Online Learning 2014-15 Online Learning provides an option for school districts as they face increased requirements, limited resources, shortage of personnel and scheduling conflicts. Online Learning takes place using the Internet and is personalized and highly flexible. Students who enroll in online courses should be self-motivated and possess good time management and organizational skills. Every student sits in the front row in a virtual classroom! Instruction: Teachers are NYS certified in subject areas and employed by Questar III Course content: Course content is provided by Apex Learning Course Cost: Credit Accrual (taking course for first time) $475 per student/per 1 credit course CoSer 450.050.01; $300 per student/per ½ credit course CoSer 450.00.02 Credit Recovery - $315 per student/per course CoSer 450.050.04 School Districts should sign up for service through the online FSR process. Student enrollment forms can be submitted via email, fax or USPS. CA available as Credit Accrual (first time credit) CR- available as Credit Recovery High School Credit bearing courses English 9 - English 9 provides an introduction to informational and literary genres and lays a foundation of critical reading and analytical writing skills. Through texts that range from essays, speeches, articles and historical documents to a novel, a play, poetry and short stories, students analyze the use of elements of literature and nonfiction. As they develop their writing skills and respond to claims, students learn to formulate arguments and use textual evidence to support their position. To hone their listening and speaking skills, students engage with a variety of media types through which they analyze and synthesize information, discuss material, create presentations, and share their work.1 credit CA, CR English 10 - English 10 builds upon students' foundation of critical reading and analytical writing skills. Through texts that range from investigative journalism, essays, articles and historical documents to a novel, drama, poetry and short stories, students analyze the use of elements of literature and nonfiction. As they develop their writing skills and respond to claims, students learn to refine arguments and organize evidence to support their position. To hone their listening and speaking skills, students engage with a variety of media types through which they analyze and synthesize information, discuss material, create presentations, and share their work. 1 credit CA, CR English 11 - In English 11, students examine the belief systems, events, and literature that have shaped the United States. Starting with the Declaration of Independence, students explore how the greatest American literature tells the stories of individuals who have struggled for independence and freedom: freedom of self, freedom of thought, freedom of home and country. Students reflect on the role of the individual in Romantic and Transcendentalist literature that considers the relationship between citizens and government, and they question whether the American Dream is still achievable while examining Modernist disillusionment with American idealism. As well, reading the words of Frederick Douglass and those of the Civil Rights Act, students look carefully at the experience of African Americans and their struggle to achieve equal rights. Finally, students reflect on how individuals cope with the influence of war, cultural tensions, and technology in the midst of trying to build and secure their own personal identity. 1 credit CA, CR English 12 - English 12 asks students to delve into the mingled history of British and World literature. It asks students to imagine: Face to face with a human being unlike any you've seen before, do you feel fear, awe, or curiosity? Do you look for what you can give, what you can take, or what you can share? Do you find unfamiliar people and customs magical, mysterious, or monstrous? Students explore how humans interact with and influence each other historically, socially, and otherwise and examine the complexities of cultural identity in our global and fast-changing world. 1 credit CA, CR Writing Skills & Strategies - Writing Skills and Strategies develops key language arts skills necessary for high school graduation and success on high stakes exams through a semester of interactive instruction and guided practice in composition fundamentals. The course is divided into ten mini-units of study. The first two are designed to build early success and confidence, orienting students to the writing process and to sentence and paragraph essentials through a series of low-stress, high-interest hook activities. In subsequent units, students review, practice, compose and submit one piece of writing. Four key learning strands are integrated throughout: composition practice, grammar skill building, diction and style awareness, and media and technology exploration. Guided studies emphasize the structure of essential forms of writing encountered in school, in life, and in the work place. Practice in these forms is scaffolded to accommodate learners at different skill levels. ½ credit CA
Reading Skills & Strategies - Reading Skills and Strategies is a course is designed to help the struggling reader develop mastery in the areas of reading comprehension, vocabulary building, study skills, and media literacy, which are the course's primary content strands. Using these strands, the course guides the student through the skills necessary to be successful in the academic world and beyond. The reading comprehension strand focuses on introducing the student to the varied purposes of reading (e.g., for entertainment, for information, to complete a task, or to analyze). In the vocabulary strand, the student learns specific strategies for understanding and remembering new vocabulary. In the study skills strand, the student learns effective study and test-taking strategies. In the media literacy strand, the student learns to recognize and evaluate persuasive techniques, purposes, design choices, and effects of media. The course encourages personal enjoyment in reading with 10 interviews featuring the book choices and reading adventures of students and members of the community. ½ credit CA Economics - U.S. and Global Economics offers a tightly focused and scaffolded curriculum that provides an introduction to key economic principles. The course covers fundamental properties of economics, including an examination of markets from both historical and current perspectives; the basics of supply and demand; the theories of early economic philosophers such as Adam Smith and David Ricardo; theories of value; the concept of money and how it evolved; the role of banks, investment houses, and the Federal Reserve; Keynesian economics; the productivity, wages, investment, and growth involved in capitalism; unemployment, inflations, and the national debt; and a survey of markets in areas such as China, Europe, and the Middle East. ½ credit CA, CR Geometry - Geometry provides a curriculum focused on the mastery of critical skills and the understanding of key geometric concepts. Through a "Discovery-Confirmation-Practice"-based exploration of these concepts, students are challenged to work toward a mastery of computational skills, to deepen their understanding of key ideas and solution strategies, and to extend their knowledge in a variety of problem-solving applications. Course topics include reasoning, proof, and the creation of a sound mathematical argument; points, lines, and angles; triangles; quadrilaterals and other polygons; circles; coordinate geometry; and three-dimensional solids. The course concludes with a look at special topics in geometry, such as constructions, symmetry, tessellations, fractals, and non-euclidean geometry. Within each Geometry lesson, students are supplied with a scaffolded note-taking guide, called a Study Sheet, as well as a post-study Checkup activity that provides them the opportunity to hone their computational skills by working through a low-stakes, 10-question problem set before moving on to formal assessment. Unit-level Geometry assessments include a computer-scored test and a scaffolded, teacher-scored test. 1 credit CA Algebra I - Algebra I provides a curriculum focused on the mastery of critical skills and the recognition and understanding of key algebraic concepts. Through a "Discovery-Confirmation-Practice"-based exploration of these concepts, students are challenged to work toward a mastery of computational skills, to deepen their understanding of key ideas and solution strategies, and to extend their knowledge in a variety of problem-solving applications. Course topics include an Introductory Algebra review; measurement; an introduction to functions; problem solving with functions; graphing; linear equations and systems of linear equations; polynomials and factoring; and data analysis and probability. 1 credit CA, CR Algebra II - Algebra II provides a curriculum that builds on the concepts covered in Algebra I. Through a "Discovery- Confirmation-Practice"-based exploration of intermediate algebra, students are challenged to work toward a mastery of computational skills, to deepen their understanding of key ideas and solution strategies, and to extend their knowledge in a variety of problem-solving applications. Course topics include conic sections; functions, relations, and their graphs; quadratic functions; inverse functions; and advanced polynomial functions. Students also cover topics relating to rational, radical, exponential, and logarithmic functions; sequences and series; and data analysis and probability. 1 credit CA, CR Personal Finance - Mathematics of Personal Finance focuses on real-world financial literacy, personal finance, and business subjects. Students apply what they learned in Algebra I and Geometry to topics including personal income, taxes, checking and savings accounts, credit, loans and payments, car leasing and purchasing, home mortgages, stocks, insurance, and retirement planning. Students then extend their investigations using more advanced mathematics, such as systems of equations (when studying cost and profit issues) and exponential functions (when calculating interest problems). To assist students for whom language presents a barrier to learning or who are not reading at grade level, Mathematics of Personal Finance includes audio resources in both Spanish and English. 1 credit CA Financial Literacy - Financial Literacy helps students recognize and develop vital skills that connect life and career goals with personalized strategies and milestone-based action plans. Students explore concepts and work toward a mastery of personal finance skills, deepening their understanding of key ideas and extending their knowledge through a variety of problem-solving applications. Course topics include career planning; income, taxation, and budgeting; savings accounts, checking accounts, and electronic banking; interest, investments, and stocks; cash, debit, credit, and credit scores; insurance; and consumer advice on how to buy, rent, or lease a car or house. ½ credit CA Earth Science - This course begins with a discussion of the nature of science, the processes of science, and instruction on how to carry out scientific investigations in the lab and the field. The course then covers the properties of rocks and minerals and how to identify and classify them. Students will learn about geologic time, a history of life on Earth, and the development of the geologic time scale. The next parts of the course focus on Earth s tectonic, atmospheric, and ocean systems, including
instruction on earthquakes, plate boundaries, properties of the atmosphere, properties of the oceans, and how human activities impact the atmosphere and the ocean. The second semester of the course begins with instruction in weathering and soils, followed by a discussion of river and groundwater systems, glaciers, shoreline features, and eolian systems. Students learn about the processes of weathering, how soils are natural resources, and the landscape features associated with rivers, glaciers, shorelines, and areas impacted by wind erosion. The course then covers mineral and energy resources, including fossil fuels, nuclear resources, and alternative energy sources. The course ends with a unit on the structure and composition of the solar system, with discussion of how Earth compares to other planets, the movements of asteroids and comets, and the life cycle of stars. The lab component is to be arranged locally with the school district. 1 credit CR Biology - Biology focuses on the mastery of basic biological concepts and models while building scientific inquiry skills and exploring the connections between living things and their environment. The course begins with an introduction to the nature of science and biology, including the major themes of structure and function, matter and energy flow, systems, and the interconnectedness of life. Students then apply those themes to the structure and function of the cell, cellular metabolism, and biogeochemical cycles. Building on this foundation, students explore the connections and interactions between living things by studying genetics, ecosystems and natural selection, and evolution. The course ends with an applied look at human biology. Scientific inquiry skills are embedded in the direct instruction, wherein students learn to ask scientific questions, form and test hypotheses, and use logic and evidence to draw conclusions about the concepts. 1 credit CR Psychology - provides a solid overview of the field's major domains: methods, biopsychology, cognitive and developmental psychology, and variations in individual and group behavior. By focusing on significant scientific research and on the questions that are most important to psychologists, students see psychology as an evolving science. Each topic clusters around challenge questions, such as What is happiness? Students answer these questions before, during, and after they interact with direct instruction. The content is based on the American Psychological Association's National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula. The teaching methods draw from the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) teaching standards. ½ credit CA Global 9 & 10 - In World History, students learn to see the world today as a product of a process that began thousands of years ago when humans became a speaking, travelling, and trading species. Through historical analysis grounded in primary sources, case studies, and research, students investigate the continuity and change of human culture, governments, economic systems, and social structures. Students build and practice historical thinking skills, learning to connect specific people, places, events and ideas to the larger trends of world history. In critical reading activities, feedback-rich instruction, and application-oriented assignments, students develop their capacity to reason chronologically, interpret and synthesize sources, identify connections between ideas, and develop well-supported historical arguments. Students write throughout the course, responding to primary sources and historical narratives through journal entries, essays and visual presentations of social studies content. In discussion activities, students respond to the position of others while staking and defending their own claim. The course's rigorous instruction is supported with relevant materials and active learning opportunities to ensure students at all levels can master the key historical thinking skills. 1 credit CA, CR US History - U.S. History traces the nation's history from the pre-colonial period to the present. Students learn about the Native American, European, and African people who lived in America before it became the United States. They examine the beliefs and philosophies that informed the American Revolution and the subsequent formation of the government and political system. Students investigate the economic, cultural, and social motives for the nation's expansion, as well as the conflicting notions of liberty that eventually resulted in civil war. The course describes the emergence of the United States as an industrial nation and then focuses on its role in modern world affairs. Moving into the 20th and 21st centuries, students probe the economic and diplomatic interactions between the United States and other world players while investigating how the world wars, the Cold War, and the information revolution affected the lives of ordinary Americans. Woven through this chronological sequence is a strong focus on the changing conditions of women, African Americans, and other minority groups. 1 credit CA, CR Sociology - examines why people think and behave as they do in relationships, groups, institutions, and societies. Major course topics include individual and group identity, social structures and institutions, social change, social stratification, social dynamics in recent and current events, the effects of social change on individuals, and the research methods used by social scientists. In online discussions and polls, students reflect critically on their own experiences and ideas, as well as on the ideas of sociologists. Interactive multimedia activities include personal and historical accounts to which students can respond, using methods of inquiry from sociology. Written assignments provide opportunities to practice and develop skills in thinking and communicating about human relationships, individual and group identity, and all other major course topics. The course content is based on the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. ½ credit CA American Government - U.S. Government and Politics offers a tightly focused and scaffolded curriculum that uses the perspective of political institutions to explore the history, organization, and functions of the U.S. government. Beginning with basic theories of government, moving to the Declaration of Independence, and continuing to the present day, the course explores the relationship between individual Americans and the governing bodies. It covers the political culture of the country and gains insight into the challenges faced by presidents, congressional representatives, and other political activists. It also
covers the roles of political parties, interest groups, the media, and the Supreme Court. U.S. Government and Politics is designed to fall in the fourth year of social studies instruction. Students perfect their analytic writing through a scaffolded series of analytic assignments and written lesson tests. Students read annotated primary documents and apply those documents to the course content. 1 credit CA, CR Spanish I - Spanish I teaches students to greet people, describe family and friends, talk about hobbies, and communicate about other topics, such as home life, occupations, travel, and medicine. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms to describe school subjects, parts of the body, and people, as well as idiomatic phrases. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes the structures and uses of present-tense verb forms, imperatives, adjective agreement, impersonal constructions, formal and informal address, and reflexive verbs. Students explore words used in different Spanish-speaking regions and learn about the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and regions within and outside Europe. 1 credit CA, CR Spanish II - Building on Spanish I concepts, Spanish II students learn to communicate more confidently about themselves, as well as about topics beyond their own lives - both in formal and informal situations. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Students expand their vocabulary in topics such as cooking, ecology, geography, and architecture. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes a review of presenttense verb forms, an introduction to the past tense, the conditional mood, imperatives, impersonal constructions, and reported speech. Students deepen their knowledge of Spanish-speaking regions and cultures by learning about history, literature, culture, and contemporary issues. 1 credit CA, CR Health - This Health course will help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to make healthy decisions that allow you to stay active, safe and informed. The lessons and activities are designed to introduce students to important aspects of the main types of health. You will find out about the components of a healthy lifestyle and ways to approach making healthy choices and decisions. 1/2 credit CA, CR Physical Education - Through this online Physical Education course, students will explore many diverse activities, and will learn a wide variety of fitness concepts that they will be able to use in their everyday life. Students will learn about physical fitness and how their body works by studying static and dynamic balance, linear and rotary motion, anatomy and iomechanics. Lifelong skills such as golf, tennis, Frisbee, and orienteering, along with stress management concepts incorporated into Yoga and Pilates will also be taught. Students will develop a sense of self-esteem and accomplishment through completion of cardio-respiratory activities and routines, attaining their personal fitness goals, and learning to care for their body. Integrated assignments will show students that content areas of Science, Social Studies, Math and English are relevant throughout Physical Education, and apply in our everyday activities. Pre-assessments and section quizzes will be given weekly, with exams given after each unit to assess content understanding. After completion of this course, students will have the knowledge to stay fit and stay active for a lifetime. 1/2 credit CR Music Appreciation - This one semester course introduces students to the elements, instrument ation, and historical periods of music. Students will learn significance of surroundings and time periods and how they both influenced the music of the day. Students will listen to and evaluate several types of music, and will be assessed through projects, presentations, and exams on the knowledge and understanding of music. 1 credit CA Art Appreciation - This one-semester course will introduce learners to the various forms of the visual arts, such as painting, sculpture, film, and more. Students will learn how to look at a work of art, identify and compare key characteristics in artworks, and understand the role art has played throughout history. Through hands-on activities, virtual museum tours, discussion, and research, learners will develop an overall appreciation for the art they encounter in their daily lives. 1/2 credit CA For additional information, please contact: Jeffrey Elliott Online Learning 518-479-6981 JElliott@questar.org
STUDENT INFORMATION Online Learning Student Registration Form *Course tuition is non-refundable Name: Date of Birth: Home Phone Number: This number will only be used by the teacher to contact the student regarding coursework. Home Address: Email Address: Does Student Student ID # have an IEP? Does Student have an IEP? Grade Level: Course Title: Parent/Guardian Name: Parent/Guardian Phone number: Parent/Guardian Email address: Does Student have an IEP? Reason(s) for taking the course: Graduation Requirement Lack of Teacher Course not offered Schedule Conflict Credit Recovery Acceleration Requested End Date: January 16, 2015 June 15, 2015 SCHOOL INFORMATION Other: Local BOCES: District Name: School Name: School Address: School City: State: ZIP: Superintendent of Schools, School District Signature: Date: ADVISOR INFORMATION Name: Position/Title: Phone Number: Email Address: Fax Number: Complete one form for each student enrollment and mail, email or fax a copy to: Jeffrey Elliott Specialist for Distance Learning 10 Empire State Blvd jelliott@questar.org phone: (518) 479-6981 fax: (518) 479-3230
Distance Learning Online Learning Student Contract 2014-2015 Internet-based instructional student courses are a unique form of learning that require standards of students enrolling in these courses. This contract is intended to make both the student and parents aware of these standards. Commitment to Academic Integrity and Success As a student taking an Internet-based instructional student course, I am committed to doing well in this course. 1. I am expected to communicate frequently with my teacher and respond to all emails sent to me. If I don t communicate at least once in a week, my district will be notified. If I am inactive for more than three weeks, I may be dropped. 2. All my work will be my work. I won t use parts of any other persons efforts. 3. I will dedicate the time and effort that is needed to complete this course. I realize that this course has the same work as a full semester high school course and will require study and homework time. 4. I understand Distance Learning may begin the drop process after three weeks of inactivity on my part. Logging in and submitting no work whatsoever does not constitute activity. Commitment to Appropriate Online Behavior As a student taking an Internet-based instructional student course, I will act appropriately in the online environment, following my school district s acceptable use policy as well as the guidelines below: 1. I will use the Internet appropriately since certain standards are expected of me. 2. I will use scholastically appropriate language and messages in course interaction. 3. Due to technology, anything I do in the course could be retrieved and printed by the teacher at anytime. 4. I will follow all course procedures including: a. Student must not inappropriately use information within the course (copyright). b. Student must follow all other rules as specified by the online teacher. Failure to abide by Commitments The following procedures will be followed for students who do not or cannot abide by the above listed rules: First Offense: The student will be given an email warning and told that his/her parents and the local school district will be notified of the infraction by letter. Second Offense: The student will be removed from the course Severe Misconduct: Regardless of whether the offense is a first or second offense, the student will be removed from the course. I have read and understand the policy above and agree to abide by the rules of this contract. Student Signature: Date: Parent Signature: Date: * Signing this permits the student to participate in the course and gives permission to communicate with the student through multiple means regarding course-related topics.
Non-Discrimination Notice for Students and Prospective Students Questar III does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, weight, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or other characteristic protected by federal or state law in its programs and activities, including but not limited to admission, access to and participation in educational programs, course offerings and student activities. Questar III provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. The following persons at Questar III have been designated to handle inquiries regarding Questar III s non-discrimination policies and the application of regulations prohibiting discrimination: Title IX Compliance Officer 518-477-8771 504 Compliance Officer 518-477-8771 School Attorney 518-477-8771 For further information on notice of non-discrimination, or to inquire regarding the application of regulations prohibiting discrimination, contact the US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights.