DELTA SCHOOL

2014 Fall Course Descriptions

Monday-Thursday Courses:

Art

Course Title: Become a Delta Artist
Possible Credits: 4
Meets High school Standards in: Art, Elective
Instructor: Kimberly
D : Develop your inner Artist
E : Enjoy a wide variety of art assignments
L : Learn new techniques in watercolor, tempera paint, soft pastel and ink.
T : Together we can complete assignment challenges
A : Achieve a new understanding of traditional and nontraditional art forms
Course Description: During this art class traditional assignments in still life, landscape,
perspective, people and animals will be created along with nontraditional work in
abstract, cubism, and free choice collaborations. A variety of mediums will be used
including watercolor, soft pastel, tempera paint, inks, and acrylic paint. Our painting
surfaces will be traditional canvas & paper and nontraditional textures including silk,
reclaimed wood & cardboard.
Required Work will include: This class is designed for entry level to advanced students.
It fulfills the California standards for developing critical thinking and exposure to classic
artists and styles. Students will also have written assignments to asses their understanding
of art history and artists. Attendance and full participation is a must for the success of this
course.







ENGLISH

Course Title: Race, Culture and Identity
Meets Graduation Requirements in: English, Social Studies, Elective
Possible Credits: 4
Instructor: Jamie

Course Description: How do our identities shape our world and our interactions with
others? How do our identities change over our lives? In this course, well explore these
questions and how they play out in our personal lives, the lives of those in our
community, and throughout the world. Well read a diverse range of texts, including
articles and short stories in addition to Sandra Cisneros The House on Mango Street and
Sherman Alexies The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Required Work will include: Required Work will include: Students will read and
analyze a variety of texts. Students will write two short essays as well as daily
quickwrites and short responses to texts.

Course Title: Then and Now
1st Quarter: Shakespeare at the Movies
2nd Quarter: Heroes, Anti-Heroes and Superheroes: Beowulf to Batman
Meets Graduation Requirements in: English, Elective
Possible Credits: 4 credits
Instructor: Anita
Shakespeare at the Movies (1st Quarter)
Watch the movies, read the plays, maybe do a little performing and/or directing while
you find out why this guy has been a multi-media superstar for four hundred and fifty
years. This is an eight-week investigation of William Shakespeare with special emphasis
on the ways that his work has been updated for the movies. The goal of this course is to
improve your ability to discuss, analyze, and synthesize in writing your responses to
drama in text and performance. We will focus on two plays, Hamlet and The Taming of
the Shrew. Our study of "then vs. now" in theatre and film will provide insight into the
connections between history, culture and dramatic literature.

Requirements:
Students will view and analyze various selections of Shakespeare at the movies. Students
will be required to read and respond in writing to various dramatic texts and related
nonfiction selections. Students will research and present relevant information related to
Shakespeare, history, culture, and current multi-media entertainment.
Heroes, Anti-Heroes, and Superheroes: Beowulf to Batman (2nd Quarter)
This eight-week course will focus on heroes and anti-heroes from medieval times to the
present. From Beowulfs bloody dragon fights to Batmans brooding crime fights, we
will analyze the role of the hero in literature and film. We will also look at the
psychology of the modern anti-hero, neither a villain nor a superstar, as we analyze the
motivation of characters like Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman or Jason Bourne in
The Bourne Identity. Finally, we will compare and contrast the depictions of classic
heroes with the modern creation of heroes in comics and graphic novels.
Requirements:
Students will write literary responses and analyses of heroes in various texts and
genres. Students will research and report out on the changing depiction of the hero
throughout history. Students will synthesize their learning by creating their own comic
book plot lines with heroes and characters that successfully reflect the complexities and
conflicts of life in the 21
st
century.


Math

Course Title: College and Career Math 1
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Algebra, Mathematics, Elective
Possible Credits: 4 credits
Instructor: Kim

Main areas of focus: Integers, linear equations with one variable, lines, segments,
angles. Algebra concepts that will be studied include positive and negative numbers and
order of operations.

Course Description: This one year course combines topics that have traditionally been
covered in first semester Algebra and first semester Geometry. In this fall semester,
operations, expressions, and equations such as 2(4x + 3) = -2. Geometry concepts that
will be studied this semester include line segments, angles, and parallel lines cut by
transversals. This class will help students prepare for the California High School Exit
Exam in Mathematics.
Required Work will include: Credit will be assigned on the basis of quality and quantity
of work completed, class participation, explorations, projects, and tests.

Course Title: College and Career Math 2
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Algebra, Mathematics, Elective
Possible Credits: 4
Instructor: Kim

Main areas of focus: Polynomial operations, factoring, quadratic equations

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Math 1 or similar course
Course Description:
This one year course combines topics from algebra and geometry. This fall semester, the
main concepts that will be studied include operations with polynomials, factoring,
quadratic equations, area and perimeter. This class will help students prepare for the
California High School Exit Exam in Mathematics.
Requirements: Credit will be assigned on the basis of quality and quantity of work
completed, class participation, explorations, projects, and tests.
Course Title: College and Career Math 3
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Mathematics, Elective
Possible Credits: 4

Instructor: Matthew
Prerequisite: Success in both semesters of Algebra 1 at a previous school.
Course Description:
This course covers concepts that are traditionally covered in Algebra 2, although to a
simpler degree. Concepts studied will include concepts from both Math 1 and Math 2,
but at a more in-depth level, along with other concepts such as rational exponents, radical
functions, and logarithmic functions.
Requirements: Credit will be assigned on the basis of quality and quantity of work
completed, class participation, explorations, projects, and tests.

SCIENCE

Course Title: Paleontology
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Science, Elective
Possible Credits: 4
Instructor: Jason
Course Description:
This integrated science course will introduce students to the field of paleontology, the
study of fossil animals and plants. This naturally integrated field includes content from
geology, biology, environmental science, physics, chemistry, anthropology, statistics, and
technology. The course has four main units of study, including Introduction to
Paleontology, Evolution, Climate Change, and Synthesis: How Climate Change Affects
Evolution. Throughout the course, students will be provided opportunities to interact with
scientists in a variety of ways, from guest speakers and field trips into the field, to
conducting investigations that contribute to local and national research projects.

Required Work will include: Credit will be assigned on the basis of quality and quantity
of work completed, class participation, explorations, projects, and tests.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Course Title: Modern China: History, Culture, Global Impact
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Social Studies, Elective
Possible Credits: 4
Instructor: Brian
Course Description: The first half of this course will focus on Chinese history and
culture ranging from the time of Confucius through the Han Dynasty, Western
Imperialism, revolution and reunification under Communism and the Cultural
Revolution. Chinese art and philosophy through the ages and their connection to modern
attitudes in China will feature throughout the course.
The second half of the course will focus on Chinas place in the modern world as we
explore the global impact of Chinas emerging economy. Human rights, environmental,
and global impact will feature prominently in the second half.

Required Work will include: Students will maintain a daily journal, read and interpret
primary and secondary sources and text, produce written analysis, complete projects and
exams.

Course Title: Unification, Revolution and War
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Social Studies, Elective
Possible Credits: 4
Instructor: Pat

Course Description: This course will examine the role that the unification of Germany
and Italy, the Russian Revolution, and World War I played in leading up to World War
II. The class will take a comprehensive look into political powers, social struggle, and
weaponry in warfare. The course will cover American involvement in these events as
well as other countries contribution to the world stage.
Required Work: Credit will be earned through reading and interpreting primary and
secondary sources, group work, participation, projects, film, essays, and tests.

Course Title: United States Government
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Social Studies, Elective
Possible Credits: 4
Instructor: Pat

Course Description: A comprehensive study of government in the United States,
including the basic principles of American government and political culture and a cross-
cultural examination of institutions, processes, and public policies. The course then
examines several basic positions in the development of modern political philosophy --
liberalism, socialism, and conservatism.
Required Work: Credit will be earned through reading and interpreting various texts,
group work, participation, projects, and tests/quizzes.









Friday Courses:

Course title: Scientific Illustration
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Art, Science, Elective
Possible Credit: 2 credits
Instructor: To be determined

Course Description: This course intends to combine the study of Art and Biology and
instructs students how to produce art renderings of the natural environment. Students will
learn how to arrange specimens of various types, illuminate and measure them, and build
a scientific drawing from sketch to completion.

Required Work will include: Appreciation for biological structures and systems; facility
and enthusiasm are helpful. Credit will be earned through the various assignments,
participation and projects.

Course Title: Current Events: Connection to the Past
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Social Studies, Elective
Possible Credits: 2
Instructor: Brian
Course Description: Why did Russia suddenly invade and take the Crimean Peninsula?
Did you know that Russia has made efforts to secure ice-free ports in the Black Sea for
the last 300 years? Why does North Korea commit seemingly senseless missile tests from
time to time and spend so much money developing a nuclear weapon while its people are
starving?
This course will help to address topics in the news as they happen by examining the
current and historical context of the events.

Required Work will include: Students will maintain a weekly journal, read and interpret
primary and secondary sources and text, produce written analysis, and lead one
discussion of a current event topic of their choice during the term.

Course Title: Math in Action
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Math, Elective
Possible Credits: 2 credits
Instructor: Matthew

Course Description: In this course students will develop their left brain thinking skills
by doing a variety of hands-on activities, projects, puzzles, and games. A portion of each
class will be spent working on math skills, but the main focus of the class is to use your
math skills in a practical and enjoyable way. Projects will be based both indoors and
outdoors.

Required Work will include: Full participation in all activities.

Course Title: Slam Poetry!
Meets Graduation Requirements in: English, Elective
Possible Credits: 2
Instructor: Jamie

Course Description: From Ginsberg to viral videos from Neil Hilborn and Taylor Mali,
slam poetry, with roots in the beat movement of the 1950s and modern hip hop, is poetry
meant to be spoken out loud and performed. In this course we will read, watch, create,
and perform slam poetry.

Required Work will include: Students will learn the history of slam poetry and analyze
what makes a good slam performance. Students will also write, edit, revise, and perform
several slam poems. Students must be willing to read their poems aloud to the class to
earn full credit in this course.

Course Title: Physical Education
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Physical Education, Health, Elective
Possible Credit: 2 credits
Instructor: Pat

Course Description: This course introduces concepts for personal development in
health-related fitness and physical skills; these include cardiovascular exercise, body
composition, strength, endurance, and flexibility. Students will develop physical and
health-related fitness skills through participation in individual and field activities.
Activities include soccer, softball, kickball, capture the flag, ultimate Frisbee, and more.

Required Work will include: Credit is earned based on participation and not on athletic
ability.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
Course Title: Cyber High
Meets Graduation Requirements in: any credit category needed for graduation
(excluding PE)
Possible Credit: Based on students pace of work
Instructor: Matthew

Course Description: Cyber High is an electronic high school curriculum that prepares
students for the information age workplace by training them in the use of Internet
resources. Students in Cyber High will work through Cyber High courses online, with
teacher supervision and assistance.

This class can be taken any day of the week (excluding Fridays) and will add an
additional period to the normal school day.

Required Work will include: Completion of online course material, quizzes and tests.

Course Title: Outside Work Experience (OWE)
Meets Graduation Requirements in: Career and Guidance, Electives, Other areas as
evaluated individually
Possible Credits: 2 credits for working less than 20 hours a week
4 credits for working more than 20 hours per week

Course Description: Students will complete the 30 Ways to Shine As An Employee
and meet with Mary 3 times during the semester.

Required Work will include: Students must be employed with proper OWE forms on
file and they must turn in their pay stubs as proof of employment and hours. Students
taking the course for the first time must complete 30 Ways to Shine As An Employee.