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Curriculum

Courses Offered

Accounting I Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None Accounting I introduces concepts and principles based on a double-entry system of maintaining the financial records of a sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. It includes analyzing business transactions, journalizing, posting and preparing worksheets and financial statements.

Accounting II Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11, 12 Pre-requisites: Accounting I Accounting II is an advanced study of concepts, principles, and techniques used in keeping the financial records of a sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. Departmental, management, cost, and not-for-profit accounting systems are explored.

Adult Living Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None Adult Living is designed to empower students to take action for the well- being of themselves and others as they effectively manage the roles and responsibilities created by family, career, and community interactions. Focusing on the young adult, content includes skills and knowledge to enable students to maintain an optimum living environment by making responsible young adult decisions. Students will learn to plan and set goals for a career, manage multiple roles, maintain respectful and caring relationships with improved communication skills, understand the responsibilities of parenting, cope with stress and crisis situations, provide for health and well-being, and function as informed consumers.

Algebra I Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None Algebra I is the foundation course for all higher mathematics courses and is valuable and necessary for all students. Most college and university admission requirements include Algebra I. AlgebraI students will be involved in solving problems that arise from real-world settings and contexts and using the language of algebra to find and interpret solutions. Development of conceptual understanding of number sense, pattern recognition, proportionality, multiple representation, variable, equality and inequality, functions and dependency, and data analysis are all included in the instruction of AlgebraI for deepening understanding and mathematic thinking.If Algebra I is taken at the eighth grade level, it may be applicable as one of the mathematics units required for graduation, providing students meet the criteria for such credit.Students enrolled in Algebra I are required to take an AlgebraI end-of-course test administered as part of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). As of the 2001-02 school year, a revised Algebra I end-of-course test will be a Gateway Test.Tennessee students who entered the seventh grade in the 1999-2000 school year will have to pass three Gateway tests (AlgebraI, English 10, and Biology) as a part of the requirements for obtaining a high school diploma.

Algebra I-A Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9 Pre-requisites: Elective credit (Teacher Recommendation) Algebra I is the foundation course for all higher mathematics courses and is valuable and necessary for all students. Most college and university admission requirements include Algebra I. AlgebraI students will be involved in solving problems that arise from real-world settings and contexts and using the language of algebra to find and interpret solutions. Development of conceptual understanding of number sense, pattern recognition, proportionality, multiple representation, variable, equality and inequality, functions and dependency, and data analysis are all included in the instruction of AlgebraI for deepening understanding and mathematic thinking.If Algebra I is taken at the eighth grade level, it may be applicable as one of the mathematics units required for graduation, providing students meet the criteria for such credit.Students enrolled in Algebra I are required to take an AlgebraI end-of-course test administered as part of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). As of the 2001-02 school year, a revised Algebra I end-of-course test will be a Gateway Test.Tennessee students who entered the seventh grade in the 1999-2000 school year will have to pass three Gateway tests (AlgebraI, English 10, and Biology) as a part of the requirements for obtaining a high school diploma.

Algebra I-B Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: Algebra I-A Algebra I is the foundation course for all higher mathematics courses and is valuable and necessary for all students. Most college and university admission requirements include Algebra I. AlgebraI students will be involved in solving problems that arise from real-world settings and contexts and using the language of algebra to find and interpret solutions. Development of conceptual understanding of number sense, pattern recognition, proportionality, multiple representation, variable, equality and inequality, functions and dependency, and data analysis are all included in the instruction of AlgebraI for deepening understanding and mathematic thinking.If Algebra I is taken at the eighth grade level, it may be applicable as one of the mathematics units required for graduation, providing students meet the criteria for such credit.Students enrolled in Algebra I are required to take an AlgebraI end-of-course test administered as part of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). As of the 2001-02 school year, a revised Algebra I end-of-course test will be a Gateway Test.Tennessee students who entered the seventh grade in the 1999-2000 school year will have to pass three Gateway tests (AlgebraI, English 10, and Biology) as a part of the requirements for obtaining a high school diploma.

Algebra II Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: Algebra I. Algebra II is an extension of study of the topics and concepts developed in Algebra I. Emphasis is placed on quadratic functions, matrices, exponential and logarithmic functions, the structure of number systems, data analysis, and probability. Instruction in this course centers on the use of real-world problems to demonstrate how other disciplines use algebra to model real phenomena. Extensive use of graphing calculator and computer technology in Algebra II means that there will be decreased emphasis on logarithmic calculations using tabled and interpolation, on solving systems of equations by using determinants, and on conic sections.

Biology I Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: General Science Biology is a laboratory-based course, which includes the study of living things and their structures, functions and interactions with the environment. Scientific processes are emphasized through laboratory, library and field experiences. The course provides students with opportunities to learn of careers in fields related to Biology. Through technology, classroom and laboratory methods, students investigate the chemical basis of life; diversity and change; cell structure and function; genetics and biotechnology; reproduction and development, and ecology. No student may receive science credit toward graduation for both Biology and Biology for Technology I. If both courses are taken, elective credit will be awarded for one of the two courses.

 

Business Economics Credit: .5 Grade Level: 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None This course provides an in-depth study of fundamental concepts, free enterprise trading practices and the various players in the economic system. Topics include the production, marketing and distribution of goods and services, as well as the roles of financial institutions, the government and the individual within the free enterprise system. Students will explore various careers related to the economy. (International trade and economics have become an integral part of Business Economics).

 

Chemistry I Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: Algebra I Chemistry I is a laboratory-based course, which includes a study of the properties,composition, and behavior of matter. The nature of the atom, characteristics of elements, and chemical interactions are included in the course. Through technology, classroom and laboratory methods, students develop an operational understanding of chemistry and an awareness of the importance of chemistry in our lives.

Driver Education Credit: .5 Grade Level: 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None Driver Education is an elective course offered to students 15 years of age or older. Emphasis is placed on defensive driving, using classroom theory, simulation, and actual hands-on experience with the automobile to acquaint students with maneuvers from the very basic to those used in the most complex traffic environment.

Economics Credit: .5 Grade Level: 12 Pre-requisites: None One-half unit of Economics is required for graduation from high school. The economic system of the United States is compared with other economic systems with emphasis on how each determines what is to be produced, who will produce goods and services, and how much, and how goods and services will be distributed. The law of supply and demand-its effects on wages, surplus, production, consumption and distribution-are explored. The role of finance in securing and managing capital, as well as the role of government in regulating business, is examined. Students are guided in a study of career opportunities and choices.

English I Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9 Pre-requisites: None English I is designed to help students continue the mastery of essential literacy skills.Emphasis is placed on developing strategies for effective expression in speaking, writing and representing and for comprehension in listening, reading and viewing a variety of texts. Vocabulary, thinking and grammar instruction supports these processes. Authentic performances such as reading charts, maps and graphs, completing job applications and reading for pleasure are stressed. Literature involves students in a survey of multiple genres such as the short story, poetry, essay, drama, autobiography, biography and novel.

English I HONORS Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9 Pre-requisites: Teacher Recommendation English I is designed to help students continue the mastery of essential literacy skills.Emphasis is placed on developing strategies for effective expression in speaking, writing and representing and for comprehension in listening, reading and viewing a variety of texts. Vocabulary, thinking and grammar instruction supports these processes. Authentic performances such as reading charts, maps and graphs, completing job applications and reading for pleasure are stressed. Literature involves students in a survey of multiple genres such as the short story, poetry, essay, drama, autobiography, biography and novel.

English II Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10 Pre-requisites: English I English II is a course designed to continue the study, review and maintenance of basic literacy skills in reading and composition. The greater part of grammar and vocabulary instruction is based upon individual weaknesses evidence through writing and discussion. Extensive emphasis is devoted to the ongoing study of the writing process, beginning with experience-based writing and moving into formal compositions that include content reports and skeletal research papers. Literature involves students in a deeper examination of such genres as the short story, poetry, essay, drama, autobiography, biography and novel.

English II HONORS Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10 Pre-requisites: English I, Teacher Recomendation English II is a course designed to continue the study, review and maintenance of basic literacy skills in reading and composition. The greater part of grammar and vocabulary instruction is based upon individual weaknesses evidence through writing and discussion. Extensive emphasis is devoted to the ongoing study of the writing process, beginning with experience-based writing and moving into formal compositions that include content reports and skeletal research papers. Literature involves students in a deeper examination of such genres as the short story, poetry, essay, drama, autobiography, biography and novel.

 

English III Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11 Pre-requisites: English II English III is designed to help students continue to develop knowledge and skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing and representing. The course deals with the strengthening and refinement of vocabulary, grammar and composition skills, with the greater part of grammar and vocabulary instruction based upon individual weaknesses evidenced through writing and discussion. A chronological approach is emphasized in the survey of American literature. Thematic studies can be utilized with various units for comparative purposes. The literature study includes theme, style, genre, literary analysis, research and techniques of writing clearly and concisely about literary techniques.

English III HONORS Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11 Pre-requisites: English II, Teacher Recommendation English III is designed to help students continue to develop knowledge and skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing and representing. The course deals with the strengthening and refinement of vocabulary, grammar and composition skills, with the greater part of grammar and vocabulary instruction based upon individual weaknesses evidenced through writing and discussion. A chronological approach is emphasized in the survey of American literature. Thematic studies can be utilized with various units for comparative purposes. The literature study includes theme, style, genre, literary analysis, research and techniques of writing clearly and concisely about literary techniques.

 

English IV Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12 Pre-requisites: English III English IV is designed to prepare students to complete their formal secondary education with the skills needed to communicate effectively with others in the workplace or to gainadmission to and succeed in college or professional school. Writing experiences include formal, informal, and technical/functional compositions. An additional, major is to create and nurture an appreciation of literature. In English IV the focus is on British literature, with an emphasis on examining literary works within their historical and cultural contexts.

English IV AP Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12 Pre-requisites: Teacher Recommendation University Level English. Upon successful completion students will have earned a college credit for English IV.

English IV HONORS Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12 Pre-requisites: English III, Teacher Recommendation English IV is designed to prepare students to complete their formal secondary education with the skills needed to communicate effectively with others in the workplace or to gainadmission to and succeed in college or professional school. Writing experiences include formal, informal, and technical/functional compositions. An additional, major is to create and nurture an appreciation of literature. In English IV the focus is on British literature, with an emphasis on examining literary works within their historical and cultural contexts.

English-AP Credit: 1 Grade Level: 12 Pre-requisites: English III, Teacher Recommendation The Advanced Placement (AP.) course provides interested students the opportunity to pursue college-level studies while in high school. College credit may be awarded for successful completion of the AP. examination given in early May. This demanding academic curriculum focuses on both the study and practice of writing and the study of literature, emphasizing ancient Greek drama and a chronological survey of British literature. Fundamentals of grammar, style and diction are reinforced as need compositions reveal weaknesses. This course may be taken in lieu of English Grade IV (185) for graduation.

Family and Consumer Sciences Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None This is a laboratory course that provides instruction for the early adolescent to obtain life management skills related to careers, economic, social, and family environments. It is a comprehensive course that includes basic instruction in the following areas: interpersonal communications; human development; family living; parenthood education; consumer economics; nutrition and foods; textiles and clothing; housing and living environments.

Keyboarding Credit: .5 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None The student will develop basic skills in operating a computerized keyboard by using the touch system to produce mail able business documents. Malleability standards apply to keying, formatting, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, content, and layout and design. Using special features of the software such as the table function, the student will be able to format academic and business report.

Keyboarding Applications Credit: .5 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: Keyboarding The student will further develop and refine basic skills in operating the keyboard by using the touch system to produce malleable personal and business correspondence. Speed and production are emphasized in preparation of documents. A computerized workstation is required for each student.

Lifetime Wellness Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9 Pre-requisites: None Lifetime Wellness is a new approach to the traditional physical education and health courses. This standards-based course focuses on the principles of lifetime wellness-a lifelong process of positive lifestyle management that seeks to integrate the emotional, social, intellectual and physical dimensions of self for a longer, more productive, and higher quality of life. Using the HPELW content standards, students will apply knowledge of the human body to make decisions related to nutrition, substance use and abuse, sexuality and family life, safety and first aid, disease prevention and control, mental health, and personal fitness and related skills. In addition, students will develop a plan to maintain personal health and fitness and demonstrate individual development in fitness and psychomotor skills to promote lifelong physical activity

Marketing & Management I - Principles Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10,11. Pre-requisites:  None  This course focuses on the study of marketing concepts and the practical application.  Students will examine risks and challenges marketers' face to establish the competitive edge.  Subject matter includes economics, marketing foundations/functions, human resource development and leadership development.

Marketing & Management II/Cooperative Education Credit: 1 to 3 Pre-requisite:  One marketing credit.

This course emphasizes the development of decision-making skills so that the students understand the impact of managment-oriented challenges.  Subject matter includes finance, entrepreneurship, risk management, marketing information systems, purchasing, human resource skills, and leadership development.

Physical Science Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None Physical Science is a basic science course covering the basic concepts of Chemistry and Physics. This course involves the study of the relationships between matter and energy with emphasis on general and practical applications.

 

Physics Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11, 12 Pre-requisites: Algebra I, Geometry, Chemistry Physics is a laboratory-based course, which includes the study of matter, and the relationship between energy matter. Through technology, classroom and laboratory methods, students investigate mechanics; heat, sound, and light; electromagnetism, and nuclear changes. While an understanding of physics concepts is emphasized during the course, measurements and calculations are used to assist students in developing those understandings. Algebra II should be taken prior to or concurrently with Physics.

Pre-Cal/Pacesetter Credit: 1 Grade Level: 11, 12 Pre-requisites: Algebra II, Teacher Recommendation Instruction in Precalculus emphasizes the connections among a problem situation, its model as a function in symbolic form, and the graph of that function. Major topics of study in Precalculus are function analysis, exponents and logarithms, trigonometry and its applications, sequences and series, and conic sections. Technology use is a priority so that manual graphing of functions and rote use of formulas receive decreased attention. Trigonometry content is an integral of this course.

Spanish I Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None In the first year foreign language courses, students are introduced to the fundamentals of the language, with an emphasis on developing novice-level communication skills. Students are provided contact with the cultures of the people who speak the language studied, through technology, real-life cultural experiences and authentic materials.

Spanish II Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: Spanish I In the second year foreign language courses, students continue to pursue the development of novice-level communication skills. They continue to become acquainted, through technology, real-life cultural experiences and authentic materials, with the cultures of the people who speak the language studied.

 

Unified Geometry Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10 Pre-requisites: Algebra I Geometry is the branch of mathematics that deals with properties, measurement, and relationships of points, lines, and plane and solid figures. Emphasis is placed on logical reasoning and the integration of algebraic and geometric concepts. Instruction in this course includes the study and use of different representational systems, including coordinate geometry and graph theory; it also focuses students on recognizing the usefulness of transformations and symmetry in analyzing mathematical situations. Graphing calculators or computers with Cabri software will be used in this course so that students can have dynamic visualizations of geometric relationships.

 

United States Government Credit: .5 Grade Level: 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None In United States Government, students explore the historical and philosophical background upon which the United States Government is founded. Emphasis is placed upon the three branches of government and their functions. Current problems resulting from government policies and decisions from the past are analyzed. This course will be required for graduation beginning with the 1994 seniors.

Visual Arts I Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None This is an introductory course in art. Basic elements and principals of art are learned through experiences in drawing, painting, visual communications, three-dimensional design, and environmental design. Art production is integrated with art history, art criticism, and aesthetics within each unit of study.

Visual Arts II Credit: 1 Grade Level: 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: Visual Art I with a B average or above, or its equivalent This course is a continuation of Secondary Art I in greater depth and detail emphasizing strong foundations in theory and skill. Emphasis is placed in design as it relates to two-dimensional art forms. Art production is integrated with art history, art criticism, and aesthetics to build individual skills in observing, analyzing, and interpreting artworks. These skills are necessary for consumers as well as producers of art.

World Geography Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None The broad goal of World Geography is to expand the students' basic concepts, skills ad experiences relating to the geographic, political, social, and economic institutions for the various regions of the world. For graduation, students are required to earn one unit in World Geography or one unit in World History.

World History Credit: 1 Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 Pre-requisites: None World History is offered at the high school level. The major goals of the course are to provide opportunities for students to examine the past; to study backgrounds, beliefs, values, attitudes and customs of past societies; and to gain an understanding of the ways these differences impact upon world events in our global society. Emphasis is placed on developing respect for cultural differences, viewing these differences as a right of all people, and examining world problems and the complexity of arriving at acceptable solutions. For graduation, students are required to take one unit of World History or one unit of World Geography.

 

 

 
Memphis City Schools does not discriminate in its programs or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, handicap/disability, sex, or age.  For more information, please contact the Office of Equity Compliance at (901) 416-6670.
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