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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS — APPLIED ARTS

The Applied Arts Department offers classes in computer applications, family and consumer science, business and technology applications. A wide array of semester courses is available in a broad range of levels to suit each student's needs and interests. Emphasis is placed on hands-on, lab-based experiences, which give the student a sample of the vast opportunities available to them after high school in both traditional and non-traditional post-secondary settings.

Communications & Technology:

Accounting I is designed for students who anticipate continued study of accounting or business at the post-secondary level. Glencoe Accounting, First Year Course is a comprehensive, semester course designed to bring the real world of accounting into the classroom. Students will have the opportunity to use real-world accounting software, real-world financial documents, real-world financial statements, and real-world multimedia.

The Computer Applications course is a required course for all ninth grade students at Marple Newtown High School. The course provides students with an opportunity to gain the necessary skills, attitudes, and knowledge for success in the business world. This course will give students the opportunity to continue with the concepts that were introduced in the middle school. A more in-depth experience will be provided in the most widely used commercial software application such as Microsoft office, FrontPage, HTML, and the integration from one application to another. Course content includes but is not limited to advanced application skills of word processing, databases, spreadsheets, presentation software, desktop publishing, web page design, and Internet research.

Explore the foundations of business law, while introducing personal law topics that interest students. Law for Business and Personal Use combines strong content with interactive technology and video to maintain student interest and support active learning. Coverage includes contracts, criminal law, consumer protection, wills and estates, and marriage and divorce.

NOTE: In order to take the CLEP Exam, students must take Business Law I & II.

Explore the foundations of business law, while introducing personal law topics that interest students. Law for Business and Personal Use combines strong content with interactive technology and video to maintain student interest and support active learning. Coverage includes property law, agency, employment contracts, unions, commercial paper, and credit obligations.

NOTE: Upon completion of Business Law I & II, students are eligible to take the CLEP Exam and receive college credit for Business Law. Students not interested in taking the CLEP Exam may take Business Law I or II as individual electives. Business Law I does not have to be taken before Business Law II in this case.

Video Explorations emphasizes post-production presentations such as animations, slide shows, commercials, time lapse sequences, various special effects, music videos, etc. These presentations will be almost entirely digitally mastered as in films such as Jurassic Park. Also, studio or live productions will be explored using the TV studio.

This is a one semester course designed to teach the student a basic understanding of safety and woodworking skills. The proper use of hand tools, power tools and stationary equipment will be taught. The students will produce two required projects assigned by the instructor. The third project will be of student design and approved by the instructor. The student must also produce project plans and a bill of materials for course completion. This course is designed for 10 th, 11 th and 12 th graders. A supply fee of $25 covers the required materials.

This is a one semester course designed to further develop skills in safety and woodworking. The course is taught in three different levels of woodworking. The first level is a class manufacturing project assigned by the instructor. The next level the students break into groups (3 to 4 students) to produces a project of their choice. The last part is an individual project chosen by the student to challenge their woodworking skills. The student must also produce project plans and a bill of materials for course completion. This course is designed for 10 th, 11 th or 12 th graders. A supply fee of $25 covers the required materials.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Wood Shop I.

This is a one-semester course designed to further develop the student’s woodworking skills. The course is split into two parts. The first part of the course is a school improvement project. The second part of the course is a project of the student’s choosing with attention to developing a new skill. A supply fee of $25 covers the required materials.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Wood Shop II and teacher recommendation.

Graphic Arts I is an exploratory course that will identify some processes used in Graphic Communications. This course will provide a hands-on approach in two areas, computer design and handout screen processes, but will focus mainly on the student’s ability to be creative in communicating visually.

Graphic Arts II is an in-depth course which concentrates on different areas of the printing industry. Areas to be covered will include: computer layout and design, photographic screen making, sign making and heat transfers. This course is designed to build interest of the student in Graphics Communication and to improve the student’s knowledge so printing may be a possible career.

Prerequisite: Graphics Arts I

This course is designed for a survey of drafting for students with a strong math background. The intent is to develop skills in visual communications. A majority of the class time will be spent working on the computer designing, laying out, and building a model using a program called “ACCUCAD” to complete a series of drawings.

This course is designed to further develop skills in the drafting area. The course covers how to design a house on the computer and develop it into a working drawing for construction. The course then moves into building a model of the house which the student designed. Completion of the model is required for the course.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Drafting/CAD I.

Explorations in Technology is an exploratory course that offers students the opportunity to explore multiple areas of technology that can lead students to career opportunities. The areas covered are: Fiber Optics, Fluid Power, Mechanical Power, Flight Instrumentation, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Weather, Virtual Reality, Computer Numerical control, Digital Electronics, Digital Video, and Linear Editing. Students will be working independently in these areas using a computer driven guide that will introduce, inform and walk them through related activities.

Introduction to Computers is a semester course offered in both the fall and spring. The focus of this course is to provide students with an introduction to computers and computer programming. This course prepares a student for future course work in computer programming and computer science and is a pre-requisite for all other computer courses offered. This course will introduce students to computer science using HTML for Web page development, object-oriented programming and programming in Java.

Prerequisite: None

Visual Basic is a semester course offered in the spring. The focus of this course is to employ object-oriented programming techniques through the use of the Visual Basic language to problem solve in a variety of areas.

Prerequisite: Introduction to Computers or written permission of the instructor.

Advanced Topics in Computer Science is a differentiated computer science course based upon students’ experience, interests, and goals. Students will work independently or in small groups on topics of their choice selected from a predetermined list or with the help of the instructor. Topics may include programming in Java, C++, or Visual Basic, web programming using JavaScript, PHP, or VBScript, computer network design and management, game programming, computer operating systems, and Macromedia Studio MX. Students will choose one to two topics to study per quarter. Students may elect this course for up to three semesters, providing that their topics vary and they continue to progress at an acceptable rate, with the third semester being part of the student’s senior project.

Prerequisite: Introduction to Computers or written permission of the instructor

Family and Consumer Science:

In this course, students will examine their personal eating habits by studying nutrition and wellness through: The Food Guide Pyramid, the USDA Dietary Guidelines, nutrients and food labels. Students will have the opportunity to prepare a variety of foods essential for healthy eating and independent living. Food safety and sanitation, food chemistry, and consumer skills will be introduced. Related careers will be presented.

Lab Fee: $15.00

The basis for this course will be the study of a variety of grains and baking. Students will examine grains as a significant and important part of a healthy diet worldwide. The important nutrients available from grains will be studied as well as the use of whole grains in the preparation of main dishes, cereals, quick and yeast breads and pastas. Food chemistry, consumer skills and careers will be explored. No prerequisite, however, Foods and Nutrition I is suggested.

Lab Fee: $15.00

FOODS and NUTRITION I and II are designed to present opportunities to develop valuable consumer skills in food selection and preparation as well as basic principles in nutrition and wellness.

Students will explore how culture influences food habits and cuisine around the world. Several countries will be studied with emphasis on theory and food preparation. Students will compare and contrast the geography, history, food preparation techniques, culinary equipment, customs and cuisines of these countries. Food preparation and taste testing will be accomplished through teacher and student demonstrations as well as individual and group preparation.

Lab Fee: $15.00 - Enrollment limited to Juniors and Seniors

This course will introduce students to child development beginning with a study of the family. Students will explore their own childhood and learn about personality patterns and tips for building effective parenting skills and guiding children in positive ways. Stages of growth will be studied from pre-natal development, to the school-age child. Health and safety, nutrition, exceptional needs, the importance of reading and careers relating to children will be introduced as topics. All grades welcome.

This course is recommended as a prerequisite to Child Development II/Preschool Lab.

In an on-site, three day per week preschool program, students will experience caring for and guiding young children. During seminar classes the other two days, students will develop lesson plans and organize activities for the preschool children. Prior to the start of the preschool session, students learn about the skills necessary for working with children. Through discussion, observations and working directly with preschoolers, students will see how the young child develops physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. In addition to preparing students for careers related to children, this course will also assist students in becoming more informed and effective parents in the future. Enrollment is limited to Juniors and Seniors.