Outdoor Adventure
In cooperation with The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Outdoor Tomorrow Foundation, students will participate in a variety of activities that will enhance their enjoyment of outdoor life skills. Activities may include, but are not limited to:
Survival skills, outdoor cooking, fishing, first aid camping set up, archery, hunters education, boating, orienteering, backpacking, knot tying, tracking.
Speech
This course creates practical and special speaking/performance situations, which enable the student to build confidence, poise, and acquire skills of communication for more effective citizenship. Pantomime, tableau, and monologue are introduced to free imagination and develop basic techniques. This course is also offered at some campuses as a one-semester elective course (LA8276).
STAAR Reading
This local course may be required on some campuses for students who have not passed the reading portion of the STAAR test and is offered as a one-semester course. Students will strengthen reading comprehension and analysis skills, developing their ability to meet grade-level standards. This course can also be offered as a one-semester class (LA7219).
Reading (Elective)
This elective course is designed to help students become more skillful readers. The curriculum will emphasize improvement of reading skills. Students will work on strengthening vocabulary, increasing fluency, and developing proficiency in using a variety of comprehension strategies and skills.
Exploratory Foreign Language
This course explores a variety of foreign languages in an introductory way. Some of the languages students will be introduced to include Spanish, French, and German. Simple introductions, numbers, time, and everyday objects will be identified. On some campuses this course is offered as a one semester elective course (FL7201).
Gateway to Technology
Gateway to Technology is a year-long elective course which uses a hands-on approach to show students how technology is used in engineering to solve everyday problems and to expose students to a broad overview of the field of technology and its related processes. The instructional units motivate students to use their imaginations and teaches them to be creative and innovative. This math, science and technology integrated program relates technologyto students’ daily lives, while helping them develop skills that will enable them to be better prepared for a rigorous academic high school curriculum. Credit will be given toward graduation requirements. *This is a GPA exempt course.
AVID 7th Grade
The seventh grade AVID Elective course builds upon the components of the AVID philosophy. Students will refine short- and long-term goals, and as a result, begin to understand the value in taking charge of their actions. Students will start working on intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, as well as formal and informal speech. Students will complete self- evaluations and peer evaluations, related to reading, writing, organization, and speaking. In broadening their writing practice, students will begin considering audience, purpose and form in their writing. Students will take an active role in their learning, understanding the roles of all members in assignments and collaborative lessons. They will expand their knowledge bases of note-taking, in relation to studying and test preparation. Students will be exposed to different field trips, guest speakers and research, to increase their knowledge of college and career options.
STAAR Math
This local course may be required on some campuses for students who have not passed the math portion of the STAAR test. STAAR Math 7 will be offered at some campuses as a one-semester class (MA7281).
French I
French I is the first course of a recommended three-year sequence designed to develop fundamental language across the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes of communication. The study of beginning level vocabulary, phonetics and grammar is included. The culture and civilization of the French speaking world is integrated into all aspects of the course. Level I students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Novice Mid to Novice High. Students at the Novice High proficiency level express meaning in simple, predictable contexts through the use of learned and recombined phrases and short sentences. They are best able to understand sentence-length information within highly contextualized situations and sources. Novice High students may generally be understood by sympathetic listeners and readers accustomed to dealing with language learners. Novice High students are consistently successful when performing Novice-level tasks. Novice High students show evidence of Intermediate Low proficiency but lack consistency.
French II
The second year of French is a continuation of the development of the three modes of communication. New vocabulary and more complex grammatical structures are learned along with important cultural topics. Level II students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Novice High to Intermediate Low. Students at the Intermediate Low proficiency level express meaning in straightforward and personal contexts by easily combining and recombining what they know, what they read, and what they hear in short statements and a mixture of sentences and strings of sentences. Intermediate Low students are able to understand some information from connected statements in oral or written sources. Intermediate Low students are generally understood by sympathetic listeners and readers accustomed to dealing with language learners. Intermediate Low students are mostly successful when performing Intermediate- level tasks.
Prerequisites: French I
Advanced French II
The second year of French is a continuation of the development of the three modes of communication. New vocabulary and more complex grammatical structures are learned along with important cultural topics. Advanced French Level II students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Intermediate Low. Advanced French II will focus on the same TEKS prescribed by the State of Texas for the language level but will emphasize advanced application of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. Students will be challenged with instruction designed at a greater depth in order to prepare for Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.
Prerequisites: French I
Advanced French III
The emphasis of French III is the strengthening of the three modes of communication. The Advanced French III student will read and discuss a variety of cultural and literary selections. A more sophisticated use of French will be fostered through writing and conversational opportunities. Advanced Level III students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Intermediate Mid. Students at the Intermediate Mid proficiency level express meaning in a variety of contexts by creating with the language, easily combining and recombining what they know, what they read, and what they hear in a mixture of sentences and connected discourse. Advanced French III will focus on the same TEKS prescribed by the State of Texas for the language level but will emphasize advanced application of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. Students will be challenged with instruction designed at a greater depth in order to prepare for Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.
Prerequisites: French II or Advanced French II
Chinese I
Chinese I is the first course of a recommended three-year sequence designed to develop fundamental language across the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes of communication. Students will build a basic foundation of reading, listening, speaking, and writing in modern standard Mandarin Chinese. Students will be able to communicate within a variety of everyday contexts. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the Chinese culture through written dialogues and reading passages. Students will acquire a Novice Low to Novice Mid proficiency level.
Chinese II
Chinese II is the second course of a recommended three-year sequence designed to develop fundamental language across the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes of communication. Students will continue their introduction to Chinese with fundamental building blocks in reading, listening, speaking, and writing in modern standard Mandarin Chinese. Students will be able to communicate within a variety of everyday contexts. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the Chinese culture through written dialogues and reading passages. Students will acquire a Novice Mid to Novice High proficiency level.
Prerequisites: Chinese I
Advanced Chinese II
Chinese II is designed to develop fundamental language across the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes of communication. Students will continue their introduction to Chinese with fundamental building blocks in reading, listening, speaking, and writing in modern standard Mandarin Chinese. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the Chinese culture through written dialogues and reading passages. Students will acquire a Novice Mid to Novice High proficiency level. Advanced Chinese II will focus on the same TEKS prescribed by the State of Texas for the language level but will emphasize advanced application of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. Students will be challenged with instruction designed at a greater depth in order to prepare for Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.
Prerequisites: Chinese I
Advanced Chinese III
The emphasis of Advanced Chinese III is the strengthening of the three modes of communication. The Advanced Chinese III student will read and discuss a variety of cultural and literary selections. A more sophisticated use of Chinese will be fostered through writing and conversational opportunities. Advanced Level III students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Intermediate Low in Reading and Writing, and Intermediate Mid in Listening and Speaking. Advanced Chinese III students will focus on the same TEKS prescribed by the State of Texas for the language level but will emphasize advanced application of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. Students will be challenged with instruction designed at a greater depth in order to prepare for Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.
Prerequisites: Advanced Chinese II
Spanish I
Spanish I is the first course of a recommended three-year sequence designed to develop fundamental language across the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes of communication. The study of beginning level vocabulary, phonetics and grammar is included. The culture and civilization of the Spanish-speaking world is integrated into all aspects of the course. Level I students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Novice Mid to Novice High. Students at the Novice High proficiency level express meaning in simple, predictable contexts through the use of learned and recombined phrases and short sentences. They are best able to understand sentence-length information within highly contextualized situations and sources. Novice High students may generally be understood by sympathetic listeners and readers accustomed to dealing with language learners. Novice High students are consistently successful when performing Novice-level tasks. Novice High students show evidence of Intermediate Low proficiency but lack consistency.
Spanish II
The second year of Spanish is a continuation of the development of the three modes of communication. New vocabulary and more complex grammatical structures are learned along with important cultural topics. Level II students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Novice High to Intermediate Mid. Students at the Intermediate Mid proficiency level express meaning in straightforward and personal contexts by easily combining and recombining what they know, what they read, and what they hear in short statements and a mixture of sentences and strings of sentences. Intermediate Mid students are able to understand some information from connected statements in oral or written sources. Intermediate Mid students are generally understood by sympathetic listeners and readers accustomed to dealing with language learners. Intermediate Mid students are consistently successful when performing Intermediate-level tasks.
Prerequisites: Spanish I
Advanced Spanish II
The second year of Spanish is a continuation of the development of the three modes of communication. New vocabulary and more complex grammatical structures are learned along with important cultural topics. Advanced Spanish Level II students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Intermediate Low. Advanced Spanish II will focus on the same TEKS prescribed by the State of Texas for the language level but will emphasize advanced application of listening, reading, speaking and writing skills. Students will be challenged with instruction designed at a greater depth in order to prepare for Advanced Placement (AP) International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, and/or Dual Credit courses.
Prerequisites: Spanish I
Spanish III
The emphasis of Spanish III is the strengthening of the three modes of communication. The Spanish III student will read and discuss a variety of cultural and literary selections. Level III students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid. Students at the Intermediate Mid proficiency level express meaning in a variety of contexts by creating with the language, easily combining and recombining what they know, what they read, and what they hear in a mixture of sentences and connected discourse. Intermediate Mid students are able to understand information from connected statements in oral or written sources. Intermediate Mid students are generally understood by listeners and readers unaccustomed to dealing with language learners. Intermediate Mid students are mostly successful when performing Intermediate-level tasks.
Prerequisites: Spanish II or Advanced Spanish II
Advanced Spanish III
The emphasis of Spanish III is the strengthening of the three modes of communication. The Advanced Spanish III student will read and discuss a variety of cultural and literary selections. A more sophisticated use of Spanish will be fostered through writing and conversational opportunities. Advanced Level III students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Intermediate Mid. Students at the Intermediate Mid proficiency level express meaning in a variety of contexts by creating with the language, easily combining and recombining what they know, what they read, and what they hear in a mixture of sentences and connected discourse. Advanced Spanish III will focus on the same TEKS prescribed by the State of Texas for the language level but will emphasize advanced application of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. Students will be challenged with instruction designed at a greater depth in order to prepare for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, and/or Dual Credit Courses.
Prerequisites: Spanish II or Advanced Spanish II
Spanish IV
The emphasis of Spanish IV is communication. This course is geared for students who want to continue to increase their proficiency in Spanish. Building on what they have learned in Spanish I-III, Spanish IV students will demonstrate their proficiency in Spanish working in the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes of communication. The Spanish IV student will read and discuss a variety of cultural and literary selections. Level IV students are expected to reach a proficiency level of Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High. To facilitate the study of Spanish language and culture, the course is taught almost exclusively in Spanish.
Prerequisites: Spanish III or Advanced Spanish III