AP Exam Contract/Registration Links (2023-2024)

  • 2023-2024 AP & Honors Course Information

Advanced Placement Course Descriptions

  • AP US History

    AP U.S. History is a survey course that covers the major political, economic, religious, social, intellectual, and artistic developments of the United States, from the initial colonization of North America in the early 1600s to modern day.   Students will be challenged with a college level workload that is supported by instruction in and the practice of relevant skills. The expectation is that students will take the nationally given AP Exam at the end of the course, which offers the possibility to earn college credit. This course meets the subject area - A requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    AP Psychology

    AP Psychology is a year long course designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings.  Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with the major sub fields within psychology.  Students will be able to recognize and apply psychological principles when they encounter them in everyday situations. Through the course of study, students will become aware of the danger of blindly accepting or rejecting any psychological theory without careful, objective evaluation.  Students will also build their reading, writing, and discussion skills.  There is the expectation that students will take the nationally given AP Exam at the end of the course, which offers the possibility to earn college credit. This course meets the subject area - A requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    AP Government/Economics

    Senior students take AP Gov/Econ to increase understanding of the American political system and the U.S. economy, their frameworks, traditions, and values with the goal of having each student pass the AP exams. These courses are concerned with the nature of the American political and economic systems, and their development over the past two centuries. We will examine in detail the principle processes and institutions through which the political and economic systems function, as well as some of the public policies which these institutions establish and how they are implemented. 

    AP Physics 1

    Physics is everything! We study kinematics, energy, momentum, rotational motion, waves & springs, and finally electricity.  AP Physics 1 is strongly recommended for college bound students, especially those considering a career in science. Concurrent enrollment in algebra 3 or trigonometry is a minimum prerequisite for AP Physics 1.  AP Physics 1 delves deeper into the required mentioned ares but with more difficult problems and additional outside requirements for preparation for the AP exam.

    AP Environmental Science

    This course is designed for the college bound student with a strong aptitude for study science in the context of political/ social issues who are willing to work consistently to the best of their ability. Students must be proficient writers and critical thinkers to succeed in APES. We will look at the laws, culture and ecological foundations of environmental science. Some of the topics included are ecosystems, biodiversity, natural resources, alternative energy, and climate change. Students are expected to participate in field trips to observe salt marsh, redwood, oak grassland and other unique local ecosystems. A notebook/lab book/field journal will be kept. Field trips and required weekend work will also support local wetland conservation efforts. Students must complete a project which can range from investigation, monitoring, and evaluation of a local ecosystem to exploring the local politics of habitat conservation and/or resource management. Students will be expected to take the AP Environmental Science exam which may fulfill a laboratory science requirement in some colleges. This course meets the subject area - d requirements for the UC/CSU approved course list. 

    AP Computer Science

    AP Computer Science A teaches object-oriented programming using the Java language and is meant to be the equivalent of a first semester, college-level course in computer science. Students will learn to design and implement computer programs that solve problems relevant to today’s society, including art, media, and engineering. It will emphasize problem solving and algorithm development, and use hands-on experiences and examples so that students can apply programming tools and solve complex problems. 
    The course will cover fundamental of programming syntax and methodology using the Java programming language. In the first semester, students focus on the basic building blocks of computer science and programming tools. Topics include control structures, primitive and class data types such as arrays and Strings, methods, and recursions. In the second semester, students learn how to manipulate data to create more sophisticated programs, with topics including class design, algorithm development and user-defined data types. Students also prepare for and take the end-of-course AP Exam.

    AP Calculus AB

    This is a college level Calculus course designed for students with high mathematical motivation and ability. Topics include a study of the theory, techniques, and applications of limits, explicit and implicit differentiation, and integration. Functions, their inverses and graphs will be studied, including polynomials, trigonometric, and logarithmic functions. Students will be strongly urged to take the AP exam in the spring and may receive college credit with a passing score. This course meets the subject area - C requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    AP Calculus BC

    Students who have completed AP Calculus AB are eligible. This is a college level Calculus course designed for students with high mathematical motivation and ability. The BC course is a challenging class that covers all topics in the AP Calculus AB course plus additional topics, including derivatives of polar and vector functions, Euler’s method, L’Hopital’s rule, improper integrals, logistic differential equations and polynomial approximations and series. Students should plan on taking the AP Calculus BC exam offered in May, and will receive a sub-score for the AP Calculus A/B exam. A passing score on the AP exam may provide students with the opportunity to receive college credit. This course meets the subject area - C requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    AP Statistics

    This is a college level Statistics course designed for students with high mathematical motivation and ability. Topics include exploring data, planning a study, anticipation patterns, and statistical inference. You will be expected to do homework regularly, which will include reading, analyzing, thinking and writing clearly. Students will be strongly urged to take the Advanced Placement exam in the spring and may receive college credit for a passing grade. This course meets the subject area - C requirement for the UC/CSU approved    course list. 

    AP English Language & Composition

    Advanced Placement Language and Composition is a course in literature and writing which prepares students in their junior year of high school to participate in the AP examination in May. Through the course's accelerated readings and writings, students will learn how to identify, analyze, and utilize the power of rhetoric to persuade an audience. The course involves and interdisciplinary study of American literature, and students will connect readings and writings to history, art, music, and other disciplines in order to more completely understand rhetorical structure. This course meets the subject area - b requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    AP English Literature & Composition

    This is a college level course that prepares students for the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition test that students take in May. The students will study English and American writers from the sixteenth century to the present day. Students write at least four essays during every six-week grading period. All units include intense study of grammar, vocabulary, syntax, and literary and rhetorical devices. The students have many opportunities to practice and improve their writing. This course meets the subject area - b requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list. 

Honors Course Descriptions

  • Honors English 9

    This course is designed to offer an approach to learning that is challenging, interesting, and fast-paced for strong, capable readers who are also proficient writers. There is supplemental reading that requires students to exhibit high levels of comprehension, enjoy working at an accelerated pace, and desire a deeper analysis of the reading. Writing assignments will focus on analysis, development, organization, and language. Assignments encourage creativity, abstract thinking, and consistent goal-directed behavior. This course meets the subject area - b requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    Honors English 10

    Students in Honors English 10 conduct a chronological study of British literature from the 19th and 20th centuries, giving them a solid foundation in British literature should they elect to take the AP English exam their senior year. Students lead classroom discussions, analyze literature using AP strategies, conduct research related to the topics of the literature, and write analytically. This course meets the subject area - b requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    Honors Biology

    This college prep laboratory class explores the interrelationships of life and the physical world around us. Some areas of study will include cellular and molecular biology, ecology, genetics, energy pathways of life, bioethics, evolution, and diversity. This course is designed for college-bound students with a strong aptitude in science and math, and who consistently work independently to the best of their ability. Honors Biology uses a college level textbook. Please note: there is no grade bump for Honors Biology. This is the first level of preparation for Honors/AP junior, senior courses. Homework is required daily. This course meets the subject area - d requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    Honors Chemistry

    This course will introduce the same concepts in P-Chemistry. Students need to have a strong aptitude for science and math, be able to comprehend and utilize concepts more quickly and demonstrate the ability, initiative and motivation to work independently. Students will need to employ an above- average level of analytical skill and sufficient maturity to consistently deduce underlying concepts from empirical evidence. It is the intent of this course to challenge and stimulate the student to go beyond basic principles to examine concepts and applications in greater depth and complexity. Although the course is not designed as an AP course, interested students will be helped to prepare for the AP exam. Students should be aware of the personal time commitment to complete this course. A minimum of 45 minutes of homework is required daily. A scientific calculator is required. This course meets the subject area - d requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    Honors Math Analysis

    This elective course is designed for students with a desire for a more advanced background in mathematics. Although the course exceeds the basic entrance requirements for most colleges, it is recommended for a wide variety of major fields of study. Topics include trigonometric functions and their inverses, graphs, identities and applications. Analysis topics include sequences and series, theory of equations, vectors and matrices, complex numbers, and polar coordinates. Also included will be an introduction to Calculus with emphasis on limit theory. This course meets the subject area - c requirement for the UC/CSU approved course list.

    Honors World History

    Honors World History is a survey course that covers the major social, political, cultural and economic developments of the last 10,000 years. This study of the human experience will span the whole of our globe, bringing to light the structure and evolution of varied cultures. Students will be challenged with a college level workload that is supported by instruction in and the practice of relevant skills.