9th Grade Course Descriptions
Courses Open to Incoming Freshman

·         7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens – A two-hour class that meets for six weeks and offers five elective credits.  Students will have the opportunity to gain tools that will enable them to have a more successful high school experience, socially and academically.  Students will have a better idea of how to make decisions, how to set and reach goals and how to manage stress and conflict.  Class will be based on lecture, discussion, group work, videos and journals.  This class will be quite beneficial to incoming freshmen and sophomores.  Students are required to purchase the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. Not a U.C. Approved Course

·         Anatomy/Physiology – A two-hour class that meets for six weeks and offers five elective credits. It is a summer course exploring the most exciting topic, the human body.  The course is divided into five major units: organization of the human body, support and movement, control, maintenance, and continuity.  Many labs will be used to explore how the body works.  To better understand the anatomy, we will be dissecting cats.  $105 lab fee. (2 sections) Not a U.C. Approved Course

·         Beginning Photography/Digital Photography – A two-hour class that meets for six weeks during first period only and offers five credits.  The course is open to 9 - 12 graders who desire to study art through the medium of black and white photography and digital photography.  Each student must have his/her own 35 mm camera that can be focused manually and furnish paper and film.  There is an additional lab fee of $30.00 for this course. (2 sections)  U.C. Approved Course

·         Computer Applications – A two-hour class that meets for six weeks and offers five credits.  This is an introductory class on computers open to all grade levels and meets the high school graduation requirement for one semester of computers. Areas to be covered will include basic operation of the computer, word processing, document formatting, spreadsheets, drawing, painting, database, and keyboarding techniques.  Students will be encouraged to work individually, each at his/her own pace.  There will be a $30.00 lab fee for this course. (2 sections)

·         Computer Graphics and Screen Printing - This four-hour course introduces 9-12 graders to the fundamentals of computer graphics and screen printing. This is a project-oriented course that provides foundation skills in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, two programs in Adobe's Creative Suite that are the industry for digital design. In addition to developing their technological literacy, students will also learn basic two-dimensional design principles to prepare them for more advanced art and design classes. This summer students will get to break-in the newly-created screen printing facility at SMHS and print their own t-shirts. We will produce designs for printing both by hand and by computer. Familiarity with computer graphics software (Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator) is preferred but not required. Take advantage of this opportunity over the summer to see if you like computer graphics and experience the hands-on process of printing t-shirts! (There is an additional lab fee of $50.00 for this course.) No prerequisites are required. UC Approved Course

·         Cooking is Fun! – Like to eat?  Want to learn how to make good food at home?  Then join us!  We'll be studying both the art and science of cooking via lectures, videos, field trips and, of course, daily hands-on food preparation.  The emphasis will be on nutritious, easy to prepare, tasty snacks, main dishes and desserts a la 30-minute Meals with Rachel Ray and Alton Brown of Good Eats, both on the Food Channel.  If you want to be able to fix fun and tasty snacks and meals for yourself, friends and even family, this is the course for you! For more details, consult the companion webpage at: www.misteri.shorturl.com; then select Cooking Is Fun! (1 section)

·         Health and Life Skills – A two-hour class that meets for six weeks and offers five credits.  This course meets the high school graduation requirement of Health.  This class allows the student to get exposure and experience in resume writing, college interview skills, budgeting/money management and basic driver education.  This course is open to freshman, but sophomores, juniors, and seniors have priority.  (3 sections)

·         Leadership Training: Increasing EQ and Potential for Success – A special workshop designed for individuals who would like to increase their ability to set and reach their personal goals.   Class members will learn how to become effective and influential leaders, to manage time, and to be more successful in all areas of life.  The class time is from TBA, from July 6-10, and the fee is $140.  Minimum enrollment is 12 students; maximum is 15. (1 section)

·         Marine Biology – A two-hour class that meets for six weeks and offers five credits.  The course is open to all grade levels and covers topics from the fields of marine biology and oceanography.  Units focus on lifestyles in the sea - Planktonic, Nektonic and Benthic - featuring lectures, videos, dissections, collecting trips, Internet research and edible labs.  Although there is no tuition cost for this course for district residents, there will be a $125.00 lab fee to cover expenses including field trips. Afternoon field trips include: Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, Cabrillo Museum/Grunion Watching, 1/2 day cruise on a research vessel, Sea World and weekend fishing trips.  This course is intended for 9^th & 10^th graders as a preparation for Biology.  It provides a semester of Life Science credit, but it does not meet UC lab science requirements.  (1 section)  Not a U.C. Approved Course

·         Algebra Workshop – A two-hour class that meets for six week and offers 5 credits.   This course is recommended for current 8^th grade students who are in Math A and for 8^th graders who earned  a C or below in Pre-Algebra.  This class is also recommended for current 9^th grade students who received a C or lower in Algebra A.  This is an excellent course for students who want to review their pre-algebra skills as well as for students who would like to be adequately prepared for a high school Algebra course. (1 section)

·         Algebra 1-2 Repeat – This course may be used to repeat either the first or second semester of Algebra 1-2 where a D was earned in order to meet the prerequisite for Geometry. This class can be taken for five credits either for remediation of a failing grade or for enrichment prior to taking the next level of math as recommended by the Math Department.  It cannot be taken for credit** if the class was taken for credit during the year, and a passing grade of at least a D was earned.  **If the student earned a C or a D during the year, an improved grade for this class will appear on the transcript, but no credits will be awarded.  PREREQUISITE:  Students must have taken two semesters of Algebra 1-2 with D grades or better. (1 section)

·         English 1-2 Prep – This class is designed for students who were recommended for English Prep in the 9th grade at SMHS.  Successful completion (final grade of A or B) of this 10 unit course will allow students to enroll in English 1-2 without a waiver for the 2009 school year at SMHS.  This course is strongly recommended for incoming 9^th graders to ensure success in English 1-2.  Incoming 9^th graders who have been recommended will have priority for registration.

·         Spanish Conversation – A two-hour class that meets for six weeks from 1:00 PM – 3:05 PM and offers five elective credits. If you are taking Spanish 1-2 next school year then this is the class for you.  This class will give you a head start on the grammar and vocabulary that will be covered in Spanish 1-2.  You will also be able to leave having gained basic conversational skills, which will prove an asset in Spanish 1-2. (2 sections) Time may conflict with summer athletic program offerings.

·         Three-Dimensional Art – Three-dimensional art is a level one, 10-credit art elective, open to all students.  It is designed to provide a beginning experience in art, primarily, but not exclusively, three-dimensional.  Students will be introduced to the Art Elements and Design Principles through basic design exercises.  Students will complete projects in papier-mâché, ceramics, metal tooling, carving, batik and jewelry making. No previous art experience is necessary.  This course fulfills the San Marino Fine Arts Graduation Requirement.  There is an additional lab fee of $50.00 for this course. (2 sections) U.C. Approved

·         Word Processing – A two-hour class that meets for six weeks and offers five credits.  This class is designed to increase the student's performance at the computer keyboard.  The instructor will teach, review and reinforce previously learned keyboarding skills through the application of word processing concepts.  A variety of practice lessons will assist the student to utilize the word processor as a communication tool for personal, business, college or university use.  This course satisfies a graduation requirement for Computers.  There will be a $30.00 lab fee for this course. (2 sections)

·         Beginning Drama - A four-hour class that meets for six weeks and offers ten credits.  Students will learn the basics of acting, public speaking and performing.  This course will allow students who can not fit drama into their schedule to work ahead in the summer.  (1 Section) U.C. Approved

·         Physical Education - A two-hour class that meets for six weeks and offers five credits.  Students will work on all aspects of physical fitness including nutrition, basic weight training, conditioning, stretching, and basic sports instruction. (1 section) U.C. Approved.

·         ELD Advanced:  Semester One (8-12:30 weeks 1-3) and Semester Two (8-12:30 weeks 4-6)  This course is designed for incoming 9-12 advanced-intermediate language learners.  Students who have already taken ELD 4 may take the class as either a repeat or enrichment and will receive elective credit.  Students who have not taken ELD 4 will receive English credit.  The English department strongly recommends that English learners continue English instruction during the summer, and in this course students will be listening, speaking, reading, and writing daily.  Additional fees for workbooks will be assessed.  (Note:  Students who receive a passing grade in this course may still be required to enroll in ELD 4 during the regular school year; only those students who pass state-mandated standardized tests will graduate from ELD.)  The CELDT test will be administered during the last week of class.  10 credits (1 section)