2019-2020 Benjamin Upper School Academic Program

The Upper School Academic Program 2019-2020

Mr. Fletcher Carr

Mr. Ken Didsbury

Head of the Upper School 472-3440

Assistant Head for Academics 472-3485

Dr. Amy Taylor

Dr. Renea Yates

Director of Student Services 472-3441

Student Services Counselor 472-5998, extension 2427

Mrs. Anna Wright

Mr. Alain Darang

Director of College Counseling 472-7045

Assistant Director of College Counselor 472-5998, extension 2402

Ms. Suzanne Ball

Mrs. Bekka Goldberg

Upper School Dean of Students 472-3440

Associate Director of College Counselor 472-5998, extension 2408

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Table of Contents Mission Statement and Non-Discriminatory Policy Graduation Requirements and Selecting Courses English Mathematics Computer Science Science Social Studies World Languages Fine Arts Visual Arts Performing Arts Independent Study Physical Education Summer Programs

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Mission Statement The mission of The Benjamin School is to provide a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment. The School motivates students to master the skills of learning, communicating and evaluating choices, and encourages them to grow intellectually, socially, morally, aesthetically, and physically to their fullest individual potential. Benjamin inspires its students to develop a coherent set of values that includes love of learning, personal responsibility, self-motivation, concern for others and a commitment to serve society.

Non-Discrimination Policy: The School strives to attract and support a diverse and talented student body, faculty, and staff. Applicants for admission and employment will not be denied based on race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

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Upper School Course of Study GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: Students in grades 9 through 12 must meet the following graduation requirements to earn a diploma: Subject Area Number Required Courses of Credits English 4 Credits 9th-Introduction to World Literature and Composition 10th-American Literature and Composition or Honors American Literature and Composition 11th-Western Literature and Composition or AP Language and Composition 12th-Two Senior English Selections or AP Language and Composition or AP Literature and Composition Mathematics 4 Credits Including:Algebra I; Geometry or Honors Geometry; and Algebra II or Honors Algebra II 1 Science 3½ Credits To consist of Biology or Honors Biology; Chemistry or Honors Chemistry; Physics or AP Physics; and Human Systems Biology (½ credit) Social 3 Credits To consist of World History or AP World History; Government (½ credit); Studies Economics (½ credit); and United States History or AP US History World 3 Credits Three consecutive levels of a single world language in the Upper School.

Languages Computer ½ Credit To consist of one of the following courses: Introduction to Computer Science, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science, or Graphic Design.

Fine Arts 1 Credit Any combination of visual arts and/or performing arts courses for which the student can meet the prerequisites.

Physical 1 Credit All students must take physical education for two semesters during their four Education years. Participation in a team sport for one season will satisfy the PE requirement for a semester.

Electives* 4 Credits An elective is any course that is not satisfying a specific graduation requirement. *Courses which are taken over and above what is specifically required. ● Students should assume that elective courses have the same level of work that they would find in a course that fills a specific graduation requirement. ● The Head of the Upper School must approve required courses taken outside of the School and may require the student to take additional testing for the courses to be accepted towards graduation. ● The School reserves the right to evaluate each student’s transcript at the time of entrance to determine which credits will be accepted from another school. ● Students must perform a 2-week business or professional internship in an area of career interest prior to graduation. Each student must complete a minimum of forty hours of work during that time in order to graduate. ● The School may cancel any class for which an insufficient number of students pre-register. ● All students enrolled in an AP course must take the appropriate AP examination in May. Disclaimer​: The offerings listed in the ​Upper School Academic Program booklet are proposed courses. Depending on anticipated enrollment, available staffing, and other scheduling considerations, these offerings may or may not appear in the final schedule.

Students requesting specific courses should recognize that their requests do not guarantee that individual courses will appear in the final master schedule. Consequently, the School may require students to substitute alternative requests to replace the courses that will not run.

​For the class of 2022 and thereafter, students need to take 3½ credits in science to consist of three lab-based sciences (Biology and either Chemistry or Physics and an additional lab science) and Human Systems Biology (½ credit) 1

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ENGLISH The Benjamin English curriculum, consistent with the School’s philosophy, is committed to the preparation of its students for college-level English and literature. The general courses have this as their primary objective while honors and advanced placement courses aid students in academic preparation for highly competitive and most competitive colleges. We accomplish these goals by teaching a logical, sequential curriculum that emphasizes the mastery of literary analysis as well as mastery of oral and written expression. This is a reading and writing intensive curriculum that our elective offerings ably support.

Students must earn four credits in English as a requirement for graduation. Students must meet this requirement by taking three year-long courses and two Senior Selections or four year-long courses.

Introduction to World Literature and Composition Full Year; 1 Credit This course offers students a literature-based exploration of the three central areas of English studies: critical reading, written analysis, and oral communication. Through a comprehensive study of texts in multiple genres and media, and across multiple time periods, students develop an understanding of the skills needed for success throughout the Upper School's curriculum. Further study of the standards of written English, including grammar and mechanics, is complemented by a review of the conventions of the most recent edition of the MLA Handbook. Students must complete assigned summer reading before their return to school in August.

Prerequisite​: 8th Grade English American Literature and Composition and Full Year; 1 Credit Honors American Literature and Composition Literary analysis based upon plot, setting, characters, conflict, point of view, diction, artistic devices, and themes is the primary focus of these courses. Readings include non-fiction, poetry, short stories, novels and plays, as well as film analysis. The emphasis is on American literature, but not exclusively. The teachers use class discussion to broaden minds, enhance vocabulary, improve proficiency in verbal expression, and encourage self-confidence and critical thinking. Honors students read more literary works, do more writing and display more sophistication in their work. Honors preparation focuses more on their preparation for AP Language and Composition in the junior year. Students must complete assigned summer reading before their return to school in August.

Prerequisite​: Intro to World Literature; for enrollment in the Honors section, ​a grade of B+ or better in Introduction to World Literature and Composition is required, and department approval.

Western Literature and Composition Full Year; 1 Credit This is a literature and writing course focusing on development in the critical analysis of literature and the writing of critical essays. The content includes a study of novels, plays, films, short stories and poetry as well as an applicable method of critical analysis. The course examines the historical and literary significance of major works and authors. In-class timed essays, formal papers, quizzes, and projects are prominent forms of assessment. The course places an emphasis on oral presentation and critical essays as the result of literary analysis. Students must complete assigned summer reading before their return to school in August.

Prerequisite​: American Literature and Composition or Honors American Literature and Composition.

AP Language and Composition Full Year; 1 Credit This course provides a more sophisticated and in-depth treatment of the requirements of 11​th grade literature as well as preparation for the Advanced Placement examination in English Language and Composition. Participants have frequent writing assignments, both in-class timed essays and writing at home. Literature of the five genres

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provides the subject matter for tests patterned after those of the AP Language exam. Students must complete assigned summer reading before their return to school in August.

Prerequisite​: American Literature and Composition (A- or higher is required), (If coming from the Honors (level highly recommended), B+ or higher is required), or Western Literature and Composition, and department approval.

Senior English Selections One Semester (Fall or Spring); ½ Credit The following are the senior English selections from which seniors will need to choose two to satisfy the 12​th grade English requirement. They are as follows: Senior Selection: Science Fiction, Fact, and Fantasy (Fall) If you like Slaughterhouse Five, Katniss, Gryffindor, Middle Earth, The Road, the Tardis, Dune, Inferno, I am Legend, this one is for you. In a semester we will study some of the giants of science fiction and fantasy: Bradbury, Herbert, Heinlein, Asimov, Rowling, Tolkien, and others. Through literature, television, and film, we will look at science fiction and fantasy: where it comes from, where it is now, and where it takes us. Be students on fire. Potential works: (print and film) ​Stranger in a Strange Land, Dune, Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, 2001: a Space Odyssey, The Road, Harry Potter, Doctor Who,Brave New World, the Left Hand Of Darkness, Brazil, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Twelve Monkeys,​ and more.

Senior Selection: The Arts of War (Spring) “War, said he, was the best subject of all. It offered maximum material combined with maximum action.

Everything was speeded up and the writer who had participated in a war gained such a mass of experience as he would normally have to wait a lifetime to get.” –Hemingway to F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Poets, writers, playwrights, filmmakers and painters all seem drawn to war. In this course, we will look at poems, novels, short stories, films, and essays: all about or inspired by the subject of war. From this we will learn about war, our world, each other, and ourselves. Potential works: (print and film): ​The Iliad, Troy, Henry V, Full Metal Jacket, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Das Boot, All Quiet on the Western Front, A Farewell to Arms, Regeneration,The Sun Also Rises,, Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, Johnny Got his Gun, The Red Badge of Courage, Ran, Breaker Morant, Midway, The Caine Mutiny, and more.

Senior Selection: Literature of the City (Spring) What is it that fascinates writers, artists, and thinkers about the city? What started as physical centers for business, production, and residency quickly evolve into settings of imagination, myth, aspirations, and horror. Much more than concrete and brick towers, cavernous streets, and urban planning, cities rapidly become thriving symbols of what unites and defines a people, while simultaneously adding to the fragmentation of the definition of the “human experience.” This course will explore a single city, in literature, film, and art, thereby allowing students to reflect upon the forces that help create and perpetuate the role it plays in the global conscious. Interested students may then participate in a site-visit/travel-study to the studied city during Spring Break.

Senior Selection: From Page to Stage (Fall and Spring) Have you ever written a play? Ever attempted it? This course will give aspiring writers the opportunity to create a play, have it read and then revised over several drafts, work with actors and a director and finally stage it before a live audience. This will be a process-oriented course which will introduce young playwrights to the traditional elements of Aristotelian drama and current theories and plays by authors as diverse as Samuel Beckett and David Mamet. By studying plays from early Greek Drama to the latest contemporary works, students will have a firmer understanding of how to structure their own work and get it ready for Opening Night!

Senior Selection: Humor, Satire and Memoir​ ​(Fall)

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David Rakoff instructs, “Not being funny doesn’t make you a bad person. Not having a sense of humor does.” Mary Karr’s writing and teaching have taught her that “If the voice is strong enough, the reader will go anywhere with you.” David Foster Wallace confesses, “I do things like get in a taxi and say, ‘The library, and step on it.’” Come along for a ride through fiction and nonfiction texts which employ humor to illuminate and/or satirize aspects of society and the human condition.

Authors will include Jane Austen, David Foster Wallace, David Rakoff, David Sedaris, Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Franzen, Oliver Sacks, and Mary Karr, as well as various episodes of Ira Glass’s NPR program This American Life​. Students will be tasked with analyzing the thematic concerns of each text, deciphering the stylistic choices employed, and examining how each influences meaning. This course will include much discussion of voice and tone as we embark on the journey of how humor, satire and memoir can lead us closer to discovering truth.

Senior Selection: ​Detective/Mystery Genre (Fall) This course will focus on detective genre, crime scene investigation and mystery narratives. Readers will examine the techniques writers use to keep their audience in suspense. We will seek to find the cause of some of the social and moral climate that factors into criminal fiction and explore the dark mysteries that infect the human heart.

The course follows a chronological sequence as it traces the history of this genre as well as the historical events that impact this literature. We will examine such writers as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Edgar Allan Poe, and J. K. Rowling.

Senior Selection: ​Ethics in Literature and Film ​(Spring) Aristotle once said, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” This course examines the ways in which novels and films can raise ethical issues that challenge us to reflect upon our lives and the society in which we live. During the semester, we will examine works of literature and film that shed light upon how we should act. We will use literary examples to reflect philosophically about the nature of good and evil. What do we mean by good and evil? Are they relative to different cultures or time periods? Assignments will include selections from novels, short stories, plays and films, and we will relate the ethical issues portrayed to contemporary experience. Altogether, this course is designed to help students gain a better understanding of ethics by analyzing the situations portrayed in fictional stories.

Senior Selection: ​Health, Illness, Medicine and Humanity ​(Spring) Oliver Sacks asserts,“In examining disease, we gain wisdom about anatomy and physiology and biology.

In examining the person with disease, we gain wisdom about life.” Eula Biss reminds us that we “ cannot control what happens to [us], but [we] can control how [we] feel about it. Or, as Jean-Paul Sartre put it, ‘Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.’” Leslie Jamison postulates, “Empathy comes from the Greek empatheia - em (into) and pathos (feeling) - a penetration, a kind of travel. It suggests you enter another person's pain as you'd enter another country, through immigration and customs, border crossing by way of query: What grows where you are? What are the laws? What animals graze there?”

Come along for a ride through fiction and nonfiction texts which probe the topics of health, illness, and medicine in order to gain a closer understanding of our human condition. Authors may include Oliver Sacks, Susan Sontag, Elaine Scarry, Leslie Jamison, Joan Didion, Albert Camus, Michel Foucault, Virginia Woolf, Raymond Carver, Jonathan Franzen, Fyodor Dostoevsky and others. Students will be tasked with analyzing the thematic concerns of each text, deciphering the stylistic choices employed and examining how each influences meaning. This course will include much discussion of diction, voice and tone as we embark through the journey of how these discussions of health, illness and medicine can lead us closer to discovering truth about humanity.

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Prerequisite: Western Literature and Composition or AP Language and Composition​.

AP Literature and Composition Full Year; 1 Credit A literature and writing program focusing on the critical analysis of literature and the writing of critical essays, this course prepares students for the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition exam. The students have frequent writing assignments, both in-class timed and at home. Literature of the five genres, plus film, provides the subject matter for tests patterned after those of the AP Literature examination. Students must complete assigned summer reading before their return to school in August.

Prerequisite​: AP Language and Composition recommended and department approval required.

Expository Writing One Semester (Fall (014) or Spring (015)) or Full Year; ½ or 1 Credit This writing class gives students the opportunity to pursue newspaper writing. The first semester focuses primarily on the production of ​The ​Pharcyde,​ the school paper, while the second semester creates three additional issues of ​The ​Pharcyde,​ and the April Fool’s edition. Students learn to write, edit, layout, produce and support journalistic publications. Graded work includes numerous news articles, a creative piece, exercises, and graphical work. All members of the staff contribute two Saturdays per semester to complete the layout of the paper. This course may be taken for credit for more than one year.

Film Analysis One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit The film analysis course gives students an understanding of films as works of literature and provides instruction in the basic film types and genres. The course directs students in the following areas of study: the use of motifs in film, the use of narrative in film, the use of elements specific to film such as cinematography, lighting, editing and sound. The course also explores the use of film as social commentary. Students view and discuss films in a variety of genres and develop and apply a system of analysis for the writing of film reviews. They keep journals on all films presented, and on a regular basis the teacher grades these reports. Students watch outside films as well.

Prerequisite​: Introduction to World Literature or equivalent Speech One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit This one-semester course introduces the basic principles of crafting and delivering various types of speeches.

Students learn about verbal and nonverbal delivery techniques and complete a variety of exercises designed to enhance these skills. The second half of the course centers on the various types of persuasive speeches and methods of persuasion. The teacher evaluates students primarily on their performance in a series of speaking projects, as well as on their written critiques of others, group work, and class participation. No prior knowledge or experience in public speaking is necessary.

Open only to 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students.

Mythology One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit Students learn about familiar and unfamiliar mythology: Greek, Roman, Norse, Native American, Asian, Irish, and Judeo-Christian. By experiencing different myths in a variety of cultures, students gain not only knowledge but also an appreciation of the beliefs of others. The course also explores the use of myth as literary allusion.

Prerequisite​: Introduction to World Literature or equivalent.

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MATHEMATICS More so than most other disciplines, mathematics is a sequential subject. Each semester builds upon the work of the previous semester, adding new concepts and approaches with a minimum reinforcement of previous knowledge. Therefore, the Mathematics Department believes that students should have a strong problem solving ability. Tests or homework assignments that require only multiple-choice answers are not an acceptable assessment tool in mathematics. At least half of the test or homework assignment must require students to show work, and the teachers grade the work, not just the answer.

The Mathematics Department recognizes the importance of having students work with data throughout the curriculum. In many courses, students are given the opportunity to learn about the modeling of functions by using data taken from real world situations. The students will learn how to apply “continuous mathematics” to data taken from disciplines including science, politics, and current events.

The Mathematics Department offers a sequence of rigorous courses that cover traditional college preparatory material. At the same time, Benjamin recognizes that all students do not acquire mathematical skills at the same rate or develop the ability for abstract thinking at the same age. There is no 9​th​ grade mathematics course, for instance; rather, our offerings provide a variety of placement options at a given grade level. The goal of placement decisions is to offer all students a course that challenges them and allows them to take risks, but at the same time provides a reasonable opportunity to experience the satisfaction of success.

Students need to have a TI-84 graphing calculator starting with geometry. The aim of the department is to use the calculator as a tool in learning, not merely to get an answer. Teachers place an emphasis on number sense and the ability to solve problems without the calculator. Students must do a problem analytically, then check their work with a calculator, or they can do the problem using a calculator, then show analytically that the answer is correct.

The Mathematics Department does not believe in advancing students beyond their ability level. Placing students in Algebra I before they are ready is not a good practice. The foundations of algebra and geometry are essential for a good math program. Pushing students too quickly through these basic courses does not make them better mathematicians. Rather it tends to frustrate the student and destroys the love of mathematics and learning. The aim of the Mathematics Department is to produce students with a strong mathematics and problem solving background. Students must earn four credits in mathematics while in the high school to be eligible for graduation.

As part of their math curriculum either in middle school or high school, they must have had Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. See the chart below for guidance.

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Algebra I Full Year; 1 Credit This course focuses on reinforcement and expansion of real number properties and operations, solutions to linear equations and inequalities, solution and factoring of quadratics, polynomials and irrational numbers. Problem solving practice is extensive.

Prerequisite: ​8th Grade Pre-Algebra or Eighth Grade Algebra Geometry Full Year; 1 Credit Students in this class investigate logical structures involving the major postulates and theorems of Euclidean Geometry. The class studies coordinate geometry and non-Euclidean geometries. Students apply trigonometric concepts to appropriate facets of geometry. Students are recommended to have a TI-84 graphing calculator.

Prerequisite:​ ​Algebra I Honors Geometry Full Year; 1 Credit This rigorous course in geometry integrates coordinates and transformations with a traditional approach to 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional Euclidean geometry. We will use a variety of methods to prove geometric theorems. We approach and solve problems from different perspectives to gain an appreciation of the interconnectivity among concepts in mathematics. Students will use writing to develop their understanding of geometry by applying concepts to their own experiences and constructing meaning for mathematical symbols, procedures and concepts. The course will incorporate technology regularly to strengthen and explore geometric properties. The ability to absorb and master large amounts of material quickly and with little review is essential.

Students are required to have a TI-84 graphing calculator.

Prerequisite:​ ​Algebra I Honors with a grade of at least a B and department approval.

Algebra II with Data Analysis Full Year; 1 Credit This course includes a study of functions (linear, quadratic, polynomial, and rational), systems of equations in two and three variables, inequalities and complex numbers, variation, conic sections, exponential and logarithmic functions, and trigonometric functions. The focus is on the representation of problems algebraically, numerically and graphically. Applications include an introduction to data analysis and modeling through the introduction of regression analysis. ​Students are required to have a TI-84 graphing calculator.

Prerequisites:​ Algebra I & Geometry

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Honors Algebra II with Data Analysis Honors Full Year; 1 Credit This second-year algebra course consists of a thorough and fast-paced study of algebra and an extensive study of trigonometry. Its emphasis is on the structure of mathematical systems and their underlying concepts. The focus is on the representation of problems algebraically and graphically. Topics include a study of functions (linear, quadratic, polynomial, and rational), systems of equations in two and three variables, inequalities and complex numbers, variation, conic sections, exponential and logarithmic functions, and trigonometric functions.

Applications include an introduction to data analysis and modeling through the introduction of regression analysis. Strong algebraic skills are presumed. The ability to absorb and master large amounts of material quickly and with little review is essential for success in an honors course. ​Students are required to have a TI-84 graphing calculator.

Prerequisites:​ Geometry with an A in Algebra 1 and Geometry or Honors Geometry with a grade of at least a B; permission of department required.

College Algebra / Trigonometry Full Year; 1 Credit The purpose of this course is to enable students to develop their mathematics knowledge and skills in algebra, trigonometry and using functions as a unifying theme. Concepts will include the better understanding of graphs, polynomial and rational functions. An introduction of topics will include trigonometric and circular functions, exponential and logarithmic functions. Students are required to have a TI-84 graphing calculator.

Prerequisite:​ Algebra II Statistics Full Year; 1 Credit The purpose of this year-long course in statistics is to introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes: 1. Exploring Data: Describing patterns and departures from patterns 2. Sampling and Experimentation: Planning and conducting a study 3. Anticipating Patterns: Exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation 4. Statistical Inference: Estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses Students must have a TI-84 graphing calculator​.

Prerequisite:​ Pre-Calculus or higher. Can be taken concurrently with Pre-Calculus.

Pre-Calculus Full Year; 1 Credit This rigorous course prepares students for study of calculus. Functions are emphasized, including polynomial and rational, circular (trigonometric), exponential, and logarithmic functions. Other topics may include matrices and determinants, sequences and series, the binomial theorem, and limits. A strong recall and working knowledge of Geometry and Algebra 2 and Trigonometry are essential for success in this class. ​The course provides continued development of analytical geometry and a comprehensive review of Algebra II. Students need to have a TI-84 graphing calculator.

Prerequisite: ​Algebra II with a grade of B- or better.

Honors Pre-Calculus Full Year; 1 Credit This course includes an extensive study of trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions. Particular attention is paid to the properties of their graphs. Other topics include polynomials, analytic geometry, matrices and determinants, sequences and series, the binomial theorem, polar coordinates, and probability. During the fourth quarter, students begin their formal study of calculus including limits, continuity, and derivatives. The ability to absorb and master large amounts of material quickly and with little review of Geometry and Algebra 2 and Trigonometry is essential. Students will continue their study of calculus in Advanced Placement Calculus AB the following year. Students need to have a TI-84 graphing calculator.

Prerequisite:​ Algebra II Honors with a B or better.

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Honors Calculus Full Year; 1 Credit This course provides students with an intuitive approach to the fundamentals of differential calculus and integral calculus. The language of calculus will play an important role in developing the definitions of derivatives and integrals. Focusing on algebraic functions, students explore limits, leading to the definition of derivative. The concepts of average and instantaneous rate of change are investigated. We develop the rules of differentiation, including the chain rule and implicit differentiation, and apply them to problems in optimization, related rates, and curve sketching. We will introduce the concepts of finding area under a curve, the integral regarded as the antiderivative, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Applications of integration are also included. Students are required to have a TI-84 graphing calculator.

Prerequisite:​ Pre-Calculus or Honors Pre-Calculus AP Calculus AB Full Year; 1 Credit This course is a study of the basic concepts, methods and applications of differential and integral calculus. The teacher uses a multi-representational approach with concepts, results, and problems being expressed geometrically, analytically, and verbally. This is a college level course as determined by the College Board.

Topics covered include limits, rates of change, the chain rule, implicit differentiation, related rate problems, movement of a particle, optimization, Riemann Sums, fundamental theorem of calculus, area between curves, volume of solids of revolution, differentiation and integration of polynomial, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions. Students may earn one semester of college credit in calculus. Students must have a TI-84 Plus (or better) graphing calculator and must take the College Board AB Calculus exam.

Prerequisite: Honors Pre-Calculus with a grade of B or better or Honors Calculus with a grade of B or higher and department approval.

AP Calculus BC Full Year; 1 Credit Students in this course continue their study of calculus begun in ​AP Calculus AB​ and complete their preparation for the BC level of the Advanced Placement examination in calculus to be taken in the spring. Coverage includes integration by parts and by partial fractions, improper integrals, first order separable differential equations, infinite series and power series, and parametric and polar coordinates. Students will then continue their study of mathematics by extending their knowledge to the calculus of three dimensional space. Students must have a graphing calculator (TI-84 Plus) and must take the College Board BC Calculus exam at the end of the year.

Prerequisite:​ Completion of AB Calculus along with a 3 or higher on the Calculus AB AP exam. ​Student courses might be modified over the summer due to Calculus AB AP exam score.

AP Statistics Full Year; 1 Credit The course follows the syllabus for the Advanced Placement Examination in Statistics. Students study the tools for collecting, organizing, and displaying data. They learn about planning and conducting surveys and experiments and drawing conclusions from their results. The course includes probability, the properties of the normal distribution, and statistical inference. ​Students must have a TI-84 (or better) graphing calculator and are required to take the College Board AP Statistics exam.

Prerequisite:​ Pre-Calculus with an A, Honor Pre-Calculus with a B or higher; and permission of the Department.

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COMPUTER SCIENCE At The Benjamin School, we believe it is essential that every student be equipped with the tools and skills required to function in an increasingly technological society. As students learn to use the computers and related technologies available, we expect that they will also demonstrate the requisite ethical behavior of informed and knowledgeable citizens. It is the goal of the Computer Science Department and its curriculum to assist in the creation of lifelong, self-motivated learners who will use technology to more fully expose and develop their true creative and academic talents. To say that our curriculum is complete is to suggest that technology never changes, and that is obviously not the case. We will continue to evolve our curriculum and equipment using industry and educational advances as the model. That being said, it is our mission to see that students have every opportunity to take advantage of the present technology, utilize educational software across all subject matters, develop or improve internet research skills, and become independent users of future technologies.

Every student must take Introduction to Computer Science (or AP Computer Science Principles) as a graduation requirement at The Benjamin Upper School but also has the opportunity to take additional advanced courses if interested.

Introduction to Computer Science One Semester (Fall or Spring); ½ Credit Introduction to computer science is the only computer science course required for graduation (unless students elect to take AP Computer Science Principles). This course will familiarize students with the fundamentals of computer science, including hardware as well as software. Students will begin to think about solving logical problems through the use of programming. Students will use the Scratch programming language to break down problems and use computational reasoning and algorithms to create interactive programs.

AP Computer Science Principles Full Year; 1 Credit AP Computer Science Principles offers a multidisciplinary approach to teaching the underlying principles of computation. The course will introduce students to creative aspects of programming, using abstractions and algorithms, working with large data sets, learning about the Internet and issues of cybersecurity, and studying impacts of computing that affect different populations. AP Computer Science Principles will give students the opportunity to use current technologies to solve problems and create meaningful computational artifacts.

Together, these aspects of the course make up a rigorous and rich curriculum that aims to broaden participation in computer science. This course focuses on the innovative aspects of computing as well as the computational thinking practices that help students see how computing is relevant to many areas of their everyday lives.

AP Computer Science Principles will encourage students to be both analytical and creative in their thinking, and to collaborate with their peers to investigate solutions to real-world issues using computing. Students who succeed in AP Computer Science Principles will be better prepared in college and career, with a thorough grasp of computing foundations and concepts. This course fulfills the computer science requirement and also prepares students to take the new AP Computer Science Principles exam in May. Game Design 1 One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit This course will teach students about the game design process from start to finish. Students will learn about the thought process in creating a game, its rules and parameters, and what interactions the game will have with the user and objects in the game itself. Students will learn to use the backwards design process to solve problems in game design. A large part of game design is the art within the game; students will work on designing artwork to be incorporated into the games. After learning the overall design methods students will work on programming games with the help of multiple tools, including App Inventor to create games for tablets and Game Maker to create games for the PC. Prerequisite:​ Introduction to Computer Science or Graphic Design

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Game Design 2 One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit This course gives students the opportunity to use the skills acquired in Game Design 1 and Graphic Design to create a game of their own. Characters, backgrounds, objectives, and storyline will all be created from scratch.

Emphasis will be placed on the principles of gaming, balance, and usability.

Prerequisite:​ Game Design 1 and Graphic Design AP Computer Science Full Year; 1 Credit AP Computer Science prepares students for the Advanced Placement Exam in Computer Science. Students create programs in the Java programming language, building upon previously acquired problem solving and critical thinking skills. They also learn to solve a variety of programming problems that a first-year college student would encounter in an introductory computer science course. Successful completion of this course and a competitive score on the AP Exam could lead to college credit.

Prerequisite:​ AP Computer Science Principles Advanced Research in CS One Semester (Fall or Spring); ½ Credit Advanced Research in Computer Science will allow students to further their knowledge in computer science and technology beyond what the basic classes have to offer. This course will allow students to focus on the subject matter of their choice including cyber forensics, cyber security, Artificial Intelligence, Phone Apps, Computer Games, Web Design, etc. Students will pick a topic to research and create a capstone project. Projects will demonstrate the student's knowledge in the subject area and might even advance the industry.

Prerequisite:​ AP Computer Science

SCIENCE In light of the growing importance of technology in our day-to-day lives, an understanding of the fundamental principles and practices of a wide range of scientific disciplines is essential. The ability to assess critically the methods, risks, worth, and advisability of current and future technological options is becoming more and more essential to responsible and engaged citizenship and to a successful life.

In view of these developing needs, the science program at The Benjamin School includes a detailed study of the major scientific disciplines (biology, chemistry, and physics) as well as introductory exposure to several elective options.

The science program employs a wide range of teaching devices and methods. Laboratory experiments, field trips, oral presentations, and semester projects are important components of all science courses. Computer simulations, appropriate subscription websites, and audio/visual presentations expose students to concepts from a variety of points of view. Assessments include tests, quizzes, graded homework assignments, lab reports, and smaller special projects. Since the principal mission of the school is college preparation, the department maintains rigorous academic standards.

Although students must complete 3½ credits in science which must include courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and human systems biology, the School encourages them to take four full years of study in this discipline.

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Biology and Honors Biology Full Year; 1 Credit These courses offer an in-depth focus on biological principles at the following levels: molecular and cellular, evolution and phylogeny, and ecosystem. Emphasis is on laboratory experiments, small special projects, and studies to develop and elucidate major concepts. The honors course explores these topics in greater depth.

Prerequisite:​ Teacher recommendation required for Honors Biology.

Chemistry and Honors Chemistry Full Year; 1 Credit These courses provide an introduction to the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. Students learn about atomic theory, the Periodic Table, bonding, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, gases, and acids and bases.

Laboratory sessions, spreadsheet analysis, and computer simulations are important tools for actualizing the principles of chemistry and for allowing “what if” inquiries. The honors course explores these topics in greater depth.

Prerequisite:​ Chemistry: successful completion of Biology and Algebra I (a grade of 73 or better); Honors Chemistry: successful completion of Biology (A-) or Honors Biology (B) and Geometry or departmental approval.

Physics Full Year; 1 Credit This course presents a study of the theories and laws governing the interaction of matter, energy and the forces of nature. Subjects include measurements, kinematics, energy, power, sound, heat, wave characteristics, light, electricity, and magnetism. Demonstrations, laboratory exercises, and computer simulations allow exploration, amplification, and reinforcement of the course contents.

Prerequisite:​ Chemistry and Algebra II Human Systems Biology One Semester (Fall or Spring); ½ Credit This course will aim to introduce students to the human body, with emphasis on the systems of the body, how they are interrelated, and how those systems are affected by the choices that individuals make. The course will include a program of intense human anatomy and physiology studies. The areas covered will include medical terminology, tissue structure, and the 11 systems of the human body (integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, lymphatic, digestive, respiratory, urinary and reproductive) with a focus on the integumentary, nervous, circulatory, digestive and reproductive systems. Laboratory work will be required, including comparative anatomy dissection (traditional and virtual) labs.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology or Honors Biology.

Advanced Human Anatomy​ ​(242) ​One Semester (Fall or Spring); ½ Credit This course will focus on a more in-depth understanding of the inner workings of human anatomy, physiology and especially health. There will be a strong emphasis on medical terminology, diseases, health care administration, and patient care. Other topics covered will include, but are not limited to, histology, the history of medicine, phlebotomy, EKG, nutrition, psychology, medical ethics, and laws. There will be field trips, live surgeries, internship opportunities within a doctor's office, and guest speakers. Students will be trained and certified in BLS (Basic Life Support). At the end of the semester, students will have the opportunity to take the NHA's CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant) exam which would give them credentials to work in a medical setting.

Prerequisite: Human Systems Biology. Students must be seniors or 2nd semester juniors.

AP Biology (203) Full Year; 1 Credit This course follows the topics and depth of study required by the Advanced Placement Examination in Biology.

The syllabus includes laboratory, field and computer explorations. Participating students must complete summer assignments from the textbook before returning to school in August. Aimed at preparing students for the advanced placement examination, the course includes lectures, discussions, and usually one block laboratory session weekly.

Prerequisite:​ Successful completion of Honors Biology (B) and Honors Chemistry (B) and/or departmental approval.

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AP Chemistry Full Year; 1 Credit Following the topics and depth of study required by the Advanced Placement Exam, this course is the equivalent of the general chemistry course taken during the first college year. The emphasis is on thinking conceptually about chemical principles at the molecular level in addition to classical chemical problem-solving. New topics not covered in a first year chemistry course include thermodynamics, kinetics, and advanced topics in equilibrium.

Aimed at preparing the student for the AP exam, the course includes lectures, discussions, and lab sessions appropriate to the course.

Prerequisite:​ Successful completion of Honors Chemistry (B) and/or departmental approval.

AP Environmental Science Full Year; 1 Credit The AP Environmental Science course is the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science, through which students engage with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. The course requires that students identify and analyze natural and human-made environmental problems, evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. Environmental science is interdisciplinary, embracing topics from geology, biology, environmental studies, environmental science, chemistry, and geography.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology (A-) or Honors Biology (B) and Chemistry (A-) or Honors Chemistry (B) and/or departmental approval AP Physics 1 Full Year; 1 Credit This is an algebra-based physics course which follows the topics and depth of study required by the Advanced Placement Examination in Physics. Designed to be taken as a first year physics course, the course uses hands-on inquiry to introduce students to topics which include Newton’s laws of motion, kinematics, energy, electrostatics, circuits, and waves. Laboratory work and inductive reasoning are given heavy emphasis.

Prerequisites:​ Concurrent enrollment in Precalculus Honors or higher and Chemistry (an A- in Chemistry or a B in Honors Chemistry) and/or departmental approval.

AP Physics 2 Full Year; 1 Credit This is an algebra-based physics course which covers the topics addressed in an introductory college physics course which were not studied in AP Physics 1. Topics include fluids, thermodynamics, electric force and electric fields, circuits, magnetism, optics, and quantum physics. Like AP Physics 1, the course uses hands-on inquiry to devise mathematical models. Laboratory work and inductive reasoning are given heavy emphasis.

Prerequisites:​ Successful completion of Precalculus Honors and AP Physics 1.

Astronomy Spring Semester; ½ Credit This course is divided into four main units: the history of exploring the universe (our solar system, the galaxy, space exploration, and celestial navigation); electromagnetic radiation; stellar astrophysics (classification, structure, and evolution of stars); and the role of multi-wavelength astrophysics in solving the mysteries of the universe. Students make real-time astronomical observations and field trips to planetariums and museums.

Prerequisite:​ Geometry Biotechnology I Fall Semester; ½ Credit This course provides an overview of biotechnology including biochemistry, cell structure and function, DNA replication, and gene expression. Students will explore such topics as proteomics, restriction enzymes, recombinant DNA, genetic engineering, GMO’s, and evolution (Out of Africa vs. Multiregional Theory). Lab Techniques such as micropipetting, DNA extraction, restriction digestion, PCR and gel electrophoresis are used extensively. Labs include Transformation of ​E.coli​ with GFP, mtDNA extraction and sequencing (students will discover their own haplogroup), and GMO detection. Lab analysis using NCBI B.L.A.S.T.(basic local alignment search tool) is applied.

Prerequisite:​ Biology and departmental approval.

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Biotechnology II Spring Semester; ½ Credit This course uses Diabetes Type 1 & 2 as a focal point to learn about stem cells, pulse chase experimentation, microarrays, urine analysis and E.L.I.S.A. (​enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) testing. Lab work will also include aseptic technique, Protein size exclusion, serial dilutions, spectrophotometry, ​CRISPR cas9 (gene editing)​, and RNAi (gene silencing). Students will be working with the model organism​ C.elegans. S ​ tudents will also visit Scripps Research Institute and Palm Beach State College Biotech Department​.

Prerequisite​: Chemistry and Biotechnology I Meteorology Fall Semester; ½ Credit This course is an introduction to the science of weather and the understanding of how and why things occur in our atmosphere. Students will learn the process behind weather systems, and why the weather does what it does.

Students will be able to read and create their own weather maps. Throughout the course, students will participate in a weather forecasting contest, be able to read raw numerical data and create a prediction on their own. Topics include, how do tornadoes form, why is lightning hotter than the surface of the sun, and how the global climate is changing. Learn how to be ready for the next hurricane and how to read the spaghetti plots. See how all your sciences come together in the real world of the atmosphere.

Prerequisite​: Biology and Chemistry Introduction to Engineering and Fabrication Fall Semester; ½ Credit This course provides an introduction to how engineers use math and science to solve problems and invent new products. Students will develop a general understanding of materials, forces, energy, electrical systems, environmental engineering, biological engineering and the impact of engineering on society. Student engineering design projects emphasize teamwork, problem solving, and decision making.

Prerequisite or Corequisite:​ Geometry needs to have been taken or in progress.

Structural Design Spring Semester; ½ Credit This course provides students with a basic knowledge of structural analysis and design for buildings, bridges and other structures. Students will investigate the behavior of structural systems and elements through design exercises, case studies, and load testing of student designed and built models. Students will design structures using wood, metal and concrete and will gain an appreciation for the importance of structural design, with an emphasis on environmental impact of large scale construction.

Prerequisite​: Introduction to Engineering and Fabrication Electronics One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit This course provides students an introduction to the workings of electronics and the process of electronics design.

Students will work with engineering standards and technical documentation found in all aspects of electronics.

Students will learn to identify and understand the function and interaction of basic electronic components in a circuit and apply that understanding to create their own complex electrical systems.

Prerequisite​: Algebra I Design and Fabrication One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit This course challenges students to conceive, design and implement original products. Students will participate in the complete design process from conceptualization to creation using three dimensional solid-modeling applications to produce prototype products. Students will apply CAD knowledge to real world applications by mastering complex surface modeling, mechanical design projects, rendering, and animation. Students will be expected to predict how products will react in the real world and design complex parts and create prototypes with 3D printing. Students will also work with various finishing techniques to produce professional prototypes with a high level of craftsmanship.

Prerequisite​: Introduction to Computer Science or AP Computer Science Principles

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Robotics One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit This course focuses on designing, building, and programming a robot to compete in the VEX competition.

Students will fabricate their own parts, solve complex robotics issues, and compete at the national level. Topics include robot kinematics, trajectory training, dynamics, automation sensors, vision integration, and application case studies.

Prerequisite:​ Electronics

BENJAMIN ENGINEERING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM Overview: ​The Benjamin Engineering Certificate Program is an academic program for high school students interested in the STEM fields. The program will consist of classes designed to provide students exposure to the fields of engineering and design as well as provide an opportunity to learn from experts in those fields.

Program Requirements (in addition to or as part of graduation requirements) ● Introduction to Engineering and Fabrication; ½ Credit ● Structural Design; ½ Credit Students must also choose at least two of these electives: ● Electronics; ½ Credit ● AP Computer Science Principles; 1 Credit ● AP Computer Science; 1 Credit ● Foundations in Art; ½ Credit ● Graphic Design I; ½ Credit ● Design and Fabrication; ½ Credit ● AP Statistics; 1 credit ● Biotechnology I & II; ½ credit each ● AP Biology ● AP Chemistry ● AP Physics Students must also complete 6 semesters of STEM-related extracurricular involvement. The following will satisfy this requirement: ● Participation in a TBS club (e.g. ICE, Environmental Club) ● Participation in a non-TBS science club (e.g. FIRST robotics) ● Summer Programs-as an attending student or instructor (e.g. TBS Lego camp) Students must also complete a capstone engineering project with an approved faculty or community mentor.

SOCIAL STUDIES “Social studies is the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence” (National Council of the Social Studies). At The Benjamin School the Social Studies Department provides coordinated and systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as economics, geography, history, philosophy and political science.

Through the study of social studies students examine both continuity and change. The social studies curriculum builds on four capacities. First, students learn to amass disciplinary knowledge. Without a sound subject matter foundation, understanding and analysis are impossible. Second, students develop thinking and writing skills

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enabling them to be successful in both college and in life. Third, students learn respect for the underlying values of a democratic society and for cultural diversity. Fourth, students become active participants in civic life. They are informed about public affairs; they uphold the rule of law; and they participate in government.

Historians attempt to find patterns and to determine meaning through the rigorous study of the past. Virtually all the experiences of mankind fall within the reach of the social studies. Every subject has a history and can be examined through the historical perspective. The study of the social sciences is fun.

Although students must take three years of social studies for graduation, they are encouraged to take a full four years of study in this discipline. Most students take World History in grade 9, Introduction to Economics and Government in the 10th​ grade, and American History in the 11th​ grade, leaving the senior year open for electives.​ Students who are particularly interested in the social studies may take more than one class per year.

World History Full Year; 1 Credit World History surveys the development of Western Europe from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. The course helps students understand the origins of western government, philosophy, economics and social issues. It includes units of study such as absolutism, revolution, industrialism, imperialism and world war. In addition, the course briefly examines the growth of civilizations in the Middle East. It gives considerable attention to the teaching of study skills and the effective usage of the laptop computer.

Introduction to Economics One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course is a basic introduction to economic thinking. Some concepts investigated include supply and demand, economic systems, the role of business and the labor force, monetary fiscal policy, and institutions that help to develop and mold our modern economy. The curriculum also emphasizes current events, economic history, and the role of globalization. The instructors pay particular attention to the development of writing, research, analysis, discussion and debate skills.

Introduction to Government One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course is an introduction to the basic principles and institutions of our government. The class investigates theories of government, individual rights, elections, Congress, the presidency and the court system. The students discuss, analyze and debate current events and contemporary issues. Skills emphasized include writing, research, debate, discussion and group work. The teachers encourage their students to be engaged citizens and to take an active part in our democracy.

United States History Full Year; 1 Credit This course surveys United States history from the colonial period through 1945 with connections to the present using a chronological/thematic approach. It provides students the opportunity to acquire a deep understanding of how difficult it is to preserve civilization and to improve society. Relevant themes include the evolution of American democracy, ideas, institutions and practices; economic and social changes and the relation to culture, politics and ideas; the changing role of the United States in the world; and “E Pluribus Unum,” our diversity and oneness as a people. Most Benjamin students select this course in the eleventh grade.

A History of Florida and the Caribbean Islands One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit A History of Florida and the Caribbean Islands is a one-semester course designed to help students gain an understanding of the roots, the development, and the nature of Floridian and Caribbean civilization. Students study the political, economic, and social issues of the region. The gathering and analysis of evidence culminates in a mandatory research project. Required field trips to locations in Florida take place outside the normal school day on afternoons and weekends. An optional on-site visit in the Caribbean may be offered.

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Contemporary Issues One Semester (Spring)); ½ Credit Contemporary Issues introduces the student to the major challenges facing American society today. Students study society, one’s role in it, issues and problems, possible social change and current social movements. It includes a study of basic institutions including the family, community, political structures and social organization.

This is a senior elective requiring position papers, debates and strong class participation.

Prerequisite: U.S. History Economic Issues One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit This course is designed to give students a general overview of the business world. The course consists of introductions to finance, marketing, strategy, management, and operations. Students learn to identify and correctly use a variety of terms and concepts associated with the American business scene. They have an opportunity to develop a business vocabulary and gain practice understanding business periodicals. They also learn to identify potential areas of study for college.

Introduction to Law One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit The goal of this course is to introduce students to practical law. The curriculum will expose students to both criminal and constitutional law, with an emphasis on constitutional law as it relates to the Civil Rights movement.

Students will not only learn laws and legal procedures, but will also develop problem solving skills that are necessary for survival in today’s society. Students will analyze case studies, participate in mock trials and role-plays as well as use local community resources to gain knowledge about the legal and political systems.

Modern Asian History (Not offered in 2019-2020) One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit This one-semester course will survey the emergence of India and China as they arrive on the cusp of superpower status. The curriculum will trace the modern political, economic, religious, and cultural rise in the latter half of the twentieth century and its potential role in the twenty-first century. Careful attention will be given to India’s and China’s relations with the United States and the overall geopolitical structure. The goal of the course is to provide the student with a better understanding of how each of these burgeoning Asian giants will shape the near and distant future.

History and the Olympics One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit This course will explore the historical, cultural, religious, diplomatic, social, and political factors which occurred before, during and after each of the modern Olympic games. As a semester-long course, the class will discuss the Ancient Olympic beginnings, and the creation of the modern Olympics, with topics including, but not limited to, Olympic site selection, amateurism versus professionalism and scandals. The class will commence with a discussion on the Ancient Greeks and the first Olympic games and will end with current and future Olympic games. The class grade will be based on quizzes, many of them based on maps, two individual presentations and two large group projects.

AP U. S. and Comparative Government and Politics Full Year; 1 Credit This elective is open to juniors, seniors, and select sophomores. AP Government is a two-semester course designed to develop critical thinking skills through the understanding and analysis of democratic principles and political skills. In the first semester, students examine some concepts of comparative government as they appear in such countries as Great Britain, France, China and the former Soviet Union, and a third world nation. The second semester investigates the founding principles of our government, the Constitution, civil liberties, public opinion, elections, political parties, interest groups, the media and public policy. Students should anticipate college-level readings, essay writing and discussion.

Prerequisite: ​Permission of the Social Studies Department. At least an A- in a current introductory level course: World History, Introduction To Economics/Government, American History. At least a B in current Advanced Placement course. Overall GPA of 3.33 or higher.

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AP Microeconomics One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit AP Microeconomics focuses on how economic decisions are made by individuals, firms, and organizational structures. Supply-and demand analysis is developed to demonstrate how market prices are determined, how those prices determine an economy’s allocation of goods and services, how factors of production are allocated in the production process, and how goods and services are distributed throughout the economy. We evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of economic decision makers by using the concepts of efficiency and equity. We also analyze and evaluate the effects of government intervention. Emphasis is placed on reasoned logical argument so that we can use economics as a method and model for decision making. Students who enroll in AP Microeconomics will be required to enroll in the AP Macroeconomics course.

Prerequisite: ​Permission of the Social Studies Department. At least an A- in a current introductory level course: World History, Introduction To Economics/Government, American History. At least a B in current Advanced Placement course. Overall GPA of 3.33 or higher.

AP Macroeconomics One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit AP Macroeconomics is a semester-long course designed to provide a college-level economics educational experience to high school students. With the use of multiple scholastic and real world sources for information, investigation, and study, the course journeys through the inner workings of various economic systems in a wider scope. With specific focus on national and federal analysis of price, income, and production levels, economic stabilization, globalization, and the internal functions of national financial systems, the course subject matter will provide opportunities to review and investigate basic economic concepts, as well as the complex network of modern international economics. Specific content that will be covered upon completion of the course is illustrated in the body of the syllabus and is aligned to expose students to all concepts and content areas included in the Advanced Placement Examination in May, per College Board recommendations.

Prerequisite: ​Permission of the Social Studies Department. At least an A- in a current introductory level course: World History, Introduction To Economics/Government, American History. At least a B in current Advanced Placement course. Overall GPA of 3.33 or higher.

AP European History Full Year; 1 Credit An elective open to juniors, seniors and select sophomores, AP European History is a survey of European history from the Renaissance to the present. In addition to providing a basic narrative of events and movements, AP European history develops an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern European history, an ability to analyze historical evidence and an ability to analyze and to express historical understanding in writing.

The text was written for college students, and the course is structured along the line of a college-level course.

Multiple-choice tests, free response essays, document-based essays, oral presentations, notebook development and class participation are the basis of evaluation.

Prerequisite: ​Permission of the Social Studies Department. At least an A- in a current introductory level course, World History, Introduction To Economics/Government, American History. At least a B in current Advanced Placement course. Overall GPA of 3.33 or higher.

AP U. S. History Full Year; 1 Credit AP US History is a college survey of United States History from exploration through the Reagan administration.

With the permission of the instructor, juniors and seniors who wish to earn college credit while in high school may enroll. (In exceptional cases, select sophomores may receive permission to take the course.) Students should expect to spend from five to seven hours per week on preparation for the course. Students should have an interest in history and have the ability to develop independent study habits. The course utilizes many primary sources and also takes into consideration differing views of US History.

Prerequisite: ​Permission of the Social Studies Department. At least an A- in a current introductory level course: World History, Introduction To Economics/Government, American History. At least a B in current Advanced Placement course. Overall GPA of 3.33 or higher.

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AP Psychology Full Year; 1 Credit The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.

Prerequisite: ​Permission of the Social Studies Department. At least an A- in a current introductory level course: World History, Introduction To Economics/Government, American History. At least a B in current Advanced Placement course. Overall GPA of 3.33 or higher.

AP World History Full Year; 1 Credit AP World History is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college or university world history course. In AP World History students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in six historical periods from approximately 8000 B.C.E. to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; making historical comparisons; utilizing reasoning about contextualization, causation, and continuity and change over time; and developing historical arguments. The course provides five themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: interaction between humans and the environment; development and interaction of cultures; state building, expansion, and conflict; creation, expansion, and interaction of economic systems; and development and transformation of social structures.

Prerequisite: ​At least an A- in current Social Studies course and permission of the Social Studies Department.

WORLD LANGUAGES The Benjamin World Languages curriculum is committed to the preparation of its students for competency in a second language. We believe that in language courses students create with the language and not just know about it: thereby leading students through levels of proficiency, culture and language acquisition and global citizenship.

A level of proficiency is our end goal, and it is obtained by practice and performance in the classroom through, but not limited to, the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and by building on students’ previous experiences.

Students are required to take three consecutive levels of a single world language in the Upper School in order to satisfy the graduation requirement; however, we encourage all students to take a fourth year of the language.

Language acquisition is a process.

FRENCH COURSES French 1 Full Year; 1 Credit This course is for the high school student, a true novice, who is beginning the study of French for the first time or for one who had great difficulties in a prior beginning level course. Students begin building basic vocabulary related to people, places, and activities that are familiar in their own lives, while also learning basic grammar and simple sentence structure. The class materials encourage aural/oral comprehension and assist students in attaining a beginning level of proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing in French. Projects include cultural research.

Prerequisite​: No prior experience or extremely weak performance in an introductory level course.

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French 2 Full Year; 1 Credit This course further develops the second year language student’s ability to communicate in the target language and to apply the vocabulary and grammatical concepts learned in the previous level. The primary goals are to strengthen basic listening, speaking, reading and writing skills and enable students to use those skills on a daily basis, incorporating a variety of basic verb tenses in order to express themselves in class discussions of common topics presented in course materials. Students acquire basic historical, cultural and geographical knowledge of France in the target language and do an extensive study of Paris. Throughout the year students must maintain a notebook which will be continued through level 3.

Prerequisite​: Grade of C or better in high school French 1 or its equivalent.

French 3 Full Year; 1 Credit This course further strengthens fundamentals and increases proficiency in the developing skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in French. Students give oral presentations related to topics. Students study certain periods of French history and the history of the francophone world, via group and individual research projects, e.g. Paris, the Loire Valley and the francophone world. Each student takes on an area of research that interests him or her and presents it to the class in French using multimedia technology, realia, and interactive methods.

Prerequisite​: Grade of C or better in French 2 or its equivalent, or departmental consent.

Honors French 3 Full Year; 1 Credit This course further strengthens fundamentals and increases proficiency in the developing skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in French. Students give oral presentations and skits related to textbook topics.

They study certain periods of French history via group and individual research projects, e.g. Paris, the Loire Valley, and the francophone world. Each student chooses an area of interest and presents it to the class using multimedia technology, realia, and interactive methods. Supplemental readings serve to enhance vocabulary and offer the honors students an introduction to French literature.

Prerequisite​: Grade of A- or better in French 2 (or MS Advanced course) and with departmental consent.

Students must be recommended by their previous French teacher in order to take this honors class.

French 4 Full Year; 1 Credit This course increases aural-oral proficiency and continues the development of the student’s communication skills.

The emphasis is placed on enhancing reading comprehension and writing skills. Reading selections from French authors gives a deeper insight into French civilization, culture, literature and art. Students study the Impressionist movement in detail and are assigned an artist to research. At the completion of the project, students present an oral project to the class and submit a paper about the artist and all notable works.

Prerequisite​: Grade of C or better in French 3 or with departmental consent.

Honors French 4 Full Year; 1 Credit This course increases aural-oral proficiency and continues the development of the student’s communication skills.

The emphasis is placed on enhancing reading comprehension and writing skills. Reading selections from French authors give a deeper insight into French civilization, culture, literature and art. Students study the Impressionist movement in detail and an assigned artist in particular. They research the artist, present an oral project to the class, and submit a term paper about the artist and all notable works. Written essays are assigned in order to enhance the written skills needed for advanced courses.

Prerequisite​: Grade of A- or better in French 3 Honors and with departmental consent. Students​ ​must be recommended by their previous French teacher in order to take this honors class.

Honors French 5 Full Year; 1 Credit This advanced French course is for the students who want to strengthen their skills of communication in the French language and are ready to apply their abilities in a wide variety of subjects. This pre-AP level course enables students to improve conversational skills through classroom discussions, oral presentations, debates, dialogues, and listening comprehension exercises spoken by a variety of native speakers. The course emphasizes intensive oral practice and vocabulary building . Written essays and supplemental readings on daily living and

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literary excerpts prepare students for advanced coursework. The course includes a comprehensive study of France: its geography, economy, literature, the most important people and events from French history, as well as many aspects of francophone culture. It is recommended that AP bound students take the French SAT subject exam during the year.

Prerequisite: Grade of B or better in the French 4 Honors and with departmental consent. Students must be recommended by their previous French teacher in order to take this honors class.

AP French Language and Culture Full Year; 1 Credit This course is an advanced level French program for students who have mastered the fundamentals of the French language and are able to apply their ability in a wide variety of subject areas. French AP Language is comparable to a second-year college course and requires much commitment and effort. The course emphasizes intense assessment of the four communications skills that are strengthened and fine-tuned through a variety of grammatical, writing, reading, listening comprehension and conversational activities. Reading selections from famous French and Francophone poetry, novels, and drama give the student deeper insight into Francophone civilizations and the culture of French-speaking people. It is recommended that AP students take the French SAT subject exam during the year if they have not already done so. This course prepares students to take the Advanced Placement Examination in French Language in May. Prerequisite​: Grade of B or better in French 4 Honors and 5 Honors and with departmental consent.

Students must be recommended by their previous French teacher and AP teacher in order to take this course.

French Conversation and Culture ​(not for students in the Honors program) Full Year; 1 Credit The goal is to provide to the students the opportunity to improve their conversational fluency, proficiency in using language structures and reading with comprehension, as well as to continue to enrich their knowledge of the French culture and francophone civilization. This program is less formal than the AP course. The focus will be in the appreciation of the language based on its use in daily life, rather than the technical aspects and rules of French grammar and syntax required by the AP course. Students will read texts collected from newspapers, magazines, and contemporary literature, according to themes discussed in class. The course will include the study of French films, music, dance, traditions, etc., and students will converse, write compositions, debate issues and share their opinions on a variety of topics. Students who complete this course will be encouraged to take SAT Subject Test in French and other national exams.

Prerequisite​: Completion of French 4 and/or departmental consent.

SPANISH COURSES Spanish 1 Full Year; 1 Credit This course is for the high school student, a true novice, who is beginning the study of Spanish or for one who had great difficulties in a prior beginning level course. Students begin building basic vocabulary related to people, places and activities that are familiar in their own lives, while also learning basic grammar and simple sentence structure. The class materials encourage aural-oral comprehension and assist students in attaining a beginning level of proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing in Spanish.

Prerequisite​: No prior experience or extremely weak achievement in an introductory level course.

Spanish 2 Full Year; 1 Credit This course further develops the second year language student’s abilities to communicate in the target language and to apply the material acquired in the previous level. The primary goals are to strengthen basic listening, speaking, reading and writing skills and to enable students to use those skills on a daily basis, incorporating a variety of basic verb tenses and topics. Students acquire basic historical, cultural and geographical knowledge of Hispanic countries in the target language.

Prerequisite​: Grade of C or better in Upper School Spanish 1 or its equivalent.

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Spanish 3 Full Year; 1 Credit This course further strengthens fundamentals and increases proficiency in the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish. Students present oral projects related to topics in the target language. Students gain a deeper insight into Hispanic cultures through cultural readings and supplemental materials provided by the teacher. Reading and speaking in the target language is emphasized at this level.

Prerequisite​: Grade of C or better in Spanish 2, its equivalent, or departmental consent.

Honors Spanish 3 Full Year; 1 Credit This course further strengthens fundamentals and increases proficiency in the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish. Students present oral projects related to topics in the target language quarterly. Honors Spanish 3 students begin their study of Spanish literature by reading books and several short stories taken from Spanish and Latin-American literature​.

Prerequisite: ​Grade of A- or better in Spanish 2 or its equivalent (or MS advanced course), and with departmental consent​. ​Students must be recommended by their previous Spanish teacher in order to take this honors course.

Spanish 4 Full Year; 1 Credit This course increases aural-oral proficiency and continues the development of the student’s communication skills.

Reading comprehension and writing skills are emphasized at this level. Students learn about the geography and culture of Spain through an in-depth study that incorporates written and oral projects. History, Art, film and cultural topics will be used to contextualize the topics.

Prerequisite:​ Grade of C or better in Spanish III or departmental consent.

Honors Spanish 4 Full Year; 1 Credit This course increases aural-oral proficiency and continues the development of the student’s communication skills.

Reading comprehension, writing skills and speaking are emphasized at this level. Students learn about the geography and history of Spain through an in-depth study that incorporates written and oral projects. Reading literary selections from Spanish authors gives the Honors Spanish 4 student a deeper insight into Hispanic civilization.

Prerequisite​: Grade of A- or better in Honors Spanish 3 and with departmental consent. Students must be recommended by their previous Spanish teacher in order to take this honors class.

Honors Spanish 5 Full Year; 1 Credit This advanced Spanish course is for the students who want to strengthen their communication skills in the Spanish language and are ready to apply their abilities in a wide variety of subjects. This course enables students to improve conversational skills through classroom discussions, oral presentations, debates, dialogues and listening comprehension exercises spoken by a variety of native speakers on daily living topics. The course emphasizes intensive oral practice and vocabulary building. Writing essays, keeping weekly journals and writing letters enhance the advanced composition skills. Reading selections from famous Spanish-American works gives the students a deeper insight into Hispanic civilization and the culture of Spanish-speaking people. In addition, students complete an in-depth unit on Latin American geography, history, and culture including several oral projects and a year-long written project on various Latin American countries, a different one assigned to each student. It is recommended that Honors Spanish 5 students take the Spanish SAT subject exam upon completion of the course.

Prerequisite: Grade of B in Honors Spanish 4 and with departmental consent.

Spanish Conversation and Culture Full Year; 1 Credit This Spanish course is offered to students who complete Spanish 4 regular (not for students in the Honors program). The goal is to provide the students the opportunity to work on their aural-oral proficiency and reading comprehension and to continue to enrich their knowledge of the Spanish culture and Hispanic civilization. This program is less formal than the AP course; the focus will be in the appreciation of the language based on its use in the daily life, rather than the technical aspects and rules of Spanish grammar and syntax required by the AP

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course. Students will read texts collected from newspapers, magazines, and contemporary literature, according to the themes discussed in class. The course will include the study of Spanish films, music, dance, traditions, etc., and students will converse, write compositions, debate issues and share their opinions on a variety of topics.

Prerequisite​: Completion of Spanish 4 and/or departmental consent.

AP Spanish Language and Culture Full Year; 1 Credit This course is an advanced level Spanish program for students who have mastered the fundamentals of the Spanish language and are able to apply their ability in a wide variety of subject areas. Spanish AP Language is comparable to a second-year college course and requires much commitment and effort. The course emphasizes an intense assessment of the four skills that are strengthened and fine-tuned through a variety of grammatical, writing, reading, listening comprehension and conversational activities. Reading selections from famous Spanish and Latin American poetry, novels, and drama gives the students a further insight into Hispanic civilizations and the culture of Spanish-speaking people. It is recommended that AP students take the Spanish SAT subject exam during the year, if they have not already done so. This course prepares students to take the Advanced Placement Examination in Spanish Language in May. Prerequisite​: Grade of B in Honors Spanish 4, Honors Spanish 5 and with departmental consent. Students must have the recommendation from their previous Spanish teacher and AP teacher in order to take this course.

MANDARIN CHINESE COURSES Mandarin Chinese 1 Full Year; 1 Credit This course is an introduction to the Mandarin language and to the culture of China. Students learn the basic skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking Mandarin. In addition they learn about the culture of China and its people, led by their own curiosity. Students begin to build basic vocabulary related to people, places and activities that are familiar in their own lives, while also learning basic grammar and simple sentence structures.

They learn that spoken Mandarin language differs from the written characters, and they learn both ways of communication. Class materials encourage aural/oral comprehension and assist students in attaining a beginning level of proficiency in Mandarin.

Prerequisite​: No prior experience or extremely weak achievement in an introductory level course.

Mandarin Chinese 2 Full Year; 1 Credit This course is for students who have begun studying the Mandarin language and Chinese culture and have successfully completed the Mandarin 1 course. Mandarin 2 further develops the language students’ abilities to communicate in the target language and to apply the vocabulary and grammatical concepts learned in the previous level. The primary goals are to strengthen the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills and to provide the students with an opportunity to apply those skills on a daily basis, using a variety of sentence structures to express themselves in basic class discussions of common topics. Students acquire more historical, cultural and geographical knowledge of China and its many regions.

Prerequisite​: Grade of C or better in Mandarin Chinese 1 or its equivalent.

Honors Mandarin Chinese 3 Full Year; 1 Credit This is an advanced Mandarin Chinese language course. After a review of the structures, vocabulary and characters covered in Level 2, the course continues to develop the students' ability in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Mandarin 3 will expose students to advanced structures including vocabulary, conversations and reading assignments. Short essays, Chinese character writing and class discussions will enhance the students' language skills in order to enable students to be immersed in a native Chinese environment. Students will receive more in-depth knowledge of Chinese culture, history and geography.

Prerequisite​: Grade of C or better in Mandarin Chinese 2 or its equivalent and with departmental consent.

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Honors Mandarin Chinese 4 Full Year; 1 Credit This course – a continuation of Chinese 3 – is designed for students interested in using their Chinese skills in the real world, and for students who desire to pursue their Chinese studies at the college or university level. The course places emphasis on practical use of Mandarin. Students will not only learn to read and write at an advanced level, but will also gain the ability to understand and speak Chinese in a variety of situations. At the end of year, students should be able to construct correct, complex sentences and communicate in a meaningful and authentic contexts through various projects. The class fosters an understanding and appreciation for the Chinese culture.

Prerequisite​:​ ​Grade of B or better in High School Honors Mandarin Chinese 3 or its equivalent and with departmental consent.

Honors Mandarin Chinese 5 Full Year; 1 Credit This advanced full immersion Chinese course is for students who have already finished Chinese IV Honors and want to deepen their knowledge of Chinese language and culture. The course will offer students the opportunity to explore the authentic ways of expressions in Chinese and learn Chinese culture just like they are living in China.

Some authentic movies and literature will also be introduced. Students will conduct deep level conversations about politics, economy, humanities, and history in Chinese. They will have a chance to not only learn Chinese language but also learn the skills of independent thinking, analyzing and real-world problem-solving.

Prerequisite​:​ ​Grade of B or better in High School Honors Mandarin Chinese 4 or its equivalent and with departmental consent.

AP Mandarin Chinese Full Year; 1 Credit The course is designed to challenge exceptional students. AP Chinese Language and Culture is comparable to fourth semester college/university courses in Mandarin Chinese. This course will deepen students’ immersion into the language and culture of the Chinese-speaking world. The teacher will use exclusively Chinese in the teaching of this course, and students are expected to do likewise. Furthermore, it aims to provide students with ongoing and varied opportunities to further develop their proficiencies across the full range of language skills within a cultural frame of reference that reflects the richness of the Chinese language and culture. Students learn about various aspects of contemporary Chinese society, including geography and population, ethnic and regional diversity, travel and transportation, climate and weather, holidays and food, sports and games, current affairs, and principles and values of the Chinese culture.

Prerequisite​: Grade A- or higher in Honors Mandarin Chinese 3 or B in Honors Mandarin Chinese 4 and with departmental consent. Students must have the recommendation from their AP teacher to take this course.

FINE ARTS It is the philosophy of the Fine Arts faculty to develop in our Benjamin students a lasting involvement with and enjoyment of the arts, in the hope that the creativity generated through participation will be integrated into their lives. For the student who wishes to explore or develop his or her talents in the arts, the Benjamin Upper School offers a range of classes and extracurricular activities in drawing, visual design, photography, computer graphics, dance, drama, music (vocal and instrumental) and multimedia. Students have many opportunities to display their work either in school-related functions and concerts or in outside opportunities. All courses make use of audio-visual materials, lectures, and demonstrations as an aid to a fuller understanding of techniques and methods.

Students must earn 1 credit in Fine Arts (Performing or Visual) during their 4 years of high school.

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VISUAL ARTS STUDIO ART Foundations in Art One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course is an introduction to the elements and principles of design. Students will explore artistic modes of production including drawing, painting, mixed media, assemblage, and printmaking. This course emphasizes the technical use of each medium and the development of sound compositions. Through the critique process students learn how to evaluate and respond to their own work and that of their peers articulately using design vocabulary.

Students will become acquainted with exemplary works of art from a variety of cultures and historical periods.

This course provides a basic understanding of the arts’ disciplines across the arts as a whole. Students will employ the fundamental building blocks of design to define and solve artistic problems independently with insight, reason, and technical proficiency.

Intermediate Studio Art One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course consolidates concepts and methods learned in Foundations in Art. Students will use traditional and contemporary media to explore spatial relationships, proportion and perspective through direct observation.

Students will experiment with effective ways of using graphite, pastel, ink, charcoal, watercolor and oil paint.

With an emphasis on studio production, this course is designed to develop higher-level thinking, an understanding of the frameworks of historical references and an appreciation of aesthetic expression. Students reflect on their own artwork and that of others through critical analysis to achieve artistic goals related to craftsmanship, technique, and application of 21st-century skills.

Prerequisite: Foundations in Art Portfolio Full Year; 1 Credit This upper-level course engages art students in a variety of two-dimensional media. It is geared toward students interested in pursuing AP Studio Art or students wanting to assemble a cohesive body of serious work. The course focuses on building advanced technical and conceptual skills by encouraging and challenging students to execute original ideas with a superior level of craftsmanship. This year-long course is based on the AP Portfolio model designed by The College Board.

Prerequisite​: Foundations in Art, Intermediate Studio Art and instructor’s recommendation.

AP Studio Art: Design Full Year; 1 Credit This class is structured for serious art students interested in assembling a cohesive portfolio of work as outlined by The College Board. The portfolio includes three sections of artwork including: breadth, concentration and quality.

This course engages art students in a variety of two-dimensional media including advanced drawing, painting, colored pencil and mixed media techniques. Students learn to articulate their personal vision through their artwork, while creating works superior in composition and craftsmanship. Students are expected to be self-directed and must demonstrate an ability to engage maturely in the artistic process. Regular critiques and class discussions assist the students in evaluating their artwork at an appropriate level of assessment. All students taking this course must submit their portfolio to the Advanced Placement Examination Board for evaluation. For more information go to ​www.apcentral.collegeboard.com​.

Prerequisite​: Foundations in Art, Intermediate Studio Art, Portfolio and instructor’s recommendation.

Introduction to Ceramics One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course is an introduction to clay. Students will learn traditional hand building techniques as well as throwing pieces on the wheel. There is an emphasis on the application of the elements and principles of design in each

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piece. Students are instructed in the safe usage of materials and equipment in the studio and study the work of historical and modern ceramists and their techniques.

Intermediate Ceramics One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This class continues to build on techniques and skills presented in the introductory level of ceramics. It covers advanced techniques in glazing and firing, an emphasis on craftsmanship in construction and production of ceramics as both utilitarian pieces and art forms. The course will consist of practical demonstrations, lectures on essential theoretic and technical information, presentations of historic and contemporary ceramics, class critiques and written assignments, initiating a body of ceramic work and exploration of an individual art practice.

Prerequisite:​ Introduction to Ceramics Advanced Ceramics One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit Advanced Ceramics is a semester-long course that elaborates on the many different means of working with clay as an artistic expression. This is a studio course designed to expand upon skills and ideas gained in beginning and intermediate ceramics. Students will explore a variety of ceramic techniques, refining their hand building skills and advanced wheel throwing skills dealing with more complex and conceptual forms. Understanding and working with the principles of design will be stressed throughout this course. Students will be challenged to use their ceramic knowledge and skills to create their own projects and to study the work of practicing ceramic artists.

Prerequisite:​ Introduction to Ceramics, Intermediate Ceramics

ART HISTORY AP Art History Full Year; 1 Credit This course will develop an understanding and knowledge of diverse historical and cultural contexts of architecture, sculpture, painting and other media. In this course, students examine and critically analyze major forms of artistic expression from the past and the present from a variety of cultures. While visual analysis is a fundamental tool of the art historian, art history emphasizes understanding how and why works of art function in context, considering such issues as patronage, gender, and the functions and effects of works of art. ​When we ask our students to study the history of images, objects, and buildings, we want them to think about how their environment impacts all aspects of their lives. Do structures in our environment suggest stability or chaos? Do images around us encourage conservatism or frivolity? Are we influenced by imagery to spend, vote, drink, eat, smoke, waste time, work, and so forth? Do we use images to form stereotypical impressions of people? Does imagery reinforce certain values that we cherish, or does it challenge long-established traditional notions belonging to a certain society or culture​.

GRAPHIC ARTS Graphic Design I One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit This one-semester course uses the computer as a medium of artistic expression. Students will utilize industry-standard software including: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign to complete each design challenge. Using the fundamental components of design theory as a guide, students create engaging graphics in a variety of presentation forms including illustrations, books, posters and portraits. Through the use of varied and engaging exercises, students learn page layout and composition, typesetting, line art illustration, and the use of digital photographs. A strong focus is placed on visual thinking and the clear communication of ideas.

Print Productions Full Year; 1 Credit The yearbook course is open to students from grades 9-12. Students learn the stages necessary for publication including captions, page layouts, photography and meeting deadlines. The course operates on a full-year format, publishing a hardcover edition before graduation. This course may be taken for credit for more than one year.

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PHOTOGRAPHY Introduction to Photography One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course offers students an introduction to the fundamentals of traditional black and white photography.

Students are introduced to the functions of the 35mm SLR camera and the operations of darkroom equipment.

Emphasis in the course is on the creation of strong compositions while fostering a creative approach to fine art photography. Inherent in the creation of sound images are the technical aspects of photography including basic camera operation, darkroom printing techniques and the aesthetics of composition.

Intermediate Photography One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course continues to build on the fundamentals of photography with an increased emphasis on digital photography. Students learn sophisticated camera manipulation including exposure compensation, white balance, flash photography and metering. Throughout the course, students learn editing techniques in Adobe Photoshop that allow them to use the camera as a tool of creative expression and produce work that conveys concepts and meaning.

Prerequisite​: Introduction to Photography Experimental Photography One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit This course provides an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge of digital photography to traditional non-silver darkroom printing methods. The class includes exploration of hand-applied emulsions, Solarprint Etchings, Cyanotypes, Tintypes, Van Dyke prints, and various transfer processes. Students will explore the relationship between technical execution and conceptual development, learning to marry the form with the content. By experimenting with these historic materials, students will broaden their understanding of photography as an artistic medium. Students may enroll in the course prior to AP 2D Design-Photography or after completing that course.

Prerequisite​: Introduction to Photography and Intermediate Photography AP Studio Art: Photography Full Year; 1 Credit This course is structured for serious photography students interested in assembling a cohesive portfolio of work as outlined by The College Board. The course will engage students in the creative process of image creation including alternative process, digital and film-based media. Students are expected to articulate their personal vision through their imagery, while creating works superior in composition, content and craftsmanship. Students are expected to be self-directed and must demonstrate an ability to engage maturely in the artistic process. Regular critiques and class discussions will assist the students in evaluating their photos at an appropriate level of assessment. All students taking this course must submit their portfolio to the Advanced Placement Examination Board for evaluation. For more information go to: ​www.apcentral.collegeboard.com​.

Prerequisite:​ Introductory Photography, Intermediate Photography, and instructor’s recommendatio​n.

PERFORMING ARTS MULTIMEDIA TV Studio & Field Production One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course is designed as an introduction to live television and video production. Students will learn every aspect of live program and video production including planning, writing, shooting, interviewing, editing, reporting, hosting and live show execution. All instruction is hands-on. Students will acquire the necessary skills through experience in producing talk, entertainment, game show and news magazine format productions. Students will learn both the technical and artistic components of producing video in a studio environment as well as in the field. Work will be completed in a state-of-the-art high definition digital broadcast studio and post-production facility.

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Broadcast Journalism 1 One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course is designed as an immersive experience in producing live television and focuses on empowering students to become effective communicators in a world dominated by new media. Students will build upon the knowledge and experience gained in TV Studio & Field Production and produce weekly newscasts that will be broadcast live to the school and via the Internet. The focus of these broadcasts will be to mimic real-world television and Internet media. Additional projects include in-depth news reports, short documentaries and in-studio talk shows. Work will be completed in a state-of-the-art high definition digital broadcast studio and post-production facility. Broadcasting students will also work in concert with print journalism students for content and coverage topics that include both in-school issues and occurrences as well as local, national and global subjects.

Prerequisite​: TV Studio & Field Production and approval of the instructor.

Broadcast Journalism 2 One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This semester course can be taken multiple times and is designed as an immersive experience in producing live television and focuses on empowering students to become effective communicators in a world dominated by new media. Students will build upon the knowledge and experiences gained in TV Broadcast & Journalism and continue to produce weekly newscasts that will be broadcast live to the school and via the Internet. The students will also begin to explore the world of multi-camera productions and utilize their knowledge gained from the previous two classes to work together as a team in producing such events as the spring musical, variety show, sporting contests, guest speakers, and other projects. The students will also begin to expand their knowledge of the editing process by learning how to edit multi-camera productions. Advanced Broadcasting students will also begin taking the “live” equipment into the field and work on turning these once “taped” projects into live-streaming events on the World Wide Web. Work will be completed in a state-of-the-art high definition digital broadcast studio and post-production facility.

Broadcasting 2 students will also work in concert with print journalism students for content and coverage topics that include both in-school issues and occurrences as well as local, national, and global subjects. Students may take this course for credit for more than one year.

Prerequisite​: Broadcast Journalism 1 and approval of the instructor.

MUSIC Concert Band Full Year; 1 Credit This year-long course allows students the opportunity to strengthen the skills developed in Lower and Middle School Band. The course reinforces fundamentals in music, as more difficult orchestration is presented. Students may enroll at the beginning of the second semester with the instructor’s approval. Students may take this course for credit for more than one year.

Prerequisite:​ Prior experience on an instrument or teacher approval.

Chorus Full Year; 1 Credit This year-long course teaches the fundamentals of choral singing. Special emphasis is put upon developing aural skills, proper breathing technique, sight-singing and the enjoyment of singing. Students may join this course at the beginning of the second semester with the instructor’s approval. Students may take this course for credit for more than one year.

Chamber Ensemble Full Year; 1 Credit This year-long course serves the advanced performers on any string instrument (violin, viola, cello and bass) and piano by providing supervised study of their instrument in ensemble playing. In this course students will be assigned to small groups (duets, trios, quartets), which will practice and perform pieces from the classical and contemporary repertoire. They are expected to practice daily on their own and urged to take private lessons

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outside of school. The course is graded on the basis of student performance of their pieces studied and may be taken more than once.

Prerequisite:​ Prior experience on an instrument or teacher approval.

AP Music Theory Full Year; 1 Credit AP Music Theory is year-long course designed to develop a student’s ability to recognize, understand and describe the basic materials and processes of music that are heard or presented in a printed score. The class combines studies in aural skills, sight-singing skills, basic keyboard skills, written and compositional skills, and analytical skills. Music theory begins with the acquiring of speed and fluency in the rudimentary terminology of music. These fundamental skills are applied to the higher level processes such as melodic and harmonic dictation, composition of bass lines for a given melody, implying appropriate harmony, realizing figured bass, realizing Roman numeral progressions, analysis of repertoire and sight singing. AP Music Theory culminates in the aural and visual identification of procedures in common-practice tonality.

Prerequisite:​ Teacher approval.

Piano I / II One Semester (Fall (658) and Spring (648)); ½ Credit These semester courses allow students to learn basic piano and music theory skills. Performance skills, music theory, piano technique and musicianship skills are covered in this course. More advanced students are able to further their piano skills and theory knowledge.​ ​Students may take Piano II for credit for more than one year.

DANCE Dance Technique One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit This semester course introduces students to the areas of ballet, jazz, contemporary and tap dance. Students learn history, theory and dance vocabulary. Participation is the key to learning dance. Students may take this course for credit for more than one year. This course aligns with the National Dance Standards.

Modern Dance and Composition (not being offered in 2019-2020) One Semester; ½ Credit This semester course introduces students to an art form which uses the human body and its movement as the art medium. Students study choreography and dance composition as well as dance history, theory and vocabulary.

Students may take this course for credit for more than one year. This course aligns with the National Dance Standards.

DRAMA Introduction to Theatre One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit This semester course introduces the various artistic disciplines that create a piece of theatre such as acting, directing, set design, lighting, sound design, costuming, make-up, set construction and theatre history and theory.

Acting Techniques One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit This one-semester course offers a student at any level of experience the opportunity to learn the fundamental skills of acting and apply them to the creation of monologues and scenes. Areas of emphasis include oral interpretation, use of gestures and body language, and the use of space. In addition, students receive training and practice on the craft of character creation through analysis of given circumstances and objectives. At the conclusion of the course, the students have a portfolio of at least two contrasting monologues that may be used for school, community theatre, or college program auditions. ​Prerequisite:​ Introduction to Theatre Theatre Production I One Semester (Fall or Spring);​ ​½ Credit This course allows those involved in any of our Drama Club productions the opportunity to further their understanding as a playwright, director, actor or designer involved in an actual theatrical enterprise. This is a great

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opportunity for students who are interested in gaining a stronger understanding and appreciation for the theatre process and adding nuance, depth and technique to their work. In order to sign up for this offering you must first talk to and get approval from Mr. Bazar. Students may take this course for credit for more than one year.

Prerequisite:​ Introduction to Theatre Advanced Acting Studies ​One Semester ( Spring); ½ Credit Intended for advanced acting students, this course combines scene work and improvisation with creative movement and voice. Rigorous work in textual analysis, character development and various acting styles are the primary focus. Practical techniques in the selection, preparation, and performance of audition pieces are also covered. This is the highest level acting class that we offer. In order to sign up for this class you must first get approval from Mr. Bazar.

Prerequisite:​ Introduction to Theatre and Acting Techniques Directing for The Stage One Semester (Fall); ½ Credit This course examines the role of the director in today’s theater through the analysis of various directing styles and techniques. Students concentrate on play selection, concept and development, auditions, scene staging, scenic design and the collaborative process of working with actors and designers. These techniques are also useful for students interested in television or film. Student-directors are encouraged to participate in our one-act Revolutions Festival we perform every winter.

Prerequisite:​ Introduction to Theatre and Acting Techniques

INDEPENDENT STUDY Independent Study One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit This course is an opportunity for a limited number of highly motivated seniors in their second semester to pursue a research project or creative endeavor in which they have a strong interest. Participants have a faculty mentor who oversees the work. The course is graded on a pass/fail basis based on the evaluation of the student product by a faculty jury. Students interested in this option should see Mr. Didsbury or Dr. Taylor for details.

Prerequisites:​ Agreement by a faculty member to be a mentor and project design approval by the faculty mentor, the Upper School Department Heads Committee, and the Head of the Upper School.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION All students must take physical education for two semesters during their four years. Participation in a team sport for one season will satisfy the PE requirement for a semester. In addition, all students must earn one extra-curricular credit per year in grades 9-12.

Yoga One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This course is designed to introduce students, safely, to the basic postures, breathing techniques, and relaxation methods of yoga along with the basic introduction of the philosophy and history of yoga and sanskrit vocabulary.

Students will experience the benefits of stretching, moving, and breathing freely as they build strong inner resources, relieve anxiety, gain an increased ability to concentrate and be physically, mentally, energetically and emotionally fit. This course is limited to 12​th​ grade students.

Strength & Fitness One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit This Strength & Fitness course is designed for introductory, intermediate and advanced level students. This is a motivation and goal driven course. The students will learn how to create and manage a workout program which

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suits their goals and needs. Strength, agility, cardio and flexibility are the areas of focus. This course is open to grades 9 through 12.

Team and Life Sports One Semester (Fall and Spring); ½ Credit The Team and Life Sports course is designed to provide a foundation for a competitive, fun and healthy lifestyle.

The students will engage in various activities which can be carried on for a lifetime. All activities help develop students physically, socially, and mentally while stressing positive attitudes and sportsmanship. This course is open to grades 9 through 12.

Dance for the Athlete One Semester (Spring); ½ Credit This course is intended for ANY upper school student who wants to focus on enhancing and refining athletic performance through techniques and training in dance. No dance experience is required. Agility, flexibility, footwork, balance and endurance are all specifically addressed in this beginner course, which covers many genres of dance, including recreational dance such as square dance and social dance, as well as beginning dance composition. A student taking this class will improve upon his or her coordination and ability to perform on the athletic field. This course aligns with the National Dance Standards.

SUMMER PROGRAMS The following courses satisfy required graduation credits for Benjamin School students. All TBS students must first consult with Dr. Amy Taylor, Director of Student Services, regarding receiving credit for summer classes before they seek to enroll in them. Students from other schools must seek approval from their home school in order to receive credit for a course.

Introduction to Computer Science ½ Credit Dates: ​July 22 to August 9 (Assignments will not be accepted after August 9.)

Mondays: ​Live Classroom Sessions on the Upper School Campus - 7/22, 7/29, and 8/5.

Tuesday-Friday:​ Online Only Time:​ Students will work at their own pace. Please note: this arrangement requires careful planning and time management as an online class.

Location: ​Mondays - Room 403 Fee: ​$750 Introduction to Computer Science meets the graduation requirement for computer science. This course will familiarize students with fundamental concepts in computer science, including problem solving, computational reasoning, and algorithms. This course will primarily be taught using Scratch, an interactive drag-and-drop programming language. Using Scratch, students will learn to create simple animations while learning problem solving skills and basic programming concepts.

Introduction to Government Dates: ​Monday to Thursday, June 3 to June 30 Time:​ 8:30 am - 1:30 pm Location:​ Upper School Campus Fee: ​$750

½ Credit

For students entering grades 10-12, this course is an introduction to the basic principles and institutions of our government. It will examine theories of government, individual rights, elections, congress, the presidency, and the court system, as well as current events and issues. Students debate, discuss, analyze,

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research, and write with an eye toward being engaged citizens in a democracy. ​Note: A minimum of six students is needed for this class to run.

Human Systems Biology Dates​: Monday to Thursday, June 3 to June 30 Time:​ 8:30 am -1:30 pm Location:​ Upper School Campus Fee: ​$750 Prerequisite: ​Students must have successfully completed Biology or Honors Biology.

Teacher: ​Mrs. Pierman

½ Credit

This course will aim to introduce students to the human body, with the emphasis on the systems of the body, how they are interrelated, and how those systems are affected by the choices that individuals make. The course will include a program of intense human anatomy and physiology studies. The areas covered will include medical terminology, tissue structure, and the 11 systems of the human body with a focus on the integumentary, nervous, circulatory, digestive, and reproductive systems. Laboratory work will be required, including comparative anatomy dissection (traditional and virtual) labs.

Conceptual Physics 1 Credit Dates​: Monday to Thursday, June 3 to July 11 (No class on July 4 & 5) Time:​ 8:30 am -1:30 pm Location:​ Upper School Campus Fee: ​$1500 Prerequisite: ​Students must be a rising junior or senior who has successfully completed Algebra II. This course presents a study of the theories and laws governing the interaction of matter, energy, and the forces of nature. Subjects include measurements, kinematics, energy, power, sound, heat, wave characteristics, light, electricity, and magnetism. Demonstrations, laboratory exercises, and computer simulations allow exploration, amplification, and reinforcement of the course contents. Emphasis is placed on conceptual understanding rather than performing algorithmic computations.