May 16, 2012.

Eleven more days...do you have your summer camps lined up? Don't panic, Oakwood is here! Dance, sports, art, lots of fun...half days or whole days. Talk to Lisa Thomas Harner and look under MyOakwood for the brochure. Hurry before they fill up...the horseback riding camp is particularly popular!

Curriculum Guide

Lower School
Middle School
Upper School

Lower School

Curriculum Overview

In keeping with Oakwood's mission to instill in its students the strength of character, the creativity, and the wisdom to make a difference in the world, the Oakwood Lower School curriculum nurtures the development of the whole child and implements best practices and developmentally appropriate, research-based methodologies. The curriculum is unified, rigorous and experientially based and prepares the youngest Oakwood students for a future educational career that embraces the challenging dynamic of the 21st Century. The Oakwood School serves a range of students and aims to instill in each of them a passion for learning; a strong foundation of skills, knowledge and competencies; and solid personal and social skills so that every child can confidently and successfully navigate our complex and exciting world. Our Lower School curriculum reflects high standards and expectations and also aims to preserve a measure of flexibility in order to work with students as individuals. While the Lower School faculty is committed to teaching the foundations of reading, writing, math, social studies and science, they are cognizant of the different readiness and achievement levels among students and strive to help all students experience success according to their individual natures, stages of development, and current understandings. Above all, teachers in the Lower School want to create students who value and enjoy learning and are capable of becoming lifelong learners, inquisitive individuals, and citizens who seek to make a difference in the world.

The Lower School curriculum and teaching practices incorporate subject-integrated and differentiated instruction to create an environment in which students are encouraged to make connections across various disciplines and feel comfortable taking risks so they begin to see that risk-taking is a necessary part of academic growth. The curriculum is presented in a structured manner that places the student at the center of his or her own education through active exploration and handson experiences, encouraging each child to take ownership of her/his learning and feel the joy of discovery and the pride in a job well done. Teachers develop stimulating thematic units and strive to meet the various developmental needs of students through differentiated instruction in small groups, whole class, and individual instructional settings.

A well-rounded and full curriculum is central to creating lifelong learners. In addition to daily classes in the core subjects, Lower School students take classes in studio art, Spanish, music, fitness, and library each week. Teachers integrate digital resources into student activities as well. The co-curricular classes and digital resources broaden the students' understandings and sensibilities. These classes bring new experiences to the students' world and expand upon the experiences with which they are familiar.

Nurturing and guiding students' social-emotional development is a primary goal of Oakwood teachers. Lower School teachers seek to create in their students the foundations of honesty, respect, and responsibility to oneself and to others. They work to develop self-control in their students and support students as they learn to make appropriate decisions in challenging situations with others. Teachers promote self-esteem, self-expression, and self-advocacy in their students. Developing young children who are self-aware, resilient, respectful, responsible, and invested in their learning paves the way for future happiness and success.

Developing an awareness of other cultures and traditions and guiding students to participate in and discover the joys of community service is central to Oakwood's mission of preparing students to make a difference in the world. Teachers choose literature and textual material that explores the richness and wonders of mankind and invite students to share their own families' rich histories and traditions. Each class in the Lower School involves children in a service project that allows students to feel responsible for making the world a better place. The teachers are committed to developing in their students an understanding of one's duty to society and the need to look beyond oneself.

Pre-Kindergarten

Pre-kindergarten is an exciting and vibrant experience for Oakwood's youngest students. Children are encouraged to wonder, experiment, explore, and problem solve using a variety of activities that integrate important math, science, social studies, pre-reading, and pre-writing concepts, skills, and understandings. The program offers a balance of child-directed and teacherdirected learning experiences as well as a combination of large group, small group and individual learning opportunities. Outdoor play is an important part of the pre-kindergarten day as this is a critical element in child development. Nature walks and field trips are coordinated to extend and enhance learning. Acquiring basic social skills is a major goal of the program in order to create the underpinning for positive and productive interactions with peers and teachers and insure future success in school. The pre-kindergarten uses the methodology and principles of the Creative Curriculum as the foundation for its program philosophy as well as a tool for planning and individual assessment. The goals and objectives of the Creative Curriculum address the areas of social/emotional development, physical development, cognitive development, and language development. The teachers are committed to providing an enriching and nurturing environment in which children are guided through the ongoing process of academic development based on individual abilities and readiness.

The pre-kindergarten students are involved in many experiential field trips as well as community service activities. Field trips to farms, parks, and restaurants as well as theatrical performances at East Carolina University help the students grow through their experiences outside of the classroom. This class has a strong relationship with an elderly-care facility in which the students spend time with the residents of the facility which serves to enrich the lives of the participants, both young and old.

Literacy

Our pre-kindergarten class lays foundations for future learning at The Oakwood School and beyond. In a language-rich environment, students are guided through early reading behaviors as they listen to and interact with stories, read one-onone with a teacher, and explore the wonders of making meaning from words with books and materials on many topics and in many forms. Students are encouraged to correlate sounds with letters and understand text features such as return sweep and one-to-one correspondence. Literacy comprehension is appropriately nurtured through whole-group read-alouds and student responses to stories through art, music, and play. Early writing is encouraged as students work on pencil grip and the formation of letters in a comfortable environment where writing is viewed as a means of expression.

Specific activities are provided throughout the day to insure that students practice and gain competency in the following literacy skills:

Develop print awareness
Develop letter-sound association
Interact with predictable text to promote early reading behaviors
Participate during interactive read-alouds to develop vocabulary and comprehension skills
Gain letter recognition
Understand that printed words carry a message
Develop a lifelong appreciation and love of literature
Recognize and produce rhyming sounds
Recognize upper and lower case letters
Recognize and write first and last names
Demonstrate emergent writing skills

Math

Mathematics lessons in the pre-kindergarten class take place throughout the day in the form of discoveries and opportunities for problem-solving. Teachers point out connections with math to everyday experiences both in the classroom and on the playground. Students learn to see relationships and patterns. Similarities and differences in clothing and toys, for example, allow students to see patterns, which is the beginning of mathematical thinking and reasoning. Using hands-on materials, students are exposed to carefully structured graphing, estimating, sorting and counting experiences.

The mathematical explorations in pre-kindergarten insure that students gain skills and competencies in the following areas:

Numeration skills (counting)
Measurement
Graphing
Estimating
Comparing
Patterns
Spatial relationships
Number recognition and writing numbers
Calendar (seasons, days of the week, months, dates, etc)
One-to-one correspondence with sets of objects

Science and Social Studies

These two subject areas are presented through thematic units that are chosen to help students understand how they fit into the world around them and that the world exists far beyond their early life experiences. Some areas of focus in science include life cycles of plants and animals, seasons, and the water cycle. In social studies, students explore themselves and their families, other people, how people live in groups and their natural environments, and environmental changes.

Kindergarten

Opportunities for academic, personal, and social growth abound in the kindergarten classrooms at Oakwood. Each kindergarten class has one teacher, one assistant teacher, and a maximum of sixteen students. Oakwood's kindergarten program actively involves children in speaking, listening, and discovering solutions to meaningful problems while children explore concepts in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and the arts. Developmentally appropriate activities spark the children's imaginations and a joy of discovery, develop academic skills and concepts, and teach perseverance and independence. Group activities encourage the development of the social skills children need to work in a 21st century environment where cooperation and collective decision-making are expected. Year-round outdoor play is a cornerstone of the kindergarten day and allows the children to develop coordination and large muscle skills and to play in a less structured but well-supervised setting.

Augmenting the homeroom curriculum are field trips to various cultural and educational sites and a special interactive program with the fifth grade students. The H.U.G.S. (Help Us Grow Strong) program which matches kindergarten students with fifth grade partners enables students to form strong school relationships while teaching mutual understanding and respect for each other's individual personalities. Kindergarten students serve the greater community by engaging in activities with an elder care facility and with a community food pantry.

Features of our kindergarten program in the core areas include, but are not limited to, the following goals and experiences.

Literacy

Children are introduced to the Rigby Literacy program, a comprehensive research-based literacy curriculum, designed to develop comprehension and communication skills of reading and writing. Literacy goals for each student are discussed with families during the fall conference.

Features of the literacy program are listed below.

Creation of a print-rich environment in which students have access to literature of all levels and genres to explore on their own or to enjoy as a read-aloud.
Explicit, developmentally appropriate instruction in early phonics and phonemic awareness concepts with the Rigby Literacy program as a guide.
Pre-reading and reading readiness lessons/activities in an explicit and systematic way that encourage students to see the connections between sounds and letters—this leads to blending of sounds into words.
Shared reading in which students have access to the same text as the teacher—this is used for teaching skills with written text.
Guided reading groups based on skill level—decoding skills are supported and encouraged based on student level of development.
Support of beginning writing through use of a Word Wall.
Writing about student experiences.
Focus on correct letter formation and pencil grip.

Math

Teachers in grades K-2 use the Everyday Mathematics Program developed by educators and researchers at the University of Chicago. The kindergarten strand emphasizes verbal interaction and hands-on activities that lay the foundation for symbolic understanding.

Learning goals for kindergarten students are listed. Students master skills at different times throughout the year.

Count on by 1's to 100; count on by 2s, 5s, 10s and count back by 1s with number grids, number lines, and calculators.
Count 20 or more objects: estimate the number of objects in a collection.
Model numbers with manipulatives; read numbers up to 30.
Use manipulatives to model half of a region or a collection.
Compare and order whole numbers up to 20.
Use manipulatives, number lines, and mental arithmetic to solve problems involving addition and subtraction of single-digit whole numbers.
Identify join and take-away situations.
Collect and organize data to create class-constructed tally charts, tables, and bar graphs.
Use graphs to answer simple questions.
Use nonstandard tools and techniques to estimate and compare weight and length; identify standard measuring tools.
Identify pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar bills.
Describe temperature using appropriate vocabulary;
Describe and use measures of time periods relative to a day and week: identify tools that measure time.
Identify and describe plane and solid figures including circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, spheres, and cubes.
Identify shapes having line symmetry.
Extend, describe, and create visual, rhythmic, and movement patterns.
Read and write expressions and number sentences using the symbols +, -, and =.

Science/Social Studies/Information Technology

The science curriculum in kindergarten cultivates the skills of observation, comparison, classification, prediction, experimentation, estimation, and drawing conclusions. Areas of exploration include seasons, weather, insects, animals, plants, dinosaurs, fossils, cooking, shadows, farm, wind, and soil. Students begin to learn the scientific method through "Scientist of the Day" activities, which involve the students' families and is a tradition and highlight of the Oakwood kindergarten science experience.

The social studies program emphasizes an awareness and understanding of respect, responsibility, and honesty to self and others as the students cover topics such as families, homes, holidays, our country, and our world. Community service is a strong component of the program as students learn that service to others is one of the deepest satisfactions the human spirit can know.

The kindergarten classrooms each have several desktop computers. These computers are used primarily as a literacy center. Children use computer programs to complement their reading skills work, to promote eye-hand coordination, and to develop comfort while using a computer. Some programs utilized in the classroom are websites such as starfall.com and pbskids.org.

First Grade

Each first grade classroom has one teacher and one assistant teacher. The remarkable element of first grade is that students begin to connect their current learning to experiences they had in kindergarten or have had with their families, and their enthusiasm for learning is boundless. Watching first graders make sense of their world and tackle new learning challenges is an extraordinary experience.

One of the most exciting first grade activities is the yearlong service project. First graders are developmentally capable of demonstrating concern for others and want to help people in need. The first grade supports the Ronald McDonald House as its community service project. Students make door decorations for the House, and guests often ask to take home the decorations that gave them solace during their stay at the House. Children donate pantry items to the House, and work throughout the year to earn $10.00 each, the cost of a night's stay for one family at the Ronald McDonald House.

Features of our first grade program in the core areas include, but are not limited to, the following goals and experiences.

Literacy

The first grade language arts curriculum builds on the foundation begun in kindergarten with the continuation of the Rigby Literacy program. It is a well-rounded program that emphasizes phonics, decoding skills, reading comprehension, and expressive writing. Literacy goals for each student are discussed with families at the fall conference.

Features of the program are listed below.

Shared reading allows teachers to model for children the behaviors, skills, and strategies of successful readers. Big books are used to teach many literacy skills at the word, sentence, and text level.
Guided reading provides an opportunity for the teacher to guide children in becoming independent readers as they work through their own reading challenges. Guided reading books are written with features appropriate for emergent, early, and fluent readers. Lessons are taught in small homogeneous skill groups, which allow the teacher to observe, listen to, and decide how and when to question, challenge, and support the individual readers.
Word Works materials are used to provide instruction in phonics and word structure.
Phonemic awareness is taught through rhyming, matching, isolating, blending, adding or substituting, segmenting and manipulating phonemes. This phonics instruction helps children make the important connections between sounds, printed text, and the words they need to become successful readers and writers.
Comprehension strategies are expanded upon from the kindergarten communications program and include comparing and contrasting, visual imagery, sequencing ideas and story events, questioning, building background knowledge, making connections, predicting, and summarizing.
Writing instruction is given to promote writing fluency, apply the writing process, refine and apply knowledge of phonics, and to build students' confidence as writers. Proofreading is emphasized as students learn various conventions. Students are guided to correct capitalization and punctuation; organize writing with a recognizable beginning, middle, and ending; add details; correct spelling of word wall words (high frequency words). Other skills covered in writing instruction are recognizing nouns, verbs, and adjectives and creating complete and interesting sentences.

Math

The first grade math curriculum develops a strong foundation in numeration, computation, geometry, measurement, patterns, and problem solving through the use of manipulative materials and the Everyday Math Program that promotes creative and analytical thinking as well as mastery of facts. The curriculum spirals through the instruction of a concept with many opportunities for experimentation and application of skills.

Learning goals from the first grade curriculum are listed.

Count on by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s past 100 and back by 1s from any number less than 100 with and without number grids, number lines, and calculators.
Count collections of objects accurately and reliably; estimate the number of objects in a collection.
Read, write, and model with manipulatives whole numbers up to 1,000; identify places in such numbers and the values of the digits of those places.
Use manipulatives and drawings to model halves, thirds, and fourths as equal parts of a region or a collection.
Use manipulatives to identify and model odd and even numbers.
Compare and order whole numbers up to 1,000.
Demonstrate proficiency with +/-0, +/-1, doubles, and sum-equals-ten addition and subtraction facts such as 6+4=10 and 10-7=3.
Use manipulatives, number grids, tally marks, mental arithmetic, and calculators to solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of 1-digit whole numbers with 1 and 2-digit whole numbers;
Calculate and compare the values of combinations and coins.
Identify change to more, change-to-less, comparison, and parts-and-total situations. • Collect and organize data to create tally charts, tables, bar graphs, and line plots.
Use graphs to answer simple questions and draw conclusions; find the maximum and minimum of a data set.
Use nonstandard tools and techniques to estimate and compare weight and length; measure length with standard measuring tools.
Know and compare the value of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar bills; make exchanges between coins.
Identify a thermometer as a tool for measuring temperature; read temperatures on a Fahrenheit and Celsius thermometer to the nearest 10 degrees.
Use a calendar to identify days, weeks, months, and dates: tell and show time to the nearest half and quarter hour on an analog clock.
Identify and describe plane and solid figures including circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, spheres, cylinders, rectangular prisms, pyramids, cones, and cubes.
Identify and complete shapes having line symmetry.
Extend, describe, and create numeric, visual, and concrete patterns: solve problems involving function machines, "What's My Rule?" tables, and Frames-and-Arrows diagrams.
Read, write, and explain expressions and number sentences using the symbols +, -, and = and the symbols > and< with cues; solve equations involving addition and subtraction.

Science/Social Studies/Information Technology

The social studies curriculum relates the students' immediate worlds of home, school, and community with the broader concepts of state, nation, and world through exposure to history, culture, geography, citizenship, and basic economic concepts.

The science curriculum cultivates the skills of observing, comparing, classifying, predicting, experimenting, and concluding. The AIMS Educational Materials and Scholastic Banner Units as well as books, instructional videos, guest speakers, and field trips are used in the science program. Integrated teaching allows the students to explore such topics as pumpkins, animal migration, Pangea and our world, seasons, five senses, early explorers, maps, geography of our world, solids and liquids, penguins, presidents, wind, holidays, rocks, fossils, soils, plants and seeds, insects, and reptiles through literacy, math, and art activities.

Students integrate technology as they use desk-top computers with theme-based activities throughout the year. Computer activities are used to enhance the science and social studies units as well as to practice math and communications skills.

Second Grade

Second grade at The Oakwood School is a year of wonderful growth. The unique aspect of second grade is an obvious and remarkable leap in independence. There is a shared teaching assistant between the two second grade classes, and students enjoy group and one-to-one time with an adult but also time learning and exploring on their own. Students begin to take on more responsibility for their learning as they take ownership of their work, learn to make good choices with their literacy tasks to further their skills and strategies in this area, and work collaboratively to understand and share new strategies to explore new mathematical concepts. This new-found growth in independence enables students to engage in more complex projects with less reliance on adults for assistance, use organizational skills to complete work in a timely fashion, and take pride in their personal space and class work. The second grade year is one of growth and exploration as students see more vividly their place in the world and develop a clearer and more perceptive understanding of how they can and should make a difference in the world.

Second graders serve the community by supporting the Eastern North Carolina Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Volunteers from the Center visit the classes in the fall to explain their work, and after this, students raise money through a bake sale to help the foundation with its mission. A look at the organization's website shows its gratitude for the Oakwood second graders' significant support of their work.

Literacy

The goal of the second grade literacy program is to develop independent readers and writers who apply literacy skills to learning. Through the Rigby Literacy curriculum, the basic skills of recognizing and decoding words, understanding vocabulary, and using comprehension strategies are taught to provide students with the tools they require to be successful readers and writers. The reading program emphasizes reading for various purposes including reading for pleasure, information, and research. Additionally in second grade, use of the Open Court reading program anthologies is incorporated and allows students to explore themes of animal camouflage, kindness, cultural differences, fossils and dinosaurs, courage, and important people in our country while learning to read and comprehend both fiction and nonfiction. The shared inquiry approach for literary discussions promotes imagination and curiosity as well as critical thinking and communication skills. The writing process (a cycle of idea development, pre-writing, drafting, revision, proofreading, and publishing) is integrated through all areas of the curriculum. Through spelling instruction and working with words, students are strongly encouraged to use more standard spelling by the end of the second grade year.

Features of instruction in the area of communications include, but are not limited to, the following areas listed here.

Explicit instruction in phonics to allow for increased efficiency and fluency with decoding.
Small group instruction with leveled readers to further the reading skills of students with similar needs in order to help students become strategic readers.
Instruction in the use of context clues, picture clues, and syntax to further develop decoding skills.
Modeling, practicing, and using comprehension strategies with shared reading, whole group, and small group instruction to enable students to begin strategic work with comprehension strategies when reading independently.
Explicit instruction in skills needed to navigate non-fiction materials such as science materials, biographies, charts and diagrams.
Focus on high-frequency words, word families, and spelling patterns to allow students to become more proficient spellers.
Use of a Word Wall to provide access to correct spelling of high-frequency, non-phonetic words.
Writer's Workshop approach to teaching writing.
Explicit instruction in writing paragraphs, descriptive writing, letters, informational reports, fiction, and poetry.
Emphasis on correct mechanics of punctuation, capitalization, and correct spelling and grammar are taught through the use of a proofreading system called COPS.
Basic research using bibliographies, indexes, tables of contents, encyclopedias, non-fiction texts, and guided internet sources.

Math

The second grade math curriculum continues the Everyday Mathematics program in which hands-on, cooperative, inquirybased math learning is emphasized. Students share strategies and demonstrate the internalization of skills at the highest levels as they develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The program introduces students to regrouping and enables students to understand the concepts of multiplication. Practice with basic addition and subtraction math facts through 20 is encouraged, both at home and at school. Spiraling math concepts are taught and reinforced through regular review, daily routines, games, manipulatives, and collaboration.

Learning goals from the second grade curriculum are listed.

Count on by 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s, and 25s past 1,000 and back by 1s from any number less than 1,000 with and without number grids, number lines, and calculators.
Read, write, and model with manipulatives whole numbers up to 10,000; identify places in such numbers and the values of the digits in those places; read and write money amounts in dollars-and-cents notation.
Used manipulatives and drawings to model fractions as equal parts of a region or a collection; name the fraction.
Recognize numbers as odd or even.
Use manipulatives and drawings to model equivalent names for ½.
Compare and order whole numbers up to 10,000;
Demonstrate automaticity with +/-0, +/-1, doubles, and sum-equals-ten facts and proficiency with all addition and subtraction facts through 10+10.
Use manipulatives, number grids, tally marks, mental arithmetic, paper and pencil, and calculators to solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of 2-digit whole numbers.
Calculate and compare the values of coin and bill combinations.
Identify and describe change, comparison, and part-and-total situations.
Use repeated addition, arrays, and skip counting to model multiplication; use equal sharing and equal grouping to model division.
Collect and organize data or use given data to create tally charts, tables, bar graphs and line plots.
Use graphs to ask and answer simple questions and draw conclusions; find the maximum, minimum, mode, and median of a data set.
Estimate length with and without tools; measure length to the nearest inch and centimeter; use standard and nonstandard tools to measure and estimate weight.
Count unit squares to find the area of rectangles.
Describe relationships between days in a week and hours in a day.
Make exchanges between coins and bills.
Read temperature on both the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales.
Tell and show time to the nearest five minutes on an analog clock; tell and write time in digital notation.
Draw line segments and identify parallel line segments.
Identify, describe, and model plane and solid figures including circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, hexagons, trapezoids, rhombuses, spheres, cylinders, rectangular prisms, pyramids, cones, and cubes.
Create and complete two-dimensional symmetrical shapes or designs.
Extend, describe, and create numeric, visual, and concrete patterns; describe rules for patterns and use them to solve problems.
Read, write, and explain expressions and number sentences using the symbols +, -, =, >, and <; solve number sentences involving addition and subtraction; write expressions and number sentences to model number stories.

Science/Social Studies/Information Technology

The social studies program includes a survey of the geography of our world: continents, oceans, and landforms. It also includes a study of our country and its people with an emphasis on developing citizenship. Students explore United States history from Christopher Columbus through the Civil War and begin to see how the past affects the current world in which they live. Second grade social studies work enables students to identify map symbols, oceans, continents, and understand directionality. Students learn to create and use timelines, look at change over time and use this information to make connections with current events. Through project learning experiences such as Cooking Around the Continents, Houses Around the World, and Pocket People Biographies, students integrate reading, writing, and presentation skills to demonstrate their learning.

The science program emphasizes the concepts of plant and animal adaptations through studies of the temperate forest, polar, and ocean habitats. Animal classification is explored as students learn how to categorize animals according to attributes. Studies of fossils, rocks, and dinosaurs give students a true sense of change over time as they examine how our world has evolved. A pumpkin unit in the fall of the year allows students to fully integrate math and science skills as they work collaboratively to create pumpkin pies from scratch in the classroom. Pies, along with other treats are sold as part of an annual bake sale with funds going to support the Eastern Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

Second graders have access to the lab cart that contains laptops for use in second and third grades. Students begin learning their way around the keyboard on the laptops by using typing drills, writing stories using word processing, and playing educational games. Using different fonts, colors, and type size while typing poems and short stories helps students learn how to use and enjoy using word processing tools. Research on topics such as temperate forests, bats, and polar animals allows students to learn how to use the Internet with teacher guidance and supervision. Internet research skills include learning to navigate through websites, using links to other sites, and reading for information. Explicit instruction is given as students learn to use different reading strategies when reading for information on the computer.

Third Grade

In third grade, the concepts and behaviors of responsibility, self-direction, and self-control are emphasized. The homeroom teachers share the two classes for the teaching of social studies and science: one teacher teaches science and the other teaches social studies to each of the groups. This requires the students to more carefully organize and to adjust to various teaching styles during the school day, important preparation for the increased departmentalization that occurs in Middle School. Students learn to be responsible for their materials and assignments, to work more independently, to transition between activities independently, and to be respectful participants in a more independent learning environment.

The Good Deeds Team offers an important community service opportunity, is run by a third grade teacher, and is open to second and third graders. The team meets after school and focuses on students themselves finding ways to reach out to others at home, at school, and in the community. The goal of the club is to have students reach within themselves and out to others by determining and executing projects they can carry out individually or collectively that will make a difference in the world in which they live and work.

Literacy

Third grade students use a phonetic approach to decode, analyze, comprehend words, and read expressively a variety of textual material. They acquire strategies for accessing information and explore and communicate concepts using both oral and written language. The Open Court series of short reading selections includes poetry, short stories, and excerpts from novels and non-fiction pieces and is used throughout the fall term. After the December break, students are placed in small groups and enjoy reading novels together. Story elements are discussed, and students collaborate on a book project as a culmination to their group's work. Writing concepts, grammar, usage, spelling, vocabulary building, and language mechanics are emphasized to improve writing and oral communication skills. Both expository and expressive writing is taught, and the correct use of grammar and the importance of revision and proofreading are emphasized.

Features in the area of communications include, but are not limited to, the following items.

Use of Open Court Collection for Young Scholars
Use of National Geographic Explorer
Whole group reading instruction
Literature Circles in which students work in collaborative groups and are given specific tasks while reading and bring their findings to the group
Direct instruction in the use of text structures to further comprehension
Increased work with strategies to develop comprehension skills
Formal spelling work utilizing SRA Level 3 Spelling Workbook
Steck-Vaughn Weekly Language Practice (language activities, library/research skills and writing prompts)
Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop
Use of a writing journal for writing prompts and independent writing activities
Introduction of cursive handwriting using the Zaner-Bloser approach

Math

In third grade, the math program at Oakwood transitions from using Everyday Math to SRA Real Math curriculum materials to expand the range of the students' math experiences, understandings, and problem solving strategies. SRA fully integrates the five strands of mathematical proficiency of understanding, computing, applying, reasoning, and engaging.

Listed here are highlights of math concepts and skills covered in third grade.

Demonstrate proficiency with numbers through 1,000,000 and beyond to include properties of operations.
Develop understanding of multiplication of whole numbers.
Know multiplication facts through 10 x 10.
Use multi-digit multiplication algorithms.
Understand the meaning of division and develop the ability to apply it in problem solving.
Adding and subtracting both proper and improper fractions and decimals.
Determining elapsed time of a full, half, and quarter hour.
Measure length, weight, and volume using the appropriate units and tools using both US Customary and Metric Systems; demonstrate conversions within the two measurement systems.
Find perimeter and area of simple geometric figures; state and explain the properties of geometric figures.
Use mathematical expressions to represent relationships between quantities and interpret given expressions.
Create and interpret simple tables and graphs.
Develop an understanding of probability and statistics.
Estimating and rounding for logical reasoning.

Science/Social Studies/Information Technology

In social studies, students explore living in communities by looking back into past communities, building a government, and working together in a community. Along with other resources including the Internet, students use Communities: Adventures in Time and Place (MacMillan/McGraw Hill) to guide their studies. Other topics of study include the history of Greenville, branches of the US Government, and economics. Project-based learning is emphasized through the President and First Lady, Famous American, and U.S. State projects.

The focus of the third grade science curriculum is the understanding of regularities in systems and of the principle that systems are made up of organized groups of related objects and components. Systems that are studied include the solar system; light, heat, and sound; the musculoskeletal system of humans (with a brief introduction to comparative anatomy); and plant and soil concepts. Students each year look forward to the "Out of this World" Project and the Creation of Body Systems Poster Project.

In third grade, students continue using laptop computers from the laptop cart to enhance their understanding and use of this all-important educational tool and to prepare them for using and owning individual laptops in fourth grade. The portable computer lab is utilized in many facets of the curriculum to provide opportunities to practice using word processing software, Internet research tools, and presentation software. As part of this learning experience, students are given lessons in handling and caring for their computers. Students create a power point project each year after the Winter Break. Students practice academic skills through Internet resources such as Multiflyer (Brainormous), ixl Math, Study Island, and Spelling City. Discovery Education is a vital part of the classroom experience as students take advantage of outside resources in their studies across the curriculum.

Co-Curricular Classes

ART

In pre-k through third grade, the elements of art and principles of design are the foundation for the art program. Students view the work of artists who lived during various historical periods and in various regions of the world and study their methods to gain understandings of beliefs, ideas, values, and histories of cultures. Students use math, reading, and writing skills to explore art concepts and aid in the learning process. Students develop artistic skills through practice and observation. Some students have an innate talent in art but they, too, need to develop their skills and understandings through exposure to artistic concepts and principles. The goal of our art program is to help children learn to "see" in a way that they can translate into art and to help develop in them a love of art while having fun in and with the process.

MUSIC

The Lower School music program is designed to encourage children's natural enthusiasm for music. For many children, this is their first experience with any type of structured music class. Students learn to recognize and demonstrate the basic musical elements of melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, tempo, dynamics, timbre, and form. Through singing, moving, playing instruments, creating music, and guided listening, children discover and develop their musical abilities. Students begin to learn how to read and write music in preparation for learning to play the recorder in third grade and are exposed to different styles of music from different genres and composers through listening as well as music activities. Performance opportunities for students are available in the community and in our school concerts, but our focus is developing the fundamental skills and understandings of music. Finally, Suzuki-method violin lessons are provided during school for interested PK-4th grade students at an additional cost to parents.

SPANISH

The Lower School Spanish curriculum is based on research showing that children learn subsequent languages best in the same way they learn their first language—by listening and internalizing what they hear and by speaking, before they start to read and write. In grades PK-2 the emphasis is almost exclusively on listening and speaking. By third grade, students begin to do some reading and writing in Spanish. In our classes we have "serious fun"— we do the serious business of learning via fun activities that naturally encourage the acquisition of language. These activities include learning many songs and rhymes, doing story time read-alouds, and playing vocabulary-learning games.

FITNESS

The Lower School fitness program is a sports-based curriculum that emphasizes healthy living, skill development, rules of the games, and teamwork. The sports included in the curriculum are volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball, and softball. Fun lead-up games are used to vary the classes and add interest to the learning of each sport. The Presidential Fitness Test is administered to children in grades 1-3 and is used to raise the children's awareness of their own fitness levels and of the importance of physical exercise to one's general health and wellbeing.

LIBRARY

The Oakwood School library is a warm, inviting space. A media coordinator manages the book and resource collections and teaches a class in the library once a week to each Lower School class. She provides our Lower School students with a variety of literary experiences and promotes a love of reading and appreciation of books and other reading materials. All of our students love listening to stories in the library. In addition, students learn basic bibliographic skills that enable them to navigate the library and conduct beginning research activities. Intriguing monthly themes provide the framework for many of the projects and reading selections.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Today's children, Digital Natives, have different learning styles and needs from those of generations past. Technology plays a significant role in their learning process. Children are very comfortable using the tools of today and for that reason, Oakwood Lower School teachers provide frequent opportunities for their students to use these tools.

It is very important for students to use technology so their learning becomes more self-directed and engaging. This direct involvement empowers children to become independent learners. Technology, with its ability to create worldwide connections, develops globalized 21st century citizens, and The Oakwood School's mission is to prepare our students to become productive and positive global citizens who can make a difference in the world.

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has developed standards of achievement for our use of technology in education. We begin to implement these standards in our Lower School. Some of the standards are: Creativity and Innovation, Communication and Collaboration, Research and Information Fluency, Digital Citizenship, Critical Thinking- Problem Solving and Decision Making, and Technology Operations and Concepts.

Students are introduced gradually to the use of computers in the Lower School. Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade students utilize desktops in their classroom as learning centers for small groups. At these grade levels technology is used to develop basic literacy, math, and keyboarding skills and to foster an excitement about using the computer to find information. Second and third grade students use a laptop lab that rotates among their classrooms. At these grades, teachers expand upon the skills and understandings students have already learned and teach research skills and report writing using computer technology. An important goal at these grade levels is to prepare the children for laptop ownership and increased daily use in Middle School. With the addition of an iPad cart for second and third graders, these students will have greater access to the integration of technology within the curriculum.

Middle School

Curriculum Overview

The Middle School curriculum at Oakwood is designed as a four-year journey during which time we hope our students will develop a sense of academic purpose, sound study skills and habits, the roots of self-knowledge, and a respect and concern for the needs of others. It is our hope that students will emerge from our Middle School program as productive and positive citizens and as independent learners who are well prepared to tackle and enjoy the rigors and realities of Upper School.

The Middle School fitness program is a sports-based curriculum that emphasizes healthy living, skill development, rules of the games, and teamwork. The sports included in the curriculum are volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball, and softball. Lead-up games are used to vary classes and add interest to the learning of each sport. The Presidential Fitness Test is administered to all children and is used to raise the children's awareness of their own fitness levels and of the importance of physical exercise to one's general health and wellbeing. In 6th and 7th grade, students can participate in our after school interscholastic sports offerings. 6th graders are allowed to practice with the teams, and 7th graders can both practice and play in games.

LIBRARY

The Oakwood School library is a warm, inviting space. A teacher-librarian manages the book and resource collections and teaches a class in the library once a week to fourth and fifth graders. The goal of these classes is to teach research skills and to teach students how to check the reliability of printed and online resources. Intriguing monthly themes provide the framework for the activities. Sixth and seventh graders use the library to conduct research for projects assigned in their academic classes, and librarian support is always available to them. The goal of the library program is to develop students who are competent users of information, critical thinkers, and constructive managers of knowledge so they can become and enjoy being lifelong learners.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Fourth graders make a huge leap into the world of technology because they are required to buy or lease a MacBook to use in all of their classes. Students are taught how to care for and maintain their laptops and to protect their data through responsible back-up procedures. In keeping with Oakwood's philosophy of technology education, computer instruction is integrated into the curriculum. Students become comfortable with and skilled in using word processing and presentation software, e-mail communication, and the school server (for assignment retrieval/submission and data storage). Teachers aid the students in learning how to use the Internet as one resource for their inquiries into various topics. Teachers post all homework assignments and announcements to the Middle School homework pages on the Oakwood School website and students use this resource to keep track of short- and long-term assignments. Parents are able to access the homework pages and the Lower Middle School Program Information page and this access is a wonderful vehicle that aids parent-teacher communications. In the third quarter of fourth grade, students and parents are introduced to PowerSchool to view grades and teacher comments in all graded courses. This system facilitates timely communication between home and school about student progress.

The development of technology skills and the integration of technology into the curriculum continue in fifth grade. By the end of the year, students are proficient in the use of word processing and presentation software, e-mail communications, and server access. Students are introduced to the use of Microsoft Excel for data organization, storage and analysis as well as the creation of tables and graphs. Teachers continue to aid the students in learning how to use the Internet as one resource for their inquiries into various topics. Teachers post all homework assignments and announcements to the Middle School homework pages on the Oakwood School website and students use this resource to keep track of short- and long-term assignments. Parents are able to access the homework pages and the Lower Middle School Program Information page and this access is a wonderful vehicle that aids parent-teacher communications. Students and parents also have access to PowerSchool to view grades and teacher comments in all graded courses. This system facilitates timely communication between home and school about student progress.

As students enter the Upper Middle School, students continue to employ the computer as a means of research, communication, and presentation. Sixth and seventh grade teachers continue to post assignments on their homework websites, and to record grades in PowerSchool, which are accessible to parents and students. Students continue to use their laptop computers to perform increasingly sophisticated research tasks and increasingly mature multi-media presentations using such programs as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Alice, Geo Sketchpad, Prezi, Timeliner, Garage Band, and iMovie. The word processing skills learned in the Lower Middle School are used daily in the Upper Middle School. Students use word processing programs to record class notes, and to compose essays both in and out of class.

Students in the Upper Middle School will find that technology is woven into nearly all aspects of the curriculum. Science and social studies e-texts are loaded onto the laptops, and have interactive features such as online videos, quizzes, and read-alouds that assist learners. Teachers maintain not just a public homework page, but also a folder on the Oakwood server. This server folder contains hard copies of class handouts, study guides, rubrics, and reading selections. The server even functions as a means of submitting work; students can "dropbox" a teacher an assignment electronically.

The faculty in the Upper Middle School view technology as a powerful tool to aid student learning. Every classroom is equipped with wireless internet and a projector that is wired for laptop use, allowing both teachers and students the ability to share information seamlessly. Every teacher has access to Discovery Education, an online source that contains instructive videos on a vast array of subjects as well as a database of photos, encyclopedic articles, and interactive lesson plans and quizzes. Many traditional subscriptions now have online components, which are easily accessed both in and out of the classroom. Additionally, Oakwood is working to implement Moodle, a software package that will allow teachers to prepare coursework for completion by students online. As technology continues to evolve, teachers find new ways to use technology to prepare students for the 21st century.

Upper School

Curriculum Overview

The Oakwood Upper School offers a rigorous curriculum that prepares our students for success in college and beyond while at the same time offers appropriate faculty support. In the study of literature and history, students develop their research, analysis, reading and writing skills. Our science and math curricula encourage students to view the world in terms of inquiry. Students are encouraged to take their study of foreign language as far as possible, so they will be able to communicate comfortably in another language and engage fully in another culture. Through music, dance, and studio art classes, The Oakwood Upper School encourages students to appreciate the arts as well as to embrace participation in creative activities. Our curriculum includes Honors and Advanced Placement courses, as well as opportunities to pursue individual interests through online classes or independent studies. Technology is an integral part of class instruction and learning.

Upper School students also have the opportunity to experience online classes. The Oakwood Upper School partners with the North Carolina Association of Independent School's Aventa Virtual Learning project to offer a rich offering of classes to our students that are not offered at The Oakwood School campus or conflict with our current schedule.

The Oakwood School promotes the development of well-rounded young adults and understands the importance of physical development and the team experience. 85% of Upper School students participate in our varied interscholastic sports offerings that include both traditional team and individual sports.

Students also participate in an Off-Campus Education Week. The Oakwood School seeks to take its students directly to the material that is covered in the classroom. We want to challenge our students to apply their knowledge by living their learning. Since its inception in 2009, students have traveled to China, Puerto Rico, Key West, Washington, DC, Belize, and various college campuses in North and South Carolina. While on these trips, students have participated in community service projects, conducted science activities, written insightful journal reflections, practiced language skills, and viewed first-hand other cultures and ways of life.

The Oakwood Upper School firmly believes that our curriculum—as delivered by enthusiastic, outstanding teachers—fulfills Oakwood's mission: "to instill in our students the strength of character, the creativity and the wisdom to make a difference in the world."

Advanced Placement Courses

AP courses offered at The Oakwood Upper School are designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Examinations administered each spring by the College Board. The exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing the highest grade. Most colleges will award college credit for scores of 4 or 5, and some will award credit for scores of 3. AP courses are rigorous and require a strong background in the subject area. In almost all cases students who enroll in AP courses are required to take the AP Exam and will be required to pay for the exam registration, which is approximately $75 per exam.

Upper School Division Graduation Requirements

The graduation requirements listed below apply to students in the class of 2012 and beyond, and all new students entering the Upper School in the 08-09 school year and thereafter.

The Upper School curriculum consists of regular academic courses that meet five times a week for a full year and are worth one credit. Some electives or fine arts courses meet for a semester only and are typically paired with a companion course that should be taken the subsequent semester so that students can be awarded a full elective credit for a given year. Every student must take a minimum of 25 class periods per week, based on a schedule of 35 periods per week (seven periods per day). A minimum of 22 academic credits are required for graduation, and students must pass all required courses to graduate. A student is considered to have passed a required course if the semester grade for that course is a 60 or better.

Each student's course of study depends on his or her personal goals. While fulfilling Oakwood's graduation requirements, students should consider their interests and talents as they select courses. Oakwood's standard classes reflect at least honorslevel work at most public high schools, with AP courses demanding an even greater level of content mastery.

Oakwood's Graduation Requirements

English: four credits
Mathematics: four credits
Science: three credits
History: three credits
Foreign Language: two credits of the same language
Fine Arts: one credit
Health and Wellness: one credit
Electives: four credits

These requirements constitute the minimum standard for graduation from The Oakwood School. Admissions standards vary among colleges and universities and while Oakwood's curriculum is designed to prepare students for success in college, it is important to research specific requirements for admission to individual colleges and universities. Students should pay particular attention to college requirements for foreign language, as many colleges and universities prefer to see a student take at least three years of a high school foreign language.

Please note the following: Credit will not be awarded for participation in team sports. All Upper School students are required to take a full-year, curriculum-based PE/Health and Wellness course. Students enrolled in Algebra I and/or Spanish I in 8th grade will not be awarded high school credit nor will the class count towards fulfilling the math or foreign language requirements for Upper School graduation.

English

The Oakwood School's English Department explores literature to accomplish traditional goals of literature (development of cultural awareness and critical thinking) and to facilitate students' acquisition of skills needed for advanced study. Our curriculum offers students ample opportunities for reading, writing, thinking, speaking and listening, to present them with challenges that hone both their creative and logical faculties.

Our eighth grade begins with a study of American literature of different genres that include To Kill a Mockingbird, Ender's Game, Inherit the Wind, and Lord of the Flies. Ninth graders focus on the epic journeys in Western literature from antiquities to the Renaissance. Major works of study include The Epic of Gilgamesh, Egyptian short stories, The Iliad, and Beowulf. Tenth graders study European authors and their works, focusing on Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, Mary Shelley, and Charles Dickens. Often students' literary studies parallel their studies in history, linking literature and the culture that produced it. Students in eleventh and twelfth grades have opportunities to receive college credit through AP Language and Composition and AP Literature and Composition. Honors offerings in the junior and senior years include Honors World Literature and Honors American Literature.

A rigorous English program would not be complete without a formal study of grammar and vocabulary. Students study grammar to help develop their own distinct writing voice. Vocabulary study assists them with their communication skills and SAT preparation.

Honors Eighth Grade English

In eighth grade English, the focus is literary analysis. In addition to reading short stories and poetry, students read novels exposing them to a variety of genres including historical fiction, social commentary, drama, and science fiction. Throughout the course, students complete projects that connect the works read or connect the works with the historical environment in which they were produced. Additionally, the eighth grade English students write analytical and creative essays varying in length and begin practicing timed writing. Grammar and vocabulary development are also important aspects of this course.

Prerequisite: Seventh Grade English

Honors Western Literature

Students enrolled in Western Literature explore the idea of the protagonist's journey within the concept of the monomyth. Using works from antiquities to the Renaissance, including The Epic of Gilgamesh, Egyptian Short Stories, The Iliad, Julius Caesar, and Beowulf, students explore the works as a springboard for discussions and writing. Students analyze texts for character development, theme, setting, literary devices, and point of view. Students use historical criticism to better understand the context of the individual works. Grammar and vocabulary are also an integral part of the class curriculum. Writing assignments include both analytical and creative writing projects, as well as a research paper based on secondary sources that students locate at ECU's Joyner Library.

Prerequisite: Eighth Grade English

Honors European Literature

The European literature class continues the use of historical criticism to analyze canonical works of literature from the Renaissance to the 20th century. Students use works such as The Prince, Romeo and Juliet, Gulliver's Travels, A Tale of Two Cities, Frankenstein, and Night to facilitate discussions of humanities' joys and sorrows. Writing assignments allow students to react to the pieces of literature on a personal level, as well as to analyze and develop theories on the use of satire, irony, metaphors, and symbolism. Students also complete research and utilize secondary sources in their writing using the MLA format. Grammar and vocabulary are integral parts of the course curriculum.

Prerequisite: Ninth Grade English

Honors American Literature

This course is a careful study of American literature from the early Native American period to modern day. The class uses selected literary works by various authors to focus on genre elements, literary analysis and writing as a response to literature. The prime objectives of this course are to encourage critical reading of both fiction and nonfiction, to cultivate critical thinking, to practice analytical and creative writing, and to allow students to trace the growth of American literature by studying major movements. Units covered include Native American myths, narrative accounts of early settlers, Puritan poetry and sermons, non-fiction works of the Enlightenment period, works of Romanticism and Transcendentalism, and works of the 20th century. Grammar and vocabulary are integral parts of the course curriculum.

Prerequisite: Tenth Grade English

Honors World Literature

Students read a wide variety of literature from around the world representing the history of human culture from ancient civilizations through the present day. Their textbook, Prentice Hall's World Masterpieces, exposes learners to all types of genres including poetry, short stories, excerpts and essays. In addition to readings from the textbook, students are responsible for outside reading which is designed to add depth and meaning to the works from the text. Some examples of works studied may include Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen and The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. Analytical and creative writing, vocabulary development, and grammar study are significant elements of the class as well.

Prerequisite: Tenth Grade English

AP English Language and Composition

AP English Language and Composition is based on the expectations and objectives set forth in the AP English Course Description published by the College Board. In this class, students "write in both formal and informal contexts to gain authority and learn to take risks in writing." In doing so, they move beyond the basic five-paragraph essay—students learn to gauge their audience, evaluate their purpose, and write accordingly. Much of their writing are responses to some type of reading including letters, speeches, essays, novels, short fiction, articles, and image-based texts, most of which are from the American literary canon. Forms of writing include expository, argumentative, and analytical writing. Some compositions are formal essays that move through a writing process while other assignments are more informal and are structured to help students develop their own writing style. Students also focus on reading and evaluating secondary sources, synthesizing the materials to include in their writing, and citing the materials using the conventions of MLA. Upon completion of the course, students should be prepared for successful undergraduate work through their mastery of higher-level critical reading, thinking, speaking, and writing skills. In addition, students will have gained a deep understanding of various American authors and genres. It is expected that students take the AP Language and Composition exam in May. Students should check with various colleges to see what credits they offer.

Prerequisite: Tenth Grade English or Teacher Recommendation

AP Literature and Composition

AP English Literature and Composition gives students a learning experience equivalent to a typical undergraduate introduction to literature class. Through close reading of literary texts, students come to understand how writers use language to provide meaning and to answer the big questions of existentialism. Students are challenged to understand how literature maintains its relevance from its origin to the current era and will remain relevant to future eras as well. Students fully master literary terms. Literary analysis looks through the lenses of style and structure, rhetorical strategies, diction, figurative language, imagery, selection of detail, language, and syntax. Vocabulary study is important. Writing well about literature is a key component of the class. Students are required to write critically about all genres. It is expected that students take the AP Literature and Composition exams in May. Students should check with various colleges to see what credits they offer for each or both tests.

Prerequisite: Eleventh Grade English, AP Language and Composition or Teacher Recommendation

History

The Oakwood History Department offers courses to align with the mission of the school, believing that learning about the world is the best way to inspire both the idealism and the realism needed for a life of meaningful contribution. Our goal is to give the students an overall sense of where they fit, both in space and in time. We want them to discover who we are as Americans and how we relate to the rest of the world. In our courses, we ask how history is made and how it is written; history is what the historians say it is, but how do they know? Finally, we aim for the acquisition of certain skills, from taking notes from a text, to analyzing a primary source, to evaluating an interpretation.

In developing the Upper School history curriculum, Oakwood has sought for a balance between the progressive and the traditional. While it is important to branch out and experiment with new methods and new ways of organizing the study of history, it is also important to meet the standards traditionally recognized by others.

In Eighth Grade, the students take a course in American History and Politics whose theme is the American character and how it has been shaped since the beginning of European exploration. In Ninth and Tenth Grades, the theme is Patterns, as students explore World History from the dawn of civilization through the 20th century. Eleventh and Twelfth Graders are required to take United States History, but they may choose between Honors and AP. Other course offerings include AP European History and Honors Problems in World History. Upper classmen are also allowed to develop their own independent study course in a period or aspect of history of their choice. With student interest, the History Department looks forward to expanding offerings for the older students.

In all Oakwood's Upper School history classes, the emphasis is on shared inquiry. Students engage in small-class discussions with open-ended questions. Could the South have won the Civil War? What should be the lessons learned from the Vietnam War? The students have frequent writing assignments, once again with open-ended questions, and these essays are carefully and fully evaluated. History classes also engage in simulations, projects, and group work – all designed to help students think for themselves, speak in front of others, and work together for a common goal.

Our location in Eastern North Carolina has allowed Oakwood to take students on history-related field trips in the area and beyond. Eighth Graders spend an afternoon picking cotton locally and spend a day visiting the slave plantation Somerset Place in Creswell. They also travel to Washington, DC for five days every year. Older students are offered a variety of week-long trips each year, which include historical sites as far as away as Puerto Rico and Mexico and as close as Virginia.

Honors American History and Politics

The course revolves around the concept of the American character and how it has been formed by the country's experiences. Students gain an overview of the nation's history in each period, from exploration and settlement up to the 20th century, and then investigate more deeply particular events and issues. In connection with the eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C., the course delves into modern politics – elections, parties, and governance. The American History units are open-ended, with an emphasis on research and writing, discussion, debate, and "projecting." Students also participate in simulations, at one point putting on a trial and at another becoming Supreme Court justices. The writing in the course is always for a purpose, using the material to explore larger questions, rather than simply memorizing facts to give back to the teacher. The students write short opinion papers, formal essays, creative pieces, and a formal research paper.

Prerequisite: Seventh Grade Social Studies

Honors Ancient and Medieval World History

The course begins with the early development of human cultures around the world and ends with the 15th century. In studying how various civilizations have met the needs of their citizens, from physical to spiritual, students explore common themes and historical patterns. In the earlier years, the focus is on distinct cultures such as those found in Mesopotamia, China, and Egypt. Later, the interactions among cultures are studied, as empires rise and fall in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. In addition to following the thread of events, the students look at ideas that helped shape the human experience during these years. The course uses Connections: A World History as its core text, and the units have a variety of culminating activities including presentations, debates, and a filmed documentary. Writing is emphasized, including short thesis-oriented essays as well as a formal research paper.

Prerequisite: Eighth Grade History

Honors Modern World History

The course focuses on global events from the end of the 15th century to the present day. Beginning with Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat, students discover how modern globalization can be traced back through five centuries and across six continents. They explore ideas from the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the world's great religions, and analyze the impacts of developing technology, nationalism, and imperialism. Connections: A World History is the core text, but students also read a variety of primary sources and conduct their own research. The course emphasizes discussion, debate, and writing, with students developing essays and creative pieces that explain, interpret, and evaluate a variety of issues. The students end the year writing a formal research paper on a topic from 1940 to the present time and then present their work to their peers. The students also connect with Oakwood's sister school in Chengdu, China, in a Global Classroom project.

Prerequisite: Ninth Grade History

Honors U.S. History

The course centers on the theme of conflict, with students looking at conflict between individuals and groups as well as between contrasting ideas and ideals, in an effort to discover why we Americans are the way we are and how we came to be this way. The students examine these ideas from exploration up through the 20th century. Instead of reading from a core text, the students complete a series of chronological units – each centered on a theme – that end with a variety of culminating activities. The readings for the course include books and book chapters, essays, and primary sources. The units are open-ended, with an emphasis on discussion and debate. Students consider such questions as, "Which man had the better ideas for guiding the country, Alexander Hamilton or Thomas Jefferson?" and they form "interest groups" during the Gilded Age to decide whether the changes in the period led to a brighter future or to disaster. In addition to regular writing assignments focusing on the development of a meaningful thesis, the students write a formal research paper on a topic of their own choosing.

Prerequisite: Tenth Grade History

Problems in World History

The course explores conflicts in world history, focusing on parts of the world largely unexplored or misunderstood by the western world: Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Students discover how these conflicts have come about and how they have left a profound impact on the world today. Using notable non-fiction narratives, memoirs and biographies, the students seek to understand the human experience of history. Books like A Long Way Gone, The Lemon Tree and The Kite Runner aid in the investigation of the use of child soldiers in Africa, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war-torn nation of Afghanistan. There are at least two sides to these conflicts, and the course strives to allow the students to empathize with both parties. Students write creative and analytical pieces that synthesize, evaluate, and discuss their understandings.

Prerequisite: Tenth Grade History

AP European History

The purpose of the AP European History course is two-fold. The most obvious aim is to prepare the students for the AP European History exam in May. To this end, the course leads students through a survey of European history from approximately 1450 to the present with frequent assessments to ensure that students understand and retain key concepts and events. Additionally, the course is geared toward the enhancement of skills needed for taking the test, including the writing of Free-Response Questions (FRQs) and Document-Based Questions (DBQs).

The second purpose of the course is to help students appreciate the complexity of European history and gain an interest in knowing more about this period. Through a variety of primary sources and historical essays, the course introduces students to different interpretations of cultural, economic, political, and social developments in Europe over the past 550 years, and through simulations, debates, and writing, the course encourages students to create interpretations of their own.

Throughout the year students revisit certain themes as they look for patterns that define Europe's experience while at the same time, students are introduced to extraordinary individuals and incidents that show them just how idiosyncratic the "course of human events" can be.

Prerequisite: Tenth Grade History

AP US History

*Taught on a rotating basis with AP European History; will be offered again 2012-2013.

The course follows the AP curriculum and methodology, with extensive reading in primary and secondary sources, tests to evaluate progress, and both in-class and homework essays, including those in response to Document Based Questions. Basically an in-depth survey, the class covers American history from European exploration to the 20th century. In addition to developing writing skills, students learn note-taking techniques and strategies for leading discussions.

Prerequisite: Tenth Grade History

Mathematics

The Oakwood School mathematics program teaches students to draw conclusions using both contemporary and traditional approaches. Learning to use technology appropriately is an integral part of all courses. The courses offered include Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra 1, Honors Algebra 2, Honors Precalculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, Advanced Functions and Modeling, and Honors Discrete Mathematics. Students are required to successfully complete four credits in mathematics in order to satisfy the school's graduation requirement. Standard classes are also available dependent on scheduling. For detailed information of the course curriculum, visit our Math curriculum page.

NC Early Math Placement Testing

Upper School students who are juniors and seniors also participate in the North Carolina Early Math Placement Testing (NC EMPT). The test provides an indication of readiness for college-level mathematics. This service is offered annually and is sponsored by the State of North Carolina.

Honors Algebra I

Students begin by learning the basic rules, methods, and concepts of algebra. They recognize, create, extend, and apply patterns, relations, and functions. They then explore linear equations, inequalities, polynomials, rational expressions, and quadratic equations. The development of both a symbolic and graphical understanding is emphasized. The integration of statistics and geometry into the course helps students develop a better understanding of how different concepts relate to one another. Students are regularly asked to apply their understanding to real-world situations. Learning to use technology appropriately is an integral part of the course.

Prerequisite: None

Honors Geometry

Students proceed through a Euclidean geometry course emphasizing deductive reasoning, sequential analysis, and proof. Logic plays a critical role in the development of properties for planar and spatial figures. Major topics include similarity, congruence, constructions, proof, and an introduction to trigonometry. Algebra is reinforced throughout the course, and students learn to apply geometry to real-world problems. In addition, this honors course allows students to explore Euclidean geometry with a greater emphasis on deductive reasoning and proof. Students are required to complete challenging problems on assignments.

Prerequisite: Algebra I

Honors Algebra II

Second year Algebra builds on the understanding and the skills developed in the first year course. Students develop proficiency with algebraic expressions including linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, radical, rational, and polynomial functions. These are used as tools for understanding real-world applications of mathematics. Additional topics may include linear programming, sequences and series, and an introduction to statistics. The course utilizes previous work in geometry with measurement formulas and transformations and includes an introduction to Trigonometry. Students are required to complete challenging problems on assignments.

Prerequisite: Geometry

Honors Precalculus

This honors course is designed to prepare students for Calculus and other collegiate level mathematics and science courses. As a result, the primary focus of Honors Precalculus is to bring together critical skills and concepts from Algebra and Geometry and to integrate the language and concepts of functions. Coursework includes further study of exponential, logarithmic, polynomial, and rational functions. In addition, the course offers a thorough investigation of conics and trigonometric functions. Students develop this understanding while investigating applications, which include vectors, polar coordinates, recursion, analytic geometry, limits, probability, and combinatorics. Each of these topics lays the foundation for further studies in mathematics. Algebra is integrated throughout the course with an emphasis on real-world modeling. Students are required to complete challenging problems on assignments.

Prerequisite: Algebra II

AP Calculus AB and BC

Calculus consists of a full academic year of work in Calculus comparable to courses in colleges and universities. There are two levels: Calculus AB and Calculus BC. Both levels address the developments of a student's understanding of the concepts of calculus and provide experience with methods and applications. Calculus AB and Calculus BC are specifically targeted to the AP courses described by the College Board. Calculus BC is an extension of Calculus AB rather than an enhancement; thus, common topics are addressed with similar depth.

Skills

Use the limit process to both predict and explain observed local and global behavior of a function.
Evaluate derivatives of basic functions both explicitly and implicitly; and apply the derivative to problems involving graphical analysis, projectile motion, related rates, and optimization.
Evaluate the integral of basic functions and apply to problems of area, volume, average value, projectile motion and differential equations.
(BC only) Analyze power series and use to approximate functions.
(BC only) Analyze parametric, vector valued, and polar functions and use to solve problems.

Prerequisite: Precalculus

Advanced Functions and Modeling

Advanced Functions and Modeling is a course for students seeking math credit beyond the Algebra 2 level. The course contains many topics of traditional Precalculus courses and provides students an in-depth study of modeling and applying functions. Home, work, recreation, consumer issues, public policy, and scientific investigations are just a few of the areas from which applications originate. The content integrates functions, probability/statistics, and trigonometry and applies the algebra and geometry students have studied in previous courses. Students represent mathematical concepts with graphs, tables, and charts. Logarithms, sequences, and counting problems are also a part of the content.

Prerequisite: Algebra II

Honors Discrete Mathematics

Discrete Mathematics introduces students to the mathematics of networks, social choice, and decision-making. The course extends students' application of matrix arithmetic and probability. Applications and modeling are central to this course of study. Students use matrices and graphs to model relationships, analyze data and apply probability concepts, and describe and use recursively-defined relationships to solve problems. Voting patterns, economics, traffic patterns, wildlife management, and population growth are studied. Appropriate use of technology will be emphasized.

Prerequisite: Advanced Functions and Modeling or Precalculus

Science

The Oakwood School science program uses a combination of lecture, discussion, and hands-on laboratory activities to guarantee student success. Several courses are offered in the areas of life, environmental, and the physical sciences. Each student is required to successfully complete three laboratory-based sciences for graduation.

Honors Physical Science

Honors Physical Science is an introductory laboratory science course involving the study of basic physics and chemistry principles. Students study the various forms of energy and their relationship to one another as well as the various forms of matter and how they interact with each other. Topics include the following: motion, forces, energy, work and machines, electricity, magnetism, waves, sound, light, mirrors and lenses, matter (solids, liquids, gases), atoms and the periodic table, chemical bonds, chemical reactions, solutions, acids, bases, salts, and organic compounds.

Prerequisite: Seventh Grade Science

Honors Biology

Honors Biology is an introductory laboratory science course studying living organisms, their interactions with one another, and their interactions with the environment. Students complete an in-depth study of the following larger themes: ecology, cells, genetics, evolution, bacteria, viruses, protists, fungi, plants, invertebrates, vertebrates, and basic human anatomy and physiology.

Prerequisite: Physical Science or Teacher Recommendation

Honors Chemistry

Honors Chemistry is an introductory laboratory science course covering the world of matter and energy. Students investigate the following topics: measurement, atomic structure, the periodic table, compounds, chemical equations and reactions, bonds, states of matter, solutions, equilibrium, kinetics, gases, thermodynamics, oxidation-reduction reactions, acids and bases, and basic organic chemistry.

Prerequisite: Biology

AP Environmental Science

AP Environmental Science is structured to be the equivalent of an introductory college course and prepares students for the AP exam given in May. It is a laboratory science course introducing students to ecological concepts and the environmental problems facing the world today. The following areas are covered: economics, politics and policy affecting the environment, populations and communities, ecosystems, wild species and biodiversity, human population and development, energy (fossil fuels, nuclear, renewable sources), pollution, water, soil, production and distribution of food, pests and their control, municipal solid waste, hazardous chemicals, and sustainable communities and lifestyles.

Prerequisite: Biology

AP Psychology

*Taught alternating years with AP Environmental Science

Students will learn about the field of psychology through in-depth study of written materials (textbook and supplemental readings), hands-on activities (dissection, self-testing, etc.), and classroom discussion and debate. Students will be expected to take the Advanced Placement Test at the end of the term.

Prerequisite: Biology or Teacher Recommendation

Honors Forensics

Honors Forensics is an advanced laboratory science course that teaches students to apply the scientific principles of biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology to the identification and prosecution of criminals. The following areas of study are covered: forensic pathology, investigating traumatic deaths, forensic toxicology, forensic odontology, forensic anthropology, forensic taphonomy, forensic entomology, crime scene investigation, bloodstain patterns, biological fluids, DNA, trace evidence, fingerprints, footwear evidence, tire impressions, firearms, questioned documents, controlled substance, structural failures, fire and explosions, vehicular accident reconstruction, computers and crime, forensic psychology, forensic psychiatry, criminal profiling, and serial offenders.

Prerequisites: Biology, Chemistry, and/or Teacher Recommendation

Honors Anatomy and Physiology

*Taught alternating years with Forensics

Students in Anatomy and Physiology will learn about the structures and functions of the human body. This course includes the study of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. A hands-on lab approach will allow students to pursue the study of the human body and the mechanisms for maintaining homeostatsis within it.

Prerequisite: Biology or Teacher Recommendation

Honors Physics

Honors Physics is a laboratory science course offering students the opportunity to study the physical universe by investigating the interaction between energy and matter. Students achieve this goal through advanced study in the following areas: motion, forces, gravitation, rotational motion, momentum, conservation of momentum, energy, work, simple machines, energy conservation, states of matter, vibrations and waves, sound, light, reflection and mirrors, refraction and lens, interference and diffraction, electricity (static and current), electric fields, series and parallel circuits, magnetism, electromagnetism, quantum theory, the atom, electronics, and nuclear physics.

Prerequisites: Chemistry and Algebra II

Foreign Language

Honors level courses are offered in Latin I-III and Spanish I-V through AP Spanish. Graduation requirements include two years of the same language.

Listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills are strengthened at each level. Culture is also presented, and students compare their way of life to others. A communicative teaching method is implemented in which material is presented with practical activities. Students practice the language in a variety of situations that prepare them for "real-life" communication. The courses are designed to develop maximum proficiency in the target language through varied and interest-provoking activities.

Our online textbooks give students the opportunity to watch videos in the target language, to listen to their vocabulary words, to participate in listening activities, and to record their own voices. The online text also provides activities to prepare students for written diagnostics.

A main goal for Foreign Language education at Oakwood is to help students develop the ability to communicate with speakers of another language and to develop insights into other cultures so that they will have the necessary skills to be citizens of a global society. Each year students are given the opportunity to travel to a foreign country during our Off-Campus Education Week.

Honors Spanish I

Level I of a second language focuses on the following skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students learn correct pronunciation by listening to the teacher and recorded material. Students speak the language by imitating the teacher and recorded materials. Students read the language with a limited but practical vocabulary and write what they learn to speak. By the end of the first quarter of language study, students are expected to understand, speak, read, and write in the target language and to use words and phrases related to their immediate needs. Students are also introduced to the cultures and civilizations of Spanish-speaking countries.

Prerequisite: None

Honors Spanish II

Students continue to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. They continue to learn correct pronunciation by listening to the teacher and recorded material. They learn regular and irregular present and past verb tenses, grammatical structures, and vocabulary. Culture studies continue to be integrated into the curriculum.

Prerequisite: Spanish I or Teacher Recommendation

Honors Spanish III

Spanish III focuses on practice in speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. A more advanced and sophisticated use of the language is expected in this class so that, by the end of the year, students understand and speak the language well enough to carry on face-to-face conversations, comprehend printed material for informative or social purposes, and write short paragraphs on familiar topics. An in-depth study of Spanish-speaking cultures and civilizations is given.

Prerequisite: Spanish II or Teacher Recommendation

Honors Spanish IV

Spanish IV continues to focus on practice in speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Ever more advanced and sophisticated use of the language is introduced so that, by the end of the year, students are expected to understand and speak the language well enough to carry on face-to-face meaningful conversations, comprehend printed material for informative or social purposes, and write short paragraphs on conceptual topics. An in-depth study of Spanish-speaking cultures and civilizations is given.

Prerequisite: Spanish III or Teacher Recommendation

AP Spanish Language

AP Spanish Language covers the equivalent of a third-year college course in advanced Spanish writing and conversation. It encompasses aural/oral skills, reading comprehension, grammar, and composition. Course content reflects intellectual interests shared by the students and teacher and may include the arts, history, current events, literature, culture, sports, etc. Materials used in the course may include recordings, films, newspapers, and magazines. The course seeks to develop language skills that are useful in themselves and that can be applied to various activities and disciplines rather than to the mastery of any specific subject matter. Extensive training in the organization and writing of compositions is an integral part of AP Spanish. Students are expected to take the AP Spanish Language exam in May.

Introduction to Latin (eighth grade):

Students are introduced to Latin language and culture. The course has two main objectives: to develop student understandings of the Latin language through class lessons and readings and to develop the student's understandings of the social and political history of the Roman world, especially during the 1st century A.D. The curriculum and objectives of this course are devised by Cambridge University and are specifically tailored to middle school-aged students. Students participate in various creative activities to enhance and reinforce material learned. Students who take this introductory course are well prepared for entry into Honors Latin I.

Prerequisite: None

Honors Latin I:

Honors Latin I is an introductory course to Latin grammar, morphology and vocabulary. Topics covered include all conjugations of verbs and the corresponding active paradigms, noun and adjective declensions 1-3 and the corresponding paradigms, case uses, pronouns, and numbers. Students learn to read beginning level Latin texts. Students also learn about various historical and cultural aspects of the Roman World.

Prerequisite: None

Honors Latin II:

Honors Latin II is a continuation of Honors Latin I. Students continue their study of Latin grammar, morphology and vocabulary. Students are introduced to beginning/intermediate level texts and more emphasis is placed upon translation. Various historical and cultural aspects of the Roman World are discussed as it relates to these texts. Topics covered include passive constructions of verbs, participles in Latin, uses of Latin infinitives, formation and application of adverbs, adverbial and adjectival constructions and a brief introduction to the subjunctive mood.

Prerequisite: Honors Latin I

Honors Latin III:

Honors Latin III is a continuation of Honors Latin II. Students continue their study of Latin grammar, morphology and vocabulary with a primary focus on text translation. Topics covered include deponent verbs, conditional statements, the subjunctive mood, relative clauses and gerunds/gerundives. Students are exposed to intermediate level Latin texts and are asked to analyze poetry for meter (scansion) and to analyze poetry and prose for meaning. Various historical and cultural aspects of the Roman world are discussed as it relates to material covered.

Prerequisite: Honors Latin II

Fine Arts

The Fine Arts Department of The Oakwood School believes that the arts are as much a part of an individual's development and success as they are a part of a meaningful and enlightened society. Artistic expression opens young minds to the realms of "what if " and "why not," stretching the imagination in ways that influence every aspect of learning. Participation in the arts at The Oakwood School encourages students to develop life skills such as self-discipline, creativity, intrinsic motivation and teamwork. Our wide range of courses promotes a hands-on, experiential approach that introduces students to a variety of materials and methods and is central to the philosophy of The Oakwood School fine arts faculty and our course designs. Our department faculty is active in the arts community of eastern North Carolina, a distinction that brings freshness to the teaching within each discipline.

Visual art classes include Studio Arts I and II, Ceramics I and II, Media Graphics and Digital Photography. Independent studies in disciplines such as filmmaking and portfolio development are also offered. Students enrolled in visual art courses are encouraged to develop an aesthetic sense toward all art forms. We encourage and honor individual student interest and passion. Students' artwork is showcased throughout the school as well as in the community. Exhibit opportunities include The Greenville Museum of Art, and Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge.

Music offerings include String Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Upper School Chorus and Advanced Vocal Ensemble. These courses provide the opportunity for students to develop their aesthetic understanding of music and the arts. Participation encourages the care and cultivation of a beautiful tone within their chosen discipline. Students learn to read music, develop technical skills and responsible rehearsal habits while building team spirit. Students analyze music and use critical listening skills. Performance opportunities include school concerts, assemblies, community events, and various festivals/competitions. Students also enjoy participating in school events such as the talent show and the spring musical production.

The Fine Arts at Oakwood also can be expressed through Dance as Dance I introduces students to the genres of ballet, jazz, modern, and ethnic dance presented in cultural and historical context. Students learn vocabulary, principles and elements of each style. Class focus is on students' development of kinesiological body awareness, technical facility, spatial expressiveness, and personal creativity. Skills learned in middle school dance classes are refined and reinforced in high school dance classes.

Upper School Chorus Ensemble

This course provides opportunities for students to develop their musical potential and aesthetic understandings through singing in a choral ensemble. This course study includes development of a(n) beautiful tone, aesthetic awareness, ability to read music, technical skills, team spirit, and responsible rehearsal habits. Students also strengthen their listening skills, their abilities to analyze and evaluate music, and their performance skills. Attention is given to relating the students' musical experiences to their personal development. Performance opportunities include the Winter and Spring Concerts, All-State and Honors Chorus auditions, choral festivals, annual graduation ceremony, and other school and community events.

Upper School String Ensemble

Students build on the skills that they learn in the Middle School string ensemble. Students begin to sight-read regularly and play more complex rhythms and harmonies. They learn major/minor/diminished/augmented chord identification along with interval recognition. Various genres of music are introduced, and students develop the knowledge to speak confidently about different composers who lived throughout the course of classical music history. Individual practice expectations increase, and more community and school performances are available. Students are encouraged to participate in Senior Regional All State Orchestra auditions and clinic in the spring.

Upper School Jazz Ensemble

The Jazz Ensemble provides band students with several avenues for exploring the jazz world. The ensemble focuses on learning to play jazz standards, which expands students' knowledge of the repertoire, while gaining ability in classical technique and jazz idioms. Each semester students create "Jazz Great" PowerPoint presentations, and these are presented to the class so that all benefit by learning about and hearing performances by the greats in the field. The ensemble typically takes a field trip to East Carolina University to sit in on a Jazz Band "A" rehearsal, which is a highly unique and valuable experience. The Jazz Ensemble is the most advanced non-string instrumental ensemble at The Oakwood School. In most cases, rudimentary skill on an instrument is necessary in order to play at the level of the group's repertoire (Band Grade 2 and greater). Students enrolled in this class typically have at least two years of traditional band experience. The Jazz Ensemble performs at the Upper School concerts.

Upper School Band

The Upper School Band is the most advanced of The Oakwood School concert band ensembles. Enrollment in the Upper School band is open to students in grades eight through twelve with previous band experience. The study of standard band literature is combined with method book instruction in order to promote the acquisition of comprehensive technical ability. The Upper School Band performs at the Upper School concerts.

Eighth Grade Art

This is a hands-on introductory art course based on the Elements of Art (line, shape, form, color, texture, pattern, space). Students develop skills in understanding and appreciating art history, aesthetics, art criticism and studio art techniques. Students explore different art media such as drawing, painting, working with clay, sculpture techniques, collage, printmaking and mixed media. Each project focuses on one or more of the elements of arts. Potential projects include an inside-out silhouette, a recycled project, collagraph monoprinting, and various drawing and painting exercises. Students participating in this class are expected to display their work in exhibits both at school and in the Greenville community. Students are graded on their planning process, sketchbook/journal, class critiques, exploration and mastery of the techniques, presentations, and completion of projects in a timely manner.

Ceramics I

Students are introduced to different clay bodies and glazes and learn some of the properties associated with these. Students learn various techniques in handbuilding such as pinch pots, coil-building, soft and hard slab methods, and how to extrude clay. Students also learn different decorating techniques such as carving, relief, scraffito and use of underglazes to create different effects. They combine the above processes to create their own inspired artwork.

Ceramics II

Students continue to acquire skills in clay bodies and glazes. They learn how to mix glazes and how to load the kiln with bisque and glazed items. Students enhance their techniques in hand building using the following techniques: pinch pots, coilbuilding, soft and hard slab methods, and extruder built pieces. Students also learn different decorating techniques such as carving, relief, scraffito and using underglazes to create different effects. Tiles are created using relief, and students combine the above processes to create their own artwork.

Media Graphics Raster Imaging and E

This course is an introductory exploration of computer graphics as a technology and a creative medium. Through the use of the industry-standard software, Adobe Photoshop, students learn the fundamentals of working with raster editing software. Students design their own images and learn the tools and techniques necessary for compositing, digital painting, technical airbrushing, restoration, and color correction. Students are challenged to appreciate, analyze and create works through the moving image, stop-motion animation, sound, photography, digital arts and interactive media. Possible projects include logo design, brochure and pamphlet layouts, digital illustration, photo collage, and designing for the web. Students are expected to display their work in exhibits both at school and in the Greenville community. Students are graded on their planning process, class critiques, explorations, and mastery of the programs, presentations and completion of projects in a timely manner.

Media Graphics II and Media Graphics III

This course focuses on the continuation of computer-based graphic design and the development of a personal portfolio of digital work.

Studio Art

The goal of the course is to accumulate a portfolio of artwork in various media while exploring the Elements of Art (line, shape/form, color, texture/pattern, space) and principles of Design (balance, rhythm, unity, contrast, emphasis) and how they relate to each other in a composition. This course includes studies of art appreciation and art history while creating various projects. Students explore different art media such as drawing, painting, sculpture techniques, collage, printmaking, and mixed-media. Students participating in this class are expected to display their work in exhibits both at school and in the Greenville community. Students are graded on their planning process, sketchbook/journal, class critiques, exploration, and mastery of the techniques, presentations and completion of projects in a timely manner.

Studio Art II and Studio Art III

This course focuses on the continuation of two-dimensional graphic design and the development of a personal portfolio of work.

Digital Photography

This course is a beginning study in Digital Photography. The class is structured around projects emphasizing photographic elements and introduces students to the principles of contemporary media as a verbal and visual means of communication in today's society. It is designed to familiarize students with the processes and tools associated with digital photography and the ethics and practices of photojournalism. Special emphasis is placed on learning proficiency within computer media applications. Students participating in this class are expected to display their work in exhibits both at school and in the Greenville community. Students are graded on their photo collecting process, journal, class critiques, exploration and mastery of the techniques, presentations and completion of projects in a timely manner.

Portfolio Development

This course is an independent study that encourages students to develop a personal style while accumulating a body of work in various media.

Dance I

Dance I introduces students to the genres of ballet, jazz, modern, and ethnic dance presented in cultural and historical context. Students learn vocabulary, principles and elements of each style. The focus of the class is on students' development of kinesiological body awareness, technical facility, spatial expressiveness, and personal creativity. Skills learned in Middle School dance classes are refined and reinforced in high school dance classes.

During this class, fundamental dance skills and techniques as demonstrated by the teacher are practiced by students. Students compare and contrast their movements with those of their instructor. Warm-up (injury prevention) is emphasized. Barre and floor exercises are taught. Students memorize and perform short movement sequences to demonstrate technique and create phrases (patterns of dance sequences) in beginning improvisation and choreography. Exercises have live and/or recorded accompaniment. The concepts of personal space and shared performance space are explored with three exercises: individual demonstrations that utilize the studio along horizontal and diagonal lines, partner activities, and activities in which dancers cross paths. Exercises for building awareness of shared space combine students' comprehension of personal space with an ability to anticipate and gauge the movements of others. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in the use of basic musical skills with a variety of accompaniment, tempo, and movement sequences at the conclusion of the year. Students are given the opportunity to perform in an informal and/or formal concert for peers, parents and community.

Examination of the origins and development of each Dance I genre accompanies students' technical and creative work. Students review the research of dance historians and study trends, milestones, and figures in dance history. Regular attendance at dance performances is encouraged to enable students to more fully comprehend contemporary dance in an historical context and to draw connections between their own study of dance and dance history. The historical component of Dance I includes examination of the broader cultural and historical contexts in which each genre exists. A body of dance history resources aids students in their research. Evaluation of student progress is continual and is integrated into the daily learning process in the following ways: teacher critique, student self-assessment, and peer response.

Students evaluate themselves through the use of various elements. The teacher helps the class members learn evaluation techniques by analyzing their own movements aloud while teaching. Rules of etiquette are established and maintained to ensure that all students have equal opportunity to learn. Students are encouraged to keep a daily journal (both written and video) and are asked to describe a particular dance genre or explain the process of how to execute a particular step. Teacher evaluation of journals assists in understanding the individual student's strengths and weaknesses in understanding subject matter.

PE/Health

Students will gain an understanding of our health as it pertains to our mental and physical well being, be introduced to the basics of human development, and learn skills that are applicable to every day life and the maintenance of our health.