If this were a normal year, January would bring with it the annual AP and Elective Fair, a Hills tradition. Students would be able to mill around the gym and explore their academic options for the coming year.

Unfortunately, the pandemic means this is no longer an option. In its place, the Hilltopper asked teachers of elective classes to share some information about their course offerings. Here’s a list of some of the electives available to Morris Hills students. Happy scheduling!

Anthropology

“Put Biology, Psychology, History, Political Science, Art, Literature, a smidge of Cayenne Pepper, and more than a dash of Sugar into an Academic Blender, hit Frappe, and you get Anthropology!”  Anthropology is a deep examination of humanity; starting in the far past and going into potential far futures.  Besides standard methods of examining content, the class features lab activities and trips to the American Museum of Natural History. If everything was perfect, Mr. Higgins would like to have every student in the school district take Anthropology as he believes it makes every student well-rounded.

AP Human Geography

This Advanced Placement social studies course combines most of the subjects you’ve ever studied to teach how humans have evolved, grown, and operated over time, and how this evolution is connected to Earth’s physical landscape. Study demography, race, religion, culture, education, and sustainability to better understand the concerns and conflicts of the past, present, and future. This course is open to any students grades 10 and up.

Art of Film

Finally, the English elective in which you discuss movies instead of books! In this class, you’ll watch movies, discuss the different eras and genres of film, and identify the techniques that make a movie great. This course allows you to be both creative and analytical as you make your way through the must-see movies of the past 120 years. Open to anyone, grades 9 to 12, born cinephiles and soon-to-be cinephiles.

Forensic Science

Forensic Science is a predominantly hands-on class that allows students a glimpse into the work of a crime scene investigator, as well as a forensic scientist. We are exploring topics such as crime scene investigation, fingerprinting, DNA fingerprinting, serology (blood and blood spatter), hair and fiber analysis, handwriting analysis, and toxicology. 

Microsoft Professional

Take Microsoft Professional for your next elective.  You will learn the software apps that businesses and colleges want you to know.  You can get certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS certification) and get 2.5 credits in Financial Literacy for your graduation requirement!  Hundreds of students have taken it, you should too!

Mixed Media Sculpture

In this advanced art class, students use a variety of materials to learn the art of sculpting. 

Music, Africa, & Activism: A Celebration of Black History & Identity 

This course was designed by Sabriyyah Franklin, a senior at Morris Hills. The half-year elective is geared to represent and teach a diverse population of learners about African American history. This class is a celebration of African-American culture and its impact on the world.

Personal Finance and Investments

A message from Mrs. Pantikova, who teaches Personal Finance and Investments:

“Hi, my name is Mrs. Pantikova and I teach Personal finance and Investments at Morris Hills! I have been teaching at Morris Hills for a little less than a year now.   I love teaching Investments –  where my students are passionate about the material they are learning as well as the opportunity to apply that material in the real world. In this class, students gain a deep understanding of financial markets, their movements, and the financial opportunities available through intelligent and informed investing. We cover very interesting topics – like investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. In investments, students work individually as well as in groups as they build their personal investment portfolios through a stock market simulator game. In doing so, students not only gain experience with various investment products, but are also able to develop an understanding of their personal investment risk tolerance. I hope to see you next year in my investments class where I’ll guide You in building a successful financial future! Thank You!”