Highschool Juniors

Curriculum for Students Entering Grade 11 (Juniors)

Quantitative Literacy through Algebra, Featuring Cognitive Tutor
This course will develop students confidence and competence in solving mathematical problems, drawing on their previous experience and general knowledge of arithmetic and algebra. It will improve their analytical reasoning skills and mastery of basic skills and their application. Traditional classroom instruction will be supplemented with the Cognitive Tutor, a software program that follows students through the problem-solving process and creates an individualized curriculum that focuses on the concepts that the student must master.

Seminar in English: Academic Writing
This course introduces students to the basics of academic argument including audience awareness; critical thinking, reading and writing; the revision process; and standard academic writing conventions. Students will learn to recognize how expert writers connect ideas and move to new topics by learning the academic vocabulary of cohesion and transition. The process of "noticing" connections and transitions will prepare the students to integrate the standard strategies and textual features of successful academic writing into their own work.

SAT Preparation
The SAT Classroom Course will provide students with key content and strategies that will enable test day success. The course will include diagnostic testing, four full-length practice exams, eight structured class sessions, online-resources, Lessons-on-Demand make-up sessions, emails to parents on their child's progress, and a full set of homework materials. The program offers a readiness, satisfaction, and higher score guarantee for those students who work hard and follow the program requirements.

Master Student Workshops
Students will attend sessions designed to introduce them to techniques and strategies required to be successful in college. It will emphasize their role and responsibility in their own learning process.

Projects
Students will choose one three-week project that will serve as an introduction to the computer science and business administration majors offered at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. The project will provide students with an opportunity to apply analytical concepts and problem-solving strategies to real world problems.

Project #1 - Computer Science
The CS project will introduce students to the science of computer science using a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Approach. The study of HCI or how humans interact with various devices is essential to developing computer programs that are usable and smart. In this project students will learn HCI techniques for system design, and implementation of a prototype system using Java Programming language. Student groups are expected to design, implement and test a working prototype of a cell phone application of their choice.

Project #2 - Business Administration
The Business Administration project will give students an opportunity to work in teams, applying concepts and techniques learned to the operation of business. This simulation will enable students to experience the responsibilities and challenges that business executives encounter in the real world.

Tentative Weekly Schedule