This is a college-level survey course that exposes students chronologically to a wide range of World History. Preparation for AP exams requires additional participation in coursework outside of the regular school day, particularly during the second semester. Students will demonstrate command of a large body of factual detail acquired through the assigned readings and through intensive lecture sessions. They will also learn to interpret primary sources, read maps and statistical tables, to interpret works of art, works of literature, and other pictorial and graphic materials, and to skillfully execute a wide variety of essay formats that require students to analyze and synthesize major developments in world history. Students must take the Advanced Placement examination for World History offered in the spring. Students who earn a C- or higher receive an extra point towards their grade point average. This course (or its non-AP equivalent) is required for graduation. Pre-Requisites: Student must be at least a sophomore, and have earned an A- or higher in World History and Introduction to English Language and Literature. Students who have not taken World History must have earned an A- or higher in Introduction to English Language and Literature and have approval from their current English teacher. All students must submit the online application by the published deadline and receive department approval. Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Students should expect about 45 minutes to an hour of homework per class. This work would include a good deal of reading, as well as analytical writing. There is also one additional class per week during morning flex period. The work load increases in the spring as the AP test approaches, and students should expect to devote more time out of class to weekly review seminars in March and April.

This course will not be offered in 2016-2017.  It will be offered in 2017-2018.  Using Python® as a primary tool and incorporating multiple platforms and languages such as Scratch, HTML, CS, Java Script, SQL, and PHP, this course aims to develop computational thinking, generate excitement about career paths that utilize computing, and introduce professional tools that foster creativity, collaboration, and problem solving. Computer Science and Software Engineering helps students develop programming expertise and explore the workings of the Internet. Projects and problems include app development, visualization of data, cyber security, robotics, and simulation.  The course covers the College Board’s Computer Science Principles framework and is the equivalent of the PLTW Computer Science and Software Engineering course.  It is UC-approved as a mathematics elective on the “g” list, but it does not satisfy core math and science requirements. Pre-Requisites:  Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, complete the advisory exam, submit the online application by the published due date, and receive department approval.  Students must be concurrently enrolled in (or have completed with a grade of 80% or higher) appropriate grade level math and science courses to support progress toward graduation and college entrance requirements.  Preference will be given to seniors and juniors who have completed Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering with grades of C or higher (>80%).  Other interested students not currently in Principles of Engineering must complete the online application.

This is a college level survey course that exposes students chronologically to a wide range of the history of colonial America and the United States in preparation for the Advanced Placement United States History Exam. Preparation for AP exams requires additional participation in coursework outside of the regular school day, particularly during the second semester. Students will demonstrate command of a large body of factual detail acquired through assigned readings and intensive lecture sessions. They will also learn to interpret primary sources, read maps and statistical tables, interpret works of art, political commentary, and other pictorial and graphic materials, synthesize a variety of sources into a work of supported exposition, and respond meaningfully to a wide variety of essay questions through the preparation of thematic essays. Students must take the Advanced Placement examination for United States History offered in the spring. Students who earn a C- or higher receive an extra point towards their grade point average. This course (or its college preparatory equivalent) is required for graduation. Pre-Requisites: Student must be a junior, have earned grades of A- or higher in World History and Introduction to English Language and Literature, and either an A- in Coming of Age Literature or a B- in Pre-AP Language and Literature Students must also submit the online application by the published deadline, and receive department approval. Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Students should expect to spend at least one hour per class meeting on reading assignments. About every two weeks, students should spend at least two to three hours studying for a test and preparing formal essays. In class work consists almost entirely of note-taking from formal lectures. Finally, students will prepare a major research project during the spring semester. Regular class attendance may be supplemented by mandatory attendance at a morning flex period lecture once every two weeks.

This is a college-level survey course that provides students with a learning experience equivalent to that of an introductory college course in United States government and politics. It gives the students an analytical and historical perspective on government and politics in the United States, including the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. politics and the analysis of specific examples. Through assigned readings, lecture, document analysis, video presentations, and in-class discussions, the course will develop students' familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. politics. Preparation for AP exams may require additional participation in coursework outside of the regular school day, particularly during the second semester.  Students must take the Advanced Placement examination for Government and Politics offered in the spring.  Students who earn a C-or higher receive an extra point towards their grade point average.  Pre-Requisites:  Student must be a senior, have earned a B- or higher in AP United States History, received a “3” or higher on the AP United States History exam, and receive departmental approval.  Students who took AP US History and did not receive a “3” on the AP US History exam must complete a written advisory exam.  Students who have earned an A- or higher in United States History, must complete a written advisory exam, and receive departmental approval.All students must submit the online application by the published deadline.  Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Students should expect to spend at least one hour on homework per class meeting, at least two hours on nights before tests studying for tests and two to three hours preparing formal essays (approximately every three weeks). Students have reading assigned before nearly every class. Once each quarter students are required to prepare and orally present a current event report. Students have to prepare a formal essay of approximately 750-1000 words twice each quarter.

The two overarching goals of this course are to prepare students for the rigors of college-level writing with emphasis on argumentation strategies and argument analysis and to simultaneously prepare them for the Advanced Placement Language and Composition Examination. This class is both reading-and-writing intensive, driven by the idea that advanced critical thinking is a product of practice. Students are taught to identify logical fallacies, to frame their own arguments, to analyze the arguments of others, and to intentionally employ rhetorical tropes for effect in their own writing. Teaching methodologies include direct lecture and discussion, peer editing and evaluation, individual and group interpretation of visuals, maintenance of reading response logs, and practice with various components of retired and released Advanced Placement examinations. Pre-Requisites: Students must be juniors or seniors and have earned an A- in the previous year's college preparatory English course(s) or a B+ in the previous year's AP English or pre-AP English course. They must also receive department approval after submitting the online application by the published deadline and successfully complete a deadline-sensitive summer reading and writing assignment. Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Students enrolling in this honors level course should expect four to six hours of homework per week with additional time required for unit projects and occasional flex period meetings. Time required will vary as students' reading and writing speeds vary, but critical attention is expected and required for this course. Additionally, summer reading and writing, Christmas break reading, and Easter break reading will be assigned.

AP Studio Art students work with diverse media, styles, subjects, and content to develop a portfolio to submit to the College Board for the AP Exam.  The portfolio consists of three sections:  1) The Breadth section illustrates a range of ideas and approaches to art making.  2) The Concentration section shows sustained, deep, and multiperspective investigation of a student-selected topic. 3) The Quality section represents the student’s most successful works with respect to form and content. Works in this section may be selected from the other two sections.  Students’ work is informed and guided by observation, research, experimentation, discussion, critical analysis, and reflection, relating individual practices to the art world.  Students are asked to document their artistic ideas and practices to demonstrate conceptual and technical development over time.  This course requires excellent habits of time management, self-discipline, and independent initiative in order to complete the AP portfolio over the duration of the course.  Estimated homework load / types of homework required:    Students should expect 4 – 8 hours of homework per week in order to successfully complete AP portfolio requirements.  Additionally, homework assignments may includemaintaining a visual journal as evidence of concept development, writing reviews (artist statements), and researching contemporary artists and current trends.  Pre-Requisites:  Two years of visual arts classes, completion of the online application by the published due date, department approval, and completion of summer assignments.  Rising seniors with one year of visual arts course work and demonstrated interest in advanced study of visual art are encouraged to apply for the course.

AP Art History is conducted online through the Bay Area Catholic Schools Online Consortium (BACSOC). The course is designed to provide the same benefits to secondary school students as those provided by an introductory college course in art history. In the course, students examine major forms of artistic expression from the ancient world to the present and from a variety of cultures. They learn to look and analyze works of art within their historical context, and to articulate what they see or experience in a meaningful way. A meaningful way to experience works of art is learning to frame an understanding that relates how and why works of art communicate visual meaning. Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Students can expect to spend four to five hours a week on this course. Course work will include note-taking, online class discussions/webinars, individual and cooperative expository and creative projects, and other activities. The vast majority of work for this class will be conducted independently and online. There will be monthly online class webinars, established early in the year, at which all students must be online to participate in virtual discussions, lectures and assessments. Technical requirements: Students must have access to a computer with internet access and audio and microphone capabilities. Pre-requisite: 3.25 GPA. Application form and deposit check made out to Justin-Siena are due to the student's counselor by no later than May 1. This course has limited enrollment and acceptance is not guaranteed. NB: All policies listed in the 2014-2015 Justin-Siena Braves Life Student/Parent Handbook regarding transfer credit and online courses (pp. 12-13) apply. This course does not satisfy the Justin-Siena graduation requirement nor the UC requirement for a full year of Visual and Performing Arts.

This course is designed to expand and develop skills in critical reading of and writing about literature. Students will develop the critical reading and composition skills necessary for advanced college coursework and the Advanced Placement exam. Students will read and analyze poetry, prose, and drama from a wide range of literary periods. This course stresses a sophisticated awareness of genre, theme, and style, focusing on works by British and American authors, contemporary writings, and world literature.Students will understand how authors use elements such as diction, imagery, syntax, details, and figurative language to convey theme. Extensive reading of novels, poetry, essays, plays, and literary criticism are integrated into course assignments. Discussion is the primary way in which students come to understand a novel, essay, play, or poem. Preparation (having read the assigned materials and engaging in vocabulary enrichment) will be critical to the success of these discussions. Daily writing will serve as a means by which students train to respond, to synthesize, and to evaluate literature discussed in and outside of class.Pre-Requisites:Students must be juniors or seniors and have earned an A- in the previous year's college preparatory English course(s) or a B+ in the previous year's AP English or pre-AP English course. They must also receive department approval after submitting the online application by the published deadline and successfully complete a deadline-sensitive summer reading and writing assignment. Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Students enrolling in this honors level course should expect four to eight hours of homework per week with additional time required for unit projects and occasional flex period meetings. Time required will vary as students' reading and writing speeds vary, but critical attention is expected and required for this course. Additionally, summer reading and writing, Christmas break reading, and Easter break reading will be assigned.

AP Macroeconomics taken in conjunction with AP Microeconomics.  It is an introductory college-level course that focuses on the principles that apply to an economic system as a whole; it is taken in conjunction with AP Microeconomics offered in the spring semester.  The course provides students with a thorough understanding of the principles of economics and how economists use those principles to examine aggregate economic behavior. Students learn how the measures of economic performance, such as gross domestic product (GDP), inflation, and unemployment are constructed and how to apply them to evaluate the macroeconomic conditions of an economy. The course recognizes the global nature of economics and provides ample opportunities to examine the impact of international trade and finance on national economies. Various economic schools of thought are introduced as students consider solutions to economic problems.  Prerequisites:  Student must be a senior, have earned a B- or higher in in AP US History or an A- in US History, and a B- or higher in Honors Algebra II or an A- in Algebra II.  All students must submit the online application by the published deadline and receive department approval.  Estimated homework load / types of homework required:  4.5 – 6 hours per week of homework should be expected.  Homework may include reading, note-taking, review questions, test preparation, writing of essays and papers, and research.

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory biology course for science majors. Topics include molecules and cells, heredity and evolution, and organisms and populations. The twelve standard AP laboratories will be supplemented with additional lab work. Preparation for AP exams may require additional participation in coursework outside of the regular school day, particularly during the second semester. A summer preparation assignment is also required. Students must take the Advanced Placement examination for Biology in the spring. Students who earn a C- or higher receive an extra point towards their grade point average. Pre-Requisites: There are two possible paths to this course: 1) Students must have earned an A- in Biology and either an A- in Chemistry or a B in Honors Chemistry. Or, 2) Students who have not yet taken Biology must have earned an A in Honors Chemistry. All students must submit the online application by the published deadline, and receive department approval. Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Summer assignments include a photo scavenger hunt and a review of Biology material which will be tested the first week of school. During the school year, students should expect 7-10 hours of homework per week. Types of homework include reading from the textbook and primary sources, writing lab reports, studying for tests, viewing online material, and completion of case studies and other instructional activities. Additional information: This is a college level course; therefore, much more responsibility is placed upon the student than in a typical college preparatory course. There is more independent reading than most students are accustomed to and an expectation that students will analyze and think critically about their discoveries and the material presented in class.

AP Microeconomics is taken in conjunction with AP Macroeconomics.  It is an introductory college-level course that focuses on the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual economic decision-makers; it is taken in conjunction with AP Macroeconomics offered in the fall semester. The course provides students with an understanding of the principles of economics as they apply to individual decision-making units, including individual households and firms. The course examines the theory of consumer behavior, the theory of the firm, and the behavior of profit-maximizing firms under various market structures. Students evaluate the efficiency of the outcomes with respect to price, output, consumer surplus, and producer surplus. They examine the behaviors of households and businesses in factor markets, and learn how the determination of factor prices, wages, interest, and rent influence the distribution of income in a market economy. There are ample opportunities to consider instances in which private markets may fail to allocate resources efficiently and examine various public policy alternatives aimed at improving the efficiency of private markets.  Prerequisites:  Student must be a senior, have earned a B- or higher in in AP US History or an A- in US History, and a B- or higher in Honors Algebra II or an A- in Algebra II.  All students must submit the online application by the published deadline and receive department approval. Estimated homework load / types of homework required:  4.5 – 6 hours per week of homework should be expected.  Homework may include reading, note-taking, review questions, test preparation, writing of essays and papers, and research.

AP Physics 1 is the equivalent to a first-semester college course in algebra-based physics. The course covers Newtonian mechanics (including rotational dynamics and angular momentum); work, energy, and power; and mechanical waves and sound. It will also introduce electric circuits. Students who earn a C- or higher receive an extra point towards their grade point average. Pre-Requisites: Student must have previously completed a physics class, have completed or be concurrently enrolled in a pre-calculus or higher math class. Students must submit the online application by the published deadline. Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Students should spend approximately 30-45 minutes per day, five days a week to complete homework for this class. Homework will consist of reading, practice problems, and lab reports. There are major tests after every chapter and a major project each semester. Additional information: This course is designed for those students who wish to pursue engineering or science-related tracks in college. The department recommends that students take this class as seniors, even if they meet the requirements as juniors. This class is challenging and requires substantial work outside of class to be successful.

This course will be offered in 2015-2016. It will be not be offered in 2016-2017. This course is designed to be the equivalent of a one semester, introductory college course in environmental science. Unlike most other areas of study in introductory-level college science courses, environmental science is offered from multiple disciplines, including geology, biology, environmental studies, environmental science, chemistry, and geography. The goal of the AP Environmental Science course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. Pre-Requisites: Student must have completed Biology with a B+ or better and Chemistry or Honors Chemistry with a B or better. If students are concurrently enrolled in Chemistry or Honors Chemistry, their previous science instructors will be consulted in the placement decision. Students must submit the online application by the published deadline and receive departmental approval. Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Students should expect five to seven hours of homework per week. Homework will include reading, viewing videos, lab reports, worksheets and preparation for tests.

Advanced Placement Calculus AB consists of a full academic year of work in calculus comparable to a one semester course in college.  AP Calculus AB is primarily concerned with developing student understanding of the concepts of calculus and providing experience with its methods and applications.  It emphasizes a multi-representational approach to calculus, with concepts, results, and problems being expressed geometrically, numerically, graphically, and verbally. The connections among these representations are stressed.  Students are required to have their own graphing calculator.  Students must take the Advanced Placement for Calculus AB examination offered in the spring.  Students who earn a C- or higher receive an extra point toward their grade point average.  Pre-Requisites:  Students must have earned 80% or higher in Honors Pre-Calculus and receive department approval after submitting the online application by the published deadline.Estimated homework load / types of homework required:  Summer work: A review of pre-calculus topics is due the first week of school; homework is assigned by section and is due weekly.  Each homework assignment takes an hour and a half to two hours to complete; homework is not accepted late.  Students are also assigned projects for each quarter.  These projects add about three to five hours of work over the course of the first two quarters, and five to seven hours of work over the course of the third and fourth quarters.

Advanced Placement Calculus BC is comparable to a second semester course in colleges and universities.  AP Calculus BC is an extension of AP Calculus AB rather than an enhancement; common topics require a similar depth of understanding.  AP Calculus BC is concerned with developing student understanding of the concepts of calculus and providing experience with its methods and applications.  It emphasizes a multi-representational approach to calculus, with concepts, results, and problems being expressed geometrically, numerically, graphically and, verbally. The connections among these representations are stressed.  Topics include applications of definite integrals, sequences, L’Hopital’s Rule, improper integrals, infinite series, and Parametric, Vector, and Polar Functions.  Students must take the Advanced Placement Calculus BC examination offered in the spring.  Students who earn a C- or higher receive an extra point toward their grade point average.   Pre-Requisites:  Students must have earned 80% or higher in AP Calculus AB and receive department approval after submitting the online application by the published deadline.Estimated homework load / types of homework required: Summer work: A review of AP Calculus AB topics is due the first week of school; homework is assigned by section and is due weekly.  Homework is not accepted late.  Each assignment takes an hour and a half to two hours to complete.  Students are also assigned projects for Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 which add about five to seven hours of work over the course of the quarters.

This is the equivalent of an upper-intermediate college-level course that emphasizes communication (understanding and being understood by others) by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills in real-life situations. It includes vocabulary usage, language control, communication strategies, and cultural awareness. The course strives not to overemphasize grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. The course is taught almost exclusively in Spanish and engages students in an exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. The course develops students' awareness and appreciation of cultural products (e.g., tools, books, music, laws, conventions, institutions); practices (patterns of social interactions within a culture); and perspectives (values, attitudes, and assumptions) by exploring six themes: Beauty and Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, Families and Communities, Global Challenges, Personal and Public Identities, and Science and Technology. Pre-Requisites: Student must have earned an A- or higher in Honors Spanish III or a B or higher in Spanish IV, submit the online application by the published deadline, and receive departmental approval.