Curriculum

English

Students at Marietta High School have the opportunity to work toward their diploma in a variety of different English classes. All freshman and sophomores either take College Prep English, or may enroll in the Pre-IB (International Baccalaureate) course. As upperclassmen, the selection grows to include advanced upper-level courses, including Advanced Placement (AP). The rising juniors who were Pre-IB students can stay in the IB program or move into Advanced Composition or Advanced Placement Literature. All students will take the state-mandated American Literature course during their junior year; Pre-IB students take it during their sophomore year.

Foreign Language

At Marietta High School, we give students the opportunity to experience three modern languages, French, German, and Spanish, as well as the classical language, Latin. All students in the college preparatory track must successfully complete at least two years of one language and any of the four languages fulfills that requirement. Please remember that two years is the minimum requirement, while at least three years is recommended. We do offer levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and AP 5 in every language, with levels 1-4 being offered both on the college prep and the IB level. For the IB diploma, Latin does not count as Language B, but as a sixth subject option.

Additional Foreign Language Supports

In addition to class work, the Foreign Language Department sponsors both a club and an honor society for each language. The clubs are available to all students who are taking that language, while the honor societies are exclusively for those in advanced levels of the language. Students participate each year in various extra-curricular competitions, including the Foreign Language Association of Georgia (FLAG) and Metro. There are also travel and exchange programs, sponsored by various members of the Foreign Language faculty, in which the students have an opportunity to participate.

There is after-school tutoring, sponsored by the honor societies, available in all languages. In addition, all of the faculty members are willing and eager to offer extra help to those who would like it, so please do not hesitate to contact us.

Mathematics

The mathematics department at Marietta High School aims to prepare students for post high school success regardless of the student's future plans. We embrace the use of technology with the use of graphing calculators and a wide array of software in our state of the art computer labs. We have two math labs for hands on demonstrations. We are currently participating in a National Science Foundation program which provides the math department with graduate students from Georgia Tech to help set up math demonstrations in the lab. Regardless of the student's course of study, we strive to help the student see the importance of mathematics in all careers.

Additional Mathematics Supports

We offer a number of support mechanisms to help ensure student success.

Free after school tutoring is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Algebra I is taught everyday for 90 minutes instead of every other day. This is twice the minimum state requirement. This allows the Algebra I curriculum to be taught more thoroughly with more exploration, reinforcement, and practice. This extra commitment was made because Algebra I is an important gateway course. Successful mastery of this material is vital for future mathematics success. Currently, three Algebra I teachers are working with Kennesaw State University on a grant sponsored Algebra I program called Discovering Algebra. This is a hands-on, investigative approach to learning Algebra.

For students who are particularly interested in math, MHS offers Math Team and Math Honor Society. Math Team competes in tournaments against other schools and is open to all students. Participation in Math Team is an excellent way to enforce and learn new skills. Math Honor Society members must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 in their math courses and must have successfully completed Algebra II. Math Honor Society sponsors the free after school tutoring.

Students planning on entering the work force immediately after graduation can take a vocational track of 3 years of mathematics including Algebra. Students seeking to attend college after graduation take 4 years of college preparatory courses including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and at least one other elective. A few possible electives are Advanced Algebra/Trigonometry, Discrete Math, and Algebra III. For students seeking additional challenges, we offer honors level courses such as Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics, International Baccalaureate (IB) Analysis (Pre-calculus), Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB) Calculus AB or BC, and International Baccalaureate (IB) Math Higher Level. Successful completion of honors courses exams can lead to college credit. IB Math Higher Level is one of the most advanced high school math courses offered in the state.

Science

The Science Department at Marietta High School is committed to providing high quality science instruction to our students. Our goal is to offer coursework that:

• through inquiry, stimulates a desire to study the natural world.
• through reason and critical thinking, develops predictive powers that encourage an understanding of our universe.
• through reflection, applies the knowledge and skills gained to assess its impact on society and technology.
• through problem-solving, develops science literacy as a means of documenting a multidimensional understanding of unifying scientific principles.

Additional Science Supports

Our students are offered core courses in Physical Science, Conceptual Physics, Biology and Chemistry, as well as electives in other fields of interests. These include Physics, Human Anatomy & Physiology, and Environmental Science. Options for Pre-Diploma, as well as full International Baccalaureate participation are available.

Targeted tutoring, End-of-Course Test tutoring, and Georgia High School Graduation Test prep are offered after school. Transportation is available for any student opting to participate. We work closely with our Graduation Coach and offer Credit Recovery in core Science courses to insure student success.

Social Studies

Social Studies is the study of all aspects of human endeavors and accomplishments. It spans all times, cultures and peoples. Social Studies is the department that has something for everyone. For those who are interested in the past, two areas of history are offered - United States and World. For those interested in the present, several courses are offered - World Geography, Current Issues, Economics, and American Government. Students interested in the Behavioral Sciences may take Sociology or Psychology.

Additional Social Studies Supports

A word concerning requirements: All students graduating from Marietta High School and any state of Georgia high school are required to take three credits in the Social Studies Department. Those courses are:

1. U. S. History (1 credit)
2. Economics (1/2 credit)
3. American Government (1/2 credit)
4. and either World Geography or World History (1 credit)

A student pursuing the College Prep diploma must take World History, which is also required by colleges in the State University system. The teachers of the Social Studies Department highly encourage students to take World Geography as 9th graders because of the background in skills and knowledge the course gives. For students in the IB Program, these courses and the order in which they are taken are somewhat different.

Extracurricular Activities: Students interested in Social Studies may participate in Social Studies related extracurricular activities. For a number of years, Marietta High School students have attended the Model United Nations simulation at Kennesaw State University. Mr. Scott Pritchard is the Social Studies teacher who sponsors that activity. Each year Kennesaw State also holds a Geography Bee.