Honors

In this rigorous college-level course, students engage in a more thorough study of the regions, structure, and function of the human body with an emphasis on tissue organization and organ systems. Students complete laboratory exercises involving microscopy of tissues, dissection of Felis domesticus, and investigations of contemporary scientific research. Students complete summer coursework (full year – 1 credit) 11 & 12.

ECSU equivalent course: Biology 204: Human Biology and Disease (3 credits).

Fine Arts students continue to explore various printmaking processes and techniques including but not limited to the basics of serigraphy and silk-screening on fabric. Students refine their design skills and explore multimedia and printmaking as a means of expression. Students maintain required sketchbooks for idea development and visual and verbal responses to artwork. Studio fee (full year – 1 credit) 12.

*Prerequisite: APT875 & ACP875

Fine Arts students continue to refine their drawing skills, arrange compositional elements, and develop technical expertise using a variety of media. Students focus on observational drawing of the human figure and its relationship to its environment. Students maintain required sketchbooks. Studio fee (full year – 1 credit) 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: B in ADR664 or ACP875

Fine Arts students learn a problem-solving approach to color theory, both practical and historical, and develop observational painting skills to describe form and structure. Students explore current and past artists while developing a variety of design and painting techniques. Studio fee – students purchase all personal painting supplies (full year – 1 credit) 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: ADR664

Fine Arts students continue to explore color as a means of expressing form and concepts with emphasis on the figure as subject matter. Students study the contributions of painters, past and present, and maintain required sketchbooks for resolving compositions. Studio fee (full year – 1 credit) 12.

*Prerequisite: B in APT875

Students learn the principles of Accounting 1 and 2 in this fast-paced, honors course. Students use an internet-based electronic workbook, and home internet access is highly recommended (full year – 1 credit) 10, 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: B- in MAL654 or accounting teacher approval

At an in-depth and accelerated pace, students develop their ability to recognize and write well-constructed English sentences and paragraphs and to analyze literature effectively. As students begin their exploration of the English Language, they embark on an exciting journey as they read a selection of timeless classics. From the thrilling adventures of The Odyssey, to Animal Farm’s powerful look at leadership and its potential dangers, to the timeless romance of Romeo & Juliet–each classic brings a new world to discover. Recommended for highly motivated students whose middle school performance indicates a level of proficiency in critical reading and writing skills to be successful in grade 9 honors-level coursework (full year – 1 credit) 9.

Students cover the EEN404 curriculum at a more advanced pace and depth. EEN485 focuses heavily on academic writing and literary analysis and is designed to prepare students for future honors, AP, and college-level courses. Prerequisite: teacher recommendation (full year – 1 credit) 10.

Students read and respond to British Literature ranging from epic tales from England’s history like Beowulf, to tales of fictional futuristic states such as Brave New World. Students improve their critical-thinking skills as they determine the underlying assumptions and values within the selected works and as they understand how the literature reflects the society of the time. Additionally, students continue to develop research skills and writing skills (full year – 1 credit) 11, 12.

*Prerequisite: teacher recommendation

This ECSU-equivalent course offers students an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of speech communication and the opportunity to earn university credit. Students listen to, deliver, discuss, research, write and respond to informative, persuasive, interview and impromptu speeches. Students explore topics like rhetorical situations, claims and evidence, reasoning and organization, and style while writing and delivering their own speeches. Speeches are videotaped and critiqued. Prerequisite: teacher recommendation (full year – 1 credit) 11, 12.

ECSU equivalent course COM230: Basic Speech (3 credits)

Students learn about microeconomics by studying the relationship among scarcity, opportunity cost, supply and demand, and individual consumer and firm behavior. Students learn about macroeconomics by studying the economy as a whole, and by examining unemployment, productivity, inflation, trade, and development (full year – 1 credit) 11 & 12.

ECSU equivalent course: ECO100 Political Economy of Social Issues (3 credits)

Students study the major regional issues shaping today’s world, explore the foundation of U.S. democracy, examine the role of the United States in the world, develop advanced writing skills, and complete major research projects, including participation in Connecticut History Day (full year – 1 credit – meets Civics requirement) 10.

Students learn the history of the modern world from the Renaissance through the twentieth century and those political, economic, geographic, and social concepts most applicable to life today. Students develop the inquiry skills to become engaged high school students and active community members. Recommended for highly motivated students with strong critical reading and writing skills. Students will complete major research projects, including participation in Connecticut History Day (full year – 1 credit). 9

Students study the major developments of Western Civilization from ancient times through the early Renaissance (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Early Christianity, Crusades), and examine evidence surviving from the Ancient and Medieval Periods and the historian’s challenge to interpret these materials. Students develop research skills and participate in a project using Slater Museum’s collections (full year –1 credit) 11 & 12.

*This course will be offered every other year. It will be next offered during the 2025-2026 school year.

**UConn course equivalent HIST 1300: Western Traditions before 1500 (3 credits).

Students broaden and deepen their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Chinese. They also acquire an appreciation of the cultural, artistic and intellectual accomplishments of Chinese-speaking countries/regions (full year – 1 credit) 9, 10, 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: LCH354 or equivalent with teacher recommendation.

Students who have successfully completed French 1 and have a teacher recommendation broaden and deepen their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in French at an accelerated pace to prepare to take more advanced language study and earn college credit. Students also deepen cultural understanding (full year – 1 credit) 10, 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: LFR304 and teacher recommendation.

Students develop fluency in oral communication by focusing upon intensive study of grammar and vocabulary, and by exploring and researching aspects of French culture, history and literature (full year – 1 credit) 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: LFR655.

Students acquire the vocabulary and reading strategies to understand, analyze, interpret, and enjoy the language and literature of the late Roman Republic and early Empire (full year – 1 credit) 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: LLA354 or equivalent.

Students prepare for AP Spanish Language by furthering their oral fluency and synthesizing their acquired skills and experiences through frequent presentations, role play, and impromptu interactions in Spanish.  Students study grammar as appropriate (full year - 1 credit) 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation.

Students deepen comprehension and interpretive skills by studying poetry, music, short stories and novels reflecting the culture and history of Spanish-speaking countries.  Students develop writing style, refine grammar and extend vocabulary full year - 1 credit) 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation.  

Students exposed to Spanish in eighth grade or previously, take this more intensive, accelerated, advanced course to broaden and deepen their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and their cultural understanding.  Coursework focuses upon building proficiency in the spoken language (1 year - 1 credit) 9, 10, 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation.

**Please note: Incoming ninth-grade students who pass the Spanish Credit Exam and earn Spanish One Credit in 8th grade will be placed into Honors Spanish 2.  

Students in this accelerated course continue to deepen and broaden their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Spanish and further develop their cultural understanding.  Coursework focuses upon building proficiency in the spoken language (1 year - 1 credit) 9, 10, 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation.

**Please note: Incoming ninth-grade students who pass the Spanish Credit Exam and earn Spanish One Credit in 8th grade will be placed into Honors Spanish 2.  

Students in this accelerated course develop fluency in oral communication by focusing on the intensive study of grammar and by exploring and researching aspects of Spanish culture, through readings. This course requires frequent oral presentations (full year - 1 credit) 10, 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation.

**Please note: This course will be available for the 2026-2025 school year.

At an in-depth and accelerated pace, students develop skills in working with exponents and solving and graphing equations, inequalities and functions, systems of equations and quadratics, and apply these skills to solve real-world problems. This course is recommended for highly motivated students who have been introduced to beginning algebraic concepts, and it is the first in a college preparatory sequence including Honors Principles of Geometry and Algebra and Advanced or Honors Algebra 2 (full year – 1 credit) 9.

*Prerequisite: Completion of eighth-grade math and teacher recommendation. All ninth-grade mathematics courses require a scientific calculator (TI-30XIIS preferred).

At an in-depth and accelerated pace, students develop advanced algebra skills through the study functions and their graphs, quadratic, polynomial, exponential and logarithmic equations, rational and radical expressions, exponents/powers, as well as, an introduction to trigonometry (full year – 1 credit) 10, 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation.

**This course is currently Honors Algebra 2 with Trig, and it will be changed to Honors Algebra 2 for the 25/26 school year.  

Students will learn the foundations of creating video games in JavaScript through the foundations of computer science and basic programming, with an emphasis on helping students develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills (full year - 1 credit) 10, 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: MCC551 and teacher recommendation. (Does not meet the mathematics graduation requirement.)

Students will reinforce and build on their Algebra skills through their study of foundational Geometry topics at an in-depth, accelerated pace. Topics include the study of points, and planes as they relate to 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional objects, including area and volume. Students also study topics related to probability, statistics, and data analysis (full year – 1 credit) 9, 10, 11 & 12.

Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation

At an in-depth and accelerated pace, students will strengthen their understanding of functions in preparation for the process of differentiation and integration. Calculus concepts explored include limits and continuity, derivatives, anti-derivatives, and application of derivatives (full year – 1 credit) 12.

*Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation

In this rigorous college-level course, students study the ever-changing universe while exploring galactic, stellar and planetary formation; investigate the relationships among math, physics, and astronomy; and study the history of astronomy. Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation (½ year –½ credit) 10, 11 & 12.

ECSU equivalent course AST214: Descriptive Astronomy w/Lab (4 credits)

Honors students undertake a more rigorous study of the essential biological concepts with an emphasis on biological chemistry, structure and function and energy transformations at all levels of organization (cellular, individual, and ecosystem). Students participate in extensive laboratory work. Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation (full year – 1 credit) 10.

Students undertake a more rigorous and fast-paced study of the nature and Interactions of matter. Topics include atomic structure, matter, chemical formulas, bonding, reactions, thermochemistry, the mole, stoichiometry, gas laws, solutions, and acids and bases. Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation I (full year – 1 credit) 11 & 12.

Before enrollment, students submit a written plan of study for independent research for Science Department Head approval and gain approval of a science faculty member to serve as a mentor. Students may enter the Connecticut Science Fair and comply with all regulations. Prerequisite: Science Department Head approval (full year – 1 credit)  10, 11 & 12.

Through scientific experimentation, research and discussion, students explore a wide range of topics from the origins of the universe to present day conditions that support the diversity of life on Earth. Recommended for highly motivated students who posses the computing, reasoning, and reading skills needed to be successful in grade 9 honors-level coursework (full year – 1 credit) 9.

Honors Percussion Ensemble is our advanced-level percussion class which is open to students in grades 11 & 12 who have completed at least 1 year of concert band and 1 year of Percussion Ensemble. This class focuses on advanced levels of rehearsing and performing percussion instruments including 3 yearly concerts, daily rehearsals during school, opportunities for group lessons after school, and a yearly overnight music trip. Past trips have included Virginia Beach, Boston, New York, and Washington DC.

Required annual performances include the Winter, Spring, and Pops Concerts, and Spring Festival. The class requires student participation in after-school dress rehearsals and in the concert performance. Students in this class are also required to prepare and audition for the New England Music Festival in December and perform in the Honors recital in the spring. May be repeated for credit (full year – 1 credit) 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: Concert Band & Percussion Ensemble

Honors Symphonic Band is our advanced-level band class which is open to students in grades 11 & 12 who have completed at least 1 year of concert band and 1 year of Symphonic Band. This class focuses on advanced levels of rehearsing and performing in a band setting, including 3 yearly concerts, daily rehearsals during school, opportunities for group lessons after school, and a yearly overnight music trip.

Past trips have included Virginia Beach, Boston, New York, and Washington DC. Symphonic Band’s required annual performances include the Winter, Spring, and Pops Concerts, and Spring Adjudication Festival. The class requires student participation in after-school dress rehearsals and in the concert performance (full year – 1 credit) Students in this class are also required to prepare and audition for the New England Music Festival in December and perform in the Honors recital in the spring. May be repeated for credit (full year – 1 credit) 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: 1 year of Concert Band & 1 Year of Symphonic Band

Students will audition for Honors during the regular audition time in May of the previous school year. Students will be required to audition for festivals, participate in additional performances, and submit playing assessments of increased difficulty (full year – 1 credit) 10, 11 & 12.

*Prerequisite: 1 year of TOR361