Geometry is as old as the world…literally!  The word “geometry” means “measure of the earth.”  The earth’s shape is an oblate spheroid, and in this class you’ll be learning about spheres and tons of other shapes.  One can argue that geometry is the most important math subject taught at the high school level because it models how to reason within a logically deductive system.  That’s a fancy way of saying you will be thinking logically, proving things and reasoning from definitions.  For example, you will start with a few axioms, then add in some properties and definitions, and stir it all together with logic and proofs to discover more truths that are applicable to our world.  Many aspects of Geometry show up in later classes, most notably, AP Pre-calculus and AP Calculus.  AP Statistics relies heavily upon the concepts of area and distance measurements.

Five critical areas will be focused on in this course (1) establish criteria for congruence of triangles based on rigid motions; (2) establish criteria for similarity of triangles based on dilation and proportional reasoning; (3) informally develop explanations of circumference, area, and volume formulas; (4) apply the Pythagorean Theorem to the coordinate plane; and (5) prove basic geometric theorems.

In Algebra 1 the student is exposed to linear functions, but very little to other families.  Quadratics may have been touched on, and surely the student has seen an exponent, but in this class these concepts are developed further.  In this class the student will dive deeper into the fundamentals of Algebra.  This will include speaking explicitly of the difference between expressions and equations, and what this means for how to work with both.  Many new functions will be explored, such as higher degree polynomial functions, rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, and even a little bit of trigonometric functions.  This class is imperative for success in AP Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus, especially factoring and the algebraic manipulation of rational expressions…very important!

For our Algebra 2 course, instructional time will focus on four critical areas: (1) relate arithmetic of rational expressions to arithmetic of rational numbers; (2) expand understandings of functions and graphing to include trigonometric functions; and (3) synthesize and generalize functions and extend understanding of exponential functions to logarithmic functions.

AP Precalculus or FST

AP Precalculus 

AP Precalculus centers on functions modeling dynamic phenomena. This research-based exploration of functions is designed to better prepare students for college-level calculus and provide grounding for other mathematics and science courses. In this course, students study a broad spectrum of function types that are foundational for careers in mathematics, physics, biology, health science, business, social science, and data science. Throughout this course, students develop and hone symbolic manipulation skills, including solving equations and manipulating expressions, for the many function types throughout the course. Students also learn that functions and their compositions, inverses, and transformations are understood through graphical, numerical, analytical, and verbal representations, which reveal different attributes of the functions and are useful for solving problems in mathematical and applied contexts.

FST (Functions/Statistics/Trigonometry)

FST is a class that has a little of this and a little of that, as the name suggests.  This class is unique, in that it brings forward much of the learning of Algebra 2, but looks at it from a different perspective. You can think of this course as a unique twist on some aspects of Algebra 2, digging deeper into trigonometry, and a robust introduction into statistics.  Sometimes what we need is a different vantage point, and this is what FST can offer.  For example, there’s a small piece of statistics and geometry in every unit. 

This can be a fun class that is not tethered to district pacing.  What this means is that if the teacher wishes, the curriculum can be modified at the drop of a hat to focus on a topic more, or drop one in order to get to something else.  If a student is very successful in FST, the statistics unit in particular, then it can lead to AP Statistics, but this class does not serve as a prerequisite for any other course offering.

AP Calculus or AP Statistics

AP Calculus

This course features a multi-representational approach to calculus, with concepts, results, and problems expressed graphically, numerically, analytically, and verbally. Exploring connections among these representations builds understanding of how calculus applies limits to develop important ideas, definitions, formulas, and theorems. A sustained emphasis on clear communication of methods, reasoning, justifications, and conclusions is essential. Teachers and students should regularly use technology to reinforce relationships among functions, to confirm written work, to implement experimentation, and to assist in interpreting results.

AP Statistics

Stats is everywhere and a growing field, especially in pre-college education.  It would do everybody good to have some know-how with stats… it would make the world a better place!  There are two main aspects of stats that we will take a look at, description and inference. In the former, we will tell, display, and describe a data set.  In the latter, we will “go beyond” the data and make a prediction, so to speak, with a reasonable degree of confidence.  To bridge the former and the latter, we will dive into probability and data collection.  

The AP Statistics course introduces students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. There are four themes evident in the content, skills, and assessment in the AP Statistics course: exploring data, sampling and experimentation, probability and simulation, and statistical inference. Students use technology, investigations, problem solving, and writing as they build conceptual understanding