Advanced Placement Program

A fun class about math.

This course introduces students to computer science with fundamental topics that include problem solving, design strategies and methodologies, organization of data (data structures), approaches to processing data (algorithms), analysis of potential solutions, and the ethical and social implications of computing. The course emphasizes both object-oriented and imperative problem solving and design using Java language. These techniques represent proven approaches for developing solutions that can scale up from small, simple problems to large, complex problems. The prerequisite for this course is that the student must be enrolled in the Computer Information Systems Vocational Program. Students will be expected to take the AP Computer Science A Exam in the spring.

*You may contact Ms. Kim Zogalis at ext.231 or zogalis@tri-county.us for further information.

This Advanced Placement social studies course focuses on the effects of human populations, habits, and history, on the planet. This course provides an overview of the study of human geography and introduces students to the study of patterns and practices that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface. Central topics of study include: population, migration, cultural patterns, geopolitics, food production, industrialization, and economic patterns. Students will learn to see geography as a discipline that includes far more than maps and country names. Source analysis, pattern identification, global citizenship, and environmental stewardship are all key focus areas of the course.

*You may contact Ms. Caitlyn Remmes at remmes@tri-county.us for further information.

In this course, students will write in narrative, expository, analytical, and argument form about a variety of subjects. They will define their own writing voices as they explore the rhetorical strategies and techniques employed in a diverse selection of prose styles and genres. In addition to formal essay writing that entails a multi-draft process, students will also write in informal contexts such as journal keeping and collaborative writing. Students will provide and accept feedback from peers and their teacher and use this input to revise their writing. Though most of the reading in the class is nonfiction, students may read fiction and poetry to understand how various effects are achieved by the writers’ linguistic and rhetorical choices. Students will also examine graphics and visual images as they relate to written texts and as a form of text themselves. Students will develop, draft, and revise a researched argument paper that includes the analysis and synthesis of ideas from an array of sources (Senior Project Paper). The prerequisite for this course is a final grade of B+ or better in English 10 Honors AND teacher recommendation or A- or better in English 10 CP AND teacher recommendation. Students will be expected to take the AP Language and Composition Exam in the spring.

*You may contact Ms. Grace Maneri at ext. 294 or maneri@tri-county.us for further information.

This advanced course offers interpretation and evaluation of representative examples of poetry, drama, fiction, and expository prose from various cultures and historical periods. Pieces are examined for structure, style and theme, as well as imagery and symbolism and are analyzed and evaluated on their literary and social merit. The class requires students to react and respond to the literary works by means of reflection, argumentation, and expository prose that demonstrate not only advanced skills in the application of standard English conventions, but also elements of stylistic maturity and creativity. Representative examples of the literature include Heart of Darkness, Things Fall Apart, Hamlet, and Oedipus the King. The prerequisite for this course is a final grade of B+ or better in English 11 Honors or AP Language and Composition AND teacher recommendation or A- or better in English 11 CP AND teacher recommendation. Students will be expected to take the AP Literature and Composition Exam in the spring.

*You may contact Ms. Amy DePasquale at ext. 292 or depasquale@tri-county.us for further information.

This course is intended for a student seeking a rigorous course in physics. It is a college level course, equivalent to a first-semester college course in algebra-based Physics. AP Physics 1 provides a systematic introduction to several topics in physics, and emphasizes the development of a deep understanding of key foundational principles. The course covers Newtonian mechanics (including rotational dynamics and angular momentum), work, energy, and power. The prerequisite for this course is a final grade of B or better in Physics Honors, or a final grade of A- or better in Introductory Physics CP. Note: Students who take this course do not take an elective. Students will be expected to take the AP Physics 1 exam in the spring.

*You may contact Dr. Anthony Poteete at ext.237 or poteete@tri-county.us for further information.

This course will introduce students to the concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students will be exposed to four themes throughout the year: Exploring data, planning a study, anticipating patterns, and statistical inference. From these four themes students will observe patterns in data, devise a means to analyze data as well as develop models to draw conclusions from the data. It is highly recommended for students to purchase a graphing calculator. The prerequisite for this course is a final grade of B+ or better in Algebra II/Trig Honors or B+ or better in Pre-Calculus Honors AND teacher recommendation. Students will be expected to take the AP Statistics Exam in the spring.

*You may contact Mr. Jarred Robitaille at ext. 271 or robitaille@tri-county.us for further information.

Year 1: United States History I Honors (Grade 9)

This course is a challenging and in-depth investigation of the issues facing the United States from its inception through the Civil War. It covers the principle events, personalities, movements, and ideas from 1763 to 1865. An emphasis is placed on the development of reading, writing, and interpretive skills and requires extensive assignments in all of these areas.

Year 2: Advanced Placement United States History I (Grade 10)

This course is designed for any student who successfully completed United States History Honors I. The Pre-AP course is year two of a three-year course that provides an accelerated, in-depth study of the time period after the American Civil War through the United States’ entrance into World War II. The course will focus on the development of historical thinking skills (chronological reasoning, comparing and contextualizing, crafting historical arguments using historical evidence, and interpreting and synthesizing historical narrative), and the development of students’ abilities to think conceptually about the history of the United States. Prerequisite: B+ or better in United States History I Honors AND teacher recommendation or A- or better in United States History I CP AND teacher recommendation.

Year 3: Advanced Placement United States History II (Grade 11)

This course is designed for any student who successfully completed Pre-Advanced Placement United States History Honors II. The Advanced Placement course is the final year of the three-year course that provides an accelerated, in-depth study of the time period World War II to the present day. The course will continue to focus on the development of historical thinking skills (chronological reasoning, comparing and contextualizing, crafting historical arguments using historical evidence, and interpreting and synthesizing historical narrative), and the development of students’ abilities to think conceptually about the history of the United States. Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement United States History Exam in the spring. Prerequisite: B+ or better in United States History II Pre-AP/Honors AND teacher recommendation or A- or better in United States History II CP AND teacher recommendation.

*You may contact Mrs. Sara Martin at ext. 285 or martin@tri-county.us for further information.