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Millennium Charter Academy

Course Catalog for Upper School

2016-2017

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Millennium Charter Academy 2017-2018 Course Catalog

Mission and Vision …………………………………………………………....3

Features of MCA high school………………………………………………...4

Graduation requirements……………………………….,,,,,,,,,………….....5

Eighth grade courses (for high school credit):…………………….……….6

English …………….……………………………………………………………...8

History……………………………………………………………………………..9

Mathematics……………………………………………………………..……..10

Sciences……………………………………………………………………...…..11

Languages…………………………………………………………………...…..12

Core Requirements………………………………………………………..…...14

Electives……………………………………………………………………..…...14

Summer Courses…………………………………………………………...….16

MCA

2016-2017

Table of

Contents

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Millennium Charter Academy is an independent, public

school whose classroom is the community, which invites par-ents, teachers, students, and the community to collectively

challenge each child to achieve superior academic standards

and to develop the highest moral character. We will ex-pand educational choice with an innovative, student-centered

environment producing life-long learners equipped with the

knowledge and critical-thinking skills necessary to become

leaders in the 21st Century.

As a natural advancement of our stated Mission and Goals, Millen-

nium Charter Academy will develop citizens of virtuous character who think well and, as leaders, contribute to our communities, our

nation, and the world. Our students will understand that a good

citizen rules and is ruled; is independent, yet simultaneously in re-lation with others; and, is grounded in an honest search for knowa-

ble, universal truth, goodness, and beauty. To foster this model of

citizenship, we will maintain our delivery of a robust, liberal arts curriculum, deepen our implementation of classical education, and

continue our principle-based discipline grounded in love for the in-

dividual and respect for the corporate good, as well as a belief in

redemption and growth. Through these means, we will increase our attention to developing the following characteristics of citizen-

ship in our students:

an awareness of themselves as members of a community, from

local to national to global;

a devotion to intellectual and moral integrity, including an

ability to fashion credible ideas and to argue logically;

a respect for the rule of law; and

an appreciation of American constitutional

democracy

Mission

Vision

MCA

2016-2017

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Features of Upper School

· Superior academic standards · Excellent moral tone · Community of trust and integrity · Family atmosphere · Authentic learning through use of great works of literature and primary source

material in history and science · Emphasis on discussion of “big ideas” · Balanced foundational curriculum with emphasis on the humanities, the arts,

and STEM · Innovative uses of state-of-the-art technology

Transitions/Rites of passage

· Eighth grade invitatory · Ninth grade plans special event to welcome eighth grade · Freshman retreat · Increased freedoms and responsibilities per grade level

Grades 9-12

· Freshman Odyssey: a two-day, fun-filled, team-building, truth-seeking adven-ture

· The Millennium Colloquium: A series of special times set aside to explore inter-esting topics, synthesize learning, gain inspiration and create products; three days in August, one day in October, five days in January, one day in February and two days in April.

· Self-scheduling · Rigorous and open discussion in all classrooms as students and teachers pur-

sue truth · Opportunities for role-modeling, tutoring, and mentoring of younger students · College counselor, college tours, college informational events · Partnership with North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics for stu-

dents who need courses not provided by MCA · Student life: A commons area for coffee and conversation; dances, bonfires, ski

trips, mountain climbing, etc. · Student government: A unique model in which students serve on councils that

oversee all aspects of high school life, encouraging them to be self-governing · Honor council: adjudicates on breaches of the honor code · Service opportunities · New athletic facility · Wide array of academic clubs and competitions · Elective clusters: students build on their passions through elective clusters in

arts and humanities, STEM, or entrepreneurship · Un-exams: rather than a stressful exam week, students demonstrate their

learning in creative ways

Senior privileges

· Open campus · Early dismissal and/or late arrival, schedule permitting · Senior capstone project: seniors bring their four years of learning into play to explore an area of interest, participate in an internship or mentorship, then write and present a thesis paper. · European or trans-American educational, thematic tour

Features of

Upper School

MCA

2016-2017

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Content Area NC Requirements MCA Requirements

English 4 credits:

English I, II, III, IV

4 credits:

Honors English I: Ancient and Classical Litera-

ture and Grammar

Honors English II: European and Early American

Literature and Composition

Honors English III: Contemporary Literature

Honors English IV: Great Books and Rhetoric or

Social Studies 4 credits:

Civics and Economics

World History

American History or AP US History

4 credits:

Honors World History

Honors European History

Honors American History or AP US History

Civics and Government or AP Civics and Govern-

Mathematics 4 credits:

Algebra I

Geometry

Algebra II

4 credits:

Algebra I

Geometry

Logic I and Algebra II

Science 3 credits:

Biology

Environmental Science

A physical science

4 credits:

Honors Biology

Honors Environmental Science

Honors Chemistry

World Languages Not required 2 Credits:

Health and Physical

Education

1 Credit: 1 Credit:

Arts Education Part of six required electives 1 Credit:

Electives 6 credits, including arts and world lan-

guages

3 credits from elective clusters

Senior Project Not required 1 credit, related to elective cluster

T o t a l 2 2 c r e d i t s 2 4 c r e d i t s

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*Advanced English and Rhetoric

Rhetoric, simply put, is the art of writing and speaking well. Through- out history, men and women have used the power of the written and spoken word to inform, persuade, and delight. Students in 8th Grade English and Rhetoric will be doing just that. They will examine how rhetoric shapes hearts and minds before composing and delivering influential rhetoric of their own. The literary content of the course consists of studying traditional 8th grade selections such as Avi, Golding, Orwell, Bradbury, and Lee. Because this will be treated like a high school course, students will be expected to push their independent work further than ever before in both quality and depth of thought as they strive to take their compositional and rhetorical skills to the next level.

*Algebra I

Algebra is designed to give students the requisite skills that provide a foundation for all future mathematics courses. Students will create and reason with linear and quadratic equations and inequalities; interpret and build linear, exponential, and quadratic functions; express geometric proper-

ties with equations; and interpret categorical and quantitative data.

*Earth and Environmental Science

This course will address objectives in eighth grade science as well as cover topics in Earth and Environmental Science. Students will take the eighth grade EOG in science and a final exam in Earth

and Environmental Science.

*Advanced Contemporary American History

A high degree of motivation and success in seventh grade history is a prerequisite for this course. The course will explore the history of the United States from 1950 to the present, as well as an overview of North Carolina history. The course will be faster-paced and explore topics more in

depth than the general eighth grade history course.

English and

Rhetoric

Mathematics

History

Science

GRADE8

2016-2017

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Spanish

* Latin IB (Pre-requisite, Latin IA)

In this course of study, we use a combination of reading and listening to acquire Latin. The focus is on language acquisition — the ability to read Latin — instead of language decoding. This intuitive and inductive ap-proach is based on an online immersion experience in which the students role-play a fictional character in ancient Italy. This requires not only the abil-ity to read Latin, an increasing proficiency in composing Latin, but also cul-tural and historical knowledge in order to negotiate successfully in the im-mersion scenarios. Hence, the approach is holistic and puts language in a context rather than presenting it as disembodied vocabulary lists and para-digms. Eighth graders who take this course will receive one high school cred-

it and qualify for Latin II in high school.

* Spanish IB (pre-requisite, Spanish IA)

This class is a continuation of Spanish 1A and introduces the funda- mental elements of the Spanish language within a cultural context. Emphasis is placed on the development of basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Upon completion, students will be able to comprehend basic vocabulary and grammatical structures through listen- ing and reading in Spanish. Students will be able to communicate orally us-ing basic phrases in Spanish. Students will be able to respond in writing to common elementary level questions in Spanish. Students will be able to demonstrate a cultural awareness of the many Spanish speaking countries and peoples. Students will be able to engage in critical thinking through ac-tively using the Spanish language and through analyzing various cultural topics related to Spanish speaking countries. An eighth grader taking this course will be awarded one high school credit in language and will be pre-pared for Spanish II in high school.

*Courses for high school credit

Latin

GRADE8

2016-2017

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Honors English I: Ancient and Classical Literature

The literary content of English I consists of studying representative Great Books of the Western World, Greece and Rome in particular. Selec-tions include Homer, Sophocles, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Vergil. The writing con-tent includes a variety of writing exercises that incorporate traditional compositional

and rhetorical skills.

Honors English II: Medieval and Renaissance Literature

In English II we build on the foundation of Ancient Near Eastern, Greek and Roman literature studied in English I. We begin with representative works of the Anglo-Saxon period of England, continue with the Medieval and Early Modern periods of Western Europe, and end with an introduction to early American colonial writings. We read works by Dante, Chaucer, de Cervantes, Milton, and (though he does not measure up to these other giants!) Benjamin Franklin. Writing assignments are based primarily on the literature we read, and build on the skills acquired in Eng-

lish I.

Honors English III: Literature of the Western Tradition in the Modern World

Building upon prior courses that students have taken during their tenth grade year related to Western history and literature, English III will examine the ways in which writers and poets of the modern world have sought to understand major questions and themes within the Western tradition. In working with literature that was writ-ten during the modern world, students will read British, American, and Continen-tal European authors from the seventeenth through the twenty-first centuries. While reading these great works of literature, we will be asking the deepest ques-tions of human existence and looking for ways in which some of the greatest minds of the modern world have responded to them. English III is an Honors Course, so students should expect to produce a high level of academic quality and depth. Stu-dents should also be ready to thoroughly enjoy the ride. These pieces of literature are well-known for a reason: Throughout the centuries, they have inspired people with their beauty, depth, and timelessness. Therefore, it the hope of this class that students will fall in love with literature while also engaging meaningfully with vital questions concerning the human condition. Finally, this course is an example of humane letters, which means that students will be able to tap into history, art, and philosophy as they analytically and imaginatively explore themselves and the

literature that has informed deeply our culture and tradition.

English

MCA

2016-2017

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Honors World History: Ancient and Classical History

This course will explore the foundations of history beginning with Ancient Mesopotamian civilizations, proceeding to the great river civilizations, and then emphasizing the classical worlds of Greece and Rome. Through primary source readings as well as secondary sources, students will explore the peo-ple and ideas that shaped early word history and seek to understand world views of these great civilizations that persisted for millennia. This course will

parallel the English I course in its sequence.

Honors European History: Middle Ages through the Enlightenment

In this course, we will investigate a variety of ways in which European histo-ry from the Medieval period through the Enlightenment informed and shaped the Western Tradition. To this end, we will be studying some of the most important philosophical, political, social, cultural, and religious ideas ever conceived. We will also look at the actions of individuals during these periods along with the political, social, and religious institutions that emerged and evolved. This is an honors course, and students are expected to build upon their prior knowledge of history as well as their skills in criti-cal thinking, reading comprehension, speaking, writing, research, and higher-level thinking, which we will continue to refine. This course will use a varie-ty of methods to enable students to engage with the materials in creative and meaningful ways. The list of activities includes lectures, discussions, small-group work on various topics, trials, debates, library/online research, films, map work, art and art history exercises, writing instruction, work with pri-

mary sources, and various creative response projects.

Honors American History

William Faulkner once stated that, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” The truth of Faulkner’s words only emphasizes the importance of studying history and learning from the actions of those who have gone before us. In this honors American history course, students will discover the very foundations of the United States of America and embark on a journey that illuminates how our country was founded, the structure of our government, and what it means to be a citizen. We will also trace the history of our na-tion throughout the course of the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries in hopes that students will understand more fully about their country along with both the freedoms and the responsibilities that come with living in a constitutional, democratic republic. This class will enable stu-dents to improve their critical thinking, writing, research, and reading com-prehension skills along with “soft” skills such as debating, speaking, and listening. Nonetheless, at MCA, we strive for all students to recognize and grow in truth, beauty, and goodness. Therefore, we situate the important technical skills within a larger framework of cultivating virtuous and noble citizens whose pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness will help to form their

lives as leaders of our communities and nation.

History

MCA

2016-2017

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AP U.S. History

Advanced Placement U.S. History (APUSH) prepares students to take the examination offered by the College Board, which is in alignment with the Advanced Placement Program. If successful, students will earn college credits for taking this course. With this in mind, students will be receiving the level of content and in-struction that they would have in a college-level American history survey course. To prepare properly for the AP exam, students will study US history in its entirety: from the Native Americans (just before contact with Europeans) until the present day. But this course is meant not only to prepare students to take a test and re-ceive college credits. It is the objective of this course also to provide an excellent opportunity for students to gain broader and deeper perspectives on what it means to be an American in the twenty-first century. Even further, this course will demonstrate how American history is so intimately linked and in continuity with the Western Tradition, and how the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness contin-ues onward to this very day within the American context (just as it has for millen-nia in a variety of other contexts). Therefore, students must be prepared for a pro-foundly rigorous and complex curriculum, and to be challenged deeply with the breadth and depth of coursework. But students should also enjoy this class, and through academic rigor (combined with a loving intellect) also seek to understand themselves and the world around them more fully. It is this combination of factors

that will make this course an exhilarating and illuminating journey.

Algebra Readiness

This course is designed for students who enter high school needing more time to prepare for Algebra I. Students will prepare for success in future mathemat-ics courses by building content knowledge to meet standards in number and opera-tions, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis and probability. The pro-cesses of problem solving, reasoning, communication, connections, and representa-

tion are interwoven throughout the course.

Honors Algebra I

Algebra is designed to give students the requisite skills that provide a foundation for all future mathematics courses. Students will create and reason with linear and quadratic equations and inequalities; interpret and build linear, exponential, and quadratic functions; express geometric properties with equations; and interpret cat-

egorical and quantitative data.

Honors Geometry

In this course students will engage in activities that allow them to create geometric understanding. Students use the tools of geometry to develop, verify, and prove geo-metric principles and relationships. Through this process, students make conjec-tures and conclusions. This course will cover transformations in the coordinate

plane, congruency, similarity, right triangle trigonometry, and circle theorems.

Honors Algebra II

In this course, the basic concepts from Algebra I are enriched. Topics that we will study will include graphing, analyzing, and interpreting func-tions including polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions, systems of linear equations and inequalities, conic sections;

exponents and radicals

Math

MCA

2016-2017

History

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Honors Pre-calculus

This course will provide an in-depth study of all topics essential to the study of AP Calculus. Students will be actively engaged in problem solving, rea-soning, connecting and communicating mathematically as they explore families of functions. Special emphasis will be on the exponential, logarithmic, logistic, trigo-nometric and inverse trigonometric functions from numerical, graphical, and alge-braic approaches. Additional topics to be investigated include sequences, series, polar coordinate system, DeMoivre’s theorem, binomial theorem and math induc-

tion.

Honors Biology

Biology is devoted to the study of living things, their structures, processes and value. In this course students will be given the opportunity to develop their scientific process skills, laboratory techniques, and understanding and applica-

tion of content. Content areas include the following:

Cell Biology

Ecology

Genetics

Evolution

Molecular biology

Anatomy and physiology

Honors Earth and Environmental Science

This course investigates the earth’s place in the universe and man’s place and im

pact on the earth and its ecosystems. Areas of concentration include:

1.The role of Earth as a body in space.

2: The way in which processes and forces affect the lithosphere.

3: How human influences impact the lithosphere.

4: The structure and processes within the hydrosphere.

5: The structure of and processes within our atmosphere.

7: Voices for and against climate change.

8: The effects of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere individually and

collectively on the biosphere.

9: Evaluate human behaviors in terms of how likely they are to ensure the ability

to live sustainably on Earth

Honors Chemistry

Honors Chemistry includes the study of the composition, structure, proper-ties and change of matter. Students will learn skills required to be confi-dent and successful in the laboratory, applying the concepts that they have

learned through experimentation and modeling.

Science

MCA

2016-2017

Math

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AP Earth and Environmental Science

The goal of the AP Environmental Science course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to un-derstand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze en-vironmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. Environmental science is interdisciplinary; it em-braces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. Yet there are sever-al major unifying constructs, or themes, that cut across the many topics in-cluded in the study of environmental science. The following themes provide a

foundation for the structure of the AP Environmental Science course.

1. Science is a process. • Science is a method of learning more about the world.

• Science constantly changes the way we understand the world.

2. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes. • Energy cannot be cre-ated; it must come from somewhere. • As energy flows through systems, at

each step more of it becomes unusable.

3. The Earth itself is one interconnected system. • Natural systems change over time and space. • Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from dis-

turbances.

4. Humans alter natural systems. • Humans have had an impact on the envi-ronment for millions of years. • Technology and population growth have ena-bled humans to increase both the rate and scale of their impact on the environ-

ment.

5. Environmental problems have a cultural and social context. • Understanding the role of cultural, social, and economic factors is vital to the development of

solutions.

6. Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustaina-ble systems. • A suitable combination of conservation and development is re-

quired. • Management of common resources is essential.

Honors Spanish I

This class introduces the fundamental elements of the Spanish language within a cultural context. Emphasis is placed on the development of basic lis-tening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Upon completion, students will be able to comprehend basic vocabulary and grammatical structures through listen-ing and reading at the elementary level in Spanish. Students will be able to com-municate orally and formulate complete sentences to basic questions and an-swers at the elementary level in Spanish. Students will be able to respond in writing to common elementary level questions in Spanish. Students will be able to demonstrate a cultural awareness of the many Spanish speaking countries and peoples. Students will be able to engage in critical thinking through actively us-ing the Spanish language and through analyzing various cultural topics related to Spanish speaking countries.

Languages

MCA

2016-2017

Science

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Honors Spanish II This class is a continuation of Spanish I focusing on the fundamental ele-ments of the Spanish language within a cultural context. Emphasis is placed on the progressive development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Upon com-pletion, students will be able to comprehend basic vocabulary and grammatical struc-tures through listening and reading at the elementary level in Spanish. Students will be able to communicate orally and formulate complete sentences to basic questions and answers at the elementary level in Spanish. Students will be able to respond in writing to common elementary level questions in Spanish. Students will be able to demonstrate a cultural awareness of the many Spanish speaking countries and peoples. Students will be able to regularly engage in critical thinking through actively using the Spanish language and through analyzing various cultural topics related to Spanish speaking countries. Honors Spanish III This class is a continuation of Spanish II focusing on the fundamental elements of the Spanish language within a cultural context. Emphasis is placed on the progressive de-velopment of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Upon completion, students will be able to demonstrate an accurate understanding of spoken Spanish and respond to complex questions in Spanish. Students will be able to communicate effectively, ac-curately and creatively about the present, past and future when using the Spanish lan-guage. Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of edited written texts and write structurally correct compositions at an intermediate level of Spanish. Students will be able to demonstrate a cultural awareness of the many Spanish speak-ing countries and peoples. Students will be able to engage in critical thinking through actively using the Spanish language and through analyzing various cultural topics re-lated to Spanish speaking countries.

Honors Spanish IV

This class is a continuation of Spanish III focusing on the fundamental elements of the

Spanish language within a cultural context. Emphasis is placed on the progressive de-

velopment of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Upon completion, students

will be able to demonstrate an accurate understanding of spoken Spanish and respond

to complex questions in Spanish. Students will be able to communicate effectively, ac-

curately and creatively about the present, past and future when using the Spanish lan-

guage. Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of edited written

texts and write structurally correct compositions at an intermediate level of Spanish.

Students will be able to demonstrate a cultural awareness of the many Spanish speak-

ing countries and peoples. Students will be able to engage in critical thinking through

actively using the Spanish language and through analyzing various cultural topics re-

lated to Spanish speaking countries.

Honors Latin I

In this course of study, we use a combination of reading and listening to acquire Latin. The focus is on language acquisition — the ability to read Latin — instead of language decoding. This intuitive and inductive approach is based on an online immersion expe-rience in which the students role-play a fictional character in ancient Italy. This re-quires not only the ability to read Latin, an increasing proficiency in compos-ing Latin, but also cultural and historical knowledge in order to negotiate successfully in the immersion scenarios. Hence, the approach is holistic and puts language in a context rather than presenting it as disembodied vocabu-

lary lists and paradigms.

Languages

MCA

2016-2017

14

Core Requirements

Health and Fitness

Students will learn about and participate in health and fitness from all major areas of health which include physical, mental, and social health. The students will be given a va-riety of teaching techniques, activities, assignments, and tests which will allow all stu-

dents to succeed.

High School Band (Two trimesters= 0.5 credit)

This course focuses on performance. Students are required to perform in at least two Christmas concerts, two spring concerts and other events, possibly outside regular school hours. Students may have the opportunity

to travel as well.

Choir

In this course the student will practice ear training and vocalizing in preparation for

auditions, competitions, and public performances. They will learn to sing harmony

and sight-sing with skilled phrasing, pitch, and rhythm. The choir will learn various

styles of music throughout history from medieval to contemporary. There will be

opportunities for smaller ensembles as well as full choir.

MCA

2016-2017

Electives

Core

Requirements

15

Art and Installation

Students will plan and implement a small body of art and install this work in a gallery. High School students wishing to take the art elective for 2016-17 should be familiar with ancient and modern art movements and the use vari-ous art media which may include: painting-acrylic, oils, watercolor; printmaking; ce-ramics; drawing in any media. A brief review of these periods/movements and media will begin the course. Students will determine their influences then plan 5-6 art piec-es using the media and style of their choice. Students will plan size and dimensions of pieces as well as subject matter, relying on previous learning experiences and instruc-tor input. The course will culminate during spring trimester with the installation of student pieces in a gallery off campus and an art opening. Included in the course will be trips to different galleries as reference and inspiration. Students will plan their own goals and a contract will be created to determine grading. This will be an exciting and productive class based on a classical learning model of mentorship and modeling of

skills by the instructor.

Musical Theater

Students will learn and practice fun, creative musical theatre techniques, which com-bine acting, voice, and dance, along with audition tips, stagecraft, backstage produc-tion techniques, specialty skills from guest artists, critique skills, music theory, re-hearsal and performance techniques. Whether you want to be the star or a backstage hero, you will play a key role in our productions throughout the musical theatre

course.

Honors Economics

In this course students will master fundamental economic concepts, appreciate how the principal concepts of economics relate to each other and understand the structure of economic systems. Students will use economic concepts in a reasoned, careful manner in dealing with personal, community, national and global economic issues. They will use measurement concepts and methods such as tables, charts, graphs, ra-tios, percentages and index numbers to understand and interpret relevant data. They

should learn to make reasoned decisions on economics

Honors Issues in Science

This course will be a study of the issues surrounding science, beginning with building a foundation of understanding through a discussion based-exploration of historical and philosophical perspectives in science. With this foundation in mind, the course will move into contemporary issues in science and research methodologies. The course will culmi-nate in study of bioethics.

Advanced Musicianship

This course includes a balanced comprehensive study of music that develops skills in the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains. Classroom activities are designed to develop elements of musicianship including tone production, technical skills, into-nation, music reading skills, listening skills, analyzing music, studying historically significant styles of literature, transposition, composition, and integration of other ap-plicable disciplines such as sight-reading and correct responses to a con-ductor’s musical insight to the literature being studied and to be per-formed. The sole purpose of the class is to prepare the student for real

world applications involving music while developing them as artists.

Electives

MCA

2016-2017

16

Summer courses will carry one full credit. The workload in a summer course will be equivalent to a full year of a course conducted for fifty minutes a day. These courses will involve independent study with online components and with periodic check-in with the instructor. The courses will include periodic assignments to be handed in as well as a final ex-am. These courses will comprise an elective credit and will be especially helpful for those students needing to make up a credit to fulfill the gradu-

ation requirements.

The Story of Science

In this class students will walk through the history of science starting with some of the great philosophers and scientists of early times. This class will be taken online with students completing weekly assignments based on the text and working on a culminating project connecting early science with modern science. Students will also be required to take a final exam.

History Through Art

This course is a guided independent learning experience focused on understanding and implementing concepts from art historical periods and movements. The course is designed to give a basic overview of Art

History.

Summer

courses

MCA

2016-2017