The student will make planned oral presentations.

1. Include definitions to increase clarity.
2. Use relevant details to support main ideas.
3. Illustrate main ideas through anecdotes and examples.
4. Cite information sources.
5. Make impromptu responses to questions about presentation.
6. Use grammatically correct language including vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.

The student will develop narrative, expository, and informational writings to inform, explain, analyze, or entertain.

1. Generate, gather, and organize ideas for writing.
2. Plan and organize writing to address a specific audience and purpose.
3. Communicate clearly the purpose of the writing.
4. Write clear, varied sentences.
5. Use specific vocabulary and information.
6. Arrange paragraphs into a logical progression.
7. Revise writing for clarity.
8. Proofread and prepare final product for intended audience and purpose.

The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing.

1. Use and apply rules for the parts of a sentence.
2. Use parallel structures across sentences and paragraphs.
3. Use appositives, and main and subordinate clauses.
4. Use commas and semicolons to distinguish and divide main and subordinate clauses.

The student will participate in and report on small-group learning activities.

1. Assume responsibility for specific group tasks.
2. Participate in the preparation of an outline or summary of the group activity.
3. Include all group members in oral presentation.
4. Use grammatically correct language including vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.

The student will read and interpret informational materials.

1. Analyze and apply the information contained in warranties, contracts, job descriptions, technical descriptions, and other informational sources, such as labels, warnings, manuals, directions, applications, and forms to complete specific tasks.
2. Skim manuals or informational sources to locate information.
3. Compare and contrast product information contained in advertisements with instruction manuals and warranties.

The student will develop a variety of writing with an emphasis on exposition.

1. Generate, gather, plan and organize ideas for writing.
2. Elaborate ideas clearly through word choice and vivid description.
3. Write clear, varied sentences.
4. Organize ideas into a logical sequence.
5. Revise writing for clarity and content of presentation.
6. Proofread and prepare final product for intended audience and purpose.

The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing.

1. Use a style manual, such as MLA (Modern Language Association) or APA (American Psychological Association) to apply rules for punctuation and formatting of direct quotations.
2. Apply rules governing use of colon.
3. Distinguish between active and passive voice.

The student will use writing to interpret, analyze, and evaluate ideas.

1. Explain concepts contained in literature and other disciplines.
2. Translate concepts into simpler or more easily understood terms.

The student will make informative and persuasive presentations.

1. Gather and organize evidence to support a position.
2. Present evidence clearly and convincingly.
3. Support and defend ideas in public forums.
4. Use grammatically correct language including vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.

The student will analyze and evaluate informative and persuasive presentations.

1. Critique the accuracy, relevance, and organization of evidence.
2. Critique the clarity and effectiveness of delivery.

The student will write in a variety of forms with an emphasis on persuasion.

1. Generate, gather, plan, and organize ideas for writing.
2. Develop a focus for writing
3. Evaluate and cite applicable information.
4. Organize ideas in a logical manner.
5. Elaborate ideas clearly and accurately.
6. Adapt content, vocabulary, voice, and tone to audience, purpose, and situation.
7. Revise writing for accuracy and depth of information.
8. Proofread final copy and prepare document for intended audience or purpose.

The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure and paragraphing.

1. Use a style manual, such as MLA (Modern Language Association) or APA (American Psychological Association for producing research projects.
2. Use verbals and verbal phrases to achieve sentence conciseness and variety.
3. Adjust sentence and paragraph structures for a variety of purposes and audiences.

The student will write, revise, and edit personal, professional and informational correspondence to a standard acceptable in the workplace and higher education.

1. Apply a variety of planning strategies to generate and organize ideas.
2. Organize information to support purpose and form of writing.
3. Present information in a logical manner.
4. Revise writing for clarity.
5. Use technology to access information, plan and develop writing.

The student will make a 5-10 minute formal oral presentation.

1. Choose the purpose of the presentation: to defend a position, to entertain an audience, or to explain information.
2. Use a well-structured narrative or logical argument.
3. Use details, illustrations, statistics, comparisons, and analogies to support purposes.
4. Use visual aids or technology to support presentation.
5. Use grammatically correct language, including vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.

The student will develop expository and informational writings.

1. Generate, gather, and organize ideas for writing.
2. Consider audience and purpose when planning for writing.
3. Write analytically about literary, informational, and visual materials.
4. Elaborate ideas clearly and accurately.
5. Revise writing for depth of information and technique of presentation.
6. Apply grammatical conventions to edit writing for correct use of language, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
7. Proofread final copy and prepare document for publication submission.

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the organization and powers of the state and local governments described in the Constitution of Virginia by

1. examining the legislative, executive, and judicial branches;
2. examining the structure and powers of local governments: county, city, and town;
3. analyzing the relationship among state and local governments.

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the process by which public policy is made by

1. examining different perspectives on the role of government;
2. explaining how local, state, and national governments formulate public policy;
3. describing the process by which policy is implemented by the bureaucracy at each level;
4. analyzing how individuals, interest groups, and the media influence public policy.

The student will represent verbal quantitative situations algebraically and evaluate these expressions for given replacement values of the variables. Students will choose an appropriate computational technique, such as mental mathematics, calculator, or paper and pencil.

The student will

1. use proportional reasoning to solve practical problems, given similar geometric objects; and
2. determine how changes in one dimension of an object affect area and/or volume of the object.

The student will plan and conduct investigations in which

1. observations of living organisms are recorded in the lab and in the field;
2. hypotheses are formulated based on direct observations and information from the scientific literature ;
3. variables are defined and investigations are designed to test hypotheses;
4. graphing and arithmetic calculations are used as tools in data analysis;
5. conclusions are formed based on recorded quantitative and qualitative data;
6. sources of error inherent in experimental design are identified and discussed;
7. validity of data is determined;
8. alternative explanations and models are recognized and analyzed;
9. appropriate technology, including computers, graphing calculators, and probeware, is used for gathering and analyzing data and communicating results;
10. research utilizes scientific literature;
11. differentiation is made between a scientific hypothesis and theory;
12. a scientific viewpoint is constructed and defended; and
13. chemicals and equipment are used in a safe manner.

The student will investigate and understand the chemical and biochemical principles essential for life. Key concepts include

1. water chemistry and its impact on life processes;
2. the structure and function of macromolecules;
3. the nature of enzymes; and
4. the capture, storage, and transformation and flow of energy through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration.

The student will investigate and understand life functions of monerans, protists, fungi, plants, and animals, including humans. Key concepts include

1. how their structures and function vary between and within the kingdoms; ;
2. comparison of their metabolic activities;
3. analyses of their responses to the environment;
4. maintenance of homeostasis;
5. human health issues, human anatomy, body systems, and life functions; and
6. how viruses compare with organisms.

The student will investigate and understand bases for modern classification systems. Key concepts include

1. structural similarities in organisms;
2. fossil record interpretation;
3. comparison of developmental stages in different organisms;
4. examination of biochemical similarities and differences among organisms; and
5. systems of classification that are adaptable to new scientific discoveries.

The student will investigate and understand dynamic equilibria within populations, communities, and ecosystems. Key concepts include

1. interactions within and among populations including carrying capacities, limiting factors, and growth curves;
2. nutrient cycling with energy flow through ecosystems;
3. succession patterns in ecosystems;
4. the effects of natural events and human influences on ecosystems;
5. the complexity of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed; and
6. analysis of local ecosystems, including flora, fauna, and microorganisms.

The student will investigate and understand that quantities in a chemical reaction are based on molar relationships. Key concepts include

1. Avogadro's principle and molar volume;
2. stoichiometric relationships;
3. partial pressure;
4. gas laws;
5. solution concentrations;
6. chemical equilibrium; and
7. acid/base theory: strong electrolytes, weak electrolytes, and nonelectrolytes; dissociation and ionization; pH and pOH; and the titration process.

The student will plan and conduct investigations in which

1. volume, area, mass, elapsed time, direction, temperature, pressure, distance, density, and changes in elevation/depth are calculated utilizing the most appropriate tools;
2. technologies, including computers, graphing calculators, probeware, and geographic positioning systems are used to collect, analyze, and report data and to demonstrate concepts and simulate experimental conditions;
3. scales, diagrams, maps, charts, graphs, tables, and profiles are constructed and interpreted;
4. variables are manipulated with repeated trials; and
5. a scientific viewpoint is constructed and defended.

The student will investigate and understand the differences between renewable and nonrenewable resources. Key concepts include

1. fossil fuels, minerals, rocks, water, and vegetation;
2. advantages and disadvantages of various energy sources;
3. resources found in Virginia;
4. making informed judgments related to resource use and its effects on Earth systems; and
5. environmental costs and benefits.

The student will investigate and understand how freshwater resources are influenced by geologic processes and the activities of humans. Key concepts include

1. processes of soil development;
2. development of karst topography;
3. identification of groundwater zones including water table, zone of saturation, and zone of aeration;
4. identification of other sources of fresh water including rivers, springs, and aquifers with reference to the hydrologic cycle;
5. dependence on freshwater resources and the affects of human usage on water quality;
6. identification of the major watersheds in Virginia; and
7. importance of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in the environmental and economic health of Virginia.

The student will investigate and understand how to diagram and construct basic electrical circuits and explain the function of various circuit components. Key concepts include

1. Ohm's law; series, parallel, and combined circuits; and
2. circuit components including resistors, batteries, generators, fuses, switches, and capacitors.