High School Course Catalog

HIGH SCHOOL

COURSE CATALOG

Forrest Claypool, Chief Executive Officer REVISED

01.26.16

OFFICE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING • 42 West Madison Street - 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60602 • cps.edu • kc.cps.edu



CITY OF CHICAGO
Rahm Emanuel
Mayor

CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION
Frank M. Clark
President

Jaime Guzmán
Vice President

Members:
Mark F. Furlong
Rev. Michael J. Garanzini, S.J.
Dr. Mahalia A. Hines
Dominique Jordan Turner

Gail D. Ward

CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Forrest Claypool

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Janice K. Jackson
Chief Education Officer

Annette Gurley
Chief of Teaching and Learning

Page 2 Chicago Public Schools

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

Dear CPS High School Students,

I am pleased to present our District’s current course catalog – a comprehensive resource that outlines
your options for a successful high school experience.

CPS offers a wealth of academic opportunities in a wide variety of subjects. The flexibility built into our
graduation requirements allows you to explore the areas of study that most interest you – courses that
will help you begin carving out a plan for your future.

Please explore this catalog with your parent or guardian, and let it be a springboard to conversations
with your high school counselor, whose job it is to advise you well and ensure that you are on the right
path.

Every course you take in high school is a new opportunity, not only to learn, but to discover your talents
and passions. Please spend some time with this course catalog so that each class you choose is a
purposeful step toward a bright and meaningful future in college, career and life.

Forrest Claypool

Chief Executive Officer
Chicago Public Schools

Course Catalog Page 3

Page 4 Chicago Public Schools

Table of Contents

Course Catalog

Letter from the CEO..................................................................................................................................................................3
Overview................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
15-16 High School Graduation Requirements..........................................................................................................................9
Sample Double Period Schedules...........................................................................................................................................11

SUBJECT AREAS
English Language Arts

• List of Course Descriptions...........................................................................................................................................13
Mathematics

• List of Course Descriptions...........................................................................................................................................51
Science

• List of Course Descriptions...........................................................................................................................................77
Social Science

• List of Course Descriptions.........................................................................................................................................111
World Language

• List of Course Descriptions.........................................................................................................................................155
Fine Arts

• List of Course Descriptions.........................................................................................................................................209
Physical Education & JROTC

• List of Course Descriptions.........................................................................................................................................311
Career & Technical Education

• List of Course Descriptions.........................................................................................................................................333
Electives

• List of Course Descriptions.........................................................................................................................................419

APPENDIX
• Full Course Catalog.....................................................................................................................................................427

Course Catalog Page 5

Page 6 Chicago Public Schools

Overview

Course Catalog

In conjunction with the Core Curriculum Departments and the Academic Coursework team, the key objectives
of all core coursework in CPS have been compiled. In order to assist students in making decisions regarding what
courses to take throughout their high school career, this document includes the following information:

ƒƒ Current high school graduation requirements, with updates in the Arts, Physical Education, and Service
Learning as of 2013

ƒƒ Sample course of study table, which illustrates an example of rigorous courses a student may select in
order to complete high school college and career ready

ƒƒ Descriptions of core coursework that satisfies the graduation requirements in the core subject areas
ƒƒ A listing of all courses available in the district course catalog, with their alignment to the graduation

requirements

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS – RECENT ADJUSTMENTS
Students and parents are encouraged to carefully review the graduation requirements on pages 9-10. Prior to
the 2013-14 school year, several key adjustments were made to these requirements and are as follows:

ƒƒ To ensure that students receive a rich, well-rounded set of Arts education, all students must complete
two Arts courses from two of the following categories:
• Visual Arts
• Dance
• Music
• Theater
Students may no longer meet the Arts requirement by taking two courses in the same category. Students
are still required to complete a minimum of 40 service-learning hours in order to graduate, and 20 of
those hours must be completed by the end of their sophomore year in order to be promoted to junior
status.  

ƒƒ Starting in 2013, students must complete at least one service learning project in addition to the hours
of service. The number of projects and hours students must complete will depend on their school of
attendance. Some schools require one classroom-integrated project and 25 individual hours, others
require two classroom-integrated projects and 15 individual hours, and others require three classroom-
integrated projects.  

In addition, beginning in the 2014-15 school year, all high schools will be required to offer daily physical
education to 9th - 12th grade students.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS – HOW TO USE
Each course description entry has a number of key elements:

ƒƒ COURSE NUMBER – This number is used for organizing our catalog and scheduling students in our
Student Information System. Course numbers have seven digits: The first digit is a subject identifier. The
next four are unique course identifiers. The sixth indicates the semester (1 or 2), as each full-year course

Course Catalog Page 7

Overview

Course Catalog

has a separate code for each semester. The seventh digit indicates the course level (R = Regular, H =
Honors, A = Advanced, 0 = Significantly Modified Special Ed)
ƒƒ COURSE LEVEL – Regular, Honors, or Advanced. These course levels are assigned based on the rigor of
the course, and award grade points on a different scale as indicated in the following table:

Letter Grade Significantly Modified Course Level Honors Advanced
A 2 Regular 5 6
B 2 4 5
C 1 4 3 4
D 1 3 1 1
F 0 2 0 0
1
0

ƒƒ PREREQUISITES – A list of any courses that must be completed and passed prior to a student taking the
course described.

ƒƒ NUMBER OF CREDITS EARNED – The number of credits a student will earn towards graduation by
passing this course. Most courses in our catalog last one full school year and award one full credit.

ƒƒ TYPE OF GRADUATION CREDIT EARNED – The category of graduation requirement that is fulfilled by the
course. Most courses in our catalog are aligned to multiple graduation requirement categories in the
case that a student has already fulfilled a particular requirement. For example, if a student has taken
English IV, but chooses to take an English/Language Arts elective course that is aligned to our English IV
requirement--such as African American Literature--then the African American Literature course will fulfill
the next requirement in the list which it is aligned to. In this case that would be Career Ed.

ƒƒ RECOMMENDED COURSE DURATION: Most courses in this catalog are recommended to be offered for a
full school year (two semesters), though there are exceptions.

ƒƒ TEACHER CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: All courses require their teachers to have subject area
endorsements. Others require additional trainings and certifications which will be listed here.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a philosophy of teaching and an approach to
instruction. Students in the MYP explore significant content, develop skills, and deepen conceptual understanding
through their engagement with global contexts. At the high school level, MYP can be offered to students in grades
9 and 10. While content and course objectives in MYP classes may not differ dramatically from those in other CPS
classrooms, MYP classes will be aligned to IB assessment criteria and the Common Core State Standards. MYP is
a flexible curriculum framework that can be adapted to meet the needs of all students. Some high schools offer
MYP to all 9th and 10th graders, while some offer MYP to students in a smaller, pre-IB Diploma cohort. For more
information about the MYP, please visit the International Baccalaureate Organization’s website (www.ibo.org).

COMPLETE COURSE LISTING
In the back of this catalog, a complete list of all courses available in the Chicago Public Schools may be found. The
listing indicates how each course is aligned to the graduation requirements. Descriptions and syllabi for these
courses may be available at your school of attendance.

Page 8 Chicago Public Schools

Education and Sports Policy and Procedures
2015-2016 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The following requirements were written with the intention of preparing our students for success in a variety of
experiences after high school. While these requirements align to the entrance requirements for the state universities
of Illinois, they were also written to prepare students for a variety of careers right out of high school. There is great
flexibility in the exact courses that schools offer and students take to meet these requirements. To see how all courses in
CPS’ High School Course Catalog align to the graduation requirements below, please visit: cps.edu/espp.

SUBJECT CREDITS1 DESCRIPTION
AREA REQUIRED
One full credit is required in each of the following: English I, II, III, and IV.
English / English as a Second 4 ESL courses satisfy the graduation requirement for English.
Language (ESL) 3 One full credit is required in Algebra, Geometry, and Advanced Algebra/
Mathematics Trigonometry. Advanced mathematics courses are substituted for
3 Algebra and/or Geometry if successfully completed prior to entering
Science 3 high school.
Social Science 2 One full credit is required in Biology along with two total credits
World Language 2 from any of the following options: Chemistry; Earth/Space Science;
Fine Arts Environmental Science; and Physics.
2 One full credit is required in both World Studies and U.S. History along
Physical Education with one total credit from any other Social Science course(s).
2 Two years of the same world language are required. This requirement
Career Education cannot be met by earning one credit in two different world languages.
3 One full credit is required in any two of the following four categories:
Electives 24 Credits Music; Dance; Theatre/Drama; and Visual Art/Drafting. This requirement
TOTAL cannot be met by earning two credits in the same category.
Two total credits in PE are required with Health and Driver’s Education as
mandated components. ROTC may satisfy the PE requirement. ALL high
school students are required to be enrolled in daily physical education or
have an authorized individual exception on-file.
Two total credits from any of the following options: Career & Technical
Education; Dual Enrollment2; and Advanced Academics, Fine Arts,
and ROTC (courses that are not aligned to the above graduation
requirements or meet requirements already satisfied).
Most courses in the catalog will meet the Elective requirement. Electives
should be chosen with student’s future goals in mind (see Course of
Study maps).

Service Learning Non-Credit Bearing Requirements

Consumer Education Students must complete a minimum of 40 service-learning hours. Based on their school
Public Law 195 of attendance, students must complete 1 classroom-integrated project and 25 individual
*District-Wide Assessment hours; 2 classroom-integrated projects and 15 individual hours; or 3 classroom-integrated
(DWA) projects. Students must complete one project or 20 hours by the end of sophomore year
in order to be promoted to junior status.
Students must complete a course that integrates Consumer Education into its curriculum.
This content is covered in many courses.
Students must pass a test in which they demonstrate knowledge of the U.S. and Illinois
Constitutions. This is often part of the U.S. History curriculum.
The Illinois School Code at 105 ILCS 5/2-3.64 requires standardized testing of students.
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is the state
mandated assessment and accountability exam for all Illinois students. *As of 7/13/15, the
Illinois State Board of Education has not determined which courses will be PARCC-tested.

(Continued on back)

Course Catalog Page 9

ENGLISH LEARNER — If you are an English Learner (EL), you will take English as a Second Language (ESL) and core content courses
aligned to academic standards that are taught by an ESL or bilingual endorsed teacher. Please note that ESL I, II, III and Transition
English I-IV courses satisfy the four years of English required for graduation. Your English language proficiency level (based on your
screener or ACCESS score) will determine your placement in the ESL course sequence. If you are enrolled in a Transitional Bilingual
Education (TBE) program, you will also receive native language instruction in core content courses as needed. If you are in a
Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) you will receive sheltered English instruction in all core content courses and might receive
native language support from your teachers or tutors, if available.
STUDENTS WITH IEPs — If you are receiving special education services, your Individualized Education Program (IEP) may specify any
unique circumstances regarding grading, promotion, or graduation criteria. This decision is determined by your IEP team, inclusive of
you, your parents, and your teachers.
SAMPLE COURSE OF STUDY — The course of study below lists sample high school courses taken during each grade level. The
graduation requirements satisfied during each grade level are also listed. The actual courses taken and graduation requirements
satisfied annually may differ as this depends on: 1) the courses offered at each school and 2) each student’s particular goals and
interests. Parents and students are encouraged to review CPS’ High School Course Catalog at: cps.edu/espp and consult with the
school’s guidance department to select courses that support their long-term goals. Further information can also be found online at
chooseyourfuture.org.

Subject Area 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade
English I (ESL I) English III (ESL III) English IV (Transition
(Credits Required) English II (ESL II) Advanced Algebra /
Algebra English I - IV)
English / English as a Second Biology Geometry Trigonometry
Language (ESL) (4) World Studies Physics Sociology
Mathematics (3) Chemistry
U.S. History French I (Consumer Ed)
Science (3)
(Public Law 195) French II
Social Science (3)

World Language (2)

Fine Arts (2) Photography Beginning Band Computer Science I Computer Science II
Physical Education (2) P.E. I P.E. II • Pre-Calculus
Career Education3 (2) P.E. III • P.E. IV
(Health) (Driver’s Education) 6
Electives (3) 10 6
Total (24) 6 6
Service Learning (40 hours) 10 10 10
District-Wide Assessment
(DWA) To Be Determined

Notes:
1. In most cases, 1 credit is equivalent to 1 year in a particular course. However, there are courses in which 1 credit may be earned

in a single semester. Credits from a previous school may transfer and be applied toward CPS’ graduation requirements. If credits
are from a school outside of the United States, please call (773) 553-1936 and make an appointment with Beata Arceo for
foreign transcript evaluation.
2. The Dual Enrollment program allows junior and senior students to earn college credit while attending high school. The college
credit earned is transferable to many four-year colleges or universities.
3. Students enrolled in a Career & Technical Education (CTE) program are recommended to start taking Career Education courses in
the 10th grade as many CTE programs are 3 years in length.

Page 10 Chicago Public Schools