Electives

630 - MUSIC APPRECIATION 1 - (gr 9, 10,11, 12) 1 CREDIT

This is an introductory course intended to help expand a student's knowledge base regarding several musical genres. Students will interact with various musical styles and mediums throughout this course, dating back to the first known incidents involving the creation of music. Students will also be exposed to music theory, with the goal of appreciation and a full understanding of the musical process and development. 

1162 – MYTHOLOGY   1 CREDIT

This course will explore the question: how does ancient mythology connect with our lives today? Students will read and act out in class myths from around the world written as plays to learn how ancient myths can teach us lessons for today.

604 – INTRODUCTION TO FINE ARTS CP1  1 CREDIT

Introduction to Art is the introduction to art classes. Students will learn how to use elements of art such as line, shape, and color as well as principles of design like balance, contrast, and movement. There are four units of study focusing on increasing ability in the techniques of Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, and Sculpture. Students will enhance artistic and creative abilities, understand art careers and current events, and see how art allows us to understand a visual language.

650 – INTRODUCTION TO MIXED MEDIA ART CP1  1 CREDIT Introduction to mixed media is a type of visual art that combines more than one medium or material. This class inspires students to explore their creativity while learning new artistic techniques and approaches. Projects will introduce students to a wide variety of media, including textile design, drawing, painting, printmaking, stained glass, collage, and sculpture.

1232- INTRODUCTION TO ACTING CP 1  1 CREDIT

This course is designed for students with little to no theater experience and promotes enjoyment and appreciation for all aspects of theater. Classwork focuses on the exploration of theater literature, performance, historical and cultural connections, and technical requirements. Improvisations, creative dramatics, and the beginning scene work are used to introduce students to acting and character development. Incorporation of other art forms in theater also helps students gain an appreciation for other art forms such as music, dance, and visual art.

1235-THEATER PRODUCTION ARTS CP 1  1 CREDIT

Students will learn a variety of different jobs that are done on the technical side of the theater, including stagecraft, scene design, lighting, sound, costume design, make-up design, props, stage management, house management, box office management, and publicity.

1236- INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATER CP1  1 CREDIT

Students are introduced to musical theater, musical theater history, singing, performing, and some dance. Each student will have a series of songs to work on during the course and will perform at the end of the year.

1132 - DRAMA & PLAY PRODUCTION   1 CREDIT

The Keefe Tech drama/play/production class will study and perform monologues and soliloquies, scenes, and the various play production formats. This is an applied class in which students will develop voice and movement through a variety of improvisational exercises performed both in the classroom and in the school auditorium. Students will be fluent in the rudimentary skills necessary to be successful as actors, directors, stage managers, backstage, and technical operators, depending upon their area(s) of focus. Students will be assessed on their proactive and enthusiastic class participation in addition to academic presentations, brief written responses, and journal entries. Students will learn that theatrical talents are versatile and may directly inform many on-the-job-skills regardless of career choice. Texts considered will include, but are in no way limited to, those written by the following playwrights: August Wilson, David Ives, Wendy Wasserstein, William Shakespeare, Craig Lucas, Arthur Miller, Sam Shepard, Moises Kaufman, Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Lorraine Hansberry.

617 – INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE CP1  1 CREDIT

Exploring Computer Science courses present students with the conceptual underpinnings of computer science through an exploration of human computer interaction, web design, computer programming, data modeling, and robotics. While these courses include programming, the focus is on the computational practices associated with doing computer science, rather than just a narrow focus on coding, syntax, or tools. Exploring Computer Science courses teach students the computational practices of algorithm design, problem solving, and programming within a context that is relevant to their lives.

 

630- MUSIC APPRECIATION I  1 CREDIT

This is an introductory course intended to help expand a student's knowledge base regarding several musical genres. Students will interact with varous musical styles and mediums throughout this course, dating back to the first known incidents involving the creation of music. Students will also be exposed to music theory, with the goal of appreciation and a sull understanding of the musical process and development. 

631- MUSIC APPRECIATION II  1 CREDIT

Although this course is a continuation of Music Appreciation 1, it can be fully enjoyed by students who have yet to take that foundational class. Students will take a deeper look into the Characteristics of 20th-century music. They will begin to see how the music of that time influenced popular music by comparing and contrasting it with various modern-day genres. Students will also explore the music world and be able to make cultural connections. 

642 – CERAMICS CP1  1 CREDIT

This course is designed for students who have an interest in working with clay, and gives students experience in making functional as well as sculptural pieces, using a variety of techniques. (Pre Req: Intro to Fine Arts)

604 – INTRODUCTION TO FINE ARTS CP1  1 CREDIT

Introduction to Art is the introduction to art classes. Students will learn how to use elements of art such as line, shape, and color as well as principles of design like balance, contrast, and movement. There are four units of study focusing on increasing ability in the techniques of Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, and Sculpture. Students will enhance artistic and creative abilities, understand art careers and current events, and see how art allows us to understand a visual language.

650 – INTRODUCTION TO MIXED MEDIA ART CP1  1 CREDIT

Introduction to mixed media is a type of visual art that combines more than one medium or material. This class inspires students to explore their creativity while learning new artistic techniques and approaches. Projects will introduce students to a wide variety of media, including textile design, drawing, painting, printmaking, stained glass, collage, and sculpture.

660-MIXED MEDIA EXPLORATIONS CP1 1 CREDIT

This class is open to students in grades 10-12 who have successfully taken Intro to Mixed Media and are interested in new and conceptual ways to explore the arts. This class focuses on advanced methods of painting, fiber arts, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and collage. Students will learn to combine both conventional and unconventional materials to create fine arts pieces.

1232- INTRODUCTION TO ACTING CP 1  1 CREDIT

This course is designed for students with little to no theater experience and promotes enjoyment and appreciation for all aspects of theater. Classwork focuses on the exploration of theater literature, performance, historical and cultural connections, and technical requirements. Improvisations, creative dramatics, and the beginning scene work are used to introduce students to acting and character development. Incorporation of other art forms in theater also helps students gain an appreciation for other art forms such as music, dance, and visual art.

1235-THEATER PRODUCTION ARTS CP 1  1 CREDIT

Students will learn a variety of different jobs that are done on the technical side of the theater, including stagecraft, scene design, lighting, sound, costume design, make-up design, props, stage management, house management, box office management, and publicity.

1236- INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATER CP1  1 CREDIT

Students are introduced to musical theater, musical theater history, singing, performing, and some dance. Each student will have a series of songs to work on during the course and will perform at the end of the year.

1238- SPEECH AND DEBATE CP1  1 CREDIT

Students will learn how to become persuasive presenters and debaters by preparing a variety of speeches and engaging in planned debates with fellow classmates. They will develop skills in research, projection, listening, creating strong counter arguments, and how to carry themselves when presenting to a group of people.

603 - INTRODUCTION TO CAD  1 CREDIT

This is an introductory course that focuses on the basic skills required to create and edit drawings with SoftPlan software. Students are introduced to 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional software commonly used in the industry. This is a hands-on project- based class focused on reading and understanding detailed drawings. Projects consist of creating, editing, and dimensioning drawings.

3031 - INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING DESIGN (HON) 1 CREDIT

Introduction to Engineering Design (IED) is a course that is appropriate for students who are interested in design and engineering or another technical career. The major focus of the IED course is to expose students to a design process, professional communication and collaboration methods, design ethics, and technical documentation. IED gives students the opportunity to develop skills in research and analysis, teamwork, technical writing, engineering graphics, and problem solving through activity-, project-, and problem-based (APPB) learning. Used in combination with a teaming approach, APPB-learning challenges students to continually hone their interpersonal skills and creative abilities while applying math, science, and technology knowledge learned in other courses to solve engineering design problems and communicate their solutions. IED also allows students to develop strategies to enable and direct their own learning--an ultimate goal of education.

603-COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN (CAD) CP1  1 CREDIT

This is an introductory course for grade 10 students that focuses on the basic skills required to create and edit drawings with specialized software. Students are introduced to 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional software commonly used in industry. This is a hands-on, project-based class focused on reading and understanding detailed drawings. Projects consist of creating, editing and dimensional drawings.

 

630- music appreciation I  1 credit

This is an introductory course intended to help expand a student's knowledge base regarding several musical genres. Students will interact with various musical styles and mediums through this course, dating back to the first known incidents involving the creation of music. Students will also be exposed to music theory, with the goal of appreciation and a full understanding of the musical process and development. 

631- MUSIC APPRECIATION II   I CREDIT

Although this course is a continuation of Music Appreciation 1, it can be fully enjoyed by the students who have yet tot ake that foundational class. Students will take a deeper look into the characteristics of 20th-century music. They will begin to see how the music of that time influenced popular music by comparing and contrasting it with various modern-day genres. Students will also explore the music of the world and be able to make cultural connections. 

1162 – MYTHOLOGY 1 CREDIT

This course will explore the question: how does ancient mythology connect with our lives today? Students will read and act out in class myths from around the world written as plays to learn how ancient myths can teach us lessons for today.

604 – INTRODUCTION TO FINE ARTS CP1  1 CREDIT

Introduction to Art is the introduction to art classes. Students will learn how to use elements of art such as line, shape, and color as well as principles of design like balance, contrast, and movement. There are four units of study focusing on increasing ability in the techniques of Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, and Sculpture. Students will enhance artistic and creative abilities, understand art careers and current events, and see how art allows us to understand a visual language.

642 – CERAMICS CP1  1 CREDIT

This course is designed for students who have an interest in working with clay, and gives students experience in making functional as well as sculptural pieces, using a variety of techniques. (Pre Req: Intro to Fine Arts)

643 Ceramics II- CP1   1 CREDIT

Ceramics II is an art course that will explore advanced solutions to creative problems in clay, glaze and firing techniques as well as art history from around the world. Students will become very good at wheel work and hand building and be able to concentrate on creative solutions that help them realize greater personal expression applicable to all art. (Prerequisite: Ceramics I).

1132 - DRAMA & PLAY PRODUCTION  1 CREDIT

The Keefe Tech drama/play/production class will study and perform monologues and soliloquies, scenes, and the various play production formats. This is an applied class in which students will develop voice and movement through a variety of improvisational exercises performed both in the classroom and in the school auditorium. Students will be fluent in the rudimentary skills necessary to be successful as actors, directors, stage managers, backstage, and technical operators, depending upon their area(s) of focus. Students will be assessed on their proactive and enthusiastic class participation in addition to academic presentations, brief written responses, and journal entries. Students will learn that theatrical talents are versatile and may directly inform many on-the-job-skills regardless of career choice. Texts considered will include, but are in no way limited to, those written by the following playwrights: August Wilson, David Ives, Wendy Wasserstein, William Shakespeare, Craig Lucas, Arthur Miller, Sam Shepard, Moises Kaufman, Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Lorraine Hansberry.

670- FINE ART PORTFOLIO H 1 CREDIT

This is a grade 11 and 12 honors-level class focused on building a portfolio for college fine art programs. This class is appropriate for students who have previously taken art and have a strong interest in developing their art and/or need to create a portfolio to apply to art school. The focus of this class is critique, developing conceptual and portfolio-worthy artwork, and building an artistic vocabulary. Students will also participate in presentations with the admissions departments from several area art colleges and programs

1232- INTRODUCTION TO ACTING CP 1  1 CREDIT

This course is designed for students with little to no theater experience and promotes enjoyment and appreciation for all aspects of theater. Classwork focuses on the exploration of theater literature, performance, historical and cultural connections, and technical requirements. Improvisations, creative dramatics, and the beginning scene work are used to introduce students to acting and character development. Incorporation of other art forms in theater also helps students gain an appreciation for other art forms such as music, dance, and visual art.

1235-THEATER PRODUCTION ARTS CP 1  1 CREDIT

Students will learn a variety of different jobs that are done on the technical side of the theater, including stagecraft, scene design, lighting, sound, costume design, make-up design, props, stage management, house management, box office management, and publicity.

1236- INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATER CP1  1 CREDIT

Students are introduced to musical theater, musical theater history, singing, performing, and some dance. Each student will have a series of songs to work on during the course and will perform at the end of the year.

1238- SPEECH AND DEBATE CP1  1 CREDIT

Students will learn how to become persuasive presenters and debaters by preparing a variety of speeches and engaging in planned debates with fellow classmates. They will develop skills in research, projection, listening, creating strong counter arguments, and how to carry themselves when presenting to a group of people.

617 – INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE CP1  1 CREDIT

Exploring Computer Science courses present students with the conceptual underpinnings of computer science through an exploration of human computer interaction, web design, computer programming, data modeling, and robotics. While these courses include programming, the focus is on the computational practices associated with doing computer science, rather than just a narrow focus on coding, syntax, or tools. Exploring Computer Science courses teach students the computational practices of algorithm design, problem solving, and programming within a context that is relevant to their lives.

3032- PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING HONORS 1 CREDIT

Principles of Engineering (POE) is a foundation course of the high school engineering pathway. This survey course exposes students to some of the major concepts that they will encounter in a postsecondary engineering course of study. Through problems that engage and challenge, students explore a broad range of engineering topics, including mechanisms, the strength of materials and structures, automation, and kinematics. The course applies and concurrently develops secondary level knowledge and skills in mathematics, science, and technology. Students have the opportunity to develop skills and understanding of course concepts through activity-, project-, and problem-based (APB) learning. By solving rigorous and relevant design problems using engineering and science concepts within a collaborative learning environment, APB learning challenges students to continually hone their interpersonal skills, creative abilities, and problem solving skills. Students will also learn how to document their work and communicate their solutions to their peers and members of the professional community. It also allows students to develop strategies to enable and direct their own learning, which is the ultimate goal of education. 

4083 – ENTREPRENEURSHIP I CP1  1 CREDIT

This course will inform students how individual choices directly influence occupational goals and future earnings potential. Real world topics covered will include income, money management, spending and credit, as well as saving and investing. Students will design personal and household budgets utilizing checking and saving accounts, gain knowledge in finance, debt and credit management, and evaluate and understand insurance and taxes. This course will provide a foundational understanding for making informed personal financial decisions leading to financial independence. Students in this class will also develop book business plans and explore principles of entrepreneurship.

4081 - Entrepreneurship CP1 HON 1 CREDIT

Entrepreneurship is a CP1 and honors elective course offered to juniors and incorporates the Massachusetts framework core knowledge, skills and concepts. This course follows the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) curriculum, developed by Steve Mariotti. Over the course of the school year, students will learn how to create, open, market and manage a small business of their choosing, while preparing a comprehensive business plan. At the end of the course, students will present their business plan to the class and/or judges in the New England NFTE business plan competition. 

630 - MUSIC APPRECIATION 1  1 CREDIT

This is an introductory course intended to help expand a student's knowledge base regarding several musical genres. Students will interact with various musical styles and mediums throughout this course, dating back to the first known incidents involving the creation of music. Students will also be exposed to music theory, with the goal of appreciation and a full understanding of the musical process and development. 

631 - MUSIC APPRECIATION II   1 CREDIT

Although this course is a continuation of Music Appreciation1, it can be fully enjoyed by students who have yet to take that foundational class. Students will take a deeper look into the characteristics of 20th-century music. They will begin to see how the music of that time influenced popular music by comparing and contrasting it with various modern-day genres. Students will also explore the music of the world and be able to make cultural connections. 

1162 – MYTHOLOGY  1 CREDIT

This course will explore the question: how does ancient mythology connect with our lives today? Students will read and act out in class myths from around the world written as plays to learn how ancient myths can teach us lessons for today.

603 - INTRODUCTION TO CAD  1 CREDIT

This is an introductory course that focuses on the basic skills required to create and edit drawings with SoftPlan software. Students are introduced to 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional software commonly used in the industry. This is a hands-on project- based class focused on reading and understanding detailed drawings. Projects consist of creating, editing, and dimensioning drawings.

604 – INTRODUCTION TO FINE ARTS CP1  1 CREDIT

Introduction to Art is the introduction to art classes. Students will learn how to use elements of art such as line, shape, and color as well as principles of design like balance, contrast, and movement. There are four units of study focusing on increasing ability in the techniques of Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, and Sculpture. Students will enhance artistic and creative abilities, understand art careers and current events, and see how art allows us to understand a visual language.

650 – INTRODUCTION TO MIXED MEDIA ART CP1  1 CREDIT

Introduction to mixed media is a type of visual art that combines more than one medium or material. This class inspires students to explore their creativity while learning new artistic techniques and approaches. Projects will introduce students to a wide variety of media, including textile design, drawing, painting, printmaking, stained glass, collage, and sculpture.

660-MIXED MEDIA EXPLORATIONS CP1  1 CREDIT

This class is open to students in grades 10-12 who have successfully taken Intro to Mixed Media and are interested in new and conceptual ways to explore the arts. This class focuses on advanced methods of painting, fiber arts, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and collage. Students will learn to combine both conventional and unconventional materials to create fine arts pieces.

642 – CERAMICS CP1 1 CREDIT

This course is designed for students who have an interest in working with clay, and gives students experience in making functional as well as sculptural pieces, using a variety of techniques. (Pre Req: Intro to Fine Arts)

643 Ceramics II- CP1  1 CREDIT

Ceramics II is an art course that will explore advanced solutions to creative problems in clay, glaze and firing techniques as well as art history from around the world. Students will become very good at wheel work and hand building and be able to concentrate on creative solutions that help them realize greater personal expression applicable to all art. (Prerequisite: Ceramics I)

 

1232- INTRODUCTION TO ACTING CP 1  1 CREDIT

This course is designed for students with little to no theater experience and promotes enjoyment and appreciation for all aspects of theater. Classwork focuses on the exploration of theater literature, performance, historical and cultural connections, and technical requirements. Improvisations, creative dramatics, and the beginning scene work are used to introduce students to acting and character development. Incorporation of other art forms in theater also helps students gain an appreciation for other art forms such as music, dance, and visual art.

1235-THEATER PRODUCTION ARTS CP 1  1 CREDIT

Students will learn a variety of different jobs that are done on the technical side of the theater, including stagecraft, scene design, lighting, sound, costume design, make-up design, props, stage management, house management, box office management, and publicity.

1236- INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATER CP1  1 CREDIT

Students are introduced to musical theater, musical theater history, singing, performing, and some dance. Each student will have a series of songs to work on during the course and will perform at the end of the year.

1238- SPEECH AND DEBATE CP1  1 CREDIT

Students will learn how to become persuasive presenters and debaters by preparing a variety of speeches and engaging in planned debates with fellow classmates. They will develop skills in research, projection, listening, creating strong counter arguments, and how to carry themselves when presenting to a group of people.

3031 - INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING DESIGN (HON)  1 CREDIT

Introduction to Engineering Design (IED) is a course that is appropriate for students who are interested in design and engineering or another technical career. The major focus of the IED course is to expose students to a design process, professional communication and collaboration methods, design ethics, and technical documentation. IED gives students the opportunity to develop skills in research and analysis, teamwork, technical writing, engineering graphics, and problem solving through activity-, project-, and problem-based (APPB) learning. Used in combination with a teaming approach, APPB-learning challenges students to continually hone their interpersonal skills and creative abilities while applying math, science, and technology knowledge learned in other courses to solve engineering design problems and communicate their solutions. IED also allows students to develop strategies to enable and direct their own learning--an ultimate goal of education.

4092 – INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY CP 1  1 CREDIT

This is a year-long course. The course is designed to introduce students to the systematic of human behavior. Students will be exposed to the psychological facts and principles associated with the major sub-fields within psychology. This course introduces the psychological basis of behavior, development, learning, memory, consciousness, personality, and abnormal psychology. Students will also explore how people use their mental processes to learn, solve problems, and face the challenges of their daily lives. An emphasis will be placed on the application of critical thinking skills, independent reading, individual and group projects, essay writing, research skills, and objective tests and quizzes.

753 - LEARNING STRATEGIES  1 CREDIT

This elective provides students with direct instruction to maximize success in on-going course work. Organizational skills, time- management skills, and note taking skills will support all major content areas: English math, science, social studies, and career and technical related theory.