Curriculum: High School

Curriculum: High School [an error occurred while processing this directive]

The Curriculum Overview describes the components of a project and helps you make the most of the resources in the Secondary Language Arts & Social Studies kit. Each project provides ideas for integrating the Secondary Language Arts & Social Studies kit software and Apple technologies, helping your students make new connections and gain new insights.

High School
Curriculum Overview
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Hear My Voice
Students read poems, learn about the authors, and view works of art. They discuss cultural diversity as represented in poetry presented in common themes of hope, despair, and survival. They write their own poems that express their ideas about social injustice and participate in peer editing. Students make their own voices public by posting their poetry on a Web page.

Shakespeare, How I Love Thee
Students research the life and times of William Shakespeare and the Renaissance period. They read the play, Romeo and Juliet, and work in groups for interactive exploration with the Romeo+Juliet CD. They create a timeline and write a modern sequel to Romeo and Juliet.

Documenting Life from One Millennium to the Next
Students research and study the history of writing and predict the future of writing in the twenty-first century with the advancements of technology. Students work in pairs to research documents produced during different eras in history and create a class timeline plotting the chronological significance of these documents. They design an electronic time capsule which will incorporate text, graphics, images, videos, and sounds that capture the essence of life before the turn of the millennium.

Elements of a Literary Masterpiece
Students enjoy listening to a short story, read more short stories at home, and create a spreadsheet of elements, definitions, and examples of short stories. Students write their own short stories and then engage in peer editing. Their short stories are posted to a class Web site to share with others.

"M" is for Mystery
Students are inspired to write their own mystery story through listening to a Sherlock Holmes story on CD. They create a Story Elements map as a planning tool, analyze the elements of a mystery story, and create an interactive game that will test the reader's knowledge of the story and put their stories and games on display in the school media center.

The Literary Hall of Fame
Students learn about a favorite author and create a presentation to nominate that author to the Literary Hall of Fame. They research the author, write an author résumé, and write a speech about the author. They create a multimedia slideshow presentation to accompany the nomination speech.

World Influences
Students connect to the various cultures in their school by surveying the cultures of their school, researching a culture represented in their own student population, writing a "Day in the Life" account of a teenager from that culture, and creating a multimedia presentation about that culture. The presentations are included in a multicultural kiosk and displayed for the school and community to enjoy.

Civil Strife in Modern Times
In this project, students learn to empathize with people in a country devastated by civil war. They brainstorm a list of tensions and issues that have contributed to the fighting in Bosnia as an example of civil strife in modern times, then research specific issues in small groups. They use their research to create a timeline and make an eyewitness report documenting the civil war in Bosnia.

An Analysis of the Declaration of Independence
Students engage in an exciting simulation activity about colonization and conduct an historical investigation into British colonial practices with respect to tyranny. Students research and analyze the section on grievances and specific language used in the Declaration of Independence to prepare for a debate between the Radicals and the Tories.

Freedom From Unwarranted Search and Seizure
Students research the Bill of Rights and the origins of the 4th Amendment, study James Otis' argument against British search and seizure practices, then write their own Writs of Assistance based on these arguments. Using their new Writs and investigating the key exceptions to the search and seizure rule, students write a script and dramatize how an actual search is conducted.

Capitalism - 1776 to the 21st Century
Students gain a perspective on capitalism and how it has changed over the past two centuries through an exploration of the changing roles of the capitalist and the worker since this country was founded. They create a class Web site that represents the development of capitalism from the Industrial Revolution to the present and includes their predictions about the future of capitalism.

Entrepreneurial Spirit
This project challenges students to form a business to develop and market a new product or service. Students create flowcharts and business strategies, write a business plan, make business cards, and then create a short multimedia presentation targeted to venture capital funding groups. Students also create marketing materials such as a brochure, an advertisement, and a Web page.

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