AESA Prep Academy courses are based upon the National Standards, the SAT and the ACT. Our student athletes utilize the University of Texas High School Curriculum to satisfy their need for taking NCAA approved courses. These courses may be found on the UTHS website.
In the first semester of Algebra I students are introduced to functions, using tables and graphs, multiple representations of functions, exploring linear functions, rate of change, the parent function, writing rules, connecting functions to equations and inequalities, using commutative, associative, and distributive properties to simplify expressions, solving simple equations with manipulatives and symbols, solving equations of the Form kx + c = b and kx + c = mx + b, looking closer at inequalities and comparing notations and methods. The second semester of Algebra I introduces students to systems of linear equation, solving systems using graphs and tables, solving systems by symbolic methods, area and perimeter functions, the parent function multiplied by a constant, adding and subtracting a constant, multiple changes to the parent function, binomial operations, modeling with quadratic functions, solving quadratic equations, graphs of exponential functions, and modeling inverse variation data.
Algebra 2 is a two semester credit course. Algebra 2 focuses on the concepts of functions and relations with emphasis on linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, radical, and rational functions. Algebraic concepts are used in a variety of real-world situations than can be modeled mathematically. The students will learn about rational functions and their properties, investigate the effects of horizontal and vertical translations, solve rational equations and inequalities by graphing and by solving algebraically, compare direct and indirect relations, define the General Exponential Function using Carbon-14 dating, population and other models, discover the number e, use continuous compound interest, use logarithmic functions as the inverse of an exponential function with common and natural logarithmic functions, learn how to use the properties of logarithm and using properties of logarithms in applications, and define conics such as parabolas, ellipses, circles and hyperbolas using the General and Standard Forms of the Equations of a Conic.
The first semester of Geometry introduces students to points, lines and planes, segments and distances, angles and angle measures, patterns, perpendicular bisectors and angle bisectors, points of concurrency in triangles, conditional statements, geometric systems, isometries, parallel lines, slopes of lines, composite transfer, triangle properties, isosceles and equilateral triangles, proving triangles congruent, and constructing perpendiculars and parallels. The second semester of Geometry covers similar polygons, right triangles, the Pythagorean Theorem, special right triangles, right triangle trigonometry, properties of quadrilaterals, properties of parallelograms, proving quadrilaterals and parallelograms, properties of special parallelograms, trapezoids and kites, circles in the coordinate plane, properties of tangents, areas of plane figures, circles: circumference and arc length, circles, areas, sectors and segments, representing 3-D figures, prisms and cylinders in the real world, pyramids and cones in the real world, sphere and plane sections, surface area of cylinders and prisms, surface area of pyramids and cones, volumes of cylinders, prisms, pyramids and cones, coordinates and dimensional change, and three-dimensional coordinates.
Pre-Calculus is designed to prepare college-bound students for a first course in Calculus. It combines the topics of trigonometry, elementary analysis, and analytic geometry. Pre-Calculus builds on the concepts and skills learned in Algebra 1, geometry, and Algebra 2. An intuitive base and some working tools for the study of more advanced mathematics are developed. The students will use system of inequalities to solve linear and quadratic inequalities, solve polynomials and rational inequalities, use rational, exponential, and logarithmic function to prove properties of logarithms and to solve exponential growth and decay, graph polar equations in the form of complex numbers using products, quotients, powers and roots of complex numbers, use conics to solve equations on circles, ellipses, hyperbolas, and parabolas, solve problems using the basic operations of matrices and vectors, use sequence and series to identify arithmetic and geometric series, use limits of sequence, sums of infinite series and power series, and introduce students to Calculus using limits of a function of a real variable and limit theorems and find derivatives.
This is a one year course for the accelerated mathematics student which includes a study of change and motion, linear and quadratic functions, trigonometry, log functions, and determining area and volumes.
This course provides an introduction to biology. The course begins with a review of the major groups of organisms on earth, their evolutionary innovations, and their behavior in the context of ecosytem. Next, the cellular and molecular basis of life and the energetics of organisms are presented.Topics include the transfer of information from DNA to RNA to protein, genetic inheritance, mitosis and meiosis, cell structure and metabolism. Finally, the course will examine the ways different biological systems interact at the levels of the cell, tissue, and organism. Topics include embryonic development, reproduction signal transduction, the immune and nervous systems, and human anatomy.
This course introduces fundamental concepts in chemistry. The main topics to be covered are atomic and molecular structure and chemical bonding, the periodic table, stoichiometry and the balancing of chemical equations, the gas laws, acids and bases, and elementary chemical thermodynamics. Prerequisite: Algebra
Physics is a two semester course. It is the study of matter and energy and their interactions. It produces a systematic understanding of the fundamental laws that govern physical, chemical and biological processes. Some of the topics students study are the following: kinetic energy and its relationship to heat, convection, conduction, radiation, the first law of thermodynamics, the second law of thermodynamics, the third law of thermodynamics, the harmonic motion and waves, reflection, interference, standing waves, sound reasoning, characterizing sound, resonance and forced vibration, the Doppler effect, the behavior of light, the scattering of light, bending light, elements of quantum physics, spectrographs, medical and industrial applications of light, electricity and magnetism, electric circuits, current, voltage, resistance, series and parallel circuits, electromagnetic induction, electric motors, electric generator, quantum optics, the photon, photoelectric effect, atomic models, dualism of matter, review of scientific techniques, scientific processes and measurement, models and graphs, position, speed, velocity, acceleration, motion, projectile motion, uniform circular motion, Newton’s Laws, gravity as a force, force as a vector quantity, centripetal force, momentum, impulse and impact, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, Hooke’s Law, elastic potential energy, the work-energy theorem, and conservation of energy and momentum.
This course provides an introduction to ecology. The course will begin with the structure, composition, and dynamics of the Earth. Topics include internal processes such as sea floor spreading, earthquakes, and volcanoes, as well as surface processes including weathering, erosion, and sedimentation. The course will then examine interactions between organisms and the environment at scales of populations, communities, and ecosystems. Ecological principles will be used to explore the theory and applications of major issues facing humanity in the 21st century, including population dynamics, disease ecology, biodiversity and invasive species, global change, and other topics of environmental sustainability. Prerequisite: Biology
This course is designed to engage students in the development of thorough analyses of literature. While discussing and reading works from modern times, students will focus on characterizations, and how those support a theme in the text. In addition, they will explore the author’s choices of language, point of view, and structure and compare them when the same subject is presented in different mediums. Literary selections will come from a variety of cultures and genres including stories, drama, poetry, and nonfiction.Using literature as a foundation, students will learn to construct coherent writings, including persuasive essays, informative texts, and narratives, for specified audiences. They will form opinions, write theses, and support their thoughts with textual evidence, whether explicitly stated or inferred, as they apply appropriate organization and style to their papers.
Students will apply the good habits of effective discussions and the excellence in writing to literature from a wide variety of times and places in the world. They will continue to write persuasive, narrative, and informative pieces, with greater emphasis on literary techniques and the use of figurative language. They will analyze the development of the author’s ideas or claims by considering the introduction, order, and connections among them. In addition, students will explore how an author uses rhetoric to advance a purpose. The topics of discussions and papers will focus on evaluating such arguments and presenting a written or verbal opinion about them.
Using American documents and literature starting from the seventeenth century, students will analyze their themes and rhetorical devices. They will integrate information from multiple sources, evaluating the effectiveness of each source. Within each text, students will look for multiple themes and how they are integrated. Complex analyses will be presented both verbally and in writing. Students will be expected to use the writing process to produce arguments, explanatory texts, and narratives, showing correct and effective use of grammar and language. In addition, students are expected to show an understanding of how language functions, making effective choices for meaning or style in their own writings and using their understandings in their interpretations of other writers’ works.
Students will survey British literature from the Old English Period to modern days. Each work will be analyzed in light of the historical events surrounding its creation. Students will not only be expected to recall textual data, but they will also be asked to think critically about each piece that they read. The criticism can include a creative element as they interpret the works, giving opinions that are well- supported by the text itself. The rhetoric course introduces students to the style and logic of argumentation and writing. Students will analyze and explore topics and the rhetorical devices used in their presentation. They will also explore counter points-of–view. Students will then use the skills that have learned to construct their own persuasive argument and apply the studied strategies in their presentations.
This introduction to the study of geography includes the study of the Earth, climate, resources, land forms, and the use of maps and other graphic materials. Regions covered are the United States, Canada, Middle, Central, and South America, Caribbean Islands, Caribbean South America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica. A major part of this course is the study of the characteristics of landforms, climates, and ecosystems and their interrelationships. Also included are the political, economic, and social processes that shape cultural patterns of the various regions. The student will learn about the types and patterns of settlement; the distribution and movement of world population; relationships among people, places, and environments, and how location affects economic systems.
World History covers the period of world history from ancient Egypt through the present. Map skills and other social studies skills are taught. Along the way, areas of emphasis include: prehistoric periods, the time before recorded history; the historical pattern of civilizations in Europe, Africa, North and South America, and Asia; the influences of geography on the development of various civilizations; the political, social, and economic changes during great periods of history, such as the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Reformation; the causes and effects of wars; and political, scientific, and religious revolutions. As the course enters modern world history since 1750, the focus shifts to the historical development of power alignments, ideologies, and the economic, cultural, and social forces of modernity. The emphasis is on the interaction between Western and non-Western societies and on current events as they relate to historic events, especially those associated with the United States, as well as the political transitions that have taken place in the former Soviet Union, Germany, the Middle East, and other parts of the world.
This historical survey of the United States covers the post-Civil War era, introducing the social, economic, and political history of the nation from 1877 to 1929, the Reconstruction to the present. Historical content focuses on the political, economic, and social events related to industrialization and urbanization, major wars, domestic and foreign policies, reform movements, the Cold War and post-Cold War eras, and the struggle for civil rights. Students examine the impact of geographic factors on major events and analyze causes and effects. Students examine the impact of constitutional issues on American society, evaluate the dynamic relationship of the three branches of the federal government, and analyze efforts to expand the democratic process. Students describe the relationship between the arts and the times during which they were created. Students use critical-thinking skills to explain and apply different methods that historians use to interpret the past.
This survey of the Government of the United States covers its history, foundational ideas, and recent development. Major areas of emphasis include the Constitutional system, the electoral process, media and the means of interaction between government and the populace, Congress, the Presidency, the Judiciary, civil liberty and justice issues, bureaucracy and governmental finances, and comparative political systems.
This introductory course covers various aspects of the U.S. economic history and development, including the nature of a free enterprise system, a mixed-market economy, and government in relation to the mixed-market economy. Also covered are international economics, income tax, and consumer economics.
In Spanish 1, you will begin learning vocabulary and grammar for certain basic situations, such as: greeting people; telling time; talking about the weather; using numbers; using the days of the week and months; talking about things you like; describing people and things; talking about school subjects; talking about foods; talking about activities and hobbies; talking about places to go, telling how old someone is; ordering meals in a restaurant; talking about your bedroom; comparing things; talking about household chores; telling where you live; talking about your house; talking about shopping, clothing, and prices; telling about things that happened in the past; talking about vacations; talking about volunteering; describing movies and television programs; expressing your opinion; talking about computers and the internet; and talking about knowing things and people. You will become familiar with the rules of pronunciation in Spanish, so that you can begin to understand and to speak it correctly. You will complete Activities dealing with reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Spanish, and will be expected to practice vocabulary and grammar points.
This course is an intermediate study of the Spanish language through the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, with emphasis on speaking and writing skills.
This course is an advanced study of the Spanish language through continued development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Special emphasis is placed on culture, speaking, and writing through exposure and immersion.
This course is taken through the University of Texas Extension Program and is for Spanish 1 credit at the University of Texas at Austin. Students will be taught by AESA’s Spanish teacher.
An interdisciplinary course, Humanities will introduce students to significant periods of history, from antiquity to the present, primarily through the close study of major works of literary, visual, and other art. As such works are reflective of--and in turn helped to form--their surrounding cultural contexts, students will study the interplay of relevant political, social, and intellectual developments and thereby gain a better comprehension of historical change. Through broad reading, focused class discussion, written and verbal presentation of student work, and comparative analysis of secondary literature, students will learn to study, understand, and thereby more fully enjoy the achievements of human creative endeavors. Topics will be mainly from Western civilization but will include global comparative units.
This two-semester course will introduce students to the major streams of intellectual and religious history, including significant philosophical issues and thinkers, critical thinking skills, and comparative religious studies. Through wide reading, specific writing assignments, and focused case studies, students will gain an appreciation of the historical development of ideas, worldviews, and institutions as they help to form and express cultural identity. Major themes may include: Philosophy and Religion in Western Antiquity, Christendom and Medieval Philosophy, the Renaissance and the Reformation, the Age of the Enlightenment, Conflict among Religions of the Book, Secularization and Modernity, Philosophy of Religion, Theology and Religious Practices. Topics will be mainly from Western civilization but will include global comparative units.
Students will be introduced in this course to essential skills for framing and pursuing humanities research topics from inception to completion in formal research papers. Specific skills to be addressed will include: identifying and locating relevant source material, discerning among various types of information sources, gleaning and organizing information for a specific topic, analyzing and interpreting gathered information, presenting ideas in written form appropriate to the genre. Students will also be introduced to the range of methods of study in literary, historical, and artistic fields, and will thereby be better able to understand as well as to produce written texts according to topic and purpose.
Information comes to us in a wide variety of forms, the media and content of which are ever changing and rapidly evolving. Students will learn in this course to be critical interpreters of visual media, so as to be responsible and aware citizens in a world of mixed and frequently deceptive messages. Forms of visual media to be studied include advertising, political cartoons and caricature, mass media systems, maps, graphs, and other graphic means of data presentation. Through reading, case studies, and individual and group projects, students will gain an appreciation of the different purposes for which visual media are designed, such as entertainment, information, or persuasion. They will learn thereby to distinguish among such purposes and to situate specific examples in relevant historical and cultural contexts.
A two-semester course, Architecture: Drafting & Design introduces the students to the basic range of skills and concepts involved in architectural design and representation. These include but are not limited to: principles and practices of building construction, 2- and 3-dimensional composition, interior spatial planning and organization, color theory and use, hand and computer aided drawing techniques, architectural history and theory, and the cultural importance of various forms of architecture. Students will learn through reading, lecture, case studies, and design projects to be presented at the end of the term.
This class will introduce students to the world of motion picture creation using computers and digital technologies. Students will be given a crash-course in the history of motion pictures, learn the basic theories of storytelling, and begin exploring the technologies and skills necessary to create high-quality digital movies for use on the Internet and DVD. Over the course of the class, students will create their own micro-short films and participate in a group short film that will be submitted to the SXSW film festival.
This class will give students the basic skills necessary to edit and optimize digital images and create their own websites. Students will use modern graphic and web design software to learn the fundamentals of digital design, as well as the ethics of procuring, modifying, and publishing digital content. Over the course of the class, students will take and optimize their own digital photographs, add text and effects, and publish their creations to a website that they create themselves using a modern web-hosting service.
This course will cover the cells, organs, and biochemical signals that constitute the immune system, as well as immune mechanisms for the identification and removal of foreign pathogens. Additional topics may include: autoimmunity, allergy, vaccination, transplantation, immune deficiency, and pathogen evasion strategies. Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop a research question, analyze data, and write a research paper. Students will use existing databases as their data source and each will develop their own research question. The course will include instruction in basic statistical techniques for data analysis. Students will then write a research paper following instructions for submission to an appropriate professional journal. Prerequisites: Algebra II
This is the first business course that will be offered in our AESA Center for Young Entrepreneurs. Investing and finance are pervasive in society. Presently, the news is dominated by news of the stock market, credit markets and various bailouts. Even in calmer times, saving, investing, budgeting spending often rank among the most important decisions that people make. Such decisions can determine a person’s quality of life, ability to retire and legacy left to future generations. This class will cover the basics of investing, including products, services and players in the market. We will also cover the regulatory bodies involved with investments, and the impact of scandals and crashes on the current body of law. We will discuss and interpret current events as they unfold. We will then take our knowledge and engage in a mock investment program. Students will break into teams and form investment companies. They will name the companies and run them. They will choose the portfolios of investments, and follow the market. The winning team will be the one which earns the most money on its portfolio. We will plan one or more trips to asset managers, financial markets and/or places of investment interest.
Art 2D will acquaint students with a variety of art techniques and materials. The first semester will be Drawing, where students will learn to see values and proportion, and learn the elements and principles of composition using media such as graphite, charcoal, conte crayon, and soft and oil pastels. Painting will be explored during the second semester, including oil, acrylic and watercolor, with subject matter such as still life, landscape, the figure, portraits and abstract compositions.
Art 2D Level 1 must be completed before enrolling in this course. In Art 2D Level 2, students will explore collage, using both commercial and customized papers and a variety of techniques. The second semester will expand to include mixed media, students will combine various materials like paint and paper, cloth and string, sand and natural forms like leaves and shells to express a variety of ideas like personal experiences, statements about their lives, humor and emotions.
The foundations of 3D art are aesthetics, creation and performance, elements and principles, critiques, history and culture. In the first semester of 3D students will learn and explore ceramic hand building techniques. Love to play in the mud? Playing again on the use of art in nature, reliefs, pressing forms, making utilitarian objects with a flair for the unique will be incorporated in this PLAY ON CLAY first semester. The history of ceramics will also be taught along with visits to some local ceramic studios in Austin. Students will have the opportunity to make their own tiles that can later be added to a backsplash in their kitchen or maybe we will creatures that we hang from the walls. In the second semester students will explore art in motion. Students will be exposed to various kinetic works of art of famous artists, such as Alexander Calder’s lovely mobiles, and construct their own creations. Kinetic art is just as the name indicates art that moves and will involve Math and Science. Much of the work students will do involve assemblage, often using found materials or materials found in nature.
Native American Art and culture is studied through the mediums of art and music in the first semester. All across the Americas and throughout the world the work of native peoples have told the history of culture and beliefs. In this class students will learn about a number of tribes concentrating on their culture and stories that are told through their art. In the second semester, students will study the works of artists like Andy Goldsworthy who takes form nature and changes the form and structure of his surroundings using rocks, sticks, leaves and more. Students will learn how to construct and form objects just using natural materials such as weaving bark or grasses into elaborate designs.
Health is an important course for teenagers. This course covers aspects of healthy living and includes information on stress, nutrition, exercise, drugs, sex, safety, first aid, environment, and death. This course promotes decision making and analytical skills for healthier life-style choices. (Note: This course includes explicit information about birth control and sexually transmitted diseases.)
This course is a physical fitness course designed to facilitate a fitness program involving aerobic exercises, yoga, water aerobics, team sports and the study of personal nutrition. Students will be required to participate and wear appropriate sports wear.
This two semester one credit course emphasizes clear, coherent writing for a variety of purposes. Students will write personal narratives, compare and contrast essays, conduct an interview with a person of significance as well as write several research papers. In all of these topics students will learn the process of webbing/ outlining, rough drafts, editing and a final composition. This course also teaches principles of grammar as they relate to writing, spelling patterns and strategies, and listening. Students will also write a variety of styles of poetry.
The required combination of Reading and English for 6th graders introduces students to a range of essential skills. The course emphasizes clear, coherent writing for a variety of purposes. It also teaches principles of grammar as they relate to writing, spelling patterns and strategies, and listening and speaking skills. Students read both silently and aloud, for clarity and comprehension. They also gain practice in paraphrasing, summarizing, determining main ideas, drawing conclusions, predicting outcomes, and generalizing. In addition to the required text and featuring Anne of Greene Gables, Maniac Magee, The Phantom Tollbooth, the course also requires self-selected reading material.
This two semester one credit course teaches people and places of the contemporary world. Students describe the influence of individuals and groups on historical and contemporary events, identify different ways of organizing economic and governmental systems, and explain how the level of technology affects the development of selected societies. Students will present research material on a variety of topics in a variety of styles. Topics include cultures and governments of China, Byzantine and Roman Empire, World Wars as well as Africa. Styles include essays, poetry, brochures and advertisements.
This two semester one credit course covers addition and subtraction of whole numbers and decimals, as well as the multiplication and division of whole numbers. Teaches perimeter, area, circumference, and introduces fractions.
This two semester one credit course requires students to read both silently and aloud, for clarity and comprehension. Students will learn to paraphrase, summarize, determine main ideas, draw conclusions, predict outcomes, and generalize. In addition to the literature provided in the text, the course requires self-selected reading material. Students turn in a weekly reading log with summary of material read.
This two semester one credit course teaches physical science, Earth science, and life science. As an activity-based course, students are required to perform a variety of scientific experiments and to report their findings. Students discover the thrill of scientific investigation while learning to hypothesize, perform experiments and report, chart and graph data. Includes activities and resources to help students understand aspects of physical science, Earth science, and life science. Teaches the solar system, living systems and ecosystems, body systems, cells and DNA, the rock cycle, ground water and watersheds, and water investigations. Also, students will use the scientific method to investigate and experiment.
This two semester one credit course teaches literature, writing, grammar, and vocabulary. Students learn to identify basic literary devices, understand and analyze readings, write for a variety of audiences and purposes, use appropriate grammar and usage in writing, improve speaking and listening skills, and expand vocabulary. The course includes introductions to the genres of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Novels, Poetry, Adventure Novels, Greek Epics, Folk Literature, Nonfiction, and Drama. Students will read The Outsiders, The odyssey and Kavik the Wolf Dog,as well as Fables.
In this two semester one credit course Students learn to see history through the eyes of the people who lived it because, when we understand how people shared the past, we better understand how we can shape the future. Emphasizes European exploration and colonization; Anglo-American settlement, annexation, and statehood; causes and results of the Mexican War; and the involvement of Texas in the Civil War.
This two semester one credit course teaches mathematics as a step-by-step process, including adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals and fractions. Also covers pre-algebraic expressions and equations, number theory, and geometry.
This two semester one credit course teaches the interactions between the Earth, sun, and moon, and instructs students how to identify and locate features of planet Earth. Emphasizes how we interact with our surroundings through sight and sound. Students learn to describe the physical world by describing matter, physical and chemical changes, and solutions. Covers how to classify and describe living things, from the simplest organisms to the most complex plants and animals. Each lesson provides a hands on experiment and teaches the scientific process. Students create their own experiments as well and perform curriculum based experiments. Students will research and build a solar cooker and test its functionality.
The course covers reading strategies, literature studies, vocabulary development, spelling review, writing for a variety of purposes and modes, speaking and listening skills, and principles of grammar and punctuation as they relate to writing, with a special emphasis throughout upon nonfiction.
This course provides an in-depth study of American history from 1530 to 1877, beginning with the Colonial Period and continuing through the American Revolution, the creation of the Republic through the writing and ratification of the Constitution, the Jefferson and Jackson eras, the Civil War, and Reconstruction. Also covered are colonization, relationships between ethnic and cultural groups, cause and effect, significant individuals and events, nineteenth century reformation efforts, Supreme Court decisions, and geographical factors.
This course is a combined introductory course in Earth science, physical science, and life science. Emphasizes forces, energy, energy materials, resources, Earth materials and resources, air, molecules in motion, and life at the cellular level.
An introductory course covering basic concepts in preparation for Algebra I. Includes adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers, decimals, fractions, mixed numbers, and integers. Also, manipulating place value and powers of 10; estimating sums, differences, products, and quotients. Teaches identification of angles and triangles, and use of scientific notation.