Category: Advanced Placement

AP® Language & Composition A & B

Written by Jodie Hirsch on January 25, 2021. Posted in Advanced Placement, Course Catalog, English, OC.

Course Length:

Two one-semester courses (students must independently register for each semester)

Course Description:

This course is a demanding, college-level class that prepares students for the AP* English Language and Composition exam in May. Students focus on becoming skilled readers of prose written from different time periods and rhetorical contexts, as well as becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Emphasis is on expository, analytical and argumentative writing that forms the basis of academic and professional communications, as well as the personal and reflective writing that fosters the ability to write in any context. Students should check with their intended college to see which AP* English exams may exempt them from freshmen English composition requirements. For a more extensive course description visit: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_englang.html?englang

AP courses have challenging time demands. Students taking AP courses should be able to dedicate significant time to reading and studying each week. It is not recommended that students take this course as a supplement to a regular core course but in replacement of it.

Prerequisites:

Advanced Placement courses are open to all students, but students should be prepared for college-level work and have strong writing and analytical skills. Generally speaking, students below Junior or Senior level do not have the writing background to be successful in this course.

Comprehensive Course Guide:

http://mtda.link/aplangandcomp

Required Materials:

- The AP Language & Composition website
- The AP Language & Composition Course Description
- Access to a computer with word processing and presentation software
- It is recommended that students purchase a test preparation book to work on independently. Speak to your instructor about which test prep book might be most appropriate.
- Students will need to obtain the following texts, either from a library or a bookseller:
  - Segment One (Fall)
    - Civil War Edition: Choose one of the following:
      - Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury
      - On Writing Well by William Zinsser
  - Segment Two (Spring)
    - Contemporary Edition: See the lesson entitled The Memoir for an overview of text choices and choose one of the following:
      - **Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
      - *A Work in Progress: A Memoir by Connor Franta
      - The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida
      - *The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
      - *The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls
      - *I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafza
      - *I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
      - Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston
      - ***Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
      - **The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
    - Student Edition: See the Checklist lesson for an overview of text choices and choose one of the following:
      - Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
      - *Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
      - Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder
      - *The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson
      - **Up from Slavery: An Autobiography by Booker T. Washington
      - Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
      - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
      - Warmth of Other Suns by Isabell Wilkerson
      - Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
      - The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

* All works have rhetorical merit for the AP English student; texts marked with asterisks deal with mature subject matter or contain adult language or situations. If this is a concern for you or your family, please choose a different text from the list.

** This text can be read online.

Specific Technical/Software Requirements in Addition to General Requirements:

Please review the general original credit software requirements at http://mtda.link/techreq

Course Availability (subject to resource and teacher availability):

Fall: A semester available
Spring: B semester available
Course is not available to join at semester without permission from MTDA Curriculum Director and Instructor.
Summer: Not available

Lead Teacher:

Jenna Clark, Helena High School, jenna.clark@montanadigitalacademy.org

PLEASE SEE YOUR LOCAL COUNSELOR TO REGISTER FOR MTDA COURSES

AP® Literature and Composition

Written by Jodie Hirsch on January 25, 2021. Posted in Advanced Placement, Course Catalog, English, OC.

Course Length:

Two one-semester courses (students must independently register for each semester)

Course Description:

This course is a demanding, college-level class that prepares students for the AP* English Language and Composition exam in May. While enrolled in the MTDA AP Literature and Composition course students will engage in close reading (active and thoughtful) of literary works in a rigorous, college-level curriculum. Through the deep study of works of literary merit, students will sharpen their awareness of language and how writers use language to create meaning. In addition, students will develop an independent appreciation of literary works while becoming sensitive to literature as shared experience. Students will discuss and write about the individual work (novels, plays, poems, essays) as well multiple sources. This course’s literary study will look at style and structure, diction, figurative language, imagery, selection of detail, language, tone and syntax. Writing well about literature is a key component of the course. In addition to essay writing, students will be expected to write clear, supported posts and responses in threaded discussion. For a more extensive course description visit: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_englit.html?englit

AP courses have challenging time demands. Students taking AP courses should be able to dedicate significant time for reading and study each week. It is not recommended that students take this course a supplement to a regular core course, but in replacement of it.

Prerequisites:

Successful completion of English I, II, & III. Student will be exposed to college-level composition and literature.

Comprehensive Syllabus:

http://mtda.link/aplitandcomp

Required Materials:

You will also need to supply the following materials. You can borrow from your public library or rent from your local video store.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Hollow Men” by T. S. Eliot
A novel from the list provided in Module 2
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Hamlet video (Versions available: Mel Gibson, Kenneth Branagh, Laurence Olivier) **
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The Importance of Being Earnest video **
Barron’s How to Prepare for the AP Advanced Placement Exam English Literature and Composition
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

You will also need to provide one of the following books for the module 9 Pot Luck Dinner Party assignments:

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
A House Made of Dawn by Scott Momaday
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Othello

**Optional

Student Selected Novel List

Students will need to select one of the following novels to read for Module 2. The novels can be purchased or obtained from your local school library:

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Color Purple By Alice Walker
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The Stranger by Albert Camus
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Beloved by Toni Morrison

Specific Technical/Software Requirements in Addition to General Requirements:

Please review the general original credit software requirements at http://mtda.link/techreq

Course Availability (subject to resource and teacher availability):

Fall: A semester available
Spring: B semester available
Course is not available to join at semester without permission from MTDA Curriculum Director and Instructor.
Summer: Not available

Lead Teacher:

Willow Moran, Columbia Falls Public Schools, willow.moran@montanadigitalacademy.org

PLEASE SEE YOUR LOCAL COUNSELOR TO REGISTER FOR MTDA COURSES

AP® Biology A & B

Written by Jodie Hirsch on January 25, 2021. Posted in Advanced Placement, Course Catalog, OC, Science.

Course Length:

Two one-semester courses (students must independently register for each semester)

Course Description:

AP Biology is a course designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester college introductory biology course usually taken by biology majors during their first year. This course follows the AP curriculum and prepares students for the AP Biology exam in May. It is designed to help students develop a conceptual framework for modern biology and an appreciation of science as a process. Essential to this conceptual understanding are a grasp of science as a process, personal experience in inquiry, application of major topics, critical thinking, and environmental and social concerns through research.

Prerequisites:

Students should have successfully completed high school courses in biology and chemistry.
Advanced Placement courses are open to all high school students, but students should be prepared for college-level work and have strong reading, writing, and analytical skills.
Access the site link below to view the PDF of the course description from the College Board: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-biology?course=ap-biology

Comprehensive Syllabus:

http://mtda.link/apbiology

Required Materials:

TEXTBOOK REQUIREMENTS:

All students will have access to the content from the course textbook: OpenStax – AP Biology. The book is integrated into the course on OpenLMS.

LABORATORY REQUIREMENTS:

All students are required to have and use a laboratory notebook (quad-ruled) as evidence of completed work. This may be needed upon applying for college credit.
Several take-home labs will require students to use common household items, with some additional grocery-store-type items being required as well.

Specific Technical/Software Requirements in Addition to General Requirements:

Please review the general original credit software requirements at http://mtda.link/techreq

Course Availability (subject to resource and teacher availability):

Fall: A semester available
Spring: B semester available
Summer: Not available
Course is not available to join at semester without permission from MTDA Curriculum Director and Instructor.

Lead Teacher:

Jessica Henze, Deer Lodge Schools, jessica.henze@montanadigitalacademy.org

PLEASE SEE YOUR LOCAL COUNSELOR TO REGISTER FOR MTDA COURSES

AP® Calculus AB A & B

Written by Jodie Hirsch on January 25, 2021. Posted in Advanced Placement, Course Catalog, Mathematics, OC.

Course Length:

Two one-semester courses (students must independently register for each semester)

Course Description:

AP Calculus AB is a college-level course that prepares students for the AP Calculus AB exam. Before studying calculus, all students should complete four years of secondary mathematics designed for college-bound students. Students will demonstrate learning using multiple methods; analytic, algebraic, numerical, graphical, and verbal. Students must be familiar with the properties of functions, the algebra of functions and the graphs of functions. Students must also understand the language of functions and know the values of the trigonometric functions of the numbers 0, pi/6, pi/4, pi/3, pi/2, and their multiples. Explorations are used to actively involve students in the understanding of calculus and solve problems by developing math models, solve, confirm, and interpret the solution then communicating their understanding by verbalizing and in written sentences. Multiple methods are used to represent problems often times emphasizing the connection among these representations.

Prerequisites:

Pre-Calculus Recommended

Comprehensive Syllabus:

AP Calculus AB Public Syllabus

Required Materials:

Graphing calculator

Specific Technical/Software Requirements in Addition to General Requirements:

Please review the general original credit software requirements at http://mtda.link/techreq

Course Availability (subject to resource and teacher availability):

Fall: A semester available
Spring: B semester available
Summer: Not available
Course is not available to join at semester without permission from MTDA Curriculum Director and Instructor.

Lead Teacher:

Anthony Lapke, Glacier High School, anthony.lapke@montanadigitalacademy.org

PLEASE SEE YOUR LOCAL COUNSELOR TO REGISTER FOR MTDA COURSES

AP® Statistics A & B

Written by Jodie Hirsch on January 25, 2021. Posted in Advanced Placement, Course Catalog, Mathematics, OC.

Course Length:

Two one-semester courses (students must independently register for each semester)

Course Description:

This course is designed to provide college-level instruction on the concepts and tools for working with data. Students collect and analyze data and draw conclusions based on real-world information. The course challenges students to explore patterns, think critically, use a variety of tools and methods, and report their findings and conclusions.

Access the site link below to view the PDF of the course description from the College Board:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap-statistics-course-description.pdf

Prerequisites:

Algebra II

Comprehensive Syllabus:

http://mtda.link/apstatistics

Required Materials:

graphing calculator
USB cord
Microsoft Excel

Specific Technical/Software Requirements in Addition to General Requirements:

Please review the general original credit software requirements at http://mtda.link/techreq

Course Availability (subject to resource and teacher availability):

Fall: A semester available
Spring: B semester available
Summer: Not available
Course is not available to join at semester without permission from MTDA Curriculum Director and Instructor.

Lead Teacher:

April Senger, Paris Gibson Education Center, april.senger@montanadigitalacademy.org

PLEASE SEE YOUR LOCAL COUNSELOR TO REGISTER FOR MTDA COURSES

AP® Psychology A & B

Written by Jodie Hirsch on January 21, 2021. Posted in Advanced Placement, Course Catalog, OC, Social Studies.

Course Length:

Two one-semester courses (students must independently register for each semester)

Course Description:

The AP Psychology course introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. While considering the psychologists and studies that have shaped the field, students explore and apply psychological theories, key concepts, and phenomena associated with such topics as the biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning and cognition, motivation, developmental psychology, testing and individual differences, treatment of abnormal behavior, and social psychology. Throughout the course, students employ psychological research methods, including ethical considerations, as they use the scientific method, analyze bias, evaluate claims and evidence, and effectively communicate ideas.

The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings.

Students learn about some of the explorations and discoveries made by psychologists over the past century.
Students assess some of the differing approaches adopted by psychologists, including the biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and sociocultural perspectives.
Most important, students come to an appreciation of how psychologists think (or at least an appreciation of the kind of critical analysis that psychologists embrace and hope to model in their words and actions).

Access the site link below to view the PDF of the course description from the College Board:
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-psychology-course-description-2014-15.pdf

Prerequisites:

This class has adopted a higher-level textbook; students should be comfortable with a high school reading level at minimum.

Comprehensive Syllabus:

AP Psychology Public Syllabus link

Required Materials:

None

Specific Technical/Software Requirements in Addition to General Requirements:

Please review the general original credit software requirements at http://mtda.link/techreq

Course Availability (subject to resource and teacher availability):

Fall: A semester available
Spring: B semester available
Summer: Not available

Lead Teacher:

Brian Greenwell, C.M. Russel High School, brian.greenwell@montanadigitalacademy.org

PLEASE SEE YOUR LOCAL COUNSELOR TO REGISTER FOR MTDA COURSES

AP® Microeconomics

Written by Jodie Hirsch on January 21, 2021. Posted in Advanced Placement, Course Catalog, OC, Social Studies.

Course Length:

One semester

Course Description:

The AP Microeconomics course provides students with an understanding of the principles of economics as they apply to individual decision-making units, including individual households and firms. The course examines the theory of consumer behavior, the theory of the firm, and the behavior of profit-maximizing firms under various market structures. Students evaluate the efficiency of the outcomes with respect to price, output, consumer surplus, and producer surplus. They examine the behaviors of households and businesses in factor markets, and learn how the determination of factor prices, wages, interest, and rent influence the distribution of income in a market economy. There are ample opportunities to consider instances in which private markets may fail to allocate resources efficiently and examine various public policy alternatives aimed at improving the efficiency of private markets. By taking on the role of a leader at a fictitious company, you will learn fundamental economic concepts, including scarcity, opportunity costs and trade-offs, productivity, economic systems and institutions, exchange, money, and interdependence.

Access the site link below to view the PDF of the course description from the College Board:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap-economics-course-description.pdf

Prerequisites:

Solid math and writing skills, along with a willingness to devote considerable time to homework and study, are necessary to succeed. Emphasis is placed on critical and evaluative thinking skills.