DEBATE CLASSES

Intro to Policy Debate (Speech/Forensics 1)- This course is a year long elective and will focus on teaching students the inner workings of competitive policy debate.  The debate class helps students learn about current world issues, discuss policymaking solutions for different issues, develop research skills, understand the logic of argumentation, and greatly improves the critical thinking skills of the students who participate.  Students also develop a greater understanding of the United States Federal Government’s policymaking process.  This course is highly recommended for students that would like to join the Alpharetta Policy Debate Team.  

Advanced Policy Debate (Speech/Forensics 2)- This course is a year long elective and will focus on preparing students to research for and compete at debate tournaments throughout the United States.  In order to take this class, a student needs to have at least one year of previous experience in policy debate or permission of the teacher.  Students in this class will be expected to complete regular research assignments to assist the Alpharetta Debate Team.   

PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES

Acting Classes

Dramatic Acting 1    52.0610000 This yearlong course teaches beginning acting and basic techniques for stage.

Dramatic Acting 1A   52.0610001 This semester course is taught 1^st semester and teaches beginning acting and basic techniques for stage. 

Dramatic Acting 1B   52.0610002 This semester course is taught 2^nd semester and teaches beginning acting and basic techniques for stage. Prerequisites: Acting 1A  
 
Dramatic Acting 2    52.0620000 This semester course teaches advanced acting for performance. Prerequisites: Acting I 

Advanced Drama    52.0510000 This yearlong course teaches advanced acting for performances. Prerequisites: Audition or Teacher Recommendation. Available to students in grades 11 and 12.

 
Technical Theater 52.0410001. This semester course will explore the fundamental techniques of play production, encompassing a range of activities from designing to constructing scenery for school productions. Practical experience in lighting, sound, set construction, makeup, costuming, and stage management. Students gain hands on experience by providing technical support for functions in school auditorium. Available to students in grades 9-12  

Musical Theater 52.0310001 Through the study of musical and plays, this semester course focuses on the production of plays in modern theater. Students will learn first hand how the musical develops from audition to performance. Performance in a spring musical is required. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 
Advanced Drama 52.0510000 This yearlong course is focused on performance and is available for students in grades 11 and 12. Prerequisites: Audition  

Music Classes 
Guitar 1 53.0841000 This yearlong course teaches chords (open and barre), rhythm reading, note reading, lead playing, basic grounding in first position playing. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 
Beginning Guitar 1A    53.0841001 This semester course teaches chords (open and barre), rhythm reading, note reading, lead playing, basic grounding in first position playing. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 
Beginning Guitar1B   53.0841002 This second semester course is a continuation of rhythm reading, note reading, lead playing, basic grounding in the first position playing. Prerequisites: Beginning Guitar IA. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 
Piano Lab 53.0941001 This semester course is for beginning piano students. Students work individually at their own pace on electronic keyboards with headphones. Available to students in grades 9-12. 

Beginning Women's Chorus 54.0241000 This yearlong course is an entry level chorus for female students. Students learn to read music and perform a wide variety of musical styles. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 
Advanced Women's Chorus 54.0261000 (Select Women’s Chorus) This yearlong course is for singers who read music at an advanced level. Theory test and audition are required. Prerequisites: Audition. Available to students in grades 10-12.

 
Beginning Men’s Chorus 54.0271000 This yearlong course is an entry level chorus where students learn to read music and perform a wide variety of musical styles. Available to students in grades 9-12. 

Advanced Mixed Chorus (Chorale) 54.0231000 This yearlong course is for singers who read music at an advanced level and sing with a pure tone. The majority of this group will be upperclassmen with high school chorus experience. Theory test and audition required. 
Prerequisites: Audition. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 
Advanced Band 2 (Concert Band) 53.03820000 This yearlong course develops an awareness of music literature through performance and listening. Explore techniques of playing instruments, note reading, simple rhythm, pitch discrimination. Prerequisites: Director Recommendation. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 
Advanced Band 3 (Symphonic Band) 53.0383000 This yearlong course is similar to Advanced Band 2, but also includes more complex rhythms, pitch discrimination through singing and playing, expression, and music vocabulary. Prerequisites: Director Recommendation. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 
Advanced Band 4 (Wind Ensemble) 53.0384000 This yearlong course is similar to Advanced Band 3, but will also include performance of solo and ensemble literature and extensive knowledge of advanced music vocabulary. Prerequisites: Director Recommendation and Band 3.  Available to students in grades 9-12.

 
Percussion 2 (Intermediate Percussion Studies) 53.0761007 This yearlong course develops the basic techniques in solo and chamber percussion playing as well as concert band materials. Emphasis is placed on percussion techniques, composers, percussion literature, and performance etiquette. Prerequisites: Director recommendation. 
Available to students in grades 9-12.

 
Percussion 3 (Advanced Percussion Studies) 53.0761008 This yearlong course is teaches advanced percussion techniques and concepts through study of percussion études, solo and chamber music, and concert band literature. Emphasis is placed on musicality, technique, current percussion literature, and preparation for college music study. 
Prerequisites: Director recommendation. Available to students in grades 9-12. 

Advanced Jazz Lab 1 53.0662000 This yearlong performance course teaches a variety of styles of jazz music: blues, shuffle, ballad, samba and rock through improvisation and chordal changes. Prerequisites: Director recommendation. Available to students in grades 9-12. 

Advanced Orchestra 1 (53.0581)/ Folk Styles Orchestra. This is a performance based class that will explore aural transmission and note reading skills of music of the following styles:  Fiddle genre including Bluegrass, Old-time Fiddle, Cajun, Western Swing; Big Band genre including jazz, blues, swing and jazz improvisation; Rock, Fusion and Funk.  Four performances per semester will be expected of participants.  Students will be required to memorize music as it will be learned in an aural tradition. Students should have a personal technology device at home on which to listen to recordings of major performers as well as recordings of themselves.  Mechanics of string instrument skill, pitch discrimination, expression and literacy.  Students who have an intermediate to advanced skill on the following instruments may be considered for this class:  violin, viola, cello, string bass, acoustic guitar, mandolin, and banjo. Teacher recommendation. Available to students in grades 10-12 

Advanced Orchestra 2 (53.0582)/Philharmonia Orchestra. The AHS Philharmonia Orchestra will perform String Orchestra literature.  Students in this orchestra are expected to be able to play in tune in third position. Classes meet daily and a few after school rehearsals (usually the day of a concert.)  When after school rehearsals are posted, they are required attendance and are not optional.  Literature will consist of GMEA Level III, IV and some Level V string orchestra literature.  Proficiency is expected in at least four – two octave scales and arpeggios appropriate for their particular instrument.  Skills will be developed during the year in all 12 Major two-octave scales and arpeggios.  Students will be taught personal diagnostic skills for individual practice and improvement purposes.  Students will be expected to practice a minimum of 100 minutes per week.  This orchestra will perform at the Fall, Winter, GMEA Preview, GMEA LGPE, Cluster and Spring Concerts as well as selected community events during the year.  Students also have the opportunity to perform at GMEA Solo and Ensemble Performance Evaluation.  Audition material will consist of two octave major scales and arpeggios up to 4 flats and 4 sharps. Requirements:  Audition and High School Teacher Recommendation. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 

Advanced Orchestra 3 (53.0583)/ Chamber Orchestra. The AHS Chamber Orchestra will perform String Orchestra literature.  Students in this orchestra are expected to have advanced level technique on their instrument including shifting 1^st through 5^th positions as well as vibrato.  Class meets daily and a few after school rehearsals (usually the day of a concert.)  When after school rehearsals are posted, they are required attendance and are not optional.  Literature will consist of GMEA Level V and Level VI string orchestra literature.  Proficiency in all one and two-octave major scales and arpeggios is expected as well as selected two-octave melodic minor scales and arpeggios.  Required practice time is a minimum of 120 minutes weekly.  This orchestra will perform at the Fall, Winter, GMEA Preview, GMEA LGPE, Cluster and Spring Concerts as well as selected community events during the year.  Students also have the opportunity to perform at GMEA Solo and Ensemble Performance Evaluation.  All students except Seniors are required to play in the graduation orchestra at the end of the year. Audition material will consist of excerpts from the 11-12 All-State Orchestra Etude and all 12 two-octave major scales and arpeggios. Requirements:  Audition and HS Teacher Recommendation – Limited Instrumentation 8 – 8 – 6 – 6 – 3. Available to students in grades 9-12.  

Advanced Orchestra 4 (53.0584)/ Symphony Orchestra. The AHS Symphony Orchestra is a Full Symphony Orchestra and requires the highest of skill and ability on your instrument.  Class meets daily and after school rehearsals are Tuesdays from 4:00 – 6:00p.m.  Students in this orchestra are expected to be independent as well as group workers.  Literature will consist of level GMEA Level V and VI literature in both String and Full Orchestra.  This orchestra will perform at the Fall, Winter, GMEA Preview, GMEA LGPE, Cluster and Spring Concerts as well as selected community events during the year.  Opportunities exist for solo and ensemble as well as concerto literature.  Required practice time is a minimum of 150 minutes weekly.  Students in this orchestra must be able to travel with the orchestra when it performs locally, statewide or nationally.  Opportunities for fund raising will be provided to assist in defraying travel expenses.  Audition material will consist of excerpts from the 11-12 2010 All-State Orchestra Etude plus two and three octave major and minor scales and arpeggios.  All students except Seniors are required to play in the graduation orchestra at the end of the year. Requirements: Audition and HS Teacher Recommendation – Limited Instrumentation 14 – 14 – 10 – 10 – 6. Available to students in grades 9-12. 
 
 

Music Literature Appreciation (53.0140001)/ Contemporary Music Appreciation.

Study and discussion of contemporary music as an independent art form in relation to other art forms and its relation to society and American culture.  It will include music indigenous to America.  Contemporary forms to be chosen from:  pre-rock influences; rock and roll styles of Bill Haley, New Orleans, Rockabilly, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Chicago, Beach Boys, Folk Styles, Country Rock, Southern Rock, Soul, Motown, Funk, Hip Hop, Rap, Psychedelic Rock, Jimi Hendrix, Heavy Metal, Fusion, Punk and Alternative Rock .  Students will required to identify groups by sound and style and will need to listen to groups outside of class as well as in class listening.  Available to students in grades 9-12. 

Music Theory I 53.0210001 This semester course is for students interested in understanding the structure and form of music, and beginning music composition. Available to students in grades 9-12.

 
AP Music Theory 53.0230010 This yearlong course is an advanced study of music theory. 
Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation. Available to students in grades 10-12.