HCS HIGH SCHOOL COURSE DESCRIPTION GUIDE 2017 - 2018 SD-P2-R1 HCS High School Course Description Guide Date of Revision March 1, 2017 This document is uncontrolled when printed. BOARD MEMBERS Elisa Ferrell, President – District 3 Walker McGinnis, Vice President – District 4 Beth Wilder, Third Presiding Officer – District 2 Michelle Watkins - District 1 Pam Hill – District 5 ADMINISTRATION Dr. Matthew Akin Superintendent Discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, religious belief, disability, national origin, or ethnic group shall be prohibited in all educational programs and activities of the Huntsville City Schools. Huntsville City Schools’ Compliance Director is Ms. Shirley Wellington. Her office is located on the first floor of the Annie C. Merts Administration Building at 200 White Street, Huntsville, Alabama. Telephone number: 256-428-6836. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Alabama High School Graduation Requirements ................................................................................................... 6 Grade Classification ................................................................................................................................................ 7 Transfer of Credits for Non-Accredited Schools .................................................................................................... 7 Credit Recovery ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 Distance Learning Through ACCESS .................................................................................................................... 7 Correspondence Courses ......................................................................................................................................... 8 Dual Enrollment for Academic and Elective Advancement ................................................................................... 8 Early Release .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Academic Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities/Athletics ................................................................................ 9 NCAA Freshman Eligibility Standards Quick Reference .............................................................................. 9 NCAA Division I Sliding Scales .................................................................................................................. 11 Academic Programs .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Advanced Placement ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Career Academies ............................................................................................................................................. 13 Freshman Academies ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Magnet Programs .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Summer School ................................................................................................................................................. 14 Course Fees ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 Core Academic Course Descriptions .................................................................................................................... 15 English / Language Arts................................................................................................................................ 16 Mathematics .................................................................................................................................................. 19 Science .......................................................................................................................................................... 24 Social Studies ................................................................................................................................................ 29 Elective Course Descriptions ................................................................................................................................ 33 AP Capstone.................................................................................................................................................. 34 Arts – Visual and Performing ....................................................................................................................... 35 Driver’s Education ........................................................................................................................................ 39 English Electives ........................................................................................................................................... 40 Foreign Languages ........................................................................................................................................ 44 Health and Physical Education ..................................................................................................................... 46 Mathematics Electives .................................................................................................................................. 59 Music............................................................................................................................................................. 61 Peer Helper.................................................................................................................................................... 63 Science Electives .......................................................................................................................................... 64 Social Studies Electives ................................................................................................................................ 65 Additional Electives ...................................................................................................................................... 67 Work-Based Learning ................................................................................................................................... 68 Career Academy Course Descriptions .................................................................................................................. 70 Building Sciences.......................................................................................................................................... 71 Business Academy ........................................................................................................................................ 73 Culinary Arts ................................................................................................................................................. 80 Cyber Security .............................................................................................................................................. 83 Engineering Design and Advanced Manufacturing ...................................................................................... 85 Entertainment Technology ............................................................................................................................ 87 Esthetics and Spa Management .................................................................................................................... 90 Education and Training ................................................................................................................................. 92 Fashion .......................................................................................................................................................... 94 Food, Wellness, and Dietetics ....................................................................................................................... 96 Health Science .............................................................................................................................................. 98 Heavy Equipment Operation....................................................................................................................... 100 JROTC - Army ............................................................................................................................................ 102 JROTC – Air Force (AFJROTC) ................................................................................................................ 106 Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Biomedical Sciences ................................................................................. 113 Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering ............................................................................................... 115 Precision Machining ..................................................................................................................................