rthwest High School

 Ulysses Signature Program Description 

The Ulysses Signature Program is designed to encourage student-initiated explorations in areas of strong interest. We encourage students to make connections through multidisciplinary investigations enhanced by technology.  Students who participate in the Ulysses Signature Program will study, create, and achieve in an intellectual and nurturing community of learners. 

Students may enroll in the Ulysses Signature Program as incoming freshmen for the 2012-2013 school year.  

Freshmen will register for Signature Honors English 9, Signature Honors or Advanced Placement US History, and Signature Honors Physics 9 or Signature Honors Biology.  

Sophomores will register for Signature Honors English 10, Signature Honors or Advanced Placement Government,, and Signature Honors Chemistry.  All signature classes integrate real-world research and technology skills into the course content. 

Ulysses juniors may take Signature Honors or Advanced Placement Modern World History.  All Ulysses juniors take the required Advanced Research course, and choose a focus in preparation for the senior project.  within their area of strong interest.  The Ulysses Signature Program culminates senior year in the required Ulysses Research Project Class that may be taken in conjunction with an optional off-site internship. 

 Course Offerings:  

Advanced Research (Required for Ulysses juniors, ½ English elective credit) – This course is designed to prepare students for their individual senior year Ulysses projects.  Upon course completion students will be prepared to conduct meaningful research and present it in an appropriate format. Students will explore the various components of basic research methodology that are characteristic of most academic disciplines. Students will be exposed to data collection and analysis, safety and ethics, basic literature searches, and technical readings and writings that adhere to a variety of inquiry methods used in the sciences and humanities.  

Ulysses Senior Research Project A/B (Required for Ulysses seniors, ½ general elective credit) - The semester-long Ulysses Senior Research Project class is the home base from which seniors launch their journeys toward multidisciplinary, complex projects stemming from the students’ strongest interests.  The structured class provides the guidance and support students need as they design, construct and present their final Ulysses Projects to the evaluation panel as well as to their parents, mentors and peers.  Selecting from an area of strong interest, students propose, develop and investigate a topic of their choosing and work toward applying their research to practical, real-world endeavors in the form of an original, independent project.