New Courses for 2014-2015

New Courses for 2014/2015 Academic Year

 

Business Career Exploration: This class will be broken into three sections: Business Beginnings; Money Matters; and Entrepreneurship. Students who take this class may be interested in the fields of business, accounting, economics, etc. This class will provide a glimpse of what one might expect if they entered a business CTE track at JMHS.

 

iWorld – This elective will be offered to students who would like to be more aware of problems around the world and in the United States that deal with present issues such as constant war, poverty, human rights and genocide, to name a few.  This course is offered as a high interest, investigative course where much of the content will be developed by students and their teacher as a team. This is designed as a humanity course to engage student interest and discussions in areas of literature, arts, history, health, politics, and is rich in multimedia resources such as music and movies.

 

Mountain Folklore – This course will provide students with access to Mountain Folklore including literature, music, history, culture, and stereotypes from the Appalachian region, specifically but not solely in WV.  At semesters’ end, the students will celebrate the culture in an Appalachian feast in which we enjoy foods, music, dance, and storytelling of the region. Students who are credit deficient in ENGLISH will not be accepted into this class.

 

Print to Film – This elective will use high interest novels as a foundation for analyzing the corresponding films. Skills assessed will include close reading of the texts and visuals as well as writing skills. Introduction to film vocabulary will be included. A final collaborative project will include a production and screen play of a 5 min. short film. Possible texts include: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins; Divergent by Veronica Roth; Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card; Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury; The Lion Kind and Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and many more. Reading and writing will be an integral part of this class. Students must have had a “C” or better in English the previous year to be eligible for this class. Students who are credit deficient in ENGLISH will not be accepted into this class.

 

Mythology – This course offers students the opportunity to study Greek, Norse, and Arthurian legends and myths. Emphasis is placed on the influence myths and legends have on the thought, culture, literature, and language of Western civilization.

 

Media Writing (Dual Credit) – Media writing is an intensive course in the study and practice of writing for the various media, including print, electronic, public relations, graphic design, and advertising. Students explore the ethical and legal concerns of media writing; learn basic writing, editing, and copy formats; learn to select and structure copy; develop information-gathering skills; and examine contemporary issues and concerns facing the media.

 

Pop Culture – The focus will be on the History of Rock and Roll, with its roots in Jazz and Blues.  General themes will continue throughout the course and students will experience much more than just the music. Rock-and-Roll is about visual culture, literary culture, fashion, political culture and more. Students WILL BE REQUIRED to read at least two books that deal with the History of Rock and Roll or a biography of one of its artists.

 

Sports Medicine Honors – This course is designed to familiarize the student with the field of Athletic Training. It will allow the student to develop an awareness of the current and proper techniques for the prevention, care, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries.

 

U.S. Government and Politics (Dual Credit) 12 – This accelerated course examines constitutional underpinnings of the U.S. government, political beliefs and behaviors, political parties, interest groups and mass media, institutions of national government, public policy, civil rights, and civil liberties. Fundamental economic principles and personal finance issues are included (as required by the state). This course is taught with college level texts and requires well developed reading, writing, and research skills. Students should be highly motivated and are expected to be enthusiastic participants in class. Emphasis is also placed on analysis of the personal, political and economic roles of the responsible citizen. *Dual credit classes are subject to approval by respective colleges and may not be offered if enrollment is limited.

 

European History (Advanced Placement) 11 or 12 –

The study of European history since 1450 introduces students to cultural, economic, political, and social developments that played a fundamental role in shaping the world in which they live. In addition to providing a basic narrative of events and movements, the goals of AP European History are to develop (a) an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern European history, (b) an ability to analyze historical evidence and historical interpretation, and (c) an ability to express historical understanding in writing. This course also develops context for understanding the expansion of contemporary institutions, the role of continuity and change in present-day society and politics, and the evolution of current forms of artistic expression and intellectual discourse. *This course can be used for 11th grade contemporary studies required credit.