Taught within the same section as English 11 ( American Literature and Composition)  and designed to prepare students to take the AP Language and Composition Exam in May.  The AP Language and Composition exam, as of 2021, consists of 45 multiple choice questions that test a student’s ability to conduct rhetorical analysis of five nonfiction prose passages. In addition, students will compose 3 essays. The first essay, a synthesis essay, requires the student to synthesize material from provided sources and develop an argument to support his/her assertion. The second essay is a rhetorical analysis essay that requires a student to identify and analyze the rhetorical techniques used in a passage of nonfiction prose. The third essay requires a student to compose an argument for or against a disputable idea expressed in a brief statement or passage. The exam lasts three hours and 15 minutes. The short-answer ( multiple choice) takes one hour and comprises 45 percent of the total score. The essay section, lasting two-and-a-quarter hours, comprises 55 percent of the total score. 

Overview
GPA is weighted as per DeSales AP scale and appears on transcript as AP English 11. Summer work (see below) can be made up during the first quarter for anyone adding the course late but is ideally completed over the summer before the course. 

Students must enroll through their personal College Board accounts no later than September 10 to begin online work and register for the exam. Outside-of-class meetings are required periodically to discuss evaluation and the online test-prep material. The course is open to any student entering the junior year or others by teacher and counselor recommendation. 

Summer Expectations
Students will read a selection of nonfiction essays as well as a memoir or nonfiction work of greater length. Options for the lengthier work will be provided by the instructor. Written work will involve responding to questions pertaining to the essays as well as a summative response to the selected book. Students will present their insights to their peers within the first two weeks of school. 

Students will be invited to participate in one mid-summer meeting, date TBD each summer, at which they will need to have completed a portion of the reading. The meeting will be approximately one hour. 


Online Test Prep Through the College Board
This is an important component of the course. Some course time ( typically one class period per week)  will be allocated to work through the online material.  Students are highly encouraged to go beyond the assigned work and utilize the materials available to them through the College Board.

In Class Test Prep Through Barron’s 
On a regular basis, students will complete practice test items. During the course of the year, with an emphasis in the third quarter, students will compose practice essays and analyze released essays for analysis. The practice essays will be graded on a pass/fail basis to encourage students to fearlessly engage. 
 

Taught within the same section as English 12 but designed to prepare students to take the AP Literature and Composition Exam in May

Overview
GPA is weighted as per DeSales AP scale and appears on transcript as AP English 12.  Summer work (see below) can be made up during the school year for anyone adding the course late but is ideally completed with a peer cohort over the summer before the course.

Students must enroll through their personal College Board accounts no later than September 10 to begin online work and register for the exam. Outside-of-class meetings are required periodically to discuss evaluation and the online test-prep material.  The course is open to any student entering the senior year or others by teacher and counselor recommendation.  

Summer Expectations
Students will read the novel The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, finishing a specified portion by midsummer and the rest at their own pace.  Minimal written work, specifically a few FIT journals, is assigned along with the summer reading. 

Students will be invited to participate in one mid-summer meeting, date TBD each summer, at which they will need to have completed a portion of the reading.  The meeting is about 45 minutes to an hour in length.

Students will be invited to participate in one late-summer meeting (around the start of the school year) to receive instruction on the project. This meeting is again 45 minutes to an hour in length.  The project, an essay based on the summer reading, is due at a date agreed upon by the group but perhaps not until after Christmas break. 

Online Test Prep Through the College Board
This is an important component of the course.  Students are highly encouraged to go beyond the assigned work and utilize the materials available to them, but specific exercises are assigned regularly.  Students most often receive their scores on their submitted answers online, but it’s the discussion and sharing of this experience that can really prepare them to do their best on the exam in May.  Work assigned on the College Board prep site is often pass/fail only to encourage students to fearlessly engage.  

Other Work Above or Beyond the Regular English 12 course
At times, AP students will study an additional work (i.e., when the class reads The Importance of Being Earnest by Wilde, AP students will independently read A Doll’s House by Ibsen.    Frequently, they will be assigned slightly different prompts or journals.  On vocabulary tests, an “AP EXTRA” section is sometimes included, and the expectation for excellence in preparation, timely submission, and engagement in the class is always present. 

Course Description:
AP Chemistry is designed to give you the equivalent of a college General Chemistry course. This will give you a working knowledge of chemistry and an idea of what to expect from a college chemistry course. As an AP course, it will have a substantial workload beyond the regular chemistry course to provide enough practice for you to be confident entering the AP exam in May. In addition, this course will help you to learn the methods of scientific inquiry through labs throughout the year. We will primarily use the same textbook as regular Chemistry with an AP textbook (written at the level of a college textbook) and online AP resources to supplement.

AP Meetings:   AP chemistry is offered during the same class period as High School Chemistry. This will mean that additional meetings outside of the regular class period will be needed to complete extra labs and review progress on online supplementary material in preparation for the AP exam. During the summer before taking AP Chemistry, students will be expected to watch the Crash Course Chemistry video series to get an overview of the material that will be covered on the AP exam in an entertaining way. 

Course arrangement:
Unit 1: Atomic Structure and Properties

Unit 2: Molecular and Ionic Compound Structure and Properties

Unit 3: Intermolecular Forces and Properties

Unit 4: Chemical Reactions

Unit 5: Kinetics

Unit 6: Thermodynamics

Unit 7: Equilibrium

Unit 8: Acids and bases

Unit 9: Applications of Thermodynamics

 

A. P. Physics is taught in conjunction with High School Physics. The course is open to any student entering the senior year or others by teacher and counselor recommendation. It is designed to prepare students from the Physics 1 or Physics C exam in May:

• the Physics 1 exam which is comparable to a 1st semester College Physics course  
• the Physics C exam which is comparable to a 1st semester Engineering Physics course

Engineering Physics is calculus based and is designed for engineers.

The DeSales Honors Physics course is so-called because it gives us the flexibility to offer both the Physics 1 exam and the Physics C exam.  Engineering bound students are best served by the Physics C exam.  All other students are best served by the Physics 1 exam.

In addition – every topic typically found in a high school physics course is covered.

Other information: 

• GPA is weighted as per DeSales AP scale and appears on transcript as Honors Physics. 
• Students must enroll through their personal College Board accounts no later than September 10 to begin online work and register for the exam.
• Outside-of-class meetings are required periodically to discuss evaluation and the online test-prep material.
•  Earning credits through AP tests is very much dependent on the college or university attended.  AP Exams are scored as 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.  Traditionally, scores of 3, 4 or 5 will earn credit.  However, some institutions are far more stringent.  Please check your University or College guidelines. 
• If college credit is not earned, the experience of taking an AP course and exam is an invaluable experience.  AP tests are a very good preparation for future professional tests.  Please encourage your sons and daughters to consider the challenge of an AP course.  

AP Statistics are courses that mirror what has become the most popular math course at the University level.  Topics include elements of probability, the various types of statistical studies and how to conduct them, measures of central tendency and variability, and the use of inferential methods.  The course prepares interested students for the AP Statistics exam.

The AP Calculus is a full year college-level Calculus course that prepares students for either the AB or BC Calculus AP Exam.. There are two AP Calculus exams:

• the AB exam is considered a 1st Semester Calculus course.  
• the BC exam is considered both a 1st and 2nd Semester Calculus course

When students take the AB exam, they receive only the AB score.  When students take the BC exam, they are given both an AB score and a BC score. Thus, students who earn a good BC exam score can earn credit for two semesters of Calculus.  Students who do not earn a good BC score, but do earn a good AB score, can earn credit for 1-semester of Calculus.

The DeSales AP Calculus class covers enough information for students to take the BC exam.  However, students may also opt to take the AB exam.  The decision about whether to take the AB or BC test is made by the family-usually by November (according to the College Board).  Once the decision is made, the course proceeds the same for all students, until April when specific AP test preparation takes place.  Hence, all students will receive a typical 1-year University Calculus course regardless of which AP exam is finally taken.

Other information: 

• The course starts about the same time as fall sports (1-week prior to school).  By doing this, we buy the time necessary to cover the material by the early May AP Testing dates.  See explanation below.
• Students must enroll through their personal College Board accounts no later than September 10 to begin online work and register for the exam.
• Outside-of-class meetings are required periodically to discuss evaluation and the online test-prep material. 
• The course is open to any student entering the senior year or others by teacher and counselor recommendation.  
• GPA is weighted as per DeSales AP scale and appears on transcript as AP Calculus. 
• Earning college credit through AP tests is very much dependent on the college or university attended.  AP Exams are scored as 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.  Traditionally, scores of 3, 4 or 5 will earn credit.  However, some institutions are far more stringent.  Please check your University or College guidelines. 
• If college credit is not earned, the experience of taking an AP course and exam is still an invaluable experience.  AP tests are a very good preparation for future professional tests.  Please encourage your sons and daughters to consider the challenge of an AP course.  
   

AP United States History (year-long, alternates with AP European History)
This is a one-year survey course of American History from the Colonial Period and American Revolution through the 20th Century, with an emphasis on the major social, political, economic, and military changes throughout the time period. The course will analyze the causes and effects of historical events through critical thinking of assigned readings, supplemental primary and secondary sources, and documentaries. Students will be expected to work individually, in small and large groups to write, present, and discuss critically the conventional accounts of history. This class is taught at a college level and will prepare students for excelling at college. Students will receive extensive preparation in the AP Exam format.

AP European History (year-long, alternates with AP U.S. History)
Students cultivate their understanding of European history from the Renaissance to modern day, through analyzing historical sources and learning to make connections and craft historical arguments. They will explore concepts like the interaction of Europe and the world; economic and commercial developments; religious, cultural, and intellectual developments; the role of states and other institutions of power; the ability of individuals to make major impacts; social organization and development; national and European identity; and technological and scientific innovation. Students will be expected to work individually, in small and large groups to write, present, and discuss critically the conventional accounts of history. This class is taught at a college level and will prepare students for excelling at college. Students will receive extensive preparation in the AP Exam format.