HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES

SOCIAL STUDIES 6TH (6520)
World History and Geography: Ancient Civilizations. Students study those people and events that ushered in the dawn of major Western and non-Western civilizations. Instruction includes an analysis of the impact of geographic, economic, political, religious, and social structures on the developing world. In addition, students study the everyday life of people, as well as ideas that transformed the world. Students study historic major figures, including Hammurabi, Abraham, Moses, David, Pericles, and Asoka, to understand their contributions to early societies and their codes of justice and ethics and the rule of law.

WORLD HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY 7TH (6521)
This required course examines the sequence of historical and geographic developments from 500 to 1789. The course locates great civilizations and cultures in time and in place, compares events that were developing concurrently in the world, and investigates the transmission of ideas, beliefs, scientific developments, and economic trade throughout this important period of history.

HISTORY 7TH ADVANCED 1, 2 (6593, 6594)
This course examines the sequence of historical and geographic developments from 500 to 1789. It is an accelerated course offered to interested high achieving history students. Students extend their abilities in investigation and inquiry. Students analyze, synthesize and evaluate social science concepts.

UNITED STATES HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY 8TH (6551)
This required course examines the sequence of historical and geographic developments in the United States from the framing of the Constitution to World War I (1783-1914). Students examine important periods of history, such as the forming of the nation, the rising conflict of the Civil War, and the industrialization of the United States. Students research the issues, attitudes, points of view, and motives that helped shape the United States.

HISTORY 8TH ADVANCED 1, 2 (6595, 6596)
This course examines the sequence of historical and geographic developments in the United States from the framing of the Constitution to World War I (1783-1914). It is an accelerated course offered to interested and high achieving history students. Students extend their abilities in investigation and inquiry. Students analyze, synthesize and evaluate social science concepts.

OCS WORLD HISTORY 1, 2 (F651, F652)
College Preparatory Course (P). In this course students examine the following strands: history, geography, economics, culture, and ethics. The course emphasizes national identity, constitutional heritage, and citizenship. It exercises varied study, visual, map/globe, and critical-thinking skills. World history from the late 1700s to present is explored. The curriculum is designed to increase students' capacity to think analytically and critically.

OCS WORLD HISTORY 1, 2 ADVANCED (F653, F654)
College Preparatory Course (P). This course provides an in-depth study of world history from the rise of democratic ideas to the contemporary world. Students develop advanced skills in analyzing historical, cultural, social, economic and geographical issues in a global context. Students explore connections between local, national, and global issues. The course culminates with a critical examination of the problems of the modern world.

MATHEMATICS 6TH (4002)
This course is intended for grade 6 students at middle schools who are at or above grade level. In this course students use the four arithmetic operations with whole numbers, positive fractions, positive decimals, and positive and negative integers. They study statistics and probability and work with ratios and proportions. Students learn the circumference and area of a circle and develop beginning algebraic understanding. Students make decisions about how to approach problems; use strategies, skills, and concepts in finding solutions; and generalize to other problem situations.

PRE-ALGEBRA 7TH (4001)
This is the standard course required of all grade 7 students, except those enrolled in Pre-Algebra Advanced or Pre-Algebra Exploration 7th. The course lays the foundation for algebra.

PRE-ALGEBRA ADVANCED (4051)
This course is designed for students who have a better-than-average capacity for understanding abstract concepts and applying them to the achievement of meaningful and accurate computation skills. The properties of whole numbers are emphasized during the first quarter, then extended to include the rational numbers and finally to the set of real numbers. Introductions to percent, statistics, geometry, and the metric system are also included as topics of study. The concepts of relations and functions are developed in preparation for the study of algebra the following year.

ALGEBRA 1-2 (4041, 4042)
College Preparatory Course (P). In this course students learn the fundamentals of solving problems by methods that were not previously available to them at the arithmetic level.

ALGEBRA READINESS MS (4080)
Algebra Readiness MS (i.e., middle school) is designed for grade 8 students who need additional time and support to build the foundational skills necessary for success in algebra. It reinforces the skills and concepts needed to meet the standards on which these students will be assessed. Students who take this course go on to take Algebra Exploration 1-2 in grade 9, which meets their algebra graduation requirement and leaves sufficient time to complete the remaining mathematics graduation requirements by the end of grade 11.

This course reinforces arithmetic and number skills in the context of meaningful problems, and emphasizes the following topics: probability; ratio, proportion, and percentages; variables and pattern; linear relationships; exponential relationships, Pythagorean Theorem, and measurement in three dimensions. It also focuses on mathematical reasoning and communication.

OCS ALGEBRA 1-2 (F401, F402)
College Preparatory Course (P). In this course students learn the fundamentals of solving problems by methods that were not previously available to them at the arithmetic level.

OCS INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA 1-2 (F405, F406)
College Preparatory Course (P). This second-year algebra course reviews and considerably extends the algebraic concepts developed in the previous algebra course, with emphasis on breadth and depth of understanding.

OCS GEOMETRY 1-2 (F411, F412)
College Preparatory Course (P). This is the standard course in which students study geometric concepts and direct and indirect proof of geometric relationships.

OCS GEOMETRY 1-2 ADVANCED (F413, F414)
College Preparatory Course (P). This course is designed for grade 9 students with a very high achievement level. Students will learn Euclidean geometry, some coordinate and transformational geometry, measurement formulas, three-dimensional figures and formulas, and proofs. It is designed to acquaint students with the logical structure of mathematics as found in geometry and in some additional topics in algebra.

SCIENCE 6TH (6006)
Focus on Earth Science. In this general science course students learn concepts in physical, life, and earth sciences, with a focus on earth science. Students conduct experiments utilizing appropriate tools, technology, and graphs and communicate their conclusions orally and in writing. Students interpret events and identify changes that occur in geologic time. They explore the interactions that occur between the various earth systems and the implication those interactions have on their daily lives. Students continue to develop their abilities to conduct inquiry, create explanations based on evidence, and understand the nature of science.

SCIENCE 7TH (6003)
Focus on Life Science. This general science course allows grade 7 students to meet the requirement for completion of one year of science. Students extend their ability to conduct inquiry, develop explanations based on evidence, and expand their understanding of the nature of science. They learn concepts in physical, life, and earth sciences, with a focus on life science. Students are given the opportunity to explain the relationships of these topics to their daily lives. A variety of inquiry-based technology experiences are used to promote learning for all students.

This course is intended to help students meet state science standards.

LIFE SCIENCE 7TH 1, 2 ADVANCED (6429, 6430)
Focus on Life Science. This general science course allows grade 7 students to meet the requirement for completion of one year of science. It is an accelerated course offered to interested and high achieving science students. Students extend their ability to conduct inquiry, develop explanations based on evidence, and expand their understanding of the nature of science. Concepts in physical, life and earth sciences are explored in depth, with a focus on life science.

This course is intended to help students meet state science standards.

SCIENCE 8TH (6005)
Focus on Physical Science. This general science course allows grade 8 students to meet the requirement for completion of one year of science. Students extend their ability to conduct inquiry, develop explanations based on evidence, and expand their understanding of the nature of science. They learn concepts in physical, life, and earth sciences, with a focus on physical science. Students are given the opportunity to explore the relationships of these topics to their daily lives. A variety of strategies and experiences will be used that promote learning for all students.

This course is intended to help students meet state science standards.

SCIENCE 1, 2 8TH ADVANCED (6041, 6042)
Focus on Physical Science. This general science course allows grade 8 students to meet the requirement for two semesters of science. It is an accelerated course offered to interested and high achieving science students. Students extend their abilities in investigation, inquiry, and the nature of science, emphasizing in particular the quality of explanations and citing of evidence for these explanations. Concepts in physical, life, and earth sciences are explored in depth, with a focus on physical science.

This course is intended to help students meet state science standards.

OCS PHYSICS 1, 2 (F631, F632)
College Preparatory Course (P). This two-semester, algebra-based physics course is designed to provide an introductory experience with the processes of investigating the physical world and the understandings derived from that process. The emphasis is on developing a qualitative conceptual understanding of general principals and models and on the nature of inquiry. This course concentrates on conceptual development and provides an enriching laboratory experience; it can be taken as a first course in physics that prepares students for the more mathematically rigorous Advanced Placement physics courses. The core content addressed in this course includes the topics of motion and forces, the conversation of energy and momentum, heat and thermodynamics, waves and electric and magnetic phenomena.

This course meets college entry requirements for a laboratory science and addresses California state science standards.

OCS PHYSICS 1, 2 ADVANCED (F633, F634)
College Preparatory Course (P). This two-semester laboratory science course is more rigorous and mathematically demanding than the basic physics course. It is designed to provide an introductory experience to the processes of investigating the physical world and the understandings derived from those processes. The emphasis is on developing a qualitative conceptual understanding of general principals and models and on the nature of scientific inquiry. The core content addresses the topics of motion and forces, the conversation of energy and momentum, heat and thermodynamics, waves and electric and magnetic phenomena. These topics are presented using an inquiry-oriented, activity-based method. This course addresses California state science standards.

INTERVENTION LANGUAGE ARTS 6TH (1667)
This one-period literacy course is required for students who are reading significantly below grade level as measured by the California Standards Test, Holt Literature and Language Arts, Degrees of Reading Power (DRP), and the Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI).

This course provides students opportunities to improve reading and writing in a variety of genres. It is designed to provide rigorous, standards-focused literacy instruction, using English content at a range of reading levels. Students engage in standard-based lessons that are scaffolded to meet a range of reading levels. Woven into the fabric of the course are the district's language arts standards and the Principles of Learning.

This course is intended to help students meet California English language arts standards.

STRATEGIC LANGUAGE ARTS 6TH (1675)
This one-period literacy course is required for students who are reading below grade level as measured by the California Standards Test, Holt Literature and Language Arts, Degrees of Reading Power (DRP), and the Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI).

This course provides students opportunities to improve reading and writing in a variety of genres. It is designed to provide rigorous, standards-focused literacy instruction, using English content at a range of reading levels. Students engage in standard-based lessons that are scaffolded to meet a range of reading levels. Woven into the fabric of the course are the district's language arts standards and the Principles of Learning.

This course is intended to help students meet California English language arts standards.

LANGUAGE ARTS 6TH (1672)
This one-period literacy course is intended for grade 6 students at or above grade level, as measured by the California Standards Test, Holt Literature and Language Arts, Degrees of Reading Power (DRP), and the Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI).

This course provides students opportunities to improve reading and writing in a variety of genres. It is designed to provide rigorous, standards-focused literacy instruction, using English content at a range of reading levels. Students engage in standard-based lessons that are scaffolded to meet a range of reading levels. Woven into the fabric of the course are the district's language arts standards and the Principles of Learning.

This course is intended to help students meet California English language arts standards.

This course provides students opportunities to improve reading and writing in a variety of genres. It is designed to provide rigorous, standards-focused literacy instruction, using English content at a range of reading levels. Students engage in standard-based lessons that are scaffolded to meet a range of reading levels. Woven into the fabric of the course are the district's language arts standards and the Principles of Learning.

This course is intended to help students meet California English language arts standards.

STRATEGIC LANGUAGE ARTS 7TH (1676)
This one-period literacy course is required for students who are reading below grade level as measured by the California Standards Test, Holt Literature and Language Arts, Degrees of Reading Power (DRP), and the Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI).

This course provides students opportunities to improve reading and writing in a variety of genres. It is designed to provide rigorous, standards-focused literacy instruction, using English content at a range of reading levels. Students engage in standard-based lessons that are scaffolded to meet a range of reading levels. Woven into the fabric of the course are the district's language arts standards and the Principles of Learning.

This course is intended to help students meet California English language arts standards.

This course provides students opportunities to improve reading and writing in a variety of genres. It is designed to provide rigorous, standards-focused literacy instruction, using English content at a range of reading levels. Students engage in standard-based lessons that are scaffolded to meet a range of reading levels. Woven into the fabric of the course are the district's language arts standards and the Principles of Learning.

This course is intended to help students meet California English language arts standards.

This course provides students opportunities to improve reading and writing in a variety of genres. It is designed to provide rigorous, standards-focused literacy instruction, using English content at a range of reading levels. Students engage in standard-based lessons that are scaffolded to meet a range of reading levels. Woven into the fabric of the course are the district's language arts standards and the Principles of Learning.

This course is intended to help students meet California English language arts standards.

STRATEGIC LANGUAGE ARTS 8TH (1677)
This one-period literacy course is required for students who are reading below grade level as measured by the California Standards Test, Holt Literature and Language Arts, Degrees of Reading Power (DRP), and the Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI).

This course provides students opportunities to improve reading and writing in a variety of genres. It is designed to provide rigorous, standards-focused literacy instruction, using English content at a range of reading levels. Students engage in standard-based lessons that are scaffolded to meet a range of reading levels. Woven into the fabric of the course are the district's language arts standards and the Principles of Learning.

This course is intended to help students meet California English language arts standards.

This course provides students opportunities to improve reading and writing in a variety of genres. It is designed to provide rigorous, standards-focused literacy instruction, using English content at a range of reading levels. Students engage in standard-based lessons that are scaffolded to meet a range of reading levels. Woven into the fabric of the course are the district's language arts standards and the Principles of Learning.

This course is intended to help students meet California English language arts standards.

OCS ENGLISH 1, 2 (F150, F151)
College Preparatory Course (P). This one-period, balanced literacy course is required of all grade 9 students. The course content focuses on teaching students skills and strategies for critical, independent reading and writing of complex expository and narrative text. The course utilizes balanced literacy instructional approaches.

Instruction in each standards-based unit of study interrelates reading, writing, oral communication, and language study. Students are provided with multiple opportunities to articulate their own ideas as well as to question, interpret, and evaluate others' ideas.

The goal of instruction is to support students in becoming independent, strategic, critical readers, writers, listeners, and speakers who communicate effectively in various forms, for genuine purposes, and to authentic audiences.

ENGLISH 9TH 1, 2 ADVANCED (1948, 1949)
College Preparatory Course (P). This course emphasizes the critical analysis of complex expository and narrative texts. Each standards-based unit of study interrelates reading, writing, oral communication, and language study. Students are provided with multiple opportunities to articulate their own ideas as well at to question, interpret and evaluate others' ideas. This course supports in-depth and independent research-based reading and writing as well as critical analysis of a range of challenging literary and informational texts.

EXPLORING COMPUTERS 5TH-8TH (4403)
Exploring Computers 5th-8th covers the basics of computers, including ethics, vocabulary, hardware, and software. Word processing, databases, spreadsheets, draw and paint tools, and multimedia will be emphasized. Telecommunications (i.e., Internet and electronic mail) will be another component of the class. A hands-on, project-based approach will be utilized. This course may be taught in the regular education setting as well as in a sheltered setting.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 6TH (5505)
Activity units for the course emphasize physical fitness, cooperative activities, rhythms and dance, stunts/tumbling, racquet skills, multicultural games, Frisbee® discs, basketball, and softball. Skills emphasized are physical fitness, social skills, dance, and object manipulation.

PHYSICAL EDUCATON 6TH-8TH (5506)
No description of this course was provided for this publication. Please consult personnel in the Physical Education Program office (619) 725-7126 for additional information.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 7TH (5501)
This is an introductory course that includes orientation to junior high physical education, physical fitness activities, beginning instruction in formal sports and games (primarily team and group activities), health instruction related to physical activity, and dance.

BAND 5TH-8TH BEGINNING (5003)
This course provides instruction in the basic principles of musicianship and familiarity with standard band literature. Students will learn to play a standard band instrument in an ensemble setting. The focus will be to learn to read and understand the language of music.

BAND 5TH-8TH INTERMEDIATE (5004)
Band 5th-8th Intermediate is offered to students who have completed Band 5th-8th Beginning or who have had equivalent study and experience. Students will further their expertise on their chosen band instrument in an ensemble setting, learning more complex musical notation, rhythms, and terminology.

BAND 6TH-8TH ADVANCED (5005)
Band 6th-8th Advance is offered to students who have completed Band 6th-8th intermediate or who have had equivalent study and experience. Students will learn and play advanced band literature in an ensemble setting with technical skill and musical knowledge and sensitivity. Students in this course will present more frequent public performances.

CHORUS 5TH-8TH BEGINNING (5011)
This standards-base course provides instruction in the basic principles of musicianship and promotes familiarity with standard vocal literature. Students will learn musical notation and terminology and develop proper singing tone and vocal technique in an ensemble setting while performing a variety of choral repertoire.

CHORUS 5TH-8TH INTERMEDIATE
This standards-based course is offered to students who have completed Chorus 6th-8th Beginning or who have equivalent study and experience. Students will learn more complex musical notation and terminology and develop increased expertise in proper singing tone and vocal technique in an ensemble setting while performing a variety of choral repertoire.

CHORUS 6TH-8TH ADVANCED (5013)
This standards-based course is offered to students who have completed Chorus 6th-8th Intermediate or who have equivalent study and experience. It explores more deeply the areas of learning described in Chorus 6th-8th Intermediate and provides the opportunity to participate in musical experiences that develop advanced skills in choral singing. Students in this course will present more frequent public performances.

STUDY SKILLS 6TH (8047)
This supplementary, technology-based course is a challenging and rewarding learning program for students significantly below grade level in math and reading.  Higher-level thinking, problem-solving, and basic skills are emphasized.  A highly structured curriculum provides intensive reading and mathematics practice.  Students will receive tutorial support on an individual basis or within small study groups.

The goal of this program is to close the achievement gap through concentrated focus on skill building and cognitive thinking, using innovative materials and increased time on task.

STUDY SKILLS 7TH (8048)
This supplementary, technology-based course is a challenging and rewarding learning program for students significantly below grade level in math and reading.  Higher-level thinking, problem-solving, and basic skills are emphasized. A highly structured curriculum provides intensive reading and mathematics practice.  Students will receive tutorial support on an individual basis or within small study groups.

The goal of this program is to close the achievement gap through concentrated focus on skill building and cognitive thinking, using innovative materials and increased time on task.

STUDY SKILLS 8TH (8049)
This supplementary, technology-based course is a challenging and rewarding learning program for students significantly below grade level in math and reading.  Higher-level thinking, problem-solving, and basic skills are emphasized. A highly structured curriculum provides intensive reading and mathematics practice.  Students will receive tutorial support on an individual basis or within small study groups.

The goal of this program is to close the achievement gap through concentrated focus on skill building and cognitive thinking, using innovative materials and increased time on task.

VAPA 6 - VISUAL AND PERFORMNG ARTS (0114)
This is a course for grade 6 study in visual and performing arts, including instruction in the subjects of dance, drama/theatre and music, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation, creative expression and historical and cultural context.

This course is intended to help students meet the academic content standards for visual and performing arts adopted by the California State Board of Education.

VAPA 7 - VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS (0115)
This is a course for grade 7 study in visual and performing arts, including instruction n the subjects of dance, drama/theatre and music, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation, creative expression and historical and cultural context.

This course is intended to help students meet the academic content standards for visual and performing arts adopted by the California State Board of Education.

VAPA 8 - VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS (0115)
This is a course for grade 7 study in visual and performing arts, including instruction n the subjects of dance, drama/theatre and music, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation, creative expression and historical and cultural context.

This course is intended to help students meet the academic content standards for visual and performing arts adopted by the California State Board of Education.