Workshop Schedule

Although there will still be some open-topic English discussions, the DOW courses will largely replace those for two reasons:

• Dual-Opportunity means students can pursue more classes in-person.

• Students pursuing English credits will be exposed to a wider variety of academic topics as they complete these credits.

In these workshops, students will have the chance to pursue credits in English or the workshop topic:

• Any student may attend any workshop.

• Students with regular attendance can pursue the primary course offered by the workshops (e.g. Newsletter Writing, Holocaust Literature, German)

• Students who aren’t pursuing the primary course can do discussion write-ups for points toward English freewriting.

Students who aren’t pursuing these courses can still attend any workshop of interest.  After attending and participating, a student can receive one point of English for writing a 125-word response, or two points for writing a 250-word response.  Each additional 250 words of response will count as one point of English, but students can earn additional points per page if they choose to do outside research with the response.

To ensure the workshops run smoothly, there will be a few attendance policies:

• Workshops will start on time.  If a student isn’t present at the start of workshop, they won’t be allowed to join unless there’s an extenuating circumstance.

• If a student leaves the workshop (e.g. to get a snack or go to the bathroom), they won’t be allowed to rejoin the workshop unless there’s an extenuating circumstance.

• Since perfect attendance is not a reasonable standard, students who miss one or two workshops can complete makeup work to receive credit for that day.  Students who miss a significant number of workshops should continue attending, but they might need to complete missed modules when the course starts over in the following semester.

These English courses focus on key technology skills for writing and literacy.  These courses meet the Illinois State Board of Education requirements for digital literacy through collaborative online projects.  All students will be required to take one credit (two courses) of technology intensive courses in order to complete their English requirements.

ELA 9.4 Newsletter Writing (Technology Intensive)

• In this course, students write newsletters in their topic of interest using Google Docs, Slides, and Sites.

• This course will prepare students to use online research to develop informative articles for outside audiences.  With Google Sites, students will also have the opportunity to publish their work online.

ELA 10.4 Yearbook Publishing (Technology Intensive)

• Here, students extend the Google skills of the Newsletter course to write and design a Yearbook for YouthBuild.  They’ll attend the same workshops as the Newsletter Writing course, but with more advanced project assignments.

• In addition to developing online research skills about the history of YouthBuild, students will learn to interview classmates, arrange photographs to develop narratives, and survey the community for feedback.

Vocation Writing

• Students who prefer to take a vocation focus can do the Vocation Writing course in place of the Yearbook courses.  They’ll attend the same workshops with Newsletter Writing.

• This course will focus on researching topics specific to their vocation track and then sharing that research for outside audiences.

Holocaust Literature

• Through the study of survivor narratives and selected dramatizations, students will examine the recollections of the Holocaust and its devastating effects on the Jewish people of Europe.

• Works by by Anne Frank, Eli Wiesel, and Art Spiegelman are the core of the course.  The movies Conspiracy and Denial will provide additional context for the origins and ongoing legacies of the Holocaust.

• Outside assignments include readings and responses.

• The Holocaust Literature and History courses will have separate workshops, but a few workshops from the History course can be substituted for missed Literature workshops.

Introductory German

• This course will introduce students to the basic grammar, key vocabulary, and cultural considerations for the German language.

• This course will meet future ISBE requirements for foreign language.

• German materials will come primarily from Deutsche Welle, as well as other online sources.

Holocaust History

• This course explores the causes, devastation, and legacy of the Holocaust, particularly how it affected Jews and other “undesirables” targeted by the Nazi regime.

• Comparisons between the Holocaust and the history of racist policies in the United States will help students understand that the hatred of the Holocaust was not a historical aberration, but rather a continual social problem to be addressed.

• Outside assignments include essay responses to the workshop readings and materials.

• A few workshops from the Literature course can be substituted for missed History course workshops.

Student Council

• Students will meet during lunch to plan activities and morning meeting presentations.

• English points will be earned through activities such as writing an organization constitution, running election campaigns, and giving presentations to peers.  Each student is free to choose the type and level or participation, and all points earned will go toward English freewriting courses.

Introductory Chemistry (Science)

• This course will explain the basics of chemistry, from elements to electron orbitals and a variety of everyday reactions.

• We’ll use the OpenStax Chemistry: Atoms First 2e textbook to provide scaffolding and problem sets.  The book is designed for a two-semester course, so students will receive half a credit for the first half of the book, and a full credit if they complete the whole book.

• In-Person workshops will focus on explanations.  Outside homework will be problem sets from the textbook.  Tests will be used to assess student understanding.

Reflections on Science and Fiction (English)

• In this course, students will have additional readings from science fiction and journalism.

• To cover understanding of scientific method, students will attend the Introductory Chemistry courses, and then we'll discuss how scientists, journalists, science fiction writers, and others convey these concepts to the public.

• Assignments will include written responses to the workshops, personal reflections on the nature of science, and creative works in genres chosen by the students.

History of Scientific Discovery (Social Studies)

• For this course, students will write about the history of chemistry.

• To cover understanding of basic concepts, students will attend the Introductory Chemistry courses, and we'll discuss historical events of discovery in those sections.

• Homework assignments will be to do additional research and then write about the historical discoveries discussed in class.