Course Offerings
Common Schedule Offerings at Deering and Portland
All high school students in Portland are able to take advantage of common schedule offerings at Casco Bay, Deering and Portland High Schools. For the first block of the day, start times are synched so that PPS students may take a course that their home school may not offer or which otherwise does not fit in their schedule. Bus transportation can be provided to and from the home school. Casco Bay students have taken advantage of courses such as Band, Chorus, Latin, Java Programming. Arabic, AP Biology and Forensic Science through the “Common Block.” Enrollment is subject to class size and logistics. Given the number of required team core courses for 9th Graders and sophomores, common schedule offerings are more likely to be an option for juniors and seniors. Please contact a CBHS guidance counselor for more information.
Early College – U. Start Ahead
CBHS is thrilled to offer the opportunity for each student to take a college course – tuition free – before s/he graduates from high school. This is a crucial part of our pledge to prepare each student for college, for career and for citizenship. We call it U. Start Ahead. USM Education Professor Lynne Miller notes that “freshmen who arrive on campus with 3 - 6 college credits gain momentum and increase the probability of graduating from college on time.” We are able to offer at least one USM or SMCC course to all interested and eligible juniors and seniors. 9th and 10th graders may also be eligible for USM courses.
Certain standardized test scores (on the SAT's, Accuplacer and/or PSAT's) and a 3.0 GPA may be required to enroll in a particular course and/or be eligible for free tuition. CBHS students will be limited to courses where there is space available after matriculated USM students have completed their sign-ups. In addition, for USM, CBHS students will be limited to “100 level” classes (except by professor approval) and primarily classes that meet after 2pm on the Portland campus. Like all USM students, CBHS students will be responsible for some University fees (which provide athletic facilities access) as well as the cost of buying course books. See a guidance counselor for more details, including the extensive list of potential courses. In the Class of 2023, 62% of graduates earned college credit before graduating, either through a college course ( from Women's Studies to Oceanography) or by earning a 3 or higher on an AP exam. With SMCC, in 2023-2024 on our campus, we will be offering Introduction to Psychology and English Composition in the fall and another course in the spring (on Wednesday afternoons, following typical dismissal).
Participating students may be eligible for early dismissal or late arrival on some days. Taking an early college course is a significant challenge, opportunity and responsibility. Interested students must complete all of the requisite paperwork and requirements. Students must turn in their final college grades to CBHS in order to earn credit towards graduation and to have the course and grade listed on their CBHS transcript.
English Language Learning
CBHS is proud of our global community and follows an inclusive model of education for our multilingual learners. Our ELL staff provide multilingual students with additional, substantive support within mainstream classes. In addition to our Academic Language courses, we offer our ELL students the possibility of a supported study as well as the extended day learning and mentoring opportunities of the "Make It Happen!" program. Seniors in ELL Supported Study will also receive targeted support in the college process and general college readiness. For English language learners who either lack foundational content-area knowledge or who score between a 1-3 in the literacy composite of the ACCESS test, teachers may provide alternate coursework and assessments, aligned to students’ existing background knowledge and language level. These students will strive to meet appropriately modified standards and the successful student will receive elective credit. The modified course will be noted on transcripts with an altered title (e.g.: Language and Concepts of Biology).
Academic Language One, Two, Three and Four
The Academic Language courses are designed to develop the literacy skills and academic English needed to succeed in content area classes, with particular emphasis placed on the key academic language and background knowledge integral to grade-level expeditions. Academic Language One focuses on supporting Humanities Nine and other Grade 9 courses, while Academic Language Two supports the sophomore curriculum. Academic Language Three and Four are designed to support upper grade courses and expeditions as well as increasing students’ college knowledge and readiness. Academic Language One, Two, Three and Four are year-long courses worth two elective UPs (units of proficiency).
Humanities
Humanities is the study of being human – what people think, feel, do, and create. Humanities Nine, Humanities Ten, Humanities Eleven and Senior Humanities are required courses that integrate what is typically taught in high school English and social studies courses. These courses are team-taught by one English teacher and one social studies teacher. Each section meets every day, all year long. Each year, students develop their reading, writing, research and presentation skills through expeditionary units that include vital, emblematic historical case studies and a range of classic and contemporary literature.
Humanities Nine
A central theme of Humanities Nine is oppression and resistance. We seek to learn from those who have resisted oppression historically and today in order to build our understanding of the various ways to disrupt oppressive systems and to take action to resist oppression in our world today. We will begin the year by exploring ourselves, our new CBHS community, and our homeplaces. Following this, we will engage in our fall expedition, We Are On Indigenous Land, in which we will dive deeply into the history and culture of Wabanaki peoples. Throughout this expedition, we will strive to better understand the experiences of Indigenous peoples in this region and the resilience that Wabanaki peoples have shown in the face of systemic racism and genocide. Following this expedition, we will explore global genocides and look at the role and construction of narrative and story. Our spring expedition, Facing the Past, Forging the Future, is a deep study of the Atlantic slave trade and abolitionist movements. This expedition asks students to consider the lessons we can learn from abolitionists of the past and how we can apply them to creating a more just society today. Throughout the year, in Humanities Nine, we engage in a variety of case studies, sometimes during expeditions and sometimes outside of expeditions, all of which consider various factors that influence communities we live in today and the role we can play in taking action to better the world. Each expedition or learning experience will have its own texts, writings, activities, case studies, expert guidance, and culmination. Learning standards in the disciplines of both Social Studies and English Language Arts will be rigorously assessed to provide each 9th grade student with a relevant and holistic Humanities education. Humanities Nine is worth four UPs, two in English and two in social studies.
Humanities Ten
This four UPs course integrates the study of social studies with English language arts. Throughout we will read literature and primary sources and focus on close reading and developing evidence-based claims. In English, the first quarter begins with a unit on creative writing, focusing on the craft of writing short stories and poems. In social studies we will learn about the political and social revolutions throughout the Atlantic world of the 19th century. Our study of this era will culminate with a study of the role of women in transforming our world. In the second quarter, we will examine modern global inequalities, immigration crises, and human rights in relation to colonialism, imperialism, and neo-colonialism in the Beyond Borders Expedition. Students will focus on the idea of home and its connection to our identity. Students will research a country that is currently experiencing political, economic, and migration crises to discover how colonialism and/or imperialism has shaped the country as it exists today. The expedition will culminate with students presenting their work in a public forum. In the third quarter, students will investigate how literature from around the world is shaped by and shapes culture. In social studies, students will learn about the transformational events of the 20th century with an eye towards how those events shape our lives today. In the fourth quarter, the focus will be on the cultural and political history of African Americans to discover and learn from antiracist movements. It will consist of a close look at the history of revolts during slavery, the Civil War, the Abolitionist movement, the Reconstruction Era, the Civil Rights movement, and the present-day Black Lives Matter movement.
9th and 10th Grade Exceeds Reading Seminar: Students have the opportunity to “exceed” the standards in all courses. This often means taking on additional or more sophisticated challenges. For 9th and 10th graders, there is an Exceeds Reading Seminar. During this weekly offering, students will explore literary theories, devices and philosophical ideas in conjunction with reading literature above and beyond what's required in Humanities Nine and Ten. Students will be expected to attend weekly and keep up with the syllabus. Each quarter will be a new literary adventure, so students may attend one, two, three or all four quarters for academic enrichment. The Exceeds Reading Seminar may be dropped at any time without consequence. At the end of each semester, students who’ve met standards for the previous two quarters will receive a grade (3, 3.25, 3.5, 3.75H or 4H) and earn .25 UPs in English.
Humanities Eleven
Our junior year in humanities is focused on understanding how to effect positive change through human story, policy work, and active citizenship. Humanities, a 4 UPs course, continues the integrated study of social studies with English language arts, with a focus on economics and the historical development and current implementation of US public policy. The year is driven by the questions, “How do we as a capitalist democracy ensure prosperity, opportunity and equality for all?”, and “How do we live a moral life in a capitalist society?” We will start the year building background knowledge and investigating questions about housing, land use and ownership. Our primary objective will be to understand how government works, how policy is shaped and made, and how basic issues in economics influence societal decisions. We will then embark on our Public Policy expedition, which will focus on climate change and involve further investigation into our relationship with and use of the land and environment. After conducting extensive research, each student will craft a policy proposal that they will then present publically. We will next shift into our English-led expedition focused on assessing and understanding the dynamic ways human story effects social and political change. First, students will develop documentary skills and work in teams to interview inspiring people in the Portland area who have shown immense courage, resilience and strength in the face of hardship or injustice. Ultimately, students will culminate by creating and presenting original theater that works to bring these stories to life as well as to provoke thinking about larger social and political issues. All in all, we hope the year helps us to better understand how to work towards equity and a moral life in the face of economic disparity and climate change. Throughout, we will also read literature and focus on close reading and literary analysis. The Junior Humanities program emphasizes a variety of skills, including: researching, reading informational texts, drafting evidence-based claims, writing for a variety of purposes, mastering rhetoric, inferring, synthesizing, and interviewing.
Senior Humanities
This course (four UPs) is a coordinated study of English and social studies. Our focus for the year is leadership and how best to chart our journeys into the world beyond Casco Bay. Students grapple with a pair of essential questions: What is my passion and how can it meet a need in the world? Students’ journeys begin with Senior Quest and the college essay, continue with Senior Expedition, and close with the Power of Words Expedition. Informed and engaged citizenship is the year-long focus in social studies which centers on our interdisciplinary Senior Expedition. In English, seniors chart personal journeys through reflective Senior Quest Journals, college essays, and our study of contemporary memoir. In social studies, students will begin the year with the research phase of Senior Expedition. Students will research their chosen Senior Expedition issue, interview experts and analyze the solutions others have attempted. The research product will be an expert paper due in late fall that will inform the next phase of Senior Expedition in English. We will then continue the journey toward informed and engaged citizenship as adults by exploring the concept of rule of law in the US, then shift to a more in depth exploration of the most fundamental area of US law - constitutional law. During winter English classes, students culminate Senior Expedition and four years working toward our school-wide goal of “getting smart to do good” by designing their Slice of the Solution action project. In February, seniors give a Casco Talk to the school: a TED-style talk about their Senior Expedition journey as a change maker. In social studies, seniors explore the US legal system at a more in-depth level. They will examine the US criminal justice system to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of this system and the role it plays in our sense of social justice, then explore the concept of civil justice. Seniors end the year in social studies by exploring legal topics they might encounter as young adults, such as contract law (lease agreements) and financial liability (student loan and credit card debt). The Power of Words Expedition will close the year in English with study of three artistic genres: poetry/spoken word, short story and memoir to develop and revise a publication-quality piece in the genre of their choice to read at our Café Night culmination. In the final quarter, students will write and present their "Final Word" (p 75).
Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature and Composition
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition (yearlong, 2 UPs in English)is designed to be a college-level course. This course will provide students with the intellectual challenges and workload consistent with a typical undergraduate university English literature course. Students will explore works from the 1400s to the present day, including (but not limited to): Under the Feet of Jesus, Beloved, and Hamlet. Students will explore a variety of genres, and they will analyze the works in a comparative fashion, exploring how authors choose to converse with the world and why. Students will apply background knowledge about the authors and their eras to
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the texts to better understand the authors' original intent, and students will compare this intent with the interpretations readers apply to the text today. Composition assignments for this course will include formal journal responses exploring a student’s close reading of a passage or a poem as well as formal essays --personal, expository, and persuasive. As a culmination of the course, students are required to take the AP English Literature and Composition Exam given in May. A student who earns a grade of 3 or above on the exam will be granted college credit at many colleges and universities.
Advanced Placement (AP) United States History
The primary objective of this two UPs social studies course is to prepare students for successful performance on the Advanced Placement United States History Test administered in May. A secondary objective would be to enjoy, as an individual and class, the deep and thorough chronological study of American History topics. It will be assumed that students who sign up for this course are self-directed and independent learners who have an intense interest in the study of history and American studies. With chronology as our guide, we will use a mix of rich primary and secondary sources as we explore America's past. Throughout the year students will analyze historical evidence, make historical connections, develop a sense of chronological reasoning and investigate multiple historical perspectives. Class discussions and activities will be designed to help students analyze the past as true historians, using historical inquiry and analysis. In order to prepare for the A.P. U.S. History Exam in May, throughout the year students will be asked to respond to document-based, free response and short answer question essays as well as complete historical era unit tests.
Creative Writing
This college-preparatory English course is semester-long and worth one UP. Students will explore and experiment with many forms of expressive writing, including stories, poetry, creative non-fiction and playwriting. Using mentor texts to inform and inspire us, we will learn about the characteristics of good writing and develop our skills. Emphasis will be placed on the writing process, especially drafting, providing and receiving feedback and revision. By the semester's end, students will have a portfolio of polished, highly revised writing pieces.
I Am from Many Worlds: Literature, Culture & Identity
This college-preparatory English course is semester-long (spring 2022-23) and worth one UP. We will explore the experience of navigating between cultures, and how geography, race, family, gender, and immigrant status shape perspectives. We will read literature, primarily by writers of color, to understand individual experiences and more universal ones. Students will complete an autoethnography that features personal reflection on their unique, overlapping cultural identities. Our techniques and strategies when reading and discussing will focus on college preparation, such as discussion protocols, small presentations and, most importantly, deep analysis that will be expected when you take either an AP course or college course.
I Am from Many Worlds: Literature, Culture & Identity
This college-preparatory English course is semester-long and worth one UP in English. We will explore the experience of navigating between cultures, and how geography, race, family, gender, and immigrant status shape perspectives. We will read literature, primarily by writers of color, to understand individual experiences and more universal ones. Students will complete an autoethnography that features a personal reflection on their unique, overlapping cultural identities. Our techniques and strategies when reading and discussing will focus on college preparation, such as discussion protocols, small presentations, and, most importantly, deep analysis that will be expected when you take either an AP course or a college course.
Independent Study
The CBHS Independent Study is an opportunity for juniors and seniors to study in-depth a topic that is not available through our regular courses. It requires significant initiative and follow through, and interested students must have their Independent Study proposals approved in advance. (See an administrator or a counselor for the appropriate form.) Participating students will initiate and complete challenging and in-depth independent study that results in significant learning and will meet learning standards agreed upon by the student and the mentoring teacher. Students will work actively, efficiently, and responsibly to meet individually tailored semester goals as designated by a timeline. Students will design their own rubric(s) – or do so in consultation with their teacher – that will guide assessment. Ultimately, students will produce a comprehensive product representing their accumulation of study and present it to/share it with a public audience. They will also often complete a 3-5 page “learning paper” that answers two questions: What are my most important learnings about my topic? About myself? Independent studies typically last one semester (one UP), but may be extended with teacher approval.
Math
As Galileo notes, the language of the universe is mathematics. CBHS mathematicians learn this language through rigorous study of the essential concepts and their authentic applications. CBHS mathematicians must master 21 fundamentals but often make use of technological tools to allow for more complex problem-solving and modeling as well as more sophisticated mathematical products. Our math curriculum sequence is designed to facilitate rich connections with our sequence of science courses. As a part of most of our math courses, students also engage in self paced computer-aided instruction for the purposes of skill-building, remediation and/or acceleration. All math courses are year-long and are worth two UPs.
Geometry
Most ninth-grade students at Casco Bay High School will take this course. The standards and rigor will be differentiated to accommodate the skills and needs of the students. We will utilize the Illustrative Math curriculum to develop crucial geometric understandings and mathematical reasoning through inquiry, productive struggle and authentic application. The geometry course will also intersect with, and amplify, grade level expeditions when appropriate. Students looking for additional rigor and in-depth problem-solving opportunities can enroll in a weekly Exceeds Math Seminar that will prepare students to take Pre-Calculus as sophomores. Students will be expected to attend weekly and keep up with the syllabus. The Exceeds Math Seminar may be dropped at any time without consequence. At the end of each semester, students who’ve met standards for the previous two quarters will receive a grade (3, 3.25, 3.5, 3.75H or 4H) and earn .25 UPs in math.
Sophomore Algebra
This course will use secondary math topics from algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics to investigate the guiding questions: "How can we compare things in the real world using data?" and "How can we communicate these relationships in a precise and convincing way?" Students will deepen their understanding of real-world relationships through mathematics modeling, particularly using experimental data from their Physics course. Students will focus on recognizing patterns of change in linear, quadratic, exponential, and trigonometric function families and apply characteristics of those families to physics concepts. Students will learn and apply concepts from statistics, primarily linear regression, correlation, and central tendency, in order to use data effectively in support of their arguments. Students will also practice traditional algebra techniques of arithmetic and symbolic manipulation.
Sophomore Pre-Calculus
Sophomores with substantial skills and experience with algebra may take Pre-Calculus. With a dual focus on application and abstract understanding, Pre-Calculus is designed to prepare students for Calculus and to set the foundation for a career in science, technology, engineering, or math. To facilitate deeper learning, we use a model (EL Education's Workshop 2.0) that asks students to grapple with challenging material before receiving direct instruction. The primary topics we will investigate are: functions and function families; roots of polynomial equations; complex numbers; trigonometry; and sequences and series. Whenever possible and appropriate, Sophomore Pre Calculus will connect to and extend upon learning in sophomore Physics.
Junior-Senior Algebra
This course uses secondary math topics (Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Statistics) to investigate the guiding questions, “How can we compare things in the real world using numbers?” and, “How can we communicate these relationships in a precise and convincing way?” With a continued emphasis on group-work, investigation, project-based assessment, authentic application, and technology, students deepen their understanding of real-world relationships through mathematical modeling. This course also includes practice and preparation for the math section of the SAT and integrates when appropriate with junior and senior expeditions.
The Code: Introduction to Programming
The Code is an introduction to computer programming using the JavaScript programming language and the App Lab programming environment. Students will learn JavaScript programming syntax by designing graphics and simple animations. They will progress to learning the core features of the JavaScript programming language while incorporating user interactions into their programs. Students will gain experience connecting their programs to databases and Application Programming Interfaces. Ultimately students will use App Lab to create their own original, web-based apps that fulfill a need in our community. Throughout this process, students will explore how computers and the internet work and will contribute to a computing culture that is collaborative and equitable. No prior experience is necessary to be successful in this course. This course is designed to give students their first significant exposure to programming.
Advanced Coding
Advanced Coding is an exploration of object-oriented programming using the Python programming language. Students will write mini-programs and solve challenges to gain skill in the use of Python data structures, control flow, and classes. Students will use their knowledge to solve problems in data science, develop programs using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and create games using the pygame module. Throughout this process, students will gain insight into the tools and techniques of computer programming and will contribute to a computing culture that is collaborative and equitable. This course is intended for students who have completed The Code or have equivalent experience with programming. Emphasis will be on developing effective problem-solving skills, learning effective programming patterns, and building the foundation for continuous learning in computer science.
Statistics
This introductory course in statistics will revolve around case studies such as the issue of fairness in the draft for the Vietnam war, or using probability to prove guilt or innocence in murder trials. Topics will include probability, probability distributions, correlation, linear regression and hypothesis testing. The goal is to prepare students for success in rigorous college statistics programs. CBHS Algebra is a prerequisite.
Junior-Senior Pre-Calculus
With a dual focus on application and abstract understanding, Pre-Calculus is a high-level math class designed to prepare students for Calculus and to set the foundation for a career in science, technology, engineering, or math. To facilitate deeper learning, we use a model (EL Education's Workshop 2.0) that asks students to grapple with challenging material before receiving direct instruction. The primary topics we will investigate are: functions and function families; roots of polynomial equations; complex numbers; trigonometry; and sequences and series. This course also includes practice and preparation for the math section of the SAT and integrates when appropriate with junior and senior expeditions.
AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus AB is designed to be the equivalent of a first-semester college calculus course. It focuses on the topics of limits, differentiation, and integration. Students will use these core calculus concepts to analyze functions that are important in biology, ecology, economics, epidemiology, engineering and other scientific and quantitative fields. Students will learn to use definitions and theorems to build mathematical arguments and justify conclusions. Emphasis will be placed on clear communication of methods using multiple representations of real-world functions. Students will solve problems that include a mix of skill building exercises and real world applications and can expect significant work outside of class. It is expected that students will take the AP Calculus AB exam that is administered in May. A score of 3 or above on this exam is a strong indication of significant achievement in mathematics and will qualify students to be granted credit at many colleges and universities.
PATHS
Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) courses are open to CBHS students in grades 11-12 (and earlier only in exceptional circumstances). PATHS courses are designed both for career-bound and college-bound students who are serious about gaining new skills and knowledge through applied learning. Classroom instruction, extensive labs, and community based internships combine to give students real life experience in career directions. PATHS classes typically meet daily and are an extension of the high school schedule, counting towards graduation, usually as elective UPs. CBHS students who would like to visit PATHS classes schedule visitations through Mr. Hale. Parents who are interested in visiting PATHS should telephone Ms. Davis at 874-8165 to schedule a visit. PATHS courses are currently offered in the following areas:
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Automotive Technology Automotive Collision Technology Biomedical Health Science Careers in Education Carpentry Commercial & Advertising Art |
Cybersecurity Culinary Arts Dance Food Services Landscape & Gardens Marine Service Technology Masonry |
Music New Media Plumbing & HVAC Welding Technology Woodworking |
Science
CBHS scientists learn scientific knowledge and processes which enable them to understand how our world does work and could work. All of our science courses have a significant lab component. Each course is year-long and worth two UPs (except STEM Investigations). Our science sequence meets college expectations and creates possibilities for rich and deep curricular integration, especially with math in 9th and 10th grades. The typical sequence is as follows though students may choose to take on two science courses a year as juniors and seniors.
9th – Biology > 10th – Physics > 11th – Chemistry > 12th – Engineering, STEM Invest. or AP Env. Sci.
Biology
9th Graders focus on understanding the interconnected nature of living and nonliving systems on earth. We will explore the impact that advancing scientific knowledge has had on society and the factors that lead to those advances. We will also discuss the ethical implications of science and technology. Topics will include cells, microbiology, genetics, ecology and evolution. Students will develop problem-solving skills, participate in scientific fieldwork, learn to complete labs, and communicate as scientists.
Physics
This course is designed to have students learn how to describe and explain the events that occur in the physical world. Students will routinely be asked to problem-solve, complete labs and communicate as scientists and engineers. There will be a strong emphasis on describing and explaining motion using a variety of representations including mathematical representations. Throughout this course, students will use physics concepts to design innovative solutions to problems using an engineering approach. Whenever possible, physics is integrated with instruction happening within sophomore math courses. Topics we will study include position, velocity, acceleration, Newton's Laws, kinetic and potential energy as well as heat transfer and theoretical physics. Each year there is one physics/math-centered sophomore expedition.
Chemistry
Junior science will focus on how chemistry impacts our daily lives and the world as a whole. Juniors will investigate the many facets of chemistry, which can be defined as the study of matter and the changes that matter undergoes. The study of science includes both processes and bodies of knowledge. Processes are the ways scientists investigate and communicate about the natural world. The scientific body of knowledge includes concepts, principles, facts, laws, and theories about the way the world around us works. When studying chemistry, students will be immersed in scientific processes and scientific knowledge. Students will perform lab work, analyze data, and communicate as scientists. Topics will include: atomic structure, structure and properties of matter, chemical reactions, conservation of energy, and the interactions between matter and energy. Chemistry will integrate with junior courses and junior expeditions whenever appropriate.
Introduction to Engineering
In this course for juniors and seniors, students will learn about the processes of engineering through the exploration of design, electronics and some basic robotics. Students in this class will learn how to use computer aided design, basic electronics (such as Little Bits and Arduino), as well as use tools in our Digital Fabrication lab (with LASER Cutter/Engraver, 3-D printers, Milling Machine and Vinyl Cutter) to evolve ideas to prototypes. Physics is a prerequisite.
STEM Topics 2023-24 Course Descriptions
STEM Topics is a series of semester courses. These courses are offered independent of one another so that juniors and seniors can select courses based on personal interest, schedule limitations and/or graduation requirement needs. These courses meet during Academic Support on Mondays and Thursdays. Additionally students enrolled in these courses also meet with Ms Loughlin during Team Support Time on Fridays. The topics for these courses change from one school year to the next to provide the opportunity to earn up to 4 credits/UPS for students over the course of grades 11 and 12. The topics for 2023-24 are listed and described below.
The Science of Spinning (Quarters 1 and 2)
In this semester-long course you will build background knowledge related to the physics of torque, rotational inertia and angular momentum. You will use this knowledge to design a number of solutions to engineering challenges. You will learn to use digital fabrication tools including 3D printing and LASER Cutting/Engraving. The course will conclude with a final design challenge where you will have the choice of designing a one of a kind yo-yo or a top that will be used in a maze game.
Electronics and Robotics (Quarters 3 and 4)
In this semester-long course you will learn some basic electronics using Arduinos and the Arduino IDE (programming). In this portion of the course you will use breadboards to solve increasingly complex circuits and programs. Once we have built background knowledge with circuits and programming, students will use that knowledge to build a basic robotic platform using Arduinos. We will conclude the course by experimenting with a range of robotic platforms including Edison, Finch and Spheros.
USM Environmental Science
The goal of the USM Environmental Science course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. USM Environmental Science is a full-year course the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science.at USM. This course is interdisciplinary covering a variety of sciences, including geology, biology, environmental science, chemistry, and geography. USM Environmental Science is a rigorous science course that stresses scientific principles and analysis. This course includes a laboratory component and is taught concurrently with the lecture. This course is concurrently enrolled at the University of Southern Maine in partnership with Professor Karen Wilson. It earns a total of four college credits (3 credits for the lecture and 1 credit for the lab portion). In order to earn the college credit students must complete the online enrollment process through USM, instructions; support for this process will be provided during the first week of class in September.
Special Education
Casco Bay High School welcomes Special Education students! Our faculty is highly skilled at differentiating curriculum and instruction to meet diverse learners’ needs, and our percentage of special education students is reflective of the district; however, we do not currently have the resources to staff self-contained behavioral or academic programs. Many of our 9th Graders and sophomores with IEP’s do access the courses described below and some may access our Learning Lab for specialized support. Additional academic support is available for juniors and seniors as well (Guided Study), but the focus is less on skill development and more on helping students be successful in core academic classes (and this support is not credit-bearing). For the first time, CBHS will host a Breathe Support Program in 2023-24. This is a school-based program that provides therapeutic interventions to increase successful inclusivity and learning for students who may struggle due to social-emotional challenges to persist and participate effectively in academic settings. This program is not a separate course, but the program provides ongoing support so Breathe students can be successful in their mainstream courses. Breathe Support will be led by Ms. Lindsey with .5 assistance from Ms. Dolce. Note: In accordance with their IEP, some special education students (with academic achievement at grade level 2-5) may work toward modified course standards in mainstream core courses at the “Foundation” level (e.g.: Foundations in Biology).
Elements of English & Reading
This elective course is worth two UPs and is designed for students who require reading intervention, Tier 2 or Tier 3 literacy specially-designed instruction (SDI) and/or who are eligible for foundational literacy credit. Each of these qualifiers are included in students’ IEPs. This course provides students access to reading intervention on a consistent schedule which allows for research-supported reading programs to be implemented with fidelity. Elements of English allows students to be fully included in the general education setting, while receiving direct SDI in the special education setting. Students will still receive differentiated instruction, scaffolds, accommodations and, where appropriate, modifications per their IEP. Students who do not receive reading intervention, but who would benefit from receiving their literacy SDI in this setting, may have a double session of literacy SDI or have one literacy session and a Humanities homework session.
Functional and Academic Strategies Training (FAST) 9 and 10
Formerly “Academic Strategies,” FAST will focus on the skills most 9th and 10th grade students with IEPs need to lead their own learning and succeed in high school (and life!). Students will learn about their disabilities; read, understand and contribute to their IEPs; identify challenges and build strategies to improve their executive functioning skills. FAST supports students as they independently learn to manage their academics and themselves. FAST 9 and 10 are each worth two elective UPs.
Math Foundations
This two UPs course is for students with IEPs who need additional support and skill development to meet core math standards. The course focuses on building up math confidence and competence through developing numeracy skills, problem-solving, and lagging skills. Math foundations will include a close study of whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, integer operations, inequalities, linear models, exponents and polynomials as well as fundamental algebra and/or geometry. Math Foundation courses may be offered in algebra and/or geometry.
In the 2014 book Deeper Learning by Monica Martinez and Dennis McGrath, Casco Bay High School was featured throughout as one of the “eight innovative public schools” that are “transforming education in the twenty-first century.”
Visual and Performing Arts
The arts can provide a new window into one’s self and one’s world. Most all 9th graders strive to complete the district arts requirement through the yearlong Visual Arts course. In addition, music and the arts are often integrated into Humanities courses, school performances and cross disciplinary expeditions. During winter and spring Intensives, music and the performing arts are inevitably featured. Each year, CBHS students stage a musical, perform a full-length play and enter a student-written entry into the state's one act play festival. CBHS students also access arts courses through the district's common offerings, PATHS, USM and MECA.
Introduction to Visual Art
Student artists will develop a comprehensive understanding of the elements of art and principles of design as well as how these factor into the aesthetic of creating an artwork. Experimenting with a variety of media in order to practice and master the art making process will be emphasized throughout the year. Additionally, student artists will work both collaboratively and independently while exploring a visual historical timeline, relationships through art to other subjects and cultural connections throughout the world. Student artists will work to develop their own unique visual voice while learning how art can incite change and/or tell a story as well as foster creativity and problem solving. When possible, visual art is connected to 9th grade learning expeditions to explore important social issues and expand understanding of critical questions. This course fulfills the art requirements for graduation, is worth 2 UPs and is a prerequisite for both Advanced Art and PATHS Commercial Art.
Advanced Art
Advanced Art is a course that challenges students to develop style, technique and personal voice in a shared studio environment. Explorations of contemporary art and gallery visits will be used to develop ideas and work methods. Students may use this course to develop art portfolios for college admission. The course is offered typically for juniors and seniors and is worth two UPs. Introduction to Visual Art is a prerequisite.
In the 2021 TNTP survey of faculty, 100% of CBHS staff agreed, “There are many teachers at my school who set an example of what highly effective teaching looks like.” & “My school is a good place to teach and learn.”
Portland Public Schools' Orchestra
The Deering High School Orchestra combines forces with the Portland High School Orchestra, and qualified students from Casco Bay High School, in a variety of performances and community events. Orchestra is a full-year course. This course provides ensemble and performance opportunities for string players and qualified woodwind, brass, and timpani-percussion players. Class enrollment in good standing qualifies a student to audition for District II and Allstate Honors Orchestra. Membership in Orchestra will require after-school rehearsals and performances. Students in good standing are eligible to participate in Honors-level Orchestra, with additional coursework that may include program annotation, library work, and other assignments.
The CBHS House Band
This vocal and instrumental ensemble meets twice weekly after school in the PATHS music studio and is designed for students with some vocal or instrumental experience. The house band will meet regularly to listen to, study, and rehearse instrumental music from various contemporary genres. The instructor will work with students to develop individual musicianship, as well as create ensembles based on available instrumentation and experience/ability levels. Improvisation, solos, and student arrangements and compositions will be encouraged and supported. The emphasis will be on developing as an ensemble, playing together, and exploring instrumental music. Performances will be determined by the ensembles and the instructor. Students who successfully meet course standards in either course will earn .5 UPs in the arts each semester.
Wellness
Wellness at CBHS integrates what is typically offered separately as health and physical education courses. We are committed to cultivating citizens who can forge their particular path to sustainable health and comprehensive wellness. In addition to what’s listed below and what’s offered during intensives, students may earn .5 UPs in physical education by participating in periodic after-school fitness offerings, such as Yoga and Personal Fitness.
The 9th Grade Casco Bay Quest
The 2023 9th Grade Quest consists of three days and two nights on Cow Island in Casco Bay focused on kayaking, writing and leadership (9/27-9/29). As 9th Graders launch the expedition of high school, they will take stock of who they are and who they want to become - as well as the path between the two. They will get to better know one another, the values of CBHS and the nature of expeditionary work. They will also gain insight into the overarching question for the year: How do you create and sustain community? In a typical year, 9th graders will reside on Cow Island and take day trips to surrounding islands and peninsulas. Organized by crews, students will face rigorous leadership and group challenges both on the island and on the water. Their experience and musings will be recorded in writing through facilitated workshops and solo time. This course is the result of a collaboration between Ripple Effect and Casco Bay High School. In 2023 the Quest is significantly subsidized by grants from UNUM and the CBHS Parent Advisory Group. 9th Grade Quest is worth .5 physical education UPs.
The Senior Casco Bay Quest
Seniors crews will participate in a four day, three-night kayaking or backpacking expedition (9/19-9/22). Kayakers will use Casco Bay's Cow Island as an embarkation point for an adventure through the surrounding islands and peninsulas. Backpackers will explore the White Mountains. Beyond developing transferable writing and outdoor skills, the aim of the quest is for seniors to conclude with a deeper sense of who they are and where they want to go. Quest curriculum will connect to both Senior Humanities and Senior Crew, and seniors will begin exploration of their big tasks for the year: the college essay and the senior expedition. Senior crews will face rigorous leadership and group challenges whether on the water or on the trails. Their experience and musings will be recorded in writing through facilitated workshops primarily before and after the Quest. This course is the result of a collaboration between Ripple Effect and CBHS. In 2023 the Quest is significantly subsidized by grants from UNUM and the CBHS Parent Advisory Group.. Senior Quest is worth .5 physical education UPs.
Wellness
This sophomore course integrates health and physical education. It is designed to assist sophomores in making wise decisions related to their health and in developing lifelong positive attitudes and behaviors. Study will include personal health, community health, nutrition, communicable and chronic disease as well as identifying risky behavior. In addition, students will learn first aid and CPR skills. Central themes include the interrelationship among physical, social, emotional and mental health, respect for and promotion of community health, informed use of health-related information and services, and the role of heredity in future health. Students will develop a personal wellness plan and learn interpersonal skills through a variety of psychomotor activities. Wellness is worth two UPs, one in physical education and one in health.
World Languages
All world language courses at CBHS introduce the student to both the target language and target cultures as they relate to Portland, Maine and the world. Students are expected to use the target language in their classroom interactions, and interpersonal communication is a major focus. Vocabulary and grammar concepts are introduced in context and linked to real life situations. World language courses will focus on speaking, listening, reading, and writing while students gain an appreciation for the power of language as a catalyst for making connections to other people. All world language courses are year-long and worth two UPs.
Chinese One
Level one language courses focus on building the foundational skills necessary to become effective communicators in the target language. Students will be immersed in thematic units structured around concepts of communication, self, school life, family, transportation and traveling and holidays. Students will be expected to learn Mandarin phonetic symbols, Pinyin as well as basic character recognition and writing; they will also learn how to use basic and everyday words and phrases to communicate to Chinese speakers in Chinese.
Chinese Two-Three
The level two-three language course will build on the skills achieved in level one in order to further communication skills, especially the listening and speaking skills of the Chinese language. Students will become proficient in basic sentence patterns and character recognition and writing, be able to initiate some limited conversations in Chinese, such as asking questions concerning daily life, and provide proper answers to these questions during the communication.
Spanish One and French One
Level one language courses focus on building the foundational skills necessary to become effective communicators in the target languages. Students will be immersed in thematic units structured around concepts of family, self, work, school, and culturally relevant stories and holidays. Students will be expected to use memorized words and phrases to communicate to peers and teachers in the target language in the present tense.
Spanish Two and French Two
Level two language will build on the skills achieved in level one in order to further the communication and comprehension skills. Classes will be mostly conducted in the target language. It will especially focus on reading comprehension, decoding authentic texts and building vocabulary. Students will learn and be able to use the past and future tenses, initiate a conversation, ask questions, and provide answers to both peers, teachers, and native speakers using simple sentences.
Spanish Three/Four/Five and French Three/Four/Five
Upper level language courses will focus on refining and practicing communication skills gained in previous language experiences and courses. Levels three and four are structured around a language expedition, providing
students with an opportunity to engage in the target language in a real-world setting and take a stance on a current issue. Through the preparation for, execution, and completion of the expedition, students will read authentic texts, speak with native speakers, write first person narratives and persuasive essays as well as hone various language skills in order to practice proficiency in the target language. Spanish and French Five will focus heavily on using literature from the Spanish and French speaking world in order to discuss a variety of topics relevant to the lives of students and our society.
In October 2013, an article in Education Week by Tom Vander Ark cited Casco Bay High School as one of 35 high schools nationwide “worth visiting,” schools “that personalize and blend learning; they challenge students with real work and ask them to show what they know.”