Art I
This course provides an introduction to visual art through an in depth exploration of the Elements & Principles of Art. Art I is a foundation level course open to all students interested in creating and thinking about art, regardless of previous artistic instruction or skill, with a focus on growth, effort and participation. Art I is an introductory course that provides a solid base for students interested in future study in the field of Art. Students will recognize and solve a variety of design problems by applying critical thinking and problem solving skills. Art students will research, brainstorm, practice, keep a sketchbook, create preliminary drawings, revise and construct original compositions. The history of painting, sculpture and other visual arts will be covered and connected to project work. Students will respond, interpret meaning and make critical judgment when viewing works of art.
Ceramics
This class introduces students to the ancient craft of working with clay. Students will experience hand-building techniques including pinch, coil, and slab. Wheel throwing is introduced with expectations for basic levels of achievement, including cylinder, bowl, and plate forms. As the semester progresses, experimentation with basic techniques will lead to more freedom and individual creativity. Informal group critiques and instructor demonstrations will reinforce student learning. Clay works created in this class, whether functional or sculptural, will be enjoyed for a lifetime!
Digital Photography
Digital Photography introduces students to photographic compositional elements, principles of design, layout and lighting. Students will learn basic camera techniques, editing workflow, and creative thinking. They will explore the history of photography, learning about technological developments, important innovators in the field, and relevance within the digital world. Using industry-standard Adobe software, students will learn how to edit and organize images, as well as create graphic based designs using the images they have created.
Introduction to Fashion Design
Introduction to Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Development will promote critical thinking in students in the field of Fashion and Design with focus on career awareness, garment care and construction, consumer studies, technology and history. The skills and knowledge will be obtained through class instructional demos, hands-on application, individual research and class collaborations.
Art History (Fine Art)
An art history course will provide an understanding and knowledge of architecture, sculpture, painting, and other art forms within diverse historical and cultural contexts. Students will learn to look at works of art critically, with intelligence and sensitivity, and to analyze what they see. We will include in this course the direct study of original works of art in local collections. Local architecture will be studied first hand when available. The time span will cover the Ancients, Oceania, and global Islamic tradition and deal with the Renaissance to the present. Assessments will be through multiple-choice questions, long and short essay questions and comparisons of works of art. The students will reflect an understanding of elements of art, terminology and technical processes as well as works of art in context.
Criminal Justice
This elective course will cover the basic principles of American Civil and Criminal Law; examine the theory of criminal justice and criminal law; the structure of the United States court system; due process guidelines; and the purpose and organization behind policing, including the legal aspects and the issues and challenges of policing. The course will also explore the courts; the courtroom; criminal trial sentencing; probation, parole and the community; the prison system -including prison life- and the juvenile justice system. Students will also analyze and debate current legal controversies and participate in mock trials and other role play simulations.
Holocaust & Genocide Studies (Dual Credit)
This course provides a broad interdisciplinary study of the Holocaust and other genocides of the 20th and 21st centuries. This course addresses a central tenet of education: What does it mean to be a responsible citizen in a democratic society? Holocaust and Genocide Studies focuses on global awareness through a historical analysis of “man’s inhumanity to man” as a means to foster universal responsibility and action to challenge indifference, explore bias, and confront prejudice. Students enrolled in this course have the option to also be enrolled in a dual credit program available through the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
Journalism and Writing for Media
While all students will be expected to learn how to write without bias and use words efficiently, students will have the flexibility to write about the topics that matter most to them. Whether fashion, music, movies, sports or politics is a student’s area of interest, students get to decide what topics will become their focus. Journalism will primarily involve nonfiction writing.
Mythology, Ancient & Modern (Dual Credit) (Fine Art)
The Mythology elective is designed to enrich student experience and understanding of storytelling, oral tradition, cultures, structure of hero stories, as well as common archetypes, themes and motifs shown through diverse cultures all around the world throughout varied time periods. Evaluating ancient mythologies of Egyptian, Japanese and Norse cultures followed by examples of modernized myths such as Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Lucas’ Star Wars & modern myths, encourages high level analysis of patterns and purpose. This course also expands on concepts taught in not only the English classrooms but History, Art History and Communications / Media courses as well. . By drawing correlations between context and narratives, students will better recognize and understand timeless values such as perseverance, responsibility, courage, fairness, problem-solving, self-reliance and compassion, as also seen through district Character Education.
Peer Leadership (Social Studies Elective)
The Peer Leadership program provides upperclassmen with an opportunity to work with freshmen as mentors, helping the ninth grade students with their transition to high school, introducing them to extracurricular and social opportunities, and discussing moral and ethical issues. The goal of the Peer Leadership program is to provide a platform for the older students in our community to model and cultivate positive character traits. Peer Leaders may also be called upon to serve in other leadership capacities for Cape May Tech as representatives at different events. Enrollment in this class is competitive. Students must apply for the class through Ms. Miller and complete an interview process. The class limit is 24. Students enrolled in this course have the option to also be enrolled in a dual credit program available through ACCC.
BOOST Program (Building On Our Skills and Techniques)
This course is designed to provide additional academic support to students who need assistance as it relates to their English Language Arts and Mathematics studies. This course will explore study skills, organization, resiliency and various tools for success. In addition to targeted coursework, this class will satisfy the NJDOE’s Financial Literacy requirement through a hybrid learning environment. Students are enrolled in this course by teacher/specialist recommendation.
Business Math (Math Elective)
Prerequisite: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2.
This course focuses on mathematical functions (using whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents) that are
required to function in today’s business world as well as to handle personal finance. Students will be able to
understand, solve, and functionally apply basic mathematical concepts. They will become familiar with bank services,
payroll, simple and compound interest, loan calculations, taxes, insurance, depreciation, balance sheets, business
statistics, as well as a variety of technical mathematical techniques for different professions and trades.
Ecology (Science Elective)
In this course, students study the interactions of biotic (living things) components in their environments, including impacts on ecosystems and sustainability. Investigations and field work in this course may emphasize various areas of freshwater aquatic science depending primarily upon the natural resources available for study near the school. Additional topics include major animal groups including, arthropods (insects), echinoderms (spiny skin animals), fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The evolutionary history of each will be covered as well as how they are related, along with the benefits humans get from each group. Students work collaboratively with peers, and develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
Environmental Science & Sustainability (Dual Credit)
Humans depend on environmental systems for the water we drink, food we eat, air we breathe and the places we live. Environmental Science and Sustainability is a course in which students are involved in a study of the physical, chemical, geological and biological aspects of the environment. Case studies and investigations of local, regional and national current events and concerns are used to connect students to environmental topics. Students will examine ways to create sustainable interactions between humans and the environment. Students also explore the relationships of the environment to their interests, to career opportunities and to the historical contributions of science. Additionally, in this course, students will take the Energy Industry Fundamental Credential in agreement with Atlantic City Electric. This course is dual enrollment with Stockton University.
Introduction to Oceanography (Dual Credit)
Prerequisite: Completion of Biology and Chemistry with a final grade of B or better.
This course is a dual enrollment course in correlation with Stockton University. 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by
ocean waters. About 40% of the Earth’s population lives within 100 km of an ocean. Oceanography is a course in which
students are involved in a study of the physical, chemical, geological and biological aspects of the oceans. Case studies
and investigations of local, regional and national current events and concerns are used to connect students to ocean topics. Students also explore the relationships of oceanography to their interests, to career opportunities and to the
historical contributions of science.
Statistics
Prerequisite: Algebra II
This course is designed for the student who wishes to explore a large range of mathematical topics with an emphasis
on "real world" applications such as games of chance, random population, and actuarial science. The purpose of this
course is to introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing and drawing conclusions from
data, calculating simple theoretical probabilities, identifying the characteristics and applying theoretical probability
distributions, and analyzing basic inferential statistical data. Students will regularly apply the tools of technology,
including the graphing calculator and computer, to solve problems. They will be challenged through critical thinking
exercises and participate in various group and individual activities that will enhance their mathematical reasoning
ability and communication skills.