Biological and Physical Sciences

Science is the quest for objective truth. It provides a conceptual framework for the understanding of natural phenomena and their causes and effects. The purposes of the study of science are to develop students who are scientifically literate, who recognize that science is not value-free, who are capable of making ethical judgments regarding science and social issues, who understand that technological growth is an outcome of the scientific enterprise.

As a result of their schooling, students will have a working knowledge of:

• the concepts and basic vocabulary of biological, physical and environment sciences and their application to life and work in contemporary technological society.
• the social and environmental implications, and limitations of technological development.
• the principles of scientific research and their application in simple research projects.
• the processes, techniques, methods, equipment, and available technology of science.

Fine Arts

The fine arts give students the means to express themselves creatively and to respond to the artistic expression of others. As a record of human experience, the fine arts provide distinctive ways of understanding society, history and nature. The study of fine arts includes visual art, music, drama and dance.

As a result of their schooling, students will be able to:

• understand the principal sensory, formal, technical and expressive qualities of each of the arts.
• identify processes and tools required to produce visual art, music, drama and dance.
• demonstrate the basic skills necessary to participate in the creation and/or performance of one of the arts.
• identify significant works in the arts from major historical periods and how they reflect societies, cultures and civilizations, past and present.
• describe the unique characteristics of each of the arts.

Physical Development and Health

Effective human functioning depends upon optimum physical development and health. Education and physical development and health provides students with the knowledge and attitudes to achieve healthful living throughout their lives and to acquire physical fitness, coordination and leisure skills.

As a result of their schooling, students will be able to:

• understand the physical development, structure and functions of the human body.
• understand principles of nutrition, exercise, efficient management of emotional stress, positive self-concept development, drug use and abuse, and the prevention and treatment of illness.
• understand consumer health and safety, including environmental health.
• demonstrate basic skills and physical fitness necessary to participate in a variety of conditioning exercises or leisure activities such as sports and dance.
• plan a personal physical fitness and health program.
• perform a variety of complex motor activities.
• demonstrate a variety of basic life-saving activities.

Language Arts

The skills and knowledge of the language arts are essential for student success in virtually all areas of the curriculum. They are also central requirements for the development of clear expression and critical thinking. The language arts include the study of literature and the development of skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

As a result of their schooling, students will be able to:

• read, comprehend, interpret, evaluate and use written material.
• listen critically and analytically.
• write standard English in a grammatical, well-organized and coherent manner for a variety of purposes.
• use spoken language effectively in formal and informal situations to communicate ideas and information and to ask and answer questions.
• understand the various forms of significant literature representative of different cultures, eras, and ideas.
• understand how and why language functions and evolves.

Mathematics

Mathematics provides essential problem-solving tools applicable to a range of scientific disciplines, business and everyday situations. Mathematics is the language of quantification and logic; its elements and symbols, structures and shapes. It enables people to understand and use facts, definitions, and symbols in a coherent and systematic way in order to reason deductively and to solve problems.

As a result of their schooling, students will be able to:

• perform the computations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division using whole numbers, integers, fractions and decimals.
• understand and use ratios and percentages.
• make and use measurements, including those of area and volume.
• identify, analyze and solve problems using algebraic equation, in equalities, functions and their graphs.
• understand and apply geometric concepts and relations in a variety of forms.
• understand and use methods of data collection and analysis, including tables, charts and comparisons.
• use mathematical skills to estimate, approximate and predict out-comes and to judge reasonableness of results.

Social Sciences

Social sciences provide students with an understanding of themselves and of society, prepare them for citizenship in a democracy, and give them the basics for understanding the complexities of the world community. Study of the humanities, of which social sciences are a part, is necessary in order to preserve the values of human dignity, justice and representative processes. Social sciences include anthropology, economics, geography, government, history, philosophy, political science, psychology and sociology.

As a result of their schooling, students will be able to:

• understand and analyze comparative political and economic systems, with an emphasis on the political and economic systems of the United States.
• understand and analyze events, trends, personalities, and movements shaping the history of the world, the United States and Illinois.
• demonstrate a knowledge of the basic concepts of the social sciences and how these help to interpret human behavior.
• demonstrate a knowledge of world geography with emphasis on the United States.
• apply the skills and knowledge gained in the social sciences to decision making in life situations.