12th Grade Curriculum Outline (Words Only)

Parent-facing planning outline. For DBM’s full scope & sequence, visit: https://www.dbmlearningacademy.com/compliance/general/compliance/curriculum.php

English Language Arts

British Literature & Literary Analysis

• Survey from Chaucer/Shakespeare to Romantic, Victorian, Modern/Contemporary authors.
• Analyze how historical, philosophical, and cultural contexts shape theme, tone, and form.
• Write close readings with precise claims, embedded quotes, and layered commentary.

College-Ready Writing & Research

• Senior research paper: proposal → annotated bibliography → outline → draft → revise → final.
• Integrate primary/secondary sources; synthesize across 5–8 sources; MLA/APA as assigned.
• Admissions & scholarship essays: narrative voice, authenticity, and targeted revision.

Advanced Rhetoric & Style

• Rhetorical strategies (definition, classification, cause/effect, comparison, analogy) with purposeful diction and syntax.
• Master punctuation for control (semicolons, colons, dashes, parentheses) and parallel structure.

Modern World Literature

• Global voices and translations; postcolonial perspectives; genre and form innovations.
• Discussion seminars; reflective responses connecting text, self, and world.

Synthesis & Comparative Argument

• Compare themes/motifs/symbols across two or more works; evaluate competing interpretations.
• Write synthesis essays weaving texts, data, and scholarship into a cohesive argument.

Scholarly Notes, Cursive & Keyboarding (Senior Level)

• Efficient Cornell/outline notes; executive summaries of dense readings (150–200 words).
• Legible cursive/print for timed writes; 55–60+ WPM keyboarding with clean formatting.

Mathematics

Pre-Calculus & Trigonometry

• Trig functions from unit circle; identities and equations; law of sines/cosines applications.
• Function transformations and compositions; inverse functions and domains/ranges.

Limits & Continuity

• Informal limit notation; graphical and numerical approaches; one-sided limits.
• Continuity and removable/jump/infinite discontinuities; limit laws.

Derivatives & Applications

• Tangent line slope; basic derivative rules (power rule; product/quotient/chain by readiness).
• Applications: rates of change, optimization, motion; interpret derivatives from graphs.

Logarithmic & Exponential Functions

• Exponential growth/decay; e and natural log; solving exponential/log equations.
• Applications in finance, population, half-life; linearize data (log models) when appropriate.

Statistics & Probability Models

• Distributions (normal, skewed); z-scores; sampling methods and bias.
• Inference overview (confidence idea, margin of error); conditional probability & independence.

Science

Molecular Biology & Genetics

• Central dogma; gene regulation; mutations and biotechnology applications (PCR/CRISPR overview).
• Bioethics case studies with cited evidence and structured debate.

Chemical Equilibrium & Acids-Bases

• Dynamic equilibrium concepts; Le Châtelier’s principle (conceptual/mathematical as ready).
• pH/pOH scales; strong vs. weak acids/bases; titration curves (conceptual).

Electromagnetism & Optics

• Electric fields, circuits (qualitative + basic quantitative), magnetic fields, induction (intro).
• Optics: reflection/refraction, lens/mirror equations (as readiness allows), optical systems.

Earth Systems & Sustainability

• Systems thinking across geo/hydro/atmo/bio spheres; climate drivers & feedbacks.
• Local sustainability project with data collection, visualization, and recommendations.

Scientific Research Projects

• Capstone investigation: literature review → hypothesis → methods → data → analysis → conclusion.
• Write formal paper (IMRaD style recommended) and deliver an oral defense with visuals.

Social Studies

Global Political Systems

• Compare governance models (parliamentary, presidential, federal/unitary, authoritarian) and citizen participation.
• Policy analysis frameworks and trade-off evaluation with data.

Philosophy & Ethics

• Survey ethical theories (virtue ethics, deontology, consequentialism) with real-world dilemmas.
• Construct reasoned positions; engage in Socratic seminars and written defenses.

Macroeconomics & Policy

• GDP, unemployment, inflation; fiscal/monetary policy levers; international trade and exchange rates (conceptual).
• Personal finance capstone: budgeting, credit, investing, taxes, risk management.

Contemporary World History

• Post–WWII order, decolonization, Cold War, globalization, and current issues.
• Use primary/secondary sources to evaluate multiple perspectives and causation.

Law, Rights & Civic Responsibility

• Constitutions, legal systems, civil/criminal distinctions, landmark cases (overview).
• Civic action plan: identify an issue, research, propose policy, and present to an audience.

College, Career & Capstone

• Applications timeline; resumes, portfolios, recommendation packets; interview practice.
• Financial aid basics (FAFSA overview, scholarships); compare award letters.
• Senior Portfolio: curated essays, labs, projects, service, and reflections; oral defense.

Logic, Problem-Solving & Projects

• Weekly advanced problem sets (trig identities, optimization, probability models, data critiques) with written proofs/explanations.
• Monthly cross-curricular builds: equilibrium demo, optics device, sustainability dashboard, comparative philosophy colloquium, policy brief & public forum.
• Capstone symposium: research poster + 6–8 minute defense with Q&A.

Tech & Creation (optional enrichments)

• Coding (Python/JS): data pipelines, regressions, simulations; publish charts and brief reports.
• Spreadsheets & dashboards; version control basics; clean, ethical data citations.

For DBM’s complete scope and samples across grades, visit: