September 2016 Curriculum Updates
As the new school year starts, we would like to share with you our curriculum updates for the 2016-17 school year.
Algebra II
The Algebra II course is undergoing major improvements with the goal of building a curriculum that is both more rigorous and more accessible. The previous sequence started with a unit that had a heavy emphasis on function transformations and the analysis of all types of functions; including linear, quadratic, piecewise, cubic, and step. We found this could be too complex for many students early in the course. The revised sequence starts with an overview of relations and functions and then progresses through the different types of relations and functions, from the most simple (linear) to the most complex (conics). (To view the new sequence of the topics, click here.) The first new unit has been posted; the second unit is being reviewed and will be posted in the coming days (by mid-September); and the successive units will be rolled out in the coming months.
AP Calculus AB
The AP Calculus AB course has undergone a major overhaul. The presentations have been rewritten, and new problem sets, quizzes and tests have been created. These files have since been reviewed, refined, and posted for this course. The new units have been aligned to the new College Board 2016-2017 Curriculum Framework and incorporate the Mathematical Practices for AP Calculus (MPACs). The final unit, Applications of Definite Integrals, is the last unit currently being updated. We expect to have this unit posted, in its entirety, by December 21st.
6th Grade Science - Physical Environment
We have launched a new course named “2016-17 6th Grade Science.” It is made up of four units, each of which includes several chapters. Its units, chapters and topics are each based on at least one phenomenon.
The organizing phenomenon for the first unit is Hurricanes; for the second unit is Global Climates; for the third unit is Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Volcanoes; and for the fourth unit is Trees. The first unit is complete, as are the presentations and much of the supporting material for the second and third units. All units will be completed by early October.
While originally designed for Grade 6, this course is also appropriate for 7th grade students.
A Living Environment and a Mathematical Physics course will begin being posted soon and completed during the year, creating a new sequence for Middle School Science.
As always, please remember to re-download the files for the unit you are teaching right before you start teaching it, so that you can ensure you are using the most up to date version.
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