Upper School
PROGRAM SEQUENCE | ACADEMIC YEAR 2025–26
UPPER SCHOOL PROGRAM SEQUENCE
GRADE 9
GRADE 10
ENGLISH World Literature American Literature
ELECTIVES
• African American Literature
GRADE 11
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
GRADE 12
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• The Bible as Literature • Creative Writing Workshop • Dystopia
• Humor Workshop: Reading and Writing
• Literature of New York
• Modern Literature
• Japanese Literature in Translation • The Literary Landscape
• Literature and Psychology
• Magical Realism • Memoir and Autofiction
• Nuclear Texts: Literature and Culture in the Age of the Bomb
• Pulp Fiction and Noir: A Study of Genre and Style
• The Writer’s Craft
ADVANCED TOPICS
• Author Study: Toni Morrison
• Introduction to Linguistics
HISTORY
• Reading Moby Dick • Satire and Society
• Frankenstein’s Legacy
• Law and Literature
• Postmodernism and Literature
• Atlantic World History
• Gender Studies
• Introduction to Critical Theory
• Modernism • Postcolonial Literature
• Queering the Text: Transforming the Silences
• Ideologies of the Contemporary World
• Electives
• What is Love?
• American History & Civics
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
ELECTIVES
• American Art History with the Brooklyn Museum
• Asian American: Intersection and Community Building in U.S. History
• Conflict and Compromise: Settlement-1865
• Decolonization in the Age of the Anthropocene
• Latin American History
• Postcolonial Africa
ADVANCED TOPICS
MATHEMATICS
• Conflict and Compromise: 1865-Present
• Immigration and Migration
• News, Networks, and American Democracy
• Postcolonial History of Southeast Asia
• International Relations
• Origins and Consequences of 9/11
• Slavery and Resistance
• The World’s Wisdom Traditions: An Introduction to Abrahamic Religions
• Democracy and Conflict in the American Political System
• Environmental American History
• Modern Middle Eastern History
• Geometry
• Accelerated Geometry
• Advanced Geometry
• Algebra I
ELECTIVES
ADVANCED TOPICS
SCIENCE
• Discrete Mathematics
• Linear Algebra
• Biology
ELECTIVES
ADVANCED TOPICS
• The Enlightenment
• How Indigenous History is Made
• Latinx Cultural History
• Algebra II
• Accelerated Algebra II
• Advanced Precalculus
• Electives
• Economics
• Statistics
• Advanced Biology
• Financial Literacy
• Topics in Precalculus
• Precalculus
• Accelerated Precalculus
• Accelerated Calculus I
• Advanced Calculus I
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• Statistics
• Chemistry
• Advanced Chemistry
• Science Research I
• Earth Systems and Structures
• Urban Ecology
• Physics
• Advanced Physics
• Science Research I
• Science Research II
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• Environmental Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Applied Mechanics
• Forensic Science
• Topics
• Calculus
• Accelerated Calculus I
• Accelerated Calculus II
• Advanced Calculus II
• Differential Calculus
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• Science Research II
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• Science Research I and II
UPPER SCHOOL PROGRAM SEQUENCE
GRADE 9
GRADE 10
GRADE 11
CLASSICS Latin I–III 1 Latin II–III 1 Latin III–IV 1
ADVANCED TOPICS Latin Prose and Poetry of the Golden Age
WORLD LANGUAGES
• French I–III 1
• Mandarin I–III
• Spanish I–III 1
• French II–IV 1
• Mandarin II–IV
• Spanish II–IV 1
• French III–IV 1
• Mandarin III–IV
• Spanish III–IV 1
• Advanced Topics
GRADE 12
• Latin IV 1
• Advanced Topics
• French IV–V 1
• Mandarin IV–V
• Spanish IV–V 1
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
ELECTIVES Introduction to Italian • Introduction to Japanese
ADVANCED TOPICS
• Chinese Language and Culture
• Topics in French Language & Affiliated Cultures
• Topics in Spanish Language & Affiliated Cultures
COMPUTER & INFORMATION SCIENCE Introduction to Computer Science Principles
• Topics in Literature of the Spanish Speaking World
• Introduction to Computer Science Principles
• Programming I: Object Oriented
• Programming II: Game Design
• Electives
• Programming I: Object Oriented
• Programming II: Game Design
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• Programming I: Object Oriented
• Programming II: Game Design
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
ELECTIVES
ADVANCED TOPICS
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
ELECTIVES
ADVANCED TOPICS
• App Development
• Cybersecurity: Securing the World’s Infrastructure • Data Science
• Disinformation and Democracy
• AI, Ethics, and Power
• Computational Astrophysics • Computer Science Applications
• Programming III: Java • Rocket Engineering in Simulation
• Philosophy Seminar
• Senior Capstone
• Journalism2
• Law and Jurisprudence • Introduction to Psychology
• Journalism: Polygon
• Topics in Psychoogy • Social Psychology Seminar
1 Classics and World Languages: Advanced Sections for Qualified Students
2This elective is open to Grade 9 students
UPPER SCHOOL PROGRAM SEQUENCE
GRADE 9
VISUAL ARTS
• Foundations in Studio Art
• Introduction to Pop-Up Art & Paper Mechanics
• Textile Arts
ELECTIVES
ADVANCED TOPICS
PERFORMING ARTS
GRADE 10
• Foundations in Studio Art
• Introduction to Pop-Up Art & Paper Mechanics
• Textile Arts
• Electives
GRADE 11
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
GRADE 12
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• American Art History with the Brooklyn Museum • Ceramics • Digital Photography • Drawing Practices II
• Painting
• Styling • Wheel Throwing
• Ceramics • Drawing and Painting Portfolio
• Museum Studies with the Met • Photography Portfolio
• Concert Band3
• Concert Choir3
• Competitive Speech
• DanceFIT
• Foundations of Theater
• Guitar Lab
• Intermediate Theater3 Performance
• Piano Lab
• Public Speaking & Rhetoric
• String Ensemble3
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
• Electives
• Advanced Topics
ELECTIVES
• Comedy in Performance: A Study in Creation, Production, and Execution
• Concert Band • Concert Choir
ADVANCED TOPICS
• Dance • DanceFIT
• Film Production
• Foundations of Theater • Guitar Lab
• Intermediate Theater Performance
• Jazz Ensemble I
• Music Studies
• Music Theory
• Music Production • Music Composition and Songwriting
• Piano Lab • Public Speaking and Rhetoric • String Ensemble
• Competitive Speech
• Concert Band • Concert Choir
• Musical Theater Performance • String Ensemble
• Dance • Jazz Ensemble II
PHYSICAL EDUCATION Personal Fitness classes, participation in J.V. or Varsity sports, or participation in Dance, DanceFIT, or Advanced Dance classes
HEALTH & WELLNESS
3Advanced arts sections for qualified students
GRADE 9 SAMPLE SCHEDULE
1:20–2:25
2:30–3:35
SCHEDULE KEY
9th Grade Arts Elective
Students can choose to take two semester-long visual or performing arts electives, or they can participate in a year-long performing ensemble such as Concert Choir or Strings Ensemble.
9th Grade World Language
Students can choose between French, Latin, Mandarin, and Spanish. Each language is offered at differing levels based on proficiency.
Introduction to Computer Science Principles
Students must take two semesters of Computer & Information Science before graduating.
Physical Education
Students take P.E. unless they play on a JV or Varsity team; take a dance class; or participate in the US Musical, Robotics team, eSports team, or a sport outside of school that Poly does not offer.
Cohort 9
Students meet as a cohort with their deans once every 7-day rotation.
Clubs
Students have the option to split their time between multiple clubs or dedicate every club block to one club.
Free Periods
Students can use their free periods to catch up on homework or meet with teachers.
Affinity/Alliance Block
Students choose to be in an affinity, alliance, or small discussion group.
Notes:
Students must take one semester of Health before graduating, usually during Grade 9. Students may test into advanced science, math, and world language courses.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Upper School students are required to enroll in a minimum of six courses each semester. Students in Grades 9 and 10 are strongly encouraged to enroll in seven courses each semester. A total of 22 academic credits are required for graduation. Full-year courses earn 1.0 credit; semester-long courses earn 0.5 credit.
English: 8 semesters
History: 6 semesters, including two semesters of United States history and one semester of a world history seminar
Mathematics: 8 semesters
Science: 6 semesters
Classical or World Language: 6 consecutive semesters of the same language (with Level III completion)
Computer & Information Science: 2 semesters, including Introduction to Computer Science Principles
Arts: 5 semesters
Students must take at least one Visual Arts and one Performing Arts class to properly fulfill this requirement
Health & Wellness: 1 semester
Philosophy Seminar: 1 semester (Grade 12)
Senior Capstone: 1 semester (Grade 12 spring semester)
Physical Education: 4 years
Upper School Service Learning requirement:
Students must fulfill a minimum of 40 hours of service learning. Students are encouraged to fulfill this requirement through participation in a Service Learning Team. SLTs focus on community service-related topics. They meet either after school throughout a trimester of the school year or as a week-long intensive over the summer.