1 Upper Darby High School Course Selection Guide School Year 2017-2018 2 COURSE ACCESSIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY No student will be denied access to courses offered at Upper Darby High School because of race, gender, physical handicap, religion, national origin, ancestry, or culture. The courses described in the following pages will only be scheduled if there is adequate student enrollment and teacher availability in each course offered. If enrollment is not sufficient or staff is unavailable, the administration reserves the right to cancel the course. Students affected by cancellation of courses will be contacted to make substitutions. The master schedule for the school is newly developed each year, based on the needs and wishes of the student body at large. The construction of the master schedule is conducted in such a way as to fulfill the requests of the maximum number of students. While every effort is made to minimize course conflicts, there is no guarantee, expressed or implied, that every student will be able to roster every request that he or she makes. Students who fail courses in the first semester can remediate them either in summer school, at a state accredited school, in an approved credit recovery program, or during the next full school year. Failed courses from semester one cannot be rostered during semester two. This is due to the fact that class sizes for second semester will have already been set. 3 PRINCIPAL’S FOREWORD Dear Students and Parents, Upper Darby High School is the oldest high school in Delaware County and one rich in tradition and history. We celebrate over 120 years of educating the youth of our fine community. There is a program for every student at UDHS, the largest high school in the county and one of the largest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Upper Darby High School’s mission is to empower all learners to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their full potential. The Upper Darby faculty, administrators, and staff are committed to providing an environment that fosters a respectful community of learners and supports our comprehensive and challenging educational program. Upper Darby High School demonstrates commitment to academic excellence and dedication to improving student Unleveled. Our rigorous and rich curriculum features traditional academic courses and the widest variety of elective offerings found in the county. Our comprehensive program has proven effective in preparation for college, for trade or vocational schools, for the military, and for those going directly into the work force. We pride ourselves in providing a variety of educational experiences to meet the needs of a diverse student population. This course selection guide will allow you to make informed decisions about the classes you intend to take next year. This details all of the opportunities we offer in each of our departments as they relate to graduation requirements and student-selected courses of study. Reading and math interventions will be assigned to students based on need, ensuring that we prepare every student for success during and after their time at Upper Darby High School. Please take the time to read this guide thoroughly. Parents are encouraged to read this with their children to make informed decisions regarding their children’s high school career. Please do not hesitate to contact either your child’s current counselor or Assistant Principal to help guide you through this process. We are Upper Darby High School…Where Everyone is Royalty! Sincerely, Ed Roth, Principal An Overview of Upper Darby High School 2016 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Graduation Requirements by Grade Level 5 Promotion Requirements 7 Choosing Courses and NCAA Guidelines 7 Guidelines for College Bound Students 10 Choosing Your Electives 12 Course Leveling Descriptions (for Grades 10-12) 14 How to Read and Use Course Descriptions 15 Glossary 16 Departmental Course Offerings Art 17 Business 21 Career Technical Education (CTE) 23 Computer Science 26 English 27 English Language Learners (ELL) 31 Family and Consumer Science 33 Health and Physical Education 35 Literacy 36 Mathematics 37 Music 40 Science 42 Service Learning and Special Opportunities 45 Social Studies 47 Special Education 49 Technology Education 51 World Languages 56 5 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS General Overview Class of 2016 Students REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF 26.5 UNITS TO GRADUATE Class of 2017 Students and beyond REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF 26 UNITS TO GRADUATE Department Grade Level Requirements Electives English 9 English 9 FA Research & Writing (may be required) 10 English 10 Broadcast Journalism 11 American Studies or Broadcast Journalism American Literature or British Literature AP English 11 Humanities Modern Literature 12 English Skills & Comp or Research & Writing African American Lit African American Lit British Literature or Humanities or Research & Writing or AP English 12 Requirements RECOMMENDED* PROGRESSIONS IN MATH 3 consecutive courses Accelerated Algebra 1A/ Algebra 1 Honors Geometry Transmath 2 Algebra 1B Algebra 1B Readiness Algebra 1A/ Honors Accelerated Algebra 1B 2 Algebra 2 Geometry Geometry Transmath 3 Algebra 2 Algebra 2 (sem) (Full Year) Geometry Pre Calc Prob & Stat Algebra 1A/ 3 Accel Essentials of Algebra 1B AP Prob & Stat Accel Programming Programming Programming (Sem) (Sem) (Sem) AP Calculus AB AP Prob & Stat Algebra 2 Consumer Math (Full Year) AP Calculus BC Pre Calc College Algebra Essentials of AP Computer Programming Science Prob & Stat (Sem) College Algebra AP Prob & Stat * While these are common progressions, there are other possibilities, depending on the needs of the individual student. 6 RECOMMENDED* PROGRESSIONS IN Science 1 General Science Biology Physics Chemistry Anatomy 2 Biology Environmental Science Genetics Horticulture Physics Physics Physics 2 Chemistry Chemistry Chemistry 2 Anatomy Anatomy AP Chemistry 3 Earth Science Earth Science AP Biology Environmental Science Environmental Science AP Environmental Genetics Genetics Horticulture 2 Horticulture Horticulture Physics Chemistry Anatomy Earth Science Environmental Science Genetics Electives Horticulture Physics 2 Chemistry 2 AP Chemistry AP Biology AP Environmental Horticulture 2 Department Grade Level Requirements Electives Social Studies 9 Global Studies 10 Government and Law or Economics AP Government European History AP European History 11 American Studies or U.S.History or AP U.S. History Race & Ethnicity 12 Psychology or Race & Ethnicity or AP Psychology or Economics or European History or AP European History 7 PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS th th 9 ​ to 10 ​ Grade 5 Credit Units ​ ​ th 10 ​ Provisional 3 Credit Units, 2 from a ​ combination of Math or English th th 10 ​ to 11 ​ Grade 11 Credit Units ​ ​ th th 11 ​ to 12 ​ Grade 18 Credit Units and can project ​ ​ graduation by June. Exploring HAC CHOOSING YOUR COURSES One of the most important decisions you will face each year in high school is deciding which courses to select for the following year. What you decide affects not only an entire year of your high school life, but also your extended future as a student and member of the work force. Please choose your courses wisely, considering four crucial areas: ● Graduation requirements and the required courses for your grade level. ● The recommended and required courses for your post-high school career and educational plans. ● Prerequisites (courses you must have successfully completed before taking a specific course) and co-requisites (courses you must take at the same time as a specific course). ● The level of difficulty of the courses you select. See the explanation of levels in this guide; each major subject area also includes expectations for levels, following the course descriptions for that subject. Pay careful attention to the sequencing of courses through grades 9 to 12. IT IS IMPORTANT TO PICK YOUR COURSES CAREFULLY. ROSTER CHANGES NEXT YEAR WILL BE STRICTLY LIMITED TO ONLY THOSE DEEMED ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. NO ​ PREFERENTIAL CHANGES WILL BE MADE TO YOUR COURSE REQUESTS FOR NEXT YEAR AFTER THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. PLEASE NOTE: Parental request to override the recommended level of course and/or make a course selection change must be made in writing by May 1st to the grade level ​ Assistant Principal. Although you will receive help from your parents, teachers, and counselor in selecting courses that best suit your needs and abilities, the responsibility for these choices is ultimately yours. It is your life; take advantage of the power you have to shape your future. 8 9 10 GUIDELINES FOR COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS Colleges and universities differ considerably in their admissions requirements. Therefore, it is difficult to specify exactly what you should take to qualify for admission to any particular college. The type of schools you are applying to and what you intend to major in can greatly influence your chances for admission to certain colleges. There are, however, some general recommendations that can be made for all college-bound students. It is always advisable to schedule as rigorous a program as you can handle successfully. Taking the most academically demanding courses you can handle is excellent for further study. In college, you will be asked to work at an even greater level of independence than in high school. Very often, self-discipline sets apart those who are successful from those who are not. Naviance is a great resource to help you learn about the college application process. ENGLISH Pick your junior and senior electives carefully, paying close attention to their level. These classes will help prepare you for a rigorous reading and writing schedule that requires you to work through the writing process, citing multiple sources with correct grammar, punctuation and style. SOCIAL STUDIES Courses in the Social Studies department prepare you for many fields of college study. Students will work on writing for different purposes and audiences. Students will work on the skill to integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.