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Practical Arts Course Offerings

PRACTICAL ARTS

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTAll students are required to pass a minimum of one-half credit of Practical Arts to graduate.

Courses listed in the following departments qualify as Practical Arts

  • Business Department
  • Engineering and Technology Department
    • Project Lead The Way (PLTW)
      • Project Lead The Way® (PLTW) is a not-for-profit organization that promotes pre-engineering courses for middle and high school students. PLTW forms partnerships with public schools, higher education institutions and the private sector to increase the quantity and quality of engineers and engineering technologists graduating from our educational system.
      • The courses in our program are an excellent choice for the high level math and science student interested in engineering or other high tech fields. Kirkwood High School is a national PLTW network school which allows our students the opportunity to take all of our PLTW engineering courses for college credit.
  • Family and Consumer Science Department

Courses with a * have college credit available
Courses with a † are also available as a Virtual KHS PeLA course

Full Course descriptions are available below the charts.

Business Courses

COURSE NUMBER

COURSE NAME

GRADE LEVEL

SEMESTER OR FULL YEAR

PREREQUISITE

PA100C

Startup!*

9-12

Semester

None

PA202C

Introduction to Marketing

10-12

Semester

None

PA318A/B

Advanced Marketing*

11-12

 

Full Year

Introduction to Marketing 

(B or better) - must be taken sophomore or junior year 

PA305A/B

Marketing Internship

6th & 7th Periods

PA302C

Entrepreneurship*

10-12

Semester

Startup! or Introduction to Marketing

PA103C

SmashCode I

9-12

Semester

None

PA119C

SmashCode II

9-12

Semester

SmashCode I

PA101C

Computer Applications I

9-12

Semester

None

PA102C

Computer Applications II*

9-12

Semester

Computer Applications I 

PA201C

Introduction to Law

10-12

Semester

None

PA301C

Business Communications*†

10-12

Semester

None

PA200A/B

Accounting I*

10-12

Full Year

None

 

Business Course Guide

Information Technology (IT)

SmashCode I & II
Introduces students to the fundamentals of coding through emerging technologies.

AP Computer Science Principles*
Develops students’ computational thinking and problem solving skills.

*This course is not eligible to be part of the PSB Scholarship

Finance

Accounting I
Accounting studies the process of maintaining and auditing records and preparing financial reports.

Students learn to evaluate financial statements and develop solutions for local municipalities and small businesses through a problem solving process.

Administration

Computer Applications I and II
Computer Applications is an overview of desktop publishing on Microsoft Office and Photoshop.

Business Communications
Students prepare for a job interview by mastering verbal and nonverbal communication as well as body language and written communication. 


Introduction to Law
Students analyze and evaluate citizen's rights, court structure, and landmark cases through case studies and research.

Marketing and Entrepreneurship

Startup!
Plan, start and operate small businesses emphasizing the critical problem solving skills required to be successful.

Introduction to Marketing
Students will develop brands, design graphics and learn social media strategy in order to develop promotional campaigns for companies and WoodPepNation. 

Entrepreneurship
Create, refine or collaborate on a business idea or solution in this PSB course. Students will apply the problem solving skills by developing a new product, service or problem.  

Advanced Marketing and Internship
Students work as Interns for a marketing agency for the year. They will operate WoodPepNation, partner with three outside businesses, and participate in DECA.

Business Course Descriptions

Engineering and Technology Courses

COURSE NUMBER

COURSE NAME

GRADE LEVEL

SEMESTER OR

FULL YEAR

PREREQUISITE

PA107C

Precision Machining Technology I

9-12

Semester

None

PA109C

Precision Machining Technology II

9-12

Semester

Precision Machining Technology I (C or better)

PA210C

Woodworking and Carpentry I

9-12

Semester

None

PA213C

Woodworking and Carpentry II

9-12

Semester

Woodworking and Carpentry I 

(C or better) or teacher recommendation

PA106A/B

Introduction to Engineering Design*

9-12

Full Year

None

PA204A/B

Principles of Engineering*

10-12

Full Year

Algebra I

PA208A/B

Aerospace Engineering*

10-12

Full Year

Algebra I

PA205A/B

Civil Engineering and Architecture*

10-12

Full Year

None

PA206A/B

Computer Integrated Manufacturing – CIM (Robotics)*

10-12

Full Year

None

PA207A/B

Digital Electronics*  

(NOT being offered 2025-2026)

10-12

Full Year

None

PA501A/B

AP Computer Science Principles*

10-12

Full Year

Algebra I , SmashCode I and SmashCode II 

PA209A/B

Environmental Sustainability*

10-12

Full Year

Biology

PA306A/B

Engineering Design and Development (Capstone)*

10-12

Full Year

Introduction to Engineering Design AND 1 other Engineering course OR

Teacher approval

 

Engineering Course Descriptions

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Course Flow

Civil and Architectural Engineering
Introduction to Engineering Design  ► Civil Engineering and Architecture  ► Principles of Engineering  ► Engineering Design and Development

Aerospace Engineering​​​
​​​​Introduction to Engineering Design ► Principles of Engineering OR Computer Integrated Manufacturing (Robotics)  ► Aerospace Engineering  ► Digital Electronics ► Engineering Design and Development

Mechanical/Electrical Engineering
Introduction to Engineering Design ► Computer Integrated Manufacturing (Robotics)  ► Principles of Engineering  ► Digital Electronics ► Engineering Design and Development

Biological/Environmental Engineering
​​​​​​​Introduction to Engineering Design ► Principles of Engineering  ► Environmental Sustainability ► Engineering Design and Development

Computer Science
​​​​​​​Introduction to Engineering Design ► SmashCode I and II  ► AP Computer Science Principles  ► Digital Electronics OR Computer Integrated Manufacturing (Robotics) ► Engineering Design and Development

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Course Descriptions

Family and Consumer Science Courses

COURSE NUMBER

COURSE NAME

GRADE LEVEL

SEMESTER OR FULL YEAR

PREREQUISITE

PA120C

All the FACS

9-10

Semester

None

PA110C

Fashion Construction I

9-12

Semester

None

PA111C

Fashion Construction II

9-12

Semester

Fashion Construction I

PA401C

Independent Fashion Construction

10-12

Semester

Fashion Construction I & II

PA112C

Art and Science of Foods I

9-12

Semester

None

PA118C

Art and Science of Baking & Pastries

9-12

Semester

Art & Science Foods I

PA113C

Art and Science of Foods II

9-12

Semester

Art & Science Foods I

PA114C

Intro to Fashion & Interior Design*

9-12

Semester

None

PA117C

Advanced Fashion & Interior Design

9-12

Semester

Intro to Fashion & Interior Design

PA203C

Child Development I: Pathways to Teaching*

10-12

Semester

2nd Semester Sophomore 

or above

PA307C

Child Development II: Pathways to Teaching*

11-12

Semester

Child Development I 

PA308C

Independent Child Development: Pathways to Teaching

11-12

Semester

Child Development I & II; Teacher Approval

PA322A/B

Teaching and Learning Cohort

11-12

Full Year

None

 

Family and Consumer Science Course Guide

Culinary Arts

All the FACS
Art and Science of Foods I
Art and Science of Foods II
Art and Science of Baking and Pastries

Fashion Design

All the FACS
Intro to Fashion and Interior Design
Fashion Construction I
Fashion Construction II
Advanced Fashion and Interior Design
Independent Fashion Construction

Interior Design

All the FACS
Intro to Fashion and Interior Design
Advanced Fashion and Interior Design

Education

All the FACS
Child Development I
Child Development II
Independent Child Development

Family and Consumer Science Course Descriptions