Language Arts

The Upper Darby High School Secondary Language Arts program is designed to offer students opportunities, resources, and instruction to develop the language skills they need to pursue life's goals and to participate fully as informed members of society.  The program is rooted in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards of Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.  Pennsylvania’s Core Standards in English Language Arts are robust and relevant to the real world and reflect the knowledge and skills our young people need to succeed in life after high school, in both post-secondary education and in a globally competitive workforce.

 Students at Drexel Hill and Beverly Hills Middle Schools receive a solid foundation in literary skills using Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Into Literature textbook.  Teachers provide a rigorous approach with in-depth study and analysis of a wide range of literature, including novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and informational text.  The Language Arts department integrates the PA Core Standards of craft and structure, key ideas and details, text analysis, integration of knowledge and ideas, vocabulary acquisition, and writing. 

 At Upper Darby High School, English plays a significant role in the high school curriculum.  Language skills in speaking, reading, and writing are critical to future success.  As freshmen, students learn formal research techniques and develop solid composition skills in addition to reading literature in all major forms.  There are many elective options beginning in sophomore year for some students. Juniors and seniors can elect to take American Studies, American Literature, British Literature, Humanities, Broadcast Journalism, Modern Literature, Skills and Composition, and new for 2017-2018, African American Literature.  In addition, qualified Upper Darby students may take AP English and Literature in their junior and senior years.

World Languages

The Upper Darby World Language program is designed to develop a student’s proficiency in understanding, speaking, listening, and writing that is not their native tongue. Exploratory French and Spanish are offered as a quarter elective course to our 6th grade students. Introduction to French, Spanish, or Mandarin are offered to our 7th grade students. Eighth graders may take French or Spanish 1 for high school credit or Introduction to Mandarin. 

Science

Upper Darby School District works to prepare all our students for the increasing need for STEM educated individuals relevant to industries within Delaware Valley and beyond. Our goal is to provide a robust program that demonstrates consistent, standards-based, science instruction in K-12 classrooms across the district. With a focus on continuous teaching and learning in science throughout our district, in grades K-12, we provide opportunities for equitable experiences for all students in our science programs. In line with the vision set forth in the new Pennsylvania Science Standards, the Upper Darby School District science program seeks to engage students in science and engineering practices and cross-cutting concepts alongside science investigations, which allow them to strengthen their critical thinking skills as they master the disciplinary core ideas.  Reading, speaking and listening skills are also developed as students complete record sheets, keep science notebooks, read stories about the topics being covered, and share their findings formally and informally.  Math skills are developed as they measure, weigh, compare, design data tables and create graphs and charts.

In 2022 Pennsylvania formally adopted new standards for science.  These are collectively known as the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology, and Engineering (K-5), the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (Grades 6-12) and the Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards (Grades 6-12).  The standards describe what students should know and be able to do at each grade level.  The standards focus on three-dimensional learning which incorporates Science and Engineering Practices (what students do), Crosscutting Concepts (what students connect across disciplines), and Disciplinary Core Ideas (what content students learn).

Grades 6-8:

• • Carolina STCMS by Smithsonian Science Education Center, adopted 2018. The curriculum is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and supports the new Pennsylvania Standards.

Grades 9-12: 

• • Courses at Upper Darby High School use a variety of textbooks from different publishers, as well as open source materials from CK12.org.  Each text was chosen to best support student learning.  Texts are updated on a regular basis, and will be aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and support the new Pennsylvania Standards.

Social Studies

The NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES (NCSS) defines social studies: The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world. 

The Upper Darby School District supports that mission and strives daily to achieve those goals for all our students.

UDSD Scope and Sequence:

Middle School: Grades 6-8

The School District recently adopted National Geographic as the curriculum provider at our two middle schools. Students will access a 100% online curriculum through Chromebooks in each Social Studies classroom. Textbooks are also provided for variety and flexibility. Sixth-grade students examine World Cultures and Geography. Seventh graders focus on World History: Great Civilizations. Eighth grade is reintroduced to American history with American Stories: Beginnings to 1877. The material is rigorous and engaging while promoting active learning and effective writing.

High School: Grades 9-12

At the high school level, students engage in more sophisticated analysis and reconstruction of the past, examining its relationship to the present and its implications for the future. Ninth-grade Global Studies considers the history, culture, economy, and geography of the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. This can be done as an area of study or by theme. Tenth graders study U.S. History from 1890 to the present. An alternative to this survey course is the study of American history together with American literature and culture in American Studies. Eleventh Grade picks up the birth of our nation, the Constitution, and democracy at work in Government and Law. Social Studies electives include European History, Economics, Psychology, Race and Ethnicity, Women in World History, Sports in World History, Global Conflicts in World History, and Films in United States History. Advanced Placement courses are offered in World History, United States History, Government and Politics, and European History for college credit.

By the end of high school, Upper Darby students will better understand events, trends, personalities, and movements in local, state, national, and world history. They will know local, state, and national world geography. They will grasp how the concepts of social studies can help interpret human actions and prepare them for careers and lifelong learning.

Mathematics 

The mathematics program in the Upper Darby School District mirrors the Pennsylvania Department of Education's goal: "mathematics instruction stresses both procedural skills and conceptual understanding to ensure students are learning and applying the critical information they need to succeed at higher levels."

1. Make sense of and persevere in solving complex and novel mathematical problems;
2. Use effective mathematical reasoning to construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others;
3. Communicate precisely when making mathematical statements and express answers with a degree of precision appropriate for the context of the problem/situation;
4. Apply mathematical knowledge to analyze and model situations/relationships using multiple representations and appropriate tools to make decisions, solve problems, and draw conclusions; and
5. Use structure and repeated reasoning to gain a mathematical perspective and formulate generalized problem-solving strategies.
6. The middle grades shift the emphasis from numbers and operations to algebraic concepts such as ratios, rates, and proportionality. Many students will be ready to complete a formal course in Algebra 1 in 8th grade, while others will complete the course in 9th grade.

The school district utilizes enVisions Mathematics as the core resource in grades K-8 to support the district’s mathematics curriculum. The highly-rated and researched-based program focuses on deep conceptual understanding aided by visual models, student-centered projects, and personalized learning. 

Upper Darby High School’s mathematics program provides all students with rich mathematical experiences that enhance their ability to solve problems, think critically, and communicate mathematically. Students develop these 21st-century skills by selecting from various courses, including Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, College Algebra, PreCalculus, Calculus, Probability and Statistics, and Computer Science.