New Classes Enhance the Next School Year
May 17, 2013
The school year is coming to an end, and most of us are looking forward to summer vacations and camp. You may not be thinking about the school year, and new courses, but how can you not with so many new/interesting ones.
Though sign ups have already occurred, consider some of the following new electives:
WRITING AND THE SPOKEN WORD
One Semester Course– 1⁄2 credit
This course will explore and develop writing and public presentation of that writing in specific, defined contexts with the objective of giving students opportunities to critically and mindfully explore human experience and one’s place in the world, hone writing skills, connect and interact with other writers, practice public speaking and presentation, and gain experience in criticism and workshop. In conjunction with the Sarasota Film Festival, the course will welcome visiting filmmakers and screenplay writers to explore the art of film and develop sophisticated approaches to viewing and evaluating those narratives.
ROBOTICS I AND II
One Semester Courses –1⁄2 credit
Prerequisite: Algebra II or higher. 11, & 12 graders. (10th graders may be considered by the department)
Robotics I and II are introductory courses in building, programming, and debugging robots to accomplish novel tasks. This course incorporates elements of engineering, computer programming, and physics. The students will construct individualized robots in order to solve novel problems. All assessments are results based as this is a course that heavily depends on the student’s ability to design, program, build, and refine their ideas in order to accomplish a given list of tasks. Curiosity, independence, and dedication to the task are the only requirements for this course, though a firm understanding of math and physics will be helpful.
INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
One Semester Course– 1⁄2 credit
This semester elective will focus on introducing students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. Emphases will be placed on biology and behavior, cognitive processes, human development, personality, motivation, emotion, psychological disorders, and social psychology.
MARINE BIOLOGY
One Semester Course –1⁄2 credit
Students will study the marine environment and marine organism with a primary focus on the Gulf of Mexico and Florida wetland habitats. Students will participate in hands-on activities and regular field trips to further their understanding of marine biology.
You may wonder who will be teaching these new courses? In the coming year, ODA faculty will welcome two history, one science, and one English teacher.
Next year seems so far away, but when looking forward to something exciting, it may come sooner. You should have already signed up for courses, but if you are unhappy with your elective choice, you can easily switch to another course that you may like more.
