Michigan Virtual High School and Edgenuity
Three Rivers Middle School On-Line Course Offerings
2015-2016
MATH
MATH 6 A and B
2 semesters
In the course, students will be introduced to concepts such as operations and problem solving with
rational numbers, measurement techniques, number theory, geometric properties and relationships and
algebraic thinking, including the use of mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative
relationships. Throughout the course, students deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts
and processes and work to apply this knowledge to solve real world and mathematical problems.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=325
MATH 7 A and B
2 semesters
This course focuses on the structure and properties of rational numbers, equivalent representations of
numbers, operations and problem solving with rational numbers, number theory, measurement
techniques, geometric terminology, properties and relationships, transformational geometry, algebraic
thinking, statistical methods for collecting, organizing and displaying data, and an introduction to
probability.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=326
PRE-ALGEBRA A and B
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence. The course is designed to help students develop the
fundamental mathematics skill necessary to prepare students for the challenge of the Michigan Algebra
1 content expectations.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=874
ALGEBRA 1 A and B
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence. In the course, students will learn about algebraic concepts
such as integers, linear equations, inequalities and factoring. As students work through each interactive
lesson, they will have the opportunity to complete several self-check activities and journal entries.
Ultimately, this course will assist students in developing fundamental algebraic skills that will allow them
to use problem-solving strategies in real-world situations as well as using graphing technology to
interpret, represent and communicate mathematical concepts.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=438
GEOMETRY A and B
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence. This Geometry course will take students on an
investigational adventure! Students will be asked to explore the relationship between Geometry and the
world around them. They will examine spatial relationships, reasoning, connections, and problem
solving. Students will work through lessons that encourage them to use interactive activities to question
and investigate important Geometry concepts. This course will also assist them in developing
fundamental skills necessary for real-world application and critical thinking skills.
For syllabus go to : https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=1001
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
ELA 6 A and B
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence. Where am I going? What will I find when I travel into the
world ahead? Discovering the answers to these and many other questions will be the focus of the
course. Through inquiry, self-discovery, and reflection students cultivate their reading, writing, speaking,
listening and viewing skills as they experience the world of literature. Using the theme of "A Time for
Exploration," students will follow the steps of the writing process to communicate effectively and
actively engage in the steps of the reading process. This will be accomplished via a journey through
visual, oral and written texts (fiction, biography, nonfiction, mythology, poetry and folk tales).
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=319
ELA 7 A and B
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence. In this course, students enhance their reading, writing,
speaking, listening and viewing skills through exploration and investigation of fiction, nonfiction, short
stories, cultural studies, self-discovery, and character education. Through a varied list of learning
experiences, students will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of literary, informational, and
technical texts. Using the theme of "A Time for Discovery," students will learn and use the writing
process to communicate ideas and respond critically to visual, oral and written texts.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=320
ELA 8 A and B
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence. Who am I? How do I fit into the world? How do I make
sense of these changing times? This course will answer those questions and many more! In this course,
students will develop their reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing skills as they explore and
enjoy a variety of materials (novels, short stories, poetry, biographies, articles, drama, essays and
media). In addition, the course focuses on effective communication strategies that students need in
order to succeed in this changing and challenging society. Students will explore the theme of "The
American Quest: Past, Present and Future" while developing reading, writing, speaking, listening and
viewing skills through a variety of materials (novels, short stories, poetry, biographies, articles, drama,
essays and media).
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=321
SCIENCE
GENERAL SCIENCE 6
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence and provides students with an introduction to Science,
energy, force, weather, climate, the earth’s systems, and the living world. Some topics are explored in
depth while others are introduced to serve as building blocks for later coursework. During this course
students will explore science through everyday examples and experiences. Students will participate in
activities and online laboratory experiences to apply what they have learned.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=313
GENERAL SCIENCE 7
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence. In this course students explore: The Foundations of
Science, Energy, The Earth and it’s features, The Earth’s internal and external structures and how they
change, The Earth’s history, living things and how they change and interact, Genetics and Heredity, and
The Organization of the living world. Some of these topics are introduced and serve as a foundation for
later coursework and others are discussed in detail. Students will learn through real world examples and
virtually visit six different continents to see science in action all over the world. Students will participate
in activities and online laboratory experiences to apply what they have learned.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=314
GENERAL SCIENCE 8
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence. The course introduces new information and reviews some
basics of science to prepare students for high school science coursework. During this course students
will learn through real world examples and applications. Students will participate in activities and online
laboratory experiences to apply what they have learned.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=315
SOCIAL STUDIES
WORLD CULTURES 6 A and B
2 semesters
This course is the first in a two-course sequence. Sign up now to participate in an amazing game show!
Students will transform into great adventurers and will experience many ancient civilizations. Students
will become engaged in social studies like never before. Students will become immersed in exciting
adventures and will actively experience ancient history.
https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=332
WORLD GEOGRAPHY 7 A and B
2 semesters
This course is part of a two-course sequence. Geography is the study of the regions of the earth, the
physical characteristics of these regions, the people, and how all of these elements interact.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=307
AMERICAN HISTORY 8 A and B
2 semesters
This course is the first in a two-course sequence, and it follows events and trends in U.S. history from
the arrival of European explorers through the establishment of a new republic and an expanding nation
(beginnings to 1840). You will learn about the earliest Native Americans, Europeans, Africans, Mexicans
and others who reshaped life in the Western Hemisphere. You will study who lived in what is known
today as the United States; compare the relationship of Native Americans with European explorers and
settlers; and examine life in the English Colonies. You will also study the conflict with Great Britain; the
establishment of the United States of America, first under the Articles of Confederation, then under the
United States Constitution; and look at the challenges that faced an expanding nation.
For syllabus go to: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=304
ELECTIVES
ASTRONOMY (9-12) –receives high school credit
1 semester
Astronomy provides a broad overview of all topics in astronomy for the beginner. The course provides a
foundation to the science of astronomy including motions in the night sky and the tools of modern
astronomy. It contains the most up-to-date science about our solar system, stars and galaxies.
Astronomy also explores the exciting prospects for future discovery in astronomy including life in the
universe and the mysteries that continue to perplex astronomers. The course provides an engaging
combination of videos, interactive media, photo galleries and readings so that students can explore the
content in a variety of ways.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=147
LEADERSHIP SKILLS DEVELOPMENT (8)
2 semesters
Winner of the highly coveted CODiE award for innovation, vision and industry impact, Leadership Skills
Development equips youth with leadership skills they can use to build confidence, improve school
achievement, and meet the challenges of working with a team. Students learn critical skills to assist
them in personalizing their leadership journey. The course principles were developed by Mawi
Asgedom, an Ethiopian refugee who became a Harvard University graduate. This course has assisted 7590% of students in improving their grades, skills and confidence.
https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=989
DIGITAL IMAGING AND COMMUNICATION (9-12)–receives high school credit
1 semester
In this course, students will learn techniques for the composition and editing of digital images. Using
free, online photo-editing software, students practice different methods of communication using
photographs and graphics, as well as graphical text. Practical application of graphical text, layering,
color, design, composition, filtering, masking, hue and saturation are covered in the various projects
presented to the student. Emphasis on multiple methods of communication, including accurate and
grammatically correct written communication is presented. Students build a portfolio of work based on
the concepts learned in the course, and explore various methods and options for presentation of their
portfolio.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=448
CAREER PLANNING (9-12) –receives high school credit
1 semester
This course provides a basic overview of career planning concepts. It gives students the opportunity to
learn about, explore and reflect on various career opportunities based on Michigan’s six Career
Pathways.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=110
CAREERS – FIND YOUR FUTURE (9-12) –receives high school credit
1 semester
This course provides an in-depth experience of the career planning process. It provides students with
the opportunity to explore potential careers through the use of six different perspectives.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=698
STUDY SKILLS (9-12) –receives high school credit
1 semester
When learning something new, do you learn best by talking about it or thinking about it? Your answer to
that question provides insight into your “learning style.” In this course, students begin by learning a little
about their own personalities and learning styles, which, when known, lead to more effective and
efficient studying. Armed with that information, students will then learn about good study habits,
setting goals, using time wisely, tips for writing essays, and skills to become better test takers and notetakers.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=37
AUDIO ENGINEERING (6-8)
1 semester
This semester‐long course introduces students to audio engineering. Students learn about the physics
of sound, as well as techniques for protecting hearing while working with audio. Students will learn
about the history of recording technologies, as well as techniques for evaluating audio hardware, such
as microphones and speakers. Students will also learn about the four stages of professional music
recording projects: recording, editing, mixing, and mastering. Using Audacity, an open‐source
recording and mixing program, students will practice the techniques used by sound engineers to
produce multitrack recordings. Students learn about the difference between proprietary, open source,
and free software licenses, as well as the most popular Digital Audio Workspace software used
in the profession. Students will also learn about intellectual property issues involving audio,
particularly when using other people’s music. Through a series of engaging hands‐on projects,
students will learn the fundamental concepts of audio engineering. A series of interviews with
professional audio engineers will give students a sense of the opportunities and requirements for
pursuing careers in the field. This course is partially aligned to Washington State Recording Arts and
Sound Reinforcement Tech CTE
standards.
Topics of Study
- Understanding sound
- Recording audio
- Audio software tools
- Microphones and mixing
- Mastering sound
ART APPRECIATION (9-12) –receives high school credit
1 semester
The visual arts realm is a vast area which spans all other areas of lifelong learning. Everything we see and
do evolves from something that a person has designed. In order to fully appreciate and gain an
understanding of what makes for a good design, it is important to study art history, perform a critique to
study the elements and principles of design, discuss aesthetics, and perform art production. This course
will offer an intriguing look at what all encompasses a work of art whether a painting, a building or a
movie.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=447
GAME DESIGN (9-12) –receives high school credit
1 semester
This course is for students who love gaming and want to design and build original games from scratch.
Participants learn how to use popular game development software to create two-dimensional engaging,
interactive games in a variety of styles. Increasingly challenging hands-on projects teach students the
essential elements of successful game development. Students will also have the opportunity to explore
careers in video game design. They will continue to use the different workshops to learn about and use
additional features in the games they create using the Multimedia Fusion 2 game design software they
will download.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=450
MATHEMATICS OF BASEBALL (9-12) –receives high school credit
1 semester
Baseball is a game of numbers on the field and off. Every run, hit and error has been carefully recorded
for more than 100 years. Drawing on this wealth of statistics, this course uses mathematics to explore
the history of our National Pastime. The course uses basic and applied mathematics skills including
mean, median, mode, graphs (line graphs, bar graphs, pie graphs, and scatter plots), ratios and
proportions, conversions, scale drawings and spreadsheets. The baseball topics include reviewing the
history, statistics, base running, coaching decisions, biographies of Hall of Fame inductees and field
design. This course was developed using the resources of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in
Cooperstown, New York.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=510
INTRODUCTION TO FORENSICS (9-12) –receives high school credit
1 semester
The course is designed to introduce students to the application of science to criminal investigation.
Chemistry, biology, earth science and a brief mention of physics are included. As students work through
the lessons, they will learn the scientific background to forensic tests and then apply their knowledge
through exercises, case studies and a final case that encompasses all topics introduced throughout the
term.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=343
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE A and B (9-12) –receives high school credit
2 semesters
This is the first course in a two-course sequence and focuses on everyday communication in ASL. It
introduces students to the basic signs, techniques, and culture knowledge, which will support the
students to start signing beginning level conversational ASL. Each lesson is built upon a familiar topic
such as family, self and friends so that students will find meaningful connection to the lessons. Students
will be asked to use various media tools including online resources, online dictionaries, a web cam, and
the web based audio-visual tool VoiceThread to master the content presented in the course. Students
will be producing their own signing videos to demonstrate their learning. The goal of this course is to
help develop fundamental ASL skills, knowledge, and interest that students will need to advance to the
higher levels of ASL courses. The learning objectives target Mid-Novice-High Level of MI World Language
Standards and Benchmarks.
Syllabus: https://cems.mivu.org/SyllabusView.aspx?CourseID=486
INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH (6-8)
2 semesters
Students begin their introduction to French with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign
language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. The course consists of 180
lesson days formatted in an intuitive calendar view, which can be divided into two 90-day semesters.
The course represents an ideal blend of language learning pedagogy and online learning. As students
begin the course, they construct their own Avatar that accumulates “Avatar bucks”—by performing well
on course tasks—to use to purchase materials (clothing, gadgets, scenery, etc.) at the “Avatar store”.
Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept,
numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension
activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major French
speaking areas in Europe and across the globe. The course has been carefully aligned to national
standards as set forth by ACTFL (the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).
INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH (9-12) –receives high school credit
2 semesters
Students begin their introduction to French with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of foreign
language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. The course consists of 180
lesson days formatted in an intuitive calendar view, which can be divided into two 90-day semesters.
The course represents an ideal blend of language learning pedagogy and online learning. As students
begin the course, they construct their own Avatar that accumulates “Avatar bucks”—by performing well
on course tasks—to use to purchase materials (clothing, gadgets, scenery, etc.) at the “Avatar store”.
Each week consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept,
numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension
activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations covering major Frenchspeaking areas in Europe and across the globe. The course has been carefully aligned to national
standards as set forth by ACTFL (the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).
INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN (6-8)
2 semesters
Students begin their introduction to German with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of
foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. The course consists of
180 lesson days formatted in an intuitive calendar view, which can be divided into two 90-day
semesters. The course represents an ideal blend of language learning pedagogy and online learning. As
students begin the course, they construct their own Avatar that accumulates “Avatar bucks”—by
performing well on course tasks—to use to purchase materials (clothing, gadgets, scenery, etc.) at the
“Avatar store”. Each unit consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar
concept, numerous interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening
comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, and multimedia cultural presentations
covering major German-speaking areas in Europe. The course has been carefully aligned to national
standards as set forth by ACTFL (the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).
INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN (9-12) –receives high school credit
2 semesters
Students begin their introduction to German with fundamental building blocks in four key areas of
foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. The course consists of
180 lesson days formatted in an intuitive calendar view, which can be divided into two 90-day semesters
and represents an ideal blend of language learning pedagogy and online learning. As students begin the
course, they construct their own Avatar that accumulates “Avatar bucks”—by performing well on course
tasks—to use to purchase materials (clothing, gadgets, scenery, etc.) at the “Avatar store”. Each week
consists of an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, numerous
interactive games reinforcing vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities,
speaking and writing activities, cultural presentations covering major German-speaking areas in Europe.
The course has been carefully aligned to national standards as set forth by ACTFL (the American Council
on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).