Curriculum Descriptions
Advanced Placement Courses are designed to meet higher education expectations of a college-level course and prepare students to demonstrate college-level achievement through success on the AP exams. Courses target highly motivated students who are reading at grade level or above and who have a track record of success in high school coursework. Each semester course offers approximately 120 hours of direct instruction and integrated formative, summative, and diagnostic assessment.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
MATH
AP Calculus In AP Calculus AB, students learn to understand change geometrically and visually (by studying graphs of curves), analytically (by studying and working with mathematical formulas), numerically (by seeing patterns in sets of numbers), and verbally. Instead of simply getting the right answer, students learn to evaluate the soundness of proposed solutions and to apply mathematical reasoning to real-world models. Calculus helps scientists, engineers, and financial analysts understand the complex relationships behind real-world phenomena. The equivalent of an introductory college-level calculus course, AP Calculus AB prepares students for the AP Exam and further studies in science, engineering, and mathematics.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
AP Statistics AP Statistics gives students hands-on experience collecting, analyzing, graphing, and interpreting real-world data. They will learn to effectively design and analyze research studies by reviewing and evaluating real research examples taken from daily life. The next time they hear the results from another poll or study, they will know whether the results are valid. As the art of drawing conclusions from imperfect data and the science of real world uncertainties, statistics plays an important role in many fields. The equivalent of an introductory college-level course, AP Statistics prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in science, sociology, medicine, engineering, political science, geography, and business.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
SCIENCE
AP Biology In AP Biology, students build the conceptual framework necessary to understand science as a process. The course is divided into three sections with correlating laboratory exercises: molecules and cells; heredity and evolution; and organisms and populations. Students will also explore evolution, energy transfer, continuity and change, the relationship of structure to function, regulation, interdependence in nature, and the balance of science, technology, and nature. The equivalent of an introductory college-level biology course, AP Biology prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in health sciences.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
AP Chemistry AP Chemistry builds students' understanding of the nature and reactivity of matter. After studying the structure of atoms, molecules, and ions, students move on to solve quantitative chemical problems and explore how molecular structure relates to chemical and physical properties. Students will examine the molecular composition of common substances and learn to predictably transform them through chemical reactions. The equivalent of an introductory college-level chemistry course, AP Chemistry prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in science, health sciences, or engineering.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
AP Physics B AP Physics B is a non-calculus survey course covering five general areas: Newtonian mechanics, thermal physics, electricity and magnetism, waves and optics, and atomic and nuclear physics. Students will gain an understanding of physics' core principles and then apply them to problem-solving exercises. They'll learn how to measure the mass of a planet without weighing it, find out how electricity makes a motor turn, and learn how opticians know how to shape the lenses for glasses. The equivalent of an introductory college-level course, AP Physics B prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in science and engineering.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
AP Psychology AP Psychology provides an overview of current psychological research methods and theories. Students will explore the therapies used by professional counselors and clinical psychologists and examine the reasons for normal human reactions: how people learn and think, the process of human development and human aggression, altruism, intimacy, and self-reflection. They'll study core psychological concepts, such as the brain and sense functions, and learn to gauge human reactions, gather information, and form meaningful syntheses. Along the way, students will also investigate relevant concepts like study skills and information retention. The equivalent of a 100-level college survey course, AP Psychology prepares students for the AP Exam and for further studies in psychology and life sciences.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
ENGLISH
AP English Language and Composition In AP English Language and Composition, students learn to understand and analyze complex styles of writing by reading works from a variety of authors. They'll explore the richness of language, including syntax, imitation, word choice, and tone. They'll also learn about their own composition style and process, starting with exploration, planning, and writing, and continuing through editing, peer review, rewriting, polishing, and applying what they learn to a breadth of academic, personal, and professional contexts. The equivalent of an introductory college-level survey class, this course prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in communications, creative writing, journalism, literature, and composition.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
AP English Literature and Composition AP English Literature and Composition immerses students in novels, plays, poems, and short stories from various periods. Students will read and write daily, using a variety of multimedia and interactive activities, interpretive writing assignments, and class discussions to assess and improve their skills and knowledge. The course places special emphasis on reading comprehension, structural and critical analysis of written works, literary vocabulary, and recognizing and understanding literary devices. The equivalent of an introductory college-level survey class, this course prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in creative writing, communications, journalism, literature, and composition.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
SOCIAL STUDIES
AP Macroeconomics AP Macroeconomics students learn why and how the world economy can change from month to month, how to identify trends in our economy, and how to use those trends to develop performance measures and predictors of economic growth or decline. They'll also examine how individuals, institutions, and influences affect people, and how those factors can impact everyone's life through employment rates, government spending, inflation, taxes, and production. The equivalent of a 100-level college-level class, this course prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in business, political science and history.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely-used textbooks.
AP Microeconomics AP Microeconomics studies the behavior of individuals and businesses as they exchange goods and services in the marketplace. Students will learn why the same product costs different amounts at different stores, in different cities, at different times. They'll also learn to spot patterns in economic behavior and how to use those patterns to explain buyer and seller behavior under various conditions. Microeconomics studies the economic way of thinking, understanding the nature and function of markets, the role of scarcity and competition, the influence of factors such as interest rates on business decisions, and the role of government in promoting a healthy economy. The equivalent of a 100-level college course, AP Microeconomics prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in business, history, and political science.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
AP U.S. Government and Politics AP U.S. Government and Politics studies the operations and structure of the U.S. government and the behavior of the electorate and politicians. Students will gain the analytic perspective necessary to critically evaluate political data, hypotheses, concepts, opinions, and processes. Along the way, they'll learn how to gather data about political behavior and develop their own theoretical analysis of American politics. They'll also build the skills they need to examine general propositions about government and politics, and to analyze the specific relationships between political, social, and economic institutions. The equivalent of an introductory college-level course, AP U.S. Government and Politics prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in political science, law, education, business, and history.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
AP U.S. History AP U.S. History analyzes and explores the economic, political, and social changes in America since Columbus. Students master historical knowledge and critical analysis, build reading, writing, and communication skills, and discover how historical events have contributed to American culture. In the process, they'll learn how decisions and events of the past continue to have profound effects on the world today and how knowledge of the causes behind past events can influence future decisions. By the end of the course, students will be ready to put their factual knowledge to work by weighing evidence and interpreting problems presented by historians. The equivalent of an introductory college-level course, AP U.S. History prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study in history, political science, economics, sociology, and law.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
WORLD LANGUAGES
AP French Language AP French Language students apply their French grammar and vocabulary knowledge and their listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills to a wide variety of real-world contexts. Students learn to speak fluently and accurately, write complicated compositions, and comprehend native speakers. The equivalent of a college-level language course, AP French Language prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study of French language, culture, and literature.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
AP Spanish Language AP Spanish Language students practice perfecting their Spanish speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. They study vocabulary, grammar, and cultural aspects of the language, and then apply what they've learned in extensive written and spoken exercises. By the end of the course, students will have an expansive vocabulary and a solid, working knowledge of all verb forms and tenses. The equivalent of a college-level language course, AP Spanish Language prepares students for the AP Exam and for further study of Spanish language, culture, or literature.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.
