Courses & Syllabi

In Shepaug’s Humanities, World Languages & the Fine Arts Programs, students move through a progression of required and elective courses designed to address Common Core State Standards and our Shepaug Learner Outcomes. Rich in content and ideas, these courses include a comprehensive body of literary and historical sources that enable students to develop their skills in reading, writing, research, speaking, listening and critical thinking. Our courses also reflect the philosophy of the Connecticut Secondary School Reform as our study of Humanities includes a commitment to World Languages and Fine Arts to create an authentic context across the disciplines. As educators in the twenty-first century, we understand that isolated coursework is not enough to provide our students with skills and perspectives that will give them the competitive edge that they need in society.

Every student at Shepaug is required to earn at least one credit in the Fine Arts and is encouraged to learn a World Language. In addition to these requirements, students will be exposed to learning experiences that connect Fine Arts or diverse cultures with their studies through venues such as interdisciplinary field trips or projects. Our courses are heterogeneous with an emphasis on the differentiation of instruction and personal choice.

Beyond these required courses we offer many electives to meet a wide range of interests, abilities and possible career paths. The electives include AP, honors courses, and Honors Challenge, as well as the possibility of independent research and online courses. Teachers, guidance counselors, parents and students work collaboratively to help each student design the course of study that best reflects his or her talents and academic goals. Humanities Department: English Language Arts and Social Studies.

STEM fields are those academic and professional disciplines that fall under the umbrella areas of science, technology, engineering and math. According to both the United States National Research Council and the National Science Foundation, the fields are collectively considered core technological underpinnings of an advanced society. Evidence abounds in political and academic forums that the strength of the STEM workforce is viewed as an indicator of a nation’s ability to sustain itself.

At Shepaug, we strive to create opportunities for learners to work effectively as individuals and in groups to resolve problems in new and creative ways.  Students are taught and encouraged to inquire, analyze and solve problems, and then demonstrate how and why they arrived at their decisions. We offer both required courses and electives, created to meet differentiated interests, abilities and possible career paths. The electives include AP and honors courses, as well as the possibility for independent research. Teachers, guidance counselors, parents and students work collaboratively to help each student design the course of study that best reflects his/her talents and academic goals.

Rigor inspires students to stretch beyond their individual comfort zones to embrace and master meaningful challenges and begin to define their own interests, potential and direction. Rigorous learning is characterized by higher-order thinking, deep understanding of important ideas, critical self-reflection, and the integration and application of knowledge and skills with an eye toward the larger world. Rigor should pervade every course, at every level, in every content area. (Connecticut State Department of Education: Connecticut Secondary School Reform, 2010)

Middle School Level

• Grade 6/7/8 PE
• Grade 6 Health
• Grade 8 Health

High School Level

• Grade 9/10 PE
• High School Health
• Team Sports I and II
• Fitness & Nutrition (offered on a rotational basis)
• Personal Fitness I and II
• Lifeguarding

Overview

• 2019 Middle School Syllabus
• Introduction to Agriscience: 9th & 10th Grade

Pathway Map

• Agriscience Pathways Map (February 2019)

• A Framework for the Agriscience Pathways (August 2017) - DRAFT

Agriscience Exploratory Course

• Agriscience Exploratory Curriculum Map

Plant Science Courses

• The Life of Plants
• Horticulture and Landscape Design Curriculum Map
• Plant Production and Natural Resource Conservation

Food Production & Processing Courses

• The Art and Science of Foods Map
• Sustainable Foods - Practices and Production
• Innovations in the Food Industry

Animal Science Courses

• Companion Animals
• Equine Studies
• Animal Husbandry

Power, Structural and Technical Systems Courses

• Structural Design and Construction
• Mechanical Systems
• Innovations in Power, Structural, and Technical Systems

Art & Design

• Nature of Design