The SPA Program is an interdisciplinary, project-based learning program for students in grades 9-12. SPA students take their core humanities classes, ELA and Social Studies, in the state-of-the-art project-based learning center in high school. They have access to a large-scale vinyl printer, a 3-D printer, and more of the latest in educational technology. SPA students engage in authentic projects that emphasize both content knowledge and success skills that help students become college and career ready. Students are exposed to a challenging and rewarding curriculum as they learn to problem-solve, think critically, create, innovate, collaborate, communicate, and lead. SPA projects offer students an opportunity to work interdisciplinary and often in conjunction with local businesses and organizations. In addition, SPA students collect community involvement hours through service and community collaborations.
The SPA Program is open to all students at the beginning of any of their high school years 9-12. Eligible students must be on track to receive a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation. The following courses are offered for each grade as part of the SPA program. Please note, the humanities courses are co-taught by English and Social Studies teachers and therefore must be taken together.
Grade 9:
- SPA Seminar Global History & Geography 1
- SPA Seminar English 9
Grade 10:
- SPA Seminar Global History & Geography 2
- SPA Seminar English 10
Grade 11:
- SPA Seminar United States History & Government
- SPA Seminar English 11
Grade 12:
- SPA Seminar Participation in Government & Economics
- SPA Seminar English 12
SARATOGA PATHWAYS ACADEMY SEMINAR ENGLISH 9
0055 Full Year 1 Credit Grade 9
SPA Seminar is a course offered in the SPA Program at Saratoga Springs High School and is available to all 9th grade students. This course is a collaborative, interdisciplinary humanities course that blends English Language Arts and Global History in a co-taught environment, challenging students to investigate complex academic and real-world issues from multiple perspectives. The program utilizes Project-Based Learning to challenge and engage students and prepare them for success both in and out of the academic setting. Throughout the course, students work in the high school’s Project-Based Learning Center, making full use of cutting-edge tools such as the vinyl printer, 3-D printer, and other advanced technologies to design and produce authentic projects.
In SPA Seminar, students learn to analyze arguments, evaluate sources, compare viewpoints, and construct well-supported claims while developing the practical success skills needed for college and career success. Collaboration, communication, creativity, and leadership are embedded in every major project. In addition, SPA Seminar projects are often conducted in partnership with local organizations and businesses, giving students real audiences and real problems to solve along with the chance to network with local community leaders.
Overall, the SPA Seminar experience provides a rigorous, rewarding pathway for students who want to think critically, innovate boldly, and engage meaningfully with the world around them. SPA Seminar English 9 is designed to prepare students for SPA AP Seminar in grade 10. Due to the cross-curricular nature of the program, students must be enrolled in both SPA Seminar ELA 9 and SPA Seminar Global I.
SARATOGA PATHWAYS ACADEMY SEMINAR ENGLISH 10
0056 Full Year 1 Credit Grade 10
This course is aligned with Saratoga Pathways Academy Global Studies 10 Humanities, and continues the curriculum started in Saratoga Pathways Academy English 9 Humanities. Students in SPA have 1:1 access to technology, a state-of-the-art classroom, and project-based learning is the primary style of instruction. In this course students will study genres including poetry, drama, the novel, nonfiction, and short fiction. Students will read essays, articles, and literary criticism all related to various thematic units, and study literary selections representing numerous cultures and traditions. Students will engage in an explanation of the correlation between the savage and the civilized by reading a novel of choice using the lens of Post-Colonial Criticism to analyze power structures within their novels. The reading of Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night will develop students’ understanding of the Holocaust, while Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis will broaden students’ definition of literature. Finally, students will explore ideas surrounding the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights while reading Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. Students will closely read and annotate texts of all forms, write literary essays and original creative works, and engage in a research project to produce and present a comprehensive paper. Project-based learning engages students in a variety of activities designed to develop deeper learning competencies required for success in college, career, and civic life while preparing them for the Common Core English Regents Examination.
SARATOGA PATHWAYS ACADEMY SEMINAR ENGLISH 11
0057nspa Full Year 1 Credit Grade 11
This course is aligned with Saratoga Pathways Academy US History 11 Humanities and continues the curriculum started in Saratoga Pathways Academy English 9 Humanities. Students in SPA have 1:1 access to technology and a state-of-the-art classroom and project-based learning is the primary style of instruction. In this course, students will study genres including poetry, drama, novels, nonfiction, and short fiction. Students will read essays, articles, and literary criticism all related to various thematic units and explore such classic American works as Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Miller’s The Crucible, and Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. Students will complete writing assignments in a variety of settings and will also work on presenting their ideas in discussion and/or Socratic Forum. They will also refine their oral communication skills through gathering and organizing evidence to support a position in informative and persuasive presentations. The course addresses NYS Next Generation Learning Standards. Students will take the English Regents examination.
SARATOGA PATHWAYS ACADEMY SEMINAR ENGLISH 12
0061 Full Year 1 Credit Grade 12
This project-based course will involve intensive individual and collaborative research into an area of the humanities, including history, language, literature, music, philosophy, and religion. Focusing on the research process, writing, and presentation skills, students will delve into an area of individual interest related to the humanities. Human experience will be explored through fiction, literary nonfiction, primary sources, politics, economics, historical archives, discussions, guest lectures, and other library resources, placing it in the context of local, state, or national historical events.
SARATOGA PATHWAYS ACADEMY SEMINAR GLOBAL HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY 1
0145 Full Year 1 Credit Grade 9
SPA Seminar course offered in the SPA Program at Saratoga Springs High School and is available to all 9th grade students. This course is a collaborative, interdisciplinary humanities course that blends English Language Arts and Global History in a co-taught environment, challenging students to investigate complex academic and real-world issues from multiple perspectives. The program utilizes Project-Based Learning to challenge and engage students and prepare them for success both in and out of the academic setting. Throughout the course, students work in the high school’s Project-Based Learning Center, making full use of cutting-edge tools such as the vinyl printer, 3-D printer, and other advanced technologies to design and produce authentic projects.
In SPA Seminar, students learn to analyze arguments, evaluate sources, compare viewpoints, and construct well-supported claims while developing the practical success skills needed for college and career success. Collaboration, communication, creativity, and leadership are embedded in every major project. In addition, SPA Seminar projects are often conducted in partnership with local organizations and businesses, giving students real audiences and real problems to solve along with the chance to network with local community leaders.
Overall, the SPA Seminar experience provides a rigorous, rewarding pathway for students who want to think critically, innovate boldly, and engage meaningfully with the world around them. SPA Seminar Global History and Geography is designed to prepare students for SPA Seminar in grade 10. Due to the cross-curricular nature of the program, students must be enrolled in both SPA Seminar Global I and SPA Seminar ELA 9.
SARATOGA PATHWAYS ACADEMY SEMINAR GLOBAL HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY 2
0146 Full Year 1 Credit Grade 10
As part of the SPA Program, this course offers a project-based learning approach to Global History 10. Taught together with SPA English 10 Humanities, the Global and English curriculums are intertwined to provide a more enriching learning experience. While learning about global history from the Enlightenment through the present day 21st century, students will explore literature and current issues that complement their studies. As a project-based learning course, students participate in interdisciplinary, engaging unit projects that allow them to develop both knowledge and success skills for life, such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, creativity, innovation, communication, and leadership. SPA students also have access to the state-of-the-art project-based learning center, which is equipped with student laptops, a 3-D printer, and more of the latest educational technology. SPA Global 10 Humanities must be taken in conjunction with SPA English 10 Humanities. Students who were not enrolled in SPA 9 Humanities are still eligible to take SPA 10 Humanities.
SARATOGA PATHWAYS ACADEMY UNITED STATES HISTORY & GOVERNMENT
0147 Full Year 1 Credit Grade 11
As part of the SPA Program, this course offers a project-based learning approach to United States History & Government. Taught together with SPA English 11 Humanities, the history, government, and English curriculums are intertwined to provide a more enriching learning experience. While learning about United States history from colonization to the present, students will explore literature and current issues that complement their studies. As a project-based learning course, students participate in interdisciplinary, engaging unit projects that allow them to develop both knowledge and success skills for life, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, creativity, innovation, communication, and leadership. SPA students also have access to the state-of-the-art project-based learning center, which is equipped with student laptops, a 3-D printer, and more of the latest educational technology. SPA US History, Government & Humanities must be taken in conjunction with SPA English 11 Humanities. Students who were not enrolled in SPA 10 Humanities are still eligible to take SPA 11 Humanities.
SARATOGA PATHWAYS ACADEMY: PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT/ECONOMICS
0148 Full Year 1 Credit Grade 12
This course is a dynamic culmination of the project-based collaboration in the humanities, combining units of study in social studies and ELA at the 12th grade level. Students in Saratoga Pathways Academy 12 (SPA 12) will explore topics in government and economics with a special emphasis on research, analysis, and real-world problem solving. SPA 12 students will delve into historical documents, learn about archival research, work collaboratively on political and economic areas of personal interest, and explore relevant works of fiction and non-fiction. This course is taught by team Social Studies and ELA teachers in a flexible format in the high tech and innovative Project-Based Learning Room. Participants will have the opportunity to utilize community resources and forge relationships with experts beyond high school. The Saratoga Pathways Academy setting is truly a school-within-a-school, and SPA 12, while open to all 12th grade students, is designed to be a capstone course in the humanities. This course satisfies the graduation requirements for Economics and Participation in Government And must be taken with SPA 12: Humanities for English 12 credit.