledge about topics related to Spanish and Hispanic cultures and communities.
• Connect with other disciplines through readings and discussions in Spanish about literature, culture, politics, history, and other content areas using target vocabulary and grammar.

Advanced Biology – 9^th Grade

Advanced Biology is a rigorous IB preparatory course that is offered in the 9^th grade year. Advance Biology builds on what students learned in 7^th grade life science and 8^th grade physical science. The course will dive deeper into cell biology, animal anatomy and physiology, ecology, plant structure and function, and evolution while emphasizing the development of scientific inquiry and engineering design. The classroom environment will encourage students to make connections across concepts, stretch themselves as learners, and become independent thinkers.

IB Biology 11 and 12

IB Biology is a two year course that fulfills the science requirement for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (DP). IB Biology may be taken at standard level (SL) or the higher level (HL).

IB Biology is a rigorous course that will provide students with higher-order investigative experiences and activities to promote a deeper understanding of critical concepts in Biology. The concepts covered IB Biology include basic biochemistry, cell structure and function, genetic patterns of inheritance, plant form development of inquiry skills and higher order thinking via experiential learning in both a classroom and laboratory settings. Students will be required to demonstrate knowledge in experimental methodology, data collection, and the interpretation of experimental data. The classroom environment will stimulate student understanding and open-mindedness by providing an authentic application to the biology content, thus enabling students to make the broad connections to how these biological concepts are applicable to the global community.

IB Biology will include an internal assessment project that requires students to conduct an investigation in the field of biology research. It will also include a Group 4 (DP Science) collaborative project and an externally assessed IB exam at the end of the course. Both of these assessments will contribute to the student’s IB grade and will count towards the earning of an IB Diploma.

Theory of knowledge

(TOK) plays a special role in the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Program (DP), by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know.

As a thoughtful and purposeful inquiry into different ways of knowing, and into different kinds of knowledge TOK is composed almost entirely of questions. The most central of these is “How do we know?”, while other questions include: 

• What counts as evidence for X?
• How do we judge which is the best model of Y?
• What does theory Z mean in the real world?

Through discussions of these and other questions, students gain greater awareness of their personal and ideological assumptions, as well as developing an appreciation of the diversity and richness of cultural perspectives.

TOK aims to make students aware of the interpretative nature of knowledge, including personal ideological biases – whether these biases are retained, revised or rejected. It offers students and their teachers the opportunity: 

• Reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and on areas of knowledge.
• Consider the role and nature of knowledge in their own culture, in the cultures of others and in the wider world

In addition, TOK prompts students to: 

• Be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity or knowledge.
• Recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected but uncertain world.

TOK also provides coherence for the study, by linking academic subject areas as well as transcending them. It therefore demonstrates the ways in which the student can apply their knowledge with greater awareness and credibility.