Moses Brown Upper School Course of Study 2021-22

MOSES BROWN UPPER SCHOOL COURSE OF STUDY 2021-2022

Introduction In planning a course of study, students should consult with their advisors, follow all processes for placement approvals, review the course of study guide for updated requirements, and consider ways in which their course selections influence future options. Rising seniors should also consult with their college counselor. In general, each course of study should ● ● ● ●

meet all graduation requirements; create a well-rounded, balanced experience; match strengths with appropriate challenges, and develop less confident areas; and provide opportunities and enthusiasm for growth, exploration, and risk taking.

Ultimately, it is each student’s responsibility to ensure that they fulfill the graduation requirements outlined below. While advisors will be involved in all aspects of course selection, students should double-check these requirements each year; if in doubt about their status, they should meet with the registrar.

Yearly course selections should be made with a four-year program of courses in mind.

Graduation Requirements: To receive a Moses Brown diploma, a student must complete these requirements: 1. Earn a minimum of 34 credits.

2. Satisfy these departmental requirements: ● ARTS…………………………………2 Credits (Visual, Drama, Music) ● ENGLISH…………………………….8 Credits ● HUMANITIES…………………….....6 Credits (5 credits from Why Europe, Modern World History & U.S. History and 1 Credit from Religious Studies) ● MATHEMATICS…………………….6 Credits (must include Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2) ● SCIENCE…………………………….4 Credits (laboratory science) ● WORLD LANGUAGES……………..6 Credits (sequential in one language) 3. Meet the school’s co-curricular requirements.

4. Complete these additional academic requirements: ● Freshman Studies ● 9th Grade Immersion (adjusted program for class of 2024) ● 10th-12th Grade Immersion (adjusted spring of 2020; waived in 20-21) ● Successfully complete a senior project

Credits: Yearlong courses earn 2 credits, and semester courses earn 1 credit. Only coursework completed in the Upper School counts toward graduation credit; no credit is given for work done during eighth grade or at a summer school. Students may enroll in five or six courses at any one time. Those who wish to pursue seven classes must seek special permission, coordinated through the registrar, who will convene a group to respond to such requests.

Co-curriculum Requirements The Co-curricular Program helps foster connections among students beyond the classroom and creates a sense of community between students and faculty. At the same time, the Co-Curricular Program strives to recognize students’ passions and the diversity of talent each student brings to Moses Brown; the educational experience at MB includes more than our academic offerings.

The Co-Curricular Program aims to cultivate leaders, develop lifelong passions, build resilience, and strengthen collaborative spirit, all leading to a stronger and more cohesive school community. See the Co-curricular Planning sheet for all requirements.

9th Grade Immersion For ninth graders, Immersion is the culminating experience of their social innovation and engaged scholarship work. Beginning with the ninth grade orientation, students learn about the concepts of social innovation, design thinking, and engaged scholarship, and how they connect to the Quaker principles of social justice, community, and stewardship. In September, each Freshman Studies class is matched with one of Moses Brown’s Community Partners. Led by the Peer Leaders, each Freshman Studies class learns about its Community Partner and the community issue it is working to address. Classes make one site visit to the Community Partner, reading articles, and talking with experts, either live or via Skype. Freshman Studies classes present a summary of their first semester learning, as well as their designated challenge for Immersion, to the entire ninth grade class in January.

During Immersion, each Freshman Studies class is partnered with two Moses Brown faculty and one or two Student Leaders (10th, 11th or 12th graders who have applied to shepherd the ninth grade group through their Immersion project). Together, they embark on a week of exploration, research and collaborative problem solving that further deepens the class’s relationship with its Community Partner and engages students in our broader Providence community. Immersion ends with each Freshman Studies class presenting its ideas for addressing the Community Partner’s challenge, reflecting their learning and work during the previous week to its Community Partner.

Participation in the freshmen orientation and all aspects of 9th Grade Immersion is a graduation requirement.

10th - 12th Grade Immersion The Upper School 10 – 12th Grade Immersion program is centered on a basic question: how can we more deeply incorporate experiential learning into our upper school curriculum? MB Immersion seeks to stretch students in new and profound ways through a wide range of offerings called Immersives. These hands-on courses represent an opportunity to explore a wider range of subjects and skills than is otherwise possible in our regular program of classes. Students will grow in new ways through deep inquiry, collaborative problem solving, trial and error experimentation, personal discovery, and reflection. Immersives provide a chance to learn in a range of settings and from a variety of professionals. This experience allows students and faculty to break out of their normal routines and “do school” differently. Immersion each year is a graduation requirement; Immersives are non-credit and taken as pass/fail.

Freshman Studies Freshmen Studies is a one-semester program designed to expose first year Moses Brown students to a wide variety of topics to help them better acclimate to the campus community. Every ninth grader takes Freshmen Studies, in the fall. Topics include Friends Education, Engaged Scholarship, Social Entrepreneurship, Health Education, Leadership, Stress Management, and College Counseling overview. . Each year new topics are integrated into the curriculum.

Freshman Studies classes are also assigned two Peer Leaders, seniors who work closely with each class—as well as the teacher—and serve as role models and student advisors.

Senior Project The senior project gives seniors the chance to purse a new endeavor; continue, in greater depth, to expand their knowledge of a topic studied; or to connect their learning at MB to the larger community Students will create an independent project that provides them the opportunity to plan their time, choose their own subject of interest, design and implement their project activities and goals, and finally, prepare a presentation/demonstration for approval and review by a panel of community members.

Transcripts All requests for official transcripts should be requested through our website. Visit the “Transcript Requests” section of the Alumni Page (https://www.mosesbrown.org/school/alumni/). The following information is required in order to begin processing a request for an official transcript: student name while at Moses Brown (i.e. original family name), graduation year or grade and year of withdrawal/transfer from Moses Brown, and address of recipient of the official transcript. Please allow 7-10 business days for completion of your request. The school does not fax official transcripts, and any documents handed directly to students or parents are marked “unofficial” unless in a sealed envelope. A current student’s unofficial transcript can be accessed through MyMB, under the Performance link.

Study Abroad/Off‐Campus Study Moses Brown School values travel and global education, and seeks to be supportive when students express interest in studying at another school domestically or internationally for a semester or full-year. The number of spaces reserved for off-campus study is limited to 5 students per year*. Preference is given to juniors and seniors, but otherwise permission to attend another school is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Students wishing to apply for an off-campus program must submit an application to the Division Head and Director of Global Studies in December. An application can be obtained in the Upper School Office. Students must be certain that, even if they are away, they can meet all graduation requirements and complete major department expectations (e.g., Lit Search, I-Search). Grades earned during off-campus study will not count as official Moses Brown courses, i.e., do not appear on the MB transcript nor contribute to the MB GPA. *The reason for the limit is practical and budgetary. Students who are away for part of a year are charged partial tuition (one semester = 60% tuition), and MB agrees to hold that student’s seat for the full year at no additional charge. In order to limit the budgetary impact of such partial year enrollment, the school has set an annual limit of 5 for off-campus study.

Course Registration Guidelines ● Registration for Courses: Registration should be completed with the intent of taking all courses selected. All semester course selections must list two alternates. Initial selections are discussed with the advisor as well as current teachers, and registrations are not complete until signed by the student, advisor, and a parent or guardian. All course registrations are reviewed by a committee including the Registrar and Upper School Head. It is important to remember that it is students’ responsibility to ensure that they fulfill all graduation requirements. All course offerings and registrations are subject to change depending on availability, section size, facilities, and staffing. ● Registration for Semester Courses: Students registering for departmental semester offerings should note: first preference is given to seniors; juniors may enroll in departmental electives if space is available; and the lowest priority is given to students registering for a second departmental offering. ● Adding, Dropping, and Changing Courses: All adds, drops, and changes must be made through the Registrar. Students may make course changes during the drop/add period at the beginning of each semester. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the final date for course changes, typically one week after the start of classes. Courses dropped after the drop/add period appear on the student’s official transcript.

Course change forms are obtained from the Registrar and/or Scheduler and require the approval of the advisor, teacher, and parent(s). Seniors making a course change must also consult their college counselor. Course or section changes may be granted for a variety of compelling reasons. Teacher preference is not a valid reason for a course or section change. ● Waivers: A student who seeks a waiver of a graduation requirement should submit a written petition through the Registrar. It is highly unusual to be granted a waiver, and such requests generally reflect a documented recommendation by a learning specialist.

Until the student and parents receive official written notice from Moses Brown approving the waiver, the student will remain enrolled in the course that satisfies the requirement. ● New students: Students entering Moses Brown in the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade will have their graduation requirements established at the discretion of the Registrar.

They will meet all requirements (or the equivalent) of our four year program. ● Summer school: Summer school courses may not be used to satisfy a graduation requirement. The grade of the course taken will not be incorporated into the Moses Brown Grade Point Average. Students may request that a summer school record be attached to the Moses Brown transcript for the purposes of college applications. If a student fails a course, they will discuss a path forward with their advisor and the registrar.

He/she may make up a credit in a pre-approved summer course or by repeating the course the following year.

Grading System ● Attendance: The Director of Student Life and/or the Upper School Head, in consultation with the Registrar, a student’s advisor and teacher(s), will contact families with significant concerns about attendance, credit, and graduation. In each case, we endeavor to balance individual issues (health, family situation, etc.) with academic expectations. A 90% attendance rate for excused and unexcused absences will act as the primary guideline; normally, students who miss 20% or more of classes will not receive credit. ● Senior Attendance: Seniors who miss approximately 15% or more of classes during second semester will be required to take a final exam in the class. With regard to college visits, please take advantage of special opportunities for seniors identified in College Counseling communications. ● Grades: Moses Brown School does not rank students or have an honor roll system. Grades are issued as letters: A (superior) through E (failure) in the Upper School. There are plus and minus grades for each category except E. ● Grade Reports: The school year is divided into two semesters; students receive letter grades four times a year with narrative comments written for yearlong and semester courses for each mid-semester report. (Teachers may submit a comment at the end of a semester to note an inadequate effort, an unsatisfactory grade, or a positive change in performance.) Advisors and parents access grades and comments through MyMB. The mid-semester grades and comments are intended to serve as indicators of a student's progress; they are not recorded on student transcripts. Semester and year-end grades are entered on a student's transcript. ● Pass/Fail: Students occasionally have an option of taking a course for credit on a pass/fail basis if it is not a requirement for graduation. This option exists to encourage students to explore academic areas that might not fall within their strength or stretches their programs.

Students must request this option through the Registrar. Final approval rests with the department head and Head of Upper School. ● Academic Warning: Students who are not meeting the academic and attendance expectations of the school will be reviewed by the faculty and may be indicated for Academic Concern. There are three levels of concern: advisory, review, and warning. The school’s response to a student reflects the level of concern. ● Incompletes: When a student's work is incomplete at the end of a term, the teacher may grant the student an extension of up to ten academic class days. An extension is normally granted only when a severe medical or family issue exists. The school will not grant credit for a course unless all major assignments have been completed.

● Transcripts and GPA: Moses Brown calculates a weighted, cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). The GPA is based upon semester grades and is automatically calculated and recorded on the Moses Brown transcript. Only credit-earning courses taken at Moses Brown in grades 9-12 are included in the GPA. (Independent Study classes are not counted, so those are assessed as pass/fail only.). Honors and AP courses receive an additional .3 weight in the GPA. Through the end of the 20-21 school year, report cards will include final grades for year-long courses; these are not part of our GPA calculations, and we will stop using these in the 21-22 school year and beyond. Transcripts for students in the classes of 22-24 will include final grades for years through 20-21 only. This change is meant to simplify the MB transcript moving forward and clarify the way in which GPA is calculated.

For GPA calculations, the below equivalencies are used: A+ = 4.3; A = 4.0; A- = 3.7; B+ = 3.3; B = 3.0; B- = 2.7; C+ = 2.3; C = 2.0; C- 1.7; D+ = 1.3; D = 1.0; D-.7; E = 0. Passing grade is a D- or above ● Summative Assessments: Hour long summative assessments or projects in first semester courses take place in January. ● Semester Exams: Cumulative exams are given at the end of second semester (June) in most academic disciplines. These two-hour exams account for 20-25% of the semester grade. ● Senior Grades: Seniors must pass all second semester courses in order to graduate from Moses Brown School. ● Independent Study: This opportunity allows a student to pursue an interest that extends beyond the curriculum offered in the Course of Study. The independent study must be the student’s sixth course and taken pass/fail; an independent study does not receive graduation course credit. A student must fulfill his/her Fine Arts graduation requirement before he/she can be approved for an independent study in the Arts. To apply for an independent study, the student must find both a faculty and department sponsor and write up a description of the academic study.

INFORMATION FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS The transition to the Upper School at Moses Brown presents many challenges for first-year students. For many, the expectations of our rigorous college preparatory program are intense, and the work becomes much more analytical. It is important, therefore, for first-year students to recognize faculty expectations, establish healthy and productive study habits, manage time successfully, and make responsible choices that will contribute to a productive, enjoyable experience. Here are a few helpful hints: ❑

Get to know your advisor, the Director of Student Life, the Grade Dean, the Registrar, and the Head of Upper School as soon as possible. These adults will prove to be helpful advocates.

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Seek out your teachers for extra assistance and, if needed, establish a regular meeting time.

Getting extra assistance is not a sign of weekness but, rather, signals to the teacher your earnest desire to learn. Use Office Hours regularly.

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Ask questions in class. If you don't know or understand something or if you need help finding a solution to a problem, ask your advisor or a teacher. Asking questions show curiosity and interest, so ask them often. ers to suit your individual needs.

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Homework and daily preparation for classes are the keys to success in the Upper School.

Preparing for class means following up on materials covered in class, reviewing class notes, outlining and taking notes on reading, and mapping out strategies for longer term assignments.

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Do not let work pile up. If you find yourself falling behind, seek out your teacher or advisor right away to develop a strategy for correcting the problem. You do not have to feel overwhelmed.

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Take time to review the many academic, extracurricular and co-curricular offerings in the Upper School, and take advantage of at least one activity.

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It is important early in the year to establish good habits and time management skills, so seek to establish a balance between time to relax and socialize, with during the day to study, see teachers for extra help, or complete homework. Using time wisely is one of the most important skills to manage in upper school.

ARTS: PERFORMING - DRAMA The drama program aims to provide a variety of opportunities for students to build performance and writing skills in theater and film. Drama is an expressive art that requires careful analysis and observation of the self - alone and in relation to others. To study drama is to study what it means to be human in a universal way and what it means to be us as individuals in a very specific way. We incorporate a variety of schools of dramatic thought and practice of 20th Century naturalistic theatre training. During our variety of projects and processes, we build a strong sense of community, support, and teamwork.

Fall Semester Courses N/A

Spring Semester Courses Acting and Directing Playwriting (offered spring 2023) Theatre Design and Technology

SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) ACTING AND DIRECTING (open to all grades) The purpose of this course is to build skills as an actor and a director. Students will study naturalistic acting techniques as developed by renown theater practitioners whose work span the last 150 years. The community of actors in the class will build a strong, collaborative team and create a safe space through drama games and theater exercises. Students will use improvisational acting to create character and define all elements of creating a scene. All members will be responsible for acting and directing specific scenes from contemporary plays.

This course is designed for students who are comfortable speaking and performing as well as for the shy student interested in improving confidence and communication skills.

PLAYWRITING (open to 11th and 12th grades) (Offered spring 2023) This class will study the craft of playwriting by creating monologues, scenes, and short plays. In addition, students will study and practice screenwriting and evaluate the differences between the two forms. As students write their own plays, they will study the work of leading playwrights in the American Theater as a means to understand current trends and styles of contemporary dramatists. Students will share their final one-act plays or short films in a showcase at the end of the semester. This course may be taken for either Arts or English credit. *This course is offered in alternating years. It will not be offered for the 2021 – 2022 school year.

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (open to all grades) Theatre Design and Technology is at the heart of all theatrical productions produced at Moses Brown, giving each of them a sense of magic to enhance the importance of the storytelling.

Students will explore the theatre design process in the areas of scenery, costume, and lighting in partnership with the Acting & Directing or Playwriting classes on a piece of theatrical literature.

The results of these collaborations will activate the production process and propel the utilization of the state-of-the-art technology in the Woodman Center and the Y-Lab. By exploring those technologies, students will learn about the many different production techniques in the areas of stage carpentry and scenic painting, costume sourcing and sewing, theatrical electrics, and light board programming.

ARTS: PERFORMING - MUSIC The Upper School music program offers a variety of courses and performing ensembles that cater to non-musicians, beginning musicians, and more advanced students of music. The program emphasizes the practical/performance aspect of music and at the same time provides for academic development within the subject.

Yearlong Courses AP Music Theory (offered 2022-’23) Chorus String Orchestra String Orchestra w/Chamber Music The Pianist as Accompanist Wind Ensemble

Fall Semester Courses Music Production

Spring Semester Courses Advanced Guitar Basic Music Theory Introduction to Guitar

YEARLONG COURSES (2 credits) AP MUSIC THEORY (open to 10th, 11th & 12th graders) (Offered 2022-23) AP Music Theory is 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 score written using traditional Western musical notation. This course will quickly review fundamental aural, analytical, and compositional skills using both listening and written exercises that were taught in the Basic Music Theory course, and will include more creative tasks, such as melodic and harmonic dictation, sight-singing, composition of a bass line for a given melody, realization of figured bass and Roman numeral progression, and analysis of repertoire including melody, rhythm, texture, and form.

Prerequisite: Basic Music Theory OR permission of the Department Chair. *This course is offered in alternating years. It will not be offered for the 2021 – 2022 school year; students interested in the course should plan ahead to enroll in 2022-23.

CHORUS Chorus is open to any student who expresses an interest in singing. An audition is not required, but an audition-style check-in will take place at the beginning of the year for voice placement.

Repertoire will consist of classical, sacred, secular, world music, jazz, pop and contemporary. In addition, class time will be spent concentrating on music theory, vocal and sight-reading skills.

The chorus will give several performances, both on and off campus, including Open Houses, winter and spring concerts, special assemblies, and occasional festival competitions or adjudications.

THE PIANIST AS ACCOMPANIST This class will be scheduled concurrently with the Chorus and will provide training and practical experience in piano accompaniment. Accompanists from the class will work as rehearsal and performance pianists for the Chorus throughout the year. There may also be opportunities to work with instrumental soloists and small ensembles. Enrollment is based on ability and previous playing experience. Permission of the department chair is required.

STRING ORCHESTRA String Orchestra is offered to any orchestral string instrumentalist. An audition is not required.

Repertoire consists of original literature written and arranged for 5-part string orchestra. The orchestra will give several performances, both on and off campus, including Open House, a winter and a spring concert, and special assemblies. In addition, class time will be spent improving sight-reading skills, intonation, blending and ensemble playing. At various times throughout the year the orchestra may be broken up into smaller groups to explore chamber music literature. Students not enrolled in String Orchestra with Chamber Music will have one class a rotation dedicated to practicing their ensemble music, either individually or by section.

STRING ORCHESTRA WITH CHAMBER MUSIC This course is for students who are enrolled in String Orchestra. Students who opt to participate in chamber music should sign up for “String Orchestra with Chamber Music.” These students will participate in the regular string orchestra class and in addition they will be assigned to a chamber ensemble. One day out of the class rotation chamber ensembles will rehearse their chamber music with a coach. Chamber groups will be expected to rehearse together outside of class, without a coach, once a rotation as well. Musicians must practice their chamber music and come to their coaching session with their music fully prepared. Students will present their work at a semester end concert, as well as perform off campus in service-related venues (nursing homes, senior centers, public schools).

WIND ENSEMBLE This ensemble is open to brass, woodwind, and percussion players. Repertoire will consist of current, contemporary concert band music that will include themes and traditional compositions from American composers, as well as transcribed classics. The Wind Ensemble will give several performances, both on and off campus, including Open House, a winter and spring concert, special assemblies, and a festival competition or adjudication. An audition is not required; however, a student must have reasonable instrumental skills.

FALL SEMESTER COURSE (1 credit) MUSIC PRODUCTION (open to all grades) This course introduces the fundamentals of music production and composition through a selfpaced, hands-on experience using various computer software including digital audio workstations like GarageBand and Logic Pro X as well as Finale, for music notation. Students will learn to make beats, utilize chord changes and compose simple melodies using MIDI computer instruments, samplers and drum machines. Students will engage with and explore basic recording techniques and equipment. This course is suited both for beginners and experienced musicians.

SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) BASIC MUSIC THEORY (open to all students) The goal of a Basic Music Theory course is 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 score. This course will address the fundamental aural, analytical, and compositional skills using both listening and written exercises, including hearing and notating the fundamental musical skills of pitches, intervals, scales, keys, chords, meter, and rhythm. This course is recommended as a prerequisite for the AP Music Theory course.

INTRODUCTION TO GUITAR This one semester course is designed for students with no previous guitar experience who wish to learn to read music and play the guitar at a beginning level. They will learn a variety of styles, skills and techniques required in becoming a successful solo and ensemble guitarist. The course will focus on proper posture, basic guitar maintenance, note reading, listening skills, rhythmic patterns, chord shapes and general musicianship. Class members will have a few informal opportunities throughout the semester to perform for their peers and community members.

ADVANCED GUITAR This one semester course runs concurrently with Introduction to Guitar and is for students who have either completed Introduction to Guitar or by audition with the instructor. Advanced Guitar builds on the skills developed in the introductory course incorporating fingerstyle playing, barre chords, scales, and improvisation. Class members will work on solo and ensemble repertoire suited to their ability levels in a variety of styles including classical, folk, rock, and blues. Class members will have a few informal opportunities throughout the semester to perform for their peers and community members.

SELECT ENSEMBLES (No academic credit) JAZZ ENSEMBLE This ensemble is open to those students who play saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, guitar, bass or drums. Placement is by audition or by invitation of the Director. Repertoire will consist of big band, jazz, jazz rock, rock, blues, and funk. The Jazz Ensemble will give several performances, both on and off campus, including Open House, winter and spring concerts, special assemblies, MB Rocks (a fund-raising concert), and a festival adjudication. There are two jazz ensembles; one meets Monday and Thursday, and the other meets Tuesday and Friday both at 7:15 – 8:00am. (Participants may receive one term of co-curricular credit.)

PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE This ensemble is offered to any student who can read rhythms and is interested in exploring the world of percussion. Repertoire includes standard percussion ensemble literature, world music, and improvisational exploration. The Percussion Ensemble will give several performances throughout the year, which may be on or off campus, including special assemblies and a winter and spring concert. In addition, class time will be spent improving sight-reading skills, blending, and ensemble playing. It meets on Friday mornings, 7:15 – 8:00am. (Participants may receive one term of co-curricular credit.)

ARTS: VISUAL Artistic expression can take many forms, and the Visual Arts faculty offer classes in a variety of media, from foundation level to more advanced courses. Students are encouraged to build technical skills and creative awareness, as well as to develop a vocabulary to discuss and critique work. Students engage in coursework that broadens creative thinking while recognizing different learning styles. Process-oriented instruction, evaluation through participation, critique, and exhibition are all part of the learning environment.

Yearlong Course AP 2D Studio Fall Semester Courses Advanced Portfolio Prep Introduction to Drawing/Painting,* Drawing/Painting, Advanced Introduction to Drawing/Printmaking* Drawing/Printmaking, Advanced Introduction to Studio Art* Introduction to B&W Photography/Digital Photo* B & W Photography/Digital Photo Advanced Introduction to Ceramics* Hand Building and Wheel Throwing, II/Advanced Introduction to Textiles and Construction*

Spring Semester Courses Drawing /Painting* Drawing /Painting, Advanced Intro to B&W Photography/Digital Photo* Introduction to Ceramics* Introduction to Studio Art* Studio Art, Advanced Introduction to Sculpture Studio* Hand Building and Wheel Throwing, II/Advanced Toolmaking: Invention and Design Introduction to Textiles and Construction* Textiles and Construction, Advanced *These courses are taught from beginner level through intermediate and advanced within each semester offering.

YEARLONG COURSE (2 credits) AP 2D STUDIO (open to 11th and 12th grades) This course follows the AP Studio Art program 2D Design and is for students who are seriously interested in the practical experience of art. The curriculum, including, but not limited to, photography, painting, drawing and mixed media, follows a traditional foundation program at the college level. Students are encouraged to engage in creative and systematic investigation of formal and conceptual issues, to emphasize art making as an informed and critical decisionmaking process and to develop technical skills.

Prerequisite: Two Moses Brown Visual Art classes with a portfolio review plus instructor and Department Chair approval.

FALL SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) ADVANCED PORTFOLIO PREP (12th grade) This course is designed for the serious senior art student looking to produce a strong body of work. Self-motivation, dedication, and a willingness to challenge existing skills are among the course expectations. Instruction will include organization and assessment of work in order to build and refine a cohesive portfolio. Prerequisite: Senior level, previous visual arts course work, and permission of instructor INTRODUCTION TO DRAWING / PAINTING (open to all grades) Using the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design as a foundation, this course explores drawing and painting techniques. Students are also exposed to and encouraged to reflect upon various contemporary and historical styles. Original artwork will be created in a variety of media such as pencil, charcoal, pastels, ink, watercolor, oils, gouache and acrylic paint.

DRAWING / PAINTING II, ADVANCED (open to 10th, 11th, and 12th grades) Building on skills developed in Drawing and Painting, students work to develop a cohesive body of images that explores a self-selected area of study. Development of thematic ideas, documentary storytelling and research into historical and contemporary artists will be encouraged through weekly critiques. Prerequisite: Drawing/Painting

INTRODUCTION TO DRAWING AND PRINTMAKING* (open to all grades) In this process-oriented course students develop a personal style as they explore a variety of different printmaking techniques, such as intaglio/drypoint, etching, relief/woodcut, linoleum, polycarbonate plate, monotype, pronto plate and silkscreen. Students are exposed to and encouraged to reflect upon various contemporary and historical styles as they create their designs. Drawing is an integral part of the creation of original artwork.

DRAWING AND PRINTMAKING II/ADVANCED (open to 10th, 11th and 12th grades) This course builds upon skills and concepts covered in drawing/Printmaking. Students are encouraged to develop an in-depth course of study focusing on particular techniques and concepts. Introduction to fabric silk screen printing, experimentation and inquiry are components of this course. Prerequisite: Drawing and Printmaking INTRODUCTION TO STUDIO ART (open to all grades) This course enables students to explore the fundamentals of art and design through both twodimensional and three-dimensional formats. Students use a broad array of materials such as markers, paint, charcoal, wood, fused glass and wire through different techniques that include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and design. Contemporary and historical traditions and styles are introduced as students develop and evaluate their own visual ideas.

INTRODUCTION TO B&W PHOTOGRAPHY/ DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY (open to all grades) This introductory course will help students gain a working knowledge of their film cameras while exploring black and white photographic techniques, including film shooting, developing, printing, and mounting. Composition, the Zone System, and presentation will be stressed through group and individual critiques. During the second half of the semester students will be introduced to digital photography and Photoshop. Correlation between traditional photo techniques and digital will be explored.

B&W PHOTOGRAPHY/DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY II, ADVANCED ((open to 10th, 11th and 12th grades) Building on skills developed in Introduction to B&W Photography, students work to develop a cohesive body of work that explores a self-selected area of study. Development of thematic ideas, documentary storytelling, and research into past and contemporary photographic artists will be encouraged through individual weekly critiques. Prerequisite: Intro to B&W Photography/Digital Photo.

INTRODUCTION TO CERAMICS (open to all grades) Students explore the classic hand building methods of pinch, coil, slab, and solid built. They learn specific characteristics and stages of working with the clay unique to the material while also developing an eye for form and design. After creating four projects, if time allows, students will have an opportunity to try their hand on the wheel.

HANDBUILDING AND WHEEL THROWING, II/ADVANCED This class is for students who would like to continue their work in clay. The four pillars of hand building will be explored along with an introduction to wheel throwing. Students will learn the process of wedging, centering, and raising the walls of a lump of clay. Function and form will be addressed as well as esthetic considerations. What makes a finished piece pleasing to the eye?

Prerequisite: Introduction to Ceramics INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CONSTRUCTION (open to all grades) In this course students will explore how two-dimensional forms can be transformed into threedimensional structures. Students will learn basic pattern making methods, traditional clothing design and construction techniques and apply them to create garments and sculptural forms.

Students will use a variety of materials in constructions, including, but not limited to, fabrics, recycled materials, household products, and natural materials.

TEXTILES AND CONSTRUCTION II, ADVANCED (open to 10th, 11th, and 12th grades) This course builds upon skills and concepts covered in Textile Arts and Construction. Students are encouraged to develop an in-depth course of study focusing on particular techniques and concepts. Introduction to more complex construction techniques, experimentation, and inquiry are components of this course. Prerequisite: Textiles and Construction

SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) INTRO TO DRAWING & PAINTING Same description as the fall semester DRAWING & PAINTING, II, ADVANCED Same description as the fall semester INTRO. TO B&W PHOTOGRAPHY/DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY, Same descriptions as fall semester INTRODUCTION TO CERAMICS Same description as fall semester INTRODUCTION TO STUDIO ART Same description as fall semester

STUDIO ART II, ADVANCED (open to 10th, 11th, and 12th grades) Building on skills developed in Studio Art, students may explore a medium that piques their interest. This may include an in-depth exploration of a specific technique, or continue investigating a broader range of materials. Students begin to develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of Art making and design concepts. Prerequisite: Studio Art INTRODUCTION TO SCULPTURE STUDIO (open to all grades) This course introduces students to several different methods of working with 3D forms and space. Utilizing the Principles and Elements of Design as a foundation, students explore additive, subtractive, linear and assemblage techniques. Individual responses and group work is encouraged, as is risk taking, keeping a sketch journal and active classroom participation.

HANDBUILDING AND WHEEL THROWING, ADVANCED Same description as the fall semester TOOLMAKING: INVENTION AND DESIGN (open to all grades) Using the fabrication resources of the Y-Lab, we will dive into the world of toolmaking.

Students will be working with a variety of materials, while learning to use many of the machines and tools available in the Y-Lab. Initial projects will be creating working tools of their own designs.

Working in groups for their final project, students will identify a current need or challenge existing within the MB community. They will work through multiple prototype-testing-feedback iterations, with the goal of producing their own working tool (or prototype) as a solution or aid to their identified need. Their solutions may range from a minor improvement to an existing resource, to an entirely new invention.

We will explore a brief history of toolmaking and inventions, patent research, guest speakers, and case studies as appropriate. (Limit 12 students) INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CONSTRUCTION Same description as the fall semester TEXTILES AND CONSTRUCTION II, ADVANCED Same description as the fall semester

COMPUTER SCIENCE The computer science program is designed to fulfill these goals: · To foster the development of programming skills, ideas and practices of computational thinking, creativity and collaboration · To develop in students an appreciation for computer science as an interdisciplinary, intellectual discipline, with an understanding of how computing can be used to help change the world

Yearlong Courses AP Computer Science Principles AP Computer Science

Spring Semester Course Python Programming in Discrete Mathematics

Note: All Computer Science courses are co-listed in the Mathematics and Science departments. Students will receive credit in one of the departments.

YEARLONG COURSES (2 credits) AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES (Open to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders) This course focuses on the innovative aspects of computing and computational thinking; the course introduces students to computer science through in-depth studies and experiences with creative problem solving, programming, analysis of large data sets, the Internet structure, and cybersecurity issues. Students will use computing to address real-world issues, create and code programs with practical applications, and complete other digital projects. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement exam in Computer Science Principles. (No previous programming experiences required.)

AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMMING This yearlong course introduces the key concepts and techniques of object-oriented programming in Java. Students learn to design and implement computer programs that solve problems relevant to today’s society; the course emphasizes problem solving and algorithm development, and students apply programming tools to solve complex problems. This course will be independent in nature as students will work in an online learning environment rather than receive in-person instruction.

Prerequisite: Computer Science Principles (with approval from the current teacher), or permission from the Director of STEM Education

SPRING SEMESTER COURSE (1 credit) PYTHON PROGRAMMING IN DISCRETE MATH (Open to 10th, 11th, & 12th graders) In this semester-long elective course, students will study mathematical structures and computations that are discrete or finite (countable sets) rather than continuous functions. A heavy emphasis will be placed on using the Python programming language to write scripts that perform calculations, record results in excel files, and produce graphs that help visualize numerical patterns. Students will learn through hands-on experience by writing programs to solve specific challenges. Topics include prime numbers, prime partitions, probability simulations, sequences and series, and fractals. Programming topics introduced include variables, mathematical operators, control flow, loops, lists, dictionaries, functions, recursion, and the matplotlib library.

Previous programming experience is not necessary.

Prerequisite: Algebra 2

ENGLISH The English curriculum develops and enhances the skills of close reading, thoughtful writing, and respectful speaking and listening. Students practice their critical thinking skills in seminar-style classes, which encourage them to interact in collaboration with their teachers and each other. Harkness discussions (text-based, student driven dialogues) occur regularly in all classes and require participation by all. Over the course of four years, students encounter a wide range of increasingly challenging literature which, combined with their personal experiences, provide a rich mine of shared experience – the subject matter for the extensive writing they do in each of the rhetorical modes. In a multi-layered process, beginning in the ninth grade with complex thesis construction and culminating with the research and organization associated with the I-Search in the eleventh grade, students develop independence of judgment, mastery in the art of persuasion, and familiarity with effective research techniques.

Moses Brown requires students to take four years of English. In the first three years, students enroll in the yearlong course appropriate to their grade level, with the option of applying to the honors program in the fall of junior year. In the senior year, students may choose among various semester courses or apply for admission to the yearlong Advanced Placement course.

With guidance from their teachers, students may elect to take the AP exam in either Language and Composition or Literature and Composition in May of either their junior or senior year—or both.

Yearlong Courses English 1 English 2 English 3 (Honors) AP English Fall Semester Courses Civilizing America: Literature & Legality of Race Experiments in African-American Literature Literature of Climate Change Literature of War Mody Dick Today Reading & Writing Poetry

Spring Senior Courses Civilizing America: Literature of Gender & Sexuality Fiction into Film Middlemarch in Our Time Monsters The Campus Novel The Graphic Novel

YEARLONG COURSES (2 credits) ENGLISH 1 This full-year course is required of all ninth graders and seeks to create a shared literary and rhetorical experience aimed at establishing a foundation of critical thinking, reading and writing.

Students write in a variety of modes with an eye to developing an analytical voice. As they continue to build linguistic awareness and thematic focus, they encounter a wide range of genres in world literature, including Chris Crowe’s Death Coming Up the Hill; William Shakespeare’s Macbeth or Seamus Heaney’s The Burial at Thebes, a version of Sophocles’ Antigone; a novel such as Gene Yang’s American Born Chinese, Edwidge Danticat’s The Dew Breaker, Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, or Helena Maria Viramontes’ Under the Feet of Jesus; and various collections of poems, personal essays, and short stories. In the spring, ninth and twelfth graders traditionally collaborate on an exercise connected to the performance and school visitation of a poet of national distinction.

ENGLISH 2 This full-year course is required of all tenth graders. Students concentrate on various modes of composition with emphasis on critical analysis and writing in response to the concept of home, considering questions such as, What does the concept of "home" convey? What does it mean to belong to a place or community and what instruments or power are utilized to prevent that?

Works to be studied might include: Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger, a Shakespearean play, Jesmyn Ward’s Sing, Unburied Sing, James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room, essays related to the recognition of one's place in the world, as well as a diverse collection of short stories and poems.

The Lit-Search paper, a research project that kicks off Semester II, introduces students to critical responses to poets of their choosing, using secondary sources to help them formulate and articulate their own responses to what they have read.

ENGLISH 3 This full-year course is required of all eleventh graders. American writers provide the primary focus for an examination of the American experience. Attention is given to the cultural and historical contexts of the works studied, which might include Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, Junot Diaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, Emily Dickinson’s poetry, and essays by Transcendentalists Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Students focus primarily on writing critical papers which emphasize original, literary analysis. The I-Search Project, central to the first semester of this course, explores some aspect of each student’s personal interest or identity and focuses on interviewing techniques, the conventions and structure of the research paper, and the use of secondary sources. With help in discernment from their classroom teachers, juniors may elect to take the Advanced Placement examination in May, usually the Language and Composition exam (A few test familiarization sessions are required and offered outside of class time ).

ENGLISH 3 with HONORS At the start of 11th grade, students may apply for the honors program, designed for juniors who wish to intensify their English studies and better prepare for the challenges of senior year English coursework, which may include AP Literature. Accepted students will remain within their current class but will be given more complex assignments that require both supplementary readings and secondary sources. Two times per month, honors students will remain in class during office hours to continue class through student-led discussion and presentations.

The strongest candidates will have demonstrated effort and ability throughout sophomore year, particularly during the Lit-Search process in Semester II. It is expected that students will have attained grades of B+ or higher sophomore year, and final approval, by consensus, of the English Department.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH For seniors who have demonstrated a committed and earnest approach to the study of English, this full-year course involves frequent writing exercises and intensive reading in poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fiction prose. Works might include Homer’s The Odyssey, Jones’ An American Marriage, Hamid’s Exit West, Milton’s Paradise Lost, Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Morrison’s Beloved, Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, and Ellison’s Invisible Man. AP candidates must exhibit both a high level of interest in reading and writing about challenging literature and a willingness to engage actively in frequent discussions and to do consistent, college-level work. All students enrolled will have the option to take the AP Literature & Composition exam in May 2022.

While the English Department considers all students who express a desire to take AP English, the strongest candidates will have attained grades of B+ or higher in both English 2 and English 3, as well as the final approval, by consensus, of the English Department. Students admitted to AP English are required to read one additional book beyond English department summer reading requirements over the summer.

ENGLISH 4: FALL SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit)

CIVILIZING AMERICA: LITERATURE AND LEGALITY OF RACE Through a multi-media examination, this course will consider the literature of race in twentieth century America through the lens of United States Supreme Court decisions. Ultimately, we must examine whether legal decisions can change the perspective and philosophies of the nation or if the legal domain is one of sheer mechanics. Is it possible that art identifies immorality years before we, as a government, are willing to mandate behavior as illegal? Is art compelled to examine what the law cannot resolve – the prejudices, the pain and the probability of a peaceful society? For instance, Loving vs. Virginia invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriages in 1967; in the same year, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner explored America’s difficulty in accepting that mandate. Through reading, art, and video, we will assess which has had more impact on our lives – literature or the law – or whether they work in tandem to move society forward.

LITERATURE OF CLIMATE CHANGE As the devastating effects of climate change and scientific evidence of humanity’s role in it become more pronounced, the genre of climate fiction (“cli-fi”) becomes more prominent—with many of the leading voices by women writers. This course will include stories of global climate change, as well as a way of reading, thinking, and acting in the world. Drawing primarily from literature and occasionally from film, as well as articles from science, indigenous movements, public policy and activism, we will consider how climate fiction responds to the ecological emergency affecting the planet and our lives, and how writers working in this important genre might offer solutions for survival, healing, and future life on Earth. Possible writers and texts include: Mark Maslin, Climate Change: A Very Short Introduction; I’m With the Bears: Short Stories for a Damaged Planet, intro. Bill McKibben; Ursula k. LeGuin, The Word for World is Forest; Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake and/or The Year of the Flood; and Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven.

LITERATURE OF WAR This course will explore the ways war has been captured in American poetry and prose and expressed to a public who lacks the experience of combat. It traces differing perspectives from nationalistic pride and heroism through the disappointment and devastation that war creates.

Possible texts include poetry and short stories representing conflicts throughout history and longer works like George Takei’s They Called Us Enemy, Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried and Kevin Powers’ The Yellow Birds. We will also invite war veterans to speak to the class about their experiences related to the texts we read. Students in the course will volunteer at Operation Stand Down Rhode Island throughout the semester, and in December, 2021 we hope that students in the class will travel to Washington, DC to tour Memorial Parks dedicated to fallen soldiers of our country’s wars and volunteer at a local non- profit dedicated to veterans’ issues.

MOBY-DICK TODAY “Call me Ishmael,” beckons the narrator of Herman Melville’s 1851 encyclopedic masterpiece, Moby-Dick, ushering readers into a richly imaginative world while also offering us a language and sensibility to make sense of our own. The Whale remains an elusive and essential novel that offers an enduring and resonant vision of the most profound and appalling elements of American and global life. Through a sustained, multi-disciplinary, and project-based engagement with Melville’s Moby-Dick, we will savor the enduring wonders of The Whale; consider the existential, racial, gendered, social, political, economic, and ecological energies aboard the Pequod; explore artistic responses to the novel, including in poetry, visual art, and film; develop multimedia creative projects (including through the Y Lab); research the history of whaling in New England; venture on field trips; and learn about the science of whales and oceans, including efforts to maintain our marine ecosystems in the Anthropocene. Through such a variety of modes, we will pursue Melville’s Moby-Dick as a critical reflection of and timely inspiration for our own lives.

READING AND WRITING POETRY Emily Dickinson described poetry as a visceral experience: “If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry;” while Percy Shelley imagined the poet’s political power: “Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.” In this course we will work to decipher for ourselves: what is poetry? Where do we find it? And why should we study poetry at all? We will endeavor to strengthen our critical thinking, reading, and writing skills, as well as develop a language with which to discuss, experience, and understand poetry in its many forms.

Our focus will be on the analysis, appreciation, and craft of poetry through the study of a variety of poetic forms across period, place, and genre. We will work through historical poetry before turning to contemporary works. Through reading the work of poets ranging from William Blake to Sylvia Plath to Ocean Vuong, together we will strive to be more engaged and curious readers of poetry and to develop our thinking about literary texts. The latter part of the course will be a creative writing workshop wherein students will be equipped with the poetic license to develop their own distinct voice and style. We all come to reading and writing poetry from different places and students need not have any prior experience with poetry, but rather should possess curiosity and a willingness to engage with the genre.

THE CAMPUS NOVEL Since the post-WWII period, Americans have enjoyed widening access to a college education, a privilege formerly accorded to only a small and fortunate segment of the population. With it— and the university’s increasing intertwinement with the business of a writing career—has arrived a corresponding explosion of novels that take place at college campuses. This course examines these frequently-hilarious “campus novels” and the tensions they expose between colleges and the surrounding society. We will explore: the peculiarities of life as both a professor and student; the joys, struggles, and absurdities of the life of the mind; questions of place and identity; and the coming-of-age that college represents. Secondary sources concerning the history and role of the university may accompany our primary texts. Discussion along with critical and creative writing opportunities will guide the course. These opportunities will include reflection on the transition to college that students will soon make and how the novels may influence it. We will frequently adopt a comparative framework in our readings, which may include a number of the following: The Idiot by Elif Batuman, Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee, The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides, Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov, Normal People by Sally Rooney, On Beauty by Zadie Smith, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, Real Life by Brandon Taylor.

ENGLISH 4: SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit)

CIVILIZING AMERICA: LITERATURE AND LEGALITY OF GENDER & SEXUALITY This multi-media course will consider the artistic representation of gender and sexuality through the lens of critical United States Supreme Court decisions. Ultimately, we must examine whether legal decisions change the perspective and philosophies of the nation or if the legal domain is one of sheer mechanics. For instance, Christopher Isherwood wrote A Single Man in 1964, chronicling the limitations and loneliness of being gay in America, though twenty years later, in 1986, Bowers v. Hardwick upheld restrictions on physical relations between couples of the same sex. Shockingly, it was not until 2003 that the Court finally outlawed such restrictions, and not until 2015 was gay marriage legalized, fifty years after Isherwood’s novel. Similarly, Dorothea Lange published her images of migrant mothers in the 1930s, but it was not until 1971 that Phillips vs. Martin Marietta mandated that companies cannot refuse to hire women because they have pre-school aged children if the same is not held true for men. Ultimately, through reading, art and video, we will assess which has had more impact on our lives – Films and artworks by RaMell Ross, Kaliterature or the law – or whether they work in tandem to move society forward.

EXPERIMENTS IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE How can experiments in genre, form and narrative help us see the construction of race and culture anew? And how do writers of color respond to limiting expectations of what their work can be? A wide range of African-American authors both historical and contemporary have taken up these questions to equally distinctive results. In this class, we will examine such texts with attention to their purposeful strangeness. We will discuss hilarious satires alongside science fiction and fantasy. Distinctly African-American forms like the slave narrative will inform our consideration of how storytelling and race are connected. Experimental poetry by the likes of Harryette Mullen and Claudia Rankine will challenge our understanding of how language can be a tool of both oppression and freedom. ra Walker and others will help us rethink representation and even the act of “looking” itself.

Students interested in this class should be open to a collaborative, inventive approach to art, literature and identity. Critical writing and creative projects of all kinds, along with robust discussion, will guide the course of the semester. Besides the aforementioned, authors may include Amiri Baraka, Paul Beatty, Octavia Butler, Fran Ross, Jean Toomer, and Colson Whitehead.

FICTION INTO FILM How does the language of literature, a written medium, translate into the language of film, a visual medium? We will consider three to four texts as independent works of fiction as well as sources that inspire a range of adaptations/translations. By examining how each film either remains faithful to or alters the original work’s intent, we will consider the different mechanisms of storytelling that film offers versus literature. Further, we will explore how each medium creates a sense of time and place, via two works set in the American West during the latter half of the twentieth century, and two that take place in futuristic societies. Texts might include Brokeback Mountain: Story to Screenplay, by Annie Proulx, Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana; No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy; Children of Men, by P. D. James; and Annihilation, by Jeff Vandermeer.

MIDDLEMARCH IN OUR TIME Often called the greatest novel in the English language, George Eliot’s 1871 masterpiece Middlemarch depicts everyday life in the small-town England of the 1830s. And it does so with unparalleled humor, style, knowledge, compassion, and realism. But in a sense Middlemarch is “about” everything: our ambivalent relationship to new technologies; the individual’s sense of history’s shifting tides; political buffoonery; gender; scandal; marriage; and what it means to be a good person in the face of life’s contradictions. In this course we will read Eliot’s long novel in full, along with selected essays that will situate her thinking about the art of fiction. Secondary sources written and image-based will offer students historical background about the period and region. Portions of the BBC’s 1994 television adaptation will serve as a visual corollary. We will also consider excerpts of Rebecca Mead’s My Life in Middlemarch, a chronicle of the author’s abiding obsession with the novel since she first encountered it at seventeen. Students will generate at least one short paper and one longer one, with options for creative projects along the way.

MONSTERS What is a monster, and why are they so troubling? Where may we find monsters, and what questions may we ask of them? And what may our monsters tell us about our cultures and ourselves? Assuming that literary and cinematic evocations of the monstrous both negotiate differences and reveal anxieties inscribed onto the social imagination (including around categories of race, class, gender, sexuality, subjectivity, nationality, and history), this modest monster-hunt interrogates the durability, adaptability, and irrepressibility of our cultural nightmares. Considering both canonical and contemporary monsters, this course will begin with the problem of Grendel and examine figures such as ghosts, vampires, zombies, androids, and the Other on both the page and screen. Texts may include Beowulf, The Tempest (William Shakespeare), Frankenstein (Mary Shelley), The Turn of the Screw (Henry James), Zone One (Colson Whitehead), Her Body and Other Parties (Carmen Maria Machado), and Frankenstein in Baghdad (Ahmed Saadawi); films may include Alien, 28 Days Later, The Babadook, Ex Machina, The Shape of Water, and Us.

THE GRAPHIC NOVEL In short, a graphic novel is just a novel in comic strip form. But as a genre of literature, it is so much more. Graphic novels tell complex stories and use the language of pictures to interact with words in storytelling. In this course we will talk about the history of comics and how they have gained respect as a form of literature over the past few decades. We will explore the different genres of graphic novels, from memoir to adventure to coming of age tale, seeing the ways visual narrative works on the page. Possible texts include Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s Hey, Kiddo, Marjane Sartrapi’s Persepolis and G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona’s Ms. Marvel. We will also consider a final project inviting students to create their own short-form graphic novel.

HUMANITIES: HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCES These course offerings are designed to provide students with an understanding of history and its legacy for current national and world affairs. In ninth grade, students begin their inquiry with an exploration of how and why Europe emerged as the leading economic, political and military power by the dawn of the twentieth century and the consequences of its rise. In tenth grade, students continue with an examination of twentieth century global conflicts and struggles for human rights, followed by a study of United States history during their junior year. Beyond those requirements, students are encouraged to pursue advanced study through semester-length courses. All courses help students further develop the skills of critical reading, historical thinking, thoughtful discussion, and effective writing.

Yearlong Required Courses Why Europe?

US History (Honors)

Semester Required Course Modern World History

Yearlong Courses AP Comparative Government and Politics AP Art History Fall Semester Courses The Economics of Social Innovation Good Neighbors? US Foreign Policy, Immigration and Latin America Ethical Leadership and Social Innovation Popular Memory: History though Movies

Spring Semester Courses Civics in Action The Economics of Social Innovation

YEARLONG REQUIRED COURSES (2 credits) WHY EUROPE? The Story of Europe’s Rise to Power (Required for 9 graders) th

This course spans from the fourteenth century to the onset of World War Two. These centuries were marked by a significant increase in global activity that connected peoples across continents as never before. This time period also resulted in the rise of European dominance around the world, which marked the dawn of modern society. While Europe's ascent created the mold of how to become an industrialized, militarized, and imperialist power, some historians argue that there was nothing inevitable or predestined about Europe's global power. Students will explore how and why Europe emerged as the leading economic, political, and military power by the dawn of the twentieth century. In addition, students will examine the consequences of Europe's rise to dominance for the peoples of the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. A variety of original documents supplement the texts and aid students in developing the essential skills of careful reading, analytical thinking, research, and writing.

UNITED STATES HISTORY (Required for 11th graders) Students will examine the conflicts, events, and persons important to the expansion of democracy in the United States. Assignments include debates, seminar discussions, essays, research, creative projects, and document-based questions. We will utilize a variety of primary sources to help students engage the diverse experiences of people past and present. In addition to further developing the skills of analytical writing and critical thinking, students will become more adept at demonstrating the significance of an event by showing how it is connected to enduring issues, contextualizing primary sources, and making inferences from them, and identifying patterns of continuity and change. Prerequisite: Modern World History HONORS UNITED STATES HISTORY We invite students who want an additional challenge in U.S. History to earn the distinction of Honors. Throughout the year, students will engage in a long-term project that extends and enhances the required coursework in U.S. History. As a result, students will gain a more indepth understanding of critical issues and cultivate their independent thinking and research skills. Prerequisite: Modern World History

SEMESTER REQUIRED COURSE (1 credit) MODERN WORLD HISTORY (Required for 10th graders. Offered both semesters) This semester-long course will explore the major issues and turning points of world history by examining events from the 1930s through the Cold War era. By reading a variety of primary and secondary sources, students will examine historical concepts and events of the twentieth century including world war, holocaust and genocide, nationalism, fascism, communism, human rights, and movements of independence. An emphasis will be placed on enhancing students’ analytical skills and understanding of world history through discussion, debate, research, and writing. Prerequisite: Why Europe?

YEARLONG COURSES (2 credits) AP COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS (Open to 11 and 12 graders; preference given to seniors) th

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This political science course is about power – for example, how people get it, use it, lose it and why – in six countries: the U.K., Russia, China, Iran, Mexico, and Nigeria. Topics include authoritarianism, political change, elections, globalization, and democratization. Students explore the social, economic, and political issues that are behind the news stories we see from around the world. While the United States is not a focus of this course, by the end of our time together, students will be better equipped to understand and evaluate the issues facing it. The course prepares students for the Advanced Placement exam in May. Our coursework is consistent with an introductory college course.

AP ART HISTORY(Open to 11 and 12 graders; preference given to seniors) th

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In this course, students will ask the question: What is art and how can we use it to examine our past and present? Course explorations will include a careful examination of art, how art is made, an analysis of art and our reactions to art. Students will be exposed to a vast array of images and sculptures from varying cultures dating from a Global Pre-history (e.g. Stonehenge 2500 BCE1600 BCE) to a more Contemporary list of works such as Julie Mehretu’s, Stadia II, 2004Using the textbook Gateways to Art, students will be expected to actively participate in the classroom in order to truly enhance their visual and analytical skills to connect works of art to a variety of societies, philosophies, events and historical eras. While there are no academic prerequisites for this course, students should bring a considerable interest in the humanities and a willingness to engage in meaningful class discussion. The course prepares students for the Advanced Placement exam in May. FALL SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) GOOD NEIGHBORS? U.S. FOREIGN POLICY, IMMIGRATION, AND LATIN AMERICA (open to 10th, 11th, & 12th graders) One can hardly turn on the news or scroll through social media today without seeing something related to immigration on the southern U.S. border. Americans are inundated with opinions, images and stories about immigration policy. The complexities of U.S.-Latin America relations-especially regarding immigration--cannot be easily understood in a sound bite or a Tweet. In this course, students will explore the complex cultural, political, economic, and military relationships that have existed between the U.S. and Latin American countries such as Mexico, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. The course will culminate in students designing their own U.S. immigration policy.

ECONOMICS OF SOCIAL INNOVATION ((Open to 10 , 11 , & 12 graders) th

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Businesses can do well by doing good, and Rhode Island has a thriving community of small businesses who prove this axiom to be true. This course engages students in becoming a part of that community while learning the essential processes of entrepreneurship and social innovation.

Students will work closely with local entrepreneurs of socially minded enterprises in solving authentic problems that are immediate to their business. In tackling real-world problems, students will develop real world skills as they research, interview important constituents, create possible plans, and make formal pitches to business owners. Students will gain an understanding of strengths they bring to teams and cultivate effective strategies by working in small groups. In partnership with the Social Enterprise Greenhouse, students will develop a broader sense of the connections between people, businesses, industries, and economies. Students are responsible for sharing and assessing weekly local, national, and international business news, and will go well beyond readings from the Harvard Business Review, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Forbes to apply what they have learned. Prerequisite: None ETHICAL LEADERSHIP AND SOCIAL INNOVATION: Utilizing Peer Leaders to Foster Community Relationships (open to 12th graders--application required) The transition to high school is a formative time in students’ lives. As the oldest members of the student body, seniors can play a significant role in welcoming ninth graders to the upper school and imparting the philosophy, culture, and values of the Moses Brown community. But how does one become an ethical leader? What are the qualities of an ethical leader? What types of actions do ethical leaders take? Students of this course will discuss these essential questions and work to hone the following skills: active listening, asking open-ended questions, including all members of a group, giving clear directions, and fostering discussions. Additionally, Peer Leaders will help introduce Ninth Grade Immersion by teaching ninth graders about the concepts of social innovation and engaged scholarship. Working in pairs, Peer Leaders will practice the activities that they will present to the ninth graders, which will center on topics such as MB school culture, diversity, equity and inclusion, health and wellness, time management, and decision-making.

After leading an activity with their Freshmen Studies class, Peer Leaders will reflect on their practice as a group and develop skills for improving as ethical leaders. Through their work with ninth graders, Peer Leaders will model the qualities expected of all Moses Brown students: respect, integrity, acceptance and kindness.

POPULAR MEMORY: HISTORY THOUGH MOVIES (Open to 10 , 11 , & 12 graders) th

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Most Americans learn about the past through movies and television. These historicized dramas create a popular memory of the past that is powerful and problematic. This course will examine how fictionalized visual media that incorporate bygone eras, historical events or historical figures can present rich tools for learning about the past and diminish understanding of it. As Americans contend with what the U.S. is and what it should be, is popular memory an obstacle or an opportunity? Course topics may include war, the West, political leaders, the Civil Rights Movement, economic crises, and how politics work.

Due to the availability of streaming, students will view most of the featured films and television shows outside of class.

SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) CIVICS IN ACTION (open to 11th and 12th graders) Civic engagement is at the heart of our Quaker mission at Moses Brown as we seek to prepare students to be active, culturally literate, and ethical citizens and leaders in our local, national and global communities. In the Humanities in particular, we educate our students about the history of the United States and the expansion and contraction of democracy—which is still taking place today. This course provides students with the opportunity to identify, research and draft public policy initiatives for a local, state, or national issue. Each year, the policy initiatives change depending on students’ interests. The course also follows local, state, and national politics in order for students to see basic civic principles in action and to become informed and engaged citizens. Prerequisite: U.S. History.

ECONOMICS OF SOCIAL INNOVATION (Open to 10th, 11th & 12th graders) See description above.

HUMANITIES: RELIGION, ETHICS AND PSYCHOLOGY As a Friends School, we are committed to teaching about religion, nurturing spirituality in our students, and creating space in our curriculum and daily life that allows for pluralistic dialogue about religion. Friends’ testimony of equality invites us to remember that each person is worthy of equal respect. Seeking to understand religions and their practitioners allows us to demonstrate this respect for peoples whose beliefs may be different from our own.

For centuries Friends have been letting their lives speak through the everyday practice of living out their testimonies. At MB, we often refer to these testimonies as Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship/Service. The study of Ethics and Psychology allow students to examine the world in which they live and consider the governing personalities and behaviors of human beings as they navigate their way through the world. Through the study of Religion, Ethics and Psychology, we are uniquely situated to help to revive the ancient Greek concept of eudaimonia, or living well, by helping students to develop their own ethical frameworks.

Religious Studies is the semester-long required course that introduces sophomores to the academic study of religion. Each year, we offer a variety of semester-length courses in religion, ethics, and psychology for students in 11th and 12th grades (with options for sophomores with permission of the instructor).

Yearlong Courses AP Psychology

Semester Required Course Religious Studies

Fall Semester Courses Religion, Conflict, and Identity in the Middle East The Psychology of Race (offered 2022-2023)

Spring Semester Courses Contemporary Ethics Media, Culture, and Politics in the US

REQUIRED SEMESTER COURSE (1 credit) RELIGIOUS STUDIES (offered both semesters) Religious Studies is a semester-long course for sophomores which introduces students to the academic study of religion. We introduce five religious’ traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. We pay particular attention to the plurality of traditions within each religion and learn from scholars as well as practitioners about the lived experience of these religions. Students will use research, critical thinking, and problem solving to explore dilemmas presented by religion’s relationship with society. As a final project, students will have the opportunity to dive deeply into a religious tradition and topic of their choosing. This course will enable students to become active, skillful, and ethical participants in dialogue about religion in the classroom, the home, on social media, and in other spaces of the public sphere.

YEARLONG COURSE (2 credits) AP PSYCHOLOGY (Open to 11 and 12 graders; preference given to seniors) th

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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 will be exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They will also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice. The aim of this course is to provide the student with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory psychology courses. In addition, the course is intended to prepare students to take the AP exam in the spring. The goal is for students to gain terminology, practices, and understandings that further their individual growth, learning and interest in Psychology. Students will be well prepared to take the AP Exam in the spring.

FALL SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) RELIGION, CONFLICT, AND IDENTITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST (open to 11 and 12 graders, 10 graders with permission of the instructor) th

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This course will explore the relationship between religion, politics, economics, and culture in the modern Middle East. Focusing on the region from the late nineteenth century until the current day, the course will encourage students to look beyond popular and often misleading explanations of the contemporary conflicts. The goal of the course is to demonstrate how shifting political landscapes and economic conflicts are the roots of religious violence and extremism. We will begin by examining the historical relationship between the Middle East and the three largest monotheistic traditions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We will then examine how colonialism and the creation of modern nation states impacted the region and the division of religious groups. We will study the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, particularly in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the rise of al-Qaeda and ISIS, the Syrian Civil War, the Sunni/Shi’a divide, and the history of Israel/Palestine. Throughout the course, we will pay particular attention to how the United States’ government and citizens understand and react to events in the region. We will also critique the popular narrative of religious divisions as the root of the conflicts both within the Middle East and between the Middle East and the West.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF RACE (open to 10th, 11th & 12th graders) (offered in 2022-2023) Since the early twentieth century, psychologists have both affirmed and questioned the concept of race. This course will examine the ways psychology has grappled with the idea of “race” in the 20 and 21 century. The first half of the semester will focus on the construction and promotion of race based ideologies of the early twentieth century. We will consider ways that African American and other social scientists and psychologists worked to dismantle harmful constructions of race while examining the impact of race on American society. The second half of the semester will examine our current understanding of racial identity development and the enduring problem of racial biases in schools and in society. Current psychologists of race seek to understand the impact of implicit and uncovered bias in our schools and have found the consequences to include a range of issues including low self-esteem, lowered academic performance and depression. A full understanding of how race and racism operates in our society is empowering and a necessary tool to counteract and disrupt systems of inequality. Students will consider ways to support their own developing identities. The central questions of the course are: What is the most current definition and meaning of race and racism among psychologists? How has psychology promoted as well as denied measures of exclusion? How can students better understand social movements such as #blacklivesmatter and #blackgirlmagic, through the lens of psychology? These topics and others will be examined through reading, discussion, journaling, and individual research projects throughout the semester. This course will use a student-centered approach to learning and foster critical thinking and discussion skills as well as academic research and writing. th

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*This course is offered in alternating years. It will not be offered for the 2021 – 2022 school year; students interested in the course should plan ahead to enroll in 2022-23.

SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) CONTEMPORARY ETHICS (open to 10th, 11th & 12th graders) Ethics is a branch of philosophy that raises questions about how we should live. In this class, we will explore major branches of ethical thought, such as utilitarianism, libertarianism, Kantian ethics, and virtue ethics. The following questions will ground our work together: Are there universal moral laws, or does morality depend on culturally specific times and places? What is justice? What are our responsibilities to one another? Do we value the happiness of the many over individual happiness? What is freedom? What is the common good? What role does the state have in regulating moral decisions? What virtues should we develop in modern society?

How can we apply the ethical theories of philosophers in our daily lives? We will work to understand the theoretical foundations of ethics so that we can tackle modern day ethical dilemmas and questions, working through topics such as fair labor practices and war. We finish the course by reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson to interrogate the current criminal justice system in the United States.

MEDIA, CULTURE, AND POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES (Open to 10th, 11th, & 12th graders) In this course, we will consider how media sources reflect and reproduce fundamental structures in our society and examine how popular media depicts the intersection of race, class, and gender, particularly as current events unfold. Drawing on current social scientific research, we will tackle such questions as: How are stereotypes both reflected in and produced by the traditional media and the ever-evolving social media landscape? What possibilities and challenges does the new media landscape present? What does it mean to be responsible consumers and producers of media in the twenty-first century?

MATHEMATICS The mathematics program is designed to fulfill these goals: ● To develop in students an appreciation for the essential character of mathematics as an intellectual discipline ● To foster development of logical reasoning skills, both inductive and deductive, and the ability to use these skills in general problem solving tasks beyond the mathematics classroom. ● To give students a mathematical foundation that is sufficient for all levels of further study ● To help students master technical skills that will be needed in their future studies Moses Brown offers up to three levels of full year courses. All students are placed in a level based on the recommendation of their current math teacher. Students are placed into AP courses based on the recommendation of the department.

All upper school math courses require a TI-83 or TI-84 (or equivalent) graphing calculator.

Moses Brown does not provide calculators to students.

Yearlong Courses Algebra 1 Geometry, Accelerated Geometry, Honors Geometry Algebra 2, Accelerated Algebra 2, Honors Algebra 2 Precalculus, Accelerated Precalculus, Honors Precalculus Accelerated Calculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC Multivariable Calculus* Linear Algebra/Differential Equations* Introduction to Statistics/Statistics in Action AP Statistics AP Computer Science Principles** AP Computer Science** Fall Semester Courses Economics of Business

Spring Semester Courses Python Programming in Discrete Mathematics* Statistics in Action

*Note: Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra/Differential Equations are offered on an alternating schedule. In the 2021-2022 school year, the department will offer Linear Algebra/Differential Equations. **Note: Computer Science courses are described under the Computer Science department and are co-listed in the Mathematics and Science departments. Students will receive credit in either Math or Science.

YEARLONG COURSES (2 credits) ALGEBRA 1 This course reviews number systems and covers fundamental operations, including fractions, exponents, square roots, functions, solving linear and quadratic equations, polynomials, factoring, graphing, and general problem-solving skills. Students are placed in Algebra 1 based on grades and teacher recommendations.

GEOMETRY This course studies traditional Euclidean geometry in two and three dimensions. Topics include lines and planes, congruency, polygons, similarity, Pythagorean relationships, circles, triangle trigonometry, area, and volume. The honors course will put increased emphasis on the concept of formal proof.

Levels: Geometry, Accelerated Geometry, Honors Geometry Prerequisite: Algebra 1 and department permission ALGEBRA 2 This course is a continuation of first year Algebra and emphasizes skill development and critical thinking. Topics include factoring and operations with rational, irrational and polynomial expressions, graphing of relations and various functions, solutions of linear and quadratic equations, inequalities and systems, rational and real exponents, logarithms, and rational functions. The honors course will include an introduction to circle trigonometry.

Levels: Algebra 2, Accelerated Algebra 2, Honors Algebra 2 Prerequisite: Algebra 1 and department permission; (Geometry can be taken as a prerequisite or co-requisite with department permission).

PRECALCULUS This course is an in-depth survey of the fundamental mathematical functions used to model real phenomena, including polynomial, rational, exponential, and trigonometric functions and their applications. The course is designed to enhance inferential thinking skills. Students enrolling in Precalculus Honors and Accelerated can expect little to no review of linear and quadratic functions. In addition, Honors students can expect a faster pace that covers more material such as polar coordinates, math on the complex plane, sequences and series, and the derivative, as well as a more in-depth treatment of all function types. Facility with a TI-83 or TI-84 graphing calculator is required for this course.

Levels: Precalculus, Accelerated Precalculus, Honors Precalculus Prerequisite: Algebra 2 and department permission

CALCULUS The main topics covered in this course include limits, derivatives, and integrals. Students learn to compute derivatives of a variety of functions, and apply them to solve problems, including those involving optimization and motion. Students also learn methods of computing integrals as well as their applications. Accelerated Calculus begins with further development of selected Precalculus topics. Facility with a TI-83 or TI-84 graphing calculator is required for this course.

Levels: Accelerated Calculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC Prerequisite: Accelerated Precalculus or Honors Precalculus, and department permission LINEAR ALGEBRA/DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS This honors-level course will focus on linear algebra for one semester and differential equations for the other semester. The linear algebra portion of the course will take students from the concrete ideas to the more abstract ideas. Beginning with a review of matrix operations and solving linear systems and observing the solution sets, they will work towards the general idea of vector spaces, including eigenvalues and eigenvectors, and linear mappings. Once a base of theory is established students will look at popular applications of the subject including linear regression and graph theory. The differential equations portion of the course will build upon the work done in calculus on separable differential equations. Students will learn about ordinary differential equations and use this knowledge to solve a variety of types of differential equations and explore their applications through common modeling problems, including predator/prey models and circuit systems.

Prerequisite: AP Calculus BC *This course is offered in alternating years with Multivariable Calculus. It will be offered for the 2021 – 2022 school year.

MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS This honors-level course covers techniques of calculus in two and three dimensions. Topics may include, but are not limited to: vectors, parametric curves, partial derivatives and multiple integrals.

Prerequisite: AP Calculus BC *This course is offered in alternating years with Linear Algebra/Differential Equations. It will not be offered for the 2021 – 2022 school year.

INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS/STATISTICS IN ACTION In this year-long course, students will study descriptive statistics, research study design, basic probability, and inferential statistics. The first half of the course focuses on educating and empowering students to be critical consumers of statistical information who can create and interpret graphs and summary statistics in both qualitative and quantitative contexts.

The second half of the course gives students the opportunity to see statistics in action, allowing them to further their understanding of the statistical research process and its implications for greater insight into social issues. Students will apply their knowledge of statistics to address real-time questions that need to be explored at Moses Brown and across the state of RI. This course will allow students to further develop their sense of the power of statistics with a focus on engaged scholarship, through reciprocal collaborations between students and the community. Students will collect, organize, interpret and analyze real data and will share their findings with our school leadership or leaders of non-profit organizations in RI. Prerequisite: Algebra 2 or Precalculus.

AP STATISTICS This course follows the curriculum for the Advanced Placement curriculum as established by the College Board. It is generally equivalent to a half year of college statistics. Major topics include exploratory data analysis, experimental design, probability, and statistical inference. All students will be prepared to take the optional AP Statistics exam. Technology used includes TI-84 calculators and Minitab computer software.

Prerequisite: Accelerated Precalculus, Honors Precalculus, Honors Algebra 2 or department permission AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES (Open to 10th, 11th, & 12th graders) See description in the Computer Science section AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMMING (Open to 11th and 12th graders) See description in the Computer Science section

FALL SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) ECONOMICS OF BUSINESS (open to 11th and 12th graders only) What will you eat today? What will you wear? What college will you go to? You make choices every single day. Economics is a social science that focuses on decision making by individuals, businesses, and countries. All of these groups are limited in terms of the types and amounts of resources (time, money, land, etc.) available to them. In this class, students will explore the art of making optimal choices by analyzing market data, participating in dynamic in-class simulations, exploring the stock market, and investigating case studies of actual companies. The class will culminate with the students being put in charge of virtual companies and competing and/or collaborating with each other across various markets.

Prerequisite: Algebra 2 SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) PYTHON PROGRAMMING IN DISCRETE MATH (Open to 10 , 11 & 12 graders) th

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In this semester-long course, students will study mathematical structures and computations that are discrete or finite (countable sets) rather than continuous functions. A heavy emphasis will be placed on using the Python programming language to write scripts that perform calculations and produce graphs that help visualize numerical patterns. Students will learn through hands-on experience by writing programs to solve specific challenges. Topics include prime numbers, prime partitions, probability simulations, sequences and series, and fractals. Programming topics introduced include variables, mathematical operators, control flow, loops, lists, dictionaries, functions, recursion, and the matplotlib library. Previous programming experience is not necessary.

Prerequisite: Algebra 2 STATISTICS IN ACTION This (semester) course gives students the opportunity to see statistics in action, allowing them to further their understanding of the statistical research process and its implications for greater insight into social issues. Students will apply their knowledge of statistics to address real-time questions that need to be explored at Moses Brown and across the state of RI. This course will allow students to further develop their sense of the power of statistics with a focus on engaged scholarship, through reciprocal collaborations between students and the community. Students will collect, organize, interpret and analyze real data and will share their findings with our school leadership or leaders of non-profit organizations in RI.

Prerequisite: Introduction to Statistics or AP Statistics

SCIENCE The Science Department strives to nurture a spirit of inquiry as we guide students in the study of the natural and physical sciences. Engaging students in field and laboratory work and studying scientific literature enriches the study of the natural world. We explore the history of science and consider the implications of science in modern life. Students develop their analytical thinking skills as they learn to apply the scientific method.

Students generally enroll in Biology in 9 grade and Chemistry in 10 grade and Physics in 11 grade (see below for levels). In cases where students may not feel confident about their level of science or mathematics preparation, Physics 9 can be taken first followed by Biology and Chemistry. Science semester and year-long courses (such as AP classes) are available to 12 graders who would like the opportunity to continue their studies in science. These courses are also available to 11 grade students who have satisfied the necessary prerequisites and are recommended by the science department faculty. Semester-length courses may be open to students beyond 11 and 12 grade; please see course descriptions for details. th

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Yearlong Courses (please note prerequisites) Physics 9 AP Biology Biology AP Chemistry Honors Biology AP Environmental Science Chemistry AP Physics C Honors Chemistry AP Computer Science Principles* Physics AP Computer Science Programming* AP Physics 1

Fall Semester Courses Human Anatomy and Physiology Marine Biology Forensic Science Engineering Design

Spring Semester Courses Human Anatomy and Physiology Ornithology Forensic Science Engineering Design Robotics and Engineering Python Programming in Discrete Math* Science and Society

*Note: Computer Science courses are described under the Computer Science section and are co-listed in the Mathematics and Science departments. Students will receive credit in either Math or Science.

YEARLONG COURSES (2 credits) PHYSICS 9 (open to 9 graders) th

Physics 9 is a year-long, introductory course providing students with an opportunity to investigate several fundamental principles of physics. These fundamental principles—Newton’s laws, gravity, energy, and electricity—will be explored through a series of hands-on/minds-on learning experiences where emphasis is placed on gaining a conceptual understanding of these principles. In this course, concepts are first, mathematics are second. Additionally, the mathematics encountered is restricted to basic algebra and will serve only to support and strengthen students’ conceptual understandings of physics phenomena. This course will culminate in an authentic, real-world investigation of solar and wind energy and its implications for the world. Placement in this course is dependent upon recommendations from middle school science teachers in consultation with the 9 grade Class Dean. th

BIOLOGY (open to 9 and 10 graders) th

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This course covers a broad range of biological topics. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is the foundation of the course and the tie that binds topics in biochemistry, cellular biology, molecular biology, genetics, anatomy and physiology, biodiversity, and ecology. In addition to these concepts, there is a strong study skills component as it applies to the study of science; skills including effective note-taking, effective use of a textbook, and scientific writing. Semester 2 ends with a non-cumulative semester exam. Placement in this class is dependent upon recommendations from middle school science teachers in consultation with the 9th grade Class Dean.

HONORS BIOLOGY (open to 9 and 10 graders) th

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The honors biology course is designed for students with a strong background in laboratory-based science and an interest in the natural world. Topics covered are similar to biology (biochemistry, cellular biology, molecular biology, genetics, anatomy and physiology, biodiversity, and ecology), but are introduced in greater depth and with more analytical detail. Along with a strong background in science, students should have strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills. Semester 2 ends with a cumulative semester exam. Placement in this class is dependent upon recommendations from middle school science teachers in consultation with the 9th grade Grade Dean.

CHEMISTRY (open to 10th, 11th, & 12th graders) This year-long course is an introduction to the science of chemistry. Inorganic and physical chemistry topics are the primary focus of the course. Examples include acid and base chemistry, chemical nomenclature, stoichiometry, solutions and states of matter. Organic, nuclear and environmental chemistry are covered on a smaller scale. A significant portion of time is spent in the lab where students learn how to problem solve, to draw conclusions from experimental data and to apply principles learned in class and in their reading. Prerequisite: Biology or permission of department chair, Algebra 1 HONORS CHEMISTRY (open to 10th, 11th & 12th graders) This year-long course, for students with a strong background and interest in science and mathematics, covers a syllabus similar to Chemistry, but in greater depth and more mathematical detail. Additional topics such as electrochemistry, organic chemistry, nuclear chemistry, and mathematical treatments of equilibrium and acid-base chemistry are covered. This course involves a significant amount of laboratory work. Students are expected to collect, analyze, and interpret scientific data and use their mathematical skills to understand the underlying chemical principles. Prerequisite: Biology and/or department chair permission. Co-requisite: Algebra II. PHYSICS (open to 11 and 12 graders) th

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Physics is a year-long introductory physics course. Students learn the central role of the concepts of force and energy in explaining and mathematically analyzing a wide range of types of motion. The same concepts are subsequently used to study such diverse phenomena as waves, electricity, and magnetism. Experimental data are used to test many of the mathematical models presented in class. Co-requisite: Algebra II; Pre-calculus is recommended.

AP PHYSICS 1 (open to 11 and 12 graders) th

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AP Physics 1 is a first year, algebra-based, honors-level introductory physics course featuring hands-on investigations in areas of mechanics, energy, waves, and electricity. The course is mathematically rigorous and will require students to understand and apply algebra and trigonometry in various settings in concert with a conceptual understanding of physics. This course prepares students for the AP Physics 1 exam in May. Co-requisite: Honors Pre-calculus or recommendation from the math department chair.

AP BIOLOGY (open to 11 and 12 graders) th

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AP Biology is an advanced-level course designed to offer a solid foundation in introductory college-level biology. The first semester includes exploration of population and community ecology, cellular biology and Mendelian and modern genetics. The second semester includes molecular biology, evolutionary theory, animal behavior and a survey of plant and animal life histories. Laboratory work complements all the major topics investigated throughout the year. Investigations of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, enzyme activity, molecular biology, bacterial transformation and cladistics are just a few of the many laboratory investigations undertaken. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Exam in Biology. Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry and permission of department chair are required; Prerequisite or Co-requisite: Physics AP CHEMISTRY (open to 11 and 12 graders) th

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This second-year chemistry course provides an in-depth study of the topics covered in college general chemistry: elements, compounds, and chemical reactions; properties of gases, liquids, solids, and solutions; chemical equilibrium (including acid-base chemistry); thermodynamics; electrochemistry and oxidation/reduction reactions; chemical kinetics; and an introduction to modern theories of atomic and molecular structure. In this course, students are taught the foundations of chemistry from a mathematical framework, including the important relationships between electrochemistry, thermodynamics, and equilibrium. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Exam in Chemistry.

Prerequisites: Chemistry and permission of the department chair are required.

Prerequisite or Co-requisite: Physics.

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (open to 11 and 12 graders) th

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This course provides students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. Topics include land use, biodiversity, ecosystem management, agriculture, energy resources, pollution, and climate change. Students will identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and humanmade to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems. Ethics and economics will be considered while seeking solutions for resolving and/or preventing these problems. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Exam in Environmental Science. Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry and permission of department chair are required; Prerequisite or Corequisite: Physics

AP PHYSICS C (open to 12 graders) th

The Advanced Placement Physics C course provides one year of college physics at the level normally required of students who are majoring in science or engineering. This is a calculusbased course. The year is divided into two parts: mechanics and electricity/magnetism. Strong emphasis is placed on solving a variety of challenging problems, many which require calculus.

This course prepares students for the Physics C Advanced Placement Exam. The course may emphasize the mechanics content and require students taking the electricity and magnetism exam to do some independent preparation. Prerequisite: Physics, Co-requisite: Calculus. Permission of the department chair is required.

AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES (Open to 10th, 11th & 12th graders) Please see the description in the Computer Science section.

AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMMING (Open to 11 and 12 graders) th

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Please see the description in the Computer Science section.

FALL SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) HUMAN ANATOMY and PHYSIOLOGY (open to 11 and 12 graders) th

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This course examines the structure and function of the human body. We study the complexity of interactions among major organ systems in order to gain a complete understanding of human physiological systems. We will also investigate basic pharmacology affecting each of the organ systems. Systems of study include the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, lymphatic, nervous, endocrine, reproductive, excretory, and gastrointestinal. Laboratory investigations, including exercise physiology experiments and extensive dissections of the fetal pig and dogfish shark comprise a significant part of the course. Interested students should possess good laboratory techniques, strong reading skills and an interest in and enthusiasm for biology. Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry.

FORENSIC SCIENCE (open to 11 and 12 graders) th

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Forensic Science is the application of science (chemistry, physics, and biology) to the criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system. It includes the analysis of a crime scene, investigation of biological and non-biological evidence, and determination of cause of death. Students are taught critical analysis and the proper collection, preservation, and laboratory testing of various samples as well as misconceptions surrounding certain evidence. There will be case studies included in each unit. Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry

MARINE BIOLOGY (open to 11 and 12 graders, 10 graders with permission) th

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This course examines the relationships and interactions between marine organisms and their environment. We first learn about the physical characteristics of the oceans and then conduct a detailed survey of the specific organisms (from sponges to whales) of the New England rocky shore. We also study the organisms and ecology of coral reefs, deep sea and hydrothermal vent communities. Hands-on labs (such as dissection) supplement our study of marine microorganisms, invertebrates, fish, and mammals. Interested students should possess good laboratory techniques, strong reading skills, and an interest in and enthusiasm for biology. Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry (chemistry can be a co-requisite) ENGINEERING DESIGN (open to 10 , 11 , & 12 graders) th

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This course challenges students to use science and math to construct various contraptions (ranging from bridges made from popsicle sticks to cardboard boats to PVC wind turbines). Students collaborate in small groups using the engineering process to build, test and improve prototypes. Students also learn how to use different tools and technology for each project. This course can introduce students to the world of physics, but it can also reinforce concepts to students who have already taken physics. The course is designed to help students understand the real-world relevance of engineering. (This course does not qualify for science credit by the NCAA and cannot be used for NCAA initial eligibility certification for Division 1 or Division 2 colleges.)

SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit) HUMAN ANATOMY and PHYSIOLOGY (open to 11 and 12 graders) th

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See course description above.

ORNITHOLOGY (open to 11 and 12 graders, 10 graders with permission) th

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Ornithology is a branch of biology that studies birds. There is an emphasis on the outdoor field identification component of the class; we will take numerous field trips to varied habitats where winter residents, waterfowl, shorebirds and spring migrants can be observed. Class discussion is based around bird biology with investigations into their ecology, life histories, behavior and evolution. Conservation of endangered species and human impact issues are also discussed.

Prerequisite: Biology FORENSIC SCIENCE (open to 11 and 12 graders) See course description above. th

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ENGINEERING DESIGN (open to 10 , 11 , & 12 graders) See course description above. th

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ROBOTICS and ENGINEERING (open to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders) Whether it’s medicine, agriculture, space exploration, or search and rescue, the field of robotics is transforming the way human beings work and extending our capabilities. In this class, you will analyze problems, create algorithms, and program in RobotC, combining imagination and passion to explore how robots can help solve meaningful problems and improve life for people around the world. You’ll engage in design-thinking while gaining practice in 21st century skills such as collaboration and teamwork, expert thinking, problem solving, and creativity. No prerequisite. (This course does not qualify for science credit by the NCAA and cannot be used for NCAA initial eligibility certification for Division 1 or Division 2 colleges.).

PYTHON PROGRAMMING IN DISCRETE MATH (open to all grade levels) Please see the description in the Computer Science program.

SCIENCE AND SOCIETY (open to 11th and 12th graders, 10th graders with permission) This course explores the central role of science and technology in shaping human life, human civilizations, and human thought from the agricultural revolution to the present day. Students explore topics through reading, laboratory investigation, research papers, and student presentations. Specific units vary from year to year but include medicine and disease, agricultural biotechnology and food science, mass production, archaeology, transportation technology, evolutionary theory, neuroscience, and psychology. In addition to coursework, students engage in a collaborative project designed to benefit the community through the development and implementation of new technology. Prerequisite: Biology

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WORLD LANGUAGES The primary goal of language study is to prepare each student to communicate and to comprehend cultural similarities and differences more effectively in today's complex and interconnected world. Modern language instruction gives equal prominence to the language itself and to reading, history, and national culture. Classical language study includes the structure of Latin as well as readings in a variety of literary selections.

Students are required to complete a three-year consecutive sequence of study in one language. The World Language Department offers four-year programs in French, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and Latin. In addition, juniors and seniors can opt to take a yearlong elective in Italian language and culture.

The honors program is offered for French, Latin, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish (starting in the 2 level). This program is a rigorous course of study in advanced grammar and written and oral expression designed for those students who want to study the language intensively and have the recommendation of their current language teacher. nd

Yearlong Courses (2 credits) French 1, 2, 2H, 3, 3H, 4, 4H, 5, AP “Benvenuti All’italia!” Seminar in Italian Language and Culture Latin 1, 2, 2H, 3, 3H, 4, AP, 5H Mandarin Chinese 1, 2, 2H, 3, 3H, 4, 4H Spanish 1, 2, 2H, 3, 3H, 4, 4H, 5, AP

CLASSICAL LANGUAGES LATIN LATIN 1 Fundamental grammar, syntax, and vocabulary are the foundation for this course, which also includes elementary readings and composition, etymology of English words, and an introduction to ancient Roman civilization.

LATIN 2 or HONORS LATIN 2 This course covers grammar, advanced translation (Caesar and The Millionaire's Dinner Party), mythology, etymology of English words, and aspects of Roman civilization. Honors level students are required to translate additional material at a quicker pace and students are assessed based on a more in-depth analysis of the texts. Prerequisites: one year of Upper School Latin or two years of Latin at the Middle School level. Placement, including honors placement, will be at the discretion of the department chair, including a possible placement examination.

LATIN 3 or HONORS LATIN 3 This course has students studying selected readings in Latin literature, including prose (Cicero), poetry (Ovid), and comedy (Plautus). The time period ranges from early Rome through the Middle Ages. Honors level students are required to translate additional material at a quicker pace and students are assessed based on a more in-depth analysis of the texts. Prerequisite: Latin 2/2H LATIN 4 Students will read selections from Vergil’s Aeneid as well as from Caesar’s Gallic Wars.

Prerequisites: Latin 3 and the permission of the department AP LATIN This course follows the College Board syllabus for the Advanced Placement course with selections from both Vergil’s Aeneid as well as from Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Students will be prepared to take the optional Advanced Placement exam. Prerequisites: Latin 3 and the permission of the department HONORS LATIN 5 This course has students study the poets Catullus and Horace as well as other authors that the class chooses. The texts will be read as literature, social commentary, and entertainment.

Prerequisites: Latin 3 and the permission of the department

MODERN LANGUAGES FRENCH FRENCH 1 This course introduces students to the four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking in French. This course covers elementary grammar with an emphasis on vocabulary and pronunciation. Students are exposed to a range of themes and an overview of French culture, history, and geography. A particular emphasis on oral drills will emphasize the verbal aspect of the French language. Prerequisite: Placement is at the discretion of the department.

FRENCH 2 or HONORS FRENCH 2 This course is a continuation of French 1 and reinforces grammatical structures and vocabulary from the beginning level. Intermediate grammar and speaking skills are introduced with various themes that emphasize the study of Francophone culture and history. Students further their listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills with an emphasis on oral and written work. The Honors level involves more advanced readings and more frequent writing assignments. The Honors course moves at a quicker pace, and students analyze in-depth more demanding materials. Prerequisite: For French 2: French 1. For French 2H: Placement is at the discretion of the department chair, including a possible placement examination.

FRENCH 3 or HONORS FRENCH 3 In this course, students solidify previously learned grammatical concepts and increasing vocabulary while continuing to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Students are encouraged to use their language skills more actively and at a more sophisticated level. In addition to these skills, students will also familiarize themselves with the geography of the Francophone world, including the provinces, territories and capitals within these countries. The Honors level involves more advanced readings and more frequent writing assignments. The Honors course moves at a quicker pace, and students analyze in-depth more demanding materials. Prerequisite: For French 3: French 2. For French 3H: Placement is at the discretion of the department chair, including a possible placement examination.

FRENCH 4 or HONORS FRENCH 4 This upper-level course includes an accelerated review of basic grammar with continued emphasis on greater proficiency in the four language skills. Students focus on advanced grammatical structures, syntax, lexicon, and idiomatic expression. The French 4 Honors course is framed by a historical/literary/artistic overview of France and the readings and projects reflect that bias. The Honors level involves more advanced readings and more frequent writing assignments. The Honors course moves at a quicker pace, and students analyze in-depth more demanding materials. Prerequisite: For French 4: French 3. For French 4H: Placement is at the discretion of the department chair, including a possible placement examination.

FRENCH 5 This upper-level course includes a consolidation of basic grammar with continued emphasis on greater proficiency in the four language skills. Students focus on idiomatic expression. This course includes thematic units such as French gastronomy or France during the Occupation.

Prerequisite: French 4 or equivalent.

AP FRENCH LANGUAGE This course prepares the student for the College Board AP French Language exam and focuses on the four target-language skills at an advanced level. It is organized around an in-depth look at the Francophone world and challenges encountered in that world. The readings reflect this bias.

Authentic materials are used extensively in this course, including French newspapers and news programs as well as podcasts and other on-line sources. Prerequisite: A grade of B or better in French 4 Honors and the final approval of the department. All enrolled students will be well prepared to take the optional AP exam.

ITALIAN “BENVENUTI ALL’ITALIA!” SEMINAR IN ITALIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE This elective course combines study of the Italian language with cultural aspects of Italy, past and present. Students examine Italy’s regional geography, topography, and geopolitical position in Europe, while they learn terms and practical information to help them travel and navigate in Italy, including vocabulary for transportation, shopping, and cuisine. Students will be required to identify styles and key works of Italian art and architecture--for example, Renaissance, baroque, and futurist--and will discuss important moments in its history, including the reunification of Italy and Mussolini’s fascist period. The history of opera and the role of popular music in Italian culture will be covered, accompanied by listening selections, and students will research industrial and fashion design, view foundational works of Italian cinema, read literary selections in translation, and learn useful Italian vocabulary relevant to each topic discussed. The course will culminate in a project where each student will either delve more deeply into one of these cultural aspects (opera or Italian fascism, for ex.) and present to the class, or will present various cultural aspects of a given region of Italy (the cuisine, historical/cultural figures, etc. of Tuscany, for ex.).

The course is open to juniors and seniors. No prerequisite necessary.

MANDARIN CHINESE MANDARIN CHINESE 1 This course is a basic introduction to modern standard Chinese (Mandarin). Students will be exposed to the fundamental building blocks of Chinese that are necessary for future linguistic development, including lessons on pronunciation and tones, pinyin (the official phonetic transcription system for Mandarin), and the structural components of simplified Chinese characters. The first-level class will focus on vocabulary and sentence structures that are useful for personal introductions and conversations about families, friends, and hobbies. The course is centered on successful communication, and classroom activities are designed to engage students in active listening and speaking. At the same time, Chinese characters are introduced methodically and at a reasonable pace, so as to foster students’ interest in the development of important reading and writing skills. Through various forms of media and interactive classroom presentations, special attention is also paid to an awareness of Chinese culture, customs, and history.

MANDARIN CHINESE 2 or HONORS CHINESE 2 This course builds upon the progress that students have made in Chinese I. The Level 2 class continues forward with a communication-centric approach, encouraging students to take an active role in developing their listening and speaking skills. Students are exposed to additional vocabulary and more advanced grammar structures, learning to converse about topics including school life, shopping, transportation, travel, and weather, among other things. Chinese characters are introduced at a slightly faster pace, and there is a continued focus on the structural components of written characters that will help students to assimilate new vocabulary more quickly in future stages of learning. By the end of the course, students should be able to read and understand simple passages of writing in Chinese. Language study will continue to be enriched with Chinese history and culture through various multimedia sources. Honors-level students will be self-directed and demonstrate a readiness for more rigorous study of the written language.

Honors students will be required to read and translate additional authentic primary-source literature, and to develop a working knowledge of classical idiom (chengyu).

Prerequisite: Mandarin Chinese 1.

MANDARIN CHINESE 3 or HONORS CHINESE 3 This course continues the communication-based approach to learning Mandarin developed in Levels 1 and 2. Topics covered in Level 3 include eating out, asking for directions, seeing a doctor, and socializing at parties, among other things. Grammar will gradually get more complicated and non-intuitive for an English speaker, and students will have to employ their analytical and other intellectual skills in order to fully master new structures and expressions.

Longer, more complex Chinese passages will be part of classroom reading and new characters will be introduced at a quicker pace. Students will be expected to hold longer conversations with the instructor and their classmates, and they will be required to recognize and reproduce in writing a growing body of vocabulary and expressions. Further understanding of Chinese history and culture will be achieved through means similar to those used in Levels 1 and 2. Honorslevel students will be self-directed and demonstrate a readiness for more rigorous study of the written language. Honors students will be required to read and translate additional authentic primary-source literature, and to develop a working knowledge of classical idiom (chengyu).

Prerequisite: Mandarin Chinese 2 / 2 Honors.

MANDARIN CHINESE 4 or HONORS CHINESE 4 This course builds on Levels 1 through 3 and is designed for students who wish to take their study of Mandarin Chinese to the next level. A stricter focus is placed on communicating exclusively in the Chinese language during class, and students will continue to develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Characters and expressions are introduced at a more rapid pace, approaching the style of college-level instruction. Students will continue working with the Integrated Chinese textbook, but there will be an increased focus on learning from select authentic language materials such as chapter books, newspaper articles, poems, songs, clips from television series, and movies. Honors-level students will be self-directed and demonstrate a readiness for more rigorous study of the written language. Honors students will be required to read and translate additional authentic primary-source literature, and to develop a working knowledge of classical idiom (chengyu). Prerequisite: Mandarin Chinese 3 / 3 Honors.

SPANISH SPANISH 1 This course provides an introduction to the Spanish language through the skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students are taught basic vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and an essential foundation of grammar structures. Additionally, students learn about the contemporary Spanish speaking world and its culture.

Prerequisite: Placement will be at the discretion of the department.

SPANISH 2 or HONORS SPANISH 2 This course builds on the elements learned in Spanish 1, developing the student's ability to discuss present, past and future events with emphasis on vocabulary development through written and oral communication. Classes will integrate conversation, listening, reading and writing. Students will be presented with real-life scenarios throughout the year and culture will be integrated in the classroom for full immersion. The honors level will work at a quicker pace and have more advanced readings and writing. Prerequisites: One year of Upper School Spanish or a minimum of two years at the Middle School level along with the recommendation of the department.

SPANISH 3 In this level, topics from Spanish 2 are reinforced and a broad range of new grammar topics are explored including commands, the perfect tenses, an introduction to the subjunctive mood, and more. Students gain new perspectives on the Spanish language through films, music, and literature. Projects include the creation of a student newspaper, movie making based on various film genres, cooking, and a variety of oral presentations. Prerequisite: Spanish 2 / Spanish 2H. HONORS SPANISH 3 Students in this course strengthen their speaking skills and cultural understanding through reading and discussion of Spanish and Latin American short stories, historical selections and feature films. Grammar and vocabulary study is intensive. Students are expected to write more detailed and accurate essays and to present their ideas regularly in class. There will be different projects related to the content we are studying throughout the year. Prerequisites: Honors Spanish 2 and recommendation of the department.

SPANISH 4 This upper-level course leads the student to greater proficiency in listening and speaking skills and includes reinforcement (1 semester) and expansion (2 semester) of grammar, vocabulary, and idioms. Students work, analyze, and interpret different kinds of authentic texts and media including short movies, adapted newspaper articles, and literary texts (short stories and literary extracts). Students will strengthen their oral and written skills by completing various individual and group projects and by creating different multimedia products (short movies, fliers, presentations, written essays, and more). Prerequisite: Spanish 3 / 3H. st

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HONORS SPANISH 4 This challenging upper-level course prepares students for the AP Spanish Language program (see below). Emphasis is placed on mastery of grammar and vocabulary at an advanced level. Students will be asked to do extensive reading, writing, and speaking. In the first semester, each student will present and teach a cultural topic from the Spanish-speaking world for an entire class. The second semester includes the study of the history of Spain, including an in-depth focus on the Spanish Civil War. Students will explore the context for that tumultuous conflict by reading Federico García Lorca’s “La Casa de Bernarda Alba.” Prerequisites: Honors Spanish 3 and recommendation of the department.

SPANISH 5 Spanish 5 provides upper-level students with the chance to put their Spanish speaking and writing skills into a “real world” context. This course will explore in depth a variety of global challenges that Hispanic communities face including immigration, poverty, the destruction of the environment, child labor, chemical substance addition and narcoterrorism, and civil war. Other topics include Spanish culture and history as manifested in Spanish cinema and different artistic movements. Students will be expected to read, research, and come to class prepared to discuss these topics in depth. They will also collaborate to make films, creative projects, and frequent presentations. Prerequisite: Spanish 4 AP SPANISH LANGUAGE This course focuses on speaking and writing in the target language at an advanced level. Although this course is designed to prepare the student for the College Board AP Spanish Language exam, it does so with the overarching objective of making the student a better communicator in the Spanish language, as well as more culturally conscious. It is organized around a range of contemporary and relevant topics, as well as some aspects of Spanish and Latin American history. Throughout the year advanced grammatical concepts are reviewed while simultaneously building vocabulary. We also work on specific speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills necessary to achieve an advanced level of proficiency in Spanish. All enrolled students will be well prepared to take the optional AP exam.

Prerequisites: A grade of B or better in Spanish 4 Honors and the final approval of the department.