SY 2020-2021 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions ______

AP CAPSTONE PROGRAM AP SEMINAR (Grade 10) and AP RESEARCH (Grade 12) ​ ​ ​ ​

“AP Capstone™ is an innovative diploma program from the College Board that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges. AP Capstone is built on the foundation of two AP courses — AP Seminar and AP Research — and is designed to complement and enhance the in-depth, discipline-specific study experienced in other AP courses. Students who enroll in AP Seminar are required to enroll in AP Research course senior ​ year.

In AP Seminar, students investigate real-world issues from multiple perspectives, gathering and analyzing information from various sources in order to develop credible and valid evidence based arguments. In AP Research, students cultivate the skills and discipline necessary to conduct independent research in order to produce and defend a scholarly academic paper. Students are encouraged to enroll in AP Statistics before ​ enrolling in AP Research.

AP Research, the second course in the AP Capstone experience, allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, issue, or idea of individual interest. Students design, plan, and implement a yearlong investigation to address a research question. Through this inquiry, they further the skills they acquired in the AP Seminar course by learning research methodology, employing ethical research practices, and accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information. The course culminates in an academic paper and a presentation with an oral defense.

Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing will receive the AP Capstone Diploma. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research but not on four additional AP Exams will receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate. Students who take this course must register and complete all requirements for ​ the AP Research exam.

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 1 ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AP English Language and Composition: Grade 11

AP English Language and Composition is a course rooted in rhetoric, with an emphasis on writing, language awareness, close reading, and analysis of nonfiction prose. Course readings, writing, and activities are structured to help students gain textual power. Students regularly confer about their writing in class—both with their teacher and with their classmates. Students learn to read complex texts with ​ understanding, write prose with richness and complexity, and communicate effectively--preparing students for the demands of college.

If you are willing to work hard, are curious about the world around you, enjoy debating ideas, and want to grow as a reader and writer--then AP English is for you! Students who complete this course are smart and savvy--they gain a sophisticated understanding of reading, speaking, and writing that proves to be a valuable skill in academia and beyond. As part of the Mass Insight Education (MIE) grant, students ​ must attend three mandatory AP English Saturday Sessions during the school year. Students enrolled in the course are expected to take the AP English Language and Composition exam. The class is highly ​ participatory, there is daily homework (reading, writing and/or preparation for long-term projects or writing assignments) and students are expected to engage in the writing and revision process with both their peers and teacher.

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AP English Literature and Composition: Grade 12

th AP English Literature and Composition is a 12 ​ grade course emphasizing interpretation through analysis ​ and the formulation of ideas in writing. This course aims to enhance students’ abilities to interpret, analyze, and appreciate the complexities of the canon, through close readings of great literature. Students will participate in in-depth analysis of novels, plays, short stories, and poetry by authors such as Shakespeare, Austin, Conrad, Shelley, Ibsen, and Morrison.

The typical student of AP Literature and Composition will be an avid reader of literary texts and write with sophistication and control. All students of AP Literature and Composition are expected to attend three mandatory Mass Insight Education AP Saturday Sessions and take the AP Literature and Composition exam in May. The class is highly participatory, there is daily homework (reading, writing and/or preparation for long-term projects or writing assignments) and students are expected to engage in the writing and revision process with both their peers and teacher.

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT AP Statistics: Grades 10, 11, and 12

AP Statistics is equivalent to a one semester, introductory, non-calculus-based, college course in statistics. An introductory statistics course, similar to the AP Statistics course, is typically required for majors such as social sciences, health sciences, and business. Students who successfully complete the course and exam may receive credit, advanced placement or both for a one-semester introductory college statistics course.

The purpose of the AP course in statistics is to introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes:

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 2 1. Exploring Data: Describing patterns and departures from patterns 2. Sampling and Experimentation: Planning and conducting a study 3. Anticipating Patterns: Exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation 4. Statistical Inference: Estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses

Statistics is the most widely applicable branch of math and is used in more professions and in everyday life. You will never ask, “When will I ever use this stuff?” What would everything from your health records to study of global warming to sports be without statistics? Everyone who needs to collect and analyze data needs to understand statistics. That is every branch of science and the social sciences (like psychology, economics, anthropology, sociology, and political science), business, law, and medicine. And, of course, sports. Prerequisite: Grade 10 students must be enrolled in Advanced Algebra ​ ​ concurrently.

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT AP CALCULUS AB: Grade 11 and 12 ​ ​ AP Calculus BC: Grade 12

Calculus is simply the study of how things change. We all know that if a person bikes at a constant speed of 15mph for 2 hours, then that person has traveled exactly 30 miles. But suppose that person cannot maintain a constant speed, and is biking at a continuously changing speed. Can you still calculate the distance biked? With calculus, you can! Calculus can be applied to anything that has a rate or is changing in the world. Can you think of anything else in life that is continuously changing?

Calculus AB is designed to be taken over a full high school academic year. For students who pass the Calculus AB exam, most colleges will give 4 college credits and/or credit for Calculus I. This course is intended to be challenging and demanding. Calculus BC covers the same exact material as the Calculus AB course, but with many additional topics included. For this reason, the pace of the class is much faster. For students who pass the Calculus BC exam, many colleges will give 8 college credits and/or credit for Calculus I and Calculus II.

Students must have completed Geometry, Algebra I, Algebra II, and Precalculus before enrolling in AP Calculus. For this reason, the course is limited to seniors. There is a summer Bridge to Calculus program that is mandatory for all students who did not achieve all A’s and B’s in Precalculus. There are also 3 mandatory Mass Insight AP Saturday sessions throughout the year that students must attend. AP Calculus is a word problem-solving course. Students who enjoy mathematics and/or are good at mathematics should take this Advanced Placement course. This is not a course to help you catch up on your Algebra or Trigonometry.

Who should enroll: Juniors who are taking Precalculus with an A or a B in the class. ​

Exception: Juniors or Sophomores in Algebra 2 with strong recommendations from their teacher or ​ Juniors in Pre-Calculus with a C in the class must complete and do well in the Bridge to Calculus at Northeastern over the summer. Therefore only students who enjoy mathematics and/or are good at ​ ​ mathematics should take this Advanced Placement course.

Expectations: Complete homework thoroughly everyday, and seek tutoring help for any forgotten ​ Algebra or Trigonometry techniques. The class moves quickly, and we will often move on from topics before the entire class fully understands the topic. Students must be willing to review previous topics if

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 3 they do not fully understand a topic. AP Calculus is a word problem-solving course, but also features heavy Algebra and equation manipulation. Therefore, students should expect to show algebraic and calculus thinking (work) as well as be able to explain Calculus meaning in context using sentences.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AP Computer Science Principles (CS-Principles): Grades 10, 11, and 12

Computers are indispensable in our modern lives and play a role in a majority of innovations from medical advancements to ideas for new companies or new art products. Only a small number of people are able to design, create, network and program computers. These skills are therefore extremely useful, remunerative and empowering. In AP CS-Principles you will learn these skills. The course is appropriate for all students who can manage their time well and are excited and willing to work tenaciously on learning a new skill. Most of the time will be independent, project-based work where you will be working on your own or with a partner on a variety of projects.

You will be provided a broad and rigorous introduction to computer science, including: using abstractions and algorithms, working with large data sets, understanding issues of privacy and cybersecurity, and understanding the impact of computing on different populations. You will learn computer science by building a large variety of socially useful apps. The course will also introduce students to the creative aspects of programming. Students will learn to be both analytical and creative in their thinking and work collaboratively with their peers to investigate solutions to real-world issues using computing. Prerequisites: Computer Science Essentials/Exploring Computer Science.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AP Computer Science A: Grade 11

AP Computer Science A introduces students to computer science through programming. Fundamental topics in this course include the design of solutions to problems, the use of data structures to organize large sets of data, the development and implementation of algorithms to process data and discover new information, the analysis of potential solutions, and the ethical and social implications of computing systems. The course emphasizes object-oriented programming and design using the Java programming language.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Computer Science Essentials and AP Computer Science ​ ​ Principles. It is recommended that a student in the AP Computer Science A course has successfully ​ completed a first-year high school algebra course with a strong foundation of basic linear functions, composition of functions, and problem-solving strategies that require multiple approaches and collaborative efforts. In addition, students should be able to use a Cartesian (x, y) coordinate system to represent points on a plane. It is important that students and their advisers understand that any significant computer science course builds upon a foundation of mathematical reasoning that should be acquired before enrolling in this course. Computer Language The AP Computer Science A course requires that solutions of problems be written in the Java programming language. Because the Java programming

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 4 language is extensive, with far more features than could be covered in a single introductory course, the AP Computer Science A Exam covers a subset of Java.

SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT AP World History History, Modern: Grade: 10

In AP World History: Modern, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes from 1200 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time. The course provides six themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: humans and the environment, cultural developments and interactions, governance, economic systems, social interactions and organization, and technology and innovation.

SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT AP United States History: Grade 11

AP United States History is a college level survey of US History from 1491 to the present, emphasizing the development of thinking skills used by historians and aligning with contemporary scholarly perspectives on major issues in US History.

The course uses a thematic analysis of the social, political, cultural and economic development of the United States. In addition to the historical content of the course, there is a great deal of emphasis placed on reading, writing and thinking skills. The course is designed to encourage students to become apprentice historians who are able to use historical facts and evidence in the service of creating deeper conceptual understandings of critical developments in US History.

As the course covers a great deal of content and requires the development of various skills, AP United States History is rigorous in both its depth and pace of study, requiring a great deal of student motivation and independence for success. Students should expect regular reading and writing assignments for homework, which will form the foundation for deeper analysis during classroom activities, discussions, seminars and lectures.

A strong background or love for history is NOT required for success in this course—rather, the most important ingredient for success is a willingness to work hard and embrace the requirements of the course while working collaboratively with your peers. Students who enroll in AP United States History and commit to the standards and learning objectives presented throughout the year will become stronger readers, writers and analytical thinkers, and will be fully prepared for the AP Exam in May.

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 5 SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT AP United States Government and Politics: Grade 12

This course explores the political theory and practice that directs the daily operation of the United States government and shapes public policies. The course is taught on a college level and requires a substantial amount of reading and preparation for every class. Students are expected to complete homework assignments and study as if this was a course they were taking in college. Students will develop a critical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the United States’ political system, as well as their rights and responsibilities as citizens. During this course, students will also study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behavior. They will also engage in disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ applications, and develop evidence-based arguments. In addition, they will complete a political science ​ ​ ​ research or applied civics project - this year students have volunteered at the polls on Election Day or volunteered at the Hope Lodge, making meals for families staying in Boston for cancer treatment.

Students taking AP Government & Politics are also required to stay up-to-date with current events. Many of the topics covered in class are directly related to current government operations. There are field trips to the JFK Library to learn about the election process and the federal budget along with other opportunities to visit the MA State House and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute.

All students are expected to take the AP Government & Politics Exam in the spring and complete final projects for the class. Students must have completed their history requirements (US/World I, II, III or AP US History) before taking AP Government and Politics.

SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT AP Microeconomics: Grade 12

All of us are bombarded with economics every single day. If you have ever wondered how businesses make decisions about when and why to offer sales, how taxes affect our purchasing decisions, why prices fluctuate, or what government regulations like minimum wage laws do in labor markets, then AP Micro may be the class for you. Perhaps you are interested in international trade, or you are thinking about starting your own business one day. Maybe you are considering a degree in business or accounting. If these topics appeal to you, and you are looking to challenge yourself academically with a course that is unlike any other that you have taken before, then you should consider AP Microeconomics. AP Micro is a college-level course designed to give students a broad understanding of the foundational principles of economics. While it is a social studies elective, it is NOT a history class. While arithmetic and graphing are an almost daily practice in class and for homework, it is NOT a math class either. This is a class that has real life application; students often say that after taking this class, they see and understand the world in a different way.

Major topics covered in this course are: basic principles of the market system, international trade, supply and demand, consumer choice, business behavior, labor and income inequality, and government regulation. Very little time is spent on stock market operations. This is not a class in investment strategies, ​ ​ ​ ​

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 6 though after the AP exam is over, we spend time understanding various financial instruments, including investment and banking.

Homework is assigned nightly. Tests are worth a large percentage of the overall grade. There is no summer work nor are there weekend sessions. In class, students can expect a variety of learning approaches including lecture and note-taking, participating in economic simulations, and competing in economic activities and review. All students enrolled in the course are expected to take the AP Microeconomics exam in May.

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AP Chemistry: Grades 11 and 12

th th AP Chemistry is a rigorous course offered to 11 ​ and 12 ​ graders who have completed general chemistry, ​ ​ which provides students with content and laboratory experiences equivalent to a first-year college Chemistry course. Students study topics from first year Chemistry in greater depth, including but not limited to: stoichiometry, phases of matter, gases, atomic structure, and chemical bonding. Students will also learn new topics in Chemistry, such as thermochemistry, kinetics, equilibrium, and electrochemistry. The course has an emphasis on:

● Lab Work: including experimental design, data collection, data analysis, and interpretation of ​ experimental errors (~20 labs) ● Particulate level explanations: examining on molecular level to explain observations or ​ chemical phenomenon

You should take AP Chemistry if you loved Chemistry 1, and you enjoy mathematical sciences. AP Chemistry will give you the opportunity to improve your problem solving, writing, and critical thinking skills.

● Problem Solving skills: Critical reading of questions to determine approach/question being ​ asked, planning and execution of a multistep mathematical solution to a problem. ● Writing skills: Lab report writing as well as writing explanations and justifications for ​ predictions about chemical systems. ● Critical Thinking skills: Developing alternate explanations for lab observations and for errors in ​ lab data

What are the extra requirements? You must participate in the summer bridge (three days in June and ​ two days in August the week before school starts), attend three Mass Insight Education AP Saturday Study Sessions during the year from 8:15 - 12:30, and attend after school tutoring/extra practice offered by your teacher.

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AP Biology: Grades 11 and 12

AP Biology is an introductory college-level biology course. The course aims to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 7 rapidly changing science of biology. The three general areas of study are: molecules and cells; heredity and evolution; and organisms and populations. Throughout the course major themes recur: structure and function, energy transfer, continuity and change, regulation, interdependence in nature, and connections between science, technology, and society. Ultimately, the course will prepare students for the AP Biology examination and will provide the foundation for advanced science and health/medicine studies in college.

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AP Environmental Science: Grade 11,12

Global warming, climate change, pollution, overpopulation, fracking, fossil fuels, renewable energy, carbon footprint, sustainability, conservation, whales and invasive species are some of the environmental issues and concepts you will study in this course. This class will provide you the opportunity to explore and investigate the interrelationships of the natural world, identify and analyze environmental problems, both natural and human-made, evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. You will learn about the natural world through hands-on, laboratory investigations and observations, and use fieldwork and scientific data to study both human-made and natural environmental problems. You will engage in in-depth discussions, labs, projects, and 3 required Saturday Study Sessions.

This course is an excellent choice if you have completed two years of high school laboratory science--one year of life science (for example, biology) and one year of a physical science (for example, chemistry). You should also have at least a year of algebra under your belt, and a course in earth science would be helpful. There is not a great deal of math in the course but you should be able to do basic algebra; understand percents, scientific notation, and significant figures; understand statistical validity; use dimensional analysis (for example, work with units; and plot data and interpret graphs. Students are expected to be able to apply the basic facts that you learned in previous science and math classes to an environmental science context. Prospective students should also be good readers, have a genuine love for learning, and a curiosity about how the natural world works.

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AP Psychology: Grade 12

Psychology is the study of the behavior and mental processes. Psychology is a science that seeks to describe, predict, understand and influence maladaptive, [patterns that can hurt self and others], thoughts ​ ​ and behavior. There are multiple theories and approaches in Psychology, some successful for one type of disorder but not for another. Motivation, moods, memory, reactions, attitudes, perceptions, attraction, talent, what you enjoy – or despise – all of these things have their roots in your Psychology. While Psychology is in the Social Science curriculum; it is in reality a Behavioral Science that often overlaps with the Natural Sciences.

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 8 The Advanced Placement Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.

The Advanced Placement Psychology course will offer students the opportunities to learn about the explorations and discoveries made by psychologists over the past century. Students will get the chance to assess some of the differing approaches adopted by psychologists, including biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and sociocultural perspectives. Students will also learn the basic skills of psychology research and develop critical thinking skills.

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AP PHYSICS 1: Grade 12

AP Physics 1 is an introductory, Algebra-based physics class. The course covers many concepts in mechanics, including kinematics in 1 and 2 dimensions, forces, energy, momentum, simple harmonic motion, waves and rotation, as well as some concepts in electricity including simple circuits. Students should take this course to develop rigorous problem solving and experimentation skills and to apply mathematical understandings from other courses to real-world things like car crashes, roller coasters, bungee jumping, satellites in space, and more. One of the most important characteristics of successful students in AP Physics is that they are willing to persevere through problems and ideas that they've never seen before using the concepts they've learned in the class. Students who agree to take the course agree to participate in a Bridge Program during the summer, as well as three Mass Insight AP Saturday Sessions during the school year. Prerequisites: Physics and Pre-Calculus. ​ ​

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AP Physics C Mechanics: Grade 12

AP Physics C is the calculus based AP Physics course. This class will prepare students for the one-and-half-hour AP Physics Mechanics Exams in the spring, AP Physics C: Mechanics. This course is the equivalent of one semester of college level calculus-based physics. Often two semesters of calculus-based physics is a prerequisite for further courses in engineering, physics, often chemistry as well as a pre-med requirement.

Throughout this class we will delve into topics of physics and use calculus to help us understand complex situations. This means that students will be applying what they are learning in their calculus class to what they are learning in Physics. A strong math background is therefore necessary for this class. The course will involve rigorous problem solving both in class and for homework. We will also do a series of inquiry labs and demonstrations to help understand the topics better. Students will focus on using calculus as tool in solving problems in the following pics: motion, forces, impulse, momentum, energy and rotation, as well as other smaller topics. Students are expected to attend Bridge sessions in June and August and 3-5 Saturday sessions throughout the year.

Prerequisites: Strong Performance in Pre-Calculus and Physics, Aerospace Engineer, AP Physics I or ​ another AP Science class. Co-Requisites: Calculus. ​ ​

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 9 WORLD LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT AP Chinese Language and Culture: Grade 12

The AP Chinese Language and Culture at the O’Bryant is an accelerated online course that includes summer requirements and weekly meetings. Students develop their speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills in the Chinese language.

The AP Chinese Language and Culture course in Mandarin Chinese emphasizes communication (understanding and being understood by others) by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills in real-life situations. This includes vocabulary usage, language control, communication strategies, and cultural awareness. The AP Chinese Language and Culture course engages students in an exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. The course develops students’ awareness and appreciation of cultural products (e.g., tools, books, music, laws, conventions, institutions); practices (patterns of social interactions within a culture); and perspectives (values, attitudes, and assumptions).

WORLD LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT AP French Language and Culture: Grade 12

AP French at the O’Bryant provides students a unique opportunity for cross-disciplinary study through the lens of francophone communities, perspectives, and cultures. This course is a culmination of French studies at the O’Bryant, and is designed around the six themes put forth by the College Board: Public and Personal Identities, Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Families and Communities, Contemporary Life, and Aesthetics. Under the guidance of these units, past AP French classes have discussed a variety of topics ranging from social media use to immigration. This course is guided by the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and focuses on authentic reading, writing, speaking, and listening tasks.

AP French Language and Culture is a rigorous course intended for highly-motivated students upon their successful completion of French 3. There are no required weekend or after-school sessions, but students are expected to complete summer work in order to review foundational concepts before the beginning of the school year.

WORLD LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT AP Spanish Language and Culture: Grade 11, 12

AP Spanish Language and Culture is a rigorous course that offers highly motivated students the opportunity to develop and increase their proficiency across the three modes of communication (Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational) defined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning ​ in the 21st Century and described in more detail in the ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language ​ ​ Learners. In order to provide a rich and diverse learning experience, the course integrates authentic ​ resources (including online print, audio, video, magazine and newspaper articles, and literary works) that engage students in an exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. The course is structured around the following six themes: global challenges, beauty and aesthetics, families and communities, personal and public identities, contemporary life, and science and technology. The class is conducted almost entirely in Spanish and students will regularly be expected to discuss and defend their ​ ideas and opinions in speaking and in writing.

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 10 Homework is assigned daily. Tests are worth a large percentage of your overall grade. There are no weekend or after school requirements.

Prerequisites: At least 2 years of Spanish for Native Speakers, or 3 years of Spanish for non-native ​ speakers.

SY 20-21 Advanced Placement Course Descriptions 11