Who should take this course?
Students who want to prepare themselves for college-level reading and writing; students interested in exploring multiple perspectives on real-world issues through a variety of non-fiction texts.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Reading critically
· Writing academic essays
· Discussion
· Growth-mindset
· Self-motivated/intellectual engagement
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
3-4 hours weekly
Sample week total (spread out over the week) usually includes 15-30 pages of reading, 1 hour of writing, 1 hour of research/prep work for discussions or timed writes
Student Work Examples
Reading/Discussion assignment
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
AP Lang Summer Assignment
More Information
AP Lang is a rewarding course that readies students for the rigor of college-level reading and writing. The course mimics a freshman composition course and is devoted to 6 topical units of study. Rather than focusing on central novels, AP Lang invites students to explore topics like personal identity, political oratory, social control, media representation, and humankind's relationship with the natural world through mediiums like essays, speeches, art, and film. Past Lang alumni have lauded the class as one they truley enjoyed and found purposeful, and one in which they grew deeply as readers, writers, speakers, and critical thinkers. To succeed in this class, students must commit to themselves and pursue genuine growth in reading and writing skills.
Additional Info
Link to sample Writing prompts: Rhetorical Analysis, Synthesis, Argument
Who should take this course?
Students who enjoy independently reading on a deeper level and discussing with others in class.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Critically annotating a text
· Participation
· Timed-writing
· Growth mindset
· Time-management
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
4-5 hours weekly
Student Work Examples
AP Lit Example Docs
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
AP Lit Summer Assignment
More Information
The course is divided into three to four-week units. Each unit includes a full novel, a graded Socratic seminar, and a timed write. Some tips from current students: "You need to be willing to read A LOT and write A LOT in order to do well in this class. Also, don't try to "wing it" because it is NOT going to work out, you need to be well prepared for everything." "Read the assigned books thoroughly and don't rush through or skim chapters. Knowing the material in and out will help during discussions and writing." "Sometimes reading sample essays can help you improve your own, so read some good essays." "Make sure you have a lot of time to dedicate to AP Literature because reading and making thorough annotations is time consuming"
Who should take this course?
Solid A both semesters of Alg 2.
Who should take this course?
Students who really love math and want to work hard at it. Recommended grades in previous DVHS Math Courses: A
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
High level:
· Algebra skills
· Trigonometry
· Functions
· Geometry (area/volume)
· Ability to comprehend and work math quickly
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
Roughly 1 hour per night for the average AB-Calc-ready student
Student Work Examples
Calc AB work sample
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
None
More Information
https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-calculus-ab-course-overview.pdf
Who should take this course?
Students who are passionate about math and can think and reason abstractly. Recommended A or B in AP Calculus AB or A in HPC
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
Mastery of:
· Algebra
· Geometry
· Trigonometry
· Thorough understanding of functions
· Problem-solving skills
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1/2-1 hour per night
Student Work Examples
FRQ sample
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
NA
Who should take this course?
Students with a strong math background who enjoy applying concepts and want to learn how to interpret and analyze data in the world around us.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Strong algebra skills
· Reading and interpreting graphs
· Ability to explain work
· Attention to detail
· Collaboration skills
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1/2-1 hour
Student Work Examples
First Semester Project
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
Summer Assignment
Who should take this course?
Students who are interested in globalization, global economic development, democracy, authoritarianism, international relations, foreign policy, political science/law, or working in the non-profit NGO sector as well as students who are interested in the ways of life and culture of people around the world. This is a dynamic cohort model class where students are required to take "Eng 12 - International Studies"
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Note taking
· Analysis of text and annotation
· Basic Research and sourcing
· Thesis/Argument writing
· Time Management
· Collaborating with peers
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
No set daily amount; 2-3 hours per week
Student Work Examples
In Class DC Trip Daily Assignment
Cohort Student Performance Task
Sample of Class Reader
More Information
AP Comparative Government and Politics introduces students to the rich diversity of political life outside the United States. The course uses a comparative approach to examine the political structures; policies; and political, economic, and social challenges of six selected countries: China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Students compare the effectiveness of approaches to many global issues by examining how different governments solve similar problems. They will also engage in disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and developevidence-based arguments..
Who should take this course?
Students who are interested in expanding their understanding of the modern world through a study of the past with a focus on the prominent texts from the Renaissance to present day.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Text analysis & annotation
· Class discussion & speaking
· Time-management
· Timed writing
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
3-4 hours per week
Student Work Examples
Sample Essay
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
Summer 2022
More Information
This course is a great introduction to the world of AP studies. Students will be exposed to college level texts and many great classics from the 14th century to the present. Former students who have taken this course have repeatedly reflected on how it has prepared them for success in their Junior and Senior years; along with providing them with the necessary study skills to succeed in college. The A.P. Euro team looks forward to meeting & working with your students. If you have any questions please email awengel@srvusd.net.
Who should take this course?
Students who are interested in learning about the economy in detail; there are emphases on both theory and application.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Strong problem solving/conceptual-thinking skills
· Math fluency and proficiency
· Time management
· Self-awareness, curiosity/willingness to ask questions
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
An average of ~2 hours per week, not including study time.
Students report spending 2-4 hours studying per quiz or FRQ (typically biweekly), and 4-6+ hours per test (3x/semester, not including the final).
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
AP Econ Summer Assignment
More Information
This course is fast paced; we are two AP classes in one (most students opt to take both the AP Micro and AP Macro tests in Spring). That being said, we have a lot of resources and are happy to help, but also expect there to be at least a few concepts that do not come easy to you where you will need to put in the work. See advice from some of my students in the next column.
Additional Info
I asked my students to share advice for juniors thinking of taking the course next year and here are some of their responses: (1) "Stay up to date will all information and homework. It’s harder to learn new things if you have to catchup on previous ones." (2) "don't stress give yourself time to understand the material! some people get it faster or slower than others so there's no use to comparing yourself to them :)" (3) "She doesn't round, don't ask" [*goes for both of us] (4) "Read textbook, listen in class, and don’t slight over notes for homework." (5) "Trust me, AP Econ is super eye-opening, especially because it's a new subject in school that many haven't studied in depth before. Although, because of that, it requires a lot of time to understand the material and reading the textbook is not sufficient enough. You need to be very good at conceptualizing and understanding some complex graphs/phenomenas. This class truly takes demand and supply to the next level. It will start out easy, but get increasingly intense as the year goes on. I would definitely say this is one of my most hardest APs (I scored better on my AP Biology exams to put some things into perspective), but if you have a genuine interest to learn about the consumptions and productions of goods etc or if you're planning on majoring in business or Econ in the future, then I believe this class is great for you. It's not for everyone, though. If math and some problem solving/conceptual thinking isn't your thing, then I wouldn't force this class upon yourself. It only causes more stress at that point."
Who should take this course?
** Connected to AP Micro, see AP Micro info
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
**
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
**
Student Work Examples
**
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
**
More Information
**
Who should take this course?
Students who are interested in how the US Government works!
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Reading
· Writing
· Critical thinking, speaking, and listening
· Time management
· Primary source skills
· Digital literacy
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
30-45 minutes/night
Student Work Examples
Perspectives Essay
More Information
Analytical Reading
Who should take this course?
Self-driven students who have a passion for history and enjoy reading; student who enjoys writing, debating, and analyzing historical trends; students who enjoy a fast-paced class that delves deeply into past and present history
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Writing skills: students need to be able to come in with already developed skills in analysis and synthesis
· Ability to discuss in front of class and in groups (some assessment grades are based solely on fishbowl/discussion participation)
· Close reading skills
· Argument development
· Time management
· Making connections using historical reasoning processes
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1 hour per night; 5-7 hours per week
Students will be reading every night and weekend homework is a given
Student Work Examples
Student samples linked in "Other" boxes
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
APUSH Summer Assignment
More Information
Ch. 32 Coronavirus Pandemic Sample
Additional Info
Concept Questions Sample
AP US History Course and Exam Description
Who should take this course?
Why Study History
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Close reading of complex and sophisticated texts
· Cultivating critical thinking skills
· Writing in-depth analysis
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
45 minutes per evening
Student Work Examples
MCQ, LEQ, DBQ, SAQ
Who should take this course?
Students interested in pursuing careers in medical and health fields. Students interested in in-depth study of microscopic and gross anatomy, as well as the physiological processes in the body.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Engage content through hands-on laboratory experiences, including use of microscopic images, dissections/specimens, and virtual labs
· Ability to analyze and annotate (digital) images and diagrams
· Synthesize and apply new medical terminology and vocabulary
· Proficient in digital literacy (upload and submitting images of specimens from phone)
· Annotation using Google Slides, Google Docs, scribble tool
· Using multiple types of resources for independent studying
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1 hour
Student Work Examples
Example Lab: Blood Disease & Disorders Hemotology Lab
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
None
Who should take this course?
Students who have a strong interest in taking AP Chemistry or pursuing chemistry in college. This covers the foundational information needed for AP Chemistry
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Strong algebra skills
· Time management
· Self-advocacy
· Need critical thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning skills
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1 hour
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
N/A
Who should take this course?
Students who are serious about enrolling in AP Physics or pursuing a Physics/Engineering degree
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Trigonometry
· Vector addition & multiplication
· Solving systems of equations
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
3-4 hours per week
This does not include studying
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
None
More Information
You will need help. Expect it. Ask for it, often.
Who should take this course?
Students who are self-motivated and passionate about Biology. Students should have strong reading, writing, and critical thinking skills.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Strong and effective reading & writing skills
· Explanation skills for biological concepts and processes
· Analytical skills for visual representations and data
· Critical thinking skills and application
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1-2 hours, includes time for reading and chapter notes
Class is very fast-paced! We will cover about 1 chapter per week, 1 quiz per week, 1 unit test per 3-4 weeks
Student Work Examples
Molecular Process Modeling Project
Sample One Pagers
Sample notetaking (on a longer chapter)
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
none
More Information
Sample Exam Questions
AP Biology Course Overview
AP Biology Class Website
Who should take this course?
Students interested in pursuing chemistry in college such Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, pre-med, or other chemisty-related fields. Honors Chemistry strongly recommended, otherwise will need to do some extra summer work on topics not covered in college prep chemistry. We do NOT suggest Chemistry over the summer as 6-8 week classes does not best prepare students for AP Chemistry
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Strong algebra skills
· Perseverance through challenging unique problems
· Time management and self-advocacy skills
· Dimensional analysis, stoichiometry, equilibrium, lab error analysis
· Need critical thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning skills
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1-2 hours, depends on how many labs per chapter
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
AP CHEM SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
More Information
www.mychemistryclass.net
Additional Info
https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-chemistry
Who should take this course?
Students who are interested in exploring the intersection of biology, chemistry, sociology, and engineering
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Graphical and computational analysis
· Thinking critically about connections between phenomena, social maturity
· Time management
· Academic science writing
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1-2 hours, includes time for reading as well as supplemental activities
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
APES Summer Reading Assignment
More Information
https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-environmental-science-course-and-exam-description.pdf
Who should take this course?
Anyone who is serious about pursuing a Physics or Engineering degree
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Integrals
· Derivatives
· Vector addition/multiplication
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
3 hours per week
This does NOT include studying
Student Work Examples
Lab Design Assignment
More Information
This is a second year physics course. You should pass Physics or Honors Physics with a "B" or better - online and summer physics courses are NOT reccomended.
You will need help. Expect it. Ask for it, often.
Who should take this course?
Students who have completed Chinese 3 or Chinese 3 Heritage
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Chinese language speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills
· Basic understanding of Chinese culture.
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1/2 hour daily
Student Work Examples
presentation
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
Students are encouraged to watch Chinese movies
and listen to Chinese songs. But, there is no summer assignments to turn in.
More Information
sample
Who should take this course?
Students who have completed Korean 3
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Proficient in intermediate and advanced grammar forms learned from Korean 1 through Korean 3
· Listening & Speaking: can have conversations and communicate in target language
· Reading & Writing: can read authentic texts and produce paragraphs using learned vocab, grammar
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
20-25 minutes per night
Some weeks more with completing language-involving projects
Student Work Examples
Student's example
Who should take this course?
Students who have completed Korean 4 Honors
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Proficient in intermediate and advanced grammar forms learned from Korean 1 through Korean 4 Honors
· Listening & Speaking: can have conversations and communicate in target language fluently
· Reading & Writing: can read authentic texts and produce paragraphs and meaningful texts using learned vocab, grammar
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
20-25 minutes per night
Some weeks more with completing language-involving projects.
Student Work Examples
Student's example
Who should take this course?
Students who are motivated and have completed coursework through French 3, and who have an interest in furthering their Francophone knowledge and skills
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Proficient in basic and intermediate grammar
· Speaking: comfortable using the target language with others and presenting themselves, asking questions
· Writing: can produce paragraph using level 2 appropriate tenses and vocabulary
· Reading: can read level-appropriate texts and look for meaning
· Listening: able to listen to level-appropriate audio and find meaning
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
15-20 minutes per night; about 1-2 hours per week
Some weeks more with reading or studying for assessments
Student Work Examples
Projet
Groupwork/presentation
Who should take this course?
Students who have taken a full year of Spanish 3 with a C or better.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Proficient in basic and intermediate grammar
· Speaking: comfortable using the target language with others and presenting themselves, asking questions
· Writing: can produce paragraph using level 2 appropriate tenses and vocabulary
· Reading: can read level-appropriate texts and look for meaning
· Listening: able to listen to level-appropriate audio and find meaning
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
20 minutes per night; about 1-2 hours per week.
Some nights there is no homework; other times that is more if there is an exam or project.
Student Work Examples
Día de los Muertos - Ofrendas
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
N/A
Who should take this course?
Students who have completed Chinese 4 Honors
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Chinese language speaking
· Reading, listening, and writing skills.
· Basic understanding of Chinese culture
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
Half an hour daily
Student Work Examples
presentation
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
Students are encouraged to watch Chinese movies
and listen to Chinese songs. But, there is no summer assignments to turn in.
More Information
writing sample
Who should take this course?
Students who are motivated and have completed coursework through French 4 Honors with at least a B
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Proficient in basic, intermediate, and advanced grammar tenses learned previously
· Speaking: interpersonal and presentational modes, in target language
· Writing: can produce paragraphs on a relevant topic using previously learned grammar, vocab, and personal expressions.
· Reading: can read authentic texts and glean the purpose, audience, and meaning
· Listening: has experience with authentic audio and how to take notes / parse aural text.
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
About 1-2 hours per week
Some weeks more with reading or studying for assessment
Who should take this course?
Students who want to develop their Spanish language skills and want to learn about the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Initiate and maintain simple conversations
· Show evidence of control of basic sentence structure and verb forms
· Express opinion, agreements or disagreements
· Express hypothetical situations with different degrees of probability
· Be able to describe events and situations in Spanish using tenses learned in previous Spanish courses
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1-2 hours per week
Who should take this course?
Students should take this class if they have a fundamental knowledge of musical notation, basic performance skills on an instrument or in voice, and/or if they are interested in pursuing music in college.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Reading music
· Ability to match and maintain pitch
· Basic aural skills
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
30 minutes on average
Student Work Examples
AP Music Theory Work Samples
More Information
Email Mrs. Walker with any questions at dwalker1@srvusd.net
Who should take this course?
Prerequisite Adv Art or waiver with portfolio review Room 4103; access the Art Advancement Form HERE
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Conceptual thinking
· Working from a thesis topic
· Understanding of all 2D media
· Time management
· Attention to detail
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
6 hours weekly
Student Work Examples
AP Studio Art: DVHS
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
AP Art Summer Assignment
More Information
Questions, email Mrs. Wengel kwengel@srvusd.net Or visit classroom 4103
Who should take this course?
Students who are interested in growing their research writing and presentation skills to the next level. AP Research students should be independently motivated to explore a passion project.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Independent & self-motivated learner
· Time management
· Critical reading
· Open to, and can grow from, constructive criticism
· Driven to explore a topic for an entire school year
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1 hour a night
Majority of class time dedicated to independent work time
Student Work Examples
Research Methods Projects Compiled
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
AP Research Summer Assignment
Who should take this course?
Students who have a curiosity about real world problems and are interested in growing their research writing and presentation skills.
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Team work
· Time management
· Reading a variety of text types
· Ability to hear and implement feedback
· Desire to build a close academic community
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
1/2-1 hour per night
More Information
Email Mrs. Kerr with any questions at akerr1@srvusd.net
Who should take this course?
Students who are interested in CS who have completed the prerequisite course (a year-long course highly recommended).
What are the top skills students should be proficient in before enrolling in this course?
· Strong logic/reasoning skills
· Programming fundamentals (data types, if statements, loops, functions)
Daily HW: How many hours per night?
0-1 hour per night
Most work can be done in class if proficient in prerequisite course; up to 1h per day, as needed, depending on skill level.
Student Work Examples
Student Sample Lab 3
Summer Assignment (if applicable)
Triangle Solver
More Information
Students report this class is approximately as challenging as AP Calc AB.