Ramaz US Curriculum Guide

UPPER SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE

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UPPER SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. Freshman through

Junior Years

B. Senior Year

JUDAIC STUDIES

7.

9.

12.

13.

Department of Talmud Department of Tanakh Department of Judaism Department of Hebrew Language and Literature

GENERAL STUDIES

16. Department of English 19. Department of History 20. Department of Mathematics

and Computer Science 21. Department of Science 23. Department of Foreign Languages 28. Department of Art 29. Department of Music 31. Department of Health Education 31. Department of Physical Education

JUDAIC STUDIES

33. Department of Talmud 33. Department of Tanakh 34. Department of Judaism 35. Department of Hebrew Language

and Literature

GENERAL STUDIES

37. Department of English 39. Department of History 41. Department of Mathematics

and Computer Science 42. Department of Science 43. Department of Foreign Languages 43. Department of Art 44. Department of Music 44. Department of Physical Education

MINI‑COURSES: SPRING SEMESTER

46. Mini‑Courses

UPPER SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE

MISSION

As a co‑educational, Modern Orthodox Day School, Ramaz strives to educate students toward the following goals:

• A commitment to menschlichkeit, reflecting fineness of character, respect for others, integrity, and the centrality of chesed in all its manifestations

• A commitment to Torah, mitzvot, Ahavat Yisrael, and love and support for the State of Israel

• A commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, intellectual rigor, scholarship, and a lifelong love of learning

• Loyalty and gratitude to the United States of America, and the democratic traditions and values of our country

• A sense of responsibility for the Jewish people and all humankind

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UPPER SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

We are pleased to provide you with a guide that outlines the academic courses offered at Ramaz in both Judaic and general studies. The first sections describe the courses offered in the freshman, sophomore, and junior years. This is followed by the courses offered in the senior year, during which specialized Judaic and general classes are taken in the first semester and “mini‑courses” are taken in the second semester.

The Ramaz curriculum is acknowledged by our graduates as an outstanding preparation for college and for post high school Jewish learning, both in content and in method. The dual curriculum also provides a unique bi‑cultural perspective on problem‑solving and analytic methods.

In every subject, we aim to challenge and encourage students to reach their highest level of potential. We have gathered a highly talented and devoted faculty who nurture each student’s abilities through individualized educational programming.

Please note that our curriculum is constantly evolving and slight changes to courses may be made from year to year. Changes will be updated on the Ramaz website.

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UPPER SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

All Upper School students are required to take nine academic majors, along with several minors, through each of the Upper School years.

There are five general studies disciplines and four Judaic studies disciplines. Graduation requirements at Ramaz are as follows: SUBJECT

YEARS OF STUDY

ENGLISH

4 years

HISTORY

4 years

MATHEMATICS

3 – 4 years

LABORATORY SCIENCES

3 – 4 years

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

3 – 4 years

TALMUD

3 – 4 years

TANAKH

4 years

HALAKHA / PHILOSOPHY

3 – 4 years

IVRIT LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 3 – 4 years PHYSICAL EDUCATION

4 years

HEALTH EDUCATION

4 years

ART / MUSIC

2 years of each, plus a third year of either

HONORS SEMINARS For both general and Judaic studies, the senior year offers an elective program that works within our graduation requirements. (See table). Choices allow students to create their own major areas of concentration, and pursue advanced studies according to their interests and proven abilities.

Honors seminars are offered in most subjects and are designed by our faculty to adhere to the most rigorous educational standards. Students are prepared for college‑level studies and extend their academic, intellectual and creative abilities.

Students are given the opportunity to take Advanced Placement Examinations when appropriate.

JUDAIC STUDIES

FRESHMAN, SOPHOMORE & JUNIOR YEARS

FOR ALL COURSES IN JUDAIC STUDIES, HEBREW IS THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION AND CONVERSATION. STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT ALL WRITTEN WORK IN HEBREW.

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JUDAIC STUDIES

I. DEPARTMENT OF TALMUD Objectives: • Cultivating an appreciation for and commitment to learning Torah, and inspiring the informed observance of its mitzvot • Producing a learned graduate who is empowered with the desire and means to engage in the independent study and practice of Torah as a lifelong passion and as a source of intellectual and spiritual fulfillment

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT: Talmud classes are organized by level of ability - regular, accelerated and honors - allowing for individual instruction based on the skills and abilities of each student. In the freshman and sophomore years, the regular track meets five times a week (rotation) and the accelerated and honors tracks meet nine periods a week. In the junior year, the honors track is known as the Beit Midrash class and meets eleven times a week. In the senior year, there are a number of options, and classes may meet five, nine or eleven times per week. Class instruction is supplemented by learning with members of the Ramaz/RIETS/Stern College Kollel.

In order to align the study of Talmud with the particular developmental stages of students, while still maintaining a unified community of learning, the department teaches three different masechtot (tractates) at a time; one for the ninth and tenth grades, one for the eleventh grade, and one for the twelfth grade. In addition, all students spend time learning Parshat HaShavua and studying the laws and significance of each holiday according to a uniform, spiraled curriculum

The freshman and sophomore grades are studying Masechet Berachot. The junior and senior grades are studying Masechet Bava Kamma.

TALMUD

The curriculum emphasizes textual skills, conceptual thinking, rigorous analysis, and the application of learning into practice. The curriculum is built around texts that are especially well-suited to these goals, and are relevant to the religious and philosophical experience of the contemporary adolescent. These topics emerge from the tractates that are studied as well as from supplemental units that are inserted into the syllabus. In addition, the department aims to develop the writing and research skills of our students so that they will be best prepared to communicate their knowledge of the Torah with the communities in which they will find themselves

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JUDAIC STUDIES

I. DEPARTMENT OF TALMUD FRESHMAN & SOPHOMORE YEAR

JUNIOR YEAR

SENIOR YEAR

The ninth and tenth grade students all learn the same tractate each year on a two-year cycle:

The eleventh grade studies Masechet Sanhedrin, which offers a rich exploration of ethical concepts.

The Talmud explores the value of honesty and the signs of integrity that can validate or invalidate a witness. Then the Talmud raises the importance of contributing to the advancement of society and the ethics of gambling. Later in the year, we touch upon religious martyrdom and the ethics involved in circumstances where choices of life must be made.

In the twelfth grade, there is an array of options in the Talmud department. There are two “text” courses: honors and accelerated. These classes study Masekhet Bava Kama, which deals with monetary laws of tort and restitution. We study the responsibility that we have for our actions and for the impact that our possessions may have. For the first time, students delve into the dual accountability that we have: to the courts and to God, which do not always operate with the same standards. We also have the opportunity to compare the Jewish Law with American Law and to consider the meaning of the similarities and the differences.

The second year in this rotation is divided in half.

In the first semester we study the end of the first chapter of Masechet Kiddushin. There are two main topics that are covered: the mitzva of respecting one’s parents and the mitzva to study the Torah. In the spring semester, we study the end of Masekhet Pesachim, to understand the halakhic roots of the Pesach Seder. After Pesach we focus on the religious values of the State of Israel, the special laws of the Land of Israel, and the ways that we observe Yom HaZikaron, Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim as Religious Zionists.

We have developed workbooks for the students to use that have helped us standardize the content and skills that we focus on during these two years. They have also helped make the learning clearer and more accessible to the students. These materials are also published and available for sale on Amazon and here.

During these years we also begin to explore the integration between different disciplines and consider ways to think about the apparent conflicts between science and Torah.

During this year, we also spend time understanding the ways that our tradition evolved over time arriving at the religion that we have today. We consider why it is that we have so much dispute and ambiguity in the law and how we might think about human error in the transmission. We take a source based approach in order to look at the way that the tradition sees itself and consider why it was designed in this way.

Students also have the option to choose from an array of Talmud electives as an alternative to a focus on a specific Talmudic text. Elective topics include Aggadah, Nature of Talmudic Law, Kashrut, and explorations in the biographical sketches of the rabbis of the Mishnah and Talmud.

TALMUD

In the first year, we study Masechet Brakhot. The first half of the year focuses on the first chapter, which deals with the laws of sh’ma as well as an array of aggadic sections of Talmud. The second half of the year includes an array of units that span the remainder of the tractate, covering laws of prayer and brakhot. This study affords the students the opportunity to learn many halakhot (laws) that are applicable in their every-day religious experiences. In addition, there are many opportunities to reflect on the basis of our theology.

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JUDAIC STUDIES

II. DEPARTMENT OF TANAKH FRESHMAN YEAR A. Torah

B. Prophets

Objectives:

Objectives:

• Introducing methodologies of different commentaries for independent study of Torah, along with sensitivity to the biblical text and its interpretations • Focusing on the role of Divine Providence in an individual’s life and in history, and on the literary structures of the biblical narrative • Encouraging students to analyze the complexities of the biblical text and its multitude of meanings

• Developing skills in reading, structuring and comparing large swaths of text as well as analyzing them for their literary and theological significance

Focus is on Sefer Bereishit (Genesis) – main themes are sibling rivalry and interpersonal relationships between family members, and the concepts of brotherhood and responsibility to the Other. Subsidiary themes include repentance, free will, situational ethics and consequences, human nature, and the nature and efficacy of prayer.

This course begins with the opening chapters of Sefer Melachim (I Kings) with the building and dedication of the first Beit Hamikdash. Themes include the goals of national life and the respective roles and nature of political and religious leadership in the realization of those goals.

The core of the course is spent on the stories of the prophets Eliyahu and Elisha. The course covers twenty‑five chapters and approximately 200 years of the history of the Northern and Davidic monarchies and the Jewish nation.

TANAKH

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

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JUDAIC STUDIES

II. DEPARTMENT OF TANAKH SOPHOMORE YEAR

Objectives: • Studying and comparing the approaches and exegetical methodologies of the commentators Ramban and Rashi • Studying literary themes and patterns such as chiasm, contextual connections, literal versus aggadic interpretations and commentator methodologies • Exploring the initial stages of the Jewish experience; slavery, redemption, and the birth of the nation; the development and character of Moshe • Seeking parallels between the behavior of the Jewish people in the desert and their behavior today

B. Prophets OVERVIEW AND CONTENT Building upon the textual and analytical objectives of the ninth‑grade curriculum, the focus of the tenth‑grade Torah curriculum is the study of Sefer Shemot (Book of Exodus), with its focus on the origination and development of Jewish nationhood; slavery, redemption, and the birth of a nation; Moshe as leader, liberator and lawgiver of the nation; the Ten Plagues and the miracles of emancipation; the trials in the desert and the nation’s struggle with its “newly‑acquired” freedom.

Theological issues discussed include free will, nationhood, anti‑Semitism, the nature of law, miracles, and universality.

Objectives: • Understanding the prophetic use of language in descriptions of universal peace, justice, utopian worldviews, apocalypse and a philosophy of destiny • Understanding the complex relationships between prophets and monarchs • Appreciating the historical narratives of the earlier prophets as complementing later prophets and their oracular poetry.

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT The sophomore Navi curriculum continues chronologically from the freshman curriculum.

Portions of the book of II Kings are studied with an emphasis on examining large parts of Jewish political history, focusing on pivotal moments and characters. The second half focuses on the period of the kings under whose reign Yishayahu (Isaiah) lived as a prophet, studying some of the major themes of that book. The course culminates with the conquest of the Northern Kingdom at the hands of the Assyrian Empire in 722 BCE.

TANAKH

A. Torah

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JUDAIC STUDIES

II. DEPARTMENT OF TANAKH JUNIOR YEAR B. Prophets

Objectives:

Objectives:

• Comparing the parallels in earlier books of Tanakh in order to understand the reasons for repetition in the Bible • Utilizing the works of modern thinkers and Bible commentators, and of Midrash and its moral imperatives • Through independent work, analyzing as well as comparing methodologies of different commentaries

• Perfecting skills in reading and analyzing large quantities of prophetic text • Broadening knowledge of the historical events and major theological and national concerns of the period • Increasing independent learning skills • Focusing on Jeremiah’s literary structure, motifs, metaphors and the social and religious context of the Ancient Near‑Eastern world • Contrasting the relatively obscure suffering and trial of Jeremiah with the trials of Jesus and Socrates, using passages from the Christian scripture and from Plato’s Apology

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT This course studies the difficulties of the Jewish people in the desert as they contend with their desires for food, water and stable living; the personal familial struggles of Moshe, Miriam and Aharon, the story of the spies, and the rebellions of Bilaam and Korach. Additional themes include idolatry, communal and personal relationships with faith, and national development.

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT This course focuses on selections from the book of Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah), with particular attention to chapters of the Haftarot. The course focuses on the period from 615 through 550 BCE, which includes the destruction of the Southern Kingdom of Israel and the first Temple by the Babylonians, the exilic period under the Babylonians and the Persians, and the period of Shivat Zion (The Return to Zion) under Cyrus of Persia. Students analyze the prophet’s specific role as the prophet of doom. The theme of truth versus falsehood is developed, as seen through the false prophets of this period, the “false” sacrifices of the Jews in the Temple and the “false” behavior between man and man.

The course incorporates themes of social justice, ritualistic and ethical relationships with God, the nature of conceptual faith versus active faith, and the concept of pre‑synagogue religious life. Other themes studied include the transition from the Prophetic era to the Rabbinic era, pros and cons of national sovereignty, exilic Jewry, idolatry and monotheism, theodicy and destruction.

TANAKH

A. Torah

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JUDAIC STUDIES

III. DEPARTMENT OF JUDAISM

FRESHMAN YEAR

SOPHOMORE YEAR

JUNIOR YEAR

Objectives:

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

The tenth grade curriculum seeks to further enrich our students’ comprehension of Halakha and the halakhic process by addressing core issues in Jewish ethics. Topics pertaining to the value of truth in governing business and social relations as well as appropriate conduct in the marketplace are dealt with extensively. The primary Torah sources selected for study in this course acquaint students with the essential inquiries into these areas of Halakha and enable them to identify ethical dilemnas and apply Jewish teachings toward resolving them.

This course in the Judaism sequence is a full‑year course that focuses on central issues of Jewish faith and belief. Topics of study include belief in God, human dignity, free will, and theodicy.

Through textual analysis of medieval and modern philosophical sources as well as open class discussion, a conscious effort is made to explore themes that will be formative to the student’s evolving religious identity, especially during the transition to life as a Jew in the broader culture, first in the context of the university, and later as an adult participant in societal life.

• Developing emotional, spiritual and intellectual appreciation of tefillah (prayer) • Studying the siddur in depth OVERVIEW AND CONTENT As students develop cognitively and emotionally, their understanding of prayer also changes. The purpose of this course is to help guide that change through an intensive study of the text of the siddur and the historical, philosophical and theological issues that permeate it.

JUDAISM

The Judaism curriculum is designed to enable our students to acquire an appreciation for the central principles of Jewish thought and to understand their relationship to Halakha. The curriculum is intended to deepn our students’ knowledge of Jewish philosophical concepts and promote pride in their Jewish heritage and spiritual identity. Both traditional and contemporary texts are employed to facilitate class discussion that fosters an enhanced commitment to the role of Halakha and Jewish belief in the life of a modern Orthodox Jew.

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JUDAIC STUDIES

IV. DEPARTMENT OF HEBREW LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Departmental Overview: The foremost aim of Hebrew language instruction at Ramaz is to impart our students with a love of the Hebrew language along with a lifelong appreciation for their heritage. Hebrew language constitutes a very important part in structuring the students’ identity and it reinforces the connection between students, the State of Israel, and Jewish people throughout the Diaspora. The ability to communicate in Hebrew provides the students with a key to access this world in profound, meaningful, and varied ways; the more meaningful and relevant the language of a Hebrew text becomes, the more the students can appreciate the full scope of their Jewish persona.

Therefore, at Ramaz Hebrew is not taught solely as a foreign language, rather it is taught as a way to strengthen and enhance the students’ Jewish identity.

The role of Hebrew in the School is: 1.

To maintain the language as a key to continuity in all domains of religious and cultural heritage, both past and present.

2. To drive the American Jewish student towards fluency in reading, writing,

speaking, and understanding the Hebrew language.

The main goal of the Hebrew program is to strengthen the students’ Jewish identity through the learning of the Hebrew language. By the end of 12th grade, pupils should be able to: 1.

Based upon the language capabilities of the student, he or she will be able to express their thoughts and opinions both orally and in writing regarding, particularly in the following topics: •

Personal and collective Jewish identity

•

Important events in the history of the state of Israel

•

The richness of Israeli culture

•

The diversity of the Israeli people

•

Commitment to Zionism

Converse effectively within a variety of situations

2. Obtain and make use of information from a variety of sources (biblical

sources, media, Theatre, art,etc.)

4. Appreciate the literature, culture, and nature of the Hebrew language

HEBREW LANGUAGE & LITERATURE

3. Present information in an organized manner

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JUDAIC STUDIES

IV. DEPARTMENT OF HEBREW LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE Within the framework of the objectives for the total program, each grade covers the following CURRICULUM CONTENT:

FRESHMAN YEAR

SOPHOMORE YEAR

JUNIOR YEAR

• Students begin with studying the Hebrew of selected prayers from the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, including vocabulary and concepts. Students are encouraged to explore their own feelings and connections.

•S tudents again begin by exploring themes from the Yamim Noraim prayers, looking at the more complex texts of selected piyyutim.

• The High Holidays unit studies and discusses “Unetannah tokef.”

• Students read and discuss poetry by national Israeli poet Chaim Nachman Bialik, studying his biography and his place in history.

• Students also study appropriate material relating to Yom Hashoah and Yom Hazikaron.

• I n our next unit students focus on the theme of Aliya and Absorption in Israel, mainly through excerpts from Eli Amir’s novel, Tarnagol Kapporot.

It examines the life of a youth who immigrated to Israel in the 1950s and it deals with themes such as the cultural and generational gap, difficulties of absorption in Israel at that time, being an outsider in a newly formed society, conflicts between European and Middle Eastern Jews in Israel, and more.

• Remaining relevant to the spirit of the High Holidays, students continue with the theme of Akeidat Yitzchak. Poems by past and current Israeli poets, including Natan Yonatan, Tuvia Rivner, Amir Gilboa, Chaim Gury and Naomi Shemer, are studied. Students compare these poems with their biblical source, and also explore how the poets use the theme as a metaphor for the unconditional commitment of the Jewish people to the Zionist ideal.

• The following unit deals with various historical and literary topics. Through books and films students discuss the themes of Aliyah and absorption in Israel after the Holocaust, the cultural gap between Holocaust survivors and Sabras (Israeli‑born), and the effect of these differences on Israeli society in the early 1950s. Students examine the differences between the language of the book and the language of the movies, paying special attention to the form of autobiography.

• As students approach the commemorative days in the spring, they examine the theme of “The Prayer in Modern Poetry.” This unit includes poems by prominent Israeli poets. Students discuss literary devices and their significance to the meaning of these poems. They are encouraged to generate their own interpretations, as well as to understand the vocabulary and content of the material. The poetry unit also includes a selected poem by Bialik.

HEBREW LANGUAGE & LITERATURE

• Through reading and discussing stories of Hebrew authors Aharon Meged and Savion Librecht, students confront important issues such as cultural and traditional gaps between generations, as well as the conflict between the “Old World” and the new life in Israel. These are supplemented by other literary material. The stories are studied in specially‑adapted abridged editions.

•F ollowing this, students enter a related topic — the creative process of a poet’s writing, as expressed

by Bialik. Students discuss the creative process of writing after reading and analyzing Bialik’s own experience.

GENERAL STUDIES

FRESHMAN, SOPHOMORE & JUNIOR YEARS

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GENERAL STUDIES

I. DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FRESHMAN YEAR Objective:

• In small classes, students work through the prewriting, writing, and post‑writing phases of composition.

Prewriting includes observing, making plans, examining models, limiting topics, and developing thesis statements. All phases from prewriting to final product emphasize the concept of “drafting.”

Students revise, proofread, and prepare a final draft for evaluation or “publication.” Small group work enhances the effectiveness of this program by allowing time for many teacher‑student conferences, enabling students to solve their own problems, and giving students an opportunity to learn from their peers in a cooperative setting. Types of writing include descriptive, narrative, process, comparison/ contrast, persuasive, literary analysis, and definition.

In addition to composing academic essays, students write informal response papers. The opportunity to write without formal evaluation encourages personal expression.

An intensive review of all parts of speech is conducted in the first semester. After a uniform, grade‑wide grammar test is administered, the course moves on to more advanced work in subject‑verb agreement, pronoun case, consistency of tense, and mechanics, including a complete unit on quotation and textual citation.

Freshman English covers several novels, poetry, short stories, a classical tragedy, a selection of model essays, and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In addition to the regular curriculum, students will read and write about two supplementary works.

All students use Vocabulary from Classical Roots: Book C, a vocabulary workbook that emphasizes using roots, suffixes, and prefixes to find word meaning.

TEXTS The Absolutely True Diary of a Part‑Time Indian Alexie (summer) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night‑Time Haddon (summer)

Antigone Sophocles Short Stories from Points of View Ed. Moffet, James Poetry from Sound and Sense Ed. Perrine, Arp Units from Heath Grammar and Composition: Third Course Bergman and Senn Vocabulary from Classical Roots: Book C Fifer, Flowers The Elements of Style Strunk and White

Looking for Alaska Green The Odyssey Homer (Mandelbaum translation) Interpreter of Maladies Lahiri Goodbye, Columbus Roth A Midsummer Night’s Dream Shakespeare

ENGLISH

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

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GENERAL STUDIES

I. DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH SOPHOMORE YEAR Objectives:

• Investigate the forms storytelling takes through time, illustrated by tracing the plot shape of Beowulf: “Overcoming the Monster” through various genres • Grammar and usage are taught formally, and vocabulary is taught according to an approach that makes use of common Greek and Latin roots.

TEXTS

The curriculum is divided into two connected units.

Semester one offers a survey of seminal works of British literature, including Beowulf, Hamlet, the poetry of the Elizabethan, Romantic and Victorian Periods, Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Joyce’s Dubliners. Semester two picks up on major thematic elements from the first semester, but expands the base of literary sources. The books selected are all works that can be paired critically with works from the first part of the year.

The Things They Carried O’Brien (summer)

Writing is emphasized in the tenth‑grade English class. Students maintain a portfolio of their work, enabling both teachers and students to track the development of writing skills. Informal pieces, produced both at home and in class, are later developed into polished essays.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Wilde (summer) Canterbury Tales Chaucer A Raisin in the Sun Hansberry Beowulf Heaney translation Dubliners Joyce They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

McCoy

Hamlet Shakespeare Oedipus Rex Sophocles Wuthering Heights Brontë Adventures in English Literature Harcourt Brace Heath Grammar and Composition: Fifth Course Bergman and Senn Vocabulary from Classical Roots: Book D Fifer, Flowers The Elements of Style Strunk and White

ENGLISH

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

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GENERAL STUDIES

I. DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH JUNIOR YEAR Objectives: • Providing a chronological study of American literature in conjunction with the junior year study of American history • Emphasizing clear and effective writing, as well as the development of an individual voice, through bi‑weekly portfolio writing assignments and drafting of full‑length essays • Integrating vocabulary building into the curriculum and studying grammar on a diagnostic basis • Examining the concept of “The Outsider” in literature (second semester)

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

TEXTS

While the historical sweep of the American literary heritage is outlined, there is considerable emphasis on in‑depth analysis of literature. Students study American essays, short stories, poems, novels, and plays. In addition they read supplementary books that broaden their exposure to American literature in general and complement the major works taught in the course.

Into The Wild Krakauer (summer)

Heart of Darkness Conrad The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald

Heath Grammar and Composition: The Complete Course Vocabulary from Classical Roots: Book E Fifer, Flowers The Elements of Style Strunk and White

Daisy Miller James I Am Legend Matheson Death of a Salesman Miller American Pastoral Roth Their Eyes Were Watching God Hurston

ENGLISH

In the second semester, the class will look beyond the confines of American literature by exploring the ways in which the figure of the “Outsider” has been utilized by writers in various forms, including non‑fiction, poetry, essays, and novels. The unities and distinctions among the works will furnish an opportunity for a deep consideration of this essential theme.

State of Wonder Patchett (summer)

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Spark

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GENERAL STUDIES

II. DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY Objectives: • The history curriculum includes a research paper in the freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Preparation is broken down into discrete tasks leading up to the final paper; and the same general guidelines are followed each year. The Ramaz history research paper provides a unique and extraordinary preparation for independent learning and academic research.

• Over the course of four years, students are encouraged to consult primary and secondary source materials and to develop their own research topics.

FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEARS WORLD/JEWISH HISTORY

JUNIOR YEAR AMERICAN HISTORY

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

The course emphasizes the impact of the Western World on the Jewish people, as well as the Jewish role in Western civilization. Non‑Western civilizations are also studied, particularly the Muslim world and the Near East. The last half semester of the sequence is devoted to the struggle to achieve Jewish statehood, the emergence of the State of Israel, and the evolution of Israel since its independence. Through classroom discussions, lectures, analysis of primary sources, and the assignment of research papers, the course imparts an appreciation of political, economic, social, and

TEXTS A History of Western Society, Volume C McKay, Hill, Buckler, Houghton Mifflin The Jewish World in the Middle Ages Bloomberg, Ktav Western Civilization: Sources, Images, & Interpretations Sherman, McGraw Hill World History: Patterns of Interaction Beck, et al., McDougal Little

The American history course concentrates on the political history of the United States from the colonial period to the present. This focus is designed to uncover the origins of American democratic institutions and ideas, while stressing that these have been challenged by a rapidly evolving domestic economy and social structures, and an increasingly complex global order. These themes are taught through the use of documentary sources, textbook readings, inquiry based on discussions, lectures, films, and individual research assignments.

TEXT America, Past and Present Divine, Green, et al., Longman

HISTORY

This course of study is taught for four semesters, beginning with incoming freshman students. The World/Jewish history course makes students aware of the emergence and development of modern civilization from its ancient roots through the twentieth century. At the heart of the school’s educational mission, World/Jewish history provides our students with an integrated curriculum geared toward understanding the unique relationship between the Jews and the modern world, with a focus on Modern Orthodoxy.

intellectual history. Primary sources are selected from various books, and are presented in Hebrew whenever possible. Pioneered at Ramaz, this curriculum has been adopted by the Board of Jewish Education for use in other Jewish day schools.

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GENERAL STUDIES

III. DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE Departmental Overview — Program: The mathematics program is designed to meet the needs of each student. This goal is accomplished through offering a wide variety of courses on each grade level, by keeping classes small enough to allow for individual attention, and by making available opportunities for remediation and enrichment.

Standards are more rigorous than those required by the New York State Regents curriculum. Every student is required to take math for a minimum of four years so that he or she is prepared to do advanced work in mathematics and to succeed on nationwide achievement tests and competitions.

Calculators, computers and other elements of educational technology are integrated with traditional topics in all courses.

At least three levels of courses are offered for each grade: an honors course, an accelerated course, and a grade-level course.

The Mentor Program Students who have in eighth grade distinguished themselves in their study of mathematics are eligible for this highly individualized program. For example, in the recent past, some of these students have completed calculus by the end of tenth grade and have continued to study multivariable calculus, linear algebra, or advanced number theory.

The Honors Program Students selected for this program have exhibited exceptional talent in mathematics, have achieved high scores on standardized exams, and have been

recommended by their teachers. The courses that they take present the traditional courses in an enriched, rigorous and sophisticated way. Their course of study includes geometry in ninth grade, algebra II and Trigonometry in tenth grade and Precalculus in grade eleven. These students are eligible for Honors Calculus, either I or II during their senior year.

Grade‑Level Program Students in this program take Geometry in ninth grade, Algebra I in tenth grade, and Algebra II and Trigonometry in eleventh grade. Students in this program may take either Precalculus or Discrete Mathematics in their senior year.

The Accelerated Program There are two different accelerated tracks that are offered beginning in the ninth grade: The first is for students who are one year ahead of the traditional program, but do not qualify for the honors program. These students have completed a year of algebra I and have shown proficiency in their algebra skills, as well as an understanding of the major concepts presented in an Algebra I course. This accelerated track offers in grade nine Geometry, Algebra II and Trigonometry in tenth grade and Precalculus in grade eleven. Students in this program are eligible to take Calculus or Honors Calculus I in their senior year.

The second program is for students who have some proficiency in Algebra I, but have not demonstrated enough proficiency to allow them to skip algebra I completely. These students will study geometry in ninth grade followed by Algebra I/II in tenth grade.

This course consists of an in-depth review of Algebra I skills and concepts. These concepts are extended to the topics presented in Algebra II. In the eleventh grade, Trigonometry and Precalculus are studied. These students are eligible to take Calculus or Honors Calculus I in their senior year.

MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE

Mathematics

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GENERAL STUDIES

IV. DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE Departmental Objectives: The science program is designed to provide each student with the full scope of the three laboratory science disciplines: biology, chemistry, and physics. The program is committed to meeting the learning needs of the individual student. These goals are accomplished through offering a variety of course groups on each grade level and by making different program options available.

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT Beginning in the ninth grade, different levels of courses are offered in each of the three science disciplines: an honors level, an accelerated level, a grade‑level course, as well as a basic‑level course.

THE HONORS PROGRAM Students selected for this program have exhibited outstanding talent in science, have achieved high scores on standardized tests, and have been recommended by their teachers. The courses that they will take are inquiry‑based and present the material in an enriched, rigorous, and sophisticated way, with emphasis on laboratory work and data analysis.

The Accelerated Program

study that presents the material in a challenging way through classroom instruction and extensive laboratory work.

The Grade‑Level Program Students in this program are offered a stimulating course of study that presents the material through hands‑on laboratory work and classroom instruction.

The Basic Program Students in this program take a lighter version of each of the three science courses. The pace of instruction in these courses allows ample time for review. Emphasis is placed on basic concepts through classroom instruction and hands‑on laboratory work.

SCIENCE

Students who are strong in science, but do not qualify for or choose to enroll in the honors program, are offered a rigorous and enriched course of

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GENERAL STUDIES

IV. DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE FRESHMAN YEAR BIOLOGY

SOPHOMORE YEAR CHEMISTRY

JUNIOR YEAR PHYSICS

Objectives:

Objectives:

Objectives:

• Establishing basic concepts; then proceeding through the study of life processes from the simplest to the most complex levels • Teaching the scientific method

• Providing students with an understanding of the nature of matter and the concepts that govern its behavior

• Providing students with an understanding of natural phenomena and increasing their awareness of their surroundings • Developing analytical skills for problem solving through the application of mathematical concepts to assigned problems

The following topics are included: the chemical aspects of living systems; cell structure and function; cell division; classical and modern genetics; evolution and classification; structure and physiology of Monera, Protista and fungi; structure and function of tissues, organs and systems in plants and animals; hormonal regulation and reproduction in plants and animals; human anatomy and physiology; and ecology.

The main topics of this course include: matter and energy; endothermic and exothermic reactions; simple atomic theory; bonding; modern atomic theory and the periodic table; the gas laws and kinetic molecular theory; the mole method; solutions, acids and bases; kinetics and equilibrium; redox and electrochemistry; organic chemistry; nuclear chemistry; and industrial chemistry.

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT Main topics include vectors, mechanics, dynamic and static wave motion; light and sound; electricity and magnetism; thermodynamics, atomic energy and quantum theory.

SCIENCE

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

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GENERAL STUDIES

V. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES Departmental Overview Students are offered a choice between French and Spanish.

The foreign language department strives to instill a love of language and culture. Courses take a conversational approach, supporting an interactive classroom, and are taught exclusively in the target language. The department incorporates the most current media, and the state‑of‑the‑art language lab enhances the learning experience. Language clinics are offered after school for students who would like to reinforce what they have been taught in the classroom.

A. FRENCH FRESHMAN YEAR SECOND‑YEAR FRENCH

Objectives:

Objectives:

• Developing excitement for learning a new language and an appreciation of the culture of that language • Enabling students to express themselves both in written and oral form

• Further developing skills, including writing, and dialogues based on everyday situations • Incorporating a broad base of vocabulary into speaking and writing skills

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

The present tense of regular and frequently used irregular verbs, personal pronouns, possessive adjectives, the numbers, and the calendar. Students acquire vocabulary, structures, and necessary idiomatic expressions to describe the weather, the human body, the family, occupations, food, clothing, colors, leisure activities, and cultural pursuits. The passé composé and future are introduced at the end of the year. Different educational media are used to reinforce the learning process.

This course assumes prior completion of a full year of French. Listening, speaking, reading and communication skills are incorporated in a graded curriculum, using a variety of educational materials.

The topics presented include shopping, food, the home and the restaurant, travel, directions, leisure activities, and cultural pursuits.

These topics are used in activities such as dictation, conversation, dialogues and original compositions.

Reading selections and films further reinforce the language experience. Grammar includes the

passé composé of avoir and être, the future tense, reflexive verbs, negatives, personal pronouns, y and en, the imperfect tense, relative and interrogative pronouns, adverbs, prepositions, and numerous idioms.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

FRESHMAN YEAR FIRST‑YEAR FRENCH

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GENERAL STUDIES

SOPHOMORE YEAR SECOND‑YEAR FRENCH

SOPHOMORE YEAR THIRD‑YEAR FRENCH

Objectives:

Objectives:

• Mastering more complex concepts of the spoken and written language and increased appreciation of French‑speaking cultures

• Continuing the study of French grammar • Emphasizing communicative proficiency

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

Grammatical and linguistic structures include a variety of irregular verbs, the past tense, the present subjunctive, use of direct and indirect object pronouns and reflexive verbs and adverbs.

Writing assignments reflect the grammar structures.

Compositions begin to reflect personal attitudes, tastes and goals. Students listen to standardized passages of various lengths and difficulty and answer questions to build up both oral‑ comprehension and writing skills. Prose and poetry selections are introduced as well.

This course is for sophomores who are in their third year of French studies. Emphasis is placed on comprehension at near‑native pace, as well as on verbal communication skills. Students initiate discussions and present oral reports. Vocabulary and structures range from concrete to abstract use of the language. Reading selections include poetry, short stories from literary texts, and magazine articles. Compositions based on current events, personal experiences and reactions to the literature are written on a regular basis to form an individual student portfolio.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

V. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

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GENERAL STUDIES

JUNIOR YEAR THIRD‑YEAR FRENCH

JUNIOR YEAR FOURTH‑YEAR FRENCH

Objectives:

Objectives:

• Mastering more complex concepts of the spoken and written language and increased appreciation of French‑speaking cultures

• Emphasizing reading comprehension • Perfecting oral skills • Emphasizing various literary genres

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

Students present individual reports on French civilization and its artistic, literary and musical contributions. Texts that illustrate contributions of particular figures are discussed in these reports.

Students present individual reports on French civilization and its artistic, literary and musical contributions. Texts that illustrate contributions of particular figures are discussed in these reports.

Presentations with slides, tapes and records are encouraged. Discussions are held on subjects that arise from the readings. The students’ compositions are either summaries of the stories or, once again, discussions of issues raised in the reading. The oral exercises begun in the first year are expanded in length and complexity to perfect skills. Works or excerpts from Molière, Camus, de Maupassant, and Mérimée are studied.

Presentations with slides, tapes and records are encouraged. Discussions are held on subjects that arise from the readings. The students’ compositions are either summaries of the stories or, once again, discussions of issues raised in the reading. The oral exercises begun in the first year are expanded in length and complexity to perfect skills. Works or excerpts from Molière, Camus, de Maupassant, and Mérimée are studied.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

V. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

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GENERAL STUDIES

V. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES B. SPANISH FRESHMAN YEAR FIRST‑YEAR SPANISH

FRESHMAN YEAR SECOND‑YEAR SPANISH

SOPHOMORE YEAR SECOND‑YEAR SPANISH

Objectives:

Objectives:

• Developing excitement for learning a new language and an appreciation of the culture of that language • Enabling students to express themselves both in written and oral form

• Further developing skills, including writing, and dialogues based on everyday situations • Incorporating a broad base of vocabulary into speaking and writing skills

Objectives:

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT This level seeks to develop proficiency in all of the language skills and to cultivate further knowledge of Spanish‑speaking cultures. There is a concise grammar review followed by a discussion of various points of Spanish grammar, including the compound tenses and the subjunctive. Conversation is stressed, as are reading and composition skills.

Prose and poetry selections are studied as well. The course divides into two levels, one geared to the more advanced student.

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT The majority of grammatical forms, including the subjunctive mood, are studied. There are formal exercises of listening to passages of various lengths and answering questions orally and in writing.

Prose and poetry selections are introduced. There are three levels of this course, as determined by a student’s language facility developed in the first year course. The levels are geared to the students’ conversational comfort in the target language, as well as their ability to grasp syntactic complexity.

All three levels include formal exercises of listening to passages of various lengths and responding to questions in written or oral presentations. Students read selections of prose and poetry.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Students are taught the fundamentals of the spoken language. Reading and writing skills are also stressed. Grammatical concepts include present tense, introduction of the past tenses, commands and introduction to the subjunctive. Lessons cover the use of personal pronouns, adjectives and idiomatic expressions. Vocabulary deals with everyday situations.

• Mastering more complex concepts of the spoken and written language and increased appreciation of Spanish‑speaking cultures

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GENERAL STUDIES

V. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES SOPHOMORE YEAR THIRD‑YEAR SPANISH

JUNIOR YEAR THIRD‑YEAR SPANISH

JUNIOR YEAR FOURTH‑YEAR SPANISH

Objectives:

Objectives:

Objectives:

• Completing the study of Spanish grammar • Emphasizing communicative proficiency

• Mastering more complex concepts of the spoken and written language and increased appreciation of Spanish‑speaking cultures

• Emphasizing reading comprehension • Perfecting oral skills • Emphasizing various literary genres OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

This advanced‑level course is for students who have successfully completed freshman second‑year Spanish. More complicated literary texts are introduced, as are current‑events topics. The course divides into two levels, one geared to the more advanced student.

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT Third‑Year Spanish is an introduction to the study of Spanish and Latin American culture, history and current events using all available sources from texts, magazines and the internet.

There are three levels of this course, as determined by a student’s language facility developed in the first year course. The levels are geared to the students’ conversational comfort in the target language, as well as their ability to grasp syntactic complexity.

All three levels include formal exercises of listening to passages of various lengths and responding to questions in written or oral presentations. Students read selections of prose and poetry.

This is an intensive course for students who have successfully completed Third‑Year Spanish. Oral proficiency is stressed. Presentations with slides, tapes and different media are encouraged.

Discussions and compositions arise from readings.

Oral exercises are expanded in length and complexity to perfect skills. Students are introduced to various literary genres. There are two levels of this course. One is geared to the more advanced student.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

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GENERAL STUDIES

VI. DEPARTMENT OF ART Departmental Overview The art curriculum is based on the philosophy that all individuals have creative potential and the ability to learn to see art on a sophisticated level. Art is learned intellectually, historically and experientially. Instruction in the Upper School is conceptual and sequential: building from project to project and from year to year. Individual attention as well as group instruction is given.

Each student is helped to reach his or her full creative potential as well as learn about art. An ongoing process of working and critiquing occurs in all the courses.

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT Students develop skills necessary to coordinate their eye and hand movement. They learn contour drawing, discover that they can draw, and begin to see art in a new way. They are introduced to an art vocabulary that is the foundation of all art and defines how to talk about it.

The concept of negative space is taught and concretized; students see and manipulate “pure form” by creating collages using the negative forms copied from their drawings.

The course also develops the students’ understanding of color. Time permitting, they mix colors while making their own color wheel. This color wheel becomes part of their Ramaz art portfolio.

SOPHOMORE YEAR THE PROCESS OF ABSTRACTION GEOMETRIC DESIGN

JUNIOR YEAR (ELECTIVE) DRAWING & PAINTING OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT The sophomore course begins with the principles of design. Through examining the work of artists, past and present, in illustrations and projections and experimentation they discover design exists everywhere. Students are encouraged to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see original work (time‑permitting, there is a class trip).

Applying principles they have learned, such as structure and balance, students complete a 2D design using geometric form. Students refer to their color wheels (created in the freshman course) to pick a color scheme and create color charts, enabling them to discover how the colors mix and interact.

Finally, with the application of paint, the challenge of finding the full potential of their original designs becomes the primary focus. The students discover that there are often many options. They must choose the one best suited for their particular design.

Students further develop drawing skills, while reinforcing their understanding of form, both concrete and abstract. They create a complex still‑life drawing done from life. Shading is learned through the process of observing intensely while working. They also come to appreciate how much work it is to create a complex drawing. The understanding of form, both abstract and concrete, is reinforced through creating a negative‑space collage done directly from the still life.

Students begin to understand the concept of creating and relating form, evaluating progress and solving visual problems, and experiencing the true nature of the creative process. This extends their understand that art is about far more than reality.

The final project is painting, either abstractly, experimenting with gesture and mark making, or by completing a landscape painting done from a photograph. Time is the determining factor. Students are also assigned a museum report per semester.

This course brings together in a more sophisticated manner all the concepts taught in the freshman and sophomore courses.

ART

FRESHMAN YEAR INTRODUCTION TO ART

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GENERAL STUDIES

VII. DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

Objectives: • Developing the ability to understand and value music as a mode of human expression • Understanding the aesthetic marriage of creative process and formal design.

• Developing the skill of “deep listening” • Learning to use and read basic musical terms, symbols and notation

SOPHOMORE YEAR OVERVIEW AND CONTENT Deep listening is fundamental to all forms of musical expression. It is a critical part of performance and improvisation, composition and arranging, and general participation in or response to music.

Through a panoramic selection of Western European and American concert music, students develop the ability to listen creatively and critically, with an expanded sense of depth, commitment and value.

Students in freshman and sophomore grades are given compilations of pieces from the Western concert music tradition of several centuries.

The freshman curriculum provides a solid foundation in the concepts of form, style, timbre, texture, tempo, tone‑color, dynamics, pitch‑range, rhythm and melody. In music listening journals, students write creatively and critically about the music they hear. In the first year, students participate in rhythmic improvisation sessions during “Percussion Week,” held once a semester. They learn about other musical cultures outside of the Western continuum during biweekly “World Music Days.” Students also learn to audibly identify instruments and instrumental categories in orchestras and chamber groups, and to recognize and discern song forms found in popular music.

Objectives: • Understanding the form, content, and types of classical pieces, focusing on the symphony, the sonata, the chamber sonata and the concerto OVERVIEW AND CONTENT In the sophomore course, the aesthetics and history of the Classical Era are studied with an emphasis on the music of the three classical innovators: Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Students are required to attend a live concert of classical music and to submit a final project based on their listening and viewing experience.

MUSIC

FRESHMAN YEAR

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GENERAL STUDIES

VII. DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC JUNIOR Year (ELECTIVE) • Enhancing understanding of music history, theory and composition within the historical perspective of Western music • Developing ability to analyze music, from Medieval and Renaissance music in semester one to Baroque and Romantic music in semester two

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT The junior music elective’s first quarter is built around a creative counting activity. Students will use this “music game” to develop their musical language and enable them to further discuss and explore the music they hear.

In the second quarter, the students refine their listening skills while promoting familiarity with a variety of musical compositions and styles.

Exploring the roots of musical expression in Western Art Music, the course will cover melodies, musical practices and styles from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance.

In the third quarter, students, apply the skills they learned in the first quarter for a unit on compositional skill, basic musical notation, and musical performance. Each student will be required to compose and notate an original piece written in the “fugue” style in the spring and participate in a performance of their piece.

In the final quarter, students will learn about Romanticism and music of the 19th century.

While the course is appropriate for al students regardless of level of experience, given serious effort, energy and initiative, the course would nonetheless provide groundword for students interested in taking the senior honors music theory elective.

MUSIC

Objectives:

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GENERAL STUDIES

VIII. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EDUCATION

IX. DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Objectives

Objectives

• Motivating students to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, and avoid or reduce health‑related risk behaviors by providing information and skills that will enable them to make responsible decisions concerning their well‑being

• Enabling students to develop the personal habits and routines that will promote physical health and well‑being throughout their adult lives

Age and grade‑appropriate topics will be reviewed in class including: drug, alcohol, and tobacco education, as well as their influence in the media, and human sexuality and gender issues. Mental health and emotional stability will be discussed in order to help develop a positive self‑image.

All freshman students will be given a course of instruction in Adult CPR and receive full certification.

In addressing these topics and skills, students will build personal and social competence, as well as self‑efficacy by practicing communication, refusal, assessing accuracy of information, decision‑making, planning and goal‑setting, self‑control, and self‑management, which enable students to build their personal confidence, deal with social pressures, and avoid or reduce risk behaviors.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The Health Education program is designed to offer up‑to‑date information regarding health issues that are appropriate to adolescents, infused with a strong commitment to Jewish values. Students will be assessed by the use of examinations as well as other creative projects.

Each year begins with an assessment of each student’s athletic skills and fitness milestones. The curriculum is designed to develop athletic skill in various sports, to encourage sportsmanship and, simultaneously, to facilitate individual performance.

At the same time, the program enables each student to set individual goals in terms of personal fitness and to develop a program to help each student to realize these goals. Physical education is a requirement throughout the four years of high school.

HEALTH

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

OVERVIEW AND CONTENT

JUDAIC STUDIES

SENIOR YEAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM

FOR ALL COURSES IN JUDAIC STUDIES, HEBREW IS THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION AND CONVERSATION. STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT ALL WRITTEN WORK IN HEBREW.

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JUDAIC STUDIES

SENIOR YEAR

This course is designed for students who have already developed a strong commitment to Torah in general and to Talmud in particular, and have already displayed substantial skills and independence in Talmud study. It is open to students who have demonstrated a high level of motivation and achievement in the Beit Midrash class in the junior year. (Two bands ‑ 11 periods) By permission of the department.

Accelerated Beit Midrash This course is designed for students who have been enrolled in either the junior Beit Midrash class or have achieved success in Talmud in the junior accelerated track. It provides an opportunity for students to refine their skills and mastery of Talmud and Rishonim in an intensive class that meets across two bands. It is certainly a course for students who wish to prepare for a year of yeshiva study in Israel. (Two bands ‑ 8 periods) By permission of the department

Accelerated Talmud This class is for students who have been in the accelerated track in previous years. Modeled on the nine period Beit Midrash offering for seniors, it is for students who wish to continue their Talmud learning, but with fewer periods a week than required for the Beit Midrash classes, enabling them to enroll in more electives.

By permission of the department

This course is open to students who have been in the regular track in previous years. Meeting four times a week, it is tailored to help students who want to deepen their appreciation for Talmud while improving their skills and expanding their base of knowledge.

This is a class for students who wish to continue studying Talmud and acquire more self‑confidence with negotiating a page of Gemara. (4 periods) By permission of the department

II. Department of Tanakh Honors Tanakh: Megillot This Honors course will be a thematic survey of all five of the megillot (Esther, Shir ha‑Shirim, Rut, Eicha, and Kohelet). Through a close study of these texts, we will explore the religious, historical and philosophical motifs that appear in each of the books. Through analyzing the approach es of the aggadic literature, medieval commentators, and modern biblical thinkers such as Robert Alter, Marvin Fox, and Adele Berlin, we will focus specifically on how the character portrayals and literary structures of the megillot differ from those in the rest of sifrei Tanakh. We will analyze the commonalities that run through these texts and ask why they specifically were canonized as well as designated to shape vocal communal experiences.

Additionally, this course will spend time reading through works of thinkers such as C.S. Lewis, William James, Rudolf Otto, Rav Yoseph Dov Soloveitchik, and Yoram Hazony to gain a more complex understanding of the religious experiences delineated in the megillot narratives. The role of literary emotional philosophy will play a part in our analysis of the megillot, most specifically, how it is that emotions such as love, grief,

anger, pride, and joy are informatively expressed via the text of the Tanakh.

Clarity in the “Myst” Why did God create the world? Why did He create mankind? Must we believe that God created the universe in order to be a religious Jew? Why are there two chapters of the Creation story? Why were Adam and Chava chased out of the Garden of Eden?

Was building the Tower of Bavel really a sin?

These are just some of the difficult questions students will try to answer in this course. Students will be trained in the mastery of the Biblical text, as well as medieval and modern commentaries. Students will also analyze “The Lonely Man of Faith” by Rav Soloveitchik in English. A paper will be required at the end of December based on the Rav’s essay, incorporating the students’ reflections on this major work and on their Ramaz education.

The Origins of Humanity in Sefer Bereishit This course will focus on the opening sections of Bereishit. Through an in‑depth textual analysis, we will closely examine the narrative of the sin of Adam ha‑Rishon and the nature of humanity prior to the flood. Students will study the stories of the Mabul and Migdal Bavel and their ensuing changes for humanity. Utilizing classical and modern commentaries, students will develop the critical philosophical themes and ideas that emerge from the text and draw practical and moral application from the text to our lives.

TANAKH

Honors Beit Midrash

Talmud

TALMUD

I. Department of Talmud

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JUDAIC STUDIES

SENIOR YEAR which our perspectives on sexuality and love have developed.

The Orthodox Response to the Enlightenment

Delve into the stories your teachers skipped in elementary school and then you went home and read in English! What lessons are we to extract from these complex and morally difficult relationships and why do teachers skip these stories? Why were they included in Tanakh at all? We will study the stories of Lot and his two daughters, Dina and Shechem, Tamar and Yehuda, Yosef and the wife of Potifar, all in Sefer Bereishit, and then conclude with Pilegesh b’Givah from Sefer Shoftim. There will be two short papers required for this course based on these stories.

The Jewish Enlightenment of the 18th and 19th centuries, following the Enlightenment in the secular world, seemed to promise an end to anti‑Semitic persecution and our acceptance as equals by the non‑Jewish world around us. Unfortunately, it all too often led to the wholesale abandonment of Judaism by its followers without any lessening of anti‑Semitism. Judaism survived because of three powerful dynamic movements (Torah im Derekh Eretz, Chasidut and Mussar) and their charismatic leaders. If you are a committed Jew today, two hundred years later, it is primarily because of the “new” Judaism developed by them, which continues to adapt to our world today. Every Jewish community and school of Jewish studies is shaped by one or more of these continuing developing movements.

Our course will jump right into the fray, examining the battles, ideologies and personalities, and what they say to us, the senior class of 2015.

III. Department of Judaism

Sefarad vs. Ashkenaz: The Same Difference

Stories Your Teachers Skipped in Elementary School

Love and Intimacy in Jewish Thought The class will deal with various topics related to sexuality, love, and family in Jewish tradition and thought. Our main focus will be to explore how these significant shapers of daily life are understood in Tanakh, by historical Jewish scholoars and by the experience of the layperson, in history as well as in modern times. We will also explore how the modern Jewish community’s interactions with surrounding cultures and religions has impacted the way in

In this course students will discover the variations between Sephardic and Ashkenazic laws and customs. By examining the similarities and differences in approach to halakhic rulings by the major Sephardic and Ashkenazic posekim students will deepen their appreciation of the richness and vibrancy of these two great traditions that share a common commitment to Torah and Mitzvot but diverged in some significant ways. Among the topics to be studied are tefilla, chagim, Shabbat and kashrut.

Zionism: Its Course through History This course will examine in detail the dynamic years of the twentieth century that created the miracle of modern history, the rebirth of the Jewish state after two thousand years of exile and destruction, which laid the foundation for the ongoing dilemmas faced

by Israel today. Our study will begin with the struggle for the Balfour Declaration and British‑Arab collusion, and continue with the struggle within Zionism (religious, secular, socialism, Beitar), the illegal immigration up to and through World War II, culminating in the Irgun/Haganah/Stern Gang drive to the UN vote and statehood, and the War of Independence.

Space: The Final Frontier Space: we take it for granted, moving through it and in it every moment of our lives. But what is space?

Is it fixed and unchanging? How does it get divided up and parceled out and labeled? Are some spaces more special than other spaces? Who, if anyone, controls our spaces?

Among the topics that will be explored are investigations and theories regarding the nature of the universe, beliefs and discoveries about the evolving home planet earth (continental drift, species extinction), the politics of maps and labeling of territories, sacred versus profane space, forbidden and restricted spaces, Eretz Israel and the Jewish nation, “imagined” borderlands and boundaries, and urban versus non‑urban spaces.

The course will emphasize experiential learning making ample use of the New York “campus” with visits to museums and academic institutions, as well continued on next page...

JUDAISM

Students will explore the weekly parsha, analyzing textual elements that contribute to the development of characters and themes. Midrash, classical, and modern commentaries will articulate juxtaposed voices that will trigger vibrant discussion and debate.

The course will leave students with an appreciation of the parshiot as pieces of the developing narrative of each sefer.

TANAKH

Parashat ha‑Shavua

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JUDAIC STUDIES

SENIOR YEAR

Modern Israel (Honors) This course will conduct an in depth analysis of various genres of Hebrew literature such as poems, short stories and films, as they provide a window to Israeli culture since 1948. We will explore the evolution of Israeli society ‑ its values, norms and conflicts ‑ as reflected through collective and individual culture from creative and aesthetic aspects. The class provides an optimum environment to listen and reflect upon many voices of Israel’s pluralistic and ever complex society through the use of a “round table” panel group. This class is an honors level class in Hebrew and will require department permission.

By permission of the department.

Srugim A sensitive and introspective comedy drama, this TV series takes place in a Yerushalmi neighborhood that attracts young Orthodox men and women and as a result turns into the most popular dating scene in Jerusalem. Students will watch the third season episodes with English subtitles. Students will have discussions in class before and after each episode.

Israeli Media and Current Affairs / “Mabat Lachadashot” This course will cover political, cultural and daily life in Israel through an internet‑ulpan program called E‑Tone, which provides articles about current events in Israel, written in appropriate level of Hebrew for non‑native speakers. Students will enrich their vocabulary as well as increase their awareness of the complex and challenging life in Israel.

& LITERATURE

IV. Department of Hebrew Language and Literature

In this course we will view contemporary Israeli films such as: Waltz With Bashir, One of Us, Walk on Water, Noodle, Lemon Tree, and the television series Bemerchak Negia, Through viewing and analyzing these films, which represent various genres and perspectives, students will gain a better insight to Israeli cultural life. Discussing the films’ form and substance also enables students to improve their Hebrew language skills. As a final project option, students will be allowed to film, direct, produce and act in their own short film in Hebrew.

HEBREW LANGUAGE

Students who wish to enroll in this course are required to enroll in both sections – one taught by Rabbi Sklarin and one taught by Dr. Jucovy. Students will be expected to keep up with weekly readings of articles and primary sources, in addition to completing blog entries. Students will complete a final project that focuses on the skills learned in the class; the project will be presented to the group at the end of the semester.

Israeli Film

JUDAISM

as explorations of the “neighborhoods” and landmarks of New York City. It will also use draw from outside experts, both scholars together with lay experts, who shape public space like urban planners and architects.

GENERAL STUDIES SENIOR YEAR

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GENERAL STUDIES

SENIOR YEAR

The Matrix of Self: Searching for Meaning (Honors Senior Seminar) The Western literary tradition documents the individual’s search for love and meaning through the shifting contexts of personal and social experience.

Whether this search is posed in spiritual terms as redemption or in psychological terms as fulfillment, human relationships—determined by community, gender and even, internally, within the “matrix” of self—struggle to grasp moments of exhilaration and connection, or, at times, reconciliation and resignation. In this course, we will explore the individual’s search for meaning in the network of his/ her relationships with the “Other” as they reflect the many aspects of the self, the individual’s internal, personal identity.

TEXTS Othello Shakespeare The Mind Body Problem Rebecca Goldstein Nausea J. P. Sartre The Sorrows of Young Werther Goethe Crime and Punishment Dostoyevsky Sons and Lovers Lawrence The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne

The Beast in the Jungle James

Potential Books

Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man Joyce

Winesburg, Ohio

The Wasteland T. S. Eliot

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

Selected poetry from Spenser, Donne, Herrick, Milton, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Browning, Yeats, Whitman, Pound and Eliot.

The Artist’s Eye We are accustomed to looking at art objects as finished products. We may read a novel or look at a painting or watch a movie or listen to a song—and we may never stop to think about the complex and arduous process that went into bringing those things to life, or the artists who have concocted these magics out of thin air.

In this course, we explore the process of artistic production from a behind‑the‑scenes perspective.

We think about various kinds of artistic personalities (from the obsessive to the self‑destructive to the manipulative to the downright dangerous), and also the subtle and tenuous aspects of the relationship between the artist and the audience—a relationship that might be seductive or abusive, distant or playful.

In short, during our time in this class, we attempt to see what the world looks like from the unique perspective of an artist, and we consider what kind of artistry we all carry around in ourselves. While we focus primarily on literary texts, our study also branches out into film and perhaps other media.

Students who enroll in the course should read Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar over the summer and come to class on the first day prepared to discuss it.

Lost in the Funhouse The Invention of Solitude The Love of the Last Tycoon A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man What Makes Sammy Run? The Hunger Artist Bright Lights, Big City The Crying of Lot 49 Sunday in the Park with George Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead To the Lighthouse The Freddie Stories Fun Home

Potential Movies Barton Fink Man Bites Dog Marwencol All that Jazz eXistenZ Waiting for Guffman American Teen Sullivan’s Travels Blow‑Up Stardust Memories

ENGLISH

I. Department of English

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This course will examine the trajectory of the Jewish/American experience through the lens of great literature: novels, essays, short stories, poetry and drama. The writers studied come from varied backgrounds, both secular and observant, but what links them together is the willingness to confront the essential dilemmas of the Diaspora experience.

They have been fearless and inventive in attempting to understand and describe their own precarious, troubling, fascinating, and joyful situations as Jews in America.

These writers have tried to answer the essential questions of the Jewish/American experience: How does one meld into the American milieu, accept and believe in the American dream, while still retaining the historical, emotional connection to one’s own disquieting past? What is the cost of assimilation?

What are the consequences of prosperity? The issues of anti‑Semitism, inter‑marriage, sex, faith, and secularism are apparent in these works, and will be investigated.

TEXTS selected from The Ghost Writer & Portnoy’s Complaint Roth The Shawl & Rosa Ozick Collected Stories Paley The Assistant Malamud Maus Spiegelman

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank Englander

Europa, Europa Holland

Stern Friedman

Shakespeare

Passing in Literature: Escape from the Self This course will use novels, short stories, plays and films to explore how individuals from marginalized or disenfranchised groups seek acceptance and empowerment by rejecting aspects of themselves and assimilating into majority culture. We will examine this process through the agencies of race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. What motivates some people to relinquish parts of themselves and their histories? How does society respond to the “outing” of those who pass? Are these categories valid means of self‑identification? Is passing a progressive or retrogressive act?

“All the world’s a stage / And all the men and women merely players / They have their exits and their entrances.” Enter the world of Shakespeare, a world peopled by complex and exciting personalities. We will examine the genres of tragedy and comedy and study several plays closely in terms of dramaturgy, character, theme, and language. Shakespeare’s poetry will not be neglected: each play will be introduced by a complementary sonnet.

Course requirements will include the acting of scenes and the writing of several comparative essays.

TEXTS selected from Richard III Romeo and Juliet

TEXTS selected from

Othello

The Human Stain Roth

The Merchant of Venice

Middlesex Eugenides “Yentl” Bashevis Singer The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare The Talented Mr. Ripley Mingella Icogngro, a graphic novel Johnson

Sonnets

Storyville: A Course in Fiction Writing It is commonly said that the best way to learn how to write is to read — and vice versa. And Robert Heinlein once said, “Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.” In this course, we do not keep our writing private, but rather we bring it forward in order to see what we might learn from it. As a uniquely structured class experience, our study combines traditional literary seminar discussion (a rigorous study of continued on next page...

ENGLISH

Jewish‑American Literature

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Writing Workshop Too often essays written for school are viewed as hoops through which a student must jump. Writing Workshop aims to restore purpose to writing by introducing relevant topics and real readers. Because the class is a workshop and involves peer review, students will know exactly for whom they write — their classmates. Students will also use creative writing as a channel to shape writing authority, voice, ease, and style. With targeted lessons addressing trouble spots in structure, logic, and language, this class will insure students know how to write an essay — and beyond — before graduation.

TEXTS Brevity & Echo: An Anthology of Short Short Stories, Beckel and Rooney

Summer reading: Reality Matters: 19 Writers Come Clean About Shows We Can’t Stop Watching David

II. Department of History Honors Senior Seminar: The Age of Reagan: 1968‑Present The course will examine the collapse of the American liberal movement and the rise of the New Right, with particular attention to the role of Ronald Reagan. Among the major topics covered will be the disintegration of the New Deal welfare model, the final decades of the Cold War, the “Culture Wars”, the challenges to the economic power of the United States, and the search for a new American foreign policy. Students will be graded on preparation, discussion, tests, and a yearlong research paper assignment.

Honors Senior Seminar: European History The course explores European Civilization from the end of the Crusades to the fall of Napoleon, a span of time in which a small economic, technological, demographic backwater of the Eurasian landmass transformed itself to the verge of achieving global dominance. The survey course will examine the cultural, intellectual, economic, political and social history of Eastern and Western Europe. Students enrolled in this course will continue with a third quarter course that covers the time period from 1815 to the present.

Bad Apple: The Five Points and New York’s Nineteenth Century Demimonde This class will look at the evolution of lower New York as a center of noteworthy and notorious working class culture in the 19th century. Through this prism, we will explore a variety of issues including Abolition, Temperance, the Civil War, and Tammany Hall, as well as the evolution of the Five Points and Bowery as a unique cultural center that saw the development of such American mainstays as tap dancing, the Minstrel Show, and vaudeville. Although the class concludes after the first semester, when the weather permits, students will have of the option of registering on a walking tour of the Bowery and surrounding neighborhoods with a special focus on topics covered in this course.

Introduction to Economics “Who feeds New York?” ‑ Each day billions of dollars worth of goods, labor, and cash circle the globe, providing for everything from skyscraper construction to milk in the supermarket refrigerator. Understanding how all this works is not only central to our daily existence, but critical if we desire an knowledgeable understanding of our world and an active role in shaping our future. The goal of the senior year economics course is for students to demonstrate an understanding of basic economic concepts.

Students will become familiar with global economic systems, most specifically of the United States, but also of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. They will explore various components of these systems through the lens of current events and the issues shaping our world. Students will examine their roles as consumer, worker, investor and voting citizen. continued on next page...

HISTORY

In essence, there are three aspects to the class: Students are expected to 1. read and be tested upon classic short stories, 2. write and share their own short stories with the class, and 3. read and comment in writing upon the short stories of their classmates. (Nota bene: Many students believe that creative writing cannot be graded. In this course, it will be. This can be an exciting year for all involved, but be prepared for half of your grade to depend upon your ability to develop and hone your creative writing skills.)

The Elements of Style Strunk & White

ENGLISH

literary form, style, technique and instrumentation) with the workshopping of student creative writing (fiction only, no poetry). We cover such fundamentals as point of view, voice, and character — along with more advanced concepts such as pacing, subtlety, dialogue vs. exposition, personal style.

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United States Government and Politics How does our political system work? The course will cover the origins and evolution of the major institutions and documents of the American political system: checks and balances, federal‑state relations, how Congress is organized, how laws are made, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

The course will also survey the development of the American Constitution, primarily by examining major legal decisions issued by the Supreme Court.

Students will develop an appreciation of different theories of constitutional interpretation and of the interaction between social values, political power and court decisions. Although the course is not an honors course, students may choose to take the United States Government Advanced Placement exam in the spring.

The World Connected: World History: From Isolation to Globalization In 1000 C.E. the continents and people of the world were in relative or total isolation from each other.

A thousand years later they are both inextricably intertwined. This course will examine how this global connectedness developed and how the movements of raw materials, technology and ideology bind us all together. Some of the topics covered will be, for example, the role of the Silk Road, sugar, silver, rubber and the earthworm played in the growth of globalization. The critical issue of uneven

development will be featured, seeking to explain why some regions lagged behind and others bounded ahead in wealth and power. Students who register for this course will learn about regions and people beyond the scope of the Mediterranean and western civilizations covered by the World Jewish history and American history sequences.

Space: The Final Frontier Space: we take it for granted, moving through it and in it every moment of our lives. But what is space?

Is it fixed and unchanging? How does it get divided up and parceled out and labeled? Are some spaces more special than other spaces? Who, if anyone, controls our spaces?

Space: The Final Frontier is an interdisciplinary course that integrates multiple general studies disciplines (history, science, math, economics, psychology) together with numerous Judaic studies subjects (Tanakh, Halakhah, Talmud, Jewish philosophy), in an examination of space and how concepts of space are inextricably bound up with power and powerlessness.

Among the topics that will be explored are investigations and theories regarding the nature of the universe, beliefs and discoveries about the evolving home planet earth (continental drift, species extinction), the politics of maps and labeling of territories, sacred versus profane space, forbidden and restricted spaces, Eretz Israel and the Jewish nation, “imagined” borderlands and boundaries, and urban versus non‑urban spaces.

The course will emphasize experiential learning making ample use of the New York “campus” with visits to museums and academic institutions, as well as explorations of the “neighborhoods” and

landmarks of New York City. It will also use draw from outside experts, both scholars together with lay experts, who shape public space like urban planners and architects.

Students who wish to enroll in this course are required to enroll in both sections — one taught by Rabbi Sklarin and one taught by Dr. Jucovy. Students will be expected to keep up with weekly readings of articles and primary sources, in addition to completing blog entries. Students will complete a final project that focuses on the skills learned in the class; the project will be presented to the group at the end of the semester.

Exploring Identity: Psychological Perspectives The course will focus on exploring psychological and philosophical perspectives on human nature and motivation. The models that Freud, Frankl, Nietzsche and Rav Soloveitchik have developed to understand truth, motivation, personality, relationships, conflict and growth vary widely, and have dramatic ethical and psychological implications. For example, the unconscious can be viewed as a reservoir of sexuality, as a treasure of spiritual and existential longing, or as a primal combination of potentially creative forces.

The course will aim to strike a balance between analyzing nineteenth and twentieth‑century texts, and thinking through the psychological, philosophical and Jewish implications of those texts. The primary assignments will include essays, a paper/ presentation, and tests.

HISTORY

Topics of discussion include the Stock Market, classic macro‑economic theory, the developing field of behavioral economics, and the impact of political and social decisions on the economy.

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Honors Senior Seminar: Calculus I This is a college level mathematics course that is equivalent to the first course in calculus offered in colleges. This course is intended for students who have a thorough knowledge of college preparatory mathematics, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry and properties of functions as studied in a precalculus course. Topics include: properties of elementary functions – algebraic, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic; limits; differential and integral calculus. The emphasis in this course is on problem solving.

Honors Senior Seminar: Calculus II This college level course is equivalent to the first year of college calculus. All topics covered in Honors Calculus I are required here. Additional topics covered include: sequences and series, parametric equation, polar functions and differential equations.

This course is considerably more rigorous and theoretical than the Honors Calculus I course.

Honors Senior Seminar: Computer Science This course emphasizes programming methodology and procedural abstraction. It also includes the study of algorithms, data structures and data abstractions. A primary objective of this course is to teach students how to write logically structured, well documented, efficient computer programs. Java is the programming language that is used and taught in this course. No prior programming experience is necessary.

Honors Senior Seminar: Statistics In colleges and universities, the number of students who take a statistics course is almost as large as the number of students who take a calculus course. For example, at least one statistics course is required majors in engineering, psychology, sociology, health science and business, to name a few.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students will be exposed to four broad conceptual themes: 1.

Exploring Data: Observing Patterns and Departures from Patterns;

2. Planning a Study: Deciding What and How

to Measure; 3. Anticipating Patterns in Advance; and 4. Statistical Inference.

Any student who has successfully completed math 11 is eligible to apply for this course.

Calculus In addition to Honors Calculus, different levels of calculus are offered based on the backgrounds of the students. These courses reinforce strong algebra skills and then also introduce the calculus topics of differentiation and integration, as well as applications of each. Students will develop strong foundation that will benefit them when they enroll in college calculus.

PreCalculus This course develops a thorough understanding of functions, their properties and their graphs.

Particular attention is paid to polynomial functions, rational functions, exponential and logarithmic

functions, and trigonometric functions . Probability, matrices, and transformational geometry are other topics dealt with during the year. In addition, limits and the derivative with its applications are explored.

It is strongly recommended that students in Algebra II and Trigonometry elect this course.

Discrete Mathematics This course is a simplified version of a Discrete Mathematics course that is usually offered in colleges. This course has no prerequisites beside some familiarity with algebra and a good sense of numeracy. The course focuses on topics and techniques that are especially relevant in computer science such as: counting methods and the application of these methods to probability, Monte Carlo methods, basic techniques in statistics, symbolic logic and matrices. Great emphasis is placed on problem solving and the implementation of some of these techniques on a spreadsheet

Robotics: CSTEM Senior Course CSTEM teaches Computer Science, Technology, Engineering and Math subjects through critical 21st century skills of problem solving and algorithmic thinking. Students will be introduced to fundamental concepts of computer science and then apply these concepts to projects in science and math.

The curriculum will include an introduction to programming using Scratch or Processing, building robots using Lego WeDo or Arduino, and using Edmodo and Google sites/docs to share and collaborate online. Some of the projects will include creating art through computer programming, designing and building a math video game, building a program to control a robot to move dependent on light sensors.

MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE

III. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

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Honors Senior Seminar: Biology This course is the equivalent of an introductory college biology course. The course covers the following topics: biochemistry, cells, energy transformations, molecular genetics, heredity, evolution, principles of taxonomy, survey of prokaryotes, protists and fungi, plants, animals and ecology. Extensive laboratory work is an integral part of the course.

TEXTS Biology, 5th edition Curtis and Barnes Biology, 6th edition Campbell and Reece Study Guide to Biology, 5th edition Fox and Monroe Biology Laboratory Manual, edition C The College Board

Honors Senior Seminar: Chemistry This course is the equivalent of an introductory college chemistry course. Through classroom lessons and labs, it covers the following topics: atoms, molecules, stoichiometry, gas laws, atomic structures, bonding, solids and liquids, acids and bases, equilibria, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, qualitative analysis, characteristics of families, organic chemistry, and nuclear chemistry.

Solutions Guide for Chemistry Brooks

Honors Senior Seminar: Environmental Science This course is an introductory‑level college course designed to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the inter‑relationships within the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and man‑made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.

The course covers the following topics: scientific analysis, interdependence of earth’s systems, human population dynamics, renewable and nonrenewable resources, environmental quality, global changes and their consequences, environment and society, choices for the future.

TEXTS Raven Berg and Johnson, Environment, 4th edition

Honors Senior Seminar: Physics This course is a college level, calculus based course designed to provide a foundation in physics for those students who plan to major in the physical sciences or engineering. Through class discussion and laboratory work, the course covers, in great depth, all aspects of mechanics and stresses problem solving.

TEXTS

TEXT

Chemistry, 4th edition Zumdahl

Physics, 3rd edition Tipler

Astronomy This course is designed to introduce the students to the cosmos by exposing them to known facts, evolving ideas and frontier discoveries in astronomy today. The course covers the following topics: Earth and the solar system, stars, stellar evolution, the Milky Way and other galaxies and cosmology.

TEXT Astronomy Today Chaisson

Forensic Science This course explores the science of crime scene investigation. The textbook provides an extensive overview of the complexities of the crime scene, physical evidence and the crime laboratory. In addition, case studies and hands‑on lab activities will be used to demonstrate such topics as Fingerprints, DNA Typing, Cause and Time of Death, Victim Identification, Shoe and Tire Tracks, Blood Analysis, Ballistics, and Fiber and Glass Analysis.

TEXT Forensic Science Deslich and Funkhouser

SCIENCE

IV. Department of Science

43

GENERAL STUDIES

SENIOR YEAR

This course is designed for advanced students who have completed at least three years of French. Course material draws on a variety of sources including both literary and cultural readers, newspaper articles, songs, and film clips. Readings, discussions, lab work, and compositions develop a high level of proficiency in both verbal and written communication skills.

Lecturas Avanzadas Giulianelli

Fourth Year French

TEXTS

This course is designed for students who have demonstrated a high degree of interest and ability in French studies and who elect to have a better understanding of French culture and civilization.

Students will develop their skills in speaking, reading, writing, and listening.

Panaché Littéraire Baker, M.

Fourth Year Spanish

Controverses Oukada, L. Une Fois Pour Toutes Sturges, H.

Honors Senior Seminar: Spanish This college‑level course aims at achieving a high level of proficiency in the spoken language and developing excellence in written skills. Students will listen to radio programs and read both literary texts and newspapers to enhance their fluency.

Students who have completed at least three years of Spanish are eligible for acceptance to the course.

TEXTS Triángulo Diaz Spanish ‑ A Guide For the Language Course Diaz

This course is designed for students who have mastered the material in the three year course of study of Spanish and who elect to study the language on an advanced level. In this advanced conversation class, students are expected to lecture and lead class discussions on selected topics. Native‑like fluency in the four language skills is stressed.

Latin This course is intended for students with no prior knowledge of the language. Once the basic structures have been taught, the course will include selections from literature. The text selections will come from masterpieces of Latin literature such as Virgil’s Aeneid and Caesar’s Gallic Wars. The course will enhance the pupils’ knowledge of the culture of the ancient world and its relation to their own.

VI. Department of Art Honors Studio Art Honors Studio Art is offered to students with special talent, or interest, who have demonstrated a commitment to art in the eleventh grade. This is a college level course. It explores drawing, painting and multimedia as an approach to the creative process. Projects assigned present problems that the students must solve. Instruction takes the form of on‑going critiques and dialogs during the process of working on and after the projects are completed.

Work is both realistic and abstract.

In addition to class time students are required to spend extra time in the art studio each week. This class runs through the end of March. Students will keep a sketchbook, and /or artist’s book throughout the year, in which they develop their ideas as well as do drawings Students can also take the AP Exam in May if they choose. Those students who want to take the AP exam must attend a department approved summer program for high school students over the summer between the Junior and senior year. If they have completed sufficient work of the quantity and quality required by March, they can submit a portfolio for the AP. Those students submitting the portfolio must take AP prep in April as this is required for assembling the portfolio.

ART

Honors Senior Seminar: French

Una vez más Couch

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

V. Department of Foreign Languages

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SENIOR YEAR

The course is supplemented by bi‑monthly visits to galleries and/or museums, along with critical papers on the material viewed. At the beginning of the semester each student is assigned an artist from the Abstract Expressionist Movement. Students wil do a research paper on that artist’s development and impact on the history of art.

VII. Department of Music Honors Senior Seminar: Music Theory The course integrates the study of melody, harmony, texture, rhythm and form while focusing on the following major skill areas: analysis of notated examples; development of aural (listening) skills, sight‑singing and keyboard harmony; part‑writing and harmonization. The primary emphasis will require each student to develop skills and concepts

Rock and Roll Music and Culture: A Seminar This class will be a musical, historical, social, and aesthetic exploration through the ages of Rock & Roll in the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

From the 1950’s to today, decades of Rock music will be explored, styles will be discussed, artists and bands will be delved into. Along with the musical aesthetics of each style uncovered, the course will also examine the cultural impact and historical context of the various strands of Rock & Roll through time, from the Mod and Rocker youth movements of the 1960’s, the Punk scenes in New York and London of the 1970’s, the suburban American Hard Rock culture of the 1980’s, the Alternative and Independent Rock dynamics of the 1990’s, and the multi‑generational pop soup of the past decade.

The music’s influence on youth culture of several generations and the boundless and transformative possibilities of a Rock song, a Rock album, a Rock concert and a Rock movement will be studied through deep and critical listening sessions, examinations of Rock & Roll literature, journalism, and scholarship, and discussion of cultural studies in contextual relevance to the music.

VIII. Department of Physical Education Gym is a requirement for all seniors. This requirement can be met by attending regularly scheduled gym classes or by participating on a varsity team.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The schools of art studied include: Neo‑Classicism (The Academy), Romanticism, Naturalism, Realism, Impressionism, Post‑Impressionism, Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism, Dadaism, Futurism, Surrealism and Post WWII Abstraction. The texts used are: The Story of Art, EH Gombrich, The Triumph of American Painting, Irving Sandler and whenever possible, Modern French Painting, Sam Hunter.

related to the system of major‑minor tonality with a brief introduction to 20th century techniques and terminology.

MUSIC

Art History is a college level course offering a historical analysis of the development of art from the nineteenth through the twentieth century. It explores the effect of changes in thought and image created by the evolving political, economic, scientific and social atmosphere. The aim of the course is aesthetic and historic: students are taught to analyze as well as to recognize.

ART

Art History: The Evolution of Modern Art

MINI COURSES

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SENIOR YEAR

Kedushat Hamishpacha for Girls

Required (Two Blocks) We will learn and discuss the laws and customs pertaining to women and family purity. The concept of mikvah will be taught both from the halakhic perspective and the spiritual perspective. We will have the opportunity to learn different stories and customs about family purity throughout generations.

This class will also focus on the Jewish perspective and values found within human sexuality, marriage, human and female body, inter‑personal romantic relationships, dating and families. We will touch on issues that include eating disorders, body image, abusive relationships, and the female self.

There will be an overarching theme of femininity and thinking about women from a contemporary cultural perspective, societal perspective, historical perspective, and the Jewish halakhic and hashkafic system.

heart of who we are, is surely developed during these transitions as well; but, perhaps, at no point and in no place, more significantly than on the college campus when, for the first time in many of our lives, our Jewish ideas and ideals are challenged in interesting and often unexpected ways.

We would like to begin a conversation here, during your senior year, that seeks to conceptualize and confront some of these challenges. Let’s take advantage of the familiarity, friendships, knowledge base and education that you’ve built during your time at Ramaz to participate in an informative and interactive educational experience. In “Campus Life and Jewish Identity” we will discuss topics such as Zionism, faith, religious observance, Jewish pride, campus activism, academic integrity and other issues.

The Eighth Chapter of the Rambam Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yosef Albo (Two Blocks) We will study the main ideas presented by the Rambam in his introduction to Ethics of our Fathers.

Primarily we will be focusing on the Rambam’s philosophy of character building and achieving balance in one’s life. Identify the challenge of human behavior and study the art of confronting its flaws.

The Philosophy of the Ramchal Campus Life and Jewish Identity

Required (Two Blocks) Life can be a succession of ever more significant and impactful transitions that move us along on a path from adolescence to adulthood to family, career, children and so on. Each of these transitions challenges and shapes our identity, the individuals we become. Our Jewish identity, so much at the

Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yosef Albo (Two Blocks) In 11 steps to spiritual and character perfection according to the philosophy of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzato in his magnum opus Mesilat Yesharim.

Discover the purpose of Judaism and explore the process of the Torah as it relates to your life.

Israeli Folk Rock Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yosef Albo (One Block) In commemoration of the recent passing of Arik Einstein ‑ considered to be the greatest folk rock artist in the history of Israel ‑ we will analyze his poetry and songs as they relate to Israeli culture and politics.

Writing Music Workshop Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yosef Albo (One Block) We will begin each week with an analysis of the key messages and lessons of the Parashah. As a group, we will transform those ideas into a musical arrangement. Avid listeners of music and musicians welcomed.

Tefillah – Developing Meaning in Prayer Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yosef Albo (Two Blocks) The purpose of this course is to enhance the experience of our daily prayer by finding meaning in the words and structure of the Siddur. We will deal with broad topics such as the reason for prayer as well as specific definitions of particular paragraphs.

Both Ashkenazi and Sephardi tefillot will be discussed.

Magniv (Hebrew Slang) Judaic ‑ Ms. Dana Barak (One Block) This mini course will give you the basics you need to feel cool while visiting Israel. We’ll learn the unofficial language of the country that is used by all natives to the Holy Land. The slang that will help you communicate with the young and cool crowd in Israel.

MINI‑COURSES

As noted, the Mini‑Courses for 2019‑2020 ‑ specialist offerings by individual faculty ‑ will not be determined until later in the school year, and we are showing this program to give a flavor of the exciting and varied titles typically offered to our Seniors. This eBook will be updated as the information becomes available.

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MINI‑COURSES

SENIOR YEAR

Judaic ‑ Ms. Dana Barak (Three Blocks) We will watch the unfolding drama as presented on the Israeli version of the show. Following each 30 minute episode, we shall pretend to be the Israeli analyst and discuss our understanding and interpretation of the Hebrew dialogue between the patient and the analyst.

Documentary or Fiction Judaic ‑ Ms. Dana Barak (Three Blocks) The course offers an initial exploration of Israeli culture through a study of documentary films that aim to represent aspects of this culture. Specifically, the course will focus on the representation of four major issues: the conflict, the holocaust, immigration and interpersonal relationships. At the same time, the course will reflect on questions of representation: What “documentation” means, and how does it differ from “fiction”?

FILMS Pillar of Fire: Chapter 7 Machssomim Because of that War A Hebrew Lesson Late Marriage The Gatekeepers

The goal is to appreciate the philosophy and ethical teachings that our Sages teach us through the text and laws of tefillah.

The Wisdom of Proverbs — Studies in Mishlei Judaic ‑ Rabbi Ruben Gober (One Block) The course will study the text of this book of Tanakh from a literary and philosophical perspective. We will seek the deeper meaning of Shlomo Hamelech’s parables and their implications for how the Torah wants people to think about themselves and life.

Akeidat Yitzchak Judaic: Tanakh ‑ Ms. Miriam Krupka (Two Blocks) This course will be an in‑depth analysis of one of the most enigmatic episodes in Biblical history and thought; Perek 22 in Sefer Bereishit, the story of the (almost) sacrifice of Yitzchak by the hands of his father. The course will be a text‑based one, dealing with the issues of the story as it is presented in Tanakh, but will ultimately focus on the theological/ philosophical issues raised by the episode. It will explore the ideas of universal morality, religious doubt, interreligious conflict and an overall analysis of Avraham’s relationship with the God and the faith that he discovered. We will be using sources from classic philosophical thinkers from both the Jewish and secular world to encounter and analyze this difficult foundation story in Jewish and interfaith thought.

Tefillah – Developing Meaning in Prayer Judaic ‑ Rabbi Ruben Gober (Two Blocks) We will develop meaning in prayer through analysis of text. The class will include readings on the philosophy of prayer as well as study relevant Talmudic texts.

Srugim Second Season Judaic ‑ Ms. Ada Maccabee (Two Blocks) A sensitive and introspective comedy drama, this TV series takes place in a Yerushalmi neighborhood

that attracts young orthodox men and women and as a result turns into the most popular dating scene in Jerusalem. Students will watch the second season episodes with English subtitles. We will have discussions in class before and after each episode.

Srugim Third Season Judaic ‑ Ms. Ada Maccabee (Two Blocks) A sensitive and introspective comedy drama, this TV series takes place in a Yerushalmi neighborhood that attracts young orthodox men and women and as a result turns into the most popular dating scene in Jerusalem. Students will watch the third season episodes with English subtitles. We will have discussions in class before and after each episode.

Keriat HaTorah Judaic (Off‑the‑Grid Course) The Keriat HaTorah / Torah Reading class is designed to familiarize Ramaz students with the tools to expertly read from the Torah and recite a Haftorah.

As Ramaz stresses excellence in all aspects of a student’s Judaic curriculum, it is imperative that anyone who wants to lein in school, at Hillel, or at shul is comfortable learning a section of the Torah portion and serving as the ba ‘al koreh for the congregation.

Additionally, part of being a well ‑rounded Jew is having the ability to recite a Haftorah for any special occasion, be it a birthday, a forthcoming wedding or honoring a departed loved one on a yaretzeit.

While most students have a certain grasp of Torah reading, this class will reteach and reshape students’ understanding of “how to lein.” Torah reading is much more than memorizing words and a series of notes, continued on next page...

MINI‑COURSES

In Treatment — B’tipul

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MINI‑COURSES

SENIOR YEAR scripts used to write Torahs. We will also discuss why the custom of writing strange letters has been discontinued. We will also discuss a few variations in customs regarding the knots used to tie tefillin, and learn how to tie the most common knots.

There’s no reason why your Torah reading career should end at your Bar Mitzvah.

Dreams in Tanakh and Psychoanalysis

Faith and Doubt Judaic (Two Blocks) Faith and Doubt will explore Jewish perspectives on emunah through the eyes of several generations of Jewish thinkers, from the middle ages to the modern era. Students will encounter different philosophical approaches to questions of faith and doubt, while also being asked to consider the social and historical contexts of these formulations. Broadly, the course will seek to encourage students to explore, and as a result, strengthen their personal emunah as it seeks a place in the intellectual history of the Jewish people.

Otiyot Meshunot ‑ Strange Letters on Old Torah Scrolls Judaic ‑ Dr. Ethan Rotenberg (One Block) Until about 100 years ago, most Ashkenazic Torah Scrolls (and in earlier centuries, Sephardic Torah Scrolls as well) were written with a large variety of “strange letters” ‑ letters embellished with crowns, adornments, and curlicues of all sorts. In this course we will study some of the Rabbinic literature related to these letters, and examine hundreds of examples of strange letters gathered from many Torah Scrolls written over the course of about 200 years in different communities. We will compare different

Judaic: Tanakh ‑ Rabbi Ilan Schimmel (Two Blocks) This course will focus primarily on the role of dreams in Sefer Bereisheit. We will examine a variety of dreams that occupy a central role in the Biblical narrative and seek to develop an overall arching theory regarding dreams. Furthermore, close attention will be accorded to Yosef and his role as an interpreter of dreams. Finally, there will be an extended look at the way in which dreams are discussed in psychoanalytic literature.

Pirkei Avot Judaic: Tanakh ‑ Rabbi Ilan Schimmel (Two Blocks) This course will provide an introduction to the ethics of our Chazal. Through a close and critical examination of key mishnaic passages from Pirkei Avot, we will attempt to develop a picture of how to conduct oneself in all areas of life. Furthermore, in an effort to enrich our understanding of Chazal’s ethics, we will study in detail Aristotle’s Nicomachen Ethics as a work of comparison.

Rabbinic Writings on Human Desire and Personality Development Judaic ‑ Rabbi Ilan Schimmel (One Block)

The Evolution of the Oral Law Judaic ‑ Rabbi Kenneth Schiowitz (One Block) So much of Jewish – halachik life is based on the Oral/Talmudic Law. When studying Talmud it often feels like we are in an awful game of “broken telephone”. How do we revolve our lives around a system that is so humanly flawed and distant from any semblance of divinity? What if the rabbis are mistaken in their formulation of Law? Are we doomed? Moreover, why would God create such an obviously flawed system? This course will demonstrate that the Talmud itself grapples with these issues and presents some profound reflection and responses to these questions.

Jewish Perspective on Sexuality and Homosexuality Judaic ‑ Rabbi Kenneth Schiowitz (One Block) The course will explore Jewish attitudes towards sexuality in general and homosexuality in particular.

Based on Talmudic passages we will consider the value of suppression and expression of sexual desire.

In addition we will question the appropriate privacy revolving around this topic. To what extent should it be discussed openly and publicly? The issue of homosexuality in particular presents profound challenges for Orthodox Judaism as it is not only forbidden but undermining of the “Orthodox dream” of the much idealized family structure. How does a Modern Orthodox Jew relate to the existence of homosexuality and consider the religious purpose of a homosexual life? What changes can be expected and accepted in the slowly evolving halachik thinking of Orthodoxy?

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it’s about transporting the listener and the reader to a specific moment in Jewish history. When one learns to lein correctly he is doing a service for himself, his community and God. Reading from the Torah is difficult but it’s also a skill that one has for life.

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Judaic ‑ Rabbi Kenneth Schiowitz (One Block) This course will explore the philosophical definition of Modern Orthodoxy, as we will work to define the beliefs that underlie our religious lives. We will consider whether there is a place for passion and ferver in this lifestyle and whether that is a good thing. In addition, we will speculate as to the future of this movement as consider our roles in it.

Scandals and Controversies in Jewish History Judaic (One Block) This course will examine a selection of scandalous and/or controversial issues in Jewish history, aiming to take an unconventional look at some “conventional wisdom” and also hear about a few episodes rarely discussed. We will start with the Dead Sea Scrolls , and go up to modern times. Some conceptual issues will also be discussed.

These are the sort of questions we may look at: •

The Dead Sea Scrolls – new thinking: The Essenes may not have existed; they probably neither wrote nor hid the Scrolls; and Qumran may not have had anything to do with the Dead Sea Scrolls, either.

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Medieval Jews – persecuted or privileged?

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Are we all Khazars?

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The Besht – new historical research overturns all common assumptions.

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Why did the Rebbe’s son convert to Catholicism?

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Wild events – Sabbateanism and Frankism

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The Maharal did not make a Golem.

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Famous rabbinic forgeries – the controversy over Besamim Rosh.

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Is Zionism a Jewish movement?

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The roots of religious anti‑Zionism.

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Wayward children of great rabbis.

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Canaanites.

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Delicate issues of the Holocaust period.

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The Carmelite Convent at Auschwitz

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Is there such a thing as Jewish history?

Talmudic Narratives Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yigal Sklarin (One Block) This course will look at Talmudic stories or aggadita and try to understand the purpose of these narratives. We will look at some of the most famous “Legends of the Talmud.” What were goals in telling these stories? Who were they directed at? What can they teach us about the Rabbis of the Talmud and their times? What can they teach us about our lives?

Addressing Modernity: Responsa of Rabbi Moses Feinstein on Contemporary Jewish Life in America Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yigal Sklarin (One Block) This course will deal with the responsa (Teshuvot) of the late great halakhic desicor, Rabbi Moses Feinstein. While Rav Moshe would almost certainly not be described as “modern” to most, his stature and position brought him in constant contact with modernity. He was asked to decide and determine the halakhic status of societal phenomena that were occurring in America, many of which were not prevalent in previous generations.

Using creativity and insight Rav Moshe was asked to rule for the entire Orthodox world on many cases that revolved around these communal and personal issues such the halakhic status of other denominations vis‑a‑vis Orthodox Jews (i.e. a Reform wedding or conversion, praying in a Conservative Synagogue), praying Shacharit before day light, and other secular realities and legalities (i.e. Civil marriage and divorce, double ring ceremony at a wedding).

This course will address many of these cases and attempt to gain a better understanding of how rabbis are expected to address certain modern phenomena.

Sacred and Profane: The Use of Sapce to Define and Determine Religious, Secular, and Profane Spaces Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yigal Sklarin (One Block) This course will explore the ideas behind and Laws of Kedushat Bet HaKineset. The focus will be on how and why Chazal were determined to define Bet HaKineset in such ways and create boundaries between religious and secular spaces. We will follow the trajectory of these laws from the Talmud to modern times and attempt to understand a broader question of why is space used to define and restrict the boundaries of holiness. We will be taking a few outings to explore this phenomenon and see how different peoples throughout history used the idea of space in this way.

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What is Modern Orthodoxy

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SENIOR YEAR Ulpan Ivrit

Eruv 101: How to Build an Eruv

Herzl! The Movie!

Judaic (Two Blocks) Students will be engaged in conversational Hebrew about practical topics necessary for daily life in Israel.

For each topic they will learn vocabulary related to the discussed topic. Common and appropriate usage of slang will also be included in these conversations.

Judaic ‑ Rabbi Moshe Stavsky (One Block) We will study the major relevant laws and considerations which go into building an eruv and why some eruvin are received with controversy. We will learn how to construct an eruv and what potential problems to anticipate. After learning the practical side of eruv construction, we will go on a class trip to see firsthand how a local eruv has been built.

Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yossi Weiser (One Block) Join us for this fascinating examination of the life of one of the most incredible Jews in the last few centuries, by examining his life through the award winning film Herzl. Be prepared to be impressed!

Campus Life and Halakhic Life Judaic ‑ Rabbi Moshe Stavsky (One Block) This course aims to help empower students to thrive religiously on a secular college campus. In this practical course, we will examine a number of significant halakhic issues which confront students, from Shabbat to Mezuzah, Kashrut to Davening times, and more.

The Neviim through the Music of Simon & Garfunkel, Kansas, Bob Marley, and Many More Judaic: Tanakh (Two Blocks) The music and lyrics of popular song writers often reflect and express the same thoughts, emotions, and ideas previously expressed in the Tanakh by our own Neviim. This class will examine some well known and favorite songs. Prerequisite: You must have a passion for music and love to listen to lyrics!

Medical Ethics and Halakhah: End of Life Issues

Sefer Yonah

Judaic ‑ Rabbi Moshe Stavsky (Two Blocks)

Judaic: Tanakh (Three Blocks) Is it possible to hide from God? Was Yonah really swallowed by a whale? Does teshuva really work? An in‑depth study and analysis of a fascinating prophet who wrote the only Sefer in all of Tanakh that concludes with a question. This class will be taught in Hebrew.

We will explore the halakhic debates and considerations concerning a number of highly relevant and emotionally charged topics related to the end of life. Among the issues discussed will be the extent to which one must share information with a patient, live organ donations, extending the life of a terminally ill patient (how much must you do? how much can you do?), engaging in risky medical procedures, euthanasia, defining the moment of death (and its hotly debated ramification of treating brain death as death) and autopsies. This course will be text based, enabling students to recognize and appreciate the underlying issues at play.

Tanakh Stories Judaic: Tanakh (Two Blocks) Learn a story that you skipped in elementary school in depth and with a mature approach. Find out what these stories teach us in the year 2014 and why they were included in the Torah.

Like Sheep to the Slaughter? The Saga of Jewish Resistance Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yossi Weiser (Two Blocks) Come travel to the forests of Poland and Belarus, the ghettos of Hungary, and the streets of Paris, as we examines the incredible fortitude of the Jews under Nazi occupation as they struggled to survive, save their brethren, or at the least die with dignity.

Soul searching questions that beggar the moral imagination which were dealt with by many of our very own grandparents will be asked. Texts and films will be the medium of study, beginning with the critically acclaimed film Defiance.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch ‑ The Founding of Modern Orthodoxy Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yossi Weiser (One Block) When Torah Judaism in Germany seemed doomed by the rush to assimilation, one individual in particular stood in the breech, helped slow the hemorrhaging, and began presenting the Torah in a dynamic modern universal perspective: Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch. Through his thousands of letters, speeches and articles; and his rabbinic and political activities, he changed the course of Jewish history!

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We will use audio conversations as well as short conversational TV programs.

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Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yossi Weiser (One Block) This course will explore the wonders of Creation, following the approach of the Chovos Halevovos in the classic Sha’ar HaBechina. We will study the natural world around us through amazing film footage, and with a trip to Central Park and the Museum of Natural History.

Maimonides Judaic ‑ Dr. Gerald Zeitchik (Two Blocks) We will explore the interaction between Law and Philosophy in Maimonides’ writings and specifically focus on three classic issues: •

The famous contradiction between chapter 51 and chapter 54 in the guide (part 3) that raises the question of whether Maimonides thought action/ethics were more important than knowledge/contemplation, and six important theories as to how resolve the contradiction.

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The literary structure of the Guide and Mishnah Torah as clues to understanding Maimonides’ philosophy of law.

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Sanctifying God’s name as a legal and existential category in Maimonides’ thought.

Mussar Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yossi Weiser (One Block) The study of Mussar is an educational approach to Spiritual development and personal integrity. We will be learning Mussar through the the various classics – Mesilat Yesharim, Sha’arei Teshuvah, Michtav M’Eliyahu. The class is limited to 10 serious students.

The Problem of Rescue ‑ The Miracle of Rescue Judaic ‑ Rabbi Yossi Weiser (Two Blocks) This course will take on many of the burning issues of the Holocaust era, such as The U.S. immigration policy, why the Jews of America didn’t protest (or did they?) and the Evian and Bermuda conferences.

Why wasn’t Auschwitz bombed? Would it have made any difference? Collusion? Antisemitism?

Ruthless strategic decisions? Were FDR and Churchill the greatest friends of the Jewish people, or the greatest fiends? The charge of Zionist collusion Then, the contrast of what WAS done will be studied through the courageous actions of the great rescuers, such as Valerian Fry, Raoul Wallenberg, Rabbi Weissmandel, the villagers of La Chambrons, and the Va’ad Hahaztala. These topics will be addressed through texts as well as media material.

I look forward to fellow explorers of the Rambam joining me in this tour of his thought!

Senior Journey to Poland Judaic (Two Blocks) The Senior Journey to Germany, Poland and Israel is not just a “trip;” it is an educational seminar with a historian accompanying us every step of the way.

This course ‑ a mandatory prerequisite ‑ affords a deeper appreciation for everything seen, heard, and experienced during our travels.

The class, like the journey, focuses not only on the Shoah but on Jewish life in Germany, Poland and the Mandate before, during and after the war; for one cannot truly appreciate what the Shoah robbed us of without understanding what took place beforehand… and afterwards.

Assignments include: research into family history; reading articles and books; and completing a journal.

This course is only open to students going on the Senior Trip to Poland.

French New Wave Cinema: La Nouvelle Vague Core (One Block) It has now been more than half a century since the directors of the New Wave ‑ François Truffaut, Jean‑Luc Goddart, Claude Chabrol, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Rivette, Louis Malle, Alain Resnais, Agnes Varda, and Jacques Demy ‑ electrified the international film scene with their revolutionary way of telling stories. The New Wave may no longer be “new” but the directors and their films are still important. They are the progenitors of what we have come to think of as alternative cinema today, and they continue to have a profound influence on popular culture in the West and throughout the world.

Without la Nouvelle Vague, there may not have been any Scorcese, Soderbergh, or Tarantino (Wenders, Oshima, Bertolucci), and music, fashion, and advertising would be without a major point of reference. Crucially, these filmmakers also proved they did not need mainstream studios to produce successful films on their own terms. In every sense, they were the true founders of modern independent films, and to watch these for the first time is to rediscover cinema.

These works will provide us the opportunity to discuss a variety of themes and cinematographic styles. In addition, students will watch one film by a New Wave director independently and present it to the class. continued on next page...

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Mah Rabbu Maasecha Hashem ‑ How Great are Your Wonders Hashem!

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SENIOR YEAR musicians alike from New Orleans to New York, from Chicago to San Francisco, and internationally from Paris to Tokyo and from London to Tel Aviv.

The Dark Knight Triumphs

The course will include intensive in‑class listening sessions, video viewings, and out‑of‑class live performances, as well as visiting guest jazz artists.

Core ‑ Mr. David Deutsch (Two Blocks) A History of American Comic Books and their impact on popular culture, using Bradford Wright’s Comic Book Nation as a reference. Ideally, we would also read several comic books, including Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns.

The Longest Day Core ‑ Mr. David Deutsch (One Block) An examination of the Invasion of Normandy as told through the film, The Longest Day. Class will alternate between watching the movie and discussion on what the movie is relating, with reference made to selected readings about D‑Day

Jazz Is Core ‑ Mr. Ehran Elisha (Two Blocks) This class offers a decade‑by‑decade run through the various ages of Jazz music in America, combining musical aesthetics and form with the development of American culture, with an emphasis on the African‑American experience of the 20th century as related to the genre, as well as the experimental fringes of European modern music and an amalgamation of world rhythms and cultures.

From its role as America’s pop music of the early 20th century, to its prominence as an art music of our time, Jazz has defined aspects of American society and has inspired and influenced listeners and

Rock and Roll High School Core ‑ Mr. Ehran Elisha (Two Blocks) This class will be a completely subjective dash through ages of Rock and Roll, the music’s impact on youth culture of several generations, and the boundless and transformative possibilities of the two minute pop song.

From the 1950’s to today, decades of Rock music will be explored, styles will be discussed, artists and bands will be delved into. Along with the musical aesthetics of each style uncovered, the course will also examine the cultural impact and historical context of the various strands of rock and roll through time, from the mod and rocker youth movements of the 1960’s, the punk scenes in New York and London of the 1970’s, the suburban American hard rock culture of the 1980’s, the alternative rock dynamics of the 1990’s, and the multi‑generational pop soup of the past decade.

The course will include intensive in‑class listening sessions and video viewings.

The Cinema of Horror Core ‑ Dr. Joshua Gaylord (Three Blocks) This course explores the dynamics of the contemporary horror film. Starting with the 1970s,

we trace the evolution of the horror genre in cinema through its various manifestations: body horror and transformation, techno‑horror, alien invasion, psychopaths, interface with machines, medical terror, torture and the grotesque, and others. We watch full movies in class, and students will also be required to view movies outside of class (after school or during lunch periods) on occasion. Please be informed that these films contain pervasive scenes of violence.

They’re gross — really. So it is inadvisable to enroll in this course if you are sensitive to such things.

Classic Film Core ‑ Dr. Joshua Gaylord (Three Blocks) A survey of film from the early silent movies of Buster Keaton through the musicals of Busby Berkeley, the screwball comedies of Preston Sturges, the 1950s romantic farces of Doris Day and Rock Hudson, and ending with the surreal cinematic experiments of the 1960s and 1970s.

D’Oh!: An Odyssey into The Simpsons Core (One Block) In 1989, The Simpsons debuted on Fox starting as a spin‑off from The Tracy Ullman Show. Since then, The Simpsons has been a major part of American culture as it is the longest running prime‑time comedy series as well as the longest‑running prime‑time animated series in US TV history.

What you didn’t know is that there are variety of philosophical, religious and even mathematical references woven into the show. This mini course will look to draw the parallel to this “cartoon” and real issues that are discussed every day.

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They will also write a brief paper comparing and analyzing the themes of la Nouvelle Vague. Bon cinéma et rendez‑vous en classe!

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Core (One Block) This course will begin with a history of rap music and the evolution of it from other styles of music. Then this course will look at the social, political, historical and cultural impact of rap/hip‑hop music. Hip‑Hop from all regions will be listened to and analyzed.

King Lear ‑ The Graphic Novel Core (One Block) Ian Pollock’s graphic novel is replete with colors and imagery that complement Shakespeare’s tragedy.

This course is an in‑depth study of madness, heredity, and justice through text and image.

Writing about Art and Art about Writing Core (One Block) Using painting and sculpture from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s permanent collection as inspiration, this class will focus on different forms of writing. The class will also visit current exhibits now on display at the Met.

The 15‑Minute Hamlet Core ‑ Dr. Edith Honig (Two Blocks) We will study and perform Tom Stoppard’s masterful, hilarious condensation of all of Hamlet into fifteen minutes!

Teen Films Based on Shakespeare Core ‑ Dr. Edith Honig (Two Blocks) Study the performances of those great Shakespearean actors Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, and others in teen films loosely based on Shakespeare’s plays. We will see, discuss, and compare O (based on Othello), Ten Things I Hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew), She’s the Man (Twelfth Night), and others.

The French Revolution Core ‑ Dr. Jon Jucovy (Two Blocks) The course will be an intensive survey of the French Revolution and, time permitting, Napoleonic era.

In addition to covering the historical narrative of the revolution, the course will examine major interpretations of the era.

The World of Alfred Hitchcock The Language of Flowers and Flower Arrangements Core (One Block) Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s New York Times bestselling novel focuses on the messages flowers can send.

Along with the novel, we will read poetry about flowers. The course will end in two lessons on flower arrangement, one focusing on beauty and the other the hidden significance of different bouquets.

Core ‑ Dr. Jon Jucovy (Two Blocks) Alfred Hitchcock is deservedly regarded as a master film director. His significance lies in his achievements as an artist who played a major role in the development of classical film language. In that respect, his films have served as an inspiration for film directors ever since (how many times has a film reproduced a version of the famous Psycho shower scene?)

Hitchcock’s importance is not confined to his artistic contributions. He was also a serious commentator on the world in which he lived. His film subjects ranged from the overtly political (Saboteur, Torn Curtain, North by Northwest, Notorious) to the social world of sexual politics (Vertigo, Psycho, Marnie, Frenzy). This course will reflect on all these features ‑ Hitchcock as a commentator, Hitchcock as artist, Hitchcock as inspiration for others. His impact on us has been so profound that in some sense it might be said that we live in a world that has been shaped by his vision.

This course will require students to attend a weekly film screening. Please pay careful attention to the class schedule. You are responsible to make sure it does not conflict with another course for which you are registered. Failure to attend the entire weekly screening will result in a failing grade.

Newsies Core ‑ Dr. Jon Jucovy (One Block) This course is designed to teach students news “literacy”. The course will examine the differences between news and opinion, objectivity and distortion.

The “texts” will be nightly news broadcasts, The Daily Show with John Stewart and The Colbert Report, and a variety of daily newspapers.

Take Me out to the Ballgame Core ‑ Dr. Jon Jucovy (One Block) The class will learn about how the American economy and culture influenced the evolution of baseball, with particular attention to the evolution of baseball stadiums, Students will attend a baseball game (date and time to be determined).

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Started from the Bottom, Now We’re Here: An Analysis of Hip‑Hop

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Core ‑ Dr. Jon Jucovy (One Block) The course will focus on an unusual case of “the Other” in recent American history, the daycare abuse hysteria that swept the United States (as well as Canada and New Zealand) during the 1980s and 1990s. The course will examine the pattern of accusation, over‑zealous police investigation, the widening circle of accusation and escalation of the charges made against the accused. Students will be encouraged to develop explanatory interpretations for why the hysteria developed at this time and was directed at daycare employees. Comparisons to other persecutions will be made. The “Rashoman” syndrome will also be examined and discussed: Does a single truth exist? Can it be uncovered?

Sondheim Core ‑ Mr. Jay Klotz (Two Blocks) Stephen Sondheim is the most important composer for the musical theater of the past half century.

From his apprenticeship with Oscar Hammerstein, through his lyrics for West Side Story, through such ground‑breaking plays as Company, Follies, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, and Into the Woods, he remains an active and vital part of the American musical tradition. In this course, we will examine Sondheim’s shows one by one, as well as his place in the canon of Broadway and beyond.

Linguistics Core ‑ Mr. Jay Klotz (Three Blocks) Linguistics is the study of the nature and characteristics of language. Rather than study one or even a few languages, in this course we will examine language as a scientific phenomenon. We will discuss the origin, development, and history of

language; language families around the world; the sounds of language; how grammar works; and what the human language faculty tells us about the mind and how it works. Students should emerge from the course with an appreciation of an omnipresent but often neglected aspect of their world.

How to Read The New York Times

The Laramie Project and The Book of Matt

Dr. Seuss and the Brothers Grimm: What Childrens’ Stories Really Mean

Core ‑ Ms. Susan Litwack (Two Blocks) By reading The Laramie Project, a play portraying the brutal killing of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, on a deserted road in Wyoming in 1998 and The Book of Matt, a journalistic investigation into that murder published just last fall, we will examine the way in which history, as well as literature, is shaped by the person telling the story. These texts offer a glimpse into what propels us to repress or selectively use and interpret evidence to advance social and political causes and into how popular culture encourages us to make sense of tragedy in a way that validates and ennobles our own life choices.

Smoke Signals: Native American Identity ala Sherman Alexie Core ‑ Ms. Susan Litwack (One Block) By reading Sherman Alexie’s short story, “Because My Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play ‘The Star‑Spangled Banner’ at Woodstock” and viewing Alexie’s film expanding on that story, we will examine American myths about Native Americans and how Alexie’s work portrays and subverts them.

Core ‑ Dr. Steven Milowitz (One Block) This course is comprised of a discussion of the Time’s history; controversy on bias, objectivity, and fairness; a tour of the Times’ offices; discussions of journalism; and a daily dissection of the daily newspaper.

Core ‑ Dr. Steven Milowitz (One Block) This course is comprised of reading classic stories of childhood, and analyzing them from various perspectives.

What Zombies Mean Core ‑ Dr. Steven Milowitz (One Block) This course is comprised of a discussion of the recent wave of popular entertainment (films, novels, television series) that use Zombies as their central motif. The class will feature an interview with Zombie scholar and novelist Alden Bell.

Woody Allen’s Universe Core ‑ Dr. Steven Milowitz (One Block) This course is comprised of screening of several of Woody Allen’s film, followed by discussions of the unique world his works create.

Rise of the City Core (One Block) Cities have been called “the defining artifacts of civilization. All the achievements and failings of humanity are here.” Today half the world lives in an urban environment and by 2030 two thirds of the world will do so. This course will trace: how and why continued on next page...

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Inter‑Disciplinary Seminar

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The City Challenged Core (One Block) Modernity and the expectations of an urban lifestyle became inextricably interwoven in the late nineteenth century yet they both were transformed at a blistering pace. Paris, London, Vienna, Washington, Amsterdam, Berlin, Brasilia, Canberra and Beijing are but a few of the cities that will be examined in light of modern urban geography and sociology.

And Then There Was Columbus Core (One Block) What about the Americas before the Europeans arrived? How did the Olmecs, Toltecs, Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas live? What were the accomplishments of the Pre‑Columbian civilizations?

Why did they rise and decline? These and other questions will be addressed in this introductory course to a world only recently explored from an anthropological and ecological viewpoint.

War from Sumer to Byzantium Core (One Block) There was man and there was war. No society has survived without mastering its complexities. To understand Babylon and Egypt, Persia and Greece, Carthage and Rome, Sasanians, Byzantines, and Arabs one must appreciate their armies. Highlights of this course will include analysis of selected film footage from a historical perspective.

We Are What We Eat Core (One Block) Man’s relationship with food has been a major determinant to human development throughout history from the how, when and where society evolved to the nature of economics, politics, religion, medicine and cuisine. This course will attempt to address the evolution of food culture throughout the ages and continents with a special emphasis upon the development of a global cuisine.

RamCorps Off‑the‑Grid Course ‑ Ms. DeeDee Benel RamCorps is a Jewish journey of sorts. In Pirke Avot (6:2) Hillel says it best: “Bemakom she‑ein ish, hishtadel lihyot ish,” “Where there is no man, strive to be a man.” In Gemara Brachot (63a) it reads slightly differently: “In a place where there is no leader, strive to be a leader.”

The goal of RamCorps is twofold: Students will participate in hands‑on, interactive social service programs: meet and serve soup kitchen and food bank clients; visit with the men of the Doe Fund at their home base and “walk their walk,” work with challenged youngsters in public and private institutions, and prepare (as in physical labor) a camping facility that services special needs children.

Students will also meet with agency professionals; those who direct, initiate, and design the community service programs. These individuals saw a need and felt charged to address it, most often working against the tide, overcoming societal prejudices, governmental resistance and bureaucratic stumbling blocks.

Along with full participation in all service trips (those listed above are just a sample), each member of RamCorps is required to design an original service project that reflects what she/he has learned from the group projects and from the informational sessions with professionals (which will include the “hows and whys” of not‑for‑profit programs).

“Wordplay” (One Block) Learn how the crossword puzzle was started, how it is constructed, and how solvers view it today.

This course will include watching excerpts from the documentary, “Wordplay,” as well as a chance to both create and solve crossword puzzles.

Science of Food Ms. Lenore Brachot (One Block) We will learn how certain ingredients affect the cooking/baking process of food. We will also learn about where our food comes from and the technology used in processing foods. Additionally, we will discuss food borne illnesses. Each student will choose an approved topic of food science and prepare a presentation to the class in which they will teach the class about their topic. The students will be graded on attendance and their presentation.

If possible, we will spend some time in the kitchen preparing foods and actually seeing first‑hand how certain ingredients affect the outcome of a recipe due to scientific reactions and principles.

Zionism for College Freshmen Mr. David Deutsch (One Block) continued on next page...

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cities came into existence, how different societies across the world attempted to adapt to challenges of urbanization.

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CPR Review/Refresher (One Block) Ramaz students took CPR as freshman and probably did not renew their American Red Cross certification when they reached 11th grade. This course would be a re‑certification for any seniors interested in refreshing their CPR skills. Learn how to respond to cardiac and breathing emergencies in adults, including the use of automated external defibrillators (AED).

Attendance is mandatory as students will have to pass the American Red Cross written exam, as well as the physical skills proficiency.

Ways to Stay Healthy on Campus (One Block) Living on campus can be a tough transition from the comforts of home for many incoming freshman college students. As young adults with few health concerns to worry about, we often take our good health for granted and can easily succumb to unhealthy habits notoriously common among college students. But it’s so important to keep an eye on your health – not only for your well being now, but for the future as well.

We will discuss the transition from living at home with your family to living on campus while learning how

to deal with a roommate, wake up for class on time, study, participate in activities, study more, spend time with friends, and do everything else needed to function independently. We will also spend time reviewing other challenges that new college student’s face on a daily basis such as sleep deprivation, nutrition, peer pressure, substance abuse and sexuality (i.e. gender roles, STI’s).

Data Graphics Dr. Joshua Gaylord (Two Blocks) Increasingly, our culture has come to rely upon visual representations to interpret complex sets of data. Our understanding of politics, economics, history, sociology and science (to name just a few) is frequently premised upon an ability to read and comprehend charts, graphs, maps, tables and other graphical media that attempt to summarize and communicate large amounts of quantitative data. In this course, we explore the history of data graphics from their beginnings in the eighteenth century—and we attempt to understand graphical integrity (that is, what makes a good data graphic and a bad data graphic) as well as the similarities between this kind of communication and other forms of storytelling narrative. Our study will be largely influenced by the work of political scientist and statistician Edward Tufte.

Beginning Programming Using Games and Simulations (One Block) In this introduction to programming we will use Greenfoot, a programming environment designed for introducing programming in a gentle, yet serious way. You will look at different simulations and games

to learn about object‑orientated programming in a fun and accessible manner. Towards the end of this mini course, you will get a chance to discuss and develop ideas for creating your own games through Greenfoot.

This course is restricted to students who have not taken Honors Java.

Good vs. Lucky: Sports and Statistics (One Block) Does the designated hitter increase offense in baseball? What is the idea of the “hot hand” in sports? Is there really a such thing as the concept of home field advantage in sports?

These questions along with others will be answered using basic statistical techniques. Different sports will be analyzed and real time data will be used for analysis. The only prerequisites for this course are a solid understanding of arithmetic and the desire to understand the role of statistical analysis in sports.

It’s Gametime!

(One Block) “Game Theory” is described as “the study of mathematical models of conflict and cooperation between intelligent rational decision‑makers.” While used in games like poker and bridge, game theory is usually used to see how groups of people/individuals interact. We will study a variety of applied contexts such as political science, philosophy and logic to name a few. Should you run that extra mile or rest? Should you eat that glazed donut or eat the rice cake?

These questions along with others will be answered using these ideas of game theory.

MINI‑COURSES

An examination of critiques—both reasonable and unreasonable—of Israel, using Benny Morris’ Righteous Victims as a reference. Reading will be given on a regular basis, and students will be expected to contribute to class discussion and demonstrate their understanding of the reading through written evaluations.

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SENIOR YEAR

(One Block) Learn the basic principles of architecture using Legos.

Through a study of prominent buildings and Lego creation, students will familiarize themselves with terms such as arches, buttresses, post, lintel, and cantilevered structures. The class will culminate in a student‑created Lego exhibition.

A History of Contemporary A Cappella Music Mr. Daniel Henkin (One Block) The course will examine the roots of Contemporary A Cappella from the early part of the 20th Century to the present day. We will look at the surging popularity of contemporary a cappella music in the past twenty years including a discussion of NBC’s a cappella reality show, The Singoff, and the recently released movie, Pitch Perfect.

We will examine a range of topics from musical and cultural influences to arranging styles and production techniques. We will listen to different genres of a cappella music including Barbershop, Doo‑wop, Collegiate, Jazz and Religious. A guest speaker from the contemporary a cappella recording industry will speak to the class, and a contemporary a cappella performance will be scheduled for the class.

Perspective Drawing Mr. Rodger Jaffe (One Block) You know from experience that when you look down a long straight road, the parallel edges and the center line seem to meet at a point on the horizon. To show this effect in a drawing, artists use perspective, the technique of portraying solid objects and spatial relationships on a flat surface. In this

class participants will learn to draw in one‑point and two‑point perspective, using geometry to make art appear true‑to‑life.

Applications of Calculus (Two Blocks) This course will use concepts learned in calculus to solve various applied problems. Employ your knowledge of derivatives to solve related rates and optimization problems. Use integrals to find the area under a curve and the area between two curves. This course is only open to students who took calculus in the first semester.

Focus on Fractals (One Block) Who are Mandelbrot, Sierpinksi, and Koch? What does nature have to do with math? A fractal is a never ending pattern that repeats itself at different scales. Learn about infinitely complex fractals.

Generate fractals by hand, using algebra, and on the computer.

Practical Excel (One Block) Microsoft Excel is designed to manipulate, calculate, and analyze large amounts of data. It is an essential tool for almost anybody working in the modern world, from teachers to economists. In this course we will introduce the software, discuss and practice some of its most useful features, and provide a starting point for your Excel life.

Intro to Woodcutting (One Block) Woodcut is a relief printing technique in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood and then printed on a piece of paper through applying ink and pressure. It’s kind of like making a stamp but a lot cooler. We will cover the basics of carving and printing. If you’ve never taken an art class before this is a great place to start.

These easily printed blocks make great cards, logo designs, illustrations, fabric designs and, of course, fine art prints. Frans Masereel, Edvard Munch, and Salvator Dali are among the many artists to explore this printmaking technique. Supplies needed are blocks of wood, paper, ink and carving tools. Visit to a gallery or museum TBD.

Understanding Algorithms Without Computers (One Block) You’ve heard the word. You use them all the time, from tying your shoes to baking cookies, to searching for things on Google. In fact, you can’t live without them. So what are algorithms all about?

This minicourse will introduce you to fundamental algorithms like the “Gale Shapley Algorithm” which has been used to match medical school students to hospital residency programs (and to match single men and women based on their dating preferences) as well as algorithms for searching and sorting problems. Explore these algorithms and more without knowing a stitch about computer programming. Basic knowledge of functions and arithmetic is all the math we’ll need.

MINI‑COURSES

Lego and Basic Architecture

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SENIOR YEAR Euclidean Geometry with Elements of Origami

Fire and Evolution

Dr. Fabio Nironi (Two Blocks) Euclidean geometry is the geometry of figures that can be drawn with a straightedge and a compass.

The course will follow closely the 2300 years old book of Euclid, starting from his famous five axioms and the construction of the equilateral triangle up to the challenging construction of the regular pentagon. We will try to preserve the constructive spirit of ancient Greek geometry and we will prove theorems by drawing figures on paper with a straightedge and a compass or on the screen with the computer. We will analyze the boundaries of Euclidean geometry, we will see for example that it’s impossible to trisect a generic angle just using straightedge and compass, or to square a circle.

(One Block)

The purchase of the book of Euclid is recommended but not required. We will simulate straight edge and compass on the computer using Geogebra. We will experiment with origami constructions on the computer using Referencefinder. Both of the two programs are opensource.

Rabbi Ely Stern (One Block) How many prime numbers are there? Learn about perfect numbers, amicable numbers, sociable numbers, twin primes and some Fermat’s Last theorem too.

Hispanic New York (One Block) Hispanic New York is a class taught in English that will expose students to the Hispanic cultural heritage in New York City. The course will discuss music, food, and art in the city. Students will be required to attend a walking tour of Spanish Harlem.

Ted Talk (One Block) This class will weave together different TED Talks under a diverse set of themes, such as, identity, success, religion, predicting the future, and making mistakes. The goal is to encourage group conversation and promote insight on the content, presentation, speaker, and style of the talk.

Hip to Knit ‑ Knitting for Beginners Psychosis and the Myth of Normalcy Dr. Gerald Zeitchik (Two Blocks) Who is normal? Is that a term that we use to reinforce conventional definitions of identity? Is there really an objective reality of normalcy? Is that a medical or moral term? Do different cultures generate different kinds of normal people? How much does biology drive our sense of who is or is not normal? These are the questions that our mini‑course will explore.

(One Block) The students who take this course will learn to knit (not just a scarf). There will be a visit to a knitting store and to pick their own yarns. All the major terms, stitches and symbols will be taught. Each student will pick from several simple patterns and produce something. This course is open to all serious students who wish to learn to knit.

The Culting of Brands (One Block) This course will examine brands like Apple, Jet Blue, Ben & Jerry’s and others that have successfully recruited loyal and emotionally invested customer bases. We will compare methodologies in their

MINI‑COURSES

In the second part of the course we will compare Euclidean geometry with origami theory. In origami theory, the straightedge and the compass are replaced by folding, and the axioms of Euclid by the axioms of Huzita and Hatori. Anything that can be drawn with straightedge and compass can also be constructed by folding paper, but we will see that origami actually allows a greater number of constructions, for example the trisection of an angle.

The course requires a straightedge and a compass.

The straight edge is just an edge that is straight, unlike a ruler it is not graduated. Almost anything can serve as a straightedge.

Numbers, Numbers Everywhere

branding and marketing to the mythologies in cult movements and outreach. We will explore cutting edge behavioral and social psychological research to gain a better understanding of our own social evolution and develop important distinctions between our collectivistic and individualistic selves.