2011-12 High School Course Offerings - Durham Public Schools

AP Latin: Vergil:
Prerequisite: Latin IV
Students will study excerpts from Vergil's epic the Aeneid as selected
by the College Board. To better understand the Aeneid, students
will study Early Roman history, the reign of Augustus, and the
major events that led to the downfall of the Republic. Students will
also need to develop excellent skills with translating and interpreting
Latin poetry. The AP exam will draw upon all of these topics.
American Sign Language I
Prerequisite: None
This course introduces students to the study of American Sign
Language and its Deaf culture.The emphasis is placed on the
development of the three skills of expressive, receptive, and written
language within a given context that focuses on the students’
lives and experiences. Grammar is integrated throughout the
course, and there is a general introduction to Deaf cultural norms.
American Sign Language II
Prerequisite: ASL I
Students continue to develop their expressive, receptive, and
written language skills by participating in simple conversational
situations and combining and recombining learned elements of
the language.They are able to satisfy basic survival needs, and
interact on issues of everyday life in the present and the past.
They compose related sentences which narrate, describe,
compare, and summarize familiar topics.
Honors American Sign Language III
Prerequisite: ASL II
Students expand their expressive, receptive, and written language
skills as they create with the language. They study short literary
texts and authentic materials, initiate and maintain face-to-face
communication, and identify main ideas and significant details in
discussions, presentations, and written texts in present, past, and
future time. They demonstrate behaviors appropriate to the
target culture by applying their knowledge and skills inside and
outside of the classroom setting.
Honors American Sign Language IV
Prerequisite: ASL III
Students communicate in extended conversations on a variety
of topics. They will study short stories, poetry, and excerpts from
various periods of literature, current events, and authentic materials.
Mastery of the finer points of grammar enhances and expands
expressive and receptive communication. There is more in-depth
study of the target culture and its influence throughout the world.
Spanish for Native Speakers I
Prerequisite: Native oral proficiency in Spanish
This course is designed specifically for native/heritage speakers of
Spanish who already have substantial oral language proficiency.
Students develop, maintain, and enhance proficiency in Spanish as
they listen, speak, read, and write in a variety of contexts and for
a variety of audiences. Students explore the cultures of the
Hispanic world and gain a better understanding of the nature of
their own language. This course is taught entirely in Spanish.
Honors Spanish for Native Speakers II
Prerequisite: Native oral proficiency in Spanish
This course is designed specifically for native/heritage speakers of
Spanish who have good reading and writing skills in Spanish as
well as substantial oral proficiency. Students study the Spanish
language in the context of Hispanic literature and cultures.
Reading, writing, and speaking skills are taught at an advanced academic
level through the acquisition of more extensive vocabulary,
application of advanced grammar concepts, and mastery of all
verb tenses. This course is taught entirely in Spanish.
Arts
Education
❚ Students earn 1 unit of credit for each successfully completed course.
❚ All courses use the NC Standard Course of Study.
❚ Honors courses require students to demonstrate greater rigor, manage greater
complexity, and move at a faster pace. They are weighted +1.
❚ Advanced Placement courses are equivalent to college level courses. Students are
expected to take the AP exam. AP courses are weighted +2
VISUAL ARTS
General Interest Art I
Prerequisite: None
(This course does not serve as a prerequisite for level II art courses.
Students interested in pursuing upper level art courses should
register for one of the level I courses described below.)
In this introductory course, students will learn how the elements
of art such as color, texture, line, and shape combine to make a
work of art effective. Students will also learn about the basic
principles of design including balance, proportion, and contrast.
By the end of this course, students will have a greater appreciation
of visual arts.
Art I
Prerequisite: None
Students will experience 2D media such as drawing, painting, and
printmaking as well as a variety of 3D media. Using the elements
of art and principles of design, they will complete assigned
studies and create their own work. Students will also study art
appreciation and art history, learn to critique their own and
other students’ work, and write short essays about a variety of
visual art topics.
22 www.dpsnc.net