|
|
2003-2004 Curriculum Guide
Students at NCCES learn through a curriculum of
discipline-based courses and interdisciplinary projects. Each division
has its own developmental emphasis, Foundations in Division 1, Inquiry
in Division 2, and Independence in Division 3. By the end of students
learning at NCCES, we expect to graduate students who are knowledgeable,
skilled, and inclined to use their intelligence as thoughtful, active
citizens, prepared to live good lives and make the world a better place.
Division 2 - Inquiry
Advisory 9 - The NCCES Advisory Program has
four purposes: personalization, academic advising, parent contact, and school
culture/community governance. The general learning goals of advisory are to:
- Increase the participant�s sense of personal confidence.
- Increase the participant�s inter- and intra-personal skills.
- Increase mutual support within a group.
- Develop an increase understanding of, and joy in, one�s physical,
emotional, intellectual, and social self. (This requires having fun!)
- Develop self-regulation.
- Develop empathy and perspective.
The ninth grade team will develop its own more specific objectives through
the year.
English Inquiry 1 - This course will focus on
important pieces of literature, themes, and ideas prevalent in early America. In
combination with the 10th grade humanities class, this course will serve as the
first of a two year American Literature study. Students will be exposed to a
variety of authors, literary techniques, and genres while working to develop
their own writing skills. Themes we will investigate include Native American
literature, clashing of cultures, Puritan lifestyle, the idea of the American
Dream, transcendentalism, and the role of poetry and early women writers in
American literature.
|
Main Essential Questions |
|
What is American literature? |
|
What role does literature have in shaping a culture? |
|
Main Units |
Content |
|
Unit 1: Native American and Genre studies |
Native American creation myths, trickster tales, and beliefs. Study
of genre and comparative writing. |
|
Unit 2: Puritan America and the Age of Faith |
Ideals of the puritan society and how they shaped human behavior,
The Crucible, The Scarlet Letter. |
|
Unit 3: The American Dream and Romanticism |
Study of the �American Dream� and its permeation through the works
of Irving, Longfellow, and how it relates to writers of today. |
|
Unit 4: Shakespeare Study |
This unit will connect to our school wide initiative to present
Shakespeare at every grade level. Students will read Romeo and
Juliet in search of the timeless themes presented in this literary
work. |
|
Unit 5: Transcendentalism an the American Renaissance |
A study into the works of Thoreau and Emerson and how the idea of
transcendentalism shaped a new American culture. Authors who wrote
from a darker perspective during this period such as Edgar Allen
Poe, Herman Melville, and Nathaniel Hawthorne will be investigated. |
|
Unit 6: The Shape of American Poetry |
Students will be exposed to two of the most influential American
poets, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, and examine how their
writing continues to influence American thinking. We will also focus
on important women writers during early America. |
 Top of Page
 Back
to the Previous Page
Math Inquiry 1 (Algebra) - This course will
focus on translating problems into mathematical statements, learning to
experiment with math, learning how to work backwards, understanding recursion
and other techniques from programming, and, of course, algebraic functions.
Technology's greatest contribution is to permit people to be incompetent at a
larger and larger range of things. Because technology changes the types of
things to be learned, some of the more 'traditional' ideas will be considered
less important: guessing factors to polynomials, being careful when copying
expressions, and rote memorization of formulas.
|
Main Textbook |
Core Subject |
In Depth Supplement |
|
Intermediate Algebra (Bittinger) |
Intermediate Algebra |
Algebra II topics � advanced functions � inverse, exponential,
transcendental |
Top of Page
Back
to the Previous Page
Science Inquiry 1 - 9th Grade Science will
focus on concepts in Physics and Physical Science. The course will cover topics
in motion, force, waves, energy, atomic structure, properties of matter, heat,
and electricity and magnetism.
|
Students Will Learn |
|
Pose questions and state hypotheses based on prior scientific
observations, experiments, and knowledge. |
|
Distinguish between hypothesis and theory as scientific terms. |
|
Either individually or as part of a student team, design and
complete a scientific experiment that extends over several days or
weeks. |
|
Use mathematics to analyze and support findings and to model
conclusions. |
|
Simulate physical processes or phenomena using different kinds of
representations. |
|
Identify possible reasons for inconsistent results, such as sources
of error or uncontrolled conditions. |
|
Revise scientific models. |
|
Communicate and defend a scientific argument. |
Our first 6 week unit will be all about motion.
Top of Page
Back
to the Previous Page
Social Studies Inquiry 1 - This course will
survey early American history from the 16th century European explorations of the
New World to the American Civil War of the middle 19th century. It is designed
in conjunction with the 10th grade curriculum and will function as the first
year of a two year US History sequence. Themes that will be investigated include
exploration, the role of religion in America�s founding, the economy of early
America, the expansion of the frontier, and the interlacing narratives of race
and culture that ultimately led to civil war. In addition, we will examine
structures and issues in contemporary American society throughout the course as
they relate to the ideas, assumptions, and actions of our national ancestors.
|
Main Essential Questions |
|
What is the American Dream? |
|
What do Americans share? |
|
Main Units |
Content |
|
Unit 1: Land |
Question: What motivates explorers?
Content: Spanish exploration, Native Americans, Lewis and Clark
Skills: US political/physical geography, mapmaking and using maps
Extension/Application: Preservation of US land�A Look at National
Parks |
|
Unit 2: Freedom |
Question: What does freedom (of religion) look like in a community?
Content: New England Puritans, Pilgrims, Great Awakening, Deism,
relationship of religion & state
Skills: Identifying and using primary sources, keeping a research notebook
Extension/Application: Interdisciplinary Project on the idea of �Freedom� (focus
groups) |
|
Unit 3: Dreams |
Question: What were the Founding Fathers� dreams for America? Would they
approve?
Content: Colonial lifestyle, causes and events of the American Revolution,
Constitutional Convention
Skills: Thinking�cause/effect, historical analysis and interpretation (tools of
historians) |
|
Unit 4: Money |
Question: How does greed affect a society?
Content: Theories of capitalism/mercantilism, the Atlantic Slave Trade, early
industrialization of North
Extension/Application: Cross-disciplinary project w/ Math�economics |
|
Unit 5: Patriotism |
Question: How does Manifest Destiny shape American identity?
Content: Westward expansion, role of RR, Native Americans, Mormons
Extension/Application: Interdisciplinary Project on wilderness/survival |
|
Unit 6: Zeal for an Ideal |
Question: How have zealots for social causes united and divided America?
Content: Abolition movements of 1830s, 40s, and 50s, causes and events of the
Civil War
|
Top of Page
Back
to the Previous Page
Wellness 9 - Wellness courses encompass
Fitness, Health, and Adventure, progressing from introductory skills
through more advanced knowledge and skills as students progress.
|
Fitness |
Health |
Adventure |
|
Students will do a variety of activities to introduce each of the
components of fitness including; Strength Training, Cardio Vascular
Endurance, Flexibility, and body composition in a non-competitive
and individually accommodating environment. Various types of
equipment, settings and motivation approaches will be utilized to
inspire life-long fitness enthusiasts. |
Students will discover the multi-dimensions of their bodies, minds,
and selves. Through progressive explorative, communicative, and
movement-based activities students will learn how to obtain and
maintain an optimal level of mental, physical, and emotional health
and well-being personally as well as in their interactions with
family, peers and community. |
Students will be introduced to the concept of Adventure as a means
for exploring themselves, interaction with others and how the spirit
of adventure fits into community. Activities will be presented in a
progressive manner in an atmosphere of safety, fun, open discussion
and team work. |
- What is Total Body Fitness?
- What is my current level of Fitness in each of the four
components?
- What areas would I like to improve and how will I accomplish
these goals?
- What specific fitness activities suit my personal fitness
formula, preferences, and lifestyle?
- How will I continue to be a life-long fitness enthusiast?
|
- What is Wellness and how does it differ from Fitness or
Health?
- How is my level of wellness?
- What can I improve?
- What are my greatest gifts and attributes that make me unique?
- How can I optimize my gifts and talents?
- What are my personal values and how will they guide my
decisions and actions?
- What qualities create a healthy environment for family,
community, and environment?
- How can I avoid harmful situations and toxins?
� What is an optimal nutrition plan for my lifestyle and needs?
|
- What are the concepts of various motor skills and how can I
utilize these concepts in performing a particular task?
- Which specific behavior models accomplish the greatest sense
of personal and social responsibility?
- How can I effectively solve conflicts and create solutions in
a group setting?
- How can I implement positive and safe risk-taking
opportunities into my life?
- What is the importance of challenges, shared enjoyment,
creatively and self-expression?
- What are the benefits of respecting the differences that exist
between us and how can these differences be utilized to accomplish
a common goal?
|
- Walk/Jog / Fitness Assessment
- Total Fitness Room Equipment Circuit
- Gymnastics
- Basket-Ball/ Soccer Techniques
- Team Sports Skills
- Field games and group activities
|
- Personal Health, Goal Setting, Health Habits effects on growth
and development
- Healthy Eating Plans, Reading Labels, Essential Nutrients
- Physical Changes as related to the reproduction system and
puberty
- Emotional and Mental well-being
- Body Image, Healthy Support System, Decision Making
- Abstinence, disease prevention, safety
|
- Creating Community
- Establishing Full Value Norms
- problem Solving
- Building trust
- Experiences using Low elements
- Creative Challenges
|
Top of Page
Back
to the Previous Page
Beginning Spanish - This is a full-time class wherein students will continue to increase their
speaking vocabulary and skills, and where emphasis on written skill- building
will increase and where student creativity will be encouraged in speaking,
reading and writing. Assessment will be an on-going exercise. Student
participation in class orally and intellectually will determine learning level
achievement. There will be ample opportunity for independent work and for
individual student aptitude to be evidenced.
|
Main Units |
|
Where do we begin? |
|
Was America discovered or uncovered? |
|
Does food shape culture? |
|
Why write a story? |
|
Main Projects/Exhibitions |
|
Shopping mall or caf� scenes created and performed by the students. |
|
Research reports on Spain and its exploratory years |
|
�Story hour� or story re-enactments of student work. |
Top of Page
Back
to the Previous Page
Visual Arts Inquiry 1 (First Semester) - The
purpose of this first Inquiry semester is to further expand on the arsenal of
knowledge acquired in the first two semesters of study. Students are working
toward a fluid mastery of the Creative Process, and an even greater depth of
understanding of the Elements and Principles. In this semester students have the
opportunity to choose a favorite form of expression and dig deeply into it to
create artifacts of intelligence and meaning that communicate to a critical
audience. Students will be involved in a semester long research and writing
project that discusses their focused work in each of the three subject matter
areas and connects the work to its source and/or influences.
|
Main Units |
|
2D � Major work or Series |
|
3D � Major work or Series |
|
4D � Major work or Series |
|
Main Essential Questions |
|
What can I Say? This semester is more focused because the student
chooses an area of concentration within the subject matter. |
|
Main Projects/Exhibitions |
|
At the end of the Semester there will be a �Gallery Opening� event
to celebrate the learning and create a collection of �museum
quality� art that will remain on display at the school for at least
one more semester before students choose to take their work home or
let it remain in the school�s permanent collection. |
Top of Page
Back
to the Previous Page
Performing Arts Inquiry 1 - In this
course, students will examine text analysis and dramatic structure.
Students will also explore themes and issues that personally influence
their lives through drama. Units may include types of plays, directing,
and Musical Theater. A performance piece will conclude the class.
Top of Page
Back
to the Previous Page
|
