Arroyo Valley Counseling Department

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ELECTIVE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR 2008-2009

Click on blue electives below to link to more information….

Visual Arts:

Performing Arts:

Technology/Business

• Business Core - This course utilizes a multimedia curriculum and is a comprehensive, integrated overview of seven content areas: marketing, economics and personal finance, business law, international business, accounting, management, and entrepreneurship. The core business themes of career development, communications, computation, and information systems are woven into the curriculum in each content area.
• MOUS Word - This course prepares individuals for the Microsoft Office User Specialist exams in Word. Hands-on projects and testing simulations will be completed. Students will use critical thinking to plan, design and create presentations, web pages, designs and newsletter layouts.
• MOUS Excel - This comprehensive course teaches the basic and advanced features of Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet application used for common business application such as budgeting, forecasting, data analysis, and reporting.
• Adobe Certified Expert Prep 1-2-3 - This course provides students with the concepts and skills to use Adobe Photoshop CS, Adobe InDesign CS, and Adobe Acrobat Professional effectively. Students will get hands-on practice working with basic through advanced techniques to get the most out of their experience. Students will learn a foundation in digital photography, photographic composition, photo retouching, image editing, and page layout design. With the skills they have acquired they will be able to design flyers, brochures, business stationary, etc.
• ROP Office Occupations (1 period; must be 16 or in 11^th grade) - This course prepares students in clerical aspects of office operation, including business math, use of reference tools, telephone techniques, duplicating processes, composition of business documents, office reception techniques, mail procedures, computer functions and terminology. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded upon successful completion.

Foreign Language

• French 1-2-3-4AP -Beginning through advanced courses for understanding, speaking, reading and writing French as a 2^nd language
• Spanish 1-2-3-4AP - Beginning through advanced courses for understanding, speaking, reading and writing Spanish as a 2^nd language.
• Spanish for Native Speakers 1-2 - Courses designed for students already fluent in Spanish. (Year 2 counts as Spanish 4AP.)
• Spanish 5 AP - Course to expand understanding and appreciation of the customs, culture, and history of the Hispanic world. Includes grammar review, reading comprehension, written assignments, and aural/oral comprehension through the study of Hispanic literature.

ROP (Regional Occupational Program–must be min. 16 years old or in 11^th grade)

• Food Occupations (2 periods) - This competency-based course prepares students for entry-level positions common to the commercial food preparation industry, such as a cook, waiter/waitress and cashier. Classroom instruction and practical experience will include general sanitation, safety, menu planning, cooking techniques, inventory control, the proper use of kitchen tools and applications, food preparation and customer service.
• Child Care Occupations (2 periods) - This course teaches students about curriculum, developmentally appropriate practices for young children and other related topics. Students meet both semesters for two periods daily, earning 20 career development or elective credits. Starting second quarter they leave campus 4 days each week to work with young children during class time. Students can earn a certificate that qualifies them to work as a preschool teacher (“C” or higher and 150 work experience hours) and/or receive college credits at Valley or Crafton Hills (“B” or higher and a “C” on the college test administered at AVHS).
• Sports Therapy (2 periods) - This class is designed to prepare students with entry-level employment skills in the areas of fitness and exercise, physical therapy and athletic training. Instruction will include basic anatomy and physiology, vital signs, first aid, CPR and nutrition for fitness and sports. Specific topics such as training room management, theory and application of exercise (isometric, isotonic, isokinetic), injury prevention and rehabilitative exercises are also taught.
• Medical Assistant (2 periods) - This course prepares students to work in a medical office or clinic. (Prerequisite: Medical Terminology)
• Medical Terminology (1 period, 1 semester only) - This course is a prerequisite to all medical courses offered in the ROP. By the end of the course, the student will be able to identify, spell, pronounce and define root words, prefixes and suffixes common to medical careers. The student will also be able to use common abbreviations and appropriate reference materials.

Physical Education & Team Sports

• PE Survey 1-2 - Standard PE classes offering a sampling of team and individual sports.
• Dance - Athletic - A course in dance with an athletic focus, good for 2^nd-year PE credit or elective credit.

AVID

• AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) - The AVID program is designed to assist students to be successful in college preparatory courses in high school, including at least one AP/IB course, and to apply successfully for entrance and for financial aid to a four-year university. It aims to increase career awareness, provide academic instruction and other support to students, give students college-level entry skills, and to increase the coping skills of program participants. This includes preparing students for senior portfolio projects, writing as a tool for learning, preparing for a professional career and visiting college campuses. Applicants should have the determination and desire to go to college, good attendance, a minimum 2.0 GPA, and a willingness to commit to at least 2 hours of homework a night.

Calif. Teaching Academy

• Teacher Training 1-2-3 - (reserved for students accepted in the Teaching Academy. See Ms. Lucey in the Career Center or Ms. Smith in E-105.) An overview of the educational process, focusing on different learning methods and teaching styles, human development, and observation of students of different ages and abilities. Students will design and plan age appropriate learning activities in a variety of subject areas and be introduced to educational law, classroom management and environment. The students will participate in off-site educational experiences. The focus is on actual teaching methods and interaction with students.

Special Programs / Misc. Electives

• Psychology - An introduction to the principles and techniques used for developing a better understanding of basic factors that shape and influence human intellect, emotions and social behavior. Class will include active involvement in experiments, observations, interviews, role-play and simulations to explore the development of human personalities. Includes an overview of career path options in the field of psychology.
• Law and Justice (Mock Trial) - Students study and act out one side of a court case in competition with other schools.
• CAHSEE English Support - Study support for passing the high school exit exam in English.
• Writing to Communicate - This course allows students to express themselves and develop their talents in writing stories, poetry and essays, while helping them refine the skills they need to pass the high school exit exam in English.
• Analysis of the Media - Students view, discuss, critique and analyze advertising, music videos, TV news and other forms of media.
• Human Growth & Development - The study of human reproduction, pregnancy, childbirth and child developmental characteristics from birth through 18 years of age. Successful parenting techniques for discipline, activity designs appropriate to a preschool setting, personality development, STD awareness and relationship skills are all included. (elective credit)
• CAHSEE Math Support - Study support for passing the high school exit exam in mathematics.
• Library Aide - Students work as assistants to the library staff, by permission only. (Application required.)
• Office Aide - Students work as assistants to the office staff, by permission only. (Application required.)
• Renaissance Leadership - A course guiding students in positive, encouraging leadership among students and staff.
• Student Government - This course offers ASB officers guidance, in-service training, and practical experience in student government and democratic leadership.
• Army JROTC 1-2 - Leadership, education and training will focus primarily on increasing self-esteem, developing responsibility, as well as discipline. This will be done by exploring areas of citizenship, communication, leadership development, physical fitness, map reading, marksmanship, drill and ceremonies, inspections, military history, drug and alcohol awareness, and key health issues. JROTC is not designed to teach military combat skills or serve as a recruiting tool for military service. The lessons learned and the experience gained as a member of the program will be useful in any career choice.
• Peer Leadership Skills - This is a two-semester course designed to build positive peer influences, teach peer teaching skills, peer advising skills, helping and facilitation; peer participation is focused on refusal skills and inter- and intra-personal skills.
• Peer Leadership - Students put the skills they learned in Peer Leadership Skills to work on campus as peer advisors and mediators.
• Teacher Aide - Students work as assistants to selected teachers, by permission only. (Application required.)
• Academic Teams - Academic Decathlon® is a team competition wherein students match their intellects with students from other schools in 10 categories: Art, Economics, Essay, Interview, Language and Literature, Math, Music, Science, Social Science and Speech
• Annual - Students must be able to meet deadlines as they learn skills in organization, writing, photography, and design in creating the school yearbook. (Students must apply and interview with yearbook advisor and have a B or better in English.)
• Journalism - This course provides students with the unique opportunity to achieve and learn in a production environment (producing the school newspaper). This works to build students’ writing and copy production skills, and provides an arena for students to have their writing published. (Must be recommended by an English teacher, have a B or better in current English class, and be approved by the Journalism instructor.) View the Hawkeye newspaper at www.avhshawkeye.com.
  
• Ballet Folklórico - A course in traditional Latin American dances emphasizing local folk culture. (elective credit)
• Forensic Science - Students observe, gather and analyze physical evidence to solve criminal investigations. Students will learn and apply basic forensic science concepts though the discussion of realistic scenarios and by engaging in learning activities. Students working in teams will complete laboratory investigations to solve crimes using scientific knowledge and reasoning. The course will examine the following topics: Introduction to Forensic Science, The Crime Scene and the Law, Trace Evidence, Fingerprint Analysis, Blood Evidence, DNA Evidence, Toxicology, and the Identification of Remains. (Elective credit.)
• Cafeteria Work. Exper. - See Ms. Lucey in the career center to apply for a job in the Hawk cafeteria.