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professional children s school 132 west 60th street new york ny 10023 tel 212-582-3116 fax 212-9563296 professional children s school curriculum guide 2010 2011

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contents philosophy of education middle school program high school program graduation requirements dropping and adding courses departmental credits and policies english guided study courses history foreign language mathematics science arts program courses for international students english as a second language physical education peer tutoring eligibility for honor roll administration team faculty advisors staff 4 5 17 17 18 19 20 24 25 29 32 35 49 42 42 45 45 46 48 48 49 50 3

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philosophy of education beliefs we believe that education is a lifelong process of primary importance irrespective of one s professional pursuits education is not only an intellectual endeavor but one that encompasses artistic emotional spiritual and physical growth as well a good school encourages critical thinking aesthetic appreciation formation of values and sound health and fitness while also fostering intellectual curiosity initiative and creativity in all areas of life we believe that although students have different abilities aptitudes and talents all children want to learn and are capable of learning each student should be encouraged to achieve his or her full potential an effective school must provide a challenging and supportive learning environment in which students learn from and provide an educational stimulus for one another in order to nurture their growth as thinkers as artists and as citizens students should be provided with a wide range of courses that meet their educational needs and interests we believe that our school functions as part of a larger society students should see themselves not only as members of academic and artistic communities but as members of new york city the nation and the world a meaningful education should prepare students to meet the challenges of these ever-changing communities in an atmosphere that encourages awareness and appreciation of diversity as a school we have the responsibility to enable students to make informed choices and to adapt themselves to personal and social changes through their lives middle school program the following list of courses describes our middle school offerings for the 2010-11 school year our program is geared specifically to middle school-age students with a developmentally appropriate sequence of classes which aid in progressing from concrete thinking to more abstract thinking the curriculum described below along with class work independent projects and homework provides students with a variety of opportunities to grow and develop as thinkers this includes the expectation of at least one and a half hours of homework each evening in order to reinforce the learning that takes place in the classroom grade 6 english 6 the sixth grade english curriculum introduces a variety of literary genres including drama and narrative some works are chosen to develop an interdisciplinary study between english and social studies emphasis is placed upon creativity and appreciation of reading through various projects grammar and vocabulary is taught and students are encouraged to apply them both across the curriculum learning activities include full class discussions group and individual work possible texts include fever 1793 laurie halse anderson hope was here joan bauer the diary of anne frank frances goodrich and albert hackett play phoenix rising karen hesse the giver lois lowry selected poems and short stories english workshop introductory course holt rinehart and winston vocabulary from classical roots level 6 mountain writing workshop 6 1x a week the work for this course is centered on the creation of a writing portfolio each student maintains and develops his or her own portfolio which is a collection of a wide variety of writing entries students are assigned to write entries for different genres and styles such as descriptive expository and narrative writing etc individualized instruction is routinely provided particular goals for the development of written expression will be tailored to each student individually primary focuses will include the basics such as punctuation spelling syntax and vocabulary as these technical elements enhance and enrich style social studies 6 the primary focus of this year-long course is to introduce students to the 4 5

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study of geography and a well-rounded picture of the world and its people the curriculum draws from five fields of learning which include geography history economics government and culture map work note taking oral presentations and other creative projects will be emphasized throughout the year text world cultures and geography mcdougal littell information how to locate and access both print and online sources e.g reference books newspaper magazine articles web sites primary secondary sources etc via the online catalog dewey decimal call numbers databases and the internet and how to evaluate information for accuracy bias and purpose students will also be introduced to the concept of plagiarism learn how to cite sources and how to compose a bibliography this is a pass fail course mathematics 6 the focus of this course is to strengthen students math skills while at the same time introducing several new concepts using the algebraic approach.the intention is to make sure that the appropriate math skills are in place before students begin an in-depth course in pre-algebra one of the primary goals for this course is for students to become math thinkers and not just rote-learners the first semester includes topics covering estimation and the basic concepts of working with decimals variables and fractions during the second semester students will work with ratios proportions and percents there will also be an introduction to geometry and integers throughout the year the students work to develop their problem-solving and conceptual math skills text prentice hall mathematics course 2 study skills 6 this year-long course meets twice a week and is graded pass/fail organizational skills are emphasized and students are encouraged to develop a system of organization that facilitates their own academic success specific areas that are addressed include writing skills reading comprehension strategies note-taking skills outlining test-taking/study strategies and homework management the development of metacognitive skills is emphasized and students are encouraged to become proactive in their approach to learning grade 7 english 7 the seventh grade english curriculum continues the study of a variety of literary genres and begins the development of higher-level vocabulary and critical thinking skills emphasis is placed on development of writing skills including proper structure grammar and spelling this course also includes concentrated study in the areas of reading comprehension listening note taking and essay writing activities include the creation of a poetry portfolio and poetry presentations possible texts code talker joseph bruchac lord of the flies william golding the outsiders s e hinton of mice and men john steinbeck the gospel according to larry janet tashjian selected poems and short stories english workshop first course holt rinehart and winston vocabulary from classical roots level a fifer and flowers science 6 the year begins with an introduction to the world of science it focuses on several different approaches to learning which include integrating and connecting different areas in science it also introduces students to the scientific method and science as more than a subject but as a way of thinking the students then learn about ecology and the interaction between earth s organisms topics include ecosystems populations and communities ecological succession biomes and land water resources.the students will explore their place in the environment and how human influence greatly affects the state of the environment a major goal of this course is to relate science to the world in which we live students are taught to think outside the box concepts are reinforced through the use of demonstrations and laboratory exercises texts prentice hall interactive science science and technology prentice hall interactive science ecology and the environment prentice hall interactive science water and atmosphere library skills 6 meeting twice per week the library skills class will begin to explore the various sources of information that can be found in the library students will learn how to match their information needs with the appropriate sources of 6 writing workshop 7 1x a week the work for this course is centered on the creation of a writing portfolio each student maintains and develops his or her own portfolio which is a collection of a wide variety of writing entries students are assigned to write entries for different genres and styles such as descriptive expository and nar7

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rative writing etc individualized instruction is routinely provided particular goals for the development of written expression will be tailored to each student individually primary focuses will include the basics such as punctuation spelling syntax and vocabulary as these technical elements enhance and enrich style social studies 7 the seventh grade social studies course is an introduction to the basic skills of the social sciences students strengthen their geography skills learn to assess historical evidence begin to read primary documents and use deductive reasoning in making historical judgments class discussion plays a major role in developing critical thinking the content of the course is focused on ancient civilizations and the ancient civilizations project gives students a chance to work individually and in groups on a series of hands-on projects and presentations in the spring semester the class begins to examine the foundation of western civilization and intellectual history by studying ancient greece and rome creation of a roman newspaper rounds out the year one research paper is required as well as a number of shorter papers oral presentations build speaking skills customary homework consists of worksheet exercises reading and short written responses text a message of ancient days houghton-mifflin of observational skills in science following this introduction the physical science component of the program will be addressed students will utilize the skills learned to study motion forces and energy during the second semester students will learn about the interior of the earth topics include rocks and minerals plate tectonics and the evolution of earth through earthquakes and volcanoes the students will them move on to studying the earth s geologic surface and how forces like erosion and deposition can alter the face of the earth over the course of geologic time students are provided opportunities to relate scientific concepts to everyday life through problem solving lab work and cooperative learning techniques texts forces and energy prentice hall interactive science earth s structure prentice hall interactive science earth s surface prentice hall interactive science health 7 this is a semester pass/fail course focusing on the topic of drug prevention the 14-lesson program is called project alert designed by the best foundation for a drug-free tomorrow the goal is to reduce the use of dangerous substances such as alcohol cigarettes marijuana and other drugs by keeping non-users from trying them and by preventing non-users and experimenters from becoming regular users a variety of activities are conducted and different teaching strategies are used including modeling reinforcement validation and active student involvement respect and enthusiasm are the cornerstones of the class mathematics 7 the seventh grade pre-algebra curriculum reinforces arithmetic skills and concepts and introduces the basics of algebra during the first semester the course covers the topics of integers fractions decimals order of operations and probability.the students are introduced to the coordinate plane as well as writing and solving one-step equations and graphing and solving inequalities during the second semester the students will work with ratios proportions and percents before moving on to linear functions and graphing in preparation for 8th grade algebra.they will also be working on a week long in-class project dealing with the use of percent and proportions throughout the year they will continue to work on developing their problem-solving and conceptual math skills text pre-algebra prentice-hall research skills 7 this semester long class is taught in conjunction with the 7th grade science and social studies research projects students learn how to narrow their topics create thesis statements and outlines locate and access information utilizing print and electronic sources e.g reference books databases internet etc take notes and cite their sources as they work on their science and social studies reports the class will also take a look at the concept of plagiarism and learn how to avoid it by paraphrasing and citing sources this is a pass fail course grade 8 english 8 the eighth grade english curriculum builds upon the skills introduced in earlier grades and prepares students to make the transition to high school critical analysis of literature in a variety of forms including drama poetry short story novel and essay is developed through regular engagement with 9 science 7 this course focuses on several different approaches to learning which include integrating and connecting different areas in science.the year will begin with a review of the scientific method and exercises demonstrating the importance 8

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analytical questions vocabulary is emphasized both within the literature and the vocabulary program the writing curriculum encourages students to be independent writers capable of making their own decisions about revising and editing while continuing to receive guidance from their teacher and peers students are given regular opportunities to practice formal essay writing throughout the year the writing curriculum emphasizes sentence structure word usage and spelling as well as thesis development public speaking and presentation skills are developed periodically throughout the course possible texts the house on mango street sandra cisneros a raisin in the sun lorraine hansberry to kill a mockingbird harper lee the tragedy of romeo and juliet william shakespeare night elie wiesel english workshop second course holt rinehart and winston ­ grammar vocabulary from classical roots level b fifer and flowers packets and written responses text why we remember addison-wesley mathematics 8 algebra middle school algebra covers the elements of introductory algebra students become familiar with the language of algebra as well as with linear exponential and quadratic functions they solve equations in one and two variables students also learn the rules of exponents operations on polynomials factoring and square roots the class will also include real life applications problem solving and introductory trigonometry students who receive a grade of c or higher will receive high school credit and be eligible to take geometry in the ninth grade those who receive a d or lower will not receive high school credit and will be placed in algebra i in the ninth grade text algebra i prentice hall 2007 writing workshop 8 1x a week the work for this course is centered on the creation of a writing portfolio each student maintains and develops his or her own portfolio which is a collection of a wide variety of writing entries students are assigned to write entries for different genres and styles such as descriptive expository and narrative writing etc individualized instruction is routinely provided particular goals for the development of written expression will be tailored to each student individually primary focuses will include the basics such as punctuation spelling syntax and vocabulary as these technical elements enhance and enrich style much attention will be placed on revision and editing particularly to developing variety in word choice and phrasing and to maintaining clarity of meaning and purpose science 8 eighth grade science is dedicated to introducing students to key principles in both chemistry and human biology by exploring the underlying concepts of atoms and molecules we can better understand the inner workings of the human body through daily instruction demonstrations and lab work students learn to integrate key concepts to use evidence to describe predict explain and model to manipulate materials while conducting labs and to understand that mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific inquiry the scientific method and the concept of evolution will be interwoven into all discussions so that students understand that science is based on logical thinking and a natural process.the daily use of the computer is essential and each student will be given a computer to use in the classroom in addition to daily homework several projects will be assigned and one major research paper is mandatory for completion of this course text chemical interactions mcdougal littell science human biology mcdougal littell science social studies 8 eighth grade social studies is an american history course in which gradelevel skill building is emphasized work on the geography of the american continent strengthens higher cognitive skills and spatial organization along with the mastery of the map reading primary documents promotes expanded vocabulary and written work both in homework and papers provides practice in creating precise and logical prose in the content area the founding documents of the nation are introduced and the story of america s expansion division and transformation into a world power creates a central organizing narrative for this last year of middle school social studies two major papers as well as shorter pieces oral presentations and class discussions build a foundation of competence and confidence for high school history courses customary homework consists of text readings enrichment 10 health and life skills 8 this pass/fail course meets for one semester the goals of the course are to assist students in developing social living skills and in acquiring health instruction in preparation for adulthood the focus is on growing up and our changing bodies we spend a considerable amount of time learning about the 11

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reproductive system understanding sexuality and responsibilities in relationships and roles in life mutual respect acceptance and communication are cornerstones of the course participation in activities discussions and written work is essential in this course porated as much as possible and students will use the internet to hear and see authentic conversations in the target language navigate websites in spanish and play games to practice and reinforce skills this course is equivalent to a half year of high school spanish i text ¡así se dice level 1 glencoe workbook for the above research skills 8 this pass/fail course meets for one semester the class builds upon the skills introduced in the seventh grade students reacquaint themselves with the various print and online sources available in the library e.g reference sources magazine and newspaper databases www etc with how to access and use information from each source and with the steps involved in writing research papers e.g outlining note taking citing sources etc as they apply these skills to their social studies and science classroom projects and papers special focus will be given to advanced searching techniques as well as to the evaluation of online sources french 1a grades 6 7 sixth and seventh grade students are exposed to vocabulary topics including greetings and farewells telling time weather and seasonal pastimes school likes and dislikes they are introduced to a number of grammar topics which include present tense verbs prepositions articles and adjective agreement students are expected to be able to converse and write about themselves and their families using the grammar and vocabulary studied in the course students will be able to carry on conversations about the various topics in the present tense technology will be incorporated as much as possible students will use the internet to hear and see authentic conversations in the target language navigate websites in french and play games to practice and reinforce skills this course is equivalent to a half year of high school french text bien dit ia workbook for the above foreign language grades 6 7 8 students in seventh grade pending recommendation may begin to study spanish or french and enroll into spanish 1a or french 1a when in eighth grade and if they choose to continue their chosen language these students will take spanish 1b or french 1b at the end of the two-year sequence students who have successfully completed these courses will receive one high school credit for a foreign language in eighth grade students wishing to begin language may take high school french i or spanish i and receive a high school foreign language credit new seventh and eighth grade students who have studied either spanish or french in their previous schools and who wish to continue their studies will be asked to take a placement test in order to assess their skills and knowledge they will then be placed into the appropriate course spanish 1b spanish ib is a continuation of spanish ia together these two courses are equivalent to a full year of high school spanish level i students will reinforce basic skills for communication and substantially increase their vocabulary in this course students will develop more comfort with the present tense and will also learn to communicate in the past and present progressive tenses vocabulary topics include health and well-being summer and winter pastimes travel and methods of transportation the arts and entertainment and routine activities students will apply functional skills such as making their own vocabulary glossaries and flash cards using hands-on activities that appeal to many learning styles authentic tests and student-generated materials students will gain exposure to and comfort with the spanish language and hispanic cultures technology will be incorporated as much as possible and students will use the internet to hear and see authentic conversations in the target language navigate websites in spanish and play games to practice and reinforce skills text ¡así se dice level 1 glencoe workbook for the above spanish 1a grades 6 7 in this first year of spanish sixth and seventh graders will learn the basic skills that will be critical to the mastery of a new language by the end of the year students will be able to communicate effectively in the present tense through both oral and written expression in the spanish language students will be able to talk about themselves their families and homes school activities and classes hobbies clothing and colors food and restaurants students will apply functional skills such as making their own vocabulary glossaries and flash cards using hands-on activities that appeal to many learning styles authentic tests and student-generated materials students will gain exposure to and comfort with the spanish language and hispanic cultures technology will be incor12 13

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french 1 b french 1b is a continuation of french 1a together these two courses are equivalent to a full year of high school french level 1 students will reinforce basic skills for communication and increase their vocabulary students will practice the use of the present tense and will also learn to communicate in the past using the passé-compose vocabulary topics include food clothing chores traveling and health.technology will be incorporated as much as possible students will use the internet to hear and see authentic conversations in the target language navigate websites in french and play games to practice and reinforce skills text bien dit ib workbook for the above visit museums or galleries to expand on the classroom experience drama the drama classes at the middle school level are designed to give students experience with and knowledge of working in an ensemble staging and blocking students apply creativity to the stage by developing a variety of characters and worlds while focusing their creativity all of the above is done through theater games that focus on movement dialogue rhythm concentration and many other elements of the theater later in the year students present a project either in the form of scene work or in the presentation of a play or musical production music the middle school music program emphasizes learning the techniques of music through singing conducting playing percussion instruments as well as the listening to and study of music literature students in all grades study one opera per year all students have the opportunity to participate in choral performances several times a year.the repertoire includes rounds folk songs broadway show tunes and classical works students in the upper grades as schedules permit work on a music/theater project in the second semester spanish i full year 1 credit in the first year of spanish students will develop skills critical to the mastery of a new language students will be able to communicate effectively through both oral and written expression in the spanish language students will apply functional skills such as making their own vocabulary glossaries and flash cards using hands-on activities that appeal to many learning styles authentic tests and student-generated materials students will gain exposure to and comfort with the spanish language and hispanic cultures technology will be incorporated as much as possible using the internet to hear and see authentic conversations in the target language and navigate websites in spanish and games to practice and reinforce skills text d accord level 1,vista higher learning workbook for the above physical education middle school physical education introduces students to proper lifetime fitness skills sport fitness and game activities are used to help increase self-esteem as well as social skills cooperative games help to build peer relationships these skills are important to develop early on as students become introduced to competitive team situations the program results in students being wellrounded student athletes all students must wear comfortable clothing and appropriate athletic shoes french i full year 1 credit in french i students are introduced to basic vocabulary and structures they will be able to understand and communicate in the foreign language in everyday situations reading and writing are introduced and cultural activities are included development of communication skills is achieved through a variety of activities and media the arts and physical education art in middle school art students work towards developing increased visual awareness refined motor skills and problem solving strategies through a series of exciting projects that capture their attention while introducing them to a variety of materials methods and concepts in the course of the year students may work on interdisciplinary projects with either academic or arts classes or 14 courses for international students english as a second language esl grades 6-12 upon registration the international student advisor and the esl teacher will make the appropriate course recommendation for each student new students must meet with the esl teacher to determine esl course placement international students take 2 periods of esl per day in addition most middle school esl students enroll in math science physical education music drama and visual art 15

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there are two levels of esl which focus on developing the four main skills of reading writing listening and speaking for the academic and non-academic environment the two periods of esl per day will reinforce the structures students will be using in their other academic subjects much of the learning takes place in small group or pair work where english for communication is stressed students are evaluated on the basis of their attendance effort homework participation written and oral projects tests and quizzes middle and high school students may be mixed depending on the size of a course high school course descriptions outline of graduation requirements a minimum of eighteen academic credits plus one for physical education are required for graduation professional children s school s curriculum is based on a four-year program and it is recommended that college-bound students graduate with credits beyond the minimum especially in sequential courses students generally carry five credits per year courses that meet five times per week for 40 minutes or four times per week for 50 minutes receive one credit per year or one-half credit for semester offerings courses that meet less frequently receive less credit physical education credit is accumulated at the rate of one-fourth credit each year esl science esl science is designed for beginning to high-beginning esl students it prepares students for success in a mainstream science program with a broad overview of life earth and physical science all activities are specifically geared to students in the early stages of english language acquisition and help build content knowledge skills and learning strategies that can be transferred from the students native language to their target language reading strategies interpreting charts basic experiments and science vocabulary are explicitly taught and modeled throughout the course to help students access and build mastery of science content as well as language credit requirements each student is required to take the following courses english ­ 4 credits history ­ 3½ credits foreign language ­ 2 credits mathematics ­ 2 credits science ­ 2 credits the arts ­ 1 credit health gr 9-12 ­ ½ credit learning support services our students come from all over the world with their own unique needs and educational backgrounds and we are totally committed to do everything we can to ensure the academic success of each one the school s learning specialist works with students who need additional support individually on an ongoing or intermittent basis on everything from adjusting to a new school to developing good study strategies to filling in gaps in math knowledge she is always available to speak with parents on the phone or in person to be sure that a student is having the best possible academic experience and she works closely with teachers to be sure that they understand each child s specific educational needs sequence in addition to the above students must select a three-year sequence in foreign language mathematics or science electives once students have completed course requirements the additional credits required for graduation may be taken from the sequences or in history english or the arts peer tutoring the professional children s school a peer tutoring program as a resource to its student body upon recommendation of the faculty certain high school juniors and seniors are selected to help some middle school students with the various subject matters included in this in an esl buddy program designed to help the international students to better learn the language and the culture the pairs meet together at least once a week and the academic dean monitors the progress physical education physical education must be taken each year a student who is regularly enrolled in an instructed physical activity for at least two full hours a week may receive an exemption physical education exemption forms are available in the high school office medical exemptions may only be given with a letter from a physician and students must attend physical education classes until exemption forms are completed 17 16

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transfer credit transfer credit will be given for courses that are similar to courses offered at professional children s school credit will only be given for summer school courses if that credit was earned when repeating a failed course or to improve a low passing grade in the case of foreign transcripts courses are sometimes blended since they frequently meet less than 200 minutes per week i.e history geography social studies departmental credits and policies dropping and adding courses a student is permitted to drop a class during the first quarter that he or she attends that class if a course is dropped during the first quarter it will not appear on the student s transcript the advisor will complete an add/drop form and books must be returned to the teacher after the first quarter of a course there will be a ten-day grace period during which a student may drop that course if a student drops a course during this grace period however a notation of withdrawn/passing or withdrawn failing will be recorded on the transcript after the grace period a student is not permitted to drop a course students who are exempt from taking foreign language at the start of the school year but attempt to take a foreign language must follow the policy as described above for dropping a course students who undergo an educational evaluation midyear and receive the recommendation that they not take foreign language may drop the language course once the school receives the evaluation and the course will then be deleted from the transcript 18 19

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literature of initiation grade 9 fall ½ credit in this one-semester course students are introduced to stories of passage and initiation close reading and margin annotating are expected writing assignments emphasize the outlining drafting revising and editing of analytical and persuasive essays grammar and vocabulary exercises are also regularly assigned possible texts tracy chevalier girl with a pearl earring j.d salinger the catcher in the rye judith guest ordinary people robert cormier the chocolate war archetypes in literature grade 9 the following list of courses describes the curriculum for the 2008-2009 school year read all course descriptions carefully to learn about the focus and content of each course not all courses will be available to all students nor will all courses be offered every year please note if the course you wish to take has a prerequisite and/or may be taken only on recommendation of the instructor department or advisor course choices may be limited by your professional schedule and/or by the master schedule spring ½ credit this one-semester course introduces students to some of the foundational signs symbols and imagery in western literature students examine the development of archetypal themes in greek poetry and drama as well as in early hebrew and christian texts selected works provide students with a rich background for the future study of literature close reading and margin annotating are expected writing assignments emphasize the outlining drafting revising and editing of analytical and persuasive essays grammar and vocabulary exercises are also regularly assigned possible texts homer the odyssey sophocles the oedipus plays william shakespeare macbeth english the english department focuses on developing responsive readers and selfdirected writers during four years students study a wide variety of styles and voices within the western and non-western literary tradition from preliterate narrative through shakespeare up to contemporary literature reflecting the diversity of experiences in american life writing assignments range from expository essays and short fiction to research projects in the senior year throughout the four years teachers stress the revision process as well as both the analytic and aesthetic exploration of literature placement of students in english is determined by some or all of the following a student s academic record admissions tests departmental placement test if required faculty recommendations and professional schedule four years of english are required for graduation british literature origins to romantics grade 10 fall ½ credit in this one-semester course students explore the evolving themes and styles of british literature from its beginnings in the anglo-saxon era through the middle ages to the romantic period of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries close textual analysis is stressed in the reading assignments as well as in formal essay writing grammar and vocabulary exercises are also regularly assigned possible texts beowulf john gardner grendel sir gawain and the green knight geoffrey chaucer the canterbury tales charles dickens great expectations the norton anthology of poetry 20 21

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the family in literature grade 10 spring ½ credit this one-semester course explores the nature of family life and the dynamics of family relationships close textual analysis is stressed in the reading assignments as well as in formal essay writing grammar and vocabulary exercises are also regularly assigned possible texts william shakespeare the taming of the shrew nathaniel hawthorne the scarlet letter zora neale hurston their eyes were watching god arthur miller death of a salesman christy brown my left foot possible texts empire of the sun j.g ballard first sightings john loughery ministry of fear graham greene all s well that ends well william shakespeare pack of lies hugh whitemore life journeys in literature grade 12 fall ½ credit the focus of this course is on the process of human development particularly identity formation in the struggle to leave home for the wider world possible texts hamlet william shakespeare the mill on the floss george eliot franny and zooey j.d salinger notes from underground fyodor dostoyevski courtship and marriage in literature grade 11 fall ½ credit this is a one-semester course that takes a chronological look at courtship and marriage from the elizabethan period through the twentieth century the survey ­ which includes novels drama and poetry begins with sonnets and a play by william shakespeare and ends with plays by oscar wilde and george bernard shaw novels by jane austen and e.m forster are the focal points of the course and students will do process writing while they are reading the longer selections students also review grammar and work on s.a.t preparation possible texts twelfth night pride and prejudice howard s end plays by george bernard shaw arms and the man mrs warren s profession the importance of being earnest self and society in literature grade 12 fall ½ credit in this course we will consider how individuals navigate between their own needs and desires and the demands of the larger society possible texts hamlet william shakespeare persuasion jane austen a doll s house henrik ibsen the great gatsby f scott fitzgerald goodbye columbus and other stories philip roth literature of conflict and survival grade 11 spring ½ credit this is a one-semester survey course of novels plays short stories and poetry many of which are british twentieth-century pieces set against a backdrop of war two novels ­ empire of the sun by j.g ballard and ministry of fear by graham greene ­ take place during world war ii and hugh whitemore s pack of lies addresses the cold war short stories by john updike ernest j gaines reginald mcknight gish jen and philip roth round out the offerings there is a three-week journalism component to the course and students also review grammar and work on s.a.t preparation 22 the first semester of senior english will consist of the close study of one of the two themes described above along with a term paper in which each student will apply the concepts of that course students will determine their topics early in the semester and complete two drafts those taking both courses will be expected to complete one term paper only culture clash in literature grade 12 spring ½ credit the fish is in the water and the water is in the fish is how playwright arthur miller described the relationship between characters and the cultures they inhabit in the novels and films examined in this course we look at how human lives happen in the shadow of changing times possible texts my antonia willa.cather a farewell to arms ernest hemingway the soloist mark salzman the picture of dorian grey oscar wilde 23

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art and identity in literature grade 12 spring ½ credit in this course we will examine the roles art plays in our lives and in the way we forge our identity as well as the many manifestations of the creative process in literature and film possible texts lucy gayheart willa.cather the hours michael cunningham the ghost writer philip roth the soloist mark salzman the picture of dorian grey oscar wilde mrs.dalloway,virginia woolf possible texts perrine s story and structure history the history department seeks to develop students learning and thinking abilities through the use of various methods and materials class discussions and debates are used extensively as a forum for students to articulate their ideas and beliefs lectures are presented where appropriate as are audio-visual materials the primary objective of the history department is to develop critical-thinking skills through the teaching of history the department emphasizes the use of primary source materials students learn to analyze materials and to distinguish between fact and opinion students are introduced to the basic concepts of the social sciences writing skills are stressed and students are required to prepare individual research projects extensive use is made of the library three and a half years of history including world history and united states history are required for graduation for highly competitive colleges we recommend four credits in history guided study courses in english guided study english courses are only available to students in grades 10-12 who because of scheduling conflicts cannot be in english class on a daily basis enrollment is decided by the grade advisor the nineteenth century novel ­ grades 10-12 fall ½ credit this guided study english course covers works by three major novelists of the nineteenth century we begin the course with henry james and washington square a novel about parenting self worth and affluence in the new york city of the mid-1800s we then study charles dickens and great expectations the dickens novel focuses on childhood perceptions and class issues in victorian england.the course culminates with the movement toward realism in literature by way of guy de maupassant s bel-ami ­ a french novel about the gritty underworld of parisian journalism in order to hone their writing skills students will ­ over the course of the first few weeks write a process essay on washington square students will then write full compositions in response to sections of the other novels possible texts charles dickens great expectations henry james washington square guy de maupassant bel-ami united states government grades 9-10 fall/spring ½ credit the us government course is a one-semester course meeting once a week the course looks selectively at some of the major ideas and institutions that have shaped the us government homework assignments are due the friday of each class the textbook for the course will be william mcclenaghan magruder s american government world history i and ii grades 9-10 the short story grades 10-12 spring ½ credit this is a one-semester course for guided study students that examines the short story genre and uses laurence perrine s story and structure anthology each week will focus on one element of the short story plot character theme point of view symbolism irony humor and fantasy are the topics to be discussed and the stories are grouped accordingly students write comparative essays in response to the literature and one original short story 24 full year 1 credit world history is a two-year course in the history of world civilizations from ancient times to the present as such it deals with the most important economic political social and cultural developments and events in the world s major cultures world history i generally taken in the freshman year covers the development of human civilization from earliest times up to the renaissance or to ming times in asia world history ii generally taken by sophomores continues from about the 15th century to the present primary source material is used extensively students pursue outside research projects during the course of the year and write papers presenting their research students also have experience in debates simulations or other oral presentations during the course of the year 25

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texts world history patterns of interaction mc dougal littell the human adventure harcourt brace selections distributed by instructors war society see below prerequisite united states history or american nation and u.s government texts the living u.s constitution penguin the constitution of the united states mentor/penguin american legal history cases and materials oxford gideon s trumpet random house topics in the history of the american nation grades 9-12 full year 1 credit this course is an introduction to the history of the united states from colonial times to the present offered as an alternative to the united states history course students are enrolled in the course by departmental and/or advisor s recommendation each year the class focuses on selected topics chosen from among the major events and movements of american history during the two-semester course students are encouraged to develop a variety of skills such as working with primary documents critical thinking presentation of material and speaking in public as well as developing writing skills one research paper is assigned as are a number of presentations homework consists of text and enrichment reading and written responses text why we remember addison-wesley an introduction to political thought grade 12 fall/spring ½ credit this senior elective philosophy course offers students an introduction to the ways in which political thinkers have looked at our world in reading and in class discussions students consider some of the most central and fascinating questions in politics such as who should rule what is justice what is the state and what s the proper relationship between the state and the citizen in seeing how several of the world s most famous political philosophers have dealt with these and other questions students begin to think about their own political views and beliefs class discussions are based on nightly reading assignments.these class discussions will constitute a very important part of the overall grade in the course among the works studied are plato s the republic selections from aristotle s ethics and politics the tao te ching tocqueville s democracy in america the bhagavad gita and selections from the federalist papers among others instead of a research paper students write a brief political treatise of their own at the end of each semester of the course.this allows students to develop their own thoughts based on the class discussions and readings occasional essays are also assigned this course is a study in the history of ideas in the very broadest sense and some concepts of philosophies may be controversial abstract or challenging this course is intended therefore only for more mature high school seniors it is not recommended for students who know that they will need to spend extended periods on full guided study the course may be taken either first or second semester or both prerequisite all required lower division courses us history grade 11 full year 1 credit the us history course is a two-semester course the fall semester begins with the age of exploration and runs through reconstruction the spring semester begins with the gilded age of the late nineteenth century and hopes to extend to the beginning of the twenty-first century there are three required books for the course the textbook will be divine breen frederickson williams gross and brands the american story and is used for the entire year richard hofstadter the american political tradition is used as a supplemental book throughout the year lastly martin walker america reborn is additionally assigned for the spring there will be a term assignment for each of the semesters constitutional law grade 12 fall ½ credit this course examines the influence of the supreme court in american history and life beginning with a review of the history of the constitution and an examination of its provisions the course focuses on how national power and individual rights are defined the cases used examine many issues including separation of church and state and the rights of groups in american society including women ethnic and racial minorities as well as criminals the case study method is used and students learn to write elementary legal briefs.written and oral briefs on each of the cases are assigned to the class students will also participate in simulations and discussions of various controversial issues students who need to be on guided study for extended periods of time must take constitutional law and will not be allowed to take political thought or 26 war and society grade 12 fall/spring ½ credit the war and society course is a year-long course composed of two independent semesters that is to say a student may take either semester without taking the other the course focuses on various aspects dealing with war and the impact wars have on their societies the fall course begins with the greco27

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