Course Description

 El Zahraa American School

Curriculums and School Courses

 

(I) English Language Arts

Grades 10 to 12:

Standard: Common Core

Text Books: Collections, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Writer’s Choice, Glenco

Course Description:

Text book is closely aligned to the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.  Each collection, selection and each performance tasks in textbook connects to one or more of the standards for English Language Art.  Our course is divided into five strands: Reading Literature, Reading Informational Text, Writing, Speaking and listening, Language.

In the Reading course Students will:

• read closely to determine what the text says, cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking
• determine central ideas or themes of a text, analyze their development and summarize the key supporting details and ideas
• analyze word choices
• analyze structure of text
• assess the content and style of a text
• delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text – analyze the texts themes or topics

In the Writing course Students will:

• write arguments to support claims in an analysis of topics
• write informative texts to examine and convey complex ideas
• write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events
• produce clear and coherent writing in which the development organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• develop and strengthen writing as needed
• gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources – draw evidence from literary and/or informational texts to support analysis

In the Listening and Speaking Course Students will:

• prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations
• Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats
• Evaluate speakers point of view
• Make sure that the information presented is supported by evidence
• Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays    

In the Language Course Students will:

• Demonstrate command of English grammar and usage when writing or speaking
• Demonstrate command of English capitalization, punctuation and spelling when writing
• Apply knowledge of language to understand its functions in different contexts
• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
• Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances
• Acquire and use range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases

(II) Social Studies:

Standard: California

Grade 10

Text Books: World History AND Geography, McGraw Hill Education, Jackson J. Spiel Vogel, Ph.D.

Course Description:

Students study major turning points that shaped the modern world from the late eighteenth century through the present, including the cause and course of the two world wars. They trace the rise of democratic ideas and develop an understanding of the historical roots of current world issues, especially as they pertain to international relations. They extrapolate from the American experience that democratic ideals are often achieved at a high price and are not practiced everywhere in the world.

Grade 11:

Text Books: United States History, Deverell White Course Description:

Students trace the rise of democratic ideas and develop an understanding of the historical roots of current world issues, especially as they pertain to international relations. They extrapolate from the American experience that democratic ideals are often achieved at a high price and are not practiced everywhere in the world.

Grade 12:

Text Books: Introduction to Business Course Description: 

Persons trained in fields such as business management, international trade, and various financial services specialties (e.g., accounting, banking, and investing) will find that their skills are highly marketable. Students master basic business principles and procedures before proceeding to the career path specializations. The specializations emphasize concepts of accounting and finance, including computer applications, taxes, investments, and asset management as well as pathways in international business and business management. Because almost every business and organization has a financial and management component, students will find that opportunities exist in many career paths in addition to those in business and finance. (III) Mathematics:

Standard: Common core

 

Grade 10

Text book: Geometry, Mc. Dougal

Course Description                   This course contains:

Coordinate Geometry which will enable the students to know the Coordinate plane quadrant and the properties of each quadrant, use segments and congruence, use mid points and distance formulas, copy and bisect segments and angles, find and use slopes of lines, write and graph equation of lines, prove theorems about perpendicular lines, use the equations of a circle, and can find the diameter or the radius using the midpoint formula and distance formula, Transformations which will enable the students to translate, reflect, rotate and dilate the objects with known rule, Trigonometry, Co. functions , law of sine, law of cosine, quadratic function, Complex Numbers, Similarity and Probability.

Grade 11

Text book: Algebra 2, Pre- calculus Holt Course Description   

This course contains:              

Sequence and series, Arithmetic sequences and Geometric sequences , Graphing Types of the functions, Discussing any functions graphically and algebraically, Calculate the limits at the point, Limits of the functions, Properties of the limits, Limits involving infinity, Limits of the trigonometric function, Definition the meaning of the matrix, Matrix Operations, Calculate Determinants and Cramer’s rule, Calculate the Inverse of matrices, Definition of Exponential Function, Definition of Logarithms,

Converting between Logarithmic and exponential forms, Laws of Logarithms and Solving Exponential Equations using logarithms

Grade 12 

Advanced Math

Text book: Pre-calculus, Holt

Course Description 

In this course students will study: The derivative of a function and its many different interpretations are all very useful when dealing with differential calculus. All of those interpretations include: the formal definition of the derivative and the notion of differentiable functions, Critical points and Domain, Interval of increasing and decreasing for 2nd & 3rd degree functions, Interval of increasing and decreasing for fractional and radical functions, Local maximum and local minimum for 2nd & 3rd degree functions, Inflection points and convexity, The relation between Integration and Differentiation, Integration and it’s applications, and  Binomial Theorem .

Grade 12 

Statistics:

Text book: Understanding Statistics, Graham Upton and Ian Cook Course Description:                     

In this course students will study: Spearman’s and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Probability and Axioms, Discrete and Continuous random variables and their probability dynasty function and finally, Normal distribution (how to calculate its probability using its table) + its properties.    

(IV) Science

Standard: California

Grade 10

Biology

Text book: Biology, Holt Course description: 

This course engages students in the study of life and living organisms. The course encompasses traditional concepts in biology and encourages exploration of new discoveries in the field. The components include human body systems.

This course is aligned with the California Science Standards, which were developed by states to improve science education for all students.

Grade 11

Chemistry

Text book: Chemistry, Holt Course description: 

This course will cover quantum chemistry. Students will study Bohr’s model, and quantum numbers that will then lead into the study of electronic configuration. The course also includes an overview of the periodic table, types of chemical bonds, hybridization and how to predict the spatial shape of some molecules. Another subject area will be introduction to organic chemistry in which students will study saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons including their nomenclature, physical and chemical properties.

Grade 12

Biology

Text book: Biology, Holt McDougal Course description:

This course will enable the student to know a branch of Science (Biology) which deals with all living organisms, their different types, level of organization, and their Development, evolution, growth, ecology, habitat and life interactions, classification of living organisms and molecular biology.

Grade 12

Physics

Text book: Physics, Holt Course Description:

This course will cover kinematics in one and two dimensions, as well as forces and vectors. Students will study work, energy, and power that will then lead into the study of momentum and the conservation of energy. Circular motion and gravitation, translational and rotational equilibrium, fluid mechanics and thermal physics will be covered. The students will study electricity and magnetism then look at waves and optics. A final subject area will be atomic and nuclear physics. Good math skills are critical to success in this course. Prerequisites:, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II        

(V) French

Standard: California

Grade 10:

Text Book: Café Crème 1

Course description:-

In this course, students will be given multiple opportunities to listen and respond to texts and to others, speak and interact with others, read, view, and respond to a variety of texts, write a variety of texts for many different purposes and audiences through reading comprehension and vocabulary, Grammar , and writing composition in addition to variable activities and projects. The course covers most of the standard culture standard (1,2,3,4), Communication standard (1,2,3,4) and connection standard (1,2)

By teaching this course students will be able to:

• Students demonstrate understanding, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read or viewed on a variety of topics, from authentic texts, using technology, when appropriate, to access information.
• Students interact and negotiate meaning in a variety of real-world settings and for multiple purposes, in spoken, signed (ASL), or written conversations, using technology as appropriate, in order to collaborate, to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions.
• Students present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, narrate, explain, and persuade, on a variety of topics and for multiple purposes, in culturally appropriate ways, adapting to various audiences of listeners, readers, or viewers, using the most suitable media and technologies to present and publish.
• Students use language in highly predictable common daily settings (NOVICE), transactional and some informal settings (INTERMEDIATE), most informal and formal settings (ADVANCED), informal, formal and professional settings, and unfamiliar and problem situations, (SUPERIOR), in their communities and in the globalized world.
• Students use structures: sounds, parameters (ASL), writing systems (NOVICE), basic word and sentence formation (INTERMEDIATE), structures for major time frames, text structures for paragraph-level discourse, (ADVANCED), all structures

(SUPERIOR), text structures for extended discourse in order to communicate

• Students use language text-types; learned words signs, and fingerspelling (AS paragraphs and strings of paragraphs (ADVANCED), or coherent, cohesive multiparagraph texts (SUPERIOR) in order to communicate.
• Students use structures: sounds, parameters (ASL), writing systems (NOVICE), basic word and sentence formation (INTERMEDIATE), structures for major time frames, text structures for paragraph-level discourse, (ADVANCED), all structures (SUPERIOR), text structures for extended discourse, in order to communicate.
• Students use language text-types: learned words, signs and fingerspelling (ASL), and phrases (NOVICE), sentences and strings of sentences (INTERMEDIATE), paragraphs and strings of paragraphs (ADVANCED), or coherent, cohesive multiparagraph texts (SUPERIOR) in order to communicate.   

Grade 11:

Text Book: Café Crème 2

Course description:-

In this course, students will be given multiple opportunities to listen and respond to texts and to others, speak and interact with others, read, view, and respond to a variety of texts, write a variety of texts for many different purposes and audiences through reading comprehension and vocabulary, Grammar , and writing composition in addition to variable activities and projects. The course covers most of the standard culture standard (1,2,3,4), Communication standard (1,2,3,4) and connection standard (1,2)

By teaching this course students will be able to:

• Students demonstrate understanding, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read or viewed on a variety of topics, from authentic texts, using technology, when appropriate, to access information.
• Students interact and negotiate meaning in a variety of real-world settings and for multiple purposes, in spoken, signed (ASL), or written conversations, using technology as appropriate, in order to collaborate, to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions.
• Students present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, narrate, explain, and persuade, on a variety of topics and for multiple purposes, in culturally appropriate ways, adapting to various audiences of listeners, readers, or viewers, using the most suitable media and technologies to present and publish.
• Students use language in highly predictable common daily settings (NOVICE), transactional and some informal settings (INTERMEDIATE), most informal and formal settings (ADVANCED), informal, formal and professional settings, and unfamiliar and problem situations, (SUPERIOR), in their communities and in the globalized world.
• Students use structures: sounds, parameters (ASL), writing systems (NOVICE), basic word and sentence formation (INTERMEDIATE), structures for major time frames, text structures for paragraph-level discourse, (ADVANCED), all structures

(SUPERIOR), text structures for extended discourse in order to communicate

• Students use language text-types; learned words signs, and fingerspelling (AS paragraphs and strings of paragraphs (ADVANCED), or coherent, cohesive multiparagraph texts (SUPERIOR) in order to communicate.
• Students use structures: sounds, parameters (ASL), writing systems (NOVICE), basic word and sentence formation (INTERMEDIATE), structures for major time frames, text structures for paragraph-level discourse, (ADVANCED), all structures (SUPERIOR), text structures for extended discourse, in order to communicate.
• Students use language text-types: learned words, signs and fingerspelling (ASL), and phrases (NOVICE), sentences and strings of sentences (INTERMEDIATE), paragraphs and strings of paragraphs (ADVANCED), or coherent, cohesive multiparagraph texts (SUPERIOR) in order to communicate.       

(VI) Computer

Standard: Common Core

Grade 10:

Course Description:

The students will gain well knowledge about: How to create an image in a good way by using an advanced version of  Adobe illustrator 2010 program, exploring  Adobe illustrator 2010 program interface and its tools, using the program tools in a good way and how to benefit from the program in their daily life, integrated with the other school courses to make their projects by using  Adobe illustrator 2010 program, making some school activities related to   Adobe illustrator program like participating in the school magazine , modifying the school logo and participating on the design of the school website.

In addition to preparing the students to the requirements of the universities and the educational long life process to achieve the school purpose in addition to our school mission and vision.

Grade 11:

Course Description:

The students will gain well knowledge about: How to create a web program  in a good way by using an advanced version of Microsoft Visual Basic 2010  program, exploring Microsoft Visual Basic 2010  program interface,  its tool box, the designer view, the code viewer and  the properties window, using the program tools in a good way and how to benefit from the program in their daily life, integrated with the other school courses to make their projects by using Microsoft Visual Basic 2010  program, making some school activities related to Microsoft Visual Basic 2010  program like participating on modifying  the code of the school website.

In addition to preparing the students to the requirements of the universities and the educational long life process to achieve the school purpose in addition to our school mission and vision.

(VII) Spanish Grade 10: 

Course Description:

By the end of this course student will be able to tell the Spanish alphabet, start a conversation with other person using the greetings, and know how to ask people about their name, surname and nationality. They will also know how to ask someone about their origins and know the nationality of each country in Spanish. In addition, Students will be able to know the professions, learn new vocabulary that will strengthen their ability to communicate in Spanish, know the demonstrative adjectives, members of the family, possessive adjectives, numbers and ordinal numbers. Grammatical concepts are also covered in order to understand their language better.

Grade 11: 

Course Description:

By the end of this course student will be able to describe a person according to height, weight, hair and eyes. The will also be conversant in the types of dwellings, rooms in the house, directions, vocab about the house that will help them describe their house, the determinate and in determinate articles, how to ask/say time, to perceive the days of the week, months, seasons of the year, to express what’s the weather like, identify the groceries, fruits and vegetables in Spanish, to ask anyone about their favorite grocery, fruits or vegetables. Grammatical concepts are also covered in order to understand their language better.        

Grade 12: 

Course Description:

By the end of this course student will be able to essential and meaningful information about Spain, for instance how many autonomous communities are there in Spain, where it exactly located on the map and what’s the capital of it. They will also learn about Christmas in Spain and Madrid. They will be able to fathom a full Spanish dialogue talking about important themes such as the daily routine and vacations.

• Art

Standard: California/ Verginia

All Grades

Course Description:

Course description: in the course students should develop an understanding of the ancient roots of western art and will develop their skills in the two and three dimensional arts through projects based on the fundamentals of design and study of color theory. A wide variety of art variety of media and techniques are presented to prepare students for courses in and painting and printmaking

• Music

Standard: California

All Grades

Course description:

This course is designed to develop and improve students´ musical abilities and skills. An introduction to study of music theory, the course will include learning to read treble and bass clef, notation of pitches and rhythm on Staff system, reading and writing interval and scale system in addition to melodic and rhythmic structure, salvage study history of western music traditions examining musical style and structure, relationships with other art form

This course improving the student’s skills which related to music such as reading, notaying, singing, and playing on different instruments

(IlX) Physical Education

Standard: California

All Grades

Course Description:

This course depends on the development of team strategies and enhancing the level of competition as it is designed to refine fundamental skills. Beside such activities tend to foster team work skills and socialization. Sports activities include volleyball, basketball, Handball and football.

By the end of teaching this course, students will be able to:

• Acquire skills necessary for playing volleyball, basketball, handball, and football
• Demonstrate knowledge of rules, safety practices and procedures and then apply that to an increasing range of movement situations.
• Engage in a variety of appropriate physical activities inside and outside the school that promote the development and improvement of physical fitness level.
• Demonstrate the scoring system of these games.