PACELLI CATHOLIC SCHOOL NINTH – TWELFTH GRADE

Academics

Honor Roll is posted quarterly. Students achieving Honor Roll and High Honor Roll status are recognized at our All-School Honor Roll Brunch. This celebration is held after first, second, and third quarters of the school year. Students who have achieved an incomplete in a class by the end of the quarter or who are in violation of the cheating/plagiarism policy or any other student conduct policy are not eligible for the Honor Roll that quarter. The director of schools will have final say in these matters.

National Honor Society:

Pacelli Catholic is proud to be a member of the National Honor Society. Membership in the National Honor Society is based upon excellence in four particular areas:

Scholarship

Service

Leadership

Character Juniors and seniors are considered for this honor. They must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5. National Honor Society requires participation in the four areas listed above. Students apply for NHS Membership in their junior year. Applications are reviewed and approved by the faculty.

Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program (P.S.E.O.)

Graduation Requirements for Pacelli Catholic Senior High School:

Students must earn 24 credits for graduation. Although 24 credits in four years is the minimum requirement, most students will earn more. Credits must be earned in the following areas:

Language Arts 4 credits

Religion 4 credits

Social Science 4 credits

Physical Education 1 credit

Math 3 credits

Science 3 credits

Health .5 credit

Fine Arts 1 credit

Electives 3.5 credits

TOTAL 24 credits

College Requirements and Minnesota’s Graduation Requirements

MN Graduation Requirements

English/Language Arts

4 years

Mathematics

3 credits (encompassing at least algebra, geometry, and statistics and probability)

Science

3 credits (1 credit biology, 2 credits student’s choice)

Health

.5 credit

Social Studies

3.5 credits (encompassing U.S. history; geography; world history; government and citizenship; and economics OR 3 credits encompassing the first four above plus .5 credit of economics taught in social studies or business department)

Physical Education

1 credit

Electives

7 Credits 1 must be in the arts (Media Arts, music, theatre, dance or Visual Arts)

MN State Colleges Requirements English/Language Arts

4 credits

Mathematics

3 years (2 years of algebra, 1 year of geometry)

Science

3 years (min. 1 year each of a biological and physical science)

Social Studies

3 years (min 1 year each of U.S. History and geography; 1 credit of student’s choice)

Electives

2 years of a single language 1 year of world cultures or fine arts

Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Academic Standards

Regular Class Schedule

A standard day at the school consists of seven class

periods. Advisory ............ 7:55 - 8:05 1st hour ............ 8:05 - 8:54 2nd hour ......... 8:57 - 9:48 3rd hour .......... 9:51 -10:42 4th hour ........ 10:45 -11:36 Lunch ............. 11:36 -12:16 5th hour ........ 12:16 - 1:07 6th hour .......... 1:10 - 2:01

LANGUAGE ARTS

Freshman English – 1 credit This class touches on all of the areas that the student will eventually work with especially in future high school English classes. There are areas of reading, vocabulary, writing, literature and discussion that are included.

Communications - .5 credit This class is designed to give students a chance to learn to express themselves to an audience. There are different kinds of speeches as well as different kinds of assignments that help to inform the students through experiences in front of the class.

Creative Writing - .5 credit This course is offered as an opportunity for composition development to the student who is competent in writing and who has a talent for creative expression. The course is designed primarily to provide a writing laboratory in which the student can receive both guidance in his or her creative endeavor and constructive criticism from instructor and fellow students.

American Literature – 1 credit This class is taught using a historical approach going from 1620 to as close to the present as time will allow. Students will recognize and demonstrate knowledge of major American writers, genre and periods. Reading, comprehension of literature, and writing are the directives of the class.

British Literature - .5 credit This class allows students to explore, discuss and analyze British literature. Students will demonstrate knowledge of major British writers and periods using critical thinking skills. This class is a survey class which allows the teacher and students to be selective in the authors and pieces that are covered.

Humanities - .5 credit The class follows the development of man from early tribal life to the modern day. The class studies six art forms and seven major historical period of man and his development. There is a strong mix of history and the arts that help to make up the activities of the class.

Short Stories - .5 credit The class offers a random number of stories and authors that are designed to help the student understand the development of this form of literature since about the mid-1800’s.

Business English - .5 credit This class emphasizes a review in grammar and usage. There is time spent with sentence and paragraph structure. Students work with proofreading and editing as well as word processing. Writing for the workplace, filling out application forms and resumes are also part of the curriculum.

Research Writing - .5 credit This class is designed to educate students on the proper way to create and present materials that have been researched. Each student chooses an interest area(s) at the beginning of the semester. There will be multiple assignments that incorporate different requirements enabling the students to have many experiences in research.

Shakespeare - .5 credit Students will learn about the plays and poetry of Shakespeare’s genius. Reading, discussion, videos and live productions are all ways the student experience the works of this master.

Novels - .5 credit The novel is the most popular art form there is. Students will read and discuss a new novel every two weeks. Students will actively comment on a book in a group setting or write a review on the novels read.

Beginning Writing .5 credit The design of the class is to work on basic writing assignments. This includes everything from the simple sentence to a multi-paragraphed essay.

Journalism – 1 credit This writing class is designed to teach the student to write for a variety of multi-media publications. Examples of writing efforts are a monthly school newspaper, yearbook, web pages, radio broadcasts, TV broadcasts and brochures.

Science Fiction - .5 credit This class will read 3-4 short stories in the field of science fiction. The students will also read a science fiction novel, report on it and put together a project regarding the novel read.

Poetry - .5 credit During the length of the class, the student will be covering many different kinds of poetry as well as poets from around the world. Students will also have the opportunity to create original poetry in an attempt to emulate some of the masters.

HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Health - .5 credit Students will:

• Engage in many “hands on & minds on” experiences regarding the various aspects of health education both in and out of the classroom

• Take part in a comprehensive health study and choose one topic for extensive research.

• Recognize and distinguish between facts and inferences regarding special social problems such as drugs and alcohol abuse, violence, teen pregnancy, and eating disorders

• Apply the components of fitness, proper diet, and exercise toward an individualized program that bests suits you

• Understand and apply information that assists in decision making in respect to overall well- being of mind, body, and relationships with others.

Physical Education - 1 credit Students will:

• Learn and practice the skills involved in a variety of sports.

• Become acquainted with the rules and scoring for various sports

• Learn the importance of lifetime fitness and physical activity

• Participate actively

MATHEMATICS

Pre-Algebra - 1 credit Students in this class utilize the Saxon Mathematics course. It is a transitional course designed to help students move from the concrete concepts of arithmetic to the abstract concepts of algebra. The philosophy is that students learn best through incremental development e.g. by doing the problems repeatedly, building on one concept at a time, and then taking it to a higher level in another lesson.

Algebra 1 – 1 credit Students will:

• Work with integers and rational numbers.

• Graph linear equations

• Solve systems of equations

• Add, subtract, multiply and divide polynomial

• Use algebra to solve real-life problems

• Algebra 2 – 1 credit Students will:
• Study functional relationships and notation

• Study polynomial equations

• Solve quadratic functions

• Study complex numbers

• Use Algebra to solve real-life problems

Consumer Math – 1 credit Students will explore topics that they will face as a consumer in the real world:

• Bank accounts, statements, investing money, checking accounts

• Credit accounts, borrowing, interest

• Budgeting

• Home care (wallpapering, painting, carpentry, etc)

• Income tax preparation Geometry – 1 credit Students explore geometric relationships with a wide variety of tools. Instead of just memorizing rules and definitions, students perform constructions, measure figures, observe patterns, discuss findings, write their definitions, and formulate their own geometric conjectures.

• Pre-Calculus – 1 credit Students will:
• Explore various functions (polynomial, quadratic, linear, direct and inverse variation, power, exponential and logistic).

• Describe functions algebraically, numerically, graphically, and verbally.

• Use regression model for function.

• Explore probability and functions of a random variable.

• Statistics – 1 credit Students will:
• Become acquainted with the major concepts and tolls for collecting, analyzing and drawing conclusions from data.

• Study advanced probability

• Study linear regression and correlation

• Create confidence intervals

• Study hypothesis testing

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Spanish 1 – 1 credit Students will be learning many vocabulary words. We will focus on the present tense and begin the past tense of verbs. Students will learn how to form sentences correctly and begin reading in Spanish.

Spanish 2 – 1 credit Students will be reviewing the present and past verb tenses. They will learn several new verb tenses including the imperfect (past), future, conditional, command and subjunctive. They will increase their vocabulary and continue improving their reading and writing skills.

RELIGION

Scripture Studies – 1 credit This course will place the gospels and other New Testament writings within the social, political and cultural world of Jesus. The students’ practice of faith will be deepened by exploring defining moments in the personal relationship with Christ, as revealed in Scripture and described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. With Christological eyes, the course then turns to the Old Testament to survey God’s unconditional love for his people despite human weakness, and to foster a love and respect for the Old Testament as a source of wisdom, hope and prayer.

Sacramental Life in Christ – 1 credit Through the study of Biblical texts and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, students will discover the sacramental wonder of their world and of themselves. They will recognize particular moments when grace reveals sacraments through the relationship with Christ, and how those sacraments are instituted through history. The course will survey in detail the history of the Church, with emphasis on holy men and women through the ages who shaped the Church we know today.

Conscience and Social Justice – 1 credit Students will be challenged to develop a conscience in harmony with the message of Jesus and the teachings of the Catholic Church, and encouraged to cultivate an attitude of reverence toward themselves, others, and the world in which we live. Specific topics will be considered through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching, such as racism, poverty, peace, and gender issues. Students will study official Church responses to these issues, and will examine practical ways that Christians can foster a more humane world order in the image of the Kingdom of God.

Christian Life in Relationship – 1 credit Students are given opportunities to integrate previous learning and apply it to the adult life they are beginning to define. Various types of relationships and lifestyles are explored, and ways to create and nurture genuine Christian relationships with others will be discussed. Students will be expected to articulate their faith in mature and responsible ways, and to demonstrate a concern of the Image of God that defines dignity for each person. The goal is to bring faith to life through service to others, recognized as the manifestation of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

FINE ARTS

Pacelli Concert Choir - .5 credit All students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate in this class. This is a non- auditioned choir. Students in this class should demonstrate a high level of interest, cooperation and reliability. Concert Choir performances are held at different times during the school year.

SCIENCE

Physical Science - 1 credit Students will:

• Learn to describe and state the steps of the scientific method.

• Develop an understanding of how the periodic table is organized.

• Explore through activities and experiments topics such as matter, motion, force, work, energy, and waves.

• Name and describe the six types of simple machines.

• Identify renewable and non renewable energy resources.

• Learn about chemical bonding and chemical reactions.

• Understand the properties of magnetism, electric

current, and a simple circuit.

• Apply science to their everyday lives.

• Biology I - 1 credit Students will:
• Learn to describe and state the steps of the scientific method,

• Identify and describe laboratory safety symbols and rules.

• Learn the characteristics of all living things.

• Learn the correct way to use a microscope.

• Learn the structure and functions of cells and the fundamentals of genetics.

• Biology II - 1 credit Students will:
• Explore selected clinical terminology.

• Develop ideas and conduct lab activities in the areas of anatomy and physiology.

• Study the biochemical basis of metabolism and the organization of cells and tissues.

• Study the following systems: integument, skeletal, muscle, nervous and sensory, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, and reproductive.

• Chemistry - 1 credit Students will:
• Learn to use the scientific method to design.

• Carry-out and analyze various experiments.

• Write lab reports for every laboratory exercise.

• Learn to define matter according to physical and chemical properties.

• Describe chemical reactions by using balanced equations and understand mathematical relationships using the mole.

• Identify atomic structure and predict bonding using the periodic table.

• Learn to describe changes in energy from chemical reactions and explain differences in reaction rates.

Environmental Science - 1 credit Students will:

• Learn about ecology.

• Explore how living things interact with other living and nonliving things.

• Learn about biomes, ecosystems, populations and communities.

• Explore local natural areas and learn about the flora and fauna of Minnesota.

• Learn basic concepts of soil science.

• Physics - 1 credit Students will:
• Investigate motion, work, power, energy, waves, light, electricity, and magnetism.

• Distinguish between vector and scalar symbols and rules

• Distinguish between & calculate displacement and distance and between velocity and speed.

• Analyze graphs to determine velocity, displacement and acceleration.

• Solve relative motion problems using vector diagrams.

• Calculate the force of gravity between two objects.

• State Newton’s three Laws of motion and solve motion problems using Newton’s second law

• Relate work to force and displacement

• State the Law of conservation of Energy

• Describe the operation principles of six simple machines

• Describe Kinetic Molecular Theory

• Explain Bernoulli’s Principle

• Explain the Doppler effect

SOCIAL SCIENCES

American Government - .5 credit Students will:

• Learn about the development of the Constitution and the system of Government that has served the United States for well over 200 years.

• Be able to learn first-hand how the political system works by forming into groups to discuss and debate the issues.

• Develop a complete working knowledge of the Constitution.

• Understand how their State and Local Governments work as they complete projects that will enable them to better understand their roll as citizens of the Nation, State, County, and City.

• Explore current environmental issues.

• Learn about conservation methods and recycling.

• Participate in the GLOBE project by taking regular atmospheric and hydrology data.

• American History - 1 credit Student will:
• Learn about the early colonizing efforts of Europe, their successes and their failures.

• Examine the growth of the colonies, the building of a nation, and the problems involved in the expansion of the United States and decisions made by its leaders. .

• Experience through group and individual activity the westward expansion, the war that divided the states and the rapid growth of industry and agriculture.

• Gain insight into the causes that engaged the United States in several wars.

• Learn how politics and economics play an important part in every day life.

• Economics - .5 credit Student will:
• Understand the cost associated with making decisions to do something.

• Understand the (free-market) system, and compare and contract it to other types of economic systems.

• Be able to explain the law of supply and demand through the use of charts and graphs and the factors that can influence the market and change its equilibrium.

• Study the Federal Reserve System, the function of money and how government actions, or lack of actions, can affect an economic system.

• World Geography - 1 credit Students will:
• Learn the five themes of geography.

• Recognize and identify land formations, bodies of water and forces that can change the earth.

• Compare and contrast peoples and cultures