Some big changes are in store for the 2014-2015 core courses and electives being offered. One of the biggest changes for next year’s courses allows upcoming juniors to take AP physics instead of Pre-AP.

“Currently AP Physics B consists of all material of Pre-AP and AP B in one course or one exam,” physics teacher Mike Voth said. “Next year they are taking the material and splitting it into two AP courses, so now you take the material in AP 1 and you can take an exam and AP 2 and you can take another exam. Pre-AP now will be some of the material from AP 1 but not at an AP pace or depth.”

There are a few reasons why the selection of physics courses has changed for next year.

“Colleges weren’t accepting AP B because it didn’t contain a rotational motion unit and the course was so packed they couldn’t add anything else, so that was one of the reasons that they decided to create two,” Voth said. “Another reason is that too many schools were teaching AP B as a one year course, which there is just way too much content to do. We had previously done it as Pre-AP and then AP B. Schools wouldn’t stop doing that so the solution was to add two.”

Another change coming next year for upper classmen is the option to take AP Human Geography.

“They’ve opened up AP Human Geography now as an elective course for upper classmen, so you can take it as a freshman for a full year to count as your world geography credit, but if you didn’t do that, then as you move later on you could take that as an elective,” guidance counselor Amanda Breeden said. “You wouldn’t be in with the freshman but separate.”

Students are excited to see more options this coming year.

“I think it’s good that they are giving us the option to take both AP Physics and AP Human Geography now,” sophomore Caroline Witken said. “I like seeing more options available on the signup sheet.”

Because of the offering of AP Human Geography as a semester course, several social studies electives have been added as semester classes to balance it out.

“The two new history electives were created to balance the upper classmen taking AP Human Geography, which is also new for 10th, 11th and 12th graders if they wanted to take that class because it wasn’t offered when they were in 9th grade,” guidance counselor Amanda Breeden said. “The History of Law or Contemporary World Issues would be taken the opposite semester.”

While students can sign up for the classes, whether or not the they will happen isn’t a done deal.

“It does depend on the amount of sign ups if a class will be taught and that is just in general,” Breeden said. “A good example of that is AP Environmental Science. This year only 10 kids signed up for AP Environmental Science, so we didn’t offer it this year. The year before we had enough to have two periods of it. AP European History is another class that we usually just have one section of, but if we don’t have enough kids sign up for it we may not have it.”

There is also a bit of uncertainty about who will be teaching the new courses.

“It could be Ms. Lewis who teaches AP Human, but it could be someone else,” Breeden said. “We aren’t sure about that yet.”

The history of law class seems like it would be a good fit for Lewis.

“Because I have a law degree, we thought an intro to law class would make the most sense for me to teach and might be something students were interested in,” AP Human Geography teacher Homa Lewis said. “The other one is current affairs and it will be world conflicts. We are just waiting to see which one students sign up for.”

Many students are excited about the possible new classes.

“I’m interested in the fact that they are introducing law classes to us early on so we can know before we major in them or choose to take courses like that in college that we would waste money on,” sophomore Michelle Rodriguez said. “I think it is necessary to provide more electives like this because it provides us the opportunity to experience it.”

The course descriptions for the new classes are listed below.

Contemporary World Issues

Prerequisites: none………………… Tier 3………………….. 0.5 credit………….. Grade(s): 10-12

This course will emphasize the present and future world. As issues emerge, the historical, geographic, political, and economic context of the area and issue involved will be studied. Thus, this course should provide an excellent vehicle for further development and application of geographic knowledge and skills. Also, through reading and reference skills, students will be required to understand how a country such as the US is organized to respond to world issues and events, making citizenship and interdependent world a major focus.

Law I: History of Law

Prerequisites: none………………… Tier 3………………….. 0.5 credit………….. Grade(s): 10-12

This course covers Origins and Purpose of Law and Theory and Origins of

Constitutional Thought. The course introduces students to the foundations of

governmental functions and career opportunities within the United States. Students

will examine governmental documents such as the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The course also provides a basic introduction to civil and criminal trial procedures at the state and federal levels. This course will provide a knowledge base for students interested in governmental law or the law profession and supports AcDec and Mock Trial.