High School HonorsClasses

Algebra I Honors – 1.0 Credit

Students are introduced to the foundational skills needed for more advanced mathematics courses and develop the skills needed to solve mathematical problems. Students perform operations involving numbers, sets, and variables; know the basic properties of real numbers; solve and use first degree equations and inequalities; understand functions, relations, and graphs; solve and use systems of equations and inequalities; solve problem involving integral exponents; solve problems involving polynomials and rational algebraic expressions; factor polynomials; simplify rational and irrational expressions; solve and use quadratic equations. Students extend on these concepts by completing more extensive and challenging assignments. Students complete an independent honors project.

Prerequisite: Completion of a Grade 8 Math course with a 'B' or higher.

Algebra II Honors - 1.0 Credit

Students continue learning and working with the more advanced concepts of Algebra 1, including operations with matrices, relations, functions, variation, exponential growth and decay, imaginary numbers, complex numbers, logarithmic functions, quadratic equations, graphing, trigonometric ratios, and systems of equations. Students engage in more challenging assignments and complete an independent honors project.

Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra 1 and Geometry with a grade of 'B' or higher.

American Government Honors - 0.5 Credit

Students will examine important historical documents and interpret their impact on our government and society. Students learn to perform effectively as informed citizens of their community and the United States by acquiring knowledge and skills necessary for active participation in a dynamic, pluralistic and democratic society. Students extend on these concepts by using historical documents as evident for evaluating events and government functions. Students complete an independent honors project.

Prerequisite: Completion of a high school social studies course with a grade of 'B' or higher.

American History - 1.0 Credit

Students research the chronological development of the American people by examining the political, economic, social, religious, military, and cultural events that affected the rise and growth of our nation.

Biology 1 Honors - 1.0 Credit

Students engage in the extensive research of cell biology, basic principles of genetics, biological changes through time, classification and taxonomy, structure and function of plants, structure and function of animals, structure and function of the online lessons, virtual laboratories, and hands-on experiments that can be completed at home. Students complete an independent honors project.

Chemistry Honors - 1.0 Credit

This course investigates all key concepts including atomic structure, chemical bonding and reactions, solutions, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, organic chemistry, and nuclear chemistry, enhanced with challenging model problems and assessments. Students complete community-based written research projects that require individual research and reporting.

Prerequisite: Completion of one high school science with a grade of 'B' or higher.

Earth Science I Honors - 1.0 Credit

Students extend on the concepts included in Earth Science through extensive research and completion of application problems to solve global issues involving the earth's resources. Students complete an independent honors project.

Prerequisite: Completion of a Grade 8 or 9 science course with a grade of 'B' or higher.

Economics Honors - 0.5 Credit

Students are involved in discovering the definition of economics, the concept of scarcity, supply and demand, resource allocation, institutional and governmental effects on consumer behavior, unemployment, regional, national and global competitive situations, the economic cycle, and the production of goods and services by industry and government. Students engage in extensive research into a chosen relevant topic to complete an independent honors project.

English I Honors - 1.0 Credit

This is an accelerated course in which students think deeply about both fiction and non-fiction from classic and contemporary works. A heavy emphasis is placed on a variety of writing skills for a rigorous and active experience. Language study continues through the application of rules for sentence formation, usage, spelling, and mechanics. Students apply their understanding of grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing to varied and frequent writing assignments. Students complete an independent honors project.

English II Honors – 1.0 Credit

Students will improve their reading skills, especially in vocabulary, attention to detail, identifying theme and tone, and analyzing the effect of literary techniques on meaning. The writing focuses on content, organization, style, complex sentence structure, and conventions. Students also practice revising work and develop presentation projects in multi-media formats. Students complete an independent honors project.

English III Honors – 1.0 Credit

Students read and analyze a variety of literary and nonfiction texts, comparing themes of various works and analyzing expository materials to draw conclusions. Language study continues through the application of rules for sentence formation, usage, spelling, and mechanics. Students apply their understanding of grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing to varied and frequent writing assignments. With an emphasis on persuasive writing, students apply their skills and adapt content, vocabulary, voice, and tone to a specific audience and purpose. In the research process, students analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and organize information from a variety of sources to produce a research product. Students complete an independent honors project.

Prerequisite: Completion of English II with a grade of 'B' or higher.

English IV Honors - 1.0 Credit

Students will improve their reading skills, especially in vocabulary, attention to detail, identifying theme and tone, and analyzing the effect of literary techniques on meaning. The writing focuses on content, organization, style, complex sentence structure, and conventions. Students also practice revising work and develop presentation projects in multi-media formats. Students complete an independent honors project.

Environmental Science Honors - 1.0 Credit

Students engage in research based activities including man's interaction with the environment, including technology, air, and water, and land pollution, conservation of natural resources, and society's impact on the environment. Students complete an independent honors project.

Prerequisite: Completion of one high school science with a 'B' or higher.

Geometry Honors – 1.0 Credit

Students master all of the topics in Geometry but engage in more challenging research assignments, including an independent honors project. Topics include transformations in the plane, understand congruence in terms of rigid motions, prove geometric theorems, make geometric constructions, understand similarity in terms of similarity transformations, prove theorems involving similarity, understand and apply theorems about circles, find arc lengths and areas of sectors of circles, explain volume formulas and use them to solve problems, visualize relationships between two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects, and apply geometric concepts in modeling situations by using traditional and real world mathematical practices. Students complete an independent honors project.

Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra 1 with a grade of 'B' or higher.

World History Honors – 1.0 Credit

Students conduct extensive research into the study of ancient and modern civilizations, societies, and historical periods leading to the beginning of the 21st Century to build a foundation for understanding the human history across different cultures and civilizations. Emphasis will be placed on the interaction among world cultures, the linking of the past and present, and the importance of the relationship of geography and history. Students complete an independent honors research project.

Prerequisite: Completion of a Grade 8 social studies course with a grade of 'B' or higher.