Strategies, to Digital Video Production and Game Design. ... Below is a list of our new elective courses for Pinnacle On
New Elective Course Offerings Pinnacle Online High School is proud to announce the addition of 11 new electives to our online course offering! All of our new courses are 0.5-credit courses and cover a variety of subjects ranging from Life Management Skills and Thinking and Learning Strategies, to Digital Video Production and Game Design. These new courses have no enrollment fee, are engaging and informative, and are perfect for any student looking to fulfill their elective course requirements for graduation. Below is a list of our new elective courses for Pinnacle Online High School students. These courses are generally 12 weeks in length, but the length may vary depending upon the session in which the course is taken. Students may also be required to purchase additional software for some of the courses; you can check the course descriptions for details on this requirement. You may need to speak with an enrollment advisor to get the course’s current software requirements.
If you would like to enroll in any of these courses, or have questions, please call and speak with one of our enrollment advisors today -- 1.888.746.3301!
Life Management Skills This course is all about you and the important decisions you make. It’s also about having the correct information before making those decisions. We’ll deal with real issues like nutrition, substance abuse, coping with stress, and sexual abstinence. Good health is both mental and physical. Making good decisions starts with knowing the facts, understanding the consequences, and having the confidence to choose well. A series of signposts will take you through the course providing information, direction, and a little encouragement. We’ll also offer some important tools for communicating your feelings and opinions. We’ll even talk about being a savvy consumer in a world of advertising, credit cards, and focus on earth friendly practices that will help the environment. This is a course comes with a long-term payoff. The good decisions you make now will set a positive direction you can follow for a lifetime. Thinking and Learning Strategies Train your brain’s thinking skills and get fit for academics! In this course, you will “coach” your “team” of thinking skills to meet academic challenges. Through reading, writing, and math activities, students develop critical thinking skills and test-taking strategies. Students also gain reading, writing, organization, and study strategies--a powerful one-two punch for any student at any level! 3D Art I - Modeling This course will introduce you to 3D modeling tools and concepts. Using Blender, the popular open-source 3D modeling package, students will learn the basics of creating shapes, adding textures and lighting, and rendering. By the end of the course, students will have produced a series of increasingly sophisticated projects for their 3D portfolio. This course is suitable for students with no prior experience with 3D game design or digital media authoring tools. Students Materials/System Requirements: PC or Mac with 1GB of RAM, Blender (A link to the free installation files is included within the course.) 3D Art II - Animation In this advanced course, you’ll build on the skills you developed in 3D Art I to learn 3D animation techniques. Using Blender, the world’s most powerful open-source modeling tool, you’ll master the basics of animation: rigging, bones and movement while learning how to apply traditional animation techniques to your 3D models. Interested in a career in 3D art? Learn about jobs in the industry while developing your skills. Students Materials/System Requirements: PC or Mac with 1GB of RAM, Blender (A link to the free installation files is included within the course.)
Pinnacle Education - New Elective Course List - 2011
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Digital Photography & Graphics This is the perfect course for anyone who wants to create compelling, professional looking graphic designs and photos. You’ll learn the basics of composition, color, and layout before moving on to technical topics like working with layers and masks, adding special effects, and effectively using typefaces to create visual impact. At the end of this course, you’ll have created a variety of original projects for your graphic design portfolio. Students Materials/System Requirements: Access to a Digital Camera capable of connecting to a PC and GIMP (A link to the free installation files is included within the course.) Digital Video Production In this course, you’ll be introduced to all aspects of digital video production, from story boarding scenes to creating shot lists to editing a finished, professional product. Throughout this course, you’ll complete hands-on projects to master the essentials of recording, capturing, and editing video. This course is an excellent introduction to the exciting field of digital video production. Students Materials/System Requirements: Windows Movie Maker (free with Windows) and a video camera capable of connecting to a PC. Computer Aided Design Computer-aided design systems are used by designers and manufacturers in virtually every industry. In this course, you’ll master the basics of CAD software: creating points, lines, and other geometric forms, isometric drawings, and 3D models. Learn how to translate initial concepts into functional designs and 3D walkthroughs. Explore career options for CAD designers in this hands-on introductory level course. Students Materials/System Requirements: PC with 1GB of RAM, CAD software (A link to the free installation files is included within the course.) Honors Macroeconomics You have been called upon to assist the leader of the Macro Islands who is running for reelection next year. The economy is in shambles, and you need to come up with some feasible solutions. This will not only help the people of the Macro Islands but will also ensure a victory for your employer. You were hired over the Internet and received a first class ticket to the Macro Islands where you can learn first hand about the situation. You arrive at Pineapple Airport in the middle of the day and are met by a man with a briefcase who is holding a sign with your name on it. You approach the man and introduce yourself. “I’m Mr. Scarcity,” he says. “I’ll be your guide as you learn about the economic situation of the islands. You need to learn everything you can about both macroeconomics and our Macro Islands for your presentation to our island leader in May.” Honors Microeconomics You traveled to the Macro Islands to assist the leader in winning re-election. You came for a job, but you realized as you were working that you loved the islands and wanted to make your home there. Because you are adept at giving economic advice to the leader, you have been appointed as the new President of the Sunny Seas Shell Company. As part of your role in assuming the leadership duties of the company, you will need to brush up on microeconomics. The Board of Directors has appointed Ms. Equilibrium to act as your personal assistant and advisor as you transition into your new role. You will be learning all you can about microeconomics and will be required to exhibit your knowledge in May at the annual Board of Directors’ meeting. Game Design I This course is for anyone who loves gaming and wants to design and build original games from scratch. You’ll learn how to use popular game design software to create engaging, interactive games in a variety of genres. In addition, you’ll get a solid foundation in the basic concepts of game development. By the end of this course, you will have a variety of polished games for your game development portfolio.* Students Materials/System Requirements: Multimedia Fusion 2 Standard *Students are required to purchase additional software for $90. Game Design II In the continuation of this two-semester series, you’ll expand your knowledge of the game design industry while you master event-driven game development through a series of interactive projects. By the end of this course, you will have a variety of polished games for your game development portfolio. Students Materials/System Requirements: Multimedia Fusion 2 Standard *Students are required to purchase additional software for $90.
Pinnacle Education - New Elective Course List - 2011
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