Course of Study Secondary
A course of study for kids who are secondary school
age. This course of study is based on one originally written by Carol Narigon.
It has been modified in various ways including changing wording, adding and
deleting material. Some material is from California state
standards.
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~The
World is Our
Classroom~
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Course
of Study
Secondary
Students
We believe that the family is the most fundamental
social institution and the preferred means of caring for, preparing, and
training children to be productive members of society. We promote and support a
family-centered education.
Our education
program, in which children learn primarily under the immediate direction,
guidance, and support of their parents and other caring and involved adults,
offers an outstanding educational opportunity by providing a natural learning
environment, extensive real-world experience, flexibility of schedule, and the
ability to respond to the specific needs and inclinations of the child. Each
student’s program is developmentally appropriate, integrated and fully
individualized, and continually built upon student strengths and interests
throughout the year.
English: Students
will develop knowledge of, and appreciation for literature and the language, as
well as the skills of speaking, reading, listening, spelling, handwriting, and
composition.
Students will read from
self-chosen or parent-chosen literature on a regular basis and will engage in
reflection on those literature pieces in a variety of ways, such as: journal
writing, book reviews, conversations, drama based on the books, book clubs. Our
educational goal is for students to read for pleasure, to gain exposure to a
wide variety of genres, and to be able to reflect critically on what they read.
Students will read content-related
non-fiction materials to support their chosen areas of interest. They will
reflect on these pieces in a variety of ways, such as: journal writing, writing
articles for submission to magazines or newspapers, discussions, or development
of a scrapbook in an area of interest. Our goal is for students to learn to read
critically for information, to understand and be able to reflect on materials
read, to be able to compare them to other sources of information, and to learn
how and where to find written resources as
needed.
Writing, spelling and grammar
will be covered as part of students’ natural writing processes. Students
will develop their ability to write creatively, to write letters and lists, to
create and write drama pieces, informational essays, persuasive articles, etc.
Our goal is for students to enjoy writing, to gain expertise in both the writing
process and in technical writing and editing skills, and to develop a sense of
power over the written word.
Science:
Students will develop their scientific knowledge with emphasis on basic
concepts, theories, and processes of scientific investigation and on the place
of humans in ecological systems, and with appropriate applications of the
interrelation and interdependence of the sciences. These will be related to
areas of special student interest by engaging in hands-on activities, watching
science videos, reading related written materials, conducting scientific
experiments, keeping journals, making and recording observations, visiting
scientists in their work places, visiting local science museums, participating
in science fairs and workshops, or through cooperative learning. Our goal is for
students to experience a wide range of scientific exposure in their areas of
interest, to develop a positive interest in science, to learn to think
scientifically, to develop a respect for the work scientists do, and to
understand the importance science has in daily
life.
Social Studies: Students will
develop their understanding of the social sciences and humanities by reading and
discussing fiction and non-fiction materials, participating in field trips to
historic and politically or culturally significant sites, or through discussion
and debate. Anthropology, economics, psychology, geography, history, political
science, and sociology are fully integrated into the students studies in a wide
variety of ways, such as: the use of time lines and maps, discussion, journal
writing, cooking, plays, road trips, invention building, field trips, and art.
Our goal is for students to develop a foundation for understanding the history,
resources, development, and government of California and the United States of
America; the American legal system; the operation of the juvenile and adult
criminal justice systems and the rights and duties of citizens under the
criminal and civil law and the State and Federal constitutions; the development
of the American economic system including the role of the entrepreneur and
labor; the relations of persons to their human and natural environment; eastern
and western cultures and civilizations; human rights issues, with particular
attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery, and the
Holocaust; and contemporary issues including the wise use of natural
resources.
Health and Physical Education:
Health and physical education will be fully integrated as a part of daily living
skills and participation in the wider community. Students will learn to care for
their health and physical environment in a variety of ways, such as: shopping
for and preparing food, discussing the necessity of a healthy diet,
participation in fire drills and other emergency preparedness activities,
exercise both as play and as part of a structured group experience and through
camping, hiking, and other outdoor activity. Our goal is for students to
appreciate the necessity of a healthy body and to develop lifelong habits of
regular exercise and good
nutrition.
Applied Arts and
Vocation/Technical Education: Consumer and homemaker education, industrial arts,
general business education, and general agriculture will be offered in a variety
of ways. Students’ interests will determine the direction of their applied
arts and vocation projects, which may include apprenticeships, mentorships, or
specific training. Our goal is for students to develop skills and knowledge to
meet their own future vocational and avocational
requirements.
Visual and Performing Arts:
Students will develop their knowledge of art, music, and drama through informal
and structured methods in a variety of ways, such as: art classes, instrumental
lessons, choral singing, listening to various styles of music, learning about
the people who have influenced music through history, or working on
individualized or group projects that relate to music, art, and drama, including
acting and performing in a variety of venues and genres. Our goal is for
students to enjoy a wide variety of art, music, and drama experiences, including
performance, while developing an understanding and appreciation of the
importance of art, music, and drama as creative expressions of human life
experiences.
Mathematics: Students will
develop mathematical concepts, operational skills, and problem solving through
participation in daily real-world activities such as cooking, building,
shopping, budgeting, computing, etc. Mathematics materials will be chosen to
support students’ individual learning styles in order to achieve
competency in operational skills and insight into problem-solving procedures.
Our goal is for students to gain a strong conceptual knowledge of mathematics as
well as an appreciation for the daily applications of mathematics in their
lives.
Automobile Driver Education:
Students will be offered the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills
necessary to become safe drivers.
Foreign
Language: Students will have the opportunity to develop understanding, speaking,
reading, and writing skills in a foreign language of their
choice.
Parenting Skills: Students will
acquire parenting skills primarily through first-hand interaction with, and
observation of, young children and through direct adult instruction in skills
and knowledge including: effective parenting, prevention of child abuse,
nutrition, household finances and budgeting, personal and family interactions
and relations, methods to promote self-esteem, effective decision-making skills,
family and individual health, child growth and development, parental
responsibilities, personal hygiene, maintenance of healthy relationships, and
teen-parenting issues.
Posted: Fri - January 30, 2004 at 08:23 PM