Grades 9-12 Curriculum Guide

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS The typical course load for a student is seven courses comprising six core (religious studies, English, mathematics, social science, science, and world language) and an elective until the graduation requirement for each discipline is met. After graduation requirements have been met, students are encouraged to enroll in six core courses to meet college and university expectations. Elective courses beyond the 26 credit graduation requirement can be selected from any discipline of interest to the student. Carrollton’s graduation requirements are as follows: Religious Studies

4 credits

● Canonical Narratives (9), Christology (10), Morality*/World Religion* (11) ●

and Catholic Social Teaching/Great Christian Thinkers* (12) IB Diploma candidates must take Morality and Theory of Knowledge in Grade 11 and Catholic Social Teaching and Theory of Knowledge in Grade 12

*Morality, World Religions and Catholic Social Teaching, Catholic Social Teaching and Great Christian Thinkers

English

4 credits

● Honors English I (9), Honors English II (10) ● AT British Literature or IB Literature I HL (11) ● Two Advanced Topics semester courses or IB Literature II HL (12)

Mathematics

3 credits

● Completion of progression through Precalculus ● Placement determined by the department ● 4 credits strongly recommended

Social Studies

3 credits

● Honors Modern World History (9) ● Honors American History or AP U.S. History (10) ● Additional coursework within the department (11 and/or12)

Science

3 credits

● Biology (9), Chemistry (10) ● Additional lab science (11 and/or 12) ● Placement determined by the department

World Languages

2 credits

● Two consecutive years of the same language are required. ● Three consecutive years of the same language and progression through the ●

Visual & Performing Arts

1 credit

● One-half credit must be fulfilled with a visual or performing art ● One-half credit may be fulfilled with a practical art from English, Social ●

Physical Education 1 credit

fourth level is strongly recommended.

A second world language may be taken beginning in Grade 10

Studies or RECS Departments.

Credit requirements should be completed in Grades 9 and 10

● May be satisfied with a JV or Varsity sport, Dance or Lifetime Fitness. ● Students wishing to apply outside activities to this credit should consult with their academic advisor and complete the PE Waiver Form.

Electives

5 credits

● Students may fulfill this requirement with courses from any discipline beyond those required for graduation.

GRADES 9-12 ACADEMIC PROGRAM AND SYLLABUS Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart’s robust curriculum offers advanced courses in all disciplines. High caliber faculty members are experts in their fields and provide a differentiated learning experience for each student. Guided by the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria, we inspire thoughtful introspection in our students and encourage them to find balance and joy in the engaged act of learning. Students leave Carrollton prepared not only for their continued education at the university level but also for the lives that await them outside of institutional gates.

Our curriculum includes vigorous offerings that reflect our independent school identity and capitalize on the connection between teacher passion and student learning. The measured move away from a weighted transcript reinforces our comprehensive approach aligned with the core of a Sacred Heart education. Goal II, which speaks most overtly of academic pursuits, incorporates deliberately our yearning to inspire creativity in our students and to employ “a variety of teaching and learning strategies that [recognize] the individual needs of the students.”

RELIGIOUS STUDIES Educators of the Sacred Heart look at the whole person and challenge them to become the greatest version of themselves. As Janet Erskine Stuart said; “Our education is not meant to turn the children out small and finished, but seriously begun on a wide-basis. Therefore, they must leave us with some self-knowledge, some energy, some purpose… If they leave us without these three things, they drift with the stream of life.” Rooted in our Catholic, Sacred Heart identity, our desire is that the Spiritual Life Program in the Upper School will support and sustain our students as a work “seriously begun.” The Spiritual Life Program attends to our student’s

intellectual development through the Religious Studies courses, their spiritual development, through Campus Ministry and retreats, and the development of their social awareness through their Service Learning endeavors.

Canonical Narrative: The Story of Salvation History Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th Graduation Requirement: Religious Studies Prerequisite: None This course focuses on God’s revelation of love and mediation throughout our faith history. The centerpiece of the course will be the history of our salvation leading up to the living Word of God, Jesus Christ. The course is broken down into three parts: The Pentateuch, The Prophets, and The Good News. Particular attention will be given to the following sections of the Old Testament: Pentateuch, Historical Books and Major Prophets. The New Testament sections we will focus on include the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles.

Christology: Who is Jesus Christ?

Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th Graduation Requirement: Religious Studies Prerequisite: Canonical Narrative: The Story of Salvation History The centerpiece of this course will be the person of Christ and a reflection on the Christian tradition. Students will utilize a historical-critical approach to interpreting the New Testament and take a closer look at the historical Jesus of Nazareth. Students will also examine Christ’s dual nature and the significance of his Passion and death. This course will also present our belief that Jesus founded his Church, lives within it, and works and teaches in it through the Holy Spirit. Particular attention will be given to the Incarnation, the historical Jesus of Nazareth, the Paschal Mystery, the Acts of the Apostles and the Church today.

Morality Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 11th Graduation Requirement: Religious Studies Prerequisite: 9th and 10th Grade religion In his teaching, Jesus reveals that the real meaning of the moral law is more than just following rules. The “rules” only serve a greater purpose; they are not an end in themselves. God’s Law is meant to be a teacher, teaching us how to love God, our neighbors and ourselves. Basically, morality has to do with living life well, being an upright person, being a person of good character. In essence, your challenge in this course will be to explore what values, choices and actions characterize an emerging adult woman who desires to live well.

World Religion Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Religious Studies Prerequisite: 9th and 10th Grade religion The purpose of this course is to invite students to explore, understand, and appreciate how the Catholic Church relates to other world religions. Building on the foundational truth that Catholics believe in the fullness of God’s Revelation, it is important to maintain our identity while respecting those around us. As members of a global community, we look to our own Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria, which encourage students to have a personal and active faith in God and an open and respectful dialogue with the religious diversity in our world.

Morality and Theory of Knowledge Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th Graduation Requirement: Religious Studies Prerequisite: 9th and 10th grade religion In his teaching, Jesus reveals that the real meaning of the moral law is more than just a strict adherence to following rules. Moral laws are a means to serve a greater purpose; they are not an end in themselves. God’s Law is meant to be received as moral guidelines, teaching us how

to love and serve God, our neighbors and ourselves. Fundamentally, morality is the compass, which guides us towards discerning how we should live, how to continuously form and inform our conscience and how to become a person of profound character. Moreover, this course reinforces the Beatitudes and helps foster a sense of moral responsibility, among the students, to uphold and protect the human dignity of others. In essence, the challenge posed by this course will be to explore what values, choices and actions characterize an emerging adult woman who desires to connect with the Triune God within and live according to God’s Eternal Law. The philosophical/TOK element of this course will be a critical and dynamic reflection on what we claim to know as personal knowledge and as shared knowledge. The course will further emphasize the importance of learning and practicing how to ask critical, open-ended questions in respect to real life situations within a contemporary context. In alignment with the goals and criteria of the Sacred Heart, the values inscribed in the Catholic tradition and drawing from our cultural context, this course seeks to instill commitment to developing our critical consciousness and a deep desire to be life-long learners, whether in a formal educational setting or from lived experiences.

Catholic Social Teaching Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Religious Studies Prerequisite: 9th-11th Grade Religion Catholic Social Teaching requires an understanding of and commitment to Jesus’ teachings. As members of a Sacred Heart community, our goal is precisely to glorify the heart of Jesus and proclaim the centrality of God’s message: love. The course explores the person of Jesus and how his attitudes, teachings, and example provide the basis for Catholic Social Justice Principles. It also explores how these attitudes impact our worldview. Students will investigate how Christ’s vision, as represented in these Catholic Social Justice Principles, applies to current social justice issues and the daily choices that we make. Additionally, the course will refer to Catholic Social Teaching and its impact on the economic, social, cultural, political and religious dimensions of current public policy debates.

Great Christian Thinkers Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Religious Studies Prerequisite: 9th-11th Grade Religion A study of the main themes and concerns of medieval philosophy. Selected readings from Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and Gabriel Marcel. Students will be challenged to improve their critical and writing skills by means of their papers, readings, class discussions, and examinations.

The objective of this course is to provide the student with knowledge of the main themes and contributions of Medieval philosophy to the Catholic Philosophical tradition as well as the philosophy of the most prominent Catholic philosophers. Upon completing this course students are expected to demonstrate their capacity for philosophical research and writing, their knowledge of the debates and teachings of the ancient philosophers on the questions of permanence and change, unity and plurality, the nature of wisdom, the nature of knowledge.

They must also be able to demonstrate their knowledge of the philosophies of Augustine, Aquinas and their influence on contemporary Catholicism as well as their understanding of the central notions of the Medieval philosophers.

Catholic Social Teaching and Theory of Knowledge Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Religious Studies Prerequisite: Morality and Theory of Knowledge Catholic Social Teaching requires an understanding of and commitment to Jesus’ teachings. As members of a Sacred Heart community, our goal is precisely to glorify the heart of Jesus and proclaim the centrality of God’s message: love. The course explores the person of Jesus and how his attitudes, teachings and example provide the basis for Catholic Social Teaching Principles. It also explores how these attitudes impact our worldview. Students will investigate how Christ’s vision, as represented in these Catholic Social Justice Principles, applies to current social justice issues and the daily choices that we make. Additionally, the course will refer to Catholic Social Teaching and its impact on the economic, social, cultural, political and religious dimensions of current public policy debates. Development of the 1600 word Theory of Knowledge Essay will be the focal point of the TOK aspect of the course. Synthesis of TOK principles on Areas of Knowledge and Ways of Knowing and the Seven Principles of Catholic Social Teaching will be

pursued throughout each topic in the course. Regular writing clinic classes will assist the student in gradually building an effective TOK essay.

ENGLISH Guided by the larger mission of Sacred Heart Education, the English Language Arts (ELA) Discipline aims to develop in our students a critical consciousness that impels to action by challenging the mind and inspiring the spirit to reflect on and respond to the human experience with hope and compassion.

The ELA curriculum requires students to read, analyze, discuss, and write. We believe that the study of texts and cultural artifacts challenge and train the mind, invite interpretation, and develop social and critical awareness, thus consistently reflecting the Goals and Criteria for Sacred Heart Schools. Relying on this foundation, our instructional autonomy, small class sizes, and generous resources foster sensitivity, tolerance, and an appreciation of personal and cultural differences. We embrace a wide range of teaching styles and nurture an open atmosphere that encourages and rewards creativity and innovative approaches to learning.

Honors English I Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th Graduation Requirement: English Prerequisite: None This yearlong course emphasizes the development of skills in critical reading of imaginative and discursive literature and in writing about texts and the ideas they propose. The course focuses

on reading critically to deepen appreciation and understanding of poems, short stories, plays, and non-fiction. We give special attention to theme, characterization, setting, point of view, tone, and mood. In our readings, we explore the topics of heroism and the pursuit of knowledge of the world and of oneself. More specifically, the course examines personal identity -- its sources and influences and its relation to personal beliefs (credo) and ideas of destiny and free will. In addition to in-class works, students select various novels for independent reading projects. The composition portion of this course exposes students to various modes of writing: expository, persuasive, analytical, and creative. The course also emphasizes mastery of the skills of synthesis, ordering ideas into a logical pattern, developing them with pertinent details, and effectively communicating them to the reader with clarity, fluency, and a sophisticated vocabulary. Additionally, students advance their research abilities by integrating their library skills in writing a research-based assignment and compiling an annotated bibliography.

Students build their mastery of grammar and mechanics through an in-depth study of parts of speech, sentence structure, phrases, clauses, agreement, and punctuation. This course also includes a special focus on public speaking skills, giving students opportunities to become more proficient and polished in conveying information to others. Students learn concepts and models of communication such as how to effectively support ideas and how to select and organize materials in preparation for speeches and public presentations.

Honors English II Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th Graduation Requirement: English Prerequisite: Honors English I Honors English II is a rigorous, technologically-integrated course that develops skills in critical analysis and expression through a chronological approach to American Literature. Students will study literary works of various genres by significant American authors who have shaped American literary history, from the Colonial period to the present. At the honors level, students are expected to read at an accelerated pace as well as to independently read selected materials.

Students will challenge traditional readings of texts by creating, supporting, and articulating their interpretations. Students will be able to effectively communicate these interpretations in written and oral format involving synthesis, ordering ideas into logical patterns, and developing ideas using pertinent details—ultimately expressing themselves with coherence, clarity, fluency, style, and a sophisticated vocabulary.

AT British Literature Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th Graduation Requirement: English Prerequisites: Honors English II Advanced Topic British Literature is a rigorous, technologically-integrated, year-long course that develops skills in critical analysis and expression through a chronological approach to British literature that traces the development of genres and literary movements from Anglo-Saxon epic poetry to the Twenty-first Century through the examination of various themes, including the acquisition of power, the development of relationships, the formation of society, and the tensions between the individual and society. Students will read novels, a play, short stories, poems, essays, speeches, and passages that will serve to deepen their understanding of British culture, values, traditions, literary periods, and their influence on American culture. Students will challenge traditional readings of texts by creating, supporting, and articulating their interpretations. Students will be able to effectively communicate these interpretations in written or oral format using skills involving synthesis, ordering ideas into logical patterns, and developing ideas using pertinent details – ultimately expressing themselves with coherence, clarity, fluency, style, and a sophisticated vocabulary. Independent reading assignments tied to British texts will expand student repertoire. (Explicit test-taking instruction is not part of this course, but a student may opt to take the AP Language and Literature Exam and/or the AP Literature and Composition Exam. Consultation with her English teacher and Academic Advisor is recommended.)

IB Literature HL Graduation Credit: 2 Grade Level: Grades 11th & 12th Grade Graduation Requirement: English Prerequisite: Honors English II To prepare for the academic requirements of a Sacred Heart graduate, as well as those of the International Baccalaureate English Literature requirements, students will engage in a great deal of critical reading, reflective thinking, insightful discussion, and analytical writing about literature— particularly dramas, novels, and poems. Students will be challenged to think

independently and to communicate clearly in speech and writing. Students will improve their speaking and writing skills through informal and formal presentations and compositions, which demonstrate a voice and style appropriate to the audience and purpose. An emphasis will also be placed on student/teacher conferences, research, and vocabulary acquisition. Finally, students will utilize technology through participation in online discussions, research, peer editing, and more. In the first year of this two-year IB course, students will complete the Higher Level Essay that consists of writing a 1200 - 1500 word essay on one of the works studied.

During the second year, there will be one formal, internally-assessed individual oral as well as two externally-assessed writing examinations. Students will take these IB examinations in May. (Explicit test-taking instruction is not part of this course, but a student may opt to take the AP Language and Literature Exam and/or the AP Literature and Composition Exam. Consultation with her English teacher and Academic Advisor is recommended.)

Advanced Topic Senior Courses Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: English Prerequisite: Any 3rd-year level English course; Independent Study also requires discipline approval The English Discipline takes pride in staffing a significant part of our academic program based on student interest, doing our best to maintain an average class size of 10-15, and capping most classes at 16 (with few exceptions). To balance our teaching program, we are unable to run Advanced Topic (AT) classes that have fewer than eight students signed up for them. Students who are placed in AT courses that are close to our minimum will receive an email alerting them to the fact that, if they would like to continue to be signed up for that course, they will be unable to drop that course later. In the Fall, students enrolled in small ATs may not be granted a discretionary course change to a different elective if the total section size drops below eight.

The senior English AT classes are modeled after college-level seminar courses. Students are expected to immerse themselves in reading and discussing diverse texts deeply and critically as well as to write extensively and analytically through varied formats. In every AT course, the students will be required to read four to five major works (including two independent reading texts) throughout the semester. They will also write three long papers (800-1500 words) and three to five short papers (500-800 words) as well as complete two to three other major assessments that may include a project, a presentation, and/or a creative writing assignment.

(Explicit test-taking instruction is not part of any of the English courses, but a student may opt to take the AP Language and Literature Exam and/or the AP Literature and Composition Exam.

Consultation with her English teacher and Academic Advisor is recommended.)

Coming of Age in Fiction The coming-of-age story is a popular genre that readers young and old have consistently found appealing. From Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre to Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, the coming-of-age novel has explored what it means to grow up and confront adulthood in a variety of times and places. Students in this course explore several examples of this genre from the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries, and consider how elements such as race, gender, and class affect this journey into adulthood. This course allows some choice in the selection of these readings and includes at least one writing assignment requiring students to craft a coming-of-age narrative of her own that illustrates the obstacles faced by twenty-first century teens.

Some representative texts: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, What Masie Knew by Henry James, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin, We Need New Names by Noviolet Bulawayo, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward, There, There by Tommy Orange, and Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng Literary Monsters and Witches While monsters and witches have thrilled and shocked generations of readers (and those of us who have jumped just a little when seeing them rendered in film), they have also served a cultural role that critics have spent time trying to unpack. Like these critics, students in this class consider not only what monsters and witches represent but also why human beings create them in the first place. Students do this critical work together in the classroom with writing as the primary mode of inquiry, using focused free writes, dialectical journals, written conversations, and other tools that are a part of the English program at Carrollton. By the end of the semester, it is expected that students will have become astute writers and thinkers conversant in the rhetoric of monstrosity and witchery.

Some representative texts: Beowulf translation by Seamus Heaney (alongside John Gardner’s retelling in Grendel), Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris

Myths, Folklore and Legendary Tales Since the beginning of time, people have gathered around fires to tell stories of angry gods, harrowing journeys, cunning animals, horrible beasts, and the mighty heroes who vanquished them. Mythology and folklore have provided a way for these colorful stories to spring to life for thousands of years. This course will explore how these famous anecdotes have helped humans make sense of the world. Students do this critical work together in the classroom with writing and discussion as the primary mode of inquiry, using focused free writes, dialectical journals, written conversations, and other tools that are a part of the English program at Carrollton. Beginning with an overview of mythology and different types of folklore and legends, students will journey with age-old heroes as they slay dragons, outwit gods, defy fate, fight endless battles, and outwit clever monsters with strength and courage. Students will explore the universality and social significance of myths, folklore, and legendary tales and see how these powerful tales continue to shape society even today.

Some representative texts: Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton, Four Archetypes by C.G. Jung, Three Tragedies by Sophocles, and poems such as “Medusa” by Sylvia Plath.

Power and Gender This course focuses on the portrayal of the position of women in various literary works.

The essential questions of the course are as follows: How is the female experience depicted in literary works? How do literary works present key differences between men and women? How, and to what effect, are power dynamics between men and women portrayed in works of literature?

Some representative texts: A Room of one’s Own by Virginia Woolf, Medea by Euripides, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, short stories by Alice Munro, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

Shakespeare in the 21st Century Why read Shakespeare? Shakespeare's characters fall in love, and out of it, take a dislike to each other, betray each other, misunderstand each other, argue, fight and kill each other, are angry, sad, happy, jealous, envious, distrustful, untrustworthy, deceptive, magnanimous, forgiving... - experiencing practically every human emotion you can think of, and every human situation. Also, the social issues of Shakespeare's day which feature in the plays - class division, racism, sexuality, intolerance, the role and status of women,

crime, war, death, disease - are still the burning issues in today's global society. This course will examine several of Shakespeare’s plays and several of his most famous speeches examining what they have to teach a modern audience.

Some representative texts: King Lear, Othello, The Tempest, and Hamlet as well as critical essays from Shakespeare’s time and our own.

The Art of the Short Story This course examines a wide array of great short stories and considers what makes them so attractive and provocative for modern readers. Brief stories have been told for thousands of years, but “the short story” as we know it today is a uniquely modern literary form, one that arose apparently spontaneously in Russia, Germany, England, France, and the United States in the early 1800s. Why are modern readers drawn to these sharply crafted tales, often recounting seemingly ordinary events but nonetheless charged with symbolic resonance? The category of the short story includes an immense variety of fictional modes and styles -- realism, fantasy, mystery, autobiographical reflection, parable, and many others. Yet short stories of all kinds seem to concentrate on moments of insight when characters and readers discern truths that transcend any individual story or personality.

Which features account for the mysterious revelatory power of modern short stories?

How do these qualities connect to the attractions of stories that have been told since the dawn of (wo)man? Are there certain truths that only short stories can reveal?

Some representative authors: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Anton Chekhov, Katherine Anne Porter, James Joyce, Andrei Platonov, Eudora Welty, Paule Marshall, Alice Munro, Raymond Carver, Junot Diaz.

The Journey in Fiction Journeys can inspire the imagination and deepen our understanding of ourselves and our current environments, challenging our ideas of home and away, self and other, ordinary and extraordinary, natural and supernatural. What kinds of encounters encourage or require characters to re-envision the world and their places in it? What do fictional journeys teach us about our own experiences of encounter, discovery, and deepening interiority? We will consider these questions as we study a variety of narratives, short stories, or poems. Critical essays will shed additional light on the moral, spiritual, and political implications of the journeys recounted in these literary texts.

Some representative texts: Inferno by Dante Alighieri, A Passage to India by E.M. Forster, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Going After Cacciato by Tim O’Brien, Praisesong for the Widow by Paule Marshall, Paradises Lost by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Independent Study Seniors who have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in an area of study may pursue an Independent Study Project. This individualized semester course allows the advanced student to explore further literature according to the interest of the student.

With the guidance of on-campus mentors, students engage in a semester of self-directed reading, writing, and research. Discipline permission is required.

Creative Writing I Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Practical Art, Elective Prerequisite: N/A Creative writing provides students the opportunity to develop their artistic voices. Students will explore, with both a sense of play and hard work, the various elements of imaginative writing in a workshop environment. The objective of this course is to enhance your ability to communicate effectively in the genres of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. Students will work to produce quality pieces that will be shared, critiqued and praised within a community of creative writers and thinkers. As attentive and wide-ranging reading will be stressed as the most important activity of the apprentice writer, students will look to significant writers and poets for guidance in craft. At the end of the course students will submit a final portfolio of their best work.

Creative Writing II Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 10th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Practical Art, Elective Prerequisite: Creative Writing I This workshop-based class focuses on the writing of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Students will read selected works with the eye of a writer and write in response to these model texts. At

the end of the semester, students will turn in a portfolio of 10-15 pages of their best work.

Workshop format: The workshop format emphasizes the creation and discussion of new student writing. Classes will involve one or more of the following: in-class writing, discussion of student writing by teacher and students, reading and discussion of poetry, fiction, or creative non-fiction.

Journalism I Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Practical Art, Elective Prerequisite: n/a This course explores the fundamentals of journalism in a newsroom-style community where students study and practice the principles and craft of journalism. Students will learn about the history and function of the free press in the U.S.; become familiar with AP Style; learn how to recognize good reporting; conduct research and interviews; and write news and feature stories using a variety of structures exhibiting strong, effective writing.

Journalism II Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Practical Art, Elective Prerequisite: Journalism I This course further explores the fundamentals of journalism. It is a hands-on course in which students refine the basic skills of print (written) journalism learned in Journalism I. Students also learn how to create effective news video shorts.

Journalism III Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Practical Art, Elective Prerequisite: Journalism II

Journalism III offers a full digital journalism curriculum in Carrollton’s newsroom. Students engage in a powerful form of civics through journalistic inquiry, media production, and student-centered learning that build critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, news literacy, and communication skills. Students cover local stories and create inspiring reports about how national and global issues affect their local community. The essential questions of the course are: What makes a successful news story? Why is it important to share news stories with the community? What is journalistic integrity?

MATHEMATICS The Upper School Mathematics Department exudes a passion for sharing our knowledge that inspires our students to embrace their challenges as well as celebrate their successes. In an environment that cultivates critical thinking skills by engaging students in real-world problem solving, we foster in each student the ability to abstract her reasoning and apply her knowledge in a variety of interdisciplinary contexts. Embracing a growth mindset as active participants in the learning process, our students become mathematically confident risk-takers. Through the lens of the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education, we help our students develop into independent lifelong learners.

Geometry Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: Algebra I Geometry uses the language of mathematics to explore models of our physical world. This geometry course focuses on the main concepts of plane, solid, and coordinate geometry with an emphasis on application to real world situations. Students will use mathematical terminology to formulate problem solutions, and they will strengthen their critical thinking skills while constructing algebraic and geometric explanations of the concepts they explore. Topics include an introduction to logic, informal proofs, parallel and perpendicular lines, polygons, perimeter, area, volume, similarity, congruence, transformations, circles, and triangle trigonometry.

Algebra I skills are integrated throughout the course, and students will further develop fluidity with algebra methods as those skills are applied to geometric situations.

Honors Geometry Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: Algebra I Course average of 94 or higher must be maintained through the final exam.

Students in Honors Geometry will use the language of mathematics to explore models of our physical world, while constructing effective mathematical conjectures. Honors Geometry is a fast-paced course in which students will develop their critical thinking skills while working with the mathematical theory and applications that will prepare them for the Honors, Advanced Topics, AP and IB courses that follow. Students will focus on critical thinking when solving problems and/or evaluating arguments. The study of geometry at the Honors level will provide students with the mathematical tools necessary for complex reasoning and problem solving in the sciences, technology, and engineering fields. This geometry course includes an in-depth analysis of plane, solid, and coordinate geometry. Topics include logic, proofs, parallel and perpendicular lines, polygons, perimeter, area, volume, similarity, congruence, transformations, circles, and triangle trigonometry. Students will be required to use different technological tools and mathematical approaches to discover and explain much of the course content, and they will be expected to develop habits of independent learners within and beyond the classroom.

Algebra II Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: Geometry Algebra II is a course designed to give students a solid foundation necessary for success in Statistics, PreCalculus, Advanced Topics courses and IB Standard Level Mathematics options.

Emphasis will be placed on the development of problem solving skills and the ability to discern what method is most appropriate. A TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator will be required for this course and students will be guided in its use for problem solving. Topics include real numbers, equations and inequalities in one and two variables, polynomials, systems of linear equations and inequalities, relations and functions, exponents and radicals, rational expressions and equations, quadratic equations and inequalities, parent functions, transformations, complex numbers, verbal problems, and graphing.

Honors Algebra II Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: Honors Geometry course average of 84 or higher or Geometry course average of 94 or higher must be maintained through the final exam.

Honors Algebra II is designed to give students the problem solving skills and foundational knowledge necessary for success in Honors PreCalculus, Advanced Topics, and IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL. Through a deeper exposition of the topics of Algebra II, an increased emphasis on critical thinking and application of learned skills to a diversity of problem scenarios, students will develop the ability to discern the appropriate method to use in given situations as well as how to evaluate the feasibility of a problem solution. A TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator will be required for this course, and approaches to problem solving will be discussed in relation to appropriate calculator usage. Topics include real numbers, equations and inequalities in one and two variables, polynomials, systems of linear equations and inequalities, relations and functions, exponents and radicals, rational expressions and equations, quadratic equations and inequalities, parent functions, transformations, complex numbers, verbal problems, and graphing. There is an expectation that students at the Honors level will continue to develop habits of independent learners, and that they will strive to enhance their critical thinking skills through rigorous preparation within and beyond the classroom.

Precalculus Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: Algebra II In Precalculus, students will extend topics introduced in Algebra II. In addition to working with polynomial functions, students will also explore rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions from numerical, graphical, and algebraic approaches. The trigonometric portion of this course will cover trigonometric functions, identities, unit circle, graphing, solving trigonometric equations and triangles.

Honors Precalculus Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: Honors Algebra II or a final course average of 94 or higher in Algebra II Honors Precalculus is a fast-paced course where students will extend topics introduced in Algebra II and learn to manipulate and apply more advanced functions and algorithms. Special emphasis will be on rational, exponential, logarithmic, logistic, trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions from numerical, graphical, and algebraic approaches. The trigonometric portion of this course will cover trigonometric functions, identities, unit circle, graphing, solving trigonometric equations, solving triangles, and an introduction to limits. This course provides the mathematical foundation for students who intend to study AP Calculus AB.

Honors Precalculus BC Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: Honors Algebra II with a course average of 94 or higher must be maintained through the final exam.

In this course, students will extend topics introduced at the II level, and they will explore the mathematical structures that form the basis for the study of advanced mathematics. Special emphasis will be given to rational, exponential, logarithmic, logistic, trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions from numerical, graphical, and algebraic approaches. Additional topics include: sequences, series, parametric and polar equations, financial applications, vectors, DeMoivre’s theorem, Binomial theorem, probability, and mathematical induction. This course provides the mathematical foundation necessary for students who intend to study AP Calculus BC, and it is the expectation that students who choose to take this course will have developed the habits of highly independent learners with a strong inclination to engage in deep mathematical challenges.

Calculus and Statistics Modeling Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics, Elective Prerequisite: Precalculus The Calculus and Statistics Modeling course will cover calculus concepts (differentiation and integration) and statistics topics (data analysis and inference) by exploring and modeling real-world data and phenomena. Use of a graphing calculator and spreadsheets will be integrated into this course.

AP Statistics Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: Precalculus and department recommendation The AP Statistics course is equivalent to a one-semester, introductory, non-calculus-based college course in statistics; its course structure is designed to prepare students for the AP Statistics examination. The course introduces students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. There are four themes in the AP Statistics course: exploring data, sampling and experimentation, anticipating patterns, and statistical inference. Students use technology, investigations, problem solving, and writing as they build conceptual understanding. The course will cover the topics outlined by the Advanced Placement syllabus distributed by the College Board. AP sample problems will be integrated throughout the course, and grading methods for the AP examination as well as expectations will be discussed. Use of a graphing calculator will be integrated into the course material.

AP Calculus (AB) Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics, Elective Prerequisite: Honors Precalculus AP Calculus AB is designed to expose students to the concepts of a first semester university calculus curriculum, as well as to prepare students for the AP Calculus AB examination. This course explores introductory concepts of calculus including limits of functions, derivatives, antiderivatives, and integrals. Techniques learned will be applied to problems of motion, volumes of solids, area, slope fields, and solutions of separable differential equations. The course will cover the topics outlined by the Advanced Placement syllabus distributed by the College Board. AP sample problems will be integrated throughout the course, and grading methods for the AP examination as well as expectations will be discussed. Use of a graphing calculator will be integrated into the course material.

AP Calculus (BC) Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: Honors Precalculus BC AP Calculus BC is designed to expose students to the concepts of a first year university calculus curriculum, as well to prepare students for the AP Calculus BC examination. This course explores the concepts of calculus that include limits of functions, derivatives, antiderivatives, integrals, series, conics, parametrics, polar coordinates, vectors, slope fields and separable differential equations. Techniques learned will be applied to problems of motion, volumes, area and related topics. This course will cover the topics outlined by the Advanced Placement syllabus distributed by the College Board. AP sample problems will be integrated throughout the course, and grading methods for the AP examination as well as expectations will be discussed. Use of a graphics calculator will be integrated into the course material.

IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: Precalculus Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL is a one year course for students who are interested in developing their mathematics for describing our world, using modelling and statistics to solve practical problems using the power of technology. Students who take Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation will be those who enjoy mathematics best when seen in a practical context. This course is designed for the mathematical needs of students interested in social sciences, natural sciences, medicine, statistics, business, economics, psychology, and design. Course topics include: numbers and algebra, functions, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, and calculus.

IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Mathematics Prerequisite: AP Calculus BC IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HLprepares students to take the IB HL Mathematics exam. This course meets the needs of students who have a passion for mathematics, who enjoy exploring math at a deeper level, and are interested in pursuing a STEM major. Students who choose Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL should be comfortable in the manipulation of algebraic expressions and enjoy the recognition of patterns and understand the mathematical generalization of these patterns. They will have strong algebraic skills and the ability to understand simple proof. They will be students who enjoy spending time with problems and get pleasure and satisfaction from solving challenging problems. Content includes statistics and probability, proof, complex number theory, differential equations, sequences and series, the Binomial theorem, and vectors. Students will learn through a combination of teacher-directed instruction and small group collaboration; use of technology will be incorporated throughout the course, and appropriate use of technology will be addressed.

SOCIAL STUDIES Carrollton’s Social Studies Discipline seeks to inspire critical thinking skills by engaging students in the transcendent value of social studies. Aiming to provide a challenging curriculum, the Social Studies Discipline seeks to promote the ability to evaluate study of society through criteria grounded in the Roman Catholic faith and the Network of the Sacred Heart and Criteria.

The Discipline’s coursework engages students in examining the social, political, geographic, economic and historical perspectives of a wide range of cultures and historical periods. Included in our mission is the development of students’ skills, at all levels of teaching; continuously reinforcing critical thinking, reading, writing, listening and public speaking. We aim to provide tools and opportunities for the collaborative exchange of ideas, which both foster intellectual growth and can serve as interdisciplinary links with other content areas in an attempt to cultivate global citizens.

Creating and sustaining a passion for social studies is at the core of our mission. We define success when our students possess an overarching vision of place, people, countries, events and movements which they can apply to the world around them. Moreover, in this quest for historical, political and cultural relevance, we hope to create a literate student who is able to read, understand and synthesize the deeper meaning of words and ideas from the point of view of multiple socio-cultural perspectives.

Relying on the foundation of the and Criteria Sacred Heart Schools, Carrollton’s Social Studies Discipline takes advantage of our community’s unique multilingual and international characteristics. We believe that the and Criterion are the framework to foster student awareness of their place in the world and their role and responsibility to the global community.

Honors Modern World History Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th Graduation Requirement: Social Studies Prerequisite: None Honors Modern World History is a year-long course during which students investigate significant events, individuals, and developments in the historical periods from approximately 1789 to 1948. As the course moves through modern history, events and ideologies of significant revolutions in France, Latin America, China, and Russia are investigated from a global perspective. The course examines how social, economic, and political changes in the 19th

century led to WWI and WWII. Overall, the course explores the impacts of democracy, industrialism, nationalism, and imperialism on society, while considering the effects on today’s society. Students develop and use the skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary-source documents and secondary sources, developing historical arguments, making historical comparisons, and utilizing reasoning about contextualization, causation, and continuity and change over time. The course creates an environment where students take ownership of their own learning. Honors Modern World History is presented chronologically and looks to shape a foundation for informed civic engagement. This course will emphasize writing, discourse, and collaborative work. Students are required to complete presentations and a research paper, and participate in learning activities that demand a strong understanding of the content.

Honors U. S. History Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th Graduation Requirement: Social Studies Prerequisite: Honors Modern World History The Honors United States History course is a year-long course of study of United States history from its independence and the forging of the new nation to World War II. The course will provide students with the opportunity to acquire a comprehensive understanding of U.S. history by examining political, economic, social, religious, military, and cultural events that have shaped the nation into a global power. Emphasis will be placed on the development of analytical skills so that students may interpret and critically evaluate modern society in the United States. This is accomplished by focusing on the experience of both continuity and change in history, and by applying historical reasoning to seek solutions to contemporary problems. Throughout the course students will identify the themes of American identity, American diversity, culture, demographic changes, economic transformations, environment, globalization, politics and citizenship, reform, religion, slavery and the dilemma of race, the changing role of women, war and diplomacy.

Students will analyze and interpret primary-source documents and secondary sources, current events, and historiography in order to evaluate how past events continue to shape the world today. Writing in history will be emphasized in this course introducing students to college level writing. In addition, students will be expected to complete a research paper to successfully complete the course.

Students may elect to take the Advanced Placement (AP) exam if they wish. They are encouraged to consult with their teachers early in the school year regarding the additional preparation necessary for exam success.

AP United States History Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th Graduation Requirement: Social Studies Prerequisite: Honors Modern World History and department recommendation AP U.S. History is a year-long collegiate level course in the study of the United States history from pre-Columbian times to the present. The course provides students with the opportunity to acquire a comprehensive understanding of U.S. history by examining political, economic, social, religious, military, and cultural events that shaped the nation. Emphasis will be placed on developing students’ analytical skills to facilitate their capacity to critically evaluate the development of the United States of America as a global power.

The class is taught in accordance with the AP U.S. History curriculum framework and is designed to prepare students for the AP U.S. History examination in May of 2020. Throughout the course, students will identify the themes of identity, work, exchange and technology, people, politics and power, America in the World, environment and geography, ideas, beliefs, and culture.

Honors United States Government and Politics Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Social Studies Prerequisite: Honors U.S. History This is a non-partisan introductory course on American government and politics, with an emphasis on its constitutional foundations and the decision-making process in Congress, the executive branch, and the federal courts. This course begins with the evolution of the social contract and the study of early American political ideologies. It is followed by the study of the creation of the Constitution and the ways in which the three branches of government check and balance each other. The importance of the Bill of Rights as a safeguard of personal liberties will be examined. Students will study the balance between federal and state governments and how

that balance affects both policy development and civic participation. Students will be expected to analyze primary-source documents and secondary sources, and will be expected to write consistently at a college level that emphasizes critical thinking.

Honors The History of the World since 1980 Graduation Credit: 1 Social Sciences Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirements: Social Studies Prerequisite: Honors Modern World History, Honors U.S. History This course provides a historical overview of global changes during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It is a survey of key events that trace the major political, social, cultural, and economic development in the world from 1980 to the present day. These include, but may not be limited to: the emergence of new waves of political leaders beginning in the 1980s (liberal, conservative, populist, and authoritarian), the end of the Cold War and key changes that occurred as a result of its end, the rise of China as a new superpower, continued tensions in the Middle East and the emergence of terrorism as a global concern (with special emphasis on the September 11th attacks), the increasing importance of technology, debates over trade policy and the environment in the 21st century, and both the promises and challenges of globalization during this period. Students will be expected to do a significant amount of independent reading, and will be required to write a research paper on an aspect of world history since 1980 of their own choosing.

AP United States Government and Politics Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Social Studies Prerequisite: Honors U.S. History This is a non-partisan course on American government and politics, with an emphasis on its constitutional foundations and the decision-making process in Congress, the executive branch, and the federal courts. This course begins with the evolution of the social contract and the study of early American political ideologies. It is followed by the study of the creation of the Constitution and the ways in which the three branches of government check and balance each other. The importance of the Bill of Rights as a safeguard of personal liberties will be examined.

Students will study the balance between federal and state governments, and how that balance affects both policy development and civic participation. Students will be expected to analyze primary-source documents and secondary sources, and will be expected to write consistently at a college level that emphasizes critical thinking. Students will focus on how governmental institutions relate to the protection of civil liberties, including an in-depth focus on the Supreme Court and interpretation of the Constitution. This course will also examine the role of mass media, special interest groups, public opinion, and the electoral process and their influences on the development of policy. Students will be expected to analyze primary-source documents and secondary sources, and will be expected to write consistently at a college level that emphasizes critical thinking. Every student will also complete an applied civics project.

This course will prepare students to take the Advanced Placement (AP) exam for American Government and Politics.

AP Macro/Micro Economics Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Social Studies Prerequisite: Honors U.S. History Economics is an introductory college-level microeconomics course. Students cultivate their understanding of the principles that apply to the functions of individual economic decision-makers by using principles and models to describe economic situations and predict and explain outcomes with graphs, charts, and data as they explore concepts like scarcity and markets; costs, benefits, and marginal analysis; production choices and behavior; and market inefficiency and public policy. The class is taught in accordance with the AP Macroeconomics and Microeconomics curriculum framework and is designed to prepare students for both AP examinations.

AT Global Issues: Human Rights (Honors) One Semester: 0.5 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Social Studies Prerequisite: Honors Modern World History, Honors U.S. History AT Global Issues is an advanced interrogation into global problems and their solutions. It

largely mirrors the format of a college-level seminar course. The course develops students’ familiarity with the legal, political, social, and economic intricacies of domestic and global human rights policy. Students in this course will engage in high-level discussions about human rights, will read articles from a variety of perspectives, and will research, write, and present about various human rights issues.

AT The Global Cold War: 1945-1991 Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Social Science Prerequisite: Honors U.S. History The focus of this course is the political, economic, and military relations among the major countries of the world since the end of the Second World War. Some of the themes covered will include: the causes and consequences of the Cold War from its origins in Europe to its extension to Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East; the formation of the non-aligned bloc of nations seeking to avoid a choice between the two “superpowers”; the emergence of regional conflicts and tensions unrelated to the Cold War in many parts of the world.; the creation and evolution of the postwar international economic order; the disintegration of the European colonial empires and the emergence of independent states in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East; the rise of the People’s Republic of China, the recovery of Japan as a major economic power, and their increasingly important roles in Asia; the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Communist bloc; and the emergence of a new international order in what has been called the era of globalization.

Students will be expected to analyze primary-source documents and secondary sources on each of these topics, and will be expected to write consistently at a college level that emphasizes critical thinking. In addition, students will be expected to complete a research paper on a historical topic of their choosing.

AT A Nation of Immigrants: Citizenship and the American Experience Graduation Credit: 1 Social Sciences Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Social Studies Prerequisite: Honors Modern World History, Honors U.S. History This year-long course will examine the diversity of the American landscape from European arrival to present-day. Students will develop and use the same skills and methods of historians: analyzing a wide variety of primary and secondary sources, developing historical arguments, and making historical connections. The course will trace the history of immigration and explore how citizenship has been defined throughout American history. We will also highlight the roles various immigrant groups have played in the development of economic, social, cultural, and political life in the United States. Throughout the course, students will survey cultural representations of immigration in popular culture, film, art, music, and literary works.

IB History of the Americas Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th Graduation Requirement: Social Science Prerequisite: Honors U.S. History This course is designed to follow the objectives of the International Baccalaureate Program. This course will cover topics for Paper III of the IB history exam. The class addresses dramatic changes that took place in various nations in the Americas from the mid-1920s to 1981. It examines the political, social, and economic impact of events on the region during this period.

In addition, students explore and analyze changing trends in domestic policies in the Americas.

This course is fast paced with a significant amount of independent work expected. This course stresses the development of the student’s critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, and encourages students to consider events from a global perspective. Students taking this course as part of their IB program will be prepared to take Paper III of the IB history exam.

In addition to regular textbook and supplemental readings, and assignments based on those readings, students in the IB program will be expected to complete one Internal Assessment research paper on a topic of their choice, to be assessed by the instructor and the IB organization.

IB 20th Century History Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Social Science Prerequisite: IB History of the Americas I HL The general subject of this course is the political, economic, and military relations among the major countries of the world since the end of the Second World War. Some of the themes covered will include (1) the causes and consequences of the Cold War from its origins in Europe to its extension to Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East; (2) the formation of the non-aligned bloc of nations seeking to avoid a choice between the two “superpowers;” (3) the emergence of regional conflicts and tensions unrelated to the Cold War in many parts of the world; (4) the creation and evolution of the postwar international economic order; (5) the disintegration of the European colonial empires and the emergence of independent states in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East; (6) the rise of the People’s Republic of China, the recovery of Japan as a major economic power, and their increasingly important roles in Asia; (7) the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Communist bloc; and (8) the emergence of a new international order in what has been called the era of globalization. In addition, students explore the origins and results of major protest movements in the Western world during the mid-20th century, concentrating on the civil rights movement in the United States and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

This course is fast paced with a significant amount of independent work expected. This course stresses the development of the student’s critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, and encourages students to consider events from a global perspective. Students will also be expected to develop those skills, both verbal and written, throughout the course.

AP Psychology Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: None The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. The course will expose students to the psychological facts, research, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They will also learn about the ethics and

methods psychologists use in their science and practice. Designed to mirror an entry level college course, and more, the course will prepare students for the AP Psychology exam.

Introduction to Debate Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Performing Arts, Elective Prerequisite: None Introduction to Debate is a survey course in the varying styles of debate. Students are taught basic argument refutation skills in both public forum and policy debate formats. Students registered for the course are expected to compete in Novice debate competitions as well as participate in the debate team’s public speaking service program. Students who successfully complete the course will be recommended for Intermediate Policy Debate.

Intermediate Policy Debate Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th-12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: Introduction to Debate This course, designed for members of Carrollton’s junior varsity debate team, will continue to expose students to strategies in the discipline of American-style cross-examination policy debate as practiced at both the collegiate and high school levels. The course will begin by analyzing the specific strategies, which will be employed by the Carrollton debate team over the course of the debate year. Secondly, the curriculum will focus on advanced research strategies and skills. Students will be instructed in electronic databases and other research techniques.

Thirdly, students will be exposed to the world of debate theory, which drives this challenging academic discipline. Lastly, students will actively participate in classroom debates, regional competitions and national level debate competitions. Significant amounts of reading, outside research, and organization of debate materials are required for success in the class.

AT Debate: Fiscal Redistribution Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: Intermediate Policy Debate This course is devoted to developing students’ capacity to understand and constructively engage in contemporary debates over policy solutions to economic inequality in the United States.

Particular attention will be dedicated to federal policy regarding a basic income guarantee, jobs programs, and Social Security reform. Students will engage in significant amounts of readings that examine fiscal redistribution, progressive taxes, flat taxes, the federal budget, poverty, and the economy. They will be expected to read and thoroughly digest numerous books, journals and law reviews, as well as complete original research assignments. Upon completion of this course students will be capable of articulating how policy is formulated and implemented, of identifying relevant stakeholders, and assessing consequences of policy change, both generative and harmful.

SCIENCE The Science Department, rooted in and guided by the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Education, inspires students to learn about the natural and physical world around them.

Through a hands-on, inquiry-based approach, students are guided to think critically, to reason, and to be able to use the data available to them to solve problems, and to apply these skills in other academic and non-academic settings. Faculty strives to help students develop scientific literacy that will allow them to understand the social impact science has on society.

Biology Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: None The primary focus of this course is to enhance student’s understanding of biological organisms and systems. The course will begin with an overview of the nature of life and chemistry of life. It will continue with a focus on the cellular stage with an understanding of life at its most basic level. This includes cellular transport, respiration, photosynthesis, and cellular division. Then, students will explore genetics and heredity by delving into DNA, protein synthesis, and types of inheritance. Scientific discoveries and their influence on modern biology will be integrated regularly.

Periodic lab activities will give the students an opportunity to apply what they have learned in class. By applying the concepts and ideas learned in lecture, the student can achieve a thorough understanding of the material.

Honors Biology Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Discipline recommendation The primary focus of this course is to enhance student’s understanding of biological organisms and systems. The course will begin with an overview of the nature of life and the chemistry of life. It will continue with an examination on the cellular stage with an understanding of life at its most basic level. This includes an in-depth analysis of cellular homeostasis and communication, cellular differentiation, photosynthesis, and cellular division. Then, students will explore genetics and heredity by delving deep into DNA, protein synthesis, and types of inheritance.

Scientific discoveries and their influence on modern biology will be integrated regularly. This course is taught at a rigorous pace. Periodic lab activities will give the students an opportunity to apply what they have learned in class. By applying the concepts and ideas learned in lecture, the student can achieve a thorough understanding of the material.

Chemistry Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Biology The primary focus of this course is to examine the relationship between the structure of matter and its properties. The course begins with the presentation of basic chemical terminology followed by a review of basic problem-solving techniques and the International System of Measurement. Following this, topics to be covered include atomic structure, chemical names and formulas, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, types of matter, chemical periodicity, bonding, reaction rates and chemical equilibrium, thermodynamics, solutions, acids and bases as well as oxidation-reduction reactions.

The instructor will lead students to investigate consumer chemistry, environmental topics and the relationship between science and technology. Current events in science will be discussed as they arise.

Honors Chemistry Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Biology and discipline recommendation A rigorous survey of chemical principles, examining the relationship between the structure of matter and its properties. The course begins with a look at the historical development of the subject followed by basic chemical terminology, problem solving skills and the study of the International System of measurements.

The course will include the study of the structure of the atom, the periodic table and periodic properties, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, quantitative study involving the mole and stoichiometry, energy changes involved during a chemical reaction, properties of gases and the gas laws, solutions and colligative properties, rates of reactions, chemical equilibrium and acids and bases. Inquiry based activities and laboratory work will be used to introduce, reinforce and

apply the concepts. This course emphasizes critical thinking, data analysis and problem solving.

Current events will be discussed on an ongoing basis.

Physics Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Chemistry Physics Modeling utilizes the modeling method of instruction, which engages students in understanding the physical world by constructing and using scientific models to describe, explain, predict, and control physical phenomena. The course provides students with basic conceptual tools for modeling physical objects and processes, including mathematical, graphical and diagrammatic representations. This is not a traditional lecture-based course; instead, it focuses on hands-on learning and collaborative experimental work. Students are guided through inquiry and roundtable discussions utilizing the Socratic Method to understand the world around them. Topics including Newtonian Mechanics, Waves, and Electromagnetism are included in the curriculum.

AP Chemistry Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry and discipline recommendation AP Chemistry is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first year of college. Students will develop a deep understanding and applications of core chemical concepts. This course is structured around the six big idea topics outlined in the AP Chemistry curriculum. These topics include: structure of matter, properties of matter, chemical reactions, rates of chemical reaction, thermodynamics and equilibrium. Analytical and problem solving skills will be emphasized in every aspect of the course. Technology in the form of data logging software and the use of different probes as well as computer simulations will be incorporated. Laboratory skills is an integral part of this course; a special emphasis will be placed on the seven science practices. Students may take the AP Chemistry exam at the end of the year.

AP Physics 1 Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Chemistry and discipline recommendation AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course. Students cultivate their understanding of physics through inquiry-based investigations as they explore these topics: kinematics, dynamics, circular motion and gravitation, energy, momentum, simple harmonic motion, torque and rotational motion, electric charge and electric force, simple circuits, and mechanical waves and sound. The course also includes hands-on laboratory work, which provides students with opportunities to demonstrate the foundational physics principles and apply all science practices. Students seeking AP credit will take the AP Physics 1 examination at the end of this course.

AP Physics C: Mechanics Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: AP Physics 1 AP Physics C is a one-year, calculus-based, college level physics course, especially appropriate for students planning to specialize or major in one of the physical sciences or engineering.

Students cultivate their understanding of physics through classroom instruction and activities, as well as hands-on laboratory work as they explore kinematics, Newton’s laws of motion, work, energy, momentum, circular motion and rotation. The course will utilize guided inquiry and student-centered learning to foster the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills. Students will take the AP Chemistry C exam at the end of the year.

AP Environmental Science Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Chemistry Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary science involving the study of the connections and interactions between humans and the rest of nature. This course provides an overview of general concepts, theoretical principles, and analytical techniques for investigating environmental systems. Students will be able to identify and analyze natural and human-induced environmental concerns as well as suggest and rationalize solutions to reduce and prevent them. Laboratory investigations will include those suggested for Advanced Placement Environmental Science as well as for IB Environmental Systems. Overarching themes will include energy transfer, interactions, and sustainability. The course will cover ecosystems, biodiversity, populations, earth systems, resource use, energy sources, pollution, and environmental policy. Students will be better prepared to solve the pressing social and environmental issues they will face in their lifetimes.

AT Marine Science Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th grade Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Chemistry This is a one-year course designed to introduce students to the applications of geology, chemistry, and physics to marine science principles. Students will examine the geological processes associated with ocean basins and plate tectonics, as well as in-depth study of waves, tides, currents, and thermohaline circulation. The course will also explore the interactions between the atmosphere and ocean, focusing on ocean acidification, hurricane formation, El Nino and La Nina events, and potential impacts of climate change on environmental systems and human communities. The course is based in hands-on field and laboratory work, which will require trips to local coastal ecosystems, research labs, and data collection in the field.

Individual and group presentations will be integral in all aspects of the course and all students are required to submit a capstone project focusing on an area of interest in the oceanographic field.

AT Genetics and Genomics Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th grade Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Chemistry Genetics and Genomics is a one year integrated science course that links biological concepts learned in 9th grade with chemical concepts from 10th grade. A genomics-centered approach is used to introduce students to fundamental molecular genetics topics, which includes: DNA structure, DNA function, transcription, translation, cloning, gene and DNA sequencing. Since genomics is a rapidly-changing field, concepts will be introduced through journal articles, database research and analysis, and hands-on experiments. Laboratory skills, techniques, and the latest methodologies used in genomic analysis will be an integral part of this course.

Students will learn principles and practice DNA isolation and purification, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gene cloning, gene and genomics sequencing, and will be introduced to bioinformatics and comparative genomics. This course will develop student’s analytical, critical thinking, and research skills, and will allow students to explore the connection between ethics and science and the role it plays in our society.

IB Biology HL Graduation Credit: 2 Grade Level: 11th and 12th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Chemistry and discipline recommendation This two-year IB Biology HL course is designed to follow the objectives of the International Baccalaureate Program for the Group 4 Experimental Sciences. Students will develop a broad understanding of the principles of the subject and will explore applications of biological sciences to current events and questions. The course covers six core topics: cells, molecular biology, genetics, ecology, evolution and biodiversity, human physiology, and one of four optional topics in either neurobiology, biotechnology, conservation, or human physiology. Students in the higher level course will also complete 5 additional units, which expand upon the core topics in greater depth and detail.

Students will complete a minimum of 220 hours of laboratory and classroom time across the seven core topics and 10 hours of independent investigation to be assessed by the IB organization, as well as a team-based Group 4 Project performed in conjunction with students

from IB Chemistry, IB Marine Science, IB Environmental Systems, IB Design Technology, and IB Physics. Students who complete both I and II HL may take an IB exam in May of their Senior year.

IB Chemistry SL Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th Graduation Requirement: Science Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry IB Chemistry SL is a one-year course for students who have completed Honors Accelerated Chemistry in tenth grade. This course prepares the students to take the IB Chemistry SL exam at the end of the eleventh grade year. The IB Chemistry SL course includes the essential principles of the subject (core topics) as well as the study of an “Option”. Core topics include: stoichiometric relationships, atomic structure, chemical bonding and structure, thermochemistry, chemical kinetics, equilibrium, acid and base chemistry, electrochemistry and organic chemistry. To enrich the understanding and application of core chemistry topics, each year, students will have the option of studying either biochemistry or medicinal chemistry.

Chemistry is an experimental science and laboratory work is an essential part of the course.

Analytical and problem solving skills are emphasized in every aspect of the course. Technology in the form of data logging software, the use of different probes, computer simulations and data bases are incorporated. During the second semester, 10 hours of independent investigation will be carried out individually by each student and will be assessed according to the IB Curriculum Guidelines. Students will participate in a Group 4 project that emphasizes team effort and effective communication skills. Students seeking IB credit will take the IB Chemistry SL exam in May of their junior year.

WORLD LANGUAGES The world languages program at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, which includes French, Spanish and Mandarin (1-12), promotes an understanding of our global interdependence. In our multicultural world, the school strives to prepare our students to take an active role in shaping the world by implementing our Sacred Heart values.

Cultural immersion and student exchange programs within our international network of schools foster a sense of global interaction. All world language classes promote the Goals and Criteria of Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart.

Our program is committed to integrating technological advances. The use of audiovisual materials, digital resources, and computer software help the students develop the acquisition of the target language; beyond the classroom experience increase their multicultural awareness.

We at Carrollton believe that students with multilingual skills have access to broader reasoning abilities and can be more creative in expanding critical thinking. We also recognize that having a second or third language gives Carrollton’s graduates a competitive advantage in their future opportunities.

French I Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: None This course is an introduction to the French language and culture using a multimedia approach.

The most important purpose of the course is to provide students with the tools and the confidence to express themselves in a new language. This focus on communicative competence is an integral part of every aspect of the course so that students completing it will be able to use each of the four language skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. The language will be presented in a wide range of topics. In order to develop more advanced writing skills and critical analysis, emphasis will be placed on writing and oral. French is always spoken in class. Students will build a foundation for communicating in French and an understanding of various French customs and culture. Students will use technological resources as tools to enhance the curriculum and engage different learning styles.

French II Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: French I or equivalent Students will learn how to express themselves in a more creative way. They will be able to converse giving more details and descriptions, including simple comparisons. They will express themselves in basic narration in the past, present, and future tenses. They will be comfortable expressing their personal wishes and needs. They will continue to attain proficiency in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. The language will be presented in a wide range of topics. French is always spoken in class. Students will build a foundation for communication in French and an understanding of various French customs and culture.

Honors French III Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: French II or equivalent This course is designed to develop proficiency in French, emphasizing the four major language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will be exposed to communicative functions and cultural information necessary to communicate in authentic French about a variety of situations. The language will be presented in a wide range of topics. In order to develop more advanced writing skills and critical analysis, emphasis will be placed on writing and oral. French is always spoken in class. Students will build a foundation for communicating in French and an understanding of various French customs and culture. Students will use technological resources as tools to enhance the curriculum and engage different learning styles.

Honors French IV Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors French III or equivalent This course is designed to develop proficiency in French, emphasizing the four major language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. In each unit of their textbook, students review and are exposed to communicative functions, vocabulary, structures and cultural information necessary to communicate in authentic French about a variety of everyday situations. In order to develop more advanced writing skills and critical analysis, emphasis will be put on the writing sections of each unit. Students learn to write (compositions, résumés). French texts (stories, poems, excerpts from plays, and novels) are studied. French is spoken at all times in class.

Students will use technology (overhead projection, audio, multimedia software, and Internet) as tools to enhance their learning.

AP French Language and Culture Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors French IV or equivalent and discipline recommendation This course enhances students’ proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students in this class will be exposed to a broad selection of reading material (literary texts, newspaper articles, magazines articles, comic strips and advertisements) in order to increase their vocabulary and their comprehension of passages that vary in terms of genre, content, length and register. The grammar portion will be a review of the grammatical structures studied in past courses to improve oral and written expression. Class discussions on general topics and oral presentations will prepare students to speak spontaneously and accurately.

Recorded materials, oral reports and films will be used to facilitate the students’ oral discrimination and their ability to understand facts and ideas presented orally on a variety of topics. Students will be trained to create a variety of texts, selecting the appropriate form and language to suit the purpose and the audience. Interactive activities and Internet research will reinforce and enrich the textbook lessons. French is always spoken in class. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Examination. Students seeking AP credit are required to register and will take the exam in May.

AT French Contemporary Culture and Communication Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors French IV or equivalent and discipline recommendation This is an advanced language acquisition course for students with a background and interest in French. Its objectives are that students understand and use language to express and respond to a range of ideas with accuracy and fluency. While acquiring French language skills, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it. Through the study of different topics students will expand their receptive, productive and interactive skills. Students will be trained to create a variety of texts, selecting the appropriate form and language to suit the purpose and the audience.

Interactive activities and Internet research will reinforce and enrich the lessons. French is always spoken in class.

IB French SL Graduation Credit: 2 Grade Level: 11th and12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors French IV or equivalent and discipline recommendation The IB Language B courses provides students with the opportunity to develop an additional language and to promote an understanding of other cultures through the study of language.

Language B is designed for students who possess a degree of knowledge and experience in the target language. While acquiring the language, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it. Different topics will be covered: Identity, Experiences, Human ingenuity, Social organization, and Environment; students will expand their receptive, productive and interactive skills. French is always spoken in class. Students will be assessed by the IB through reading and listening comprehension, individual oral, and written assignments. Students seeking IB credit will take the IB exam in May Senior year.

IB French HL Graduation Credit: 2 Grade Level: 11th and 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors French IV or equivalent and discipline recommendation This is an advanced language acquisition course for students with a background and interest in French. Its objectives are that students understand and use language to express and respond to a range of ideas with accuracy and fluency. While acquiring French language skills, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it. Through the study of different topics: Identity, Experiences, Human ingenuity, Social organization, and Environment students will expand their receptive, productive and interactive skills. Students will also be required to read a minimum of two works of literature. French is always spoken in class. Students will be assessed by the IB through an individual oral based on literary excerpts from literary books, a written and listening comprehension and a written assignment. Students seeking IB credit will take the IB exam in May of their Senior year.

IB French A: Language and Literature HL Graduation Requirement: 2 Grade Level: 11th & 12th Grades Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Discipline recommendation This course is designed for students with at least four previous years of the language. It is designed to develop proficiency in French, emphasizing the four major language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing according to Level C1 from the MCER (European framework of reference for languages). Students enrolled in this course may earn an International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma. This advanced French language and literature course require that a student read and analyze texts chosen from a variety of sources, genres, and media. A key aim of this course is to encourage students to question the meaning generated by language and texts. This course develops the student’s skills of textual analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Students will be assessed through in-class oral activities, an oral commentary, and written work.

French is always spoken in class. In addition, students seeking IB credit will take the IB exam in May of their Senior year.

Honors Mandarin III Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Mandarin II or the equivalent This course is the continuation of Mandarin I and II. It is designed for students who are the high achievers in the Mandarin I and II courses. Students who enroll in this class need to have a solid fundamental knowledge of basic Mandarin Chinese. The class emphasizes on continuing to develop the students’ communicative competence (listening, speaking, reading, and writing plus typing skills) in Chinese. Students will practice, experience, and review the daily dialogues spoken and different topics in a immersed Chinese-speaking environment. They are expected to carry out simple conversations on a range of topics by using Mandarin Chinese. In addition, students also need to focus on building up basic vocabulary and sentence patterns and having formal training in Chinese reading and writing skills. All students are expected to fully participate in the discussion session by using Mandarin Chinese.

Honors Mandarin IV Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Mandarin III or the equivalent This course is a continuation of Honors Mandarin III. It is designed for students who have some degree of fluency in spoken and some basic formal training on reading and writing Mandarin Chinese with an emphasis on continuing developing the students’ communicative competence (listening, speaking, reading, writing and typing skills) and real-life application in Chinese.

Students will learn to express ideas orally using appropriate Mandarin Chinese. Students will also learn to use proper grammar and sentence structures verbally and in writing. In addition, students need to continue focusing on building up vocabulary and sentence patterns, reading and writing some simple articles in Chinese and demonstrate knowledge of Chinese Culture, customs, history and geography. All students are expected to fully participate in the discussion session by using Mandarin Chinese.

Intermediate Chinese Conversation Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Mandarin II or the equivalent This course builds on the foundation (intermediate low) that students have gained through prior Chinese coursework, with a focus on improving oral expression. Classes take the form of presentations, discussions, debates, and other activities designed to strengthen both extemporaneous and prepared speaking ability. It concentrates on the further development of skills in speaking and listening through multimedia materials (including selected movies and clips). Students are required to read chosen texts (including Internet materials and short stories) and prepare assignments for the purpose of generating discussion in class. The class is conducted entirely in Chinese. Students will learn commonly used words and expressions and key sentences through situational conversations on the most important aspects of everyday life.

This class will emphasize the improvement of spoken language skills and help students actively engage in constant meaningful communication within various contexts in Mandarin.

AT Advanced Mandarin Conversation Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors Mandarin IV or the equivalent This course builds on the foundation that students have gained through prior Chinese coursework, with a focus on improving oral expression. Classes take the form of presentations, discussions, debates, and other activities designed to strengthen both extemporaneous and prepared speaking ability. It concentrates on the further development of skills in speaking and listening through multimedia materials (including selected movies and clips). Students are required to read chosen texts (including Internet materials and short stories) and prepare assignments for the purpose of generating discussion in class. The class is conducted entirely in Chinese. Students will learn commonly used words and expressions and key sentences thorough situational conversations on the most important aspects of everyday life. This class will emphasize the improvement of spoken language skills and help students actively engage in constant meaningful communication within various contexts in Mandarin.

AT Mandarin Chinese for Business Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors Mandarin IV or the equivalent This course requires a basic knowledge of Mandarin Chinese. Take the next step in learning Mandarin Chinese and expand the language skills so you can effectively communicate in Chinese business. This course will learn common phrases and scenarios of business and negotiation in Chinese speaking countries. And will also learn about Chinese business culture and etiquette and the needs of businessmen and women.

IB Mandarin B SL Full Year: 1 Grade Level: 11th & 12th Grade Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Mandarin IV or the equivalent This is a language acquisition course for students with a solid/low advanced background in Mandarin. While acquiring the language, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it. It is designed to introduce students to learning and using Mandarin Chinese and develop a variety of linguistic skills and awareness of Chinese culture using the language. This course will emphasize the communication ability and cultural awareness necessary to interact in everyday social situations to empower students for future work, study, or travel using the language. While studying the language, students also explore Chinese culture with it. Intercultural understanding and plurilingualism are key goals of the course. The range of purposes and situations for using Mandarin in this course extends well beyond communicating and interacting in everyday social situations. It is organized into three themes: communication and media, lifestyle, and social relationships. customs and traditions, leisure, and global issues. Students will be assessed by the IB through interactive oral activities, an individual oral and written assignment. Students seeking IB credit will take the IB exam in May of their senior year.

Spanish II Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th to 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: None This course is designed for students with one or two years of the language. This course teaches basic language patterns and vocabulary. Repetition and comprehensible input are important components of this course. Focus is on all four-language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing to provide communication. Culture is an integral part of the course and is introduced with media, games, adapted readings and class discussions. In addition to written tests and quizzes, students may also be assessed by means of aural activities. Homework assignments are an integral part of this course; they reinforce concepts/skills introduced and explored in class, which enable students to participate in class in a meaningful way.

Active participation is required.

Honors Spanish III Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th to 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Spanish II or equivalent This course is designed for students with two or three years of the language. This course teaches intermediate language patterns, grammar concepts and vocabulary. Repetition, individual production and comprehensible input are important components of this course.

Focus is on all four-language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing to improve communication techniques. Culture and contemporary issues are an integral part of the course and are introduced with media, games, readings, class discussions and projects. In addition to written tests and quizzes, students will also be assessed by means of oral and practical activities. Homework assignments are an integral part of this course; they reinforce concepts/skills studied and explored in class, which enable students to participate in class in a meaningful way. Active and consistent participation is required. Spanish is always spoken in class. Students will build a foundation for communicating in Spanish and an understanding of various Spanish customs and culture. Students will use technological resources as tools to enhance the curriculum and engage different learning styles.

Honors Spanish IV: Grammar in Context Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Spanish III or equivalent and discipline recommendation This course aims to increase vocabulary and to reinforce the major grammatical concepts necessary at the advanced level in order to enhance effective communication skills. It also emphasizes the transition between the formal study of grammar and an emphasis on reading comprehension and basic writing in Spanish. Through literary readings of different Latin American and Spanish authors, the student will improve their ability to read and comprehend authentic Spanish language texts. The grammar in each chapter may be paired with literary themes in a meaningful way to generate classroom discussion. The course is geared toward developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills using individual, paired and group activities. These activities, which may be oral, written or Internet-based, serve to enhance language acquisition, usage, and knowledge of the literature and customs of the Spanish-Speaking World.

Honors Spanish V: Language in Context Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors Spanish IV or equivalent and discipline recommendation This course is designed for students with at least four previous years of the language with a proven mastery of advanced grammar. It aims to increase vocabulary and to reinforce the advanced grammatical and semantic concepts according to Level B1.2 from the MCER (European framework of reference for languages). This course will develop students’ knowledge, and understanding of the societies and cultures of Spain and Latin America; it will enhance the practical listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, emphasizing communication and listening.Reading at an advanced level will consist of a variety of literary fragments and poems from Hispanic authors to consolidate comprehension and literature appreciation. Writing skills will be reinforced to include personal narratives with an emphasis on grammar mastery, which will be an integral aspect of the course. The use of the target language is a must at all times.

AP Spanish Language and Culture Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors Spanish IV or equivalent and discipline recommendation The course focuses on the integration of authentic resources including online print, audio, and audiovisual resources, as well as traditional print resources that include literature, essays, and magazine and newspaper articles with the goal of providing a rich, diverse learning experience.

Students communicate using rich, advanced vocabulary and linguistic structures as they build proficiency in all modes of communication toward the European Framework of Reference for Languages (EFRL). Students may register and take the AP Exam in May.

AP Spanish Literature and Culture Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: AP Spanish Language and discipline recommendation This course is designed for students with at least four previous years of the language with a proven mastery of advanced grammar and language usage. The AP Literature course aims to understand culture through Literature focuses on the development of the main literary periods in Spain and Latin American, from medieval times to the 20th Century, and to the present time, according to Level B2 from the MCER (European framework of reference for languages).Through readings, analysis, questions and activities, this course continuously emphasizes how literary texts reflect their times as well as their cultural period and how they are related to other cultural manifestations. The deep study of these periods in literature and the study of different genres in Spanish will help students to understand the styles and views of the writers. selections of major famous authors are ordered around six universal themes: “Sociedad en contacto”, “Creación literaria”, “Construcción del género”, “Relaciones interpersonales”, “Dualidad del ser” and “El tiempo y el espacio”.Special emphasis is placed on the contemporary narrative and the study and analysis of poetry. Writing about literature includes six types of essays most commonly required in literature: expository, textual analysis, definition, comparison, cultural study, and research. At the end of this course, students may register to take the AP Exam in May. The use of the target language is a must at all times.

AT Spanish Contemporary Culture and Communication Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Honors Spanish IV or Equivalent This course gives students the opportunity to reach a high degree of competence in the language and explore the cultures using the language. The range of purposes and situations for which and in which the language is used extends well beyond to develop and improve the four main skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing, to the domains of work, social relationships, and the discussion of abstract ideas, for example. The types of language needed for these purposes and situations are more refined. Students will discuss, comment, debate, analyze, reflex and create professional and personal, advanced text formats.

AT Spanish: Language Through Culture Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th-12th Graduation Requirement: Spanish Prerequisite: Honors Spanish IV or equivalent and discipline recommendation This course is designed for students with at least four previous years of the language who need to further strengthen reading comprehension and communicative skills. It aims to increase vocabulary communication skills according to Level B1.2 from the MCER (European framework of reference for languages). The main focus of this course is to reinforce reading comprehension, oral/listening and writing skills through an introductory study of Hispanic cultures. This course is designed around original texts and readings, as well as projects, that enhance the students’ oral communication and reading comprehension, while also developing their research and critical thinking skills. Homework assignments and regular assessments are an integral part of this course as they check for mastery. Active participation and effort are strongly required. The use of the target language is a must at all times.

AT Spanish: From Novel to Film Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12th Graduation Requirement: Spanish Prerequisite: AP Spanish Language or IB Spanish B SL This interdisciplinary course seeks to review and analyze the complexity and richness of Latin American culture and history using Novels & Films as a vehicle to facilitate students ́ understanding. The material selected will provide social, historical and ideological frameworks to study the changes, which have taken place in contemporary Latin America. The readings, discussions and writing in this course will center on a series of Hispanic Novels into films chosen for their cultural, historical and artistic value. Students will read scenarios, source material or summaries of the films and will discuss and write about characterization, plot, themes, and geographical and cultural aspects. Cinema of the 21st Century is a tool as an artistic medium and as a document of society change. Some novels / films to analyze may include works by Marquez, Allende, Esquivel, Borges, Galeano, Neruda, Laforet, among others.

IB Spanish SL Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th – 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Two years of Spanish and Discipline recommendation This course is designed for students with at least four previous years of the language with a proven mastery of advanced grammar and language usage, according to Level B2 from the MCER (European framework of reference for languages). The IB Language B courses provide students with the opportunity to develop an additional language and to promote an understanding of other cultures through the study of language. Language B is designed for students who possess a degree of knowledge and experience in the target language. While acquiring the language skills, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it. Different topics will be covered: Identity, Experiences, Human ingenuity, Social organization, and Environment; students will expand their receptive, productive, and interactive skills. Spanish is spoken at all times in class. Students will be assessed by the IB through reading and listening comprehension, individual oral, and written assignments. Students seeking IB credit will take the IB exam in May of their Junior (1year) or Senior year (2 years course). The use of the target language is a must at all times.

IB Spanish HL Graduation Credit: 2 Grade Level: 11th & 12th Grade Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: Two years of Spanish and discipline recommendation This course is designed for students with at least four previous years of the language with a proven mastery of advanced grammar and language usage, according to Level B2.1 from the MCER (European framework of reference for languages). This is an advanced language acquisition course for students with a background and interest in Spanish. Its objectives are that students understand and use language to express and respond to a range of ideas with accuracy and fluency. While acquiring language skills, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it.

This Course combines Language and Literature; Through the study of different topics: Identity, Experiences, Human ingenuity, Social organization, and Environment students will expand their receptive, productive, and interactive skills. Students will also be required to analyze literature through two required literature works. Students will be assessed by the IB through an individual oral test based on literary excerpts from the books, a written and listening comprehension, and

a written assignment. Students seeking IB credit will take the IB exam in May of their Senior year. The use of the target language is a must at all times.

IB Spanish A: Language and Literature HL Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th & 12th Graduation Requirement: World Language Prerequisite: AP Spanish Literature and Culture and Discipline recommendation This course is designed for students with at least four previous years of the language with a proven mastery of advanced grammar and language usage, according to Level C1 from the MCER (European framework of reference for languages). Students enrolled in this course may earn an International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma. The course aims to develop students' skills of textual analysis and the understanding that texts, both literary and non-literary, can be seen as autonomous yet simultaneously related to culturally determined reading practices. An understanding of the ways in which formal elements are used to create meaning in a text is combined with an exploration of how that meaning is affected by reading practices that are culturally defined and by the circumstances of production and reception. Students seeking IB credit will take the IB exam in May of their senior year. The use of the target language is a must at all times.

PERFORMING ARTS acting, singing, and dancing skills at every grade level. They are led by passionate practitioners of the Performing Arts who guide students in understanding the connection between the arts and Sacred Heart values. These include the aesthetic, social, emotional, and spiritual development of each student.

The primary goal of the program is to present a sequential and inclusive curriculum that enables students to explore an array of artistic ideas, performance skills, and creative expression. As students progress through each grade level, they have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument or to develop singing skills, to participate in stage performances, and to develop their creative imaginations. Our most advanced students excel in a particular discipline in the Performing Arts, receiving distinctions and honors as actors, dancers, and musicians.

The beauty of the Carrollton campus provides an inspiring backdrop for the Performing Arts, including the state-of-the-art capabilities of the Maria Dolores and Maurice R. Ferré Convocation Center. The Convocation Center hosts two theater productions per year, including our annual Spring Musical, our Advent Music Services, Dance Recitals, Spring Concerts, and Talent Show.

Introduction to Dance Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: State of Florida Physical Education or Visual & Performing Arts Elective Prerequisite: No dance experience required In this class, you will be introduced to two different genres of dance. Students will learn the basic vocabulary, movement, and history of Ballet and Jazz. Students will learn how to stretch and memorize small dances.

Advanced Dance Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Arts Elective Prerequisite: Introduction to Dance and/or dance experience required In this class, students learn about the history, background information, and the famous innovators of different genres of dance. Dance is both a physical and a mental discipline. Being able to connect the “why” in technique and choreography is an excellent part of becoming a well-rounded dancer.

Honors Dance Kinesiology Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Arts or Physical Education Requirement Elective Prerequisite: Experienced dancers with 5+ years of training, Dance Team Member, Advanced Dance, IB Dance Dance Kinesiology is offered to help experienced dancers familiarize themselves with the science behind their body movement. The students will learn how to keep their bodies healthy while training, and through nutrition and injury prevention lessons. Throughout the course the students will bring their knowledge to life by physically applying the information they learn to stretching, conditioning, Pilates, and Progressive Ballet Technique.

IB Dance SL Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Arts Elective Prerequisite: Dance or equivalent The IB Program dance curriculum aims for a holistic approach to dance and embraces a variety of dance traditions and dance cultures, past, present and the future. Performance, creative, and analytical skills are mutually developed and valued whether the students are writing papers or creating/performing dances. Students who wish to pursue the IB Diploma Program are required to have significant prior experience in dance.

Introduction to Music Theory Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: None Intro to Music Theory provides students with the opportunity to learn and apply musical concepts by practicing aural identification, reading standard notation, and writing music.

Students will develop listening skills like identifying intervals, chord qualities, meters, phrases, cadences, and musical forms. Writing skills will include exercises with scales, keys, rhythms, and meters, as well as writing original folk, blues, and popular songs. Reading skills will include site reading standard music notation and applying music reading skills to phrase analysis and identifying the musical form present in a score.

Music Appreciation Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: None Students will learn to trace the historical musical trends which have shaped the sounds of their favorite songs and musical artists. The course will begin with an exploration of the historical, social, cultural, and musical impact of the Blues on Contemporary Music. Students will choose

an instrument and participate in a solo mid-term in-class performance and a final in-class performance. These performances will consist in performing a song, or an instrumental work for the class.

Musical Theater Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Arts Prerequisite: None The Musical Theatre course focuses on developing singing, acting, and dancing skills in a variety of musical theater genres from Vaudeville to today’s Broadway shows. Students will gain an understanding of how to communicate a story through vocal and physical expression. They will also work on characterization skills in order to bring a musical number to life. This course will help students to overcome stage fright and build confidence as they workshop pieces and prepare them for in-class performances.

Honors Choir Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Arts Elective Prerequisite: One year in Upper School Choir The Honors Choir is for advanced singers who have participated in the US Choir for one year and who successfully passed an audition. Students will work on ensemble vocal techniques and advanced musicianship skills during class, as well as learning and rehearsing small ensemble arrangements. Honor Choir students will serve as section leaders in the US Choir and will be required to attend US Choir rehearsals to successfully complete the course. The Honor Choir will perform on multiple occasions throughout the year, both locally and nationally. Students will need to be able to travel and attend weekend performance events and competitions. The Honor Choir will perform advanced vocal ensemble repertoire, including contemporary and traditional a capella, classical, and sacred music.

AP Music Theory Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Arts Elective Prerequisite: Prospective students should be able to read and write music notation and have basic performance skills with voice or an instrument.

The AP Music Theory course provides students with an opportunity to develop advanced musicianship skills, which are essential to pursue more specialized topics in music like advanced vocal or instrumental performance, music production, and music composition. Skills covered include recognizing melodic and rhythmic patterns by ear, site-reading and transcribing, analyzing scores using symbols and formal analysis, and an introduction to Common Practice tonal music composition.

Senior Recital –Independent Study Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 12th Grade Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Arts Elective Prerequisite: AP Music Theory or equivalent level of musicianship Senior Recital is an independent study course for seniors who want to showcase their talents as a musician. Students will receive coaching in preparation for a solo instrumental or vocal recital.

Students will be assisted in producing a professional video of their recording, which they can upload with their college application. To successfully complete the course, students will present a recital program for approval of the music department and complete a public solo recital on the Carrollton campus during the academic year that they are enrolled in the course.

Introduction to Drama Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th—12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: None Introduction to Drama is designed to take the student from the rudimentary elements of characterization to participation in a full-scale production. Through the use of improvisations,

training exercises, applied knowledge exercises, and rehearsed skits, students will learn to approach the stage as a blank slate on which to create varied and distinct beings. Focusing on character development, the course will challenge students to form complex, multi-dimensional characterizations.

IB Theater SL Graduation Credit: 2 Grade Level: 11th & 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: None Theatre is a dynamic, collaborative and live art form. It is a practical subject that encourages discovery through experimentation, the taking of risks and the presentation of ideas to others.

It results in the development of both theater and life skills; the building of confidence, creativity and working collaboratively.

The IB Diploma Program theater course is a multifaceted theater-making course of study. It gives students the opportunity to make theater as creators, designers, directors and performers.

It emphasizes the importance of working both individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble. It offers the opportunity to engage actively in the creative process, transforming ideas into action as inquisitive and productive artists.

Students experience the course from contrasting artistic perspectives. They learn to apply research and theory to inform and to contextualize their work. The theater course encourages students to appreciate that through the processes of researching, creating, preparing, presenting and critically reflecting on theater— as participants and audience members—they gain a richer understanding of themselves, their community and the world.

Through the study of theater, students become aware of their own personal and cultural perspectives, developing an appreciation of the diversity of theater practices, their processes and their modes of presentation. It enables students to discover and engage with different forms of theater across time, place and culture and promotes international-mindedness.

Students explore the beginnings of theater in Ancient Greece, and work their way through to the Renaissance. Along the way, students will gain an understanding of how these traditions shaped theater into what it is today. Students begin to develop their own creations as they work individually and collaboratively. By completing portfolios and recordings, students become more

seasoned theater practitioners as they envision work from the perspective of a director, designer, performer, and creator.

IB Theater HL Graduation Credit: 2 Grade Level: 11th & 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: None Theatre is a dynamic, collaborative and live art form. It is a practical subject that encourages discovery through experimentation, the taking of risks and the presentation of ideas to others.

It results in the development of both theater and life skills; the building of confidence, creativity and working collaboratively.

The IB Diploma Program theater course is a multifaceted theater-making course of study. It gives students the opportunity to make theater as creators, designers, directors and performers.

It emphasizes the importance of working both individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble. It offers the opportunity to engage actively in the creative process, transforming ideas into action as inquisitive and productive artists.

Students experience the course from contrasting artistic perspectives. They learn to apply research and theory to inform and to contextualize their work. The theater course encourages students to appreciate that through the processes of researching, creating, preparing, presenting and critically reflecting on theater— as participants and audience members—they gain a richer understanding of themselves, their community and the world.

Through the study of theater, students become aware of their own personal and cultural perspectives, developing an appreciation of the diversity of theater practices, their processes and their modes of presentation. It enables students to discover and engage with different forms of theater across time, place and culture and promotes international-mindedness.

Students explore the beginnings of theater in Ancient Greece, and work their way through to the Renaissance. Along the way, students will gain an understanding of how these traditions shaped theater into what it is today. Students begin to develop their own creations as they work individually and collaboratively. By completing portfolios and recordings, students become more seasoned theater practitioners as they envision work from the perspective of a director, designer, performer, and creator.

Music Ensembles Graduation Credit: .5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Arts Elective Prerequisite: Audition The Upper School Music Ensembles (Choir, String Ensemble, Wind Ensemble) are for students who want to develop their vocal or instrumental music skills in an ensemble setting, participating in three rehearsals per week, preparing for and participating in concert performances. Music ensemble students will develop as musicians by building a challenging repertoire. Students who are active members of an Upper School Music Ensemble for one year will receive a half credit in fulfillment of the Visual & Performing Arts elective requirement.

Choir “The voice sits between the head and the heart.” Choir is the vocal ensemble for Upper School students who want to be part of a dedicated group who shares the joy of singing with each other and the wider community. Each student in Choir makes a commitment to continuously develop as a vocal performer and as a member of a team, preparing for concerts through consistent attendance at rehearsals. Skills developed will include vocal projection and resonance, tuning one’s voice with others, reading a vocal score, and interpreting various styles of music. Choir students will gain confidence as performers through participation in school concerts and liturgies, special events, and solo and ensemble competitions. In addition, Choir students will develop as musicians by building a challenging repertoire.

String Ensemble The objective of the String Ensemble is to promote a high level of proficiency on various instruments including the violin, viola, and cello in a collaborative learning environment.

Membership in the ensemble provides performance opportunities in chamber groups and collaboration with the Wind Ensemble and Choir. Students learn rehearsal techniques and etiquette and work to achieve uniform sound within sections. Rehearsals support students' understanding of the score and how its parts fit together as well as focus on how to understand and respond to conductor cues. Students develop their instrumental technique by building a repertoire of challenging works. The ensemble performs for the Advent Lessons and Carols Prayer Service, Spring Arts Showcase as well as other events throughout the year.

Wind Ensemble The objective of the Wind Ensemble is to promote a high level of proficiency on various wind instruments in a collaborative learning environment. Ensemble placement and part assignments are determined by audition on a rotating basis throughout the year.

Students will learn to comfortably perform as both soloists and section members. While building a repertoire of challenging works, students will learn the importance of good intonation, balance between melodic and accompaniment lines, rhythmic accuracy, and tone color blend. Membership in the ensemble provides performance opportunities in chamber groups and collaboration with the String Ensemble and Choir. The ensemble performs for the Advent Lessons and Carols Prayer Service, Spring Arts Showcase, as well as other events throughout the year.

ROBOTICS, ENGINEERING, AND COMPUTER SCIENCE (RECS) The Robotics, Engineering, and Computer Science (RECS) discipline inspires students to think analytically and logically, to learn how things work and to innovate ethically. Through project-based learning with an emphasis on solving problems and collaboration, students are motivated to broaden their skill set to include entrepreneurship and nurture their creativity to design solutions for social and local benefit.

Students are encouraged to recognize and understand the effect of technology and design on diverse cultures, societies, economies, politics, and the environment. Through responsible technological independence, students will develop and maintain their digital literacy, consciousness of privacy, and their understanding of cloud computing, social media, and networking services.

Engineering: Computer Aided Design with Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing Techniques I Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th-12th Graduation Requirement: Practical Art, Elective Prerequisite: None This course provides a basic understanding of engineering design using different manufacturing techniques. It emphasizes graphic modeling including computer-aided design (CAD) with an industry-standard software, Autodesk Fusion 360. Additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques will be explored including but not limited to 3D printing (fused deposition modeling, FDM, and stereolithography, SLA), laser cutting, and computer numeric controlled (CNC) routing. Students will develop critical thinking and design skills that can be applied practically.

Students will have access to ample use of Carrollton’s Makerspace and Innovation spaces. They will also learn to use the design process in order to analyze problems, develop solutions, and test and evaluate solutions.

Engineering: Computer Aided Design with Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing Techniques II Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9-12 Graduation Requirement: Practical Art, Elective Prerequisite: Engineering: CAD I This course gives students the opportunity to further advance their skills in computer-aided design (CAD) and manufacturing. They will continue to learn different tools in the industry-standard software, Autodesk Fusion 360. Additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques will continue to be explored including but not limited to 3D printing (fused deposition modeling, FDM, and stereolithography, SLA), laser cutting, and computer numeric controlled (CNC) routing. Students will develop critical thinking and design skills that can be applied practically. Students will have access to ample use of Carrollton’s makerspaces. They will continue to use the design process in order to analyze problems, develop solutions, and test and evaluate solutions. Having taken CAD I, the students will act as mentors and work collaboratively with the CAD I students to guide them as they learn new technology.

Engineering: Mechanical and Electrical Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th -12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: None This course is designed to give a basic understanding of mechanical & electrical engineering principles. It emphasizes topics such as types of motions, simple machines, gears, cams, drivetrain systems, lifting mechanisms, as well as electric circuitry and electronics including Arduino. They will learn to solder electronics and how to use many of the tools available in Carrollton’s Makerspace and Innovation spaces for their projects. Students will develop critical thinking and design skills that can be applied practically. They will learn to use the engineering design process in order to analyze problems, develop solutions, and test and evaluate those solutions. Additionally, they will reverse engineer a product, taking it apart, and then using the engineering design process to improve the product and redesign it.

Engineering: Robotics Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th-12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: None In a flexible, activity/project-based format, students learn about engineering and problem solving. They will be given introductions to robotics design systems while learning key STEM principles through a process that captures the excitement and engagement of task-oriented robots. The curriculum is focused on mechatronic principles, but basic computer-aided design (CAD), using industry-level software (Autodesk Fusion 360), and basic programming using text-based programming language based on the standard C programming language are also included.

AT Engineering: Prototyping and Manufacturing Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: one semester course in engineering or department approval.

This course is designed to introduce students to a variety of skills and techniques used to design and develop products. There will be a focus on prototyping techniques including but not limited to 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC routing, welding, molding, and vacuum forming. Students will learn how to safely use and operate hand tools and machinery in our makerspaces through different projects. Students will also study conceptual and graphical modeling techniques including design thinking and CAD using Autodesk Fusion 360. Topics will also cover basic material properties, manufacturing processes/techniques, and production systems.This course is intended for those students interested in engineering, industrial design, product design, or manufacturing

AT Engineering: Innovative Design and Development Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: Engineering: Prototyping and Manufacturing This course provides students an opportunity to use the engineering design process to complete a research project of their choosing where a final product has been designed and developed for a target market and audience. Students will use CAD software to design and develop components which they will fabricate in our makerspaces using different manufacturing techniques. Students will consider human factors and ergonomics, financial considerations, innovative strategies for design and marketing, and design constraints in their final design.Topics may include but are not limited to assistive devices and prosthetics, complex mechanical prototypes, human powered devices, furniture, etc.The students will have opportunities to work both collaboratively and individually.

AT Biomechanics, Human Anatomy, and Physiology Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th-12th Grade Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: Biology Students will learn the fundamentals of biomechanics, human anatomy and physiology, especially the skeletal and muscular systems, movement analysis, and movement injuries in sports including prevention and physiological effects. Students will use spatial computing technology through MagicLeap and software AnatomyX to learn functional human anatomy.

Additionally, students will learn about human factors that affect design including anthropometrics, ergonomics, and physiological factors. Students will have the ability to work on project based assignments and labs that will help them acquire a deeper learning. The opportunity to become CPR/First Aid certified may also be offered in this course. This course is an excellent introduction for students that may be interested in biomedical engineering, medicine, exercise science, or physical therapy.

AT STEM Entrepreneurship Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10th-12th Graduation Requirement: Practical Art, Elective Prerequisite: None This course covers what it takes to start a new business in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). Students will generate innovative ideas and explore viable opportunities and markets. They will learn how to write a business plan and a sales pitch. Additionally, students will learn how to raise and manage capital for their business. Students will examine and analyze real-life entrepreneurial stories from best-seller lists. They will develop their own plan for their own business. Opportunities include visits to local tech companies in the Miami area. Industry-standard technologies that will help them succeed in any career will be introduced.

AP Computer Science Principles Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9th-12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: departmental approval for 9th Grade AP Computer Science Principles offers a multidisciplinary approach to teaching the underlying principles of computation. The course will introduce students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity concerns, and computing impacts. AP Computer Science Principles will give students the opportunity to use technology to address real-world problems and build relevant solutions.

AP Computer Science A Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: AP Computer Science Principles Computer Science A emphasizes object-oriented programming methodology with an emphasis on problem solving and algorithm development and is meant to be the equivalent of a first-semester course in computer science. It also includes the study of data structures and abstraction. Course topics include, object oriented design, program implementation, program analysis, data structures, and algorithms.

AT Data Science Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Elective Prerequisite: AP Computer Science A This course introduces students to the field of data science, an interdisciplinary field that combines programming skills and knowledge of mathematics and statistics to extract meaningful insightsdata.Students will learn statistical application, machine learning, and information visualization using Excel, Python, and/or R/RStudio.

VISUAL ARTS The visual arts are interwoven throughout the Carrollton community and reflect the Goals and Criteria of the Sacred Heart Network. The essential nature of the visual arts discipline is to nurture academic and spiritual development through artistic expression. Our teachers are dedicated to inspiring students on all levels through exciting lessons and hands-on learning experiences.

Our primary commitment is in providing our students, of all learning styles and ages, with a sequential and compressive curriculum engendering individual artistic expression, an appreciation for historical context and is also culturally enriching. Students are encouraged to make new connections between ideas as they develop a creative way of viewing the world.

Students are also encouraged to seek and expand their artistic vision as they hone their skills.

The visual arts faculty is further committed to producing students who are innovative problem solvers as well as creative and critical thinkers. We guide our students toward a life-long appreciation for the visual arts.

Mark Rothko said, “Art is an adventure into the unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take risks.” Our department endeavors to create risk takers who recognize that the arts are a catalyst for learning, which inevitably influences and fosters intellectual growth.

Our program addresses the whole student and her ability to find her artistic voice and develop into a well rounded and multifaceted individual.

The Carrollton art curriculum supports social awareness and the powerful influence art has in educating local and global communities. Activities are regularly geared toward a wider understanding of current social conditions and the complexities found within each event.

Many studies cite the correlation between art education and academic performance, innovation, lower levels of absenteeism and a wider creative vision. At Carrollton our faculty takes pride in our emphasis and adherence to this premise and actively promotes an interdisciplinary approach to learning.Our wide range of courses prepares young people for significantly increased opportunities in art related careers ushered in as a result of the technological age.

The Carrollton visual arts program is dedicated to excellence, rigor, and a robust curriculum as a critical component of a solid liberal arts education.

Introduction to Visual Arts Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: None This one semester course is the first step for a student who is interested in visual art and wants to learn to draw, paint and discover different modes of visual expression. Students will study the elements of art and principles of design, will research important works of art, explore new media and develop techniques in their sketchbooks while creating studio art pieces. The objective of the course is to teach beginning art students to draw from observation and to create the illusion of form on the two dimensional plane. Beginning with contour line exercises that develop hand/eye coordination, the student will progress to developing techniques employing value, linear perspective, composition and comparative measurement. Drawing media will include pen and ink, charcoal, pastels, watercolor crayons and graphite. Painting techniques and color theory will be introduced through the medium of watercolor. This course lays the foundation for the student to explore the other courses within the Visual Art curriculum.

Drawing and Painting I Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: Introduction to Visual Arts This one semester course focuses on building upon the basic skills previously acquired with techniques of gradually increasing complexity. It is the second in the sequence of foundational courses which will give the student the ability to visually portray herself and others through portraiture. The student will explore portraiture through the ages and contemplate the contemporary methods artists currently use to express identity. Various media such as charcoal, graphite and pastel will be explored. Using comparative measurement and guidelines of portraiture, she will draw from direct observation to create her first self-portrait. Additionally, the student will have the opportunity to discover the medium of Acrylic paint and create artwork employing new techniques. Sketchbooks will be an important part of exploration and skill development. The student will practice drawing portraits of family members and friends as she develops the ability to create a likeness of someone that captures their essence.

Drawing and Painting II Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 10th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: Drawing/Painting I This course focuses on visual representation of the human figure. Students will study approaches to the figure through the art of various time periods, cultures and genres. Research and writing will inform the students as they analyze important works both from the past and contemporary work. They will study the proportions and anatomy of the human body, as they draw or paint from the observation of a live model. This will include work in their sketchbooks and studio artworks. The course enables the student to explore and express the beauty and complexity of the human form with an enjoyable approach.

Graphic Design Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 10th - 12th Graduation Requirement - Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: Introduction to Visual Art This course will introduce the students to the history of commercial design, with the advent of the use of graphics in commercial art from the 19th century through the evolution to the present with the introduction of computers. The course will explore the importance of typography in design with an introduction to Adobe Illustrator. Students will explore art through vector-based software, ie. Adobe Illustrator. Coursework will include the design of logos, brochures, letterheads, and graphic posters.

Photography Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: None This class is an introduction to digital and film photography. Initially, students will research milestones in photography, important photographers and their works to acquire a foundation within the art form. Students will need to supply their own digital camera and SD card. They will learn to use digital SLR cameras including the use of aperture and shutter speed settings as well as composition and lighting techniques. The students will learn the three pillars of photographic exposure, understand how to manipulate them, and gain more control over the images they take with their cameras. The course includes a section of film development using the Holga 120N medium format camera. Students will learn how to shoot double exposure images, develop film, and gain a better understanding of the history and science behind contemporary photography. Special focus will be given to manipulating images with Adobe Photoshop software in conjunction with the basics of photography after they have selected their most successful images. Through the research and study of other photographers’ works, the students will begin to develop their own vision and photographic eye.

Sculpture Graduation Credit: 0.5 Grade Level: 9th – 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: Introduction to Visual Art This course is an introduction into the world of three dimensional art. The student will learn to use her knowledge of the Elements of Art and Principles of Design as it applies to form. She will explore the history of sculpture and research contemporary artwork. While working in the medium of ceramics, the student will learn to use the potter’s wheel and handbuilding techniques. She may also work with wire, found objects, textiles or wood. This course will provide references and techniques upon which the student will begin to explore her individual expression through various forms of sculpture.

AP 2D Art and Design Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: Introduction to Visual Arts and two additional Visual Arts courses In this course, students will incorporate their understanding of design elements and principles to express themselves as a means of visual communication. They will apply and refine the skills and ideas they develop throughout the course to produce art on a two-dimensional surface.

They will work in the medium of their choice. This may include but not be limited to printmaking, painting, illustration, fashion design, collage, fabric design, weaving or graphic design. This course will prepare the advanced art student who is interested in developing a portfolio of work in preparation for applying to an Arts program within a university or arts college. As an option, this class will prepare students to submit a portfolio for the AP 2D Art and Design portfolio submission.

AP 3D Art and Design Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: Prior coursework in either Visual Arts or engineering courses This is a one-year introductory college-level three-dimensional design course. Students refine and apply the skills and ideas they develop throughout the class to produce three-dimensional works of art and design. Students will explore a variety of materials and how to work with them. These materials include wood, metal, ceramics, composites, and plastics. The students will have a variety of processes to work from including 3D printing, laser cutting, welding, CNC routing, and other available methods of production in our Maker Spaces.

This class will prepare students to submit a portfolio for the AP 3D Art and Design College Board Course and Exam

AP Drawing Graduation Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11th or 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: Introduction to Visual Arts and two additional Visual Arts courses In this course, students will incorporate their understanding of design elements and principles to express themselves as a means of visual communication. They will apply and refine the skills and ideas they develop throughout the course to produce drawings using advanced and experimental techniques. This may include but not be limited to drawing media such as graphite, charcoal, paint, and printmaking. Students are expected to conduct an in-depth, sustained investigation of materials, processes, and ideas. The framework focuses on concepts and skills emphasized within college art and design foundations courses with the same intent: to help students become inquisitive, thoughtful artists and designers able to articulate information about their work. This will prepare the advanced art student who is interested in developing a portfolio of work in preparation for applying to an Arts program within a university

or art college. As an option, this class will prepare students to submit a portfolio for the AP Drawing portfolio submission.

IB Visual Arts SL Graduation Credit: 2 Grade Level: 11th & 12th Graduation Requirement: Visual & Performing Art Prerequisite: Drawing/Painting I This International Baccalaureate Studio Art /Standard Level course is designed as a two year program. The student will explore art from various cultures and time periods while creating artworks that speak to the student’s personal investigations and interests. There is considerable research and critical analysis through a comparative study of artworks. The student will document her journey of exploration with a process portfolio. It will bring to light the research, experimentation, unresolved and resolved steps that are part of creating a body of work. She will regularly reflect upon her work and the process that leads her forward. Her Visual Arts Journal and photographs will showcase her growth as a young artist. The number of studio art pieces that the student creates within the two year span will be between four to seven works.

She will submit a comparative study, a process portfolio and exhibit her body of work for assessment.