2020-2021

Registration Guide

DIRECTORY

2019-2020 School Board

Rebecca Antil

Layla Burda

Matthew Dampier

KC Guntzel

Ryan Herrick

Rebekah Peavey

Keri Erickson

Renee Suess

Michelle Swanson

Executive Director

Travis Okerlund

High School Administration

Chris Nordmann, Principal

Sam Wakefield, Dean of Students/Activities Director

School Counselor Erik Rehwaldt

Our mission is to prepare

students for tomorrow by

emphasizing academic

excellence and character

development today.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

KCS Directory…....2

General Information…....3-4

Graduation Requirements...5-6

PSEO..........7

Post-High School Planning…...8

Art.….....9

English/Language Arts...…10-11

Mathematics.................................................12

Music.…...13

Physical Education and Health....14

Real World Ready….....15

Science…..16

Social Studies.…..17-19

World Language…....20

2|Page

REGISTRATION

GENERAL INFORMATION

CREDIT RECOVERY/SUMMER

SCHOOL 1. Please read this registration handbook carefully. 2. Consider the following when selecting courses:

Graduation Requirements Review course descriptions Discuss plans with parents/guardians Bring your questions to teachers or your

counselor Review College entrance requirements

3. Complete Schedule Planning Form 4. Turn into the office

CREDITS KCS utilizes semester system, with two semesters

each year. There are seven periods per day with a

FLEX period at the end of each day.

A semester course is worth .5 credits and a year

long course is worth one credit. KCS students are

required to earn 22.5 credits to graduate.

ALTERNATE COURSE CHOICES Every attempt will be made to schedule students in

their first choices however, not everyone will

receive the classes they choose. Students must

choose a minimum of five alternate classes to be

used in the event a scheduling conflict occurs or if

classes are full or not offered. An alternative class

will be scheduled if the original class chosen cannot

be scheduled.

SCHEDULE CHANGES Schedules and staff assignments are based off of

student registration. After this process is complete,

schedule changes are discouraged and may not be

possible. Schedule changes will not be allowed

after the fifth day of each semester.

Students who are short credits at the end of grades

nine, ten and eleven are encouraged to make up

courses during the summer. KCS does not offer

summer school credit recovery. Please contact your

home district to make arrangements for their

summer school programs.

REQUIRED FINE ART CREDITS Students are required to complete one full year of

fine arts courses per the state of Minnesota

graduation requirements. Elective courses in our

Art and Music departments will fulfill this

requirement. Choir and Band are non-credit courses

and will NOT fulfill the fine arts credits.

REQUIREMENTS TO PARTICIPATE

IN GRADUATION

Any senior who has not met the graduation

requirements by the end of the regular school year

will not be eligible to receive a diploma or

participate in the graduation ceremony.

GRADING POLICY

KCS uses a 4.000 grading scale. Grade point

averages are calculated using all grades a

student earns during high school.

3|Page

STANDARDIZED TESTING MCA Reading and Science tests will be

administered in 10th grade. MCA Math test will be

administered in 11th grade. Students in 11th grade

will have the option to take the ACT in the fall

during a district administration date. HONOR ROLL An A and B Honor Roll will be determined at the

end of each semester. To be eligible for honor roll

students cannot have an F or I on their report card.

Students with a semester GPA of 3.667 and above

will be on the A Honor Roll while students with a

semester GPA of 3.00-3.66 will be on the B honor

roll.

INCOMPLETE GRADES Final grades are earned at the end of each semester.

Incomplete grades must be completed within five

school days after the last day of the term. No credit

will be received for any course work not completed

within the designated time. Incompletes can be

given to students who did not complete coursework

due to extenuating circumstances that are beyond

their control.

ACCELERATED MATH

Kaleidoscope is committed to providing a rigorous

and relevant curriculum for all of our students. To

ensure that our students are pushed academically,

some of our students take accelerated course

offerings during their elementary and middle school

years. This creates some registration concerns with

math specifically since some of the high school

math requirements are taught during 8th grade.

Students who have completed a required math

course before what is shown in the suggested

schedule will have their schedule altered to

accommodate their faster sequence of courses.

Instead of completing the math class that most

students in their grade take, accelerated math

students at Kaleidoscope High School will be

placed in an online course during their math period.

Extra-Curricular Activities Academic

Eligibility

1. Students will maintain a cumulative 2.0

grade point average and must not be failing

any classes.

2. Students must be making satisfactory

progress towards the school's requirements

for graduation. Kaleidoscope Charter School

will determine satisfactory progress.

3. Grade checks will be done on a regular

basis. If a student does not meet the

minimum academic eligibility, they will not

be eligible for contests (see grade check

schedule).

4. Students will not participate in contests until

they have raised their grade(s) to meet the

minimum academic eligibility

requirements.

5. If a student has more than one F when a

grade check is made, they are not allowed to

participate in practices.

6. Assignments and homework deadlines will

not be extended due to the participation in

athletics and/or activities.

7. If a student has an active Individualized

Education Plan (IEP), his or her case

manager may be consulted to determine

whether the student is meeting the minimum

academic eligibility requirement.

4|Page

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

A course credit is equivalent to a student successfully completing an academic year. Each course is 1.0 credit

unless otherwise noted.

Students must complete a minimum of 22.5 course credits as follows:

4 Credits of Language Arts

Language Arts 9

Language Arts 10

Language Arts 11

Language Arts 12

3 Credits of Math

Geometry

Algebra II

Advanced Math

3 Credits of Science

Physical Science

Biology

Chemistry or Physics

3.5 Credits of Social Studies

World Geography

U.S. History

World History

Economics (.5)

Government (.5)

1 Credit in Music or Fine Arts

1 Credit Physical Education

PE 9

Health 9 (.5)

4 Credits of Real World Ready

RW R 9

RWR 10

RWR 11

RWR 12

Electives totaling 2.5 credits

Students who transfer to KCS after the start of their 9th grade year will have a requirement of 0.5 credits

of Real World Ready for each semester they attend KCS.

5|Page

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS CONTINUED

This is a recommended pathway for students, although circumstances may require the school to alter the exact

placement of students into courses (students transferring in, etc.) Students will be placed in math courses based on

teacher recommendation. The recommendation may require them to take a 4th year of math in order to meet the

state's graduation requirements.

9th Grade

English 9A (.5)

English 9B (.5)

Geography A (.5)

Geography B (.5)

Geometry A (.5)

Geometry B (.5)

Physical Science A (.5)

10th Grade

English 10A (.5)

English 10B (.5)

U.S. History A (.5)

U.S. History B (.5)

Algebra IIA (.5)

Algebra IIB (.5)

Biology A (.5)

11th Grade

English 11A

English 11B

World History A (.5)

World History B (.5)

Advanced Math (.5)

Advanced Math (.5)

Chemistry (.5)

12th Grade

English 12A

English 12B

Government (.5)

Economics (.5)

Real World Ready 12A

Real World Ready 12B

Elective

Physical Science B (.5)

Phy Ed (.5)

Real World Ready 9A

Real World Ready 9B

Biology B (.5)

Health (.5)

Real World Ready 10A

Real World Ready

Or Physics

Chemistry (.5) Or Physics

Real World Ready 11A

Real World Ready 11B

Elective

Elective

Elective

Elective

Elective

10B

Elective Elective Elective Elective

Elective or Study Hall* Elective or Study Hall Elective or Study Hall Elective or Study Hall

Elective or Study Hall Elective or Study Hall Elective or Study Hall Elective or Study Hall

*Only one Study Hall can be taken per semester.

6|Page

POST-SECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTIONS (PSEO)

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade

students to earn both high school and college credit

while still in high school, through enrollment in and

successful completion of college-level, nonsectarian

courses at eligible participating postsecondary

institutions. Most PSEO courses are offered on the

campus of the postsecondary institution; some

courses are offered online. Each participating

Students who elect to enroll in the PSEO program

full-time will have the Real World Ready course

requirement waived for each year they are PSEO.

All other graduation requirements are still in place.

Qualifications: The Minnesota State Colleges and

Universities have provided the following guidelines

for acceptance into their PSEO programs:

college or university sets its own requirements for

enrollment into the PSEO courses. Students must

meet the PSEO residency and eligibility

requirements and abide by participation limits

specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09. If a

school district determines a pupil is not on track to

graduate, s/he may not continue to participate in

PSEO.

Eleventh and 12th-grade students may take PSEO

courses on a full- or part-time basis; 10th graders

may take one career/technical PSEO course. If they

earn at least a grade C in that class, they may take

High School seniors must be in the upper

one-half of their class or score at or above

the 50th percentile on their ACT or SAT.

Juniors must be in the upper one-third of

their class or score at or above the 70th

percentile on their ACT or SAT.

Sophomores may enroll in a career or

technical education course at a MN state

college or university if they have attained a

"Meet or Exceeds" on the 8th grade MCA

reading test and meet other enrollment

standards established by the college.

additional PSEO courses.

There is no charge to PSEO students for tuition,

books or fees for items that are required to

participate in a course. Enrolling in a PSEO course

does not prohibit a student from participating in

activities sponsored by the high school.

Funds are available to help pay transportation

expenses for qualifying students to participate in

PSEO courses on college campuses.

Students must notify their school by May 30 if they

want to participate in PSEO for the following

school year. For current information about the

PSEO program, visit the Minnesota Department of

Education's Postsecondary Enrollment Options

(PSEO) webpage.

Grading & Credits:

Students who transfer completed PSEO course

credits back to KCS will receive equivalent high

school credits for each course.

In order to replace a full year KCS course, a PSEO

student would need to take an equivalent 4 credit

college course. Please see your high school

counselor for more information.

How to Enroll: Interested students should contact the postsecondary

institution to find out their eligibility requirements,

which courses are offered and what the application

process is at that college.

7|Page

Post-High School Planning

Graduation signifies the end of one period in life

and the start of another. For many students this

may mean going on to college, while for others,

they may choose to go directly into the work force

or into the military. KCS' Real World Ready

curriculum directly aligns with these choices,

working to prepare students for adulthood and the

choices and events that come with it. The counselor

is also available to assist the student as they begin

Private Colleges and Universities - often

require more vigorous high school

coursework, such as four years of math and

a minimum of two years of a foreign

language, as well as a higher GPA and

higher ACT score

Military - requires a diploma and a

minimum score on the ASVAB exam

their preparation through assistance with college

and job-related tasks.

If a student is hoping to attend a college, there are

some common factors that post-secondary

institutions will consider, including grade point

average (GPA), high school courses completed, test

scores, community/school involvement, and letters

of recommendation from non-family members.

Examples of entrance requirements include:

If a student has begun to consider specific schools,

we encourage further research directly associated

with that school, whether that be speaking with an

advisor or reviewing their website. This

information can help guide the student's class and

extracurricular choices.

If a student is considering entering the military, it is

recommended that they contact a recruitment center

for more information.

Community Colleges - traditionally require a high school diploma and completion of the

Accuplacer exam (available on the school's

campus)

Technical Colleges - traditionally require a

diploma and a foundation of skills in their

core subject area

Minnesota State Universities - typically

require a minimum ACT score of around 21

and minimum course requirements that are

slightly more rigorous than the state's

graduation requirements.

If college doesn't seem like the right fit for you,

then it's time to begin exploring career options.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities have

an informative website where you can explore

careers, assess your skills, and plan your future.

You can find more information here:

www.careerwise.mnscu.edu.

8|Page

ART ELECTIVES

Ceramics I Drawing III Students learn introductory pottery skills, and they

will also explore the unique pottery forms of

different cultures as well as the role that pottery has

played in the history of mankind. There is a $20.00

lab fee as well as a required sketchbook. This

course is limited to 16 students per semester.

Ceramics II Students will continue exploring wheel-thrown and

hand built forms. Self-proposed, in-depth projects

will make up the bulk of the coursework. There is a

$20.00 lab fee as well as a required sketchbook.

This course is limited to 16 students per semester.

Prerequisite: Ceramics I.

Ceramics III Students will continue exploring wheel-thrown and

hand built forms. Self-proposed, in-depth projects

will make up the bulk of the coursework. There is a

$20.00 lab fee as well as a required sketchbook.

This course is limited to 16 students per semester.

Prerequisite Ceramics I and II.

Drawing I This introductory drawing course will be rooted in

representational drawing. Students will explore:

contour, gesture, value, portraiture drawing, and

traditional media and technology. With that

acquired knowledge, students will then complete

open-ended assignments based on Surrealism and

their own personal history. There is a $20.00 lab

fee as well as a required sketchbook.

Drawing II The second level drawing course will be a mix of

technique and open-ended projects. Self-proposed,

in-depth projects will be featured. There is a $20.00

lab fee as well as a required sketchbook.

Prerequisite: Drawing I

This course will have students creating a portfolio of independent work based on their artist statement.

There is a $20.00 lab fee as well as a required

sketchbook. Prerequisites: Drawing I and II.

Painting I This course will introduce students to oils, acrylics,

watercolor, and technology. Students should expect

a mix of observational and creative works.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Drawing I.

There is a $20.00 lab fee as well as a required

sketchbook.

Painting II This course will see students using their preferred

painting media. Students should expect a mix of

observational and creative works. There is a $20.00

lab fee as well as a required sketchbook. Prerequisite:

Painting I.

Painting III This course will have students creating a portfolio

of independent work based on their artist statement.

There is a $20.00 lab fee as well as a required

sketchbook. Prerequisite: Painting I and II.

Sculpture I This introductory 3-D course will have students

working with a variety of media and techniques

including clay, mixed media, and relief. Students

will work observationally and creatively in this

class. There is a $20.00 fee as well as a required

sketchbook.

Sculpture II Students will continue to explore media and

technique in three dimensions. Self-proposed in-

depth projects will make up the bulk of the

coursework. There is a $20.00 lab fee as well as a

required Sketchbook. Prerequisites: Sculpture I.

Sculpture III This course will have students creating a portfolio

of independent work based on their artist statement.

There is a $20.00 lab fee as well as a required

sketchbook. Prerequisites: Sculpture I and II.

9|Page

LANGUAGE ARTS REQUIRED COURSES

Language Arts 9

English Language Arts focuses on the development

of communication skills through reading, writing,

speaking, and listening. In order to work on the

development of these skills, units of study include

fiction and non-fiction reading and writing, short

stories, and poetry. Students will write numerous

essays to work on grammar, usage, and mechanics,

with a focus on argumentative writing and

presenting. Students are expected to show their

knowledge and skills through in class discussions,

writing assignments, creative projects, and

presentations. Full texts include, but are not limited

to, The House of the Scorpion, Romeo and Juliet,

and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Language Arts 10

In this course, students will continue to build off of

the skills they obtained in Language Arts 9.

Students will develop ELA skills through units on

narrative techniques, literary analysis,

argumentative reading and writing, poetry, fiction

and non-fiction reading. The class will culminate in

a unit on speaking and listening, in the form of

student TedTalks. Full texts include, but are not

limited to, Night and Life of Pi.

Language Arts 11

In this course, students will continue to build off of

the skills they obtained in Language Arts 10.

Throughout this course, students will study how

historical events have shaped America's identity,

from early America to today. To develop their

communication skills, students will focus on in-

depth literary and rhetorical analysis through fiction

and non-fiction reading and writing, research,

presentations, and creative projects. Students will

also study Shakespeare. Full text units include, but

are not limited to, The Crucible, Into the Wild, A

Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Great

Gatsby.

Language Arts 12

In this course, students will continue to build off of

the skills from Language Arts 11. This course will

focus extensively on writing skills in the form of

creative and non-fiction narratives, a rhetorical

analysis, and an argumentative synthesis essay,

among others. Students will study epic heroes and

medieval British literature and American and

British Romanticism, and apply the relevancy of

various texts to today. Through short stories and

poetry, this course will culminate in an exploration

of how literature portrays the human condition. Full

texts include, but are not limited to, Beowulf,

Frankenstein, and choice of contemporary fiction.

10 | P a g e

LANGUAGE ARTS ELECTIVES

Creative Writing

In this course, students will explore narrative

techniques in depth in order to strengthen their

creative writing skills. Some of the writing projects

in this class include daily journals, fractured fairy

tales, scary stories, creative non-fiction,

screenplays, and culminates in a short story project.

Students will also explore different self and peer

editing techniques, and will be expected to present

and share their work.

Dystopian Literature

Are you a fan of novels that take place in a strange

future, like The Hunger Games, Divergent, or Maze

Runner? In this course, students will explore the

dystopian genre and the dystopian protagonist

through classic works and young adult fiction.

Students will look at past and current trends in

fiction and film, and apply their relevancy to today.

Course work will require students to read three class

novels throughout the semester, participate in

classroom discussions, compose analytical writings,

and create projects. Full texts include, but are not

limited to, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, and

Feed.

Mythology

This course takes a look at world mythology,

focusing on myths of the gods, heroes, and mortals.

The course will start with an in-depth exploration of

Greek mythology. Students will also explore myths

from other cultures around the world, such as Asia,

Africa, Europe, South America, and North

American native cultures. Students will demonstrate

familiarity with various mythologies and insight

into the cultures that produce them. Then students

will explore tall-tales and urban legends that

influence their own society. Students will be

expected to participate in discussions, writing

activities, research projects and presentations, and

creative projects.

11 | P a g e

MATH REQUIRED COURSES MATH ELECTIVE

Geometry

Geometry is the study of the properties,

measurements, and relations between lines, angles,

surfaces, and solids. Areas of study will include the

study of angles, parallel and perpendicular lines,

triangles, similarity, trigonometry, quadrilaterals

and other polygons, circles, and three-dimensional

solids. Geometry is required for all 9th graders. Algebra II

This course is designed to challenge the student's

algebraic skills. The course will focus on functions

and their relationships. Other topics include

systems of linear equations and inequalities. A

strong background in algebra is essential to succeed

in this class. It is required that the students have

their own graphic calculator to use for this course,

of which a Texas Instrument brand is

recommended. Algebra II is required for all 10th

graders. Advanced Math

Students will work with probability, data collection,

descriptive and inferential statistics, probability, and

technological tools to analyze statistics. Students

will work with statistical measures of centrality and

spread, methods of data collection, methods of

determining probability, and binomial and normal

distributions. Students will use multiple

representations to present data including written

descriptions, numerical statistics, formulas, and

graphs. Advanced Math is required for all 11th

graders.

Computer Math This class will go through how to use Excel to

complete mathematical calculations and to

efficiently complete large amounts of computations.

As well as an introduction to Excel, students will

have an introduction to Javascript. Javascript is the

computer language that most web designers use.

The introduction will include making drawings and

basic animation.

12 | P a g e

Band

MUSIC ELECTIVES

From Rock to Bach

All students are invited to be a part of our

Instrumental Band program. Instruments would

include any woodwind instrument, brass instrument,

and percussion. Our focus is to build a confident

music reader, while enhancing the student's

understanding of expression and mechanics in an

ensemble setting. Some of these concepts include

balance, blend, melody vs. harmony, articulation,

theme and variation and more. Musical experience

is not required, however a commitment to learning

and home practice is vital. There will be at least

two groups as we divide students up into beginning

and intermediate level abilities. Students are

required to provide their own instruments.

Choir

Any student is invited to participate in a KCS

singing ensemble. Students study music through a

broad lens, but use singing as a way to experience

music as a performance vehicle. We learn many of

the basics of music notation. Reading music is a

focus, as well as touching on history, theory,

appreciation, and more.

Music from all sides! We will study several genres

of music, a little history, some theory, and a chance

to try some composition (with theory knowledge). If

you like music, then you will like taking a closer

look at it, from the writing process, to the recording

process. We will study lyrical, as well as melodic

composition. Music is all around us in movies,

video games, TV, as well as many more. This

course is for musicians and non-musicians alike. Music Theory

This course is designed for students with a music

background that want to expand their knowledge,

and dive deeper into what is behind the notes. We

will use background knowledge of the fundamentals

of music, and study how and why music works the

way it does. We will use melodic study, structure,

listening skills, part-writing, notation, and harmonic

functions, among others. Introduction to Guitar

Basic overview of the guitar, chord playing, melody

playing, the role of the instrument in various genres

of music. Must have your own guitar, but no

experience necessary.

13 | P a g e

PHYISCAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH

Health

The goal of this course is to give students the

knowledge and comprehension of maintaining an

overall state of wellbeing, to include the three sides

of the health triage (physical, social,

mental/emotional). Content covered includes body

systems, nutrition, and fitness, mental and

emotional health. Physical Education 9

The course objective is to provide a wide variety of

experiences to stress the importance of physical

fitness and its role in a healthy lifestyle. Students

will determine their current fitness levels through

strength, cardiovascular and flexibility activities.

Physical Education is a required class for all 9th

grade students.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION ELECTIVES

Team Sports

This course is all about team sports. Students will

participate in team related games with basic skills

and strategies and will emphasize tournament style

play. Sports may include soccer, basketball,

speedball, flag football, pin guard, softball,

volleyball, lacrosse, and floor hockey.

Group Fitness

This course is designed to enhance a person's

individual fitness. The students will participate in a

wide variety of aerobic activities and an

individually designed strength training program.

Students will gain knowledge and application of

basic strength and conditioning principles.

Physical Education Lifetime Pursuits

This course is for those students who love to stay

active by participating in activities they can do for a

lifetime, both alone and in cooperation with others.

Course offerings may include, but are not limited

to: bowling, bocce ball, Frisbee golf, badminton,

curling, speed walking, jogging, speedball, team

building, etc. Students will also participate in

Wellness Day/Workout Wednesday activities.

Wellness Days are beneficial in improving the

student's cardiovascular endurance, muscular

strength and flexibility. Fitness testing will be

administered two times per semester.

14 | P a g e

REAL WORLD READY

Real World Ready 9

Real World Ready 9 is required for all freshmen.

This course is designed to teach important character

traits and reflect on the role that they play in

students' lives. The course is based on Character

Development and Leadership curriculum created by

Dr. Joseph Hoedel. In addition, this class will discuss

study and organizational skills. Real World Ready 10

Real World Ready 10 is required for all

sophomores. In addition to continued discussion of the

character traits taught in the previous year, Real

World Ready 10 will give students an opportunity

to begin planning their future by researching desired careers

and paths to achieve those. Real World Ready 11

Real World Ready 11 is required for all juniors.

Personal Finance will be the focus of this

course. Dave Ramsey's Foundations of Personal

Finance: High School Edition will be used as a

guide to help students understand the impact that

personal finance will have on their lives. Topics include

saving, budgeting, credit, debt, financial planning,

insurance, income, taxes, and giving. Real World Ready 12

Real World Ready 12 is required for all seniors. In

this course, students will develop an executable plan for

their future. This will include planning a path to

get into their desired career as well as looking at ways

that service learning can play a role in their lives after

graduation.

15 | P a g e

SCIENCE REQUIRED COURSES SCIENCE ELECTIVES

Physical Science Forensics

Physical Science combines an introductory study of

Chemistry and Physics. Topics covered include

motion, force, energy, atoms, chemical bonding,

scientific ethics, the periodic table, and the

scientific method. Physical Science is a required 9th

grade course. Biology

During this course, students will study major

concepts, theories, and principles of biology. Major

topics covered include botany, biochemistry,

ecology, microbiology, genetics, immunology,

reproduction, and basic animal behavior. This

course requires participation in projects, labs, and

field studies. Biology is a required 10th grade

course. Chemistry

This course focuses on the changes in matter.

Topics include the Periodic Table, reactions of

elements and compounds, mathematics of chemical

reactions and the properties of the various states of

matter. Students will also learn laboratory and

safety techniques. Physics

Physics is the study of matter and energy. This

course emphasizes a conceptual understanding of

the fundamental principles governing the universe.

Topics include force, motion, work, power, heat,

light, sound and electricity.

This course surveys key topics in forensic science,

including the application of the scientific process to

forensic analysis, procedures and principles of

crime scene investigation, physical and trace

evidence as well as law and courtroom procedures

from the perspective of the forensic scientist.

Students will learn about forensic tools, technical

resources, forming and testing hypotheses, proper

data collection and responsible conclusions.

16 | P a g e

SOCIAL STUDIES REQUIRED COURSES

Human Geography

Focuses on a branch of geography dealing with how

human activity affects or is influenced by the

earth's surface. Human geographers are concerned

with the "who", "what", "where", "why", and

"when" of humans, their interrelationships and their

relationship to the environment. Some of the topics

covered in this course are Ethnicity, Religion, and

Political Geography. This class will attempt to

discuss all of these topics without bias and

analyzing why we have biases about these topics.

Geography is a 9th grade course. U.S. History

History in general is not a list of names and dates

that need to be memorized, but it is full of events

and people that we should get to know. Those

events and those people have an effect on

everything we can and cannot do in this country

today. In this History course we will start by talking

about the United States Constitution and work our

way towards discussing the Post-Cold War Era. We

use primary sources as our main text in class to try

to understand history. Students will create their

own country, with its own constitution, and follow

the country through the events of history to

determine how "we" would have done it. US

History is a 10th grade course. Modern World History

(1930 - Present day) This course will cover ideas,

people, and events born from World War II that

have followed and affect us today. Students develop

an understanding of current world issues and relate

them to their historic, geographic, political,

economic, and cultural contexts. Students consider

multiple accounts of events in order to understand

international relations from a variety of

perspectives. World History is an 11th grade course.

Economics (Micro and Macro)

The branch of knowledge concerned with the

production, consumption, and transfer of wealth, we

will be taking an in-depth look at both micro and

macroeconomics. Having a basic understanding of

how both the economic system of the United States

and that of the world will help you to be prosperous

in your adult life. This course will cover many

simple concepts such as supply and demand,

inflation, and complex concepts like the optimizing

individual and Buying on Margin. Econ is a 12th

grade course. Government

This class will be an in depth look at the United

States government as a whole as well as a

discussion of individual court cases. In order for the

country to thrive, states, cities, churches, civic

organizations, and neighborhoods must also

thrive. This course is necessary to give you the

knowledge and motivation to participate in groups

that move America forward. In U.S. Government

we will analyze the roots of American Democracy

and how those forms of State and Federal

government work today. Government is a 12th

grade course.

17 | P a g e

SOCIAL STUDIES ELECTIVIES

Military History:

Conflict-Resolution through Military

Technology In this History class we will examine the role of the

military, military technology and conflict in both

the ancient and modern world. Students will

research and analyze the strategic, technological,

cultural, and political influence of warfare on

human history and the development of civilizations

from Ancient Greece to the war in Afghanistan.

Additionally, this course will debate the many

reasons why military history is the most common

theme of modern popular history.

Criminal Justice In this class students will explore an introduction to

the inner workings of the three significant criminal

justice functions in the United States: Law

Enforcement, Courts and Corrections. This course

will give the students and overview of policing and

laws in America, the historical development of

policing internationally and locally and the

implementation of community based policing and

criminal investigations. The course will also focus

on the realities of enforcement and the apprehension

of criminals at the federal, state and local level. The

course will also discuss and explain the prosecution,

disposition and incarceration of those suspected of

committing criminal offenses.

Ancient Civilizations

(3000 BCE - 1200 CE) World history is a record of

past events as seen through a global perspective.

The study of world history is the broadest and most

searching approach to the question of who we are as

both individuals and members of groups. Exploring

how humankind has changed since its hominid

ancestors walked the earth is the best way to

grapple with the question of what makes us unique,

in relation to other living species. In this class

students will not only look at how humans have

affected the world, but how the world has affected

humans.

Archeology

In this archaeology course, students discover the

past through physical trace evidence that was buried

or covered for decades, centuries or even millennia.

Students may choose a concentration that allows

them to focus on a specific time period or

geographical location, such as Mediterranean

archaeology or prehistoric archaeology. The

common concepts taught in archaeology are

excavation methods, dating techniques,

interpretation of historic artifacts, ancient

technology, and art history.

Current Events

The goal of this course is for students to become

aware of the major issues of the day and to have an

in depth understanding and appreciation of current

events. The focus of the class will be issues that

affect the student as a resident of the World, the

U.S., Minnesota, and Otsego. The class will follow

daily news events and students will be expected to

understand the social, political and economic issues

on a daily basis. Each week, the class will focus on

the historical development of a current issue. Debate

This course will focus on the in-class debating of

major political and ethical issues. Students are

taught case-writing, rebuttals, cross-examination

skills, analytical thinking, and political and moral

philosophy. A large portion of debate requires

writing skills and public speaking skills that will be

worked on and improved throughout the course.

18 | P a g e

Political Geography

In recent years, we have experienced military

conflicts and revolutionary changes in obscure

places. This course will help to explain the cultural

and physical factors that underlie political unrest in

our modern world. We will discuss "what is a

state?", "how are they organized?" and "how do

they interact with one another?" Psychology

This course covers the major principles of

psychology and introduces the history of

psychology, human development, personality, and

social psychology. It will cover research

methodologies and experimental psychology using

research and experiments conducted by students.

Students will relate the principles learned in this

course to politics, propaganda, and our everyday

lives. Revolutionary History

(1500 - 1914) This course will cover the 5 main

ways in which humans revolutionized the world.

First, there is the energy revolution, in which

humans stopped using biomass energy and turned to

coal and steam power. Second, is the explosion of

the human population, which increased our

population from 1.5 to 6.1 billion in just 100 years.

Third, the industrial revolution, which brought us

all of the modern comforts of today. Fourth, the

political revolutions that popularized democracy

and brought us communism, socialism, and fascism.

Lastly there is the rise in colonial power, which will

lead to some of the largest and most devastating

wars in history.

Sociology

This course illustrates how the groups, or social

structures, that one belongs to have a profound

influence on the way you think, feel, and act.

Sociology looks at groups rather than individuals.

Major themes include deviance and social control,

inequalities of gender and age, family and marriage,

and social issues.

19 | P a g e

WORLD LANGUAGES

Spanish 1: Traveling through the Spanish-Speaking World!

Students study the Spanish-speaking countries, with

an emphasis on Cuba and Celia Cruz. Students will

have the opportunity to read an entire novel in

Spanish called, "El Ekeko: un misterioso boliviano".

Look forward to watching, Viva Cuba, El libro de

Vida, and Selena. We will study units in household

items and chores, as well as clothing in a fashion

show. We will keep in touch with Spanish pen pals,

and participate in the Festival of Nations field trip

in May.

Spanish 1 is an introduction to the practical mastery

of basic language skills. Students will work to

develop proficiency in listening, speaking, reading,

and writing as well as, an appreciation and

sensitivity to the diverse cultures of the Spanish-

speaking world.

Spanish 2: Students will review conversational skills together

daily, and will be able to share about others in the

3rd person with celebrity presentations. Students

will study a Spanish-speaking country of their

choosing and will use this to plan a real vacation to

that country. Our unit will go over helping the

environment, as well as technology and movies.

Look forward to watching, Coco, Río, and ¿Eres tú

María?, a Spanish soap opera! We will keep in

touch with Spanish pen pals, and participate in the

Festival of Nations field trip in May.

Students will continue to improve the basic skills of

listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture.

Students will increase their vocabulary, while

adding more complex grammar structures to aid in

further usage progress. Emphasis on verb tenses,

with new past tenses, will provide stronger abilities

for communication, methods used will be varied to

incorporate multiple approaches, while use of

technology will be encouraged. Prerequisite:

Passing grade in Spanish 1.

Students who have completed Spanish level 1 and 2

can now take a course focused on traveling through

the Spanish speaking countries. We will use the

language we have learned the last two years to

investigate parts of new countries including, but not

limited to food, media, art, currency, sports, music

and wildlife. Students will chose a novel to read

together, keep in touch with Spanish pen pals, and

participate in the Festival of Nations field trip in

May. Prerequisite Spanish I and Spanish 2.

20 | P a g e