Happy Friday,                                                                                                                            10/09/26  

We had another busy week at PAL with students getting opportunities to learn both in and outside of the building. This week included students getting out for our Primitive class at Moose Creek, our OR student’s spending an afternoon at God’s Love, and continuing work around college applications and planning for what comes after high school. It was great to see many of our students engage with the representative from the University of Montana and also work on the Montana University System free applications this week. Even better, one senior told me he has already been accepted into two different schools! As always, we appreciate the staff and community partners who help make these hands-on opportunities possible for our students.  

Looking ahead, next week will be a short one with no school on Thursday or Friday for MEA Days. Monday is STAT day and, as usual, you will see an email from me if your student has STAT time in the morning. Otherwise, students should be in class no later than after lunch at 1120am.   

Even with the shortened week, we have quite a bit happening. Students will have opportunities to get out of the building for Archery at the Montana Wild range as well as our Birth of Montana class will explore the Charter Oak Mine. Any time classes change and there are new offerings and experiences, students look forward to the change in offerings! 

A couple of reminders as we head into next week and a new block: 

• Monday, October 12: “A” Day w/ STAT 

• Tuesday, October 13: “B” Day 

• Wednesday, October 14: “A” Day 

• Thursday, October 15 and Friday, October 16: No School, MEA Days 

As we move farther into October, thank you for continuing to help your student stay on top of attendance, coursework, and communication with staff. The relatively small size of PAL allows us to provide students with some pretty unique experiences, but those experiences work best when students are here and ready to participate. Teacher Sam Leonard often tells students “if you can’t get out of it, get in it” and that saying applies as much as ever as we head into the fall season.  

Bundle up for the cold weather ahead, 

Matt Carey 

Principal, PAL 

mcarey1@helenaschools.org 

406-324-1632 

F/R Application – Free and reduced priced school meals apply here 

B3 Course Descriptions 

Ryan – 

Archery 

Emily and Ryan, NASP (National Archery in Schools Program) certified teachers, are proud to offer archery class! NASP Is an in-school program aimed at improving educational performance among students in grades 4 – 12. Students learn focus, self-control, discipline, patience, and the life lessons required to be successful in the classroom and in life. Students in this class will be traveling to Montana Wild to use their indoor range. 

Health Standards 

• Develop a plan to attain a personal health goal that addresses strengths, needs, and risks 

• Assess personal health practices and overall health status 

• Implement strategies and monitor progress in achieving a personal health goal  

• Formulate an effective long-term personal health plan  

• Discuss ways to advocate for a variety of healthy practices and behaviors that will maintain or improve the health of self and others 

• Analyze the role of individual responsibility for enhancing health 

• Advocate for behaviors and practices that will support others in making positive health choices 

• Work cooperatively as an advocate for improving personal, family, and community health 

PE Standards 

• Refine activity-specific movement skills in one or more lifetime activities  

• Exhibit competency in two or more specialized skills in health-related fitness activities 

• Identify and discuss the historical and cultural roles of games, sports, and dance, including those of traditional and contemporary American Indian cultures 

• Analyze the impact of life choices, economics, motivation, and accessibility on maintaining physical activity in college or career settings 

• Create a plan, train for and participates in a community event with a focus on physical activity, including those of American Indian cultural traditions 

• Analyze the health benefits of a self-selected physical activity 

EconoQuest  

Students in EconoQuest will be working to prepare for the conference and competition, happening in Bozeman, MT, on the campus of MSU, November 1-3. This event highlights the growth of certain industries in Montana, and ties our economy to the global economy. Those student not going to Bozeman will still engage in lessons pertaining to Montana’s economy and work to prepare for their post-high school life.   

SS.E.9-12.1 analyze how pressures and incentives impact economic choices and their costs and benefits for different groups, including American Indians   

SS.E.9-12.2 explain how economic cycles affect personal financial decisions   

SS.E.9-12.3 analyze the ways in which pressures and incentives influence what is produced and distributed in a market system SS.E.9-12.4 evaluate the extent to which competition among producers, among consumers, and among laborers exists in specific markets   

SS.E.9-12.5 describe the consequences of competition in specific markets   

SS.E.9-12.6 evaluate benefits, costs, and possible outcomes of government policies to influence market outcomes   

SS.E.9-12.7 use current data to explain the influence of changes in spending, production, and the money supply on various economic conditions   

SS.E.9-12.8 use economic indicators to analyze the current and future state of the economy   

SS.E.9-12.9 evaluate the selection of monetary and fiscal policies in a variety of economic conditions  

SS.CG.9-12.3 evaluate the impact of international agreements on contemporary world issues   

SS.CG.9-12.4 apply civic virtues and democratic principles when working with others   

SS.CG.9-12.5 evaluate how citizens and institutions address social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international levels 

 

Michele – 

Yoga–HE/HP 

This course introduces students to yoga as a lifelong approach to physical fitness, mobility, self-awareness, and overall well-being. Students will explore the connection between breath, movement, strength, flexibility, and mindfulness while developing practical skills they can use both in and beyond the school setting. 

Each class will center on breathwork and intentional movement. Students will learn breathing techniques that support focus, body awareness, relaxation, and the ability to regulate physical and mental responses to stress. Through a progressive sequence of yoga asanas (physical postures), students will develop muscular strength, balance, stability, coordination, mobility, and flexibility while learning to listen to and respect their individual bodies. 

Each practice will conclude with a period of deep relaxation and meditation. Students will have the opportunity to experience the integration of breath, movement, and awareness in a quiet setting. Through consistent practice, students will investigate how an integrated mind-body approach can support physical health, mental well-being, emotional regulation, stress management, and a healthy lifestyle. 

The course emphasizes personal growth rather than competition or performance. Students will learn to select appropriate levels of challenge, practice safely, respect individual differences, and develop skills that can become part of a lifelong physical activity routine. Students will also reflect on their experiences and examine the relationships among physical activity, mindfulness, stress, and overall health. 

Montana Health & Physical Education Standards Alignment 

This course directly supports the Montana Health Enhancement Content Standards for grades 9–12, particularly the following areas: 

• PE Standard 1 — Movement Skills and Patterns: Students refine activity-specific movement skills through yoga, including balance, stability, strength, coordination, mobility, flexibility, and controlled movement. Students develop and demonstrate specialized skills associated with health-related fitness and lifetime physical activities. 

• PE Standard 2 — Movement Concepts, Principles, Strategies, and Tactics: Students learn and apply principles of alignment, breathing, body awareness, balance, controlled movement, and progression as they perform and modify yoga postures and movement sequences. Students apply movement concepts and principles to improve performance and develop physical skills. 

• PE Standard 3 — Health-Enhancing Physical Activity and Fitness: Students develop and apply practices that contribute to lifelong physical fitness. The course addresses strength development, muscular endurance, flexibility, mobility, balance, and the importance of stretching and conditioning as components of lifelong physical activity. 

• PE Standard 4 — Responsible Personal and Social Behavior: Students practice personal responsibility by respecting their own physical boundaries, making appropriate modifications, practicing safely, and creating an environment that respects the needs and abilities of others. Students demonstrate responsible behavior and acceptance of individual differences during physical activity. 

• PE Standard 5 — Value of Physical Activity: Students examine the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, self-expression, stress management, and personal well-being. Yoga provides students with a noncompetitive, accessible lifetime activity through which they can experience movement, challenge, relaxation, mindfulness, and personal growth. 

Sleep Science–SCI/ENG/HE 

Why do we sleep, what happens to the brain and body while we sleep, and why can’t we always sleep when we want to? In this interdisciplinary course, students will investigate the science of sleep and its connections to physical health, mental and emotional well-being, learning, technology, stress, and daily performance. Using Netflix’s Guide to Sleep Meditation as one of several resources, students will explore sleep cycles, circadian rhythms, dreams, insomnia, technology and sleep, stress, and the benefits and risks of sleep aids. Students will evaluate health and scientific claims, analyze sleep-related data, conduct personal investigations, and use evidence from multiple sources to develop explanations and arguments. The course also introduces practical, evidence-informed strategies such as relaxation, mindfulness, visualization, healthy technology habits, and sleep routines. Students will finish the course with a deeper understanding of their own sleep patterns and a personalized plan for supporting healthy sleep and overall wellness. 

Health 

HE.9-12.1(a) — Comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention 

HE.9-12.1(a)(iii) — Develop personal health-enhancing strategies, including stress management 

HE.9-12.1(b)(vi-vii) — Evaluate effects of media and technology on health 

HE.9-12.1(f) — Goal setting and monitoring 

 

English 

• W.11-12.2 — Informative/Explanatory Writing: Students document their sleep goal, track their observations, and explain what they learned from the data.  

• W.11-12.10 — Routine Writing: Students maintain a sleep journal or reflection log, writing regularly over an extended period.  

• W.11-12.7 — Research: Students conduct a short research project about sleep, using multiple sources to investigate a question or personal area of interest.  

• SL.11-12.1 — Collaborative Discussion: Students discuss sleep habits, research findings, and strategies while building on others’ ideas.  

• W.11-12.9 — Evidence: Students use evidence from informational texts to support conclusions about their sleep habits or strategies. 

Montana Science Standard	How Sleep Science Meets the Standard
SC.HS.LS1.2 — Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.	Students examine how the brain, nervous system, endocrine system, and other body systems interact to regulate sleep, wakefulness, stress, and circadian rhythms. Students can create a model showing how these systems interact during the sleep-wake cycle.
SC.HS.LS1.3 — Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis.	Students investigate how the body maintains internal balance through sleep/wake regulation, circadian rhythms, temperature regulation, hormones, and stress responses. Students can collect and analyze personal or class sleep data and identify patterns related to homeostasis.

 

The Crucible—ENG/American History 

This English course explores the 1692 Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts, through Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, widely regarded as one of the most significant American plays of the 20th century. Students will examine the historical circumstances surrounding the Salem Witch Trials and consider how fear, accusation, social pressure, power, and mass hysteria influenced the events. 

Written in 1953, The Crucible also serves as Arthur Miller’s literary response to the Red Scare and McCarthyism of the 1950s. Students will examine the parallels Miller creates between the Salem Witch Trials and the political climate of his own time, considering how literature can comment on history and contemporary society. 

Students will be assigned a daily character or characters and read their parts aloud during Acts 1 and 2. Dramatic and expressive readings are encouraged! For Acts 3 and 4, students will continue their exploration of the play through the 1996 film adaptation. Through reading, discussion, historical research, and comparison of the play with historical sources, students will explore the importance of perspective, evidence, individual agency, freedom of expression, and tolerance within a democratic society. 

SS.H.9-12.1 — Analyze how unique circumstances of time, place, and historical contexts shape individuals’ lives. 

SS.H.9-12.4 — Analyze multiple, complex causal factors that have shaped major events in U.S. and world history. 

SS.H.9-12.7 — Analyze how historical, cultural, social, political, ideological, and economic contexts shape people’s perspectives 

RL.9-10.2 / RL.11-12.2 — Analyze themes 

RL.9-10.3 / RL.11-12.3 — Analyze characters and drama 

RL.11-12.7 — Multiple interpretations of a drama 

SL.9-10.1 / SL.11-12.1 — Collaborative discussions 

SL.9-10.6 / SL.11-12.6 — Adapt speech to context 

 

Marie – 

 

Coburn – 

 

Jaydee – 

SELF-AWARENESS 

High School Health Education Course 

Course Description 

Self-Awareness is a high school Health Education course designed to help students understand their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, relationships, and personal choices. Students develop practical skills for recognizing thinking patterns, understanding influences on their decisions, distinguishing thoughts from facts, identifying assumptions, understanding self-talk, and recognizing connections among thoughts, feelings, and actions. 

Through reflection, discussion, real-life scenarios, creative activities, and practical skill-building, students practice pausing, considering options, and making intentional choices. A recurring strategy throughout the course is: 

STOP → NOTICE → CHECK → CONSIDER → CHOOSE 

The course supports mental and emotional health, self-management, communication, relationships, conflict resolution, and responsible decision-making. 

Montana Health Education Standards — Grades 9–12 

This course aligns with the following Montana Health Education Standard 1: Comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance personal health. 

Standard 1 — Performance Indicators 

5. Analyze the interrelationships of physical, mental, emotional, family, and social health on personal health, including those of American Indian cultures and practices.
6. Compare and contrast how the family and culture influence the health of individuals.
7. Explain how theperception of societal norms influences healthy and unhealthy behaviors, including those of American Indian cultures and practices. 
8. Explain the influence of personal values and beliefs on individual health practices and behaviors.
9. Explain how peers influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
10. Evaluate how the school, tribe, and community can affect personal health practices and behaviors.
11. Use skills for communicating effectively with family, peers, and others to enhance health, including those of traditional and contemporary American Indian cultures and practices.
12. Use strategies to prevent, manage, or resolve interpersonal conflicts without harming self or others.
13. Discuss how to ask for andoffer assistance to enhance the health and safety of self and others. 
14. Examine barriers that can hinder safe and healthy decision-making.

Course Learning Outcomes 

Students will: 

• recognize and describe their own thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and patterns; 

• identify influences on personal thinking and decision-making; 

• distinguish facts from thoughts, opinions, assumptions, and predictions; 

• recognize automatic thoughts and patterns of self-talk; 

• identify connections among situations, thoughts, feelings, and actions; 

• practice effective communication and conflict-management strategies; 

• identify barriers to healthy decision-making; 

• recognize when assistance or additional information may be needed; and 

• use self-awareness strategies to make healthy, informed, and intentional choices. 

 

MINDFULNESS 

High School Health Education Course 

Course Description 

Mindfulness is a high school Health Education course designed to help students develop awareness of their thoughts, feelings, surroundings, communication, and responses. Students learn practical mindfulness skills for being present, listening attentively, recognizing emotional reactions, pausing before responding, communicating intentionally, and handling conflict in healthy ways. 

Through reflection, discussion, movement, real-life scenarios, creative activities, and practical skill-building, students learn to apply mindfulness skills to everyday situations at school, at home, in relationships, and in the community. 

A recurring progression throughout the course is: 

NOTICE → LISTEN → PAUSE → COMMUNICATE → HANDLE CONFLICT → CHOOSE A RESPONSE 

Montana Health Education Standards — Grades 9–12 

This course aligns with the following Montana Health Enhancement Standard 1: Comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance personal health. 

Standard 1 — Performance Indicators 

5. Analyze the interrelationships of physical, mental, emotional, family, and social health on personal health, including those of American Indian cultures and practices.
6. Compare and contrast how the family and culture influence the health of individuals.
7. Explain how theperception of societal norms influences healthy and unhealthy behaviors, including those of American Indian cultures and practices. 
8. Explain the influence of personal values and beliefs on individual health practices and behaviors.
9. Explain how peers influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
10. Evaluate how the school, tribe, and community can affect personal health practices and behaviors.
11. Use skills for communicating effectively with family, peers, and others to enhance health, including those of traditional and contemporary American Indian cultures and practices.
12. Use strategies to prevent, manage, or resolve interpersonal conflicts without harming self or others.
13. Discuss how to ask for andoffer assistance to enhance the health and safety of self and others. 
14. Examine barriers that can hinder safe and healthy decision-making.

Course Learning Outcomes 

Students will: 

• practice being present and attentive during communication; 

• demonstrate active listening skills; 

• recognize how words, tone, and body language affect communication; 

• recognize emotional and physical reactions that can affect responses; 

• use a pause before responding to challenging situations; 

• identify causes of conflict and different ways people respond to conflict; 

• practice healthy communication and conflict-resolution strategies; 

• consider perspectives and clarify information before making assumptions; 

• communicate thoughts, feelings, and needs respectfully; 

• identify strategies for managing difficult interactions; and 

• apply mindfulness skills to make healthy and intentional choices. 

 

STRESS MANAGEMENT 

High School Health & Art Education 

Course Description 

Stress Management is an interdisciplinary high school course combining Health Education and Visual Art. Students learn to recognize stress patterns, identify common stressors and triggers, understand how stress can build and change over time, and identify practical strategies for managing stress and interrupting unhelpful patterns. 

Through drawing, design, visual mapping, collage, and other creative processes, students transform health concepts into visual representations. Art is used as a way to organize information, communicate ideas, reflect on learning, and explore personal patterns rather than to measure artistic ability. Students progress from identifying stress patterns and stress accumulation to examining stress intensity, timelines, stress cycles, and opportunities to make different choices. 

The course emphasizes: 

NOTICE → UNDERSTAND → MAP → IDENTIFY → INTERRUPT 

Montana Health Education Standards — Grades 9–12 

This course aligns with the following Montana Health Enhancement Standard 1: Comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance personal health. 

Standard 1 — Performance Indicators 

5. Analyze the interrelationships of physical, mental, emotional, family, and social health on personal health, including those of American Indian cultures and practices.
6. Compare and contrast how the family and culture influence the health of individuals.
7. Explain how theperception of societal norms influences healthy and unhealthy behaviors, including those of American Indian cultures and practices. 
8. Explain the influence of personal values and beliefs on individual health practices and behaviors.
9. Explain how peers influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
10. Evaluate how the school, tribe, and community can affect personal health practices and behaviors.
11. Use skills for communicating effectively with family, peers, and others to enhance health, including those of traditional and contemporary American Indian cultures and practices.
12. Use strategies to prevent, manage, or resolve interpersonal conflicts without harming self or others.
13. Discuss how to ask for andoffer assistance to enhance the health and safety of self and others. 
14. Examine barriers that can hinder safe and healthy decision-making.

Montana Visual Arts Standards 

The course also supports Montana’s Visual Arts Standards for grades 9–12, particularly standards related to: 

• Creating and developing artistic work using a variety of materials, techniques, and processes. 

• Generating and developing artistic ideas based on personal experiences, observations, and concepts. 

• Organizing visual elements and principles to communicate meaning. 

• Using artmaking as a means of reflection, communication, and personal expression. 

• Interpreting and evaluating artistic work and explaining how visual choices communicate ideas. 

• Connecting artistic ideas and processes to personal experiences and broader contexts. 

Course Learning Outcomes 

Students will: 

• identify common stressors, triggers, and personal stress patterns; 

• recognize how multiple stressors can accumulate; 

• identify different levels and signs of stress; 

• examine how stress changes over time; 

• identify the stages of a stress cycle; 

• recognize physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to stress; 

• identify places within a stress pattern where a different choice can be made; 

• explore practical strategies for managing and interrupting stress patterns; 

• use visual art to organize, represent, and communicate health concepts; 

• experiment with artistic materials, techniques, symbols, lines, shapes, color, composition, and design; 

• reflect on how artistic choices communicate ideas; and 

• use creative and health-management strategies to support personal well-being and intentional decision-making. 

Health Credit Component 

Students demonstrate understanding of stress, mental and emotional health, personal health behaviors, decision-making, coping strategies, communication, and healthy responses to challenging situations. 

Art Credit Component 

Students demonstrate understanding of visual communication, creative processes, artistic techniques, composition, symbolism, design, reflection, and the use of art to communicate concepts and ideas. 

Overall Course Goal:
Students will develop a better understanding of how stress works while using creative processes to visualize, communicate, and reflect on healthy ways to recognize and manage stress. 

 

MIND-BODY AWARENESS 

High School Health & Art Education 

Course Description 

Mind-Body Awareness is an interdisciplinary high school course combining Health Education and Visual Art. Students explore the connection between emotions, thoughts, physical sensations, behaviors, and responses. Students learn to recognize signs of different emotions, understand emotional intensity, identify possible emotional triggers, and consider how awareness can influence their responses. 

Through drawing, painting, design, sculpture, mixed media, and other creative processes, students use visual art to represent and communicate health concepts. Art provides students with a way to explore ideas, organize information, express meaning, and reflect on their learning rather than being evaluated solely on artistic ability. 

Students explore the progression: 

EMOTION → INTENSITY → SIGNS → TRIGGERS → RESPONSE 

The course emphasizes that emotions can be experienced differently by different people and that outward appearance does not always reveal what someone is experiencing beneath the surface. 

Montana Health Education Standards — Grades 9–12 

This course aligns with the following Montana Health Enhancement Standard 1: Comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance personal health. 

Standard 1 — Performance Indicators 

5. Analyze the interrelationships of physical, mental, emotional, family, and social health on personal health, including those of American Indian cultures and practices.
6. Compare and contrast how the family and culture influence the health of individuals.
7. Explain how theperception of societal norms influences healthy and unhealthy behaviors, including those of American Indian cultures and practices. 
8. Explain the influence of personal values and beliefs on individual health practices and behaviors.
9. Explain how peers influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
10. Evaluate how the school, tribe, and community can affect personal health practices and behaviors.
11. Use skills for communicating effectively with family, peers, and others to enhance health, including those of traditional and contemporary American Indian cultures and practices.
12. Use strategies to prevent, manage, or resolve interpersonal conflicts without harming self or others.
13. Discuss how to ask for andoffer assistance to enhance the health and safety of self and others. 
14. Examine barriers that can hinder safe and healthy decision-making.

Montana Visual Arts Standards 

The course also supports Montana’s Visual Arts Standards for grades 9–12, particularly standards related to: 

• Creating and developing artistic work using a variety of materials, techniques, and processes. 

• Generating and developing artistic ideas from personal experiences, observations, and concepts. 

• Using visual elements and principles of design to communicate meaning. 

• Using artmaking as a means of reflection, communication, and personal expression. 

• Interpreting and evaluating artistic work and explaining how visual choices communicate ideas. 

• Connecting artistic ideas and processes to personal experiences and broader contexts. 

Course Learning Outcomes 

Students will: 

• identify physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral signs of emotions; 

• recognize that emotional experiences can vary in intensity; 

• identify possible triggers and understand that people may respond differently to the same situation; 

• examine connections among emotions, thoughts, body signals, and behaviors; 

• recognize that outward appearance does not always reveal internal experiences; 

• practice identifying and communicating emotions appropriately; 

• consider possible responses to emotional situations; 

• use visual art to represent emotions, intensity, triggers, and responses; 

• use color, line, shape, pattern, texture, symbolism, composition, and three-dimensional materials to communicate ideas; 

• experiment with a variety of artistic materials and processes; 

• reflect on how artistic choices communicate meaning; and 

• connect creative expression with personal health and well-being. 

Health Credit Component 

Students demonstrate understanding of mental and emotional health, mind-body connections, emotional awareness, emotional intensity, triggers, communication, personal responses, and healthy decision-making. 

Art Credit Component 

Students demonstrate understanding of creative processes, visual communication, artistic techniques, color, line, shape, pattern, texture, symbolism, composition, three-dimensional construction, and reflection. 

Overall Course Goal:
Students will develop greater awareness of the connections between emotions, thoughts, body signals, and behaviors while using creative processes to understand, communicate, and reflect on those connections. 

 

Emily T – 

Day of the Dead art (Día de los Muertos) is characterized by vibrant sugar skulls, marigold flowers, Catrina figures, papel picado (decorative tissue paper banners), and colorful folk‑art patterns that celebrate remembrance and Mexican cultural heritage. Common motifs include decorated calaveras (skulls), festive skeletons, altars (ofrendas), and richly patterned floral designs, as seen across contemporary illustrations, traditional prints, and modern digital artworks.  

Our PAL students will learn about the rich history of this celebration and create original art pieces that honor this special day of remembrance. This class can be taken for either a Fine Art or World Cultures credit.  

Each student will: 

VA1. develop plans for creating art and design works using various materials and methods from traditional and contemporary practices 

VA3. complete artworks or designs incorporating relevant criteria as well as personal artistic vision 

VA4. curate artifacts and artworks for presentation and preservation  

VA5. apply appropriate methods or processes to display artwork in a specific place 

VA6. analyze an exhibit or collection’s impact on personal awareness of social, cultural, or political beliefs and understandings 

VA7. evaluate the effectiveness of an artwork as perceived by a variety of audiences 

VA8. defend an interpretation of an artwork or collections of artworks  

VA9. analyze a collection of artwork based on sets of criteria;  

VA10. incorporate knowledge of personal, social, cultural, and historical life to create artworks  

VA11. compare uses of art in a variety of personal, societal, cultural, and historical contexts 

 

OR Art: students will continue with self-discovery through artmaking.  This block will focus on occupied and unoccupied space as well as color connections and symbolism.   Self-assessment and group critique and discussion are vital components of this class. 

Each student will:  

VA1. develop plans for creating art and design works using various materials and methods from traditional and contemporary practices                                                                                             

VA3. complete artworks or designs incorporating relevant criteria as well as personal artistic vision 

VA5. apply appropriate methods or processes to display artwork in a specific place 

VA7. evaluate the effectiveness of an artwork as perceived by a variety of audiences  

VA8. defend an interpretation of an artwork or collections of artworks 

VA10. incorporate knowledge of personal, social, cultural, and historical life to create artworks 

Sheila – 

 

Emily P –  

Nuclear Disasters Course Description 

In this class we will be pursuing the how and why of nuclear power, and researching nuclear disasters throughout history. 

Science standards 

HS-PS1-8 develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay 

HS-PS1-4 develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from chemical reactions is dependent upon changes in total bond energy 

Social studies standards 

(4) The history content standards for ninth through twelfth grade are that each student will: 

(a) analyze how unique circumstances of time, place, and historical contexts shape individuals’ lives; 

(b) analyze change and continuity in historical eras in US and world history; 

(d) analyze multiple, and complex causal factors that have shaped major events in US and world history, including American Indian history; 

(g) analyze how historical, cultural, social, political, ideological, and economic contexts shape people’s perspectives; 

Pandemics Course Description 

This course investigates historical pandemics to gain an understanding of infectious diseases. We use 5 different historical pandemics (Black Death, Spanish Flu, Typhoid, HIV/AIDS, and Ebola) to learn about infectious disease and the human immune system. We cover much of the information in the biology textbook in chapters 20 (Viruses and Prokaryotes) and 35 (Immune System and Disease). 

Science Content standards: 

HS-LS4-4 construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations over time. 

HS-LS3-3 NGSS apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population. 

Health Enhancement content standards 

3. Compare and contrastvarious waysto prevent communicable diseases 

Social studies standards 

(4) The history content standards for ninth through twelfth grade are that each student will: 

(a) analyze how unique circumstances of time, place, and historical contexts shape individuals’ lives; 

(b) analyze change and continuity in historical eras in US and world history; 

(d) analyze multiple, and complex causal factors that have shaped major events in US and world history, including American Indian history; 

(g) analyze how historical, cultural, social, political, ideological, and economic contexts shape people’s perspectives; 

 

Sam – 

Guitar and its Players 

This class will encompass a brief, but hopefully lasting, introduction to both the history of the guitar and its players as well as physically learning to play the guitar.   

Outcomes/Objectives: To have a historical and cultural perspective on the guitar as an evolved musical instrument.  Appreciate and celebrate major influencers both musically and technically.  Have some firsthand exposure through the practice of playing the guitar to connect with the instrument aesthetically and tangibly.    

Standards: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.   

 

OR English (Speech Preparation) 

This class will specifically prepare the OR class for their exit, PAL review style, speech.   

Outcomes/Objectives: Students will gain confidence and basic techniques for giving a thorough speech as they exit from orientation and join the PAL academy.   

Standards: Standards: Evaluate a speaker’s or texts point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, including culturally diverse contexts, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence. 

 

Birth of Montana 

Students will learn about the story of the greatest state in the Union, our very own Montana. 

Outcomes/Objectives: This all-day class will be a mix of traditional and alternative lessons, consisting of work out of the Historical Society’s Montana History textbook, bits and pieces of Ken Burns’ “The West” and numerous field trips to historical sites around Western Montana, including First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, the Old Montana State Prison, the Capitol building, old Governor’s Mansion and MORE! Our trips will include a lot of walking/hiking, so bring good shoes! 

Standards: 

• SS.H.9-12.1 analyze how unique circumstances of time, place, and historical contexts shape individuals’ lives  

• SS.H.9-12.2 analyze change and continuity in historical eras in US and world history  

• SS.H.9-12.3 identify ways in which people and groups exercise agency in difficult historical, contemporary, and tribal contexts  

• SS.H.9-12.4 analyze multiple, and complex causal factors that have shaped major events in US and world history, including American Indian history  

• SS.H.9-12.5 explain events in relation to both their intended and unintended consequences, including governmental policies impacting American Indians  

• SS.H.9-12.6 distinguish between long-term causes and triggering events in developing a historical argument  

• SS.H.9-12.7 analyze how historical, cultural, social, political, ideological, and economic contexts shape people’s perspectives  

• SS.H.9-12.8 analyze the ways in which the perspectives of those writing history shaped the history they produced  

• SS.H.9-12.9 evaluate how historiography is influenced by perspective and available historical sources  

 

Jaime – 

Monsters, Masks, & Mirrors — Explore why we love scary stories, who gets called a “monster,” and what faces you show the world. Analyze monsters from Frankenstein to film, then design and build your own mask revealing your public face outside and private truth inside. No art experience needed. No tests. Hands-on, discussion-based. “Come figure out who you are when nobody’s watching.” 

English Language Arts & Literacy (ELA) Standards: 

Reading Literature (RL): Analyzing themes, character perspectives, and textual evidence. 

Writing (W): Analyzing themes, character perspectives, and textual evidence. 

Speaking & Listening (SL):  Collaborative discussion and presentation. 

Visual Arts (VA) Standards: 

Creating (Cr): Conceiving, crafting, and presenting artistic work. 

Responding (Re): Observing, describing, and interpreting art. 

Connecting (Cn): Relating art to life, history, and society. 

Voices & Visions: Ever wonder how a single image or a clever caption can tell your whole story? This unit isn’t about memorizing grammar rules or drawing perfect still lifes. It’s about finding your voice and using it to show the world who you are. We’ll explore how artists, writers, and creators use visuals and words together to build identity—think zines, Instagram carousels, graphic novels, and digital art. 

English Language Arts & Literacy (ELA) Standards: 

Reading Literature (RL): Analysis of text, drawing inferences from text 

Writing (W): Writing narratives, producing clear, coherent writing, planning, revising, and editing. 

Speaking & Listening (SL):  Collaborative discussion and presentation. 

Visual Arts (VA) Standards: 

Creating (Cr): Conceiving, crafting, and presenting artistic work. 

Responding (Re): Observing, describing, and interpreting art. 

Connecting (Cn): Relating art to life, history, and society.