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Through both classic and contemporary texts, English 9 prepares students for the writing, reading, and critical thinking required in Advanced Placement courses. The depth, rigor, and pacing are demanding in English 9; it is a writing-intensive course, with an emphasis on growing students’ skills in crafting strong arguments. The chosen texts reflect rich themes, varied perspectives, fiction and non-fiction, and exemplary literary craft.

The literature explores the universal themes of coming of age, identity, and the hero’s journey.  In examining these works, students will study the structure of the work and techniques specific to the genre, and develop close reading and literary analysis skills. The course will focus on thesis-driven writing that is well-organized, concise, and free from grammatical and mechanical errors.  Students will practice revision skills to fine tune ideas and develop an engaging style. Students receive additional practice in research skills, vocabulary  acquisition, and grammar and usage. 

This course will continue to build on the work students did in English 9.  English 10 will encompass the language arts skills of literary analysis, writing, research, speaking, listening and media/digital literacy.  Students will read contemporary and classic texts including novels, poetry, drama, short stories and non-fiction selections that reflect diversity in race, gender, age, economics, and geography. Students will develop critical thinking skills through text-based discussions, Thinking Maps, and other research-based cognition strategies.  Differentiation for personalized learning through process, product and content will be a major component of this course so that all students have an opportunity for success.  Intensive writing instruction will help students   develop analytical skills and a personal voice.  Students will write in multiple genres including descriptive, narrative,  persuasive and critical analysis.  Grammar and usage review will be both explicit and authentic, focusing on application of conventions to student writing.  Research skills will be taught throughout the course. Regular instruction in vocabulary will use lessons and contextualized vocabulary to improve reading comprehension, oral and written expression, as well as ACT/SAT test scores. Specific instruction and practice essays for the ACT Writing test are included in both semesters.

United States Literature and Composition fulfills the junior year English requirement. Students will read and analyze fiction, drama, poetry, non-fiction, and film representative of the United States. By looking at texts through the framework of The Examined Life, they will understand how to look closely at literature and what its examination reveals about the diverse values and experiences of this country.

Through significant, college-level reading in all genres (fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry), multi-modal writing, class discussions, presentations/speeches, research, and the creation of their own pieces of literature, students will develop their proficiency as clear thinkers, readers, writers and speakers. Literature will be used as the means to examine historical, as well as current ideas regarding essential questions of what it means to be human and what it means to be a contributing member of the global community.

Major units of study include: Introductions and creating the essential questions, critical reading, thinking and analysis, visual analysis, poetry, and Writer’s Workshop (end of each unit).

Through significant, college-level reading in all genre (fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry), multi-modal writing, class discussions, presentations/speeches, research, and the creation of their own pieces of literature, students will develop their proficiency as clear thinkers, readers, writers and speakers. Literature will be used as the means to examine historical, as well as current ideas regarding essential questions of what it means to be human and what it means to be a contributing member of the global community.

Major units of study include: Introductions and creating the essential questions, critical reading, thinking and analysis, visual analysis, poetry, and Writer’s Workshop (end of each unit).

In this course, students will learn about the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development of children from conception to age 5. We will study a variety of developmental theories that will help us understand why young children act the way that they do. We will also learn about the enormous role that these early years have on a child's development and ultimately who they become later in life. Students will raise a virtual child from birth to age 18 allowing students to monitor the effects of their parenting decisions over time and connect our course work with a simulated practical “experience” of raising a virtual baby to bring the developmental principles to life.

This course is for students who have already taken Child Psychology 1 and want to delve deeper into its content. Course topics include: career paths working with children; the history, theory, and foundations of early childhood education; principles of child development and developmental theories; developmentally appropriate activities for young children; developmentally appropriate practices of guidance. Students will participate in a hands-on learning experience at Edina's Early Learning center by volunteering in-person for 90 minutes once per week in a classroom at the ELC (time to be arranged with the teacher). 

This course is designed to increase the student’s skills in basic food preparation.  Emphasis is on practical experiences of cooking and nutrition.  Labs include breads, main dishes, side dishes, cakes, desserts and snacks.

Students will volunteer or work in an educational environment a minimum of 4 hours per week. Student grades will be based on two asynchronous reflective assignments and biweekly evaluations from their site supervisor. Examples of possible experiences: Kids Club Rec Leader, Elementary School Volunteer, EHS Teaching Assistant, Edina Early Learning Center volunteer, etc. All experiences must be approved by course instructor and the volunteer/work experience must be maintained for the duration of the semester. 

This course is designed to introduce students to interior design.  Topics studied include room and home design, reading and drawing floor plans, application of color and design principles, room and furniture arrangement, and  careers in the field of interior design. A major project is designing a house and furnishing this house within a specific budget.

This course is designed for students to explore what being an elementary school teacher would be like. The areas of study will include social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of school-age children, developmental theories, guidance and classroom management, family and life challenges that impact learning, and special services available for students. This course provides a hands-on learning experience at an elementary school once per week on the block day, throughout the semester. Students must provide own transportation. College credit available through Normandale Community College.

The semester-long personal finance course covers all of the essential personal finance topics necessary to become a financially capable student.  Topics include budgeting, credit, banking, investing, career, paying for college, and more.  Students will be assessed using daily activity packets, exit tickets, as well as end of unit tests. There will be a start of course diagnostic exam and an end of course final exam. By the end of this course, students will have a thorough understanding of personal finance topics and be prepared to handle the financial responsibilities that exist after graduation.

Travel and Tourism is one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries. This course will provide students with an opportunity to learn about the various aspects of travel and tourism from the local to the international level and give students a chance to explore the many career opportunities involved in it.

Advanced Music Theory and Comp is a one semester long course offered in the spring. This course is designed to sharpen students knowledge of music theory and composition. The course will continue work in the 3 music competency areas, which include: aural skills, written skills, and rhythmic skills. Course work will mirror the AP music theory curriculum, however this is not an AP offering. Additional course work will include composing a senior piece for a school chamber ensemble, and/or a chorale in style of Bach using the 18th century rules.

Students will create photographs through the use of a digital camera and computer software. They will learn techniques for taking photos (from composition to camera settings), then use Adobe Photoshop to edit their images. Projects will be based around exploring photography as an expressive art form.

This course is designed to introduce students to interior design.  Topics studied include room and home design, reading and drawing floor plans, application of color and design principles, room and furniture arrangement, and  careers in the field of interior design. A major project is designing a house and furnishing this house within a specific budget.

Intro to Music Theory Comp is a semester long course offered in the fall. This course is designed for students interested in deepening their prior knowledge of Music Theory and how it relates to their personal performance area. The course is divided into 3 sections that include aural skills such as ear training, sight singing and melodic dictation; written skills which includes harmony and chord building and figured bass; and rhythmic skills including Dalcroze movement and rhythmic dictation exercises. This course is open to the general school population. A knowledge of note reading and instrumental or vocal music background is strongly encouraged to ensure student success in the course.

Video Production 1 is an introductory course designed to provide students with an artistic and historical background of video creation. Students will learn the basics of shooting their own videos from pre-production (script writing and storyboarding) to production (video camera use, lighting, camera angles, audio) to post production (video editing). 

This course will continue the study of functions started in previous Algebra course(s). Through the study of specific functions: notably linear, exponential, and polynomial functions, students will begin to see the structure of functions, and will work with various types of numbers, from rational and irrational to complex.

Students will apply properties of numbers and properties of equality to carry out operations with different functions, with the goal of seeing the applicability to a wide range of phenomena that are natural or of human origin. The focus of transforming functions will help students build connections between the algebraic and graphical representation of functions.

This course is intended for students who have a thorough knowledge of college preparatory mathematics, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, and an in-depth understanding of elementary functions. It is expected that students have good retention in these areas, as the syllabus leaves no room for extensive review of previous course work. AP Calculus (BC) is considerably more extensive than AP Calculus (AB).

All of the calculus topics in AP Calculus (AB) are included, plus advanced integration techniques, extensive work with infinite series and tests for convergence and calculus applications to parametric and vector defined functions. It is recommended that students who take this course will take the AP Calculus exam (Form BC) and seek college credit or placement on the basis of that exam. Most colleges/universities will grant credit and placement one semester beyond that granted for AP Calculus (AB).

This course is designed for students who have completed the coursework required for graduation, but who would benefit from additional coursework in algebra, geometry and statistic mathematic topics. Additional work in these topics helps prepare students for a first year college math class, commonly called College Algebra.

The algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics topics will be chosen from the grades 9th-11th MN Mathematics Standards based on the needs of the students.

The principal emphasis of this course is the study of geometric concepts and applications. Coordinates, measurement ideas (including area and volume), congruence and similarity are studied. Geometric constructions are described as algorithms. Prior study of algebra, through the linear systems and the quadratic formula, is required. Students in this course will be assessed on the high school standard for math applications on the concepts of shape, space and measurement.

This course extends and builds on the concepts from Algebra 1. Topics introduced and extended include:

• Linear and absolute value functions
• Systems of linear equations and inequalities
• Exponents and exponential functions
• Polynomials and factoring
• Solving quadratic functions
• Manipulating functions and statistics

This class prepares students for AP Calculus AB or BC as well as a first-year college calculus course. Applications are included throughout.  Precalculus topics include the properties and graphs of the following functions:

• Polynomial
• Rational
• Power
• Exponential
• Logistic
• Logarithmic
• Trigonometric
• Complex numbers
• Polar coordinates and graphs
• Sequences and series
• Limits and derivatives

This year-long course focuses on biological concepts, theories, and principles through investigation and analysis of cells, organisms and ecosystems. Course topics will include information about biodiversity, biological evolution, cells, ecology, genetics and living systems. Students will conduct experiments and investigations that may be instructor-designed or independently created by the students. Credit achieved for this course meets state Biology graduation requirements.

This year-long course is designed to meet the needs of students who are college-bound, and whose interests generally lie in the social sciences and humanities. It is less mathematically oriented than Enriched Chemistry. Laboratory work is extensive and includes qualitative and quantitative analyses. Students will be expected to solve basic algebra problems. Credit achieved for this course meets state graduation requirements. Topics include:

• Scientific Method
• Properties of matter
• Atomic structure
• Periodic table
• Energy relationships to chemical reactions
• Formula writing and equations
• Mole concepts
• Acid-base chemistry
• Chemical bonding

This semester-long elective course is designed to educate students about Forensic Science and its applications to real crime. Students will participate in several units of study, which include: 

• Crime Scene Processing
• Code Breaking
• Handwriting Analysis
• Psychological Profiling
• Fingerprints
• DNA
• Shoe Prints
• Ballistics
• Death
• Anthropology
• Toxicology
• Terrorism
• Arson
• Hair
• Fiber
• Accident Investigation

The semester will conclude with a lab-based final that utilizes many of the topics covered during the semester.

This semester-long elective science course will introduce students to the study of carbon-based compounds, which are found in all living things and can also be prepared synthetically. The course will focus on core concepts such as bonding, nomenclature, alkanes, alkenes and aromatics, while studying topics such as fats and soaps, and fabrics and dyes. This course is designed to provide a strong foundation in organic chemistry for students interested in the fields of science, medicine, nursing, nutrition, or veterinary medicine.

This year-long course focuses on Earth Science standards. Students will engage in science practices as they learn about mechanisms and phenomena on Earth and in space. Space science topics include solar systems, laws of gravitation and planetary motion, the Big Bang Theory, and the composition of stars. The course explores Earth's atmosphere and water, including air compositions and circulations, the carbon cycle, the greenhouse effect, oceans, and wetlands. Students will also learn about geology topics, including rock formation, volcanic and tectonic activity, and wave propagation (earthquakes).

Science or Myth is a semester-long course that looks at how we distinguish fact from Myth in our current reality of Deepfakes and fake news. Science or Myth looks at how Science was applied and reported, reflecting on current and historical events relating to their cultural and historical impact. Students will problem-solve and try to prove or bust conspiracy theories making us informed citizens and able to apply scientific logic in our future endeavors.

This class is created for self-motivated and active learners. Students learn to capture the essence of living a healthy life throughout the semester in this Online Guided Wellness course. Students will participate via synchronous and asynchronous lessons.

Students will have the opportunity to self-design their own fitness program with the guidance of their teacher. Furthermore, to fulfill the requirements of this course, individuals must participate in a minimum of five separate forty-five minute workouts per week, verified by a personal trainer, coach, teacher, or adult supervising the program.

Additionally, students will enhance their mind-body connection through online resources covering topics such as nutrition, sleep habits, mental health, mindfulness, and stress management.

This class is created for self-motivated learners. The Online Health curriculum will be the same content as the face-to-face model but offered online via synchronous and asynchronous lessons. This course is designed for students to gain knowledge and develop attitudes to make responsible decisions that enhance individual, family, and community health.

Students will evaluate selected areas of contemporary health issues. Community speakers, projects, simulations, and small group work will be used to augment the oral and written work.

This class is created for self-motivated and active learners. The Online Personal Wellness curriculum will be the same content as the face-to-face model but offered online via synchronous and asynchronous lessons.

Students will explore how physical activity improves overall health through sport activities, group fitness classes, and traditional games. Students will participate in activity through various forms of group fitness including dance, yoga, team sports, and conditioning exercises. such as walking, running, and strength training.

Classroom instruction incorporates life-long skills in the areas of nutrition, sleep habits, mental health, mindfulness, and stress management. Personal Wellness focuses on students making connections between the decisions they make and the long/short-term consequences.

Cultural Geography is a year-long course that will prepare students to develop the foundational inquiry and critical thinking skills to be successful in upper-level social studies classes, including AP courses. By pairing human geography with content and methodologies of ethnic studies, history and civics, this course engages students in project-based learning to develop understandings in cultural, linguistic, and ethnic differences as they enter a globalized job market and diverse community.

Utilizing a variety of non-fiction texts builds and supports students' skills in reading as they embark on inquiry-based research, historical contextualization, and argumentation writing in a history day project. Cultural Geography supports students' development of personal and community identities, civic discourse and reasoning skills.

This course directly aligns to Strategy B in the Edina Public Schools Strategic Plan. It creates learning environments and curricula that enable staff and students to learn from and reflect on their own and others' experiences; explore multiple perspectives; practice civil discourse; encourage empathy; create interpersonal connections and embrace diverse identities. 

This course fulfills state standards in Geography and Ethnic Studies as well as partial standards in Government and US History.

In this course, students will analyze the systematic ways in which people address the problem of allocating scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants, with particular emphasis on the American capitalistic system. Students will be introduced to the basic principles of micro and macroeconomics, and will be expected to apply these principles to problems concerning the individual firm, and the national and international economies. This course is a part of the sequence of Social Studies courses that will meet the geography standards.  

This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive analysis of the authority, structure and procedure of American government. Major topics include the constitutional foundation, the politics of democracy and roles of the executive, legislative and judicial branches in the federal system. Emphasis is placed on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.

In addition, students should develop the skills of inquiry and research necessary to interpret and make judgments regarding government actions in a complex society and world. Contemporary events, as they relate to course topics, are discussed through the year.

In this course students will study the development of political, social, economic and diplomatic history of the United States, with emphasis on the years 1877 to the present. Programs of various presidential administrations and major economic and political ideas that have influenced the development of our American system will be studied.

The fourth quarter will be devoted to the study of the United States in a world setting. Emphasis will be placed on how other countries relate to the United States in terms of current economic, political, environmental and social issues.

A study of how decisions made in the United States affect other nations and cultures will also be investigated. The contributions of many different groups of people to the development of the United States will be examined. This course is a part of the sequence of Social Studies courses that will meet the geography standards.  

This year-long course will have a global focus using geographic themes, especially migration of people, ideas, trade etc. Other themes may include regional comparison and human environment/interaction. Students will learn through lecture and traditional work, cooperative work and research. Assessments will include tests, essays and projects. This course is a part of the sequence of Social Studies courses that will meet the geography standards.  

In this introduction to investing course, students will learn the basics of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. The main topics include: 1) the time value of money and how it drives investing; 2) uncertainty and the trade-off between risk and return; 3) the history of capital markets; 4) major stock indexes: (5) managing a diversified portfolio, and (6) corporate strategy. 

The semester-long personal finance course covers all of the essential personal finance topics necessary to become a financially capable student.  Topics include budgeting, credit, banking, investing, career, paying for college, and more.  Students will be assessed using daily activity packets, exit tickets, as well as end of unit tests. There will be a start of course diagnostic exam and an end of course final exam. By the end of this course, students will have a thorough understanding of personal finance topics and be prepared to handle the financial responsibilities that exist after graduation.

Travel and Tourism is one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries. This course will provide students with an opportunity to learn about the various aspects of travel and tourism from the local to the international level and give students a chance to explore the many career opportunities involved in it.