Upper School Curriculum Guide 2023-24

RYE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL UPPER SCHOOL

CURRICULUM

GUIDE PROGRAM OF STUDY 2023 - 24

PROGRAM OF STUDY

The Rye Country Day School Upper School Curriculum Guide contains a complete description of the academic program of the Upper School, Grades 9-12. In order to provide parents/guardians and students with guidelines for selecting courses at each grade level, we have included the School’s requirements and suggested programs for each year of study. Advanced Placement, Independent Study/Guided Study, and the Pass/Fail option are explained here, as well.

Students should read the Curriculum Guide and discuss their interests/options with their parents/guardians and then seek the guidance of their advisor. Enrollment in certain courses must be approved by the relevant department. The Middle School administration will make recommendations for students entering Grade 9 from the RCDS Middle School. For students joining the Upper School from another school, we utilize placement assessments to support course selection. Initial program approval is granted by the advisor. Final approval is issued by the appropriate Grade Level Dean and Principal.

Please note: We occasionally withdraw a course when there is insufficient enrollment or when there is a change in faculty. Students will be notified if they need to make another selection.

For Upper School contact information and a digital version of the 2023-24 Curriculum Guide, please visit ryecountryday.org/us-curriculum-guide

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

For graduation, a minimum of 16 units is required. (For the Class of 2027 and beyond, a minimum of 20 units is required.) For promotion to the next grade, a minimum of four (4) academic courses must be passed. A senior must complete a minimum of four (4) full credits during the senior year in order to receive a diploma and must be enrolled in at least four classes during each semester of the senior year. Credit is granted at the completion of the course. A minimum of five (5) academic courses per year is expected. Any student choosing to take more than five homework-bearing courses needs to carefully consider this decision, and parental approval is required on all course selections.

The typical program of study is five to six units per year in Grades 9-12. Successful completion of all requirements is necessary for graduation.

Subject Area and Minimum Requirements

• Visual and Performing Arts: One and a half units (1.5) units in at least two (2) of the arts departments (Visual Arts, Music, Drama and Dance, or Yearbook) OR earn two units (2) in one (1) of those departments to be completed over the four years

• English: Four (4) units.

• Foreign Language: Must complete Level 3 of French, Spanish, Chinese, or Latin.

• Health: One-quarter (0.25) unit (Grade 10).

• Humanities: Two (2) units [Three (3) units beginning with the Class of 2024]. World History I: Foundations in Grade 9 or 10; U.S. History in Grade 11 or 12; beginning with the Class of 2024, one (1) other Humanities unit.

• Life Skills: Required in Grade 9.

• Mathematics: Must complete Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra II/Trig.

• Natural Sciences: Two (2) units [Three (3) units beginning with the Class of 2024]. Two (2) units in laboratory-based sciences—1 physical and 1 biological; beginning with the Class of 2024, one (1) other Science unit.

• Physical Education: Four (4) years, must pass each trimester unless granted an exemption. Although required, Physical Education is not a credit-bearing course. Computer Science: One-half (0.5) unit.

Summer School

No credit towards graduation is given for summer work except in making up a failed course, nor is the “F” removed from the transcript. Two exceptions to this rule are that a student may attend the RCDS summer school to fulfill the Health requirement and/or the Computer Science requirement.

Students seeking changes in their course placement as a result of summer work need to obtain permission from the appropriate Department Chair in advance of enrolling in summer work. The Mathematics Department has a specific course bypass/level-change policy that involves submitting a request by April 15 and gaining approval before completing summer work (see the Mathematics Department section).

ACADEMIC EVALUATION Grading Scale

At all marking periods, letter grades are issued. (Numerical grades may be used for tests and papers.) The numerical equivalents are as follows:

A+ = 100-97 (98) B = 86-83 (85) C- = 72-70 (71) F = Below 60

A = 96-93 (95) B- = 82-80 (81) D+ = 69-67 (68)

A- = 92-90 (91) C+ = 79-77 (78) D = 66-63 (65)

B+ = 89-87 (88) C = 76-73 (75) D- = 62-60 (61)

ACADEMIC CREDIT: Statistically, the median grade for academic courses is B+. A grade below C- indicates that the student is having difficulty with the material. An F indicates that a student has not met the minimum standard for a particular course and will receive no credit.

WRITTEN COMMENTS: In addition to the letter grades, written comments are made available on a scheduled basis throughout the year. Teacher-initiated Interim reports may be written whenever a teacher is concerned about an individual student’s performance on a given assignment, test, or over a short period of time.

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION: After careful discussion and evaluation, Rye Country Day School has decided not to have an honor roll, a dean’s list, or academic societies. We do not encourage students to compete against each other for grades. Rather, they are encouraged to work up to their potential and to improve and to achieve their personal best. Consequently, we do not rank our students.

ACADEMIC RESEARCH: Research skills and the formal research paper are essential elements in the college preparatory curriculum. Collegebound students need to know how to express personal opinions cogently in both writing and speaking. They should be able to find, summarize, synthesize, and acknowledge information available to them from a variety of sources. In each of the four grades in the Upper School, students will gain some practice with research. They should have experience with different kinds of research strategies, and they should be aware that research findings may be presented in different ways—the traditional paper, the oral report, multimedia presentations, portfolios, and so on.

Pass/Fail Option for Juniors and Seniors

The Pass/Fail option is only available to juniors and seniors. A junior or senior may choose a Pass/Fail grading option if all of the criteria listed below are met:

1. The course in question is not an AP or Honors level course.

2. The course is not part of the Upper School required curriculum.

3. The course is the only Pass/Fail course a student is taking at the time.

4. The student is taking at least five (5) courses.

Students taking a Pass/Fail course will receive regular grades on the tests, papers, and quizzes of their Pass/Fail course, but the grade recorded on quarter and semester grade reports will be limited to a P or an F. A student may not reverse their decision to take a course Pass/Fail after the published deadline has passed.

Students seeking exception to the above criteria must place their request (either in writing or through their advisor) before the Academic Affairs Committee. The Academic Affairs Committee, excluding its student representatives, will vote based on whether the change in grading option makes a positive impact on the student’s program. In order for a student to receive approval for a Pass/Fail option from the committee, the student’s request must receive support from more than fifty percent of those committee members.

CHANGES TO ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Adding Courses

Approximately two (2) cycles after the beginning of a semester-length course is the deadline for adding such a course. Approximately four (4) cycles after the beginning of a year-long course is the deadline for adding such a course. Students should discuss the addition with their advisor, the Grade Level Dean, or the Principal. Exceptions to this policy require the approval of the Department Chair, the Grade Level Dean, and the Principal.

Dropping Courses

Approximately four (4) weeks after the beginning of a semester-length course is the deadline for dropping such a course. Approximately seven (7) weeks after the beginning of a year-long course is the deadline for dropping such a course. A course dropped after the applicable deadlines will result in a “Withdrew/Fail” or “Withdrew/Pass” on the student’s transcript. Students should discuss the drop with their advisor, the Grade Level Dean, or the Principal.

Changing Course Level

A student may change level at any point before the first quarter grades are published, and the grade of the first course is simply dropped. If a student changes levels any time after the first quarter, the student needs to take the major assessments that the student has missed from the start of the second quarter to the point of entering the new class. Students may not change levels after December 1. In individual cases, policy may be appealed directly to the Principal and the Grade Level Dean.

Dropping/Changing Courses & Academic Dishonesty Consequences

If a student receives a zero on a particular assignment due to an academic integrity violation, the student cannot avoid the implications of that violation by dropping the course or changing course levels. If the student decides to drop the course, the course will be noted as a “Withdrew/Fail,” irrespective of the timing of the drop. If the student decides to change course levels, the student must still complete each required make-up assignment and the zero will be applied to the appropriate assignment – at the discretion of the teacher, dean, dean of students, and/or principal – in the new course.

HONORS AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT

Each department evaluates individuals who request honors or advanced placement. The criteria for such placements are written in the departmental sections of this guide. Note: It may be important for any student requiring regular assistance (once or more per week) from a tutor to maintain a minimum grade to reconsider the appropriateness of the honors or advanced placement level placement.

For the very able student, the opportunity to gain college credit and/ or placement for work done in the secondary school exists in English; Chinese, French, Latin, and Spanish; Calculus and Statistics; United States Government, Economics, United States and Modern European History, and Psychology; Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry, and Physics; History of Art, Photography, and Studio Art; Music Theory; and Computer Science. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are designed for students who have demonstrated a high level of ability in, and enthusiasm for, a given subject. Such courses make college level texts, pedagogies, and ideas available to high school students who have shown that they can handle them. These courses often require students to spend an hour or more on homework each night, take an active part in class discussions, and occasionally take over responsibility for teaching a class. Successful completion of the course and exam may lead to the granting of college credit by institutions where RCDS AP graduates matriculate, or placement into sophomore level courses in freshman year of college, or both.

With the exception of English, students enrolled in AP classes are required to take the AP examination in the class, and the school guides the student in taking responsibility for signing up for the AP examination. If a student is NOT enrolled in an AP class and still wishes to take the AP, the student needs to communicate the intent to their current teacher, the Department Chair, and the AP Coordinator. The AP Coordinator will share, well in advance, deadlines with the student body with regards to this process. RCDS AP exams are only administered to currently enrolled RCDS Upper School students (grades 9-12). NonUpper School RCDS students are not permitted to take AP exams at RCDS unless they are enrolled in the appropriate AP course at RCDS.

HOMEWORK GUIDELINES

Students should anticipate 30-45 minutes of homework per course, per night for class preparation. Assessment preparation (studying for tests and quizzes, writing papers and lab reports, etc.) does not fall under these guidelines.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Independent/Guided Study

The Independent/Guided Study program offers juniors and seniors in good academic standing the opportunity to complete work in an area of study that lies beyond the breadth or depth of the RCDS curriculum for RCDS academic credit. No student may undertake an Independent/ Guided Study on material already offered anywhere in the RCDS curriculum; students who cannot fit all courses that they would like to take into their program for any given semester must choose among options that fit their schedule. Students may engage in only one Independent/Guided Study of any kind per semester, unless expressly approved otherwise by the Academic Affairs Committee. Proposals for Independent/Guided Study are approved for only one semester at a

time; students must reapply if they wish to continue the same project for a second semester. No Independent/Guided Study is eligible for AP distinction on a student’s transcript.

Note: No Independent or Guided Study may proceed without a willing and able RCDS Faculty advisor. No RCDS faculty member is permitted to advise more than one Independent/Guided Study per semester.

Independent Study

An Independent Study is a student-defined and student-directed course of study to be undertaken with the willing and able supervision of a member of the RCDS Faculty, who is qualified in the relevant area of investigation. Any junior or senior in good academic standing may submit a proposal to the Independent/Guided Study Committee via the application designed by that committee, which is meant to help students define their goals, course of study, and expectations for their projects. Each semester, the Chair of the Independent/Guided Study Committee will communicate due dates for applications to students via RCDS email.

Guided Study

A Guided Study has its genesis in student interest, but is distinguished from an Independent Study in that its subject matter requires consistent direction by the project advisor (examples include the study of a foreign language not otherwise offered at RCDS or a study of advanced topics in any given field that are not covered by the curriculum). If an RCDS faculty member has the skills and willingness to teach this subject, a junior or senior may apply to study it in a Guided Study. Any junior or senior may submit a proposal to the Independent/ Guided Study Committee via the application designed by that committee, which is meant to help students define their goals, course of study, and expectations for their projects. Each semester, the Chair of the Independent/Guided Study Committee will communicate due dates for applications to students via RCDS email.

Online and College Courses

Students are certainly welcome to take courses online and at local colleges, but in no case can such a course appear on a student transcript as if it were an RCDS offering. Students may submit transcripts from colleges and online programs as part of applications for study beyond RCDS. Those needing assistance should consult the College Counseling Office.

SENIOR TERM AND SENIOR PROJECTS

The Senior Term: This program provides an opportunity for seniors to pursue a self-directed independent project, an internship, or community service work as a culmination of their experience at RCDS. Senior term should challenge students in ways above and beyond their classes and allow them to pursue an area of dedicated individual interest in greater depth over the final weeks of the academic year.

By taking a lead role in planning and implementing work of their own design, students create a meaningful learning experience that allows them to apply the skills and interests they have cultivated throughout their career at RCDS. Senior Term invites students to engage in an authentic exploration of relevant real-world issues and personal development.

Senior Projects: Students are offered the chance to apply to complete an individual project. These projects can either be academic or personal in nature. Students apply for a senior project in their 2nd semester, and the review process for these projects is stringent.

Students not completing a senior project have the option of either engaging in an internship or a community service experience off campus during senior term. Students will work with the 12th grade deans to set up their internship or community service program.

CLASSICS

The study of Classics - Latin and Greek language, literature, culture, and history - remains one of the strongest foundations of a truly liberal education and helps students keep alive a vital link with major sources of contemporary American culture. The broad objective is to develop understanding of the cultural heritage of Greece and Rome and its influence on our modern world; the discipline of translation of Latin and Greek texts has the added benefit of developing precision in both thought and expression. Through their study of Latin and Greek, students learn a tremendous amount about English grammar, which helps strengthen their written and oral expression in English. Classics students also gain a great advantage in the expansion of their English vocabulary, since over 60% of English is derived from Latin and/or Greek; furthermore, Latin and Greek are the primary sources of the Romance languages, so Classics students have a strong foundation for possible future study of modern languages.

Instruction in Latin at RCDS includes not only grammar and vocabulary but also readings in Latin that provide opportunities for in-depth study of Roman and Greek history, society, culture, religion, and mythology. Over the course of their program of Latin study at RCDS, students read texts written by the Roman authors Cicero, Caesar, Vergil, Catullus, Horace, Ovid, Augustus and others, along with relevant literary criticism. The Department offers an Advanced Placement course, which prepares students to take the AP Latin exam, as well as two years of post-AP, college-level Latin literature courses. Ancient Greek instruction focuses on Attic (Athenian) grammar and vocabulary, leading in the upper levels to the study of the prose of Lysias, Plato, and Herodotus, and the poetry of Homer.

POLICIES

Course Selection Guidelines

All students wishing to take Latin or Greek are encouraged to discuss program options with a member of the Classics Department. No approvals are required for regular-level Latin courses.

Entry into any Honors Latin course or AP Latin requires a conversation with the student’s current Latin teacher, who will determine whether further discussion regarding placement for next year is necessary.

Students wishing to take Honors Intensive Latin will need approval from both the current language teacher and the Department Chair. Please keep in mind that students taking Honors Intensive language courses are expected to concurrently continue the sequence in their first foreign language, at least through level 4.

Ancient Greek (open to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders) requires approval from the Department Chair. Ancient Greek does not fulfill the Upper School language requirement.

AP Homework Guidelines

AP LATIN: On average, students should expect to spend approximately 30-35 minutes preparing the Latin assigned for each class (an average assignment is approximately 25-30 lines long). At the beginning of the

year and in January (when we shift from reading Caesar to reading Vergil), more time may be required as students get used to the expectations, pace of the course, and a new author; both the amount and type of daily work assigned, however, remains consistent over the course of the school year.

Departmental Policies Regarding Entry Into Honors/AP Courses

• For entry from Latin 1 or 8th Grade Latin into Honors Latin 2, a student must have:

1. Recommendation from the current teacher.

2. Year-end grade of A- or better in a regular course, or yearend grade of E in 8th grade.

3. B+ or better on the Upper School exam, or E on the Middle School exam.

4. Placement test given at the discretion of the Department Chair.

• For entry from regular Latin 3 into AP Latin, a student must have:

1. Recommendation from the current teacher.

2. Year-end grade of A or better in regular Latin 3.

3. B+ or better on the Latin 3 US exam.

4. Placement test given at the discretion of the Department Chair.

• For maintenance of placement in an Honors or AP course during the school year, the policy is as follows:

1. If an Honors or AP student receives a grade below B- at either the first quarter or the first semester, the student’s situation will be reviewed by the teacher of the course in consultation with the Department Chair to determine the appropriateness of course placement.

2. If a student requires regular assistance from a tutor (once or more per week) to maintain the minimum grade in an Honors or AP course, the Department will counsel the student to move to the regular section.

As a result of review concerning either of the situations above, the student either may not be allowed to continue in the Honors/AP course or may be allowed to continue on a probationary basis.

• For entry from an Honors or AP course into another Honors or AP course, a student must have:

1. Recommendation of the current teacher.

2. Minimum year grade of B-, with B- or better on exam.

• Honors Intensive Latin: This course offers an opportunity to study Latin to students already taking another foreign language. For entry into this course, a student must have:

1. Permission of the Department Chair.

2. Recommendation from the current language teacher.

3. Year-end grade of A- or better in the student’s current foreign language course.

4. Students with grades below B- at the first quarter or first semester, and/or those whose work is chronically late or otherwise incomplete, may be required to move to Latin 1, after review of the student’s performance by the teacher in consultation with the Department Chair.

5. Upon completion of Honors Intensive Latin, placement into Honors Latin 3 is not automatic. It requires the recommendation of the teacher and a grade of B+ or better in the course, and a B or better on the exam.

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

Grade

9

4

Latin 2H Latin 3H AP Latin Latin 5H

Latin 2 Latin 3 Latin 4 Latin 5

H. Int. Latin Latin 3H AP Latin

assistance (once or more per week) from a tutor to maintain the minimum grade will be counseled to move to Latin 2. (1 unit; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12)

A general note about the Intensive Language Program: The Honors Intensive language program at RCDS is designed for students who wish to pursue the study of two foreign languages simultaneously. The Upper School offers Honors Intensive language courses in French, Latin, and Spanish. Students must have shown superior achievement in the study of one foreign language before picking up an Intensive language course. The stated aim of all Intensive language courses offered at RCDS is to cover two years of material in one year and therefore to prepare students for the third-year level. It is the expectation of both the Classics Department and the Modern Languages Department that students taking an Honors Intensive language course will continue the study of those two languages simultaneously for the entire tenure of their stay at RCDS. Students - and advisors and families of studentswho wish to begin an Honors Intensive language class should be aware that adding a second language through this program is, in almost every case, a multi-year commitment and thus will have a significant impact on a student’s course selection and academic program as a whole.

HONORS INTENSIVE LATIN

COURSES

LATIN 1

The two primary aims of the Elementary Latin course are for students to develop complete mastery of fundamental grammatical forms and a high degree of facility in reading Latin. Through discussion, consistent reinforcement, and application, students thoroughly learn grammatical principles, morphology (word-endings), and vocabulary necessary to read Latin passages about Roman life, culture, and history. By studying Latin vocabulary and by engaging daily with a language that requires great attention to details of all kinds, students learn a great deal about English words derived from Latin and undoubtedly strengthen their ability to write grammatically sound English. (1 unit; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12)

LATIN 2

Because Latin is an intensely cumulative discipline, this course offers consistent practice and reinforcement of concepts previously studied. Throughouttheyear, students continue to acquire new grammatical forms and vocabulary, as well as to practice and review those from Latin 1. Students develop and refine their translation skills, and by year’s end are successfully reading passages of connected prose adapted from various Roman authors, such as Cicero and Caesar, with increased facility and speed. Throughout the course, students study topics of Roman and Greek culture and history relevant to the Latin readings. . (1unit;Grades9,10,11,12)

HONORS LATIN 2

This course moves more quickly and covers more material than Latin 2. By year’s end, students have learned almost all of Latin grammar and have begun to focus on reading unadapted passages of connected prose by a variety of Roman authors, such as Eutropius, Cicero, Caesar, and Livy. Through their readings of these texts, students learn about the history, culture, and politics of the Roman Republic. In Honors Latin 2, there is increasing emphasis on identification and proper translation of increasingly complex grammatical concepts. Students requiring regular

This course is designed for the student who, having demonstrated mastery of the grammatical principles of one foreign language, has an interest in acquiring Latin at an accelerated pace (i.e., covering Latin 1 and 2 in one year). Grammatical forms and constructions are introduced in quick succession, with an emphasis on ever-increasing fluency and speed of reading. By the end of the course, students are able to read slightly adapted passages of Latin prose from authors like Caesar, Cicero, and Pliny. Students are expected to continue the sequence in their first foreign language concurrently with Honor Intensive Latin, at least through the fourth year. It is assumed that students in Honors Intensive Latin will demonstrate self-motivation and the ability to work independently; thus, students requiring regular assistance (once or more per week) from a tutor to maintain the minimum grade will be counseled to move to Latin 1. (1 unit; Grades 9-12, by permission. Prerequisite: superior achievement in Spanish, French, or Chinese.)

LATIN 3

This course completes the acquisition of the remaining grammar skills not covered in Latin 2 and begins the reading of unadapted passages of Latin authors, both prose and poetry. The beginning of the course is focused on the review of the grammar concepts learned in Latin 2 combined with reading passages about Greek and Latin mythology. Students continue to acquire new grammatical forms and vocabulary in order to develop and refine their translation skills. When grammar instruction is complete in the second semester, students shift their focus to connected Latin prose, with readings from Eutropius, Cicero, and Cesar. (1unit;Grades10,11,12)

HONORS LATIN 3

(Ancient Greek is open to students in Grades 10, 11, and 12. It is absent from this chart because it does not fulfill the RCDS language requirement.)

AP Latin is designed for students who have successfully completed Honors Latin 3. Students read extensively from both the Bellum Gallicum, Julius Caesar’s account of his military campaigns in Gaul, and the Aeneid, Vergil’s founding epic for Rome. Students learn to read Latin prose and poetry with an eye toward precise and literal translation, historical context, and literary analysis. Students write essays (in English), in which they develop clear arguments that demonstrate comprehension and sophisticated literary analysis of the Latin text, always using the Latin itself for textual support. Analytical themes that run throughout the entire course include war and imperialism, comparative studies of religion and custom, and rhetorical strategy. Students taking the AP Latin course must take the AP Latin exam. Students requiring regular assistance (once or more per week) from a tutor to maintain the minimum grade will be counseled to move to Latin 4. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12, by permission)

LATIN 4

This is a reading course with a rotating and flexible curriculum chosen each year by the teacher of the course. Recent topics and texts studied include Roman Daily Life (Petronius), Civil War (Julius Caesar), and Love and Desire (Catullus and Ovid). Extensive reading of relevant texts in English translation helps to complement the Latin readings by providing background and context, and projects, including presentations, essays, and performances, are central parts of the curriculum. There is consistent reinforcement of grammatical and syntactical constructions, as well as emphasis on vocabulary retention, fluidity of translation, mastery of Latin metrics, analytical essay writing, and close reading. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12)

LATIN

5

This is a reading course with a rotating and flexible curriculum focused primarily on topics and related Latin texts, prose and/or poetry, chosen each year by the teacher of the course. Recent topics and texts studied include Roman Daily Life (Petronius), Civil War (Julius Caesar), Love and Desire (Catullus and Ovid), Comedy (Plautus), and Biography (Suetonius). Readings of relevant texts in English translation help to complement the Latin text by providing background and context, and projects, including presentations, essays, and performances, are central parts of the curriculum. There is consistent reinforcement of grammatical and syntactical constructions, as well as emphasis on vocabulary retention, fluidity of translation, mastery of Latin metrics, analytical essay writing, and close reading. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12)

HONORS LATIN 5

For students who have successfully completed AP Latin, this course offers an opportunity to delve more deeply into the literature, history, and culture of ancient Rome. In this advanced seminar course, students read a significant amount of diverse Latin prose and poetry: equal emphasis is placed on improving both speed and accuracy of translations and on developing the ability to contextualize this literature within the broader narrative of Roman history. The syllabus for this course is centered on the literature of the tumultuous and intellectually rich period encompassing the end of the Roman Republic, and students grapple with the upheaval brought about by the transition from Republic to Empire. The choice of individual authors and texts is partly student-driven. At the end of the course, each student completes a capstone project on an approved topic of his or her choice. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12, by permission)

ADVANCED TOPICS IN LATIN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed Honors Latin 5 and who wish to continue their study of Classics at RCDS. Primarily consisting of in-depth readings of various Roman authors and texts chosen by students in consultation with the teacher, this course includes elements of Latin prose composition, exploration of classical scholarship, and historical and cultural contextualization of Latin literature. Past topics of student exploration include Roman oratory, Roman literacy, the intersections between politics and art, and Greek influences on Roman culture and literature. The final month of the course will be devoted to individual capstone projects. (1 unit; Grade 12, by permission)

ANCIENT GREEK

(Note: This course may not be taken to fulfill the language requirement.) The Ancient Greek program at RCDS introduces students to Attic (Athenian) Greek. Greek 1 focuses on the acquisition of a non-Roman alphabet, the system of accentuation, grammar, and vocabulary, and reading and writing passages of Attic Greek. In Greek 2 and 3, students read the poetry of Homer and the prose of Lysias and Plato, while continuing their acquisition of additional vocabulary and increasingly advanced grammar. Approximately once a cycle, upper-level Greek students teach the Greek 1 course. Please see the Department Chair and Mr. Murray for more details. (Grades 10,11,12)

COMPUTER SCIENCE

The world continues to be more and more reliant on computers and computing innovations to function. Our daily reliance on our smartphones and the Internet are just two small examples. Fields as disparate as biology, fashion, agriculture, and finance are impacted daily by computer innovations, and to function in this cyber-connected economy, students must be literate in the field of computer science.

The Computer Science Department offers courses in both computer programming as well as design and engineering. Our programming courses teach students how to code and how computers work. They also discuss how computing innovations can impact our society, economy and culture. The design and engineering courses teach students about the ways in which design and technology intersect, and offer hands-on applications so that students might learn about the many applications of computing in the physical world.

All students are required to pass one half unit course in Computer Science before graduation. Students may choose the course that best suits their interests and comfort with Computer Science in order to meet this requirement. We encourage students to speak with members of the Computer Science department in order to choose the appropriate course.

POLICIES

Course Selection Guidelines

The Computer Science course offerings are all electives. Most students will begin with Introduction to Computer Science, or CS Exploration and Creative Computing. If a student has previous experience in programming, or has taken other computer science or programming courses, the student should explore the curricular sequence for computer science and see the Department Chair to discuss placement options.

For AP and Advanced courses in computer science, please watch RCDS News for the online sign-up forms and direct specific questions to the Department Chair.

AP Homework Guidelines

AP COMPUTER SCIENCE A: Students spend an average of 30-45 minutes each night on homework. Students have a summer requirement to complete online.

AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES: Students spend an average of 20-30 minutes each night on homework. There are two large projects to submit to the College Board, which include writing.

Departmental Policies Regarding Entry Into AP Courses

AP Computer Science Principles focuses broadly on programming in multiple languages, creatively expressing and writing about the impact of computer science on our world, and would be equivalent to a college level introductory computer science course for non-majors. If planning to take both AP courses, AP Computer Science Principles is the recommended first course, but they may be taken in either order.

AP Computer Science A focuses entirely on programming, particularly in Java, and would be equivalent to a college level introductory computer science course for computer science majors. Students must receive approval from the department, earn an A- or better in Introduction to Computer Science, or complete AP Computer Science Principles before enrolling in this rigorous course.

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

All students are required to pass one semester of a Computer Science course in order to graduate. Students may choose many different paths in Computer Science. Many of the department’s offerings require no prior experience. These courses are designed to be accessible to every student and to give students opportunities to learn about a variety of topics for which they have a passion or interest. There are also many intermediate classes that have CS Exploration and Creative Computing, Introduction to Computer Science or Computational Biology as a prerequisite, including the two AP courses. There are post Advanced Placement options for the most advanced students in this discipline. Advanced Topics 2 is a project-based course and may be taken multiple times.

One-Semester One-Semester Courses Year-Long Courses with NO with Required Courses with Prerequisites Experience Prerequisites

CS Exploration and Computational Biology AP Computer Science Creative Computing (prerequisite: Biology) Principles (after one (Grades 9-12) course)

Introduction to Web Applications and AP Computer Computer Science Development (previous Science A (after AP (Grades 9-12) experience required) Computer Science Principles or Ain Intro to CS or Ain Comp Bio)

Advanced Topics 1: Data Structures and Algorithms (after AP CS A)

Advanced Topics 2: Coding for a Cause (after AT 1)

COURSES

One-Semester Electives

The below courses are entry level and have no prerequisite, and they all fulfill the Computer Science requirement.

CS EXPLORATION AND CREATIVE COMPUTING

Computer Science can be a medium for creativity, communication, problem solving, and fun. This course will expose students to computer science by developing a range of creative applications and artifacts. Using a variety of block-based languages, projects may include making art, making projects with tools from the Makerspace, and so much more! Students completing this course may take AP Computer Science Principles, but not AP Computer Science A. (1/2 unit, fall or spring; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; no prerequisite)

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE

One of the joys of computer science is learning to make things move and interacting with them on the screen. Capitalizing on this wonderful “Aha!” moment, this course explores the basic principles of Computer Science using the highly visual and interactive environment, Processing. Students in this course write their first interactive programs while learning object-oriented design and the fundamental tools of programming. Projects invite students to program or design interactive games. This course (or equivalent experience) is required to take Advanced Placement Computer Science A. (1/2 unit, fall or spring; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; no prerequisite)

COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY

Have you ever wondered how biologists were able to sequence the human genome, create accurate models of the brain, or model biological systems? Would you love to better understand how biologists use big data and programming to solve human problems? Then, this course is for you! Students will be taught the power of pairing computational thinking with answering biological questions. Students will use the programming language Python to implement, test, and debug algorithms for solving simple problems. For example, students will use programming to analyze and compare DNA sequences from different species, and to discover variability within the genome. This course will provide appropriate challenge for both the experienced and the novice programmer. (1/2 unit, fall, or spring; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: B+ or better in Biology)

WEB APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT

A Full Stack Engineer is someone that is an expert in both frontend and back-end development. This course aims to introduce students to technologies and methodologies to design, implement, test, and maintain modern websites and web applications. Current technological trends focus on creating visually appealing, functional, and entertaining applications and websites on the Internet. As our world grows more connected through the Internet, it becomes vital for students interested in technology fields to understand and be proficient in using web technologies. We will explore various techniques of web design and development and discuss the ethics surrounding computers in the modern world and our citizenship in this digital age. (1/2 unit, spring; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: Introduction to Computer Science, CS Exploration and Creative Computing, Computational Biology, or permission of the department)

Full-Year Courses

Entry into our AP level courses is dependent on successful completion of Introduction to Computer Science, Computational Biology, Full Stack Programming Languages, or approval of the department. All of the full-year courses fulfill the Computer Science requirement.

AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES

AP Computer Science Principles challenges students to learn how to creatively address real-world issues while using the same tools and processes that artists, writers, computer scientists, and engineers use to bring ideas to life. This course teaches the fundamentals of computing, including problem solving, working with data, understanding the Internet, cybersecurity, and programming. In

addition to instilling the ideas and practices of computational thinking, the curriculum invites students to understand how computing changes the world. Students will work through the Beauty and Joy of Computing curriculum from Berkeley alongside coding projects in p5.js using the OpenProcessing IDE. Projects assigned aim to offer students choice and creativity in their solutions. In addition to learning coding basics in p5.js, students will learn how to create interactive websites with HTML, CSS, and p5.js. (1 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: Introduction to Computer Science, Computational Biology, CS Exploration and Creative Computing, or permission of the department)

AP COMPUTER SCIENCE A

Familiarity with computing has become one of the most essential 21st century skills. The AP Computer Science A course thoroughly explores computer science fundamentals through the Java programming language. Students will learn different algorithms, data structures, and approaches to the design of programs. Students will complete several programming projects that cover the breadth of computer programming skills. Students will also take the AP Computer Science A examination at the end of the year. (1 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: AP Computer Science Principles, A- or better in Introduction to Computer Science or Computational Biology, or permission of the department)

ADVANCED TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE: Data Structures and Algorithms

Designed to follow AP Computer Science A for those highly motivated and engaged computer science students, this course will explore both the practical and the theoretical pieces of computer science. On the practical side, students in this course will write programs that implement more advanced data structures such as stacks, lists, queues, and trees. On the theoretical side, students will begin to explore the theory of computation, which at its core, answers the question of what can be efficiently automated using an algorithm. Students will learn how to build efficient and elegant algorithms and how to more effectively analyze their algorithms in terms of run time and computational complexity. The course will feature a variety of problem sets designed to explore this diverse science and projects designed to apply the concepts to real-world problems. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; prerequisite: Advanced Placement Computer Science A or permission of the department)

ADVANCED TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE 2: Coding for a Cause

In this course, students will use a variety of tools to design and implement applications that students believe will have a positive impact on their community. Based loosely on the work done by the non-profit Random Hacks of Kindness, this course serves a dual purpose: to teach students the development cycle of applications, as well as to partner with community organizations. Students will research user needs and design and develop their application to serve those needs. Students will be exposed to real-world projects with organizations that partner with Rye Country Day School, and their work will have a positive impact on others. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; prerequisite or concurrent with Advanced Topics in Computer Science 1: Data Structures and Algorithms, or permission of the department)

DRAMA & DANCE

In the Upper School, students are required to complete a minimum of 1.5 credits within the Drama and Dance, Visual Arts, and/or Music departments. The Drama and Dance Department offers a variety of courses in acting, dance, costume design, play production, and public speaking. Students also have the opportunity to work on independent study projects in areas of specialized focus. The Department encourages specialized work and helps students develop projects that will most appropriately advance their ability and interests.

POLICIES

Course Selection Guidelines

All Drama and Dance classes are considered electives and are eligible to receive arts credit towards graduation.

The following electives have no prerequisite:

• Intro to Theatre

• Intro to Movement

• Public Speaking

The following courses require departmental approval:

• Acting and Performance Workshop

• Theatre of the World

• One Acts/Fringe Festival Production

• Production and Design

• Lighting and Design

• Dance 1

• Dance 2

• Cedar Street Dance Company

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

The core experience classes offer groundwork for future study in either the Theater and/or Dance program. For students who are particularly interested in musical theater, many students take Drama/Dance along with a Choir class.

This curriculum is carefully designed to establish common vocabulary, instill the Department’s core values, encourage students to become aware of and overcome personal obstacles, and explore students’ untapped potential. These classes include:

• Intro to Theatre

• Intro to Movement

• Public Speaking

Upon completion of a core experience course, students can shape the content and trajectory of their course of study in Theater and/ or Dance. Students are able to construct a sequence of experiential coursework that satisfies their individual interests and passions. The student assumes responsibility for crafting a program of study to develop, advocate for, and achieve artistic goals under the guidance of committed faculty mentors. These classes include:

Performance Strand

• Acting and Performance Workshop

• Theatre of the World

• One Acts/Fringe Festival Production

Production and Design Strand

• Production and Design

• Lighting and Design

• One Acts/Fringe Festival Production

Dance Strand

• Dance 1

• Dance 2

• Cedar Street Dance Company

COURSES

Year-Long Courses

ONE ACTS/FRINGE FESTIVAL PRODUCTION

Structured in a workshop format, the intent of One Acts/Fringe Festival Production is to study the principles, procedures, and practices of stage direction. Beginning with a non-verbal approach to composition and movement study and progressing to more formal text work, the work in this class culminates in the direction of a ten-minute piece for public performance in our annual student produced One Act/Fringe Festival. The course is open to students in grades 10-12 who have demonstrated proficiency in theatrical direction and/or theatrical design. Students learn how to function as an in-house theatre company responsible for selecting, reviewing, staging, marketing, and performing a series of on-campus (and potentially off-campus) pieces. In order to prepare our student directors for directing their peers in the festival, those taking the class will learn to assess and devise theatre from the perspectives of various backstage roles. (1unit;Grades10-12; prerequisitePublicSpeaking,IntrotoTheatre,or instructorapproval)

One-Semester Electives

INTRO TO MOVEMENT

Designed for people with little or no previous training in dance, this class is a mixture of movement techniques, improvisation and choreography. Students will engage in different styles and genres of dance while exploring dance as a theatrical expression. Students have the option for a skills assessment to gain entry into the Dance 1 or 2 class, if deemed appropriate. (½ unit, Grades 9-12)

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Public Speaking is an introduction to speech communication with an emphasis on the practical skill of public speaking. Throughout the semester, students not only learn about civility and ethical speech composition and delivery, but they also examine the many different ways in which we as individuals are public and speak in the 21st century. In addition, students partake in various physical and vocal exercises that lessen speaker anxiety, foster body confidence, and hone mental readiness and cognizance. The combined practices provide students with opportunities to develop their own voice, challenge their perspective, and amplify that which represents them. (½ unit; Grades 9-12)

INTRO TO THEATRE

Intro to Theatre is open to students in grades 9-12. The course introduces students to basic techniques of acting through improvisations, structured relaxation exercises, theatre games, acting theory, and monologue/scene work. Through these activities, students hone their public speaking skills, participate in cooperative learning, and build confidence in both their vocal and physical expression. Students also begin to explore theatre from other perspectives and roles, such as the viewpoint of a director, designer, and playwright. By exposing students to these other perspectives, they not only learn the fundamentals of producing art for the stage, but also begin to view and respect theatre as a machine of many parts. This class is the launching pad for students to explore more specific areas of theatre study at an advanced level through our other course offerings: Acting and Performance Workshop, Production and Design, Lighting and Design, Theatre of the World, and One Acts/Fringe Festival. (½ unit; Grades 9-12)

ACTING AND PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP

Acting and Performance Workshop is offered to students in grades 9-12 who wish to develop their acting skills through a more personal, handson exploration of theatre. Using texts that span from classical to modern theatre, students partake in scene and monologue work that asks them to consider the individual’s relationship to society and the cultural impact of art. Students develop characters and character relationships (to other characters and their surrounding world) through the lenses of various theatre pioneers. In addition, students learn the basics of acting for TV/film, and apply their study to polished auditions pieces in both live theatre and on-camera contexts. (½ unit; Grades 9-12; prerequisite Public Speaking, Intro to Theatre, or instructor approval)

THEATRE OF THE WORLD

Theatre of the World is open to students in grades 9-12 who exhibit proficiency in acting, movement, production, and/or theatre appreciation. Students are responsible for acting and directing scenes, producing solo performance work, and devising collaborative theatre. Students explore theatre traditions and innovations of various theatre theorists from around the world, which they ultimately apply to polished performance pieces. Through this study, students examine across time and space the role art plays in society and the way society shapes and influences the direction of art. (½unit;Grades9-12; prerequisitePublic Speaking,IntrotoTheatre,orinstructorapproval)

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN

Production and Design is open to students in grades 9-12 who wish to explore theatre from the viewpoint of a director and theatrical designer. Students will examine the impact staging, costuming, and the technical aspects of theatre play in engaging audiences and supporting the development of a story. Through mock production team meetings, students will form an in-house theatre company responsible for producing a proposal that supports the intended impact and vision of a playwright. Ultimately, students will develop process portfolios and set models to craft their own vision for the stage. (½ unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisitePublicSpeaking,IntrotoTheatre,orinstructorapproval)

LIGHTING AND DESIGN

In this class, students will explore lighting design and the process behind creating successful stage lighting. The year will start with a focus on how light works and how we perceive light, and then move into equipment used for stage lighting and how certain design looks are achieved. Students will learn to read light plots, design small scale

projects in the Black Box Theater, and dive into specific light programs like Vectorworks. Students will work collaboratively within the “design team “ for the Upper School Winter Musical and the One Acts/Fringe Festival, which will give them the opportunity to apply their knowledge from class to real world productions. (1unit;Grades10-12; prerequisite PublicSpeaking,IntrotoTheatre,orinstructorapproval)

DANCE 1

Dance 1 is a course for students with a solid base knowledge of the fundamentals of dance technique who are interested in furthering their skills through dance training. This course explores dance technique and performance through a variety of modes of movement. Dancers will train in the techniques of ballet, modern, jazz, jumps and turns, as well as supplement with explorations of Pilates, yoga, strength and stability training, dance conditioning, and stretch. Throughout the semester students will not only extend their technical abilities as dancers, but also learn about important trailblazing dancers and choreographers in the past and present time. Dance 1 will perform in the Student Choreography Showcase and/or the Spring Dance Concert. Both concerts require the after-school commitment of tech week and performances leading up to each of these events. Students have the option for a skills assessment to gain entry into the Dance 2 class, if deemed appropriate. (½ unit; Grades 9-12; Intro to Movement or instructor approval required)

DANCE 2

Dance 2 is open to students in grades 9-12 who exhibit proficiency in technical and compositional skills. This course focuses on advanced technique, composition and performance skills. Students expand on their skills in a variety of dance styles, including ballet, jazz, musical theater, modern and world dance. Students explore advancedlevel choreographic projects, which may be featured in the Student Choreography Showcase. Performance in the Annual Spring Dance Concert is a final requirement for this graded course. Enrollment in Dance 2 is at the discretion of the Performing Arts Department and/or by audition. (1 unit; Grades 10-12; Dance 1 or instructor approval required)

THE CEDAR STREET DANCE COMPANY

Cedar Street is an audition-based student dance company composed of the most serious and dedicated dancers at Rye Country Day School. The company performs a variety of repertoire and values technique, passion, hard work, expression, and creativity. Members serve as ambassadors of the RCDS dance program and work together to enhance the community through dance and performance. Cedar Street works to bring attention to the artistry and athleticism of dance. Cedar Street meets twice a week, for an hour and a half, and is divided into three seasons corresponding with the sports seasons (although not required, it is encouraged that company members commit to all three seasons). Dancers perform in a variety of capacities such as special programs, community meetings, events, fairs, and concerts. Each season culminates in the following:

• Fall - The Choreography Showcase

• Winter - A featured dancer role in the musical

• Spring - The Spring Dance Concert

All concerts/performances require the after-school commitment of tech week and performances. The Cedar Street Dance company is viewed in line with athletic teams and fulfills the PE credit. (Auditions for new members will be held at the onset of each season. Returning members do not need to audition again).

ENGLISH

The principal goal of the English program is to equip students with the tools and the understandings they need to know about themselves and others. Who am I, what do I value, and why? How can I respond reasonably and sensitively to views that are different from my own? In order to engage with these and related questions, students must learn to read more perceptively, write more rigorously, and listen and speak with greater nuance. At all grade levels, students are expected to craft analytic essays; to experiment with journal writing, narrative, and poetry; to read challenging works of literature; and to come to class prepared to contribute to discussion every day.

POLICIES

Course Selection Guidelines

Honors 10 and Honors Seminars placement is based on the following criteria:

1. Year-end grade of B+ or higher in a regular section or a B- or higher in an Honors section

2. Recommendation of teacher from previous year

3. Written statement of interest, if requested

4. Approval of the department

Students who are currently in a regular section of English (grades 9, 10, or AP Language & Composition) and who hope to enroll in either Honors American Identity or an Honors Seminar must have the required B+ average (as reflected by 1st semester, 3rd quarter (projected), and exam grade) and should have had a conversation with their present teacher about their commitment to an advanced course. If a student does not maintain a year-end grade of B+ or higher in their regular section or a B- or higher in an Honors section, that student will not be enrolled in an Honors English course for the next school year.

Those who are currently in an advanced course will already be listed as eligible if they have an average of B- (as reflected by 1st semester, 3rd quarter (projected), and exam grade) and if their current teacher approves.

The department will then meet to discuss the candidacy of all students (in regular or advanced sections) seeking admission to advanced English courses. If accepted, they will receive an email advising them to check the appropriate placement. In all cases, by year’s end, the above criteria will again be reviewed in June before permanent placement is made for the following year.

During the course of the year, a student’s standing in an Honors or an Honors Seminar section may be subject to review if performance is consistently below the B- mark.

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12

English 9 American AP English Lang. 11 AP English Lit. 12 Identity Honors Seminars Honors Seminars

English 9 Honors AP English Lang. 11 AP English Lit. 12 American Identity Honors Seminars Honors Seminars

HONORS ENGLISH SEMINARS

The English Department offers four 1/2 credit, semester-long Honors English Seminars during junior and senior year. These courses range in topic and focus and are described below.

• Classes include a mix of 11th- and 12th-grade students, allowing students the opportunity to interact with and learn from a greater diversity of peers.

• While the focus of each class is different, the English Department Chair coordinates with teachers of Honors English Seminars to standardize the workload across classes.

• None of the seminars are AP-branded, and in both skills and ideas they push beyond the current scope of the AP curriculum. Honors English Seminars leave RCDS students well prepared for either English-based AP exam, should students elect to take them.

• The Honors Seminars allow all students to access classes that are advanced, compared to typical high school English curricula.

Honors Seminars are open to qualifying students only. The English Department also offers traditional AP classes as our regular track, open to all students.

All students have the option to take the AP Language & Composition and the AP Literature & Composition exams. To help prepare students with specific test-taking strategies, we offer a spring review session for each exam that a teacher with AP-course experience coordinates. As the exams approach, department members with expertise in the respective AP English curricula make themselves available to review student packets and answer student questions about the exams.

COURSES

Year-Long Courses

ENGLISH 9

Readings in English 9 provide an introduction to literature, including poetry, drama, the novel, and the short story, with many of the texts addressing the tension between individual and community. Core texts include works such as Sophocles’ Antigone, Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Otsuka’s When the Emperor Was Divine, and Yang’s American Born Chinese. The writing program in English 9 is designed to improve all basic writing skills, with special attention given to the formation of thesis statements, the organization of ideas and paragraphs, and the clarity of sentences. Students also submit creative pieces of writing and collaborate on various projects with their classmates. Grammar instruction reviews punctuation, standard usage, parts of speech, sentence structure, and phrases and clauses. Vocabulary work consists of Vocabulary Workshop, Level E. (1 unit; Grade 9; required)

AMERICAN IDENTITY IN LITERATURE AND HONORS

AMERICAN IDENTITY IN LITERATURE

Students in this required course use literature and art to explore the formation of contemporary American identity in its multivarious forms. As part of this inquiry, the course requires students to make multidisciplinary connections, particularly to the Humanities curriculum. In addition, alongside an exploration of social identity, students have ample opportunity to reflect on and write about their own identities and experiences. The course begins with a focus on persuasive and personal writing to help students build their composition skills; strengthen their ability to craft cogent, well-supported arguments; develop their beliefs about contemporary social and political issues; hone their ability to approach difficult, nuanced conversations with civility and openness; and navigate the complexities of personal identity. After this beginning, students spend the year engaging with literature that examines identity, especially racial and gender identity, at varying points in American history, from enslavement to globalization to contemporary social trends. The readings in the course include texts such as The Crucible, The Line Becomes a River, Ethan Frome, and Interpreter of Maladies and help students examine how global political and economic systems affect individuals and form the social constructs in which identity exists. To complement their reading, students write in a variety of modes: literary critical essays, research essays, personal narratives, poems, short fiction, oral histories, etc. Overall, beyond merely producing fluent writers, this course challenges students to become analytical thinkers and cultural critics, who are deeply invested in the world of ideas and, critically, in the impact those ideas have on the world that surrounds them.

The Honors sections of this course require additional readings and have more demanding writing and speaking requirements. (1 unit; Grade 10;required)

AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION

AP Language and Composition is the regular-track English course for juniors. The course is an introduction to rhetoric and to the theory and practice of persuasive writing and speech. To explore and analyze rhetorical structure, style, and modes, we will study a wide range of rhetorical works – speeches, essays, nonfiction narratives – as well as some literary works that are polemical or convey a social message. To practice and experiment with various rhetorical modes, students will write regular compositions, both short and long form. For example, students will write one research paper and one personal narrative essay. They will also complete timed-writing assignments in response to APstyle prompts. Students will learn to construct and support effective arguments, an ability essential to success in any academic, professional, or public setting. Papers will be evaluated for clarity and quality of argument, effective and logical organization, use of appropriate supportive evidence, engaging and varied sentence structure and vocabulary, and overall facility with the English language. Above all, they will strive to become profound thinkers, to go beyond assignments and the daily grind, and to become students of humanity and informed, active, and free-thinking citizens. (1 unit; Grade 11)

AP LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION

AP Literature and Composition is the regular English course for seniors. The course focuses on works by authors such as Shakespeare, Austen, and Dangarembga, as well as on classic and contemporary drama and poetry that reflect diverse voices. The analytic writing requirement is intense, and students should expect to complete both reading and writing homework each night. Students produce a research paper

and various forms of creative work. The course seeks to prepare all students to take the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition examination given at the end of the year. (1unit;Grade12;required)

HONORS ENGLISH SEMINARS

(½ Unit, Grades 11, 12)

*Not every seminar listed will run every semester.

20TH-CENTURY WOMEN’S LITERATURE

In this semester-long course, students will study major women writers of the 20th century. Through close textual readings of poetry, short stories, and novels, students will examine how women during this time period boldly and imaginatively expressed their voices and ideas, often despite social expectations and daunting obstacles. Course texts may include The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, Sula by Toni Morrison, and short stories and poems by Maya Angelou, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Sylvia Plath, Audre Lorde, Marie Howe, Sharon Olds, Flannery O’Connor, Sandra Cisneros, Virginia Woolf, and Jhumpa Lahiri. Literary analysis will be a major writing focus in the course; in addition, students will have opportunities to express their own voices and creativity, using our mentor texts as inspiration. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POETIC TRADITION

This semester-long course traces the development of African American poetry from its enslaved roots to its contemporary flowering, from Phyllis Wheatley to Tyehimba Jess. The course is anchored in Kevin Young’s anthology African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle & Song, but students will also engage with critical essays about the Black American poetic tradition. In addition to studying poetic terms and forms, students will explore notions of freedom and liberation; the evolving sense of Black identity; the intersection of race, class, and gender; the relationship of art and social justice; and the interplay of the past and the present. The course will require students to write analytically about the poems they encounter but will also ask students to apply techniques learned from these poems to craft their own creative writing. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

AMERICAN RHETORIC

In this semester-long course, students will be introduced to the study and the practice of rhetoric. Students will engage in the art of persuasive writing and will practice building arguments and analyzing the arguments of others. Students will study how speakers and writers persuade an audience to adopt their point of view. They will also explore and analyze rhetorical structure and style with the goal of developing their own writing style and voice. Students will read and analyze the works and rhetorical styles of such contemporary and historical thinkers and writers as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, Jr., Jhumpa Lahiri, Anna Quindlen, David Brooks, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Toni Morrison, and others included in the course’s text, The Norton Reader. Current articles and opinion pieces will be used as supplementary texts, as well. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2unit)

AMERICAN SHORT FICTION

In this semester-long course, students will read and study short stories of American authors since the mid-19th Century to the contemporary short story authors of today to appreciate this unique form of literature. The course will focus on understanding how to read and interpret the short story as its own genre. We will also look at the development of the short story and its shifting role in the American literary canon, and we will consider the historical and literary contexts that shaped short stories over the last two centuries. Students will read the works of such authors as Alexie, Baldwin, Cheever, Chopin, Ellison, Faulkner, Gilman, Hawthorne, Hemingway, Hurston, Irving, London, Morrison, Oates, O’Connor, Poe, and Wharton. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2unit)

ASIAN AMERICAN LITERATURE AND IDENTITY

In this semester-long course, students will explore the rich and complex literary legacy of Asians in the United States. Spanning the mid-nineteenthcentury arrival of Chinese railroad laborers to contemporary Asian American involvement in multiracial movements for racial justice, this course will examine the emergence and diversity of Asian American literary traditions over the past century and a half. As we sharpen our literary analysis and research skills through our exploration of both Asian American fiction and nonfiction, we will take up related issues, such as representations of Asian Americans in popular culture and film; the myth of Asian Americans as the “model minority”; Asian Americans and affirmative action; and the intersectionality of Asian Americanness with gender, sexuality, class, ethnicity, and more. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

BEYOND BINARIES: AN INTRODUCTION TO QUEER LITERATURE

This semester-long course studies LGBTQIA+ literature, with a particular focus on how these writers offer us alternative narratives to dominant, heteronormative concepts of gender and sexuality. In addition to introducing students to poets, essayists, playwrights, cartoonists, and novelists from ancient Greece to today, this course will offer students a foundation in queer theory, gender studies, and feminist theory. The intersectionality of gender and sexuality with other identifiers, including race, religion, and socioeconomic status, and the relationship between queer identity and activism will also be central themes. The course will require students to write analytically about our shared texts and to deepen their understanding of our many topics through research. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

BLACK, ASIAN, & MINORITY ETHNIC BRITISH LITERATURE

This course introduces students to the politics of minority British cultural production. In the afterlife of the British empire, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic writers have dismantled and reinvented what it means to be “British.” In this course we will trace some of the major fault lines of the racial and national politics from the 1950’s, when mass migrations from the Caribbean and South Asia brought “cheap labor” to England, to the current moment of Brexit and renewed xenophobia. Authors and texts may include Hanif Kureishi, Sam Selvon, John Akomfrah, Meera Sayal, Kazuo Ishiguro, Bend it Like Beckham, Anita and Me, My Beautiful Launderette, The Stuart Hall Project. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/ or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

BLACK MAGIC: MAGIC REALISM IN AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE

This semester-long course focuses on Black writers’ use of magical realism as a means of surfacing untold histories and deconstructing accepted historical narratives. Students will read novels from Gloria Naylor and Toni Morrison, short stories from Randall Kenan, and drama from August Wilson. Alongside discussions of race and history, students will examine the formation of gendered space, the generational toll of injustice, and the construction of “the real.” In response to the class reading, students will hone their analytical writing and research skills. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

BOMBAY DREAMS: LITERATURE FROM THE METROPOLIS

Salman Rushdie famously coined the term “chutnification”—the process of becoming a chutney or a mashup—to describe living in Bombay/Mumbai, a city where 22 million people from all across India and the world live today. In this course we will study literature, art, and film from the bustling metropolis and ask how the city has become the epicenter and testing ground for an Indian commitment to secularism, socialism, and a pluralistic society. Home to Bollywood cinema, a powerful far-right political class, and the extremes of income inequality, we will ask what special “mixture” of culture, blood, money, and language it takes to become a “Bombayite” or a “Mumbaikar.” Material may include work by Salman Rushdie, Arun Kolatkar, Jeet Thayil, Anita Desai, Bollywood cinema, Mira Nair, M.F. Husain, Cyrus Mistry, Nissim Ezekiel, Dom Moraes, Naresh Fernandes, and Katherine Boo. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2unit)

BRITISH CLASSICS

The 19th Century is often considered the golden age of British literature. In one sense this was a time of great wealth when Britain was an unparalleled global superpower. Yet, it was also a time of great social and political change. Writers of the period sought to illuminate the questions surrounding these changes, such as: How does the simple, individual love story fit into the powerful and complex political story of the British Empire? Do older institutions like the aristocracy matter any more? How has money and ambition changed the way people interact with each other? Examining works like Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness, and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, this course will investigate the changing place of the individual in British society.In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

COMPLICATING THE SOUTHERN MYTH

The South is popularly known as a mythological place steeped in melancholy, nostalgia, exceptionalisms, and oppressive norms in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexuality. Yet, throughout literary and cultural history, authors and artists have told counter-narratives that defy the myths and portray a diverse and complex place. In this course, we will examine how the Southern myth and canon came to be, analyze the power those narratives wielded, and complicate what it means to be “southern.” Students will examine southern cultural identity, recognize the diverse cultures, ethnicities, and global influences that have shaped the South. Students will consider the region in all its complexity through literature and multidisciplines including film, art, music and popular culture. The syllabus includes canonical texts by authors such as William, Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, Richard Wright, Flannery O’Connor, Zora Neale Hurston, Carson McCullers, Cormac McCarthy, and Alice Walker. In addition, students

will read texts by a slate of contemporary writers such as Jesmyn Ward, Tayari Jones, Jericho Brown, Bryan Washington, Sarah Broom, Monique Truong, Kevin Wilson, Edwidge Danticat, Barbara Kingsolver, Robert Gipe, and Lauren Groff. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN POETRY

This semester-long course will offer students an opportunity to engage with contemporary poetry collections and formally inventive responses to literature. In recent years, a wave of podcasts and lyric essays have enlivened and served as an important addition to traditional literary criticism. Students will develop the ability to analyze the formal construction of full-length poetry collections, the literary and historical links between authors and poems, and essays on literature. Then, students will build upon these skills in creative ways, offering all students models to creatively engage with literature. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

DYSTOPIAN FICTIONS

Imaginary places, invisible cities, and surveillance societies - all of these topics, and more, are explored in the thought-provoking genre of dystopian fiction. In this semester-long course, students will read and study a number of narrative works that imagine alternative worlds to the one(s) we know. The course will focus on understanding the genre as well as the literary history of dystopian literature. We will also investigate the philosophical, cultural, and contextual catalysts behind these unusually anxious and exciting explorations of our possible future(s). Students will read works such as Utopia by Thomas More; 1984 by George Orwell; Kindred by Octavia Butler; stories by Haruki Marukami; Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro; Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood; On Such a Great Sea by Chang-Rae Lee; A Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet; and films such as Children of Men. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

ENVIRONMENTAL LITERATURE

Who is most hurt by environmental degradation and abuse and who benefits? In this course we’ll examine what contemporary world literature has to say about environmental racism, ecofeminism, and toxic colonialism. We will be attentive to such issues as the social construction of nature, globalization, and urban ecological issues. We will ask: What is the role of art in the struggle for social change? Our study will focus on the intersection of environmental issues and various systems of social injustice, especially racism, sexism, and economic inequity. Materials for this course—novels, poems, stories, films, documentaries, art— come from diverse racial and national locations, including South Africa, multicultural U.S., India, China, Iraq, and Guatemala. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

FROM SOPHOCLES TO SPIKE LEE: GREEK DRAMA ACROSS THE AGES

Think of Classical Greek Dramas as plays performed by grizzled old men in togas? Think again! Greek Dramas explore the human condition in enduring ways that have laid the foundation for a wide variety of modern productions. In this course, we will study plays by ancients such as Sophocles, Aristophanes, and Euripides, becoming versed in classic dramatic structure. These plays will be paired with contemporary takes on the “classics,” such as the recent Amazon Studio’s Blow the Man Down, that use the structure, form, and themes of Greek theater to reflect on life in the 20th and 21st Centuries. Students will hone their close reading, analytical writing skills, and research skills. They will explore their inner playwright, creating an adaptation of a section from an ancient work, making it relevant to a modern audience. This class requires parental permission due to the mature content of some films. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2unit;parental permissionrequired)

GLOBAL SHAKESPEARE

Shakespeare, that seemingly quintessential British author, has long been an inspiration to writers, thinkers, and filmmakers from social and political contexts vastly different from Early Modern England. In this course we will examine the usefulness of some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays to contexts as widely different as the caste politics of Northern India, the feudal dramas of Japan, and the high school romance of Seattle teenagers. We will read both the original plays and watch the adaptations. Texts may include Taming of the Shrew, Othello, Macbeth, Omkara, Throne of Blood, and Ten Things I Hate About You. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

JEWISH AMERICAN LITERATURE AND IDENTITY

Where did our modern ideas about Jewish American identity come from? Is Judaism a religion, an ethnicity, or something else altogether? What makes Jewish American literature Jewish—and what makes it American? This course, which will focus primarily on Jewish American literature and voices from the 20th and 21st centuries, will answer these questions and many more as we explore a range of Jewish American identities— immigrant, first-generation, secular, orthodox, interfaith, and beyond— through genres such as fiction, drama, graphic novels, comedy, history, film and TV. Paying particular attention to the relationship of Jewish American identity to gender, sexuality, race, socioeconomic status, and national belonging, we will discuss topics such as assimilation, politics, humor, and cultural memory. Material might include work by Myla Goldberg, Jonathan Safron Foer, Dara Horn, Michael Chabon, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Sacha Baron Cohen, and TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

JOURNEY & EPIC: QUESTIONS OF TRAVEL

This semester-long course will survey journeys and epics in literature and media. From Dante’s descent into the underworld in The Inferno, to Anthony Bourdain’s exploration of the human condition through food, journeys have been the subject of and played a crucial role in inspiring art throughout history. The seminar will include works of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and travel television that respond to a variety of journeys and epics - immigration, exploration, travel for leisure, mythological journeys, the sharing of food and cultures - that celebrate the powerful experience of self discovery through movement. In response to the class readings, students will creatively document their own journeys, hone their analytical writing, and refine their research skills. Possible titles may include Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck; War by Candlelight by Daniel Alarcón; Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino; excerpts from Rail by Kai Carlson Wee; selected essays from M.K. Fisher; excerpts from Best American Travel Writing 2021; and episodes of Parts Unknown with Anthony Bourdain

In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK: THE IDEA AND REALITY OF NEW YORK IN LITERATURE

New York City has been called “The Big Apple,” “The City That Never Sleeps,” “Gotham,” and even “The Center of the Universe.” How true is Frank Sinatra’s claim that “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere”? In this semester-long course, students will read literature that captures both the idea and the reality of The City through the ages. We will study poetry, short stories, essays, novels, and films written by luminaries such as James Baldwin, Gwendolyn Brooks, Edwidge Danticat, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Washington Irving, E. B. White, Walt Whitman, and Jacqueline Woodson; and, as it’s only appropriate, songs by The Beastie Boys, Billie Holiday, Lou Reed, Jay-Z, and Alicia Keys. Students will hone their close reading and analytical writing skills and will explore their creative voice, contributing a unique piece that captures their own version of New York. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/ or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

POWER OF THE PEN: RESILIENCE, RESISTANCE, & PROTEST LITERATURE

How does literary art get involved in politics? What is the border between propaganda and art? This course explores how characters and people experience, survive, resist, and thrive in spite of adversity and injustice because of a number of factors—culture, race, gender, sexuality, and religion. Students will compare and contrast how people find ways to live, to speak, to act as human beings in the face of adversity and injustice. Sources include a wide variety of genres—short stories, poems, essays, podcasts, film, photographs—and a range of voices. Students will use the primary sources as inspiration and model text to write and create work of multiple genres—such as personal narratives, analytical essays, creative stories, poetry, podcast, and film—to master the power of the pen and rhetorical strategies. Literary texts may include selections from the following: “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin; The Fire This Time edited by Jesmyn Ward; Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde; and ABurning by Megha Majumdar. Podcasts may include This American Life, The Moth, Code Switch, and Floodlines. In addition, the syllabus will include poetry by Jericho Brown, Traci K. Smith, Joy Harjo, and Elizabeth Acevedo. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2unit)

SATIRE, HUMOR, AND ETHICS

Laughter is the best medicine; this is often true for society as well as for individuals. Through the ages, starting with the ancient Greeks (if not earlier), humor and satire have been used as a tool to critique and challenge social norms. By ridiculing ideas, customs, governments, and more, satirists raise essential ethical questions and play an important role in shaping and reshaping morals. In this course we will examine the function, as well as the limitations, of humor and satire. Topics will include the difference between humor and satire, the role of irony, the ways in which identity and identifiers are used by comedians, and the many ethical questions raised–both in positive and negative ways–by humor and satire. Course material will include works from Jonathan Swift in the 1700s to the present-day SNL episodes; readings include novels, essays, letters, speeches, cartoons, and “comic” performances. Students will hone their close reading, analytical writing skills, and research skills. They will become satirists in their own right, creating a satirical essay critiquing an element of contemporary society. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Literature & Composition and/or AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

SPORT AND LITERATURE

In this semester-long course, students will read and study a variety of genres and texts (articles, short stories, poetry, and a novel) written about sports. Students will learn to understand and appreciate the rhetoric of sports writing, while also exploring the common symbolism, allusions, and metaphors that authors use in literature about sports. We will also explore the role sport has played in the mythos of American (and other countries’) values and beliefs and its role in social change, national character, and cultural reflection. Students will read the texts of such writers as Deford, Dryden, Halberstam, Keillor, Lardner, Malamud, Plimpton, Rhoden, Schaap, Thurber, Updike, and various contemporary sportswriters of the 21st century. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2unit)

TRUE VOICES: READING AND WRITING MEMOIR

In this semester-long course, students will study and practice the craft of memoir writing. The course will be both a study of literature and a writing workshop. As students read in a variety of genres—including books, essays, and poetry—they will explore the techniques writers use to discover and reveal their identities through storytelling. Course texts may include The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, and essays and poems by David Sedaris, Brian Arundel, Michele Leavitt, Sarah Kay, Rudy Francisco, and Phil Kaye. Students will be encouraged to take creative risks as they write extensively, experimenting with voice, tone, meaning, and structure. They will also enhance their literary skills by developing their writing fluency and practicing how to give, receive, and implement constructive writing feedback. In conjunction with other seminar courses in the department, this course will help prepare students for the AP Language & Composition exam. (1/2 unit)

One-Semester Electives

Students in grades 10, 11, and 12 may also take an English elective in addition to the required English course for each grade. These electives are separate from the Honors Seminar Program and are not part of this advanced course of study. English electives are offered each semester but run depending on student interest and teacher availability.

CREATIVE WRITING 1

Creative Writing 1 provides an opportunity for working creatively on several planes: in word play, genre experimentation, and the cultivation of writerly habits and sensibilities. Students are invited to test the limits of the relationship between word and idea, form and pure content. In tandem with reflective study of important pieces by literary masters and new voices alike, students will develop their own craft through projects in fiction, nonfiction, and a range of poetic forms, including spoken word. Class time is largely dedicated to workshopping. (1/2 unit; fall; Grades 10, 11, 12)

CREATIVE WRITING 2

Creative Writing 2 builds on students’ fundamental understanding of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Structured in terms of advanced technique and approaches to process, the course seeks to deepen students’ craft across the genres. It also offers exposure to humor writing (parody and satire) and screenwriting and, to stimulate further experimentation with the versatility of language, opportunities to collaborate on interdisciplinary projects with peers in the concurrent visual arts and filmmaking electives. Class time is largely devoted to creating, workshopping, and revising. (1/2unit;spring; Grades10,11,12)

EXPOSITORY WRITING

Expository Writing is a semester course whose purpose is to bolster specific writing skills that are important for an individual’s success–not only in academics, but also in the world at large. Students review the basic “building blocks’’ of sentence, paragraph, and essay construction, with an eye towards both form and style. Class time is spent studying model essays, practicing composition, and engaging in peer review, and students ultimately build a portfolio of work from which they select pieces for formal assessment. In addition to sharing their work with an audience of their peers in class, students are encouraged to submit to a range of publications, from RCDS’s Crop to local and national newspapers and magazines. This is a non-homework bearing course. (1/2 unit; fall; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12)

JOURNALISM

Journalism is a semester course that is offered to all students in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. More than simply writing for a publication, students will learn a combination of highly developed skills in a number of areas: brainstorming, establishing contacts, interviewing, writing, and editing. Students will have their own beats to cover and will submit multiple articles during each cycle; these articles will serve as the central form of assessment. Also, student submissions may be published in Crop, the RCDS student newspaper. Daily reading of news is a requirement, as is the use of a stylebook and a journalism text. (1/2unit;spring;Grades9,10,11,12)

HUMANITIES

The purpose of the study of the humanities is to help individuals understand themselves and their relationship to history and culture through the study of the human experience. The Humanities Department curriculum provides opportunities for a student to investigate many areas of this experience: intellectual, aesthetic, religious, philosophical, political, economic, social, and psychological.

History courses introduce students to the techniques of investigation through the study of both primary and secondary sources. The emphasis in all courses is on developing students’ ability to express themselves clearly and logically, both verbally and in writing. We use art, literature, and music to enrich student understanding.

Students are required to pass three Humanities Department courses to graduate. The successful completion of two, year-long courses taught in the Humanities Department — World History I: Foundations and United States History — is required for graduation. Students are required to pass the World History I: Foundations course by the end of tenth grade. Most students complete it in the ninth grade and then enroll in World History II: The 20th Century and Beyond, which concentrates on the 20th century and serves as excellent preparation for the year-long course in U.S. History, which is typically taken in eleventh grade but which must be completed in eleventh or twelfth grade. In addition, the Department offers electives in various areas of the humanities and social sciences. Qualified students may also enroll in Advanced Placement courses in American and European history, psychology, and/or art history.

Students interested in contemporary domestic and international issues have become active in related extracurricular activities often supported by the Department. Thus, the Humanities curriculum offers students many opportunities to explore their world both past and present.

POLICIES

Course Selection Guidelines

All students are encouraged to discuss course options in the Humanities Department with a member of the Humanities faculty.

All AP-level courses are reserved for Grades 11 and 12 and require department approval.

AP Courses Include:

• AP Art History

• AP European History

• AP Psychology

• AP United States History

Non-AP Courses Include:

• World History I: Foundations (Grades 9, 10; required)

• World History II: The 20th Century and Beyond (Grade 10; highly recommended)

• United States History (required; Grade 11, recommended, and 12)

• Economics and Politics (Grades 11 and 12)

• Introduction to Psychology (Grades 11 and 12)

• Underrepresented Groups in U.S. History (Grade 10 - while concurrently enrolled in World History II: The 20th Century and Beyond; Grades 11, 12; with Department approval)

• Historical Research (Grades 10, 11, 12 with Department approval)

AP Homework Guidelines

• AP United States History: Students report spending an average of about 45 minutes a night (or roughly 15-20 pages of secondary and primary sources). In addition, essays are routinely assigned, and these take a variable amount of time.

• AP European History: There will be, on average, 30-45 minutes of reading (text, primary and secondary sources) each night. In addition, essays are routinely assigned, and these take a variable amount of time.

• AP Psychology: There will be, on average, 30-45 minutes of reading each night.

• AP Art History: There will be, on average, 45 minutes of reading and/or viewing each night. In addition, essays and smaller writing assignments are routinely assigned and these take a variable amount of time.

Departmental Policies Regarding Entry Into AP Courses

Only rising juniors and seniors may register for AP Humanities courses. Students who want to have the option to take AP courses in the Humanities Department must follow the application procedures announced each spring. Students are welcome to speak to the instructor before applying. The admissions requirements for the different AP Humanities courses are below. Please note that students may be removed from an AP course if their work in it falls consistently below the B- level. For AP Humanities courses, the Department Chair may require the student to take a course entrance examination in some cases.

If the student is applying for AP U.S.

History:

1. The student’s current and previous Humanities teachers should support the student’s candidacy.

2. If the student has taken World History I: Foundations (formerly World Civilizations), the grade should be A or better.

3. Students are strongly encouraged but not required to complete World History II: The 20th Century and Beyond. If the candidate has taken World History II, the grade should be B+ or better.

If the student is applying for AP European History:

1. The student’s current and previous Humanities teachers should support the student’s candidacy.

2. If the student has taken AP U.S. History, the grade should be B+ or better.

3. If the student has taken regular U.S. History, the grade should be A- or better.

If the student is applying for AP Psychology:

1. The student’s current and previous Humanities teachers should support the student’s candidacy.

2. The student should have completed Honors Biology or AP Biology with a grade of B+ or better, or regular Biology with a grade of A- or better.

If the student is applying for AP Art History:

1. The student’s current and previous Humanities teachers should support the student’s candidacy.

2. The student should have completed their most recent history course (World History II or U.S. History) with a grade of B or better.

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

Students are required to pass two three Humanities Department courses to graduate: World History I: Foundations (formerly World Civilizations), which is normally taken in 9th grade and must be completed by the end of 10th grade; and U.S. History or AP United States History, normally taken in 11th grade but occasionally in 12th grade. Most 10th graders take World History II: The 20th Century and Beyond. World History II: The 20th Century and Beyond taken in the 10th grade is strongly encouraged by the department. Many juniors and seniors enroll in AP and non-AP electives in areas such as European, United States, non-Western, and Art history; and social sciences such as Economics, Government, and Psychology. In the chart below, with regard to World History I: Foundations, World History II: The 20th Century and Beyond, and US History, a large majority of students follow the path listed first, with each subsequent path less common than the one above it.

COURSES WORLD HISTORY I: FOUNDATIONS

This year-long course surveys World History from the stages of early human evolution through the nineteenth century. The development and interactions of political, economic, social, cultural, and religious traditions is examined. Skill development centers on reading, writing, and notetaking, as well as techniques useful in research and test preparation. Students write several essays and paragraph responses throughout the year that require critical analysis of primary and secondary sources. (1 unit; Grades 9, 10; required)

WORLD HISTORY II: THE 20th CENTURY AND BEYOND

This year-long course explores the major global events and themes of the modern world from the late 19th century up to the present. Topics examined include industrialization; imperialism; political revolutions in Russia, China, and Mexico; the causes and impact of World Wars I and II; the Cold War; the independence struggles and subsequent challenges facing new states in Africa and Asia; and emerging global economic and cultural trends. The examination of current events in written and oral presentations connects our studies to the contemporary world. This course builds on the critical reading, analytical writing, and discussion skills begun in the World History I: Foundations course. Although not required, this course is strongly encouraged for students interested in developing their historical thinking skills. (1 unit; Grade 10; prerequisite: World History I: Foundations)

ECONOMICS AND POLITICS

The economic and political opportunities and responsibilities you face are likely to increase dramatically in the next few years. This year-long course will help you prepare to meet them successfully. Making economic choices -- about your education, employment, savings, and spending, for example -- involves a recognition of costs, which are measured not only in dollars but also in time and forgone alternatives that this course will help you perceive and evaluate. As a citizen, you can vote and exercise your rights more effectively when you learn the constraints you face and the considerations that give you more leverage. This elective, which includes a significant current events component, is designed to benefit you whether you major in Economics or Politics or never take another course in either subject. Highly motivated students may have the opportunity to prepare for one of the Advanced Placement examinations in Economics or Politics. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12)

AP

HISTORY

This year-long course explores the development and history of the visual arts (e.g., painting, sculpture, and architecture) in major world cultures from prehistoric times to the present day, with particular attention to historical, political, and social contexts. Artistic traditions examined include: African, Asian, European, Indigenous American, and Pacific/Oceanic. Skills emphasized include visual and contextual analysis along with the ability to accurately express that analysis. All students are required to take the Advanced Placement Art History examination given at the end of the year. (1 unit; Grades 11,12; Interested students should contact Mr. Flynn for entrance requirements; department approval required)

AP EUROPEAN HISTORY

Students in this year-long course concentrate on developing a sense of history by pursuing a careful program of study of the history of modern Europe from the Renaissance to the present. Political, economic, social, cultural, and intellectual trends are all examined. Topics include the Reformation and Wars of Religion, the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon, the cultural and social changes during the last half of the 19th century, the wars of the first half of the twentieth century, and the emergence of Modern Europe. Extensive reading is done in primary and secondary materials. A part of class time is used to discuss the issues brought up in the readings. All students enrolled in this course must take the Advanced Placement examination in May. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; department approval required)

INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

This course seeks to inspire students to question and debate what they think they know about our world. This one-year elective explores the historical foundations of philosophical thought and examines the ideas presented by philosophers from different regions of the world. This study primarily encompasses the branch of philosophy known as epistemology, the study of knowledge, which studies how we “know” our so-called reality within various disciplines. Topics and debates in the class will include questioning the way we know the world—using reasoning, emotions, or senses. It also includes the areas in which we question knowledge, such as in history, ethics, science, and the arts. Each class session is primarily discussion-based and founded on daily written responses to a rich variety of readings. Projects will involve a combination of both presentations and essays. This course will help you to build an open mind, and requires a willingness to speak both freely and frequently in class. (1unit;Grades11,12)

INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

This year-long course introduces students to the study of human behavior and mental processes. Students will examine influential theories and studies that have shaped our understanding of a variety of topics, including learning, sensation and perception, development, memory, thinking and language, motivation and emotion, personality, and social relations. The second semester of the course will be conducted as a seminar designed to introduce students to the study of major psychological disorders. Students become familiar with the multiple causes of these disorders as well as the ways they are viewed from different theoretical perspectives. Use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders facilitates understanding the diagnosis of disorders as well as providing a means to discuss intervention and prevention. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12)

AP PSYCHOLOGY

The year-long AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings. Students examine the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the methods psychologists use in their science and practice. All students enrolled in this course must take the Advanced Placement examination in May. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; department approval required)

US HISTORY

This year-long course surveys United States history from before the colonial period to the present. It focuses on those issues and themes that have emerged to shape American culture, politics, and policies, both foreign and domestic. The course hones student skills in critical analysis through exercises that require locating, evaluating, and integrating various kinds

of historical data in debates, presentations, and frequent essays. There is a required research paper. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; preferred for Grade 11; this or AP version required)

AP US HISTORY

This year-long, college-level course in American history traces the development of American culture from the initial interactions of peoples of African, European, and Native American descent up through the modern era. Readings from primary and secondary sources, as well as class discussions, offer students the opportunity to probe deeply into the values of American society as they have evolved over the course of time and to consider the complexity of our society -- in particular those aspects that have served to promote a sense of national identity and those features that have caused profound disagreement over what “American” really represents. Frequent essay assignments encourage students to clarify and define their thoughts in an ordered, well-defended fashion. There is a required research paper. All students enrolled in this course must take the Advanced Placement examination in May. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; preferred for Grade 11; this or regular version of US History required; department approval required)

IDENTITY, SOCIETY, AND CHANGE

In this year-long discussion-based course, we will explore the different ways in which societal change happens. We will begin the year by building a foundation of identity grounded in the discipline of sociology. We will then dig into strategies people have used to move the needle through three spheres of change: government and policy, nonprofits and service, and community organizing and activism. Within each issue we study, we will spend time first learning about the issue, and then exploring how change was made through those spheres, deepening our understanding of each approach. We will round out the year by applying what we have learned in action: informed by what we have studied, students will develop and implement a project designed to impact our school or larger community. (½ unit; Grades 11,12)

UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN U.S. HISTORY

In this year-long course, students will investigate in detail the history and current situation of racial, ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, gender, and other such groups in the United States. Enrolled students will have the opportunity to learn about various aspects of these groups’ histories and also to immerse themselves in relevant current events and social justice efforts related to these groups today. Stories in the news and students’ own interests will help shape the curriculum. (½ unit; Grades 11, 12; Grade 10 if concurrently enrolled in World History II: The 20th Century and Beyond; department approval required)

HISTORICAL RESEARCH

This semester-long course offers students an opportunity to pursue original research, whether through archives, other documents, non-textual artifacts, oral history, or some other combination of methods and sources. Working with an advisor, students in the course will develop their own project connected to actual historical materials. The course will meet a minimum of once per cycle. This course may be repeated for credit. (¼ unit; Grades 10, 11,12; department approval required)

MATHEMATICS

The mathematics curriculum is characterized by depth, breadth, and flexibility. These qualities enable students to pursue the study of mathematics as far as they are able while also enjoying the process.

Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 & Trigonometry are required of all students. These courses encourage students to be creative, precise, and rigorous when dealing with abstract concepts. For students who have acquired the necessary concepts and skills, various elective courses are offered. Most students follow the traditional analysis sequence through Precalculus and Calculus.

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12

Algebra 1 Geometry Algebra 2/Trig Statistics

Precalculus

Algebra 1 Advanced Advanced Advanced Geometry Algebra 2/Trig Precalculus

Algebra 1 Advanced Advanced AB Calculus Geometry Precalculus

Advanced AP Statistics Algebra 2/Trig

Geometry Algebra 2/Trig Precalculus* Calculus

Advanced Advanced Algebra Advanced AP Calculus AB Geometry 2/Trig Precalculus

AP Statistics

Honors Honors Honors AP Calculus BC** Geometry Algebra 2/Trig Precalculus

AP Calculus AB

POLICIES

Course Selection Guidelines

Students selecting the appropriate math course for next year should consult the handbook for the prerequisites and MUST obtain the signature for approval from their current math teacher. Students wishing to take two (2) or more math classes in one year MUST obtain a signature from the Department Chair. Students wishing to sign up for AP Statistics or Linear Algebra MUST sign up on the sheets posted outside room 330.

AP Homework Guidelines

• AP Calculus AB: Students should expect to spend about 45 minutes of focused time on daily homework preparation.

• BC Calculus: Homework (non-graded) 45 minutes of focused time (+/- 15 minutes) each night.

• AP Stats: 30-45 minutes of focused homework time five (5) days per cycle, excluding assessment prep or projects.

Departmental Policies Regarding Entry Into Honors/AP Courses

A graphing calculator (a Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus or TI-83 Plus) is required in the second semester of the Geometry course and the subsequent courses to enhance the study of the algebraic, geometric, and numeric representations of problems.

• Admissions into an Honors Math class is dependent upon all three of the following:

1. Recommendation from the teacher of the previous course

2. Year-end grade of A+ from a regular section;

Year-end grade of B from an Honors Geometry section;

Year-end grade of B+ from an Honors Algebra 2 & Trigonometry section;

An equivalent year-end grade from the Middle School

Advanced Algebra Advanced 2/Trig Precalculus

AP Statistics AP Statistics

Honors Honors AP Calculus BC** Multivariable Algebra 2/Trig Precalculus Calculus

AP Statistics

Linear Algebra

AP Statistics

* Precalculus does not lead students to AB Calculus in the following year, but it may lead students to regular Calculus, with departmental approval.

** Students may enter BC Calculus from Honors Precalculus with departmental approval.

• AP Statistics is another advanced offering, to be taken upon completion of Advanced Alg 2/Trig, with department approval.

• Students taking AP Calculus AB or BC may concurrently take Linear Algebra in grade 12.

• AP Statistics is offered for juniors and seniors only, Statistics and Linear Algebra are only offered for seniors.

3. Signature of the department chair, who may require a placement test

• For entry to AP Calculus AB courses, a student must have

1. Recommendation of the current Advanced Precalculus teacher and the math department

2. Minimum grade of 85 on the March exam in Advanced Precalculus

3. Minimum average of 85 for the second semester in Advanced Precalculus

• A student in Honors Precalculus needs a B or better to continue into AP Calculus BC

• Any accelerated student in Honors Precalculus needs an A- or better to continue directly to AP Calculus BC

• For entry to AP Statistics, a student must have

1. Approval of the math department

2. Minimum year grade of:

B in Advanced Precalculus or A in Advanced Algebra 2 & Trigonometry;

B- in Honors Precalculus or Honors Algebra 2 & Trigonometry;

A- in Precalculus

• For entry into Linear Algebra, a student must have

1. Approval of the math department

2. Concurrent enrollment in AP Calculus AB or BC or completion of AP Calculus AB or BC

3. Minimum year grade of A- in Advanced Precalculus

• For entry into Multivariable Calculus, a student must have:

1. Approval of the math department

2. Completion of AP Calculus BC or an equivalent collegelevel course

• A student who takes Advanced Algebra 2 & Trigonometry in the 11th grade and who wishes to take non-AP Calculus in the senior year may do so if the student meets the following criteria:

1. Minimum grade of B in Advanced Algebra 2 & Trigonometry

2. Prior approval as obtained in a meeting with the math Department Chair

3. Completion of a pre-approved summer precalculus course

• Entrance into 9th grade Geometry from the Middle School requires a minimum year grade equivalent to C+

For maintenance of placement in an honors or AP course during the school year, the policy is as follows: If any honors or AP student receives a grade below B- at the end of the first quarter or first semester, the course teacher, in consultation with the Department Chair, will review the placement. The decision to transfer a student from an AP or honors course will be made jointly by the Principal, the Department Chair, the section teacher, the advisor, and the student.

Mathematics Course Bypass Policy

Mathematics skills build sequentially upon each other, and the mathematics courses offered at RCDS are designed to span an academic year so that students can fully develop those skills alongside their peers. The Mathematics Department does not consider it appropriate for students to bypass any of the courses in the Upper School sequence; however, qualified students who wish to accelerate may take our Geometry and Algebra 2 courses concurrently. This acceleration requires the approval of the Department.

There are rare times when a student is prepared and chooses to focus intensively on a course and is able to develop the skills covered in a math course over a condensed period of time in order to bypass a year-long mathematics course in RCDS’s sequence. Bypassing a course in RCDS’s mathematics sequence can only be done with the approval of the Department, and courses can only be bypassed at the Honors level. Students may not bypass any course beyond Algebra 2/Trigonometry.

Students wishing to be considered for a possible move ahead must complete, by April 15th, a request form (available from the Mathematics Department) that includes the proposed summer course work/tutoring plans. The form will be reviewed by the Department, and a decision to approve or not will be shared by May 15th. Requests after April 15th will not be considered.

If the student’s request is approved, the student is responsible for completing the summer work by mid-August. The student will then be required to take a placement test at RCDS on the testing date assigned for the week of August 15th. The student must pass the appropriate placement test with a grade of 90% or better in order to bypass the course and demonstrate preparedness to enter the successive honors level math course. Placement tests will not be given prior to the midAugust date, and students may only take the placement test once.

If the student does not pass the placement test at the Honors level, then the student will continue to be enrolled in the course that the student was assigned during course selection.

COURSES

ALGEBRA 1

This course includes the following topics: properties of real numbers and their applications, linear equations and inequalities in one and two variables, exponents, radicals, factoring, rational expressions, solving quadratic equations including the quadratic formula, and graphing in the coordinate plane. Emphasis is placed on developing strong skills and independent thinking. (1 unit; Grades 9, 10; prerequisite: simplification, evaluation, solving and graphing linear equations and inequalities in one variable, factoring a common monomial, and verbal applications)

GEOMETRY

This course studies the properties of plane figures including parallel and perpendicular lines, congruent and similar triangles, polygons, circles, right triangle trigonometry, areas, and volumes, as well as introductions to solid and coordinate geometry. This course provides a thorough study of the topics in geometry that will be necessary for the successful study of Advanced Algebra 2/Trigonometry and future courses, as well as the SAT and ACT exams. The emphasis is to apply geometric postulates and theorems to the numerical solution of problems. Students will also learn to develop proofs by working with modified proofs. The Geometer’s Sketchpad software is used throughout the course as a discovery tool and supports the material covered. The course will stress the importance of developing strong algebraic skills. (1 unit; Grades 9, 10)

ADVANCED GEOMETRY

This course studies the properties of plane figures including parallel and perpendicular lines, congruent and similar triangles, polygons, circles, right triangle trigonometry, areas, and volumes, as well as introductions to solid and coordinate geometry. Throughout the course, the student’s ability to develop and present formal proofs is systematically strengthened and expanded through the use of deductive reasoning. The Geometer’s Sketchpad software is used throughout the course as a discovery tool and supports the material covered. A review of Algebra 1 is included using equations based on geometric theorems. (1 unit; Grades 9, 10; department approval required)

HONORS GEOMETRY

This course presents a more sophisticated and in-depth study of plane geometry. Additional topics include locus and geometric inequalities. Emphasis is placed on original proofs (direct and indirect), abstract reasoning, and synthesis. (1unit;Grades9,10;departmentapprovalrequired)

ALGEBRA 2 AND TRIGONOMETRY

This course includes a study of linear, quadratic, and polynomial functions, systems of equations in two and three variables, inequalities, complex numbers, variation, conic sections, exponential and logarithmic functions, and trigonometric functions, including applications. (1unit;Grades10,11)

ADVANCED ALGEBRA 2 AND TRIGONOMETRY

This course includes a study of linear, quadratic, and polynomial functions, systems of equations in two and three variables, inequalities, complex numbers, variation, conic sections, exponential and logarithmic functions, and trigonometric functions. The focus is on the representation of problems algebraically, numerically, and graphically. Applications include an introduction to data analysis, regression and modelling. (1unit;Grades10,11; departmentapprovalrequired)

HONORS ALGEBRA 2 AND TRIGONOMETRY

This course consists of a thorough and fast-paced study of algebra and an extensive study of trigonometry. Its emphasis is on the structure of mathematical systems and their underlying concepts. The focus is on the representation of problems algebraically and graphically. Applications include an introduction to data analysis. Strong algebraic skills are presumed. (1unit;Grades10,11;departmentapprovalrequired)

PRECALCULUS

The central theme of this course is functions as models of change. Functions can be grouped into families (linear, exponential, power, and periodic, polynomial, and rational) and used as models for real-world behavior. Providing numerical and graphical approaches, in addition to the algebraic, gives students several ways of mastering the material. This is a Precalculus course at a less rigorous level and does not constitute preparation for Advanced Placement Calculus or Advanced Placement Statistics. (1unit; Grades11,12;departmentapprovalrequired)

ADVANCED PRECALCULUS

This course extends the content of algebra through advanced-level consideration of various functions and develops skill in mathematical analysis. Polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and circular functions are considered along with the study of analytic geometry, polar coordinates, and sequences and series. This course is specifically designed as a preparation for AB Calculus and is a prerequisite for AB Calculus. (1unit; Grades11,12;departmentapprovalrequired)

HONORS PRECALCULUS

This course is a highly theoretical, rigorous, and integrated approach to the study of the algebraic and transcendental functions. The functions studied include the polynomial, rational, linear and quadratic, trigonometric and inverse trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential, and sequence functions. The course is specifically designed as a preparation for BC Calculus; therefore, the concepts and notation needed in BC Calculus are developed and stressed throughout the year. The course demands independence, creativity, and highly developed algebra skills. (1unit;Grades10,11;departmentapprovalrequired)

STATISTICS

This course is an introduction to the fundamental concepts of statistics involved in collecting, displaying, summarizing, and drawing inferences from data. Topics include exploratory data analysis, design of surveys and experiments, sampling distributions, estimation, and significance testing. Students frequently work on projects involving the hands-on gathering and analysis of data that are applicable to their daily lives and real-world events. In the spring, students apply what they have learned in the course

by designing, conducting, and analyzing their own studies. Calculators and computers are used to assist in understanding the major concepts of the course. Open only to seniors. (1unit;Grade12)

AP STATISTICS

Today’s society places increasing importance on data analysis using computers, calculators, graphs and charts in many areas, ranging from the sciences to business. This is a mathematics course with an interdisciplinary approach. The course is divided into four major themes: exploratory analysis, planning considerations, probability, and statistical inference. Students, individually or in small groups, plan and perform data collection and analyses with opportunities to share questions and conclusions. Projects that include writing a statistical report encourage interdisciplinary connections and real-world applications. The graphing calculator and computer software will facilitate the production of graphs and statistical computations. This course will prepare students for the Advanced Placement Statistics examination. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; department approval required; studentsinGrade11mustconcurrentlytakePrecalculus)

CALCULUS

This is a study of elementary calculus without the pressure of adhering to the Advanced Placement Calculus curriculum. The course focuses on working with functions represented in a variety of ways: graphical, numerical, analytical, or verbal. Topics include analysis of graphs, limits, the concept and applications of the derivative, the Fundamental Theorem, and interpretations and applications of integrals. (1unit;Grades11,12; departmentapprovalrequired)

AP CALCULUS AB

This is an Advanced Placement course in preparation for the AP Calculus AB examination. The course focuses on working with functions represented in a variety of ways: graphical, numerical, analytical, or verbal. Topics include analysis of graphs, limits, the concept and applications of the derivative, the Fundamental Theorem, and interpretations and applications of integrals. (1 unit;Grades11,12;departmentapprovalrequired)

AP CALCULUS BC

This is an Advanced Placement course in preparation for the AP Calculus BC examination. In addition to those listed under AP Calculus AB, the following topics are covered: numerical and graphical solutions of differential equations; parametric, polar and vector functions; improper integrals; polynomial approximations; and series. (1unit;Grades11,12;department approvalrequired)

LINEAR ALGEBRA

Linear Algebra is a rigorous study of vectors, matrices, and linear systems in two and three dimensions from both a practical and an abstract point of view. Topics include Gauss-Jordan elimination, determinants, Euclidean, general and complex vector spaces, eigenvalues, eigenvectors and QR decomposition. Open only to seniors. (1unit;Grade12;departmentapprovalrequired)

MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS

Multivariable Calculus involves the calculus of functions of more than one variable: vector algebra and vector calculus; lines and hyperplanes in n-dimensional space; partial derivatives and optimization; multiple integrals, and coordinate transformations; line and surface integrals; Green’s Theorem, Stokes’ Theorem, and Gauss’ Divergence Theorem. This course lays the groundwork for a variety of applications in physics, engineering, probability, and statistics, which will be included as time and scheduling permit. (1unit; Grade12;departmentapprovalrequired)

MODERN LANGUAGES

Fluency in a foreign language is an inestimable asset in the interconnected environment of the 21st century, providing not only a means of communication but also perspective and insight into another culture, both present and past. The Modern Languages Department is committed to providing a curriculum that develops the skills for comprehension and meaningful communication in French, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish. At all levels, teachers seek to instill enthusiasm and to inspire learners to advance their ability to communicate effectively in the target language. Because we live in a global community, we can benefit from immense opportunities if we know a second or third language. The ultimate goal of the department is to provide students with a command of the language and an understanding of other cultures, both of which are necessary for intercultural understanding, dialogue, and relationships.

In French, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish, five-year sequences begin with an introduction to basic grammar combined with an immediate and almost exclusive use of the language. From the first day, students are immersed in the language studied. This approach fosters instinctive and uninhibited responses and involves students in a unique intellectual process. Mastery of basic grammar, development of writing skills and confident self-expression in the target language are accomplished in part by frequent class participation and written exercises. As proficiency is acquired, students may take Advanced Placement offerings in French, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish.

POLICIES

Course Selection Guidelines

• Honors Intensive French or Spanish requires approval from both the current language teacher and the approval of the Department Chair. A year-end grade of A- or better in the student’s first foreign language is also required. Students are expected to continue the sequence in their first foreign language concurrently with their Intensive course, at least through level 4.

• All other Honors and AP courses in French, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish require approval from the current language teacher.

• No approval is required for regular courses.

AP Homework Guidelines

• AP French Language and Culture: Students typically spend 45 minutes on homework each night.

• AP Chinese Language and Culture: Students typically spend 45 minutes on homework each night, but there is a range from 30 minutes to one hour.

• AP Spanish Language and Culture: Students typically spend 20-45 minutes on homework each night.

• Honors Spanish Literature and Language (AP Language and Culture): Students typically spend 30-45 minutes on homework each night.

• AP Spanish Literature & Culture: Students typically spend 45 minutes on homework each night.

Departmental Policies Regarding Entry Into Honors/AP Courses

Departmental policies regarding entry into Honors Intensive French or Spanish (Please note: Students are expected to continue the sequence in their first foreign language concurrently with their Intensive course, at least through level 4).

• For entry into this course, a student must have:

1. Department permission.

2. Recommendation from the current language teacher.

3. Year-end grade of A- in the student’s first foreign language.

Departmental policies regarding entry into Honors Level 2 courses

• For entry into an Honors French or Spanish level 2 course, a student must have:

1. Department permission.

2. Recommendation from the current teacher.

3. Students moving from the regular track to the honors track may be required to sit for a placement exam.

4. In addition to the regularly assigned summer reading, students moving from the regular track to the honors track will be required to complete supplemental work that will prepare them for the honors track.

Departmental policies regarding entry into Honors Level 3 courses

• For entry into an Honors French or Spanish level 3 course, a student must have:

1. Department permission.

2. Recommendation from the current teacher.

3. Students moving from the regular track to the honors track may be required to sit for a placement exam.

4. In addition to the regularly assigned summer reading, students moving from the regular track to the honors track will be required to complete supplemental work that will prepare them for the honors track.

Departmental policies regarding entry into Honors Level 4 courses While success in the beginning levels depends in large part on grammarbased language skills – reading, writing, listening and speaking in the target language – level 3 is a transitional year leading to a shift in focus at the fourth level. Students entering Honors or Advanced Placement sequences will need to demonstrate, in addition to a strong grammar background, the ability to approach literature with solid analytical skills. Concurrent enrollment in an English honors course is often an indication of such ability, and the recommendation of an English teacher and/or a writing sample in the target language may be sought in determining placement.

• For entry into Honors French or Spanish level 4, a student must have:

1. Department permission.

2. Recommendation from the current teacher.

3. Students moving from the regular track to the honors track may be required to sit for a placement exam.

4. In addition to the regularly assigned summer reading, students moving from the regular track to the honors track will be required to complete supplemental work that will prepare them for the honors track.

• For entry into Honors Spanish Literature and Language (AP Spanish Language and Culture), a student must have:

1. Department permission.

2. Recommendation from the current teacher.

Departmental policies regarding entry into Advanced Placement Language and Culture courses in French, Chinese, and Spanish:

• For entry into Advanced Placement courses, a student must have:

1. Department permission.

2. Recommendation from the current teacher.

3. Students moving from the regular track to the honors track may be required to sit for a placement exam.

4. In addition to the regularly assigned summer reading, students moving from the regular track to the honors track will be required to complete supplemental work that will prepare them for the honors track.

5. Students may be required to submit a writing sample in French, Chinese or Spanish and/or the recommendation of their current English teacher.

Departmental policies regarding entry into the Advanced Placement Spanish Literature and Culture course:

• For entry into Advanced Placement courses, a student must have:

1. Department permission.

2. Recommendation from the current teacher.

3. Year-end grade of B or better from Honors Spanish Literature and Language (AP Spanish Language and Culture).

4. Students may be required to submit a writing sample in Spanish and/or the recommendation of their current English teacher.

For maintenance of placement in an Honors Level course during the school year, the policy is:

1. If an Honors Level student receives a grade below B at either the first quarter or the first semester, the student’s situation will be reviewed by the teacher of the course in consultation with the Department Chair to determine the appropriateness of course placement.

2. Movement in or out of Honors Level may occur during the school year.

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

Grade 9 Grade 10

Level 1 Level 2

Grade 11 Grade 12

Level 3

SPANISH: Identity, Culture and Language in Spanish Speaking World through the Visual Text

FRENCH: Modern Media and Culture in the Francophone World Chinese 4/Earned Honors Option

Level 2 Level 3 Level4/5 Levels 4/5 (offered in 2024-25)

SPANISH: SPANISH: Environmental Environmental Issues in the Issues in the Spanish Speaking Spanish Speaking World World

FRENCH: Comics FRENCH: Comics and Cinema: and Cinema: Exploring 7th and Exploring 7th and 9th Art Forms 9th Art Forms in the French in the French World World Chinese 4/ Chinese 5 Earned Honors Option

Honors courses in all 3 languages are as follows. Chinese offers an honors class at the AP level only.

Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12

Honors 2 French/ Honors 3 French/ Honors 4 French/ AP Spanish; Spanish Spanish Language Honors Intensive & Culture in French/ French/ Spanish Spanish/ Chinese

Honors Intensive Honors 3 French/ Honors 4 French/ French/ Spanish; Spanish; Spanish French 3; Honors Spanish 3 Spanish Literature & Language (AP Spanish Language & Culture)

An additional honors course is offered in Spanish only, and the level 4 (shown here in the 11th grade) decision is key. In this scenario, students take two AP Spanish courses and two AP exams over two years.

Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12

Honors 2 Spanish Honors 3 Spanish Honors Spanish AP Spanish Literature & Literature & Language (AP Culture Spanish Language & Culture)

A Note on Guided Study: Several languages are offered on a guided study basis, given the availability and expertise of faculty. A language taken as a guided study does not fulfill the language requirement. With permission of the grade dean and the Department Chair, 10th, 11th and 12th graders may pursue a guided study in language.

COURSES

French Courses

HONORS INTENSIVE FRENCH

This course is designed for the student who, having demonstrated mastery of the grammatical principles of one foreign language, has an interest in acquiring French at an accelerated pace (i.e., covering French 1 and 2 in one year). Upon satisfactory completion of Honors Intensive French (B+ or above) and the instructor’s recommendation, students may qualify for a level 3 French course. Students with a grade of B or below at the end of the year should consult their instructor as to appropriate placement and may continue in a level 2 course. Students are expected to continue the sequence in their first foreign language concurrently with Honors Intensive French, at least through level 4. (1 unit; Grades 9 -12; prerequisite: superior achievement in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, or Latin; permission of the Department Chair required)

A further note about the Intensive Language Program: The Honors Intensive language program at RCDS is designed for students who wish to pursue the study of two foreign languages simultaneously. Honors Intensive language courses are available in French, Latin, and Spanish. These courses have as their stated goal to cover two years of material in one year and to prepare students for the third-year level. It is the expectation of both the Classics Department and the Modern Languages Department that students taking an Honors Intensive language course will continue the study of those two languages simultaneously for the entire tenure of their stay at RCDS. Students – and advisors and families of students – who wish to pick up a second language through the Honors Intensive program should be aware that adding a second language through the Honors Intensive program is, in almost every case, a multi-year commitment and thus will have a significant impact on a student’s course selection and academic program as a whole.

FRENCH 1

This course is designed for students with little or no experience in the language. Through direct use of French, class work emphasizes aural and reading comprehension, oral and written fluency, as well as mastery in grammar. In the classroom on a daily basis, students use French actively. Students acquire basic vocabulary and a solid command of grammar including personal pronouns, and verb tenses (présent, passé composé, and futur proche). Also encountered and used are relative and interrogative pronouns. Introduction to the wide diversity of Francophone cultures is an integral part of the course. Through varied types of media, students regularly encounter authentic examples of language and culture. (1unit;Grades9-12)

FRENCH 2

This course continues to use an oral/aural as well as written approach to French grammar, vocabulary, and civilization. Students review thoroughly and develop their understanding of grammatical structures and vocabulary presented in Level 1. Grammatical topics presented during the year include the imperfect tense and conditional mode, and multiple object pronouns. Students will discuss, read, and write about topics related to daily life and culture in France and other French speaking countries. Students are also exposed to written expression through reading their first full-length texts in French, Kirikou et la sorcière, and Le Petit Prince. Multimedia resources such as websites are used throughout the year to develop aural comprehension, familiarity with French and francophone culture, and engage students in the active use of written and spoken skills. (1 unit; Grades 9-12; prerequisite: French 1)

HONORS

FRENCH 2

This course introduces more advanced grammar topics and explores them in depth. Using various sources including francophone websites, students become proficient in the use of many linguistic forms and idiomatic expressions. Students will discuss topics related to daily life and culture in France and other French-speaking countries. Students develop writing skills through compositions, projects, and skits. Students read, discuss, and write about Le Mystère des faux billets and Saint-Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince in the second semester. The class also views feature length films such as Louis Malle’s “Au revoir les enfants.” (1 unit; Grades 9-12; prerequisite: superior achievement in French 1; permission of the Department required and possible placement test)

FRENCH 3

Students at level 3 achieve an intermediate level of proficiency in the four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Grammar and vocabulary studied during the first two levels are reinforced and expanded, and new material introduced at this level includes the subjunctive mode and its uses, uses of the conditional mode, and sequence of tenses. Throughout the year students view and comment orally and in writing on a variety of media. Texts and audio-visual materials selected for this course present a diverse image of the Francophone world and also serve to expand vocabulary, to develop reading skills, to foster facility in both spoken and written expression. (1 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: French 2)

HONORS FRENCH 3

This course offers a more intense approach to grammar, civilization, conversation, and writing. Throughout the year, reading includes topics of current interest as well as literary works, such as Les jeux sont faits by Jean-Paul Sartre. Shorter texts and articles are presented for vocabulary enrichment, to build reading and writing skills, especially to stimulate discussion as well as an introduction to explications de texte. Film is an integral part of the course: students view, discuss, and write about several short films such as Samba. Shorter videos introduce students to matters of current interest and are used in a variety of ways to build active language use. (1 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: Honors French 2 or superior achievement in French 2 or Honors Intensive French; permission of the Department required and possible placement test)

MODERN MEDIA AND CULTURE IN THE FRANCOPHONE WORLD

In this year-long course, students are exposed to the Francophone world through a diverse array of media. Students will examine current events and cultural topics through the press, television broadcasts, contemporary music and art forms. They will become experts in deciphering the weekly newscast. Over the year, they will read a variety of texts on contemporary issues including Tahar Ben Jelloun’s Racisme expliqué à ma fille. Shorter videos will introduce students to matters of current interest and will be used to build active language use. Speaking and listening skills will be at the center of this course along with a review of essential grammar points as a way to scaffold more sophisticated expression. Oral and written presentations on current events and contemporary culture will be an important part of class. Throughout, discussion will take place in French (1 unit; level 4/5, Grades 11, 12; prerequisite: French 3 or Honors French 3)

HONORS FRENCH 4

In this course, students will refine their language skills while continuing to explore diverse topics relevant to the French-speaking world. Students also read unabridged works such as Hassan’s La bonne couleur and Albert Camus’ L’Etranger” Award-winning short films, oral drills, written exercises, and original Power Point presentations are just a few of the ways students will arrive at an advanced level of proficiency. Students will write and speak about a variety of authentic articles from the media, literary works, and films. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; prerequisite: Honors French 3 or superior achievement in French 3; permission of the Department required and possible placement test)

COMICS AND CINEMA: EXPLORING THE 7TH AND 9TH ART FORMS IN THE FRENCH WORLD (OFFERED IN 2024-25)

The term “comic strip” doesn’t encompass the full range of literary and artistic development of this genre referred to as le neuvième art. The French term bande dessinée (BD) means literally “drawn strip,” and for over one hundred years this genre, combining text and image, has developed into a rich and varied art form. Similarly, the French word cinéma embodies artistic movements that are diverse and impactful, always giving us new perspectives on the world. In this year-long course, students will explore both art forms through reading a variety of BD and watching modern films. In addition to learning how to read BD and interpret films, students will have the opportunity to use their creativity while making their own BD and short films as a project over the course of year. Group discussions in French will be at the center of this course along with a circling back to essential grammar points in order to develop more fluid expression. Students will be producing oral and written presentations throughout the year. (1 unit; Level 4/5, Grades 11, 12; prerequisite: French 3 or Honors French 3)

AP FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Global Challenges, Personal and Public Identities, Science and Technology, Beauty and Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, Families and Communities: these six themes central to the Advanced Placement Language and Culture exam provide a meaningful context through which students develop their ability to integrate language, content, and cultural knowledge of the French-speaking world. Students will explore historical, contemporary, and future perspectives on these themes through a variety of sources such as newspaper articles, recorded interviews, film, and literary texts. Class discussion, oral presentations, timed activities, and frequent opportunities to produce both analytical and creative written work are important components of the course designed to prepare students for the AP French Language and Culture exam in May. All students enrolled in the course are expected to take the AP French Language and Culture examination. (1

unit; Grade 12; prerequisite: Honors French 4 or superior achievement in Language & the French-Speaking World and possible placement test; permission of the Department required)

Mandarin Chinese Courses

MANDARIN CHINESE 1

This course is designed for beginners with little or no prior study of Chinese. The course introduces students to the Chinese language and culture including the sound system, character writing/typing, basic sentence structure, and grammar of Chinese. Students develop proficiency in four basic skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing through authentic multimedia materials. By the end of their first year of study, students will be able to hold basic conversations, read and write simple texts on familiar topics such as self-introduction of name, birthplace/date, age, contact information, family members, and making appointments. (1 unit; Grades 9-12)

MANDARIN CHINESE 2

This course further reinforces and expands on students’ basic grammatical and conversational skills. Students continue to work on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. More complex sentence structures, expansion of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions are introduced through texts, various authentic online media including movies, dramas, game shows, songs, as well as additional reading materials such as newspapers, children’s literature, and poetry. These materials also form the basis for the exploration of Chinese culture. Class participation, discussion, and impromptu writing are essential components of this course. By the end of the year, students will be able to hold basic conversations on familiar topics such as school life, after school activities, shopping, and moving around town. (1 unit; Grades 9-12; prerequisite: Mandarin Chinese 1)

MANDARIN CHINESE 3

The third year Mandarin Chinese course continues to develop students’ communication skills in the language at the intermediate-low level. Frequent writing and speaking assignments provide students the opportunity to practice new vocabulary, grammar structures, and idiomatic expressions in topics such as relationships, grocery shopping, Chinese cuisine, dining out, leisure activities, living and learning environments. Active class participation, discussions, and spontaneous interpersonal communications are essential components of this course. (1 unit; Grades 9-12; prerequisite: Mandarin Chinese 2; possible placement test)

MANDARIN CHINESE 4 with EARNED HONORS OPTION

The fourth year Mandarin Chinese course aims to bring students to the intermediate-mid level of proficiency where they can create with language, participate in progressively more challenging conversations, and communicate effectively in both speaking and writing. Students explore the culture and diverse perspectives of the Chinese speaking world through the use of literary texts, screenplays, and various authentic multimedia materials. Advanced grammar, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions are introduced and extensively practiced in topics such as medical symptoms, banking and financial management, personal care, communication, and technology. Consistently active class participation is a critical component of this course. Earned Honors Option: Students will have the opportunity to declare their intent, in the first quarter, to earn an honors credit. They will implement project-based language learning with a topic to be approved by the Department, then followed by incremental progress checks regularly until completion in the last quarter. (1 unit; Grades 9-12; prerequisite: Mandarin Chinese 3; possible placement test)

MANDARIN CHINESE 5

This fifth year course prepares students for an intermediate-high level of proficiency in the Chinese language. It is designed to further develop competence in all of the language skills. Advanced grammar, vocabulary, formal and idiomatic expressions, as well as popular and colloquial phrases are introduced and extensively practiced in topics such as classic literature, magazines, media, TV shows, films, internet, sport events, career planning, etc. The course relies heavily on active student-centered discussion. (1unit; Grades10,11,12;prerequisite:MandarinChinese4;possibleplacementtest)

AP CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

The AP Chinese Language and Culture course conforms to the standards and expectations described in the College Board curriculum. It provides students with opportunities to further develop and demonstrate their language competence. Students have frequent opportunities to practice oral and written expression by describing, inquiring, arguing, debating, and analyzing a variety of themes in paragraph length. Students also develop their ability to express themselves in email responses, story narration, conversation, and cultural presentation. This course overlaps a portion of Mandarin Chinese 5 and culminates in the Advanced Placement Chinese Language and Culture Exam given in May, which must be taken by all students enrolled in this class. (1unit; Grades10,11,12;prerequisite:superiorachievementinMandarinChinese4; permissionoftheDepartmentrequired,andpossibleplacementtest)

Spanish Courses HONORS INTENSIVE SPANISH

This course is designed for the student who, having demonstrated mastery of the grammatical principles of one foreign language, has an interest in acquiring Spanish at an accelerated pace (i.e., covering Spanish 1 and 2 in one year). Upon satisfactory completion of Honors Intensive Spanish (B+ or above) and the instructor’s recommendation, students may qualify for a level 3 Spanish course. Students with a grade of B or below at the end of the year should consult their instructor as to appropriate placement and may continue in a level 2 course. Students are expected to continue the sequence in their first foreign language concurrently with Honors Intensive Spanish, at least through level 4. (1unit;Grades9-12;prerequisite:superiorachievement inFrench,Chinese,orLatin;permissionoftheDepartmentChairrequired)

A further note about the Intensive Language Program: The Honors Intensive language program at RCDS is designed for students who wish to pursue the study of two foreign languages simultaneously. Honors Intensive language courses are available in French, Latin, and Spanish. These courses have as their stated goal to cover two years of material in one year and to prepare students for the third-year level. It is the expectation of both the Classics Department and the Modern Languages Department that students taking an Honors Intensive language course will continue the study of those two languages simultaneously for the entire tenure of their stay at RCDS. Students – and advisors and families of students – who wish to pick up a second language through the Honors Intensive program should be aware that adding a second language through the Honors Intensive program is, in almost every case, a multi-year commitment and thus will have a significant impact on a student’s course selection and academic program as a whole.

SPANISH 1

This course is designed for students with little or no experience in the language. Through direct use of Spanish, class work emphasizes aural and reading comprehension, oral and written fluency, as well as mastery in grammar. In the classroom on a daily basis, students use Spanish actively. Students acquire basic vocabulary and a solid command of grammar including personal pronouns and verb tenses. Introduction to the wide diversity of Spanish-speaking cultures is an integral part of the course. Through varied types of media, students regularly encounter authentic examples of language and culture. Students will have the opportunity to practice and apply the four primary skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) through daily class interaction, frequent writing assignments, and projects. (1 unit; Grades 9-12)

SPANISH

2

Students review thoroughly and develop their understanding of grammatical structures and vocabulary presented in Level 1. As the year progresses, this level reinforces and expands on students’ basic grammatical and conversational skills, teaching them to express themselves in the past tenses using a variety of object pronouns. New vocabulary will focus on themes ranging from health and wellness to travel. Students will deepen their exploration of Spanish and Latin American cultures using both text-based and online resources. They will complete short reading selections and prepare brief written and oral summaries. Students will incorporate the content of those readings with new vocabulary and grammar to prepare creative projects and oral presentations. Active class participation is an essential component of this course as students strive to increase their oral proficiency and to practice their spontaneous speaking skills. (1 unit; Grades 9-12; prerequisite: Spanish 1)

HONORS SPANISH 2

This course introduces more advanced grammar topics and proceeds at an intensive pace. Frequent oral quizzes and writing assignments are given to help improve proficiency in the language and to allow the student to take more risks in the target language. Students will read short stories and discuss them in class. This course introduces the Pre-Hispanic cultures to students through student presentations and reading selections, students learn about the Taínos, Mayans. Aztecs and Incas. (1 unit; Grades 9-12; prerequisite: superior achievement in Spanish 1; permission of the Department required and possible placement test)

SPANISH 3

The purpose of this course is to bring students to the intermediate level of proficiency where they can create with language, participate in progressively more challenging conversations, and communicate effectively in writing. Students explore the culture and diverse perspectives of the Spanishspeaking world through the use of literary texts and film. Grammar and vocabulary studied during the first two levels are reinforced and expanded. Listening and speaking skills are strengthened by way of frequent class discussion. (1 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: Spanish 2)

HONORS SPANISH 3

This course offers a more immersive and advanced approach to grammar, conversation, writing, and the study of civilization. Through the study of Spanish and Latin American culture, history, and current events, students will deepen their understanding of varying perspectives in intercultural contexts. This provides a solid foundation for those students moving into higher-level Spanish courses and for entry to both Honors Spanish Literature and Language (Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture) and Advanced Placement Spanish Literature and Culture. This course also includes an introduction to the study of film and literature; students explore several literary genres including short story and poetry. Daily class discussions, periodic analytical papers, projects, and presentations will help students formulate original ideas and express them in the target language, while engaging in meaningful collaboration with their classmates. (1 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: Honors Spanish 2 or superior achievement in Spanish 2 or Honors Intensive Spanish; permission of the Department Chair required and possible placement test)

IDENTITY, CULTURE AND LANGUAGE IN THE SPANISH SPEAKING WORLD THROUGH VISUAL TEXT

This course examines Latin American countries and Spain through visual content. Students will be exposed to music videos, commercials, short films, and films to explore the culture, identity, and language of the target cultures. Students will learn all the vocabulary needed to speak about the visual texts, the different genres, how to analyze them, and how to write a movie review. The themes presented in these visual texts include social class and economic status, the role of the artist in society, social and interpersonal relationships, gender roles, and more. Group discussions in Spanish will be at the center of this course, along with a circling back to essential grammar points in order to develop more fluid expressions. Moreover, students will be expected to be able to produce four visual texts in the categories of a music video, a commercial, a short film, and a film.

HONORS SPANISH 4

In this course, students will refine their language skills while continuing to explore diverse topics relevant to the Spanish-speaking world. There is extensive study of the U.S. visas program which also explains how to reach green card status as well as citizenship. This unit also aims to understand the undocumented immigrant situation, with a documentary which focuses on child migrants who travel from Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico to the United States. Students also read unabridged works by such authors as Nicolás Guillén, Gabriel García Márquez, Pablo Neruda, and Alfonsina Storni. Award-winning films, oral drills, written exercises, and creative presentations are just a few of the ways students will arrive at an advanced level of proficiency. Students will write and speak about a variety of poems, prose works, plays, and films. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; prerequisite: Honors Spanish 3 or superior achievement in Spanish 3; permission of the Department required and possible placement test)

HONORS SPANISH LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE (AP SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE)

In this course, students will examine in-depth literary works that appear on the AP Spanish Literature and Culture reading list, including El Lazarillo and works by more contemporary authors such as Federico García Lorca, Rubén Darío, Gabriel García Márquez, and Isabel Allende. We study poems, plays, short stories, and novels, with particular attention to themes that appear throughout the works and periods studied. The course relies heavily on student-centered discussion. Students submit literary analyses and give

formal oral presentations. Through the study of literature, and grammar exercises as needed, students are constantly asked to refine their language skills. At the end of this year, students are expected to take the Spanish Language and Culture Advanced Placement examination. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; prerequisite: Honors Spanish 3, or superior achievement in Spanish 3; or Language & The Spanish-speaking World; permission of the Department required and possible placement test)

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE SPANISH SPEAKING WORLD (Offered in 2024-2025)

This course will focus on environmental issues around the Spanishspeaking world and how they intersect with a variety of global social justice movements. Possible topics for exploration include climate change, deforestation, food insecurity, migration, control of natural resources, environmental racism, responsible production and consumption, and community activism. Students will also examine how these issues manifest themselves locally and compare different responses to them. In addition, we will learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and efforts being made to achieve them. All content and discussion will be in Spanish. Students will continue to develop their skills in speaking, reading, listening, and writing through the study of podcasts, blogs, videos, and a variety of online news sources. (1 unit; level 4/5, Grades 11, 12; prerequisite: Spanish 3 or Honors Spanish 3)

AP SPANISH LANGUAGE

AND CULTURE

Global Challenges, Personal and Public Identities, Science and Technology, Beauty and Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, Families and Communities: these six themes central to the Advanced Placement Language and Culture exam provide a meaningful context through which students further develop their ability to integrate language, content and cultural knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will explore historical and contemporary perspectives on these themes through a variety of sources such as online newspapers, radio broadcasts live streamed from Spanish-speaking communities, podcasts, film, and literary texts. Class discussion, oral presentations, timed activities and frequent opportunities to produce both analytical and creative written work are important components of the course designed to increase student fluency and engagement with global issues while preparing for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam. All students enrolled in the course are expected to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture examination in May. (1unit;Grade12;prerequisite: Honors Spanish 4 or superior achievement in Language & the SpanishSpeaking World; permission of the Department Chair required and possible placementtest)

AP SPANISH LITERATURE AND CULTURE

This course continues the in-depth study of literary works on the AP Spanish Literature list begun in Honors Spanish Literature and Language (AP Spanish Language and Culture) and prepares students to take the AP examination in Spanish Literature and Culture. Students study works from the AP Spanish Literature list including classic texts such as poetry by Garcilaso de la Vega and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, as well as more contemporary works by Rosa Montero and Nancy Morejón, for example. Students study poetry, plays, short stories, essays, and novels. Before the AP examination, we review the works and themes covered in the previous year. At the completion of this course, students are expected to take the AP Spanish Literature and Culture examination. (1 unit; prerequisite: Honors Spanish Literature and Language [AP Spanish Language and Culture]; permission of the Department required)

MUSIC

The RCDS Music Department is committed to nurturing creativity and confidence at all levels of learning. We honor music as a living art with inherent value. In addition, we are committed to helping students make connections between music classes, other disciplines, and the wider world. Through the teaching and modeling of empathy and collaboration, we seek to have our classes and ensembles embody a unified spirit.

Music is a language that all can appreciate and learn to “speak” with precision and beauty. Many students in the Upper School participate actively in one or more of the many performing groups such as Concert Choir, Honors Choirs, Wind Ensemble, Honors Jazz Band, and String Orchestra – each of which is scheduled within the school day. The Concert Choir, String Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble receive full academic credit as a sign of the School’s commitment to the art and discipline of music.

RCDS offers both performance and non-performance-based music electives. Students often participate in the New York All-State and Area-All State music festivals, and the choir joins forces with adult singers from the RCDS community to sing a major work each year with a professional orchestra at the Festival Chorus Concert. Over the years, the Concert Choir has toured internationally in Europe, Asia, and most recently, Ireland. The Wind Ensemble has traveled throughout the East Coast and to Canada. Our performing ensembles are award winning groups at regional competitions and festivals. Part-time instrumental and voice teachers give private lessons in our teaching studios during the week to approximately 120 students.

POLICIES

Course Selection Guidelines

All Music classes are considered electives and are eligible to receive arts credit towards graduation.

The following courses have no prerequisites:

• Concert Choir

• String Orchestra (prior experience on a string instrument is required)

• Wind Ensemble (prior experience on a band instrument is required)

• Our World in Music

• Music of the Moment

• Music Theory Intensive

• Basic Musicianship

• Studio Composing and Arranging

• Beginning Band

• Musicianship for Performers

• Songwriting

The following courses require departmental approval:

• AP Music Theory

• Honors Choir

• Wind Ensemble with Honors Jazz Band

Students interested in auditioning for any of the Honors Choirs or Honors Jazz Band will need approval from the Department Chair. Final auditions happen in the fall. Students hoping to participate should inquire in the spring.

To take AP Music Theory, approval is required from the Department Chair. While there is no course prerequisite for AP Music Theory, a conversation to discuss the student’s musical background is required.

Students interested in private lessons should contact the Private Lesson Coordinator at the beginning of September and be on the lookout for information on e-communications from the school. Private lessons are extracurricular and do not receive academic credit or count toward the arts credit.

AP Homework Guidelines

AP Music Theory: Students should expect to spend 30 minutes a day on written homework and/or ear training. They should be willing to spend up to 45 minutes, but after that marker, they needn’t do more.

Departmental Policies Regarding Entry Into Honors/AP Courses

• Admission into any of the Honors Ensembles is determined by audition in the fall. A student already in one of the Honors Choirs is guaranteed a spot for the next year in an honors group providing they have maintained an A- or better in the previous year. The teacher reserves the right to re-audition and reconsider the admission of students with a lower grade.

• Admission into Honors Jazz Band is determined by audition at the beginning of the year and requires participation in another major music ensemble of the School (Wind Ensemble or Concert Choir).

• Admission to AP Music Theory is determined by a student’s previous work in the department or by interview to ascertain the student’s musical experience. The student’s math grades may also be considered.

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

Many students commonly take Concert Choir, String Orchestra, or Wind Ensemble for all four years. Although a student may join in any year, most find the four-year cumulative nature of the experience to be most rewarding.

Honors Choirs and Honors Jazz Band are open to students in Grades 9-12 and are auditioned from the larger groups. While they cannot stand alone in a student’s program, they comfortably fit into the student’s larger schedule.

A combination of more than one performing ensemble fit concurrently into a student’s program. While doing so creates a fuller daytime schedule, there is little evening commitment to these courses. In addition, additional electives in music or other departments can sometimes dovetail with the music ensembles, allowing students to take more than one elective in a single block. For students who are particularly interested in musical theater, many students take Choir along with a Drama class.

Music Theory Intensive or AP Music Theory is mostly commonly taken in the 10th or 12th grade year, though it is open to students in Grades 10-12. Note that these courses are homework bearing. Musicianship for Performers is most commonly taken concurrently with one or more of the performing ensembles.

There are also several non-performance-based classes offered without prerequisites including listening and hands-on courses.

COURSES Year-Long Courses

AP MUSIC THEORY

The course fosters an understanding of music by developing a fluency in music notation and ear training skills. Students will study tonal harmony through melodic and harmonic analysis, part writing, dictation, and sight singing (emphasis on ear training not vocal beauty.) Students will take the Advanced Placement exam in Music Theory in May. Preference will be given to students who are members of Concert Choir or Wind Ensemble. (1 unit; Grades 10-12; permission of the department chair required)

CONCERT CHOIR

The Concert Choir creates a community of singers by preparing and performing several varied choral programs throughout the year including at least one major work such as Mozart’s Requiem or Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. The choir gives approximately ten concerts annually both in school and throughout the community. Because of the challenging repertoire studied, it is essential that each member of the choir develop musical literacy. (1 unit; Grades 9-12; no prerequisite or audition required)

HONORS CONCERT CHOIR

A mixed chamber choir, a treble choir, and tenor/bass choir are open by audition to students enrolled in the Concert Choir. Singers working at the honors level rehearse and perform additional repertoire appropriate to each group’s small size and advanced level. Participation in Concert Choir is part of the curriculum. (1 unit; Grades 9-12; placed by audition in the fall)

WIND ENSEMBLE

The Wind Ensemble repertoire is chosen primarily from classic band literature encompassing a variety of music styles. The group performs throughout the year at school events, festivals, and in the larger community. Ensemble rehearsals are devoted to developing a strong sense of pitch, dynamics, phrasing and blend. Membership requires a commitment to personal musical growth through daily practice. In addition to four rehearsals per cycle, assessments are assigned through the SmartMusic program allowing for further individual feedback from the instructor. Each student is strongly urged to take private lessons. (1 unit; Grades 9–12; previous instrumental experience or permission of the instructor is required)

HONORS JAZZ BAND

The Jazz Band is open to qualified instrumentalists by audition. Emphasis is placed on a variety of jazz and rock styles as well as improvisational skills. Additional participation in either Wind Ensemble or Concert Choir is required. (1 unit; 1 period per cycle; Grades 9-12; placed by audition in the fall)

STRING ORCHESTRA

The String Orchestra provides string players the opportunity to rehearse and perform pieces chosen from the classical repertoire and a wide variety of other styles. The group performs throughout the year at school events, festivals, and in the larger community. Emphasis is placed on the art of ensemble playing using repertoire and additional exercises developing sight reading, intonation, bowing techniques, rhythm, improvisation, and especially listening and adapting. Additional opportunities for smaller group work exist within the curriculum. (1 unit; Grades 9-12; previous instrumental experience or permission of the instructor is required)

Semester Electives

ADVANCED TOPICS IN MUSIC

This course is designed to allow the advanced student to pursue a concentrated area of interest beyond the RCDS music curriculum. The topic of study must be discussed and planned in the semester prior to taking the course, and students should expect to do additional work on the projects outside the classroom hours. (1/2 unit; fall and spring; department approval required; may be repeated for credit)

BASIC MUSICIANSHIP: WHAT DO THE LITTLE BLACK DOTS MEAN? Have you always wanted to learn to read music? Do you want to be able to understand what the dots and squiggles on the lines and spaces of a musical staff mean? Do you want to learn how to read notes so you can learn to play piano or guitar, or other instrument? This is your perfect introduction to the language of music. Through this course you will learn to identify notes on the staff in treble and bass clefs, learn to read and write basic rhythms and note values, learn about sharps and flats, identify major and minor scales, and learn how to put together basic chord patterns. (1/2 unit; fall and spring; Grades 9-12; no prerequisite)

EXPLORATIONS IN WORLD MUSIC

Experience and understand the exciting and diverse world of music as a reflection of various cultures, traditions, and national identities. Explore popular, folk, and art music as soundscapes from Africa, India, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. Through live and recorded performances, discussions, and projects, students will gain an appreciation of how each culture organizes and uses music to make sense of the world and their unique place in it. This course meets 4 times per cycle. (1/2 unit; fall and spring; Grades 9-12; no prerequisite)

MUSIC OF THE MOMENT

This course will study music that tops the charts. Through analytical listening along with a study of current events, students will consider how music “speaks” to its desired audience. In turn, students will seek to discover what makes music popular and relevant to a given culture. This course meets 4 times per cycle. (1/2 unit; fall and spring; Grades 9-12; no prerequisite)

MUSIC THEORY INTENSIVE

This course is for students who would like to study the fundamentals of music theory but do not want to pursue it at the AP level. This fall semester course covers the language of tonal music including reading, analyzing, listening, composing, and sight singing. (1/2 unit; fall; Grades 10-12; no prerequisite)

SONGWRITING: GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER

Students will develop skills to compose their own songs and lyrics. Through individual and collaborative writing projects, each student will work to create pieces that develop their own compositional voice and get to the essence of their desired musical expression. (1/2 unit; spring; Grades 9-12; no prerequisite)

STUDIO COMPOSING AND ARRANGING 1

This is a project-based, semester-long course in music production. It is a wonderful way to unleash your musical creativity regardless of prior musical training. Utilizing the program’s instrument sound library along with external microphones to record audio tracks, students will create and mix multi-track original compositions and arrangements in Garageband. In addition, students will develop critical listening skills to be able to hear and describe subtleties in musical compositions as a way of reflecting on their own work and offering feedback to the cohort. Because we will be sharing our creative work with one another, it is important we create an atmosphere of trust and respect. (1/2 unit; fall and spring; Grades 9-12; no prerequisite)

STUDIO COMPOSING AND ARRANGING

2

This is a project-based, semester-long course in music production and extends use of the skills gained in Studio Composition and Arranging 1 into more complex projects. Utilizing the program’s instrument sound library along with external microphones to record audio tracks, students will create and mix multi-track original compositions and arrangements in Garageband or Logic Pro. In addition, students will continue to use their critical listening skills to be able to reflect on their own musical compositions and offer constructive feedback to the cohort. Because we will be sharing our creative work with one another, it is important we create an atmosphere of trust and respect. (1/2 unit; fall and spring; Grades 9-12, prerequisite: Studio Composing and Arranging 1; may be repeated)

BEGINNING BAND

This course is for students with little or no prior experience who wish to learn to play a band instrument. Group instruction in flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba and percussion (drums, mallets, auxiliary) is offered. Topics include the basic skills of producing a proper tone on the instrument, note reading, concepts of rhythm, and ensemble performance. In order to improve at a steady pace and enjoy the instrumental experience, regular practice outside of the class meeting is required. (1/4 credit; fall and spring; Grades 9-11; no prerequisite)

SPECIAL TOPICS IN MUSIC

This course is designed to allow a student or group of students to pursue a concentrated area of music study beyond the RCDS music curriculum. The topic of study must be discussed and planned in the semester prior to taking the course. (1/4 unit; fall and spring; department approval required; may be repeated for credit)

MUSICIANSHIP FOR PERFORMERS

For students enrolled in one of the performing ensembles, this class supplements skills covered in the performing ensembles. Focusing on sight reading and ear training, students further their facility with music literacy. (1/4 unit; fall and spring; Grades 9-12)

Extra-Curricular Opportunities PRIVATE LESSONS IN MUSIC

A unique aspect of Rye Country Day School’s music program is the opportunity provided for students to study privately with one of the many professional instrumental and voice teachers in our program. One lesson per cycle is scheduled into a student’s free period or after school time. Students who study privately have the opportunity to perform in recitals, school ensembles, as well as to audition for All-County and All-State festivals. Private lessons do not carry any academic credit or fulfill an Arts requirement. Lessons also carry an additional fee billed by the school.

Arrangements may be made for private lessons by calling the Music Department Office at 925-4580 or on the family portal.

WILDSCATS

WildScats is Rye Country Day’s 12-voice mixed a cappella ensemble. In addition to meeting daily after school, the singers in WildScats also participate in Concert Choir and at least one Honors Choir. Interested students from String Orchestra or Wind Ensemble should contact the Department Chair. Auditions are held in early September each year.

NATURAL SCIENCES

The Science Department promotes an understanding of the methods and significance of science in contemporary society, a broad and basic knowledge of scientific principles, the ability to experiment meaningfully in an unfamiliar situation, and a curiosity toward the wonders of the natural sciences.

In recognition of the fact that the world is our laboratory, fieldwork and field trips are an integral part of many course offerings. Such trips may include Edith Read Wildlife Sanctuary, Rye Nature Center, the Marshlands Conservancy, and trips on Long Island Sound under the guidance of experienced marine biologists.

RCDS science department faculty encourage and help qualified students pursue projects and study outside the classroom. In the past, students have worked and/or done substantive scientific research at such places as the Harvard Astronomical Observatory, the Albert Einstein Hospital in New York City, the biochemistry laboratory at Harvard University, and Yale University. Qualified students have participated in the Columbia University Science Honors Program for high school students and entered the various Science Talent programs and competitions.

Although only three years of science are required – one physical, one biological, and 1 other unit – four years of science are strongly recommended for a solid college preparatory background.

POLICIES Course Selection Guidelines

In order to be considered for Science Research, AP, and Honors Science courses, all students must be approved by the department and the teacher of the course or the Department Chair. Some Science courses may require placement tests.

To be considered for AP, Advanced, or Honors science courses, students must sign up using the policy outlined on RCDS News. Before signing up, students should email and/or talk to the appropriate science teacher of the course they are interested in taking.

• For Science Research, new and current students should contact Ms. Doran

• For Honors Chemistry, direct questions to Mr. Burt

• For AP Biology, direct questions to Ms. Bischoff

• For AP Environmental Science, direct questions to Ms. Linderoth

• For AP Chemistry, direct questions to Ms. Farrell

• For AP Physics and Advanced Special Topics in Physics - YPT, direct questions to Dr. Krasovec

• For Advanced Physics 1 and 2, direct questions to Dr. Bove

Departmental Policies Regarding Entry Into Honors/ Advanced Courses Honors Biology

• For current RCDS students: approval from 8th grade science teacher

• For new RCDS students: placement is dependent upon your math placement test score

Honors Chemistry

• B or better in Honors Geometry AND Honors Biology OR A in Biology and A in Geometry or Advanced Geometry

Advanced Physics 1: Mechanics

• B+ or better in Advanced Algebra 2/Trig

• And B or better in previous science course

Advanced Physics 2: Electricity, Magnetism, and Waves

• B- or better in Advanced Physics 1

• B+ or better in Advanced Algebra 2/Trig

AP Homework Guidelines

• AP Physics: Students spend an average of 30-45 minutes on homework. Some tasks require more time, such as finishing lab reports.

• AP Biology: Students spend an average of 30-45 minutes on homework. Some tasks require more time, such as finishing lab reports.

• AP Environmental Science: Students report spending 30-45 minutes on nightly homework, excluding labs, projects, and article reviews. For these longer assignments, students have several weeks’ notice and can plan accordingly.

• AP Chemistry: 30-45 minutes on homework. Informal lab reports are due 1-3 school days after completion of the lab and should take students 30-90 minutes to complete.

Departmental Policies Regarding Entry Into AP Courses

Entrance into Advanced Placement courses depends on departmental approval based in part on the following criteria and final approval of the instructor:

AP Biology:

• Should have received the following grades: B+ or better in Honors Geometry, Honors Chemistry, and Honors Biology OR A grades in Advanced Geometry, Chemistry and Biology.

• Recommendation from previous biology and chemistry teachers.

• May be concurrently enrolled in Honors Chemistry.

AP Chemistry:

• Should have received the following grades: A- or better in Honors Algebra II/Trig and an A- or better in Honors Chemistry OR an A or better in Advanced Algebra II/ Trigonometry and Chemistry.

• Rising tenth graders should have received an A+ in Honors Biology and be concurrently enrolled in Honors Precalculus or AP Calculus.

• Recommendation from first-year chemistry teacher and AP Chemistry teacher.

AP Environmental Science:

• Should have received the following grades: A- or better in the most recent full year science course and/or an A- or better in Biology and Chemistry.

• Recommendations of biology and previous science teacher.

AP Physics-1:

• Must have completed Advanced Precalculus with A- or better or be enrolled in Honors Precalculus.

• Should have a favorable recommendation from the previous science and mathematics teachers, as well as a favorable recommendation from the AP Physics teacher following an oral/written diagnostic examination.

AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism

• Must be enrolled in or have completed BC Calculus and be favorably recommended by their math teacher.

• Must have completed AP Physics-1 at RCDS or receive a favorable recommendation from the AP Physics teacher following a written/oral exam.

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Biology Chemistry Physics (Sem 1 AP Env. Science* and/or 2)

Honors AP Biology*

Chemistry Advanced Physics (Sem 1 and/or 2) AP Chemistry*

AP Env. Science* Physics (Sem 1 and/or 2)

Advanced Physics (Sem 1 and/or 2)

Science Electives

Honors Chemistry AP Physics 1* AP Physics C MEM Biology

Honors AP Biology* AP Chemistry* Chemistry

AP Env. Science* AP Biology*

AP Env. Science*

*These courses require department approval. See course descriptions for requirements.

Science Research is a course designed to help students create an independent science research project that will evolve over two or three years. Students typically start Science Research in their sophomore year. Students successful in this program will apply for awards such as in the Regeneron Science Awards, a prestigious national recognition award, as juniors and seniors.

COURSES BIOLOGY

Biology is the study of living things. The course consists of the following units: biochemistry, ecology, the study of cells, genetics, evolution, and physiology of humans. Laboratory exercises, modeling, and projects are important components of this course. (1 unit; Grade 9)

HONORS BIOLOGY

Honors Biology is an in-depth study of all living things. Understanding life and life processes depend upon mastering the unifying principles applicable to life at all levels of organization. This course introduces more advanced topics in Biology, including the following themes: atoms and molecules, energy flow, cell biology and genetics, reproduction, evolution, characteristics and evolutionary relationships of organisms, anatomy, and physiology of the human, and ecology. Laboratory exercises reinforce content wherever applicable. (1 unit; Grade 9; department approval required)

AP BIOLOGY

This college-level course is designed to challenge students with a strong interest in the biological sciences. The course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Examination in Biology. Material covered includes cell structure and physiology, biochemistry, genetics, evolution, ecology, plant and animal physiology, and similarities and diversities among living organisms. Data analysis and laboratory work will focus on skills that allow students to think and solve problems as biologists. In order to complete the syllabus, students will be given an assignment to be completed prior to the first class meeting. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry or concurrently enrolled in Honors Chemistry; department approval required)

CHEMISTRY

This is an introductory chemistry course that is designed to study the composition and structure of matter and the changes matter undergoes. The course is designed to raise the student’s awareness of the role chemistry plays and will play in society and how it relates to events encountered in day-to-day life. The topics covered in this chemistry course will include types of chemical reactions, nomenclature, stoichiometry, atomic and molecular structure, states of matter, chemical bonding, solutions, acid/bases theory, kinetics, and thermodynamics. The course will expose the student to a variety of laboratory techniques and exercises. Each laboratory exercise will be followed by a formal lab report. (1 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12)

HONORS CHEMISTRY

This course is designed for students with strong reasoning, mathematical, and laboratory skills. Topics studied in depth include reaction chemistry, atomic and molecular structure, solutions, states of matter, and equilibrium. In addition to rigorous problem solving, students are expected to be self-disciplined and able to read and use an advanced text. Extensive laboratory work will involve electronic data collection and analysis through a computer. (1 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; department approval required)

AP CHEMISTRY

AP Chemistry is a college-level course designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Examination in Chemistry. It is a challenging course that requires completion of Biology and Chemistry. It is assumed that the student has a working knowledge of topics from first-year chemistry such as reaction types, stoichiometry, and nomenclature. The course will include extensive laboratory work. In order to complete the syllabus, students will be given an assignment to complete prior to the first class meeting. (1 unit; Grades 11, 12; department approval required)

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Organic Chemistry is a college-level course designed to be equivalent to an introductory organic chemistry course. It is a challenging course that requires completion of AP Chemistry. In Organic Chemistry, students will study the structure, analysis, nomenclature and synthesis of carbon-based compounds. These compounds are fundamental to medicines, plastics, environmental science, food, and biology, among many other applications. This course will include extensive laboratory work. (1 unit - Grades 11, 12: Departmental approval required; prerequisite: AP Chemistry)

PHYSICS 1: Mechanics

This course is an introduction to basic physics concepts in mechanics. Topics include, but are not limited to, concepts with energy, motion and kinematics, forces and Newton’s Laws, momentum, and circular motion. Hands-on activities will be used extensively in this course to deepen students’ understanding of physics theory and expand their laboratory skills with data collection and analysis. Algebra and geometry skills also will be used extensively to qualitatively analyze problems. Students will develop skills to solve problems, make predictions, and use technical language to explain physical phenomena. Students will apply what they learn in class and through text to solve problems and make predictions. (1/2 unit; fall; Grades 11 and 12; prerequisite: Algebra II/Trigonometry)

PHYSICS 2: Astronomy, Electricity, and Waves

This course is an introduction to basic physics concepts in electricity, waves, and astronomy. Hands-on activities will be used extensively in this course to deepen students’ understanding of physics theory and expand their laboratory skills with data collection and analysis. Algebra and geometry skills also will be used extensively to qualitatively analyze problems. Students will develop skills to solve problems, make predictions, and use technical language to explain physical phenomena. It is recommended but not required that students complete Physics 1 before enrolling in Physics 2. (1/2 unit; spring; Grades 11 and 12; prerequisite: Algebra II/Trigonometry)

ADVANCED PHYSICS 1: Mechanics

This course is an introduction to physics concepts in mechanics. Topics include, but are not limited to, motion and kinematics, forces and Newton’s Laws, momentum, and energy. Hands-on activities, textual descriptions, and mathematical reasoning will be used to deepen students’ understanding of physics theory and expand their laboratory skills. Algebra 2 and trigonometry skills will be used extensively through quantitatively analyzing problems and deriving formulas. Students will continue to develop skills to solve problems, make predictions, and use technical language to explain physical phenomena. This course is a prerequisite for Advanced Physics 2. (1/2 unit; fall; Grades 11 and 12; department approval required)

ADVANCED

PHYSICS 2: Electricity, Magnetism and Waves

This course is a continuation of Advanced Physics 1 and builds on skills learned in the First Semester. Topics include circular motion, electricity, waves, and some modern physics. Hands-on activities, textual descriptions, and mathematical reasoning will be used to deepen students’ understanding of physics theory and expand their laboratory skills. Algebra 2 and trigonometry skills also will be used extensively through quantitatively analyzing problems and deriving formulas. Students will continue to develop skills to solve problems, make predictions, and use technical language to explain physical phenomena. Students who do well in Advanced Physics 1 and 2 will be prepared to take AP Physics 1 or an equivalent physics course in college. (1/2 unit; spring; Grades 11 and 12; department approval required)

AP PHYSICS - 1

This is a broad, introductory-level course in physics for students who are ready to begin quantitative problem-solving in preparation for the algebra-based AP Physics-1 exam. The AP exam includes only mechanics and basic circuits, but this course will cover additional sub-topics of physics. Successful students will develop the ability to recall and use the laws and principles of physics to solve physical science problems at the algebraic level. A rigorous lab program makes use of modern laboratory equipment, allowing students to investigate physical phenomena, error analysis, and the preparation of formal lab reports. Completion of the AP Physics-1 Examination is a course requirement. (1 unit; Grades 10, 11, or 12; departmental approval required)

AP PHYSICS C: MECHANICS AND ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM

This is an in-depth, second-year course in mechanics and electrodynamics. Students will continue to develop quantitative problem-solving skills in preparation for the AP-C Mechanics and AP-C Electricity and Magnetism Examinations. The course assumes familiarity with the concepts of Mechanics and E&M and focuses on advanced calculus-based problem solving and the further development of lab skills, including investigation of physical concepts, error analysis, laboratory design, and the preparation of formal lab reports. Completion of the AP-C Mechanics and AP-C Electricity and Magnetism examinations is a course requirement. (1 unit; Grades 11 or 12; departmental approval required)

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

AP Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field that includes both social and scientific aspects of human impact on the world. The course is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college laboratory course in environmental science. The goal of the course is to provide students with the scientific principles required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. This class includes a laboratory and fieldwork component and culminates with the AP Exam in the Spring. (1 unit; Grades 11 and 12; prerequisites: Biology; departmental approval required)

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 1: Ecosystem Ecology

Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field that includes both social and scientific aspects of human impact on the world. This course offers an introduction to ecological concepts, including environmental systems, biodiversity, global climates and biomes, evolution, agricultural practices, populations, and land use. This class includes a laboratory and fieldwork component, including field trips to local parks, farms, and nature centers. (1/2 unit; fall; Grades 11 and 12; prerequisites: Biology & Chemistry)

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2: Global Change and Sustainability

In this course, we will explore human impact on the environment. Students will be provided with the scientific principles required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems, and to examine solutions. Topics include pollution, waste management, renewable and nonrenewable energy, global climate change, human health risks, and the importance of a sustainable future. This class includes a laboratory and fieldwork component, including a project focused on the sustainability of the Rye Country Day School community. (1/2 unit; spring; Grades 11 and 12; prerequisites: Environmental Science 1)

Natural Science Electives SCIENCE RESEARCH

The intent of this course is to discover a research project over the course of a semester for eventual entry in the Intel Talent Search and/ or other competitions. Students will be asked to consider aspects of numerous areas of science, drawing on their own personal interests to find key questions that could only be answered through experimental research. Students will be responsible for weekly review of the science literature, presenting their findings informally in class, and conducting an original research project. The course will culminate with a review paper that summarizes their findings in a specific research area. (1/2 unit; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; department approval is required)

SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSICS - YPT

This course is for students involved in The Young Physicists Tournament. The projects fully explore both theory and experiment and include a detailed analysis of experimental uncertainty and error. Students who are new to physics are welcome in this course; they will focus on the experiment and the various steps of data analysis that may include data collection, image and video analysis, and data manipulation in Excel and/or Matlab. Experienced physics students will take part in the lab work as well as developing the theoretical side of the problems. For sophomore students who are interested in YPT, they are encouraged to take Engineering and Design in the second semester to assist the YPT team with experimental design. (1/2 unit; pass/fail; fall and spring; grades 11 and 12; prerequisite: must be currently enrolled in a Physics class or have previously taken a Physics class)

Semester-Long Electives (offerings vary by semester)

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR

This semester-long course will examine the how and why questions of animal behavior. Classical behavioral experiments will be studied. Students will replicate some of these experiments in addition to generating hypotheses and designing their own experiments. Students will learn the basic techniques of behavioral scientists. These techniques will help students understand the underlying basis, evolution, and adaptive responses of behavior patterns. (1/2 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; department approval required)

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

This course will provide a foundation in learning about the anatomy (structure) and physiology (function) of the human body using a variety of resources including but certainly not limited to the text, the internet, videos, and peers, all under the guidance of the instructor. This course is designed for the highly motivated student who is willing to learn complex processes in detail. There will be a heavy emphasis on how and why our bodies work doing everyday activities, sports, dance, and nothing at all…is it ever doing nothing at all? (1/2 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; department approval required)

ASTRONOMY

This semester-long course is designed to take an in-depth look at the universe and its processes. Astronomical techniques, the solar system, stars, and the distant universe will be described. The physical concepts underlying these phenomena are also presented. Students will discover through hands-on exploration by recreating astronomical experiments of the past and infusing it with data from our night sky. (1/2 unit; Grades 10, 11 and 12; department approval required)

COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY

Have you ever wondered how biologists were able to sequence the human genome, create accurate models of the brain, or model biological systems? Would you love to better understand how biologists use big data and programming to solve human problems? Then, this course is for you! Students will be taught the power of pairing computational thinking with answering biological questions. Students will use the programming language Python to implement, test, and debug algorithms for solving simple problems. For example, students will use programming to analyze and compare DNA sequences from different species, and to discover variability within the genome. This course will provide appropriate challenge for both the experienced and the novice programmer. (1/2 unit; fall; grades 9, 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: B+ or better in Biology or B in Honors Biology)

ENGINEERING & DESIGN

Want to solve real life problems? Enjoy designing and making? This course will introduce students to various fields of engineering through interdisciplinary problem solving and the completion of student-designed projects. Engineers apply the principles of design, mathematics, science, and computer science to solve real-world problems. Students will plan, design, build, analyze, and stress test a variety of projects of their own designs. Have an interest in designing buildings, ships, or bridges? How about rockets, cars, or playground equipment? Robots, alarms, or digital maps? Renewable energy technologies? If so, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, or Chemical Engineering may be in your future! Students will complete several such projects, including a capstone design. (1/2 unit; grades 10, 11, 12; no prerequisite)

ENGINEERING & ROBOTICS

This course will introduce students to the process of designing, constructing and programming robots. Students will learn principles of electrical and mechanical engineering, including building and programming sensors and motors. Students will have hands-on experience constructing their own robot either individually and in teams. Throughout the course students will compete in robotics challenges. Students in this course may attend the VEX Robotics Competitions with the Robotics Club. (1/2 unit; spring; grades 10, 11, 12; no prerequisite)

FORENSIC SCIENCE

In today’s world, Forensic Science has become a familiar household science being showcased in the news, films, and television shows, such as C.S.I., Forensic Files, and The New Detectives. Forensic Science consists of the application of different scientific techniques in collecting and analyzing physical evidence for use in court and solving crimes. This course offers the students a real opportunity to see and put these skills into practice. The students study the basic principles of Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Geology, which are useful for determining the value of crime scene and related evidence. Trace evidence, such as hair, fiber, blood, ink, paint, soil, and glass samples will be examined in the laboratory. Individual identifying techniques, such as DNA analysis, fingerprinting, jigsaw matches, and impressions analysis will be studied. Throughout the semester, famous cases, such as the O.J. Simpson Case, John Wayne Gacy, Jack the Ripper, Son of Sam, and many others will be covered. Students will put their gained knowledge to use by attempting to solve “mock crime scenes.” Towards the end of the semester, the students will prepare presentations on specific crime cases. (1/2 unit; Grades 10, 11,12)

FRONTIERS IN STEM

In the lifetime of your parents, the fields of science, engineering and technology have advanced more than all the previous history of humankind. New discoveries are made on a daily basis allowing new frontiers in STEM to be explored. In this class, we will discuss cutting edge technology and recent discoveries in science. In addition, we will explore new research in areas such as genetic engineering, nanotechnology, stem-cell research, latest discoveries in astronomy and more. This course will include a lab component with students participating in labs to learn fundamental techniques that have allowed researchers to make key discoveries such as CRISPR. (1/2 unit: Grades 10, 11, 12)

GEOLOGY

This semester-long course is designed to be a thorough study of the Earth and its processes. These include but are not limited to geologic history, rock and mineral identification and classification, volcanoes, earthquakes, plate tectonics, weathering, and erosion. Students will also be briefly exposed to the topics of meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy as they relate to geology. This is a conceptual course, so homework and unit tests will be based around specific readings; however, there are some algebraic relationships we will explore. This is not a laboratory intensive class, but a few laboratory experiments will be conducted. (1/2 unit; Grades 11, 12; prerequisite: Algebra 2, Chemistry; department approval required)

MARINE ECOLOGY

This course is an introduction to organisms and habitats within marine environments, with a particular emphasis on the Long Island Sound estuary. Through classroom, laboratory, and field experiences, we will develop an understanding of major marine ecosystems and examine specific interactions and relationships between marine organisms that exist in those environments. Fieldwork will include excursions to different Long Island Sound environments as well as visits to local aquariums. Scientists conducting research in marine ecology/biology will be invited to share their experiences with the class, and woven into our work will be an examination of the impact of humans on the health of marine ecosystems. Students will also have the opportunity to explore an aspect of marine ecology that is of personal interest. (1/2 unit; grades 10, 11, or 12)

THE SCIENCE & SUSTAINABILITY OF FOOD

This course investigates the science and sustainability of food through readings, cooking labs, conversations with farmers and other food producers, work in our campus gardens, and field trips to local farms. Students will investigate how we can act as citizens to support a healthier food system. Topics include farm ecology and foraging, food access and social justice, urban agriculture, genetic modification, food and cultural identity, the science of junk food, and food preservation. The course culminates with a final project in which students will create a Mindful Meal for their peers. (1/2 unit; Grades 11 and 12)

PHYSICAL EDUCATION & ATHLETICS

Physical Education at RCDS is designed to balance personal choice at a developmentally appropriate level while maintaining standards of excellence in teaching lifelong lessons regarding health and exercise. Every student is required to take Physical Education. To be eligible to receive a passing grade for the year, students are required to successfully complete each of the three seasons by participating in the Physical Education program, by playing on an athletic team, or by fulfilling the requirements of a granted sport exemption. A student who plays on an interscholastic athletic team will receive P.E. credit for the season of participation.

Athletics at RCDS are designed to enhance each student’s athleticism and self-esteem by emphasizing skill development, camaraderie, and dedication to competition. The Athletic program stresses sportsmanship and strives to instill a sense of team responsibility and school spirit. The program is broad enough to prepare gifted athletes to compete at the college level while at the same time ensuring that all students are exposed to the lifelong benefits of athletics and physical fitness.

Varsity interscholastic teams compete in one or more of the following leagues: FAA, NEPSAC, WNESPA, WIHLMA, NYSAIS, MIFL, and ISFL. The varsity and JV teams are selected based on ability. Students must attend all practices and games in order to remain in good standing on a team. Eighth grade student-athletes may try out for a position on an Upper School varsity team. The student must pass the New York State classification fitness test, obtain medical and parental approval before attending tryouts. Upon passing the fitness test, the student must have the skills and tactical knowledge to earn a starting position on the varsity team.

The Junior Varsity Interscholastic athletic program emphasizes skill development, teamwork, team responsibility, and participation. Every effort will be made to include all interested students in the junior varsity programs. In some instances, however, space or facilities could limit the number of participants on a particular team.

Pre-season for the fall sports begins on Monday two weeks prior to Labor Day. The spring sports training trips take place during the second week of spring vacation in March.

• All students signed up to play a sport are expected to be present on the first day of pre-season.

• Attendance at practices and contests are required.

• Varsity or junior varsity rosters, at times, may be limited due to space or facilities constraints.

• It is that student’s responsibility to report to the Director of Athletics or the Director of Physical Education to begin attending a Physical Education class.

TEAMS OFFERED AT THE VARSITY & JV INTERSCHOLASTIC LEVELS

FALL WINTER SPRING

Boys’ Varsity Football Girls’ Varsity Ice Hockey Boys’ Varsity Baseball

Boys’ JV Football Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Boys’ JV Baseball

Girls’ Varsity Soccer Boys’ JV Ice Hockey Girls’ Varsity Softball

Girls’ JV Soccer Girls’ Varsity Basketball Girls’ JV Softball

Boys’ Varsity Soccer Girls’ JV Basketball Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse

Boys’ JV Soccer Boys’ Varsity Basketball Girls’ JV Lacrosse

Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey Boys’ JV Basketball Varsity Sailing

Girls’ JV Field Hockey Varsity Wrestling Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse

Boys’ Varsity Cross Country JV Wrestling Boys’ JV Lacrosse

Boys’ JV Cross Country Boys’ Varsity Fencing Boys’ Varsity Tennis

Girls’ Varsity Cross Country Boys’ JV Fencing Boys’ JV Tennis

Girls’ JV Cross Country Girls’ Varsity Fencing Girls’ Varsity Tennis

Girls’ Varsity Volleyball Girls’ JV Fencing Girls’ JV Tennis

Girls’ JV Volleyball Girls’ Varsity Squash Boys’ Varsity Golf

Girls’ JV Squash Girls’ Varsity Golf

Boys’ Varsity Squash Boys’ Varsity Track & Field

Boys’ JV Squash Girls’ Varsity Track & Field

Boys’ Varsity Indoor Track Boys’ JV Track & Field

Girls’ Varsity Indoor Track Girls’ JV Track & Field

POLICIES

Physical Education Policies

Students in grades 9-12 who are not playing a sport during a season will choose a physical education elective. The objective is to maximize physical activity for three days in a six-day cycle for a minimum of thirty-five minutes of workout time. The value of an elective PE program is enhanced by increased student investment through personal choice. Managers are granted a partial exemption and will be required to fulfill 3 days in the 6-day cycle in addition to their responsibilities as managers. All clothing worn must have the RCDS Logo and can be purchased online and at the Wildcat Den. Sneakers are required.

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

1. Physical Education meets at specific times and students must confirm that the class is conducive to their schedule.

2. The time requirement is three days in a six-day cycle, except for boot camp and dance.

3. Students who miss more than three classes in a season will meet with the Director of Athletics and the Upper School Principal after the third miss.

FITNESS CENTER GUIDELINES

1. Students will receive a fitness orientation before using the RCDS Fitness Center.

2. Students in Grades 9-11 will choose three periods in the six-day cycle to attend Fitness.

3. Seniors will choose three days within the six-day cycle to complete their workout. The Fitness Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

4. Seniors who miss more than three days in a six-day cycle will be assigned set times to attend class.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION EXEMPTIONS

1. Exemptions can only be granted for sports and activities that are not offered at RCDS during that season and must be executed at a high level in the opinion of the committee.

2. Deadlines for submitting an application (found on the Family Portal) will be communicated by the Director of Physical Education. Failure to meet these deadlines may result in a denial of the application.

3. Time requirements for an exemption must be a minimum of 10 hours per week (Monday-Friday).

4. Applicants seeking an exemption should be prepared to discuss this request with the Director of Physical Education.

5. At the end of each season, a comment by the supervisor must be completed and emailed to the Director of Physical Education on or before the published deadline. Late comments may result in a grade of incomplete or denial for future consideration for an exemption.

6. Incomplete comments may result in denial for the following season.

COURSES FITNESS

In fitness the students will learn and experience many different types of training, including but not limited to total body strength training programs, mini bands, use of machines, dumb bells and cardiovascular machines. Every trimester ends with a fitness challenge tested endurance, strength and power.

YOGA

In yoga the students learn many disciplines of yoga, including yoga theory and philosophy.

COURT SPORTS

Court sports is offered in the winter trimester class that gives our students a chance to return to a team sport curriculum.

TENNIS

Tennis is offered in both the fall and spring trimesters. There are before school and Z block offerings. All tennis strokes are taught. Tennis games and matches are a highlight of the class.

SQUASH

Squash is offered in both the fall and the spring trimesters. The class is taught by our Director of Squash and is a well rounded course learning and playing.

DANCE

Dance is an afterschool option in both the fall and spring trimesters. All genres of dance are taught and rehearsed. In the winter trimester the students are given PE credit for their participation in The Musical.

STEAM

Rye Country Day’s commitment to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) enables the School to remain a forward-thinking institution that is poised to explore the breadth, depth, and interaction of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, unlocking the limitless potential of students as they pursue these disciplines. We provide collaborative learning experiences that strengthen creative and critical thinking, build new skill sets, and spark the imagination needed to design, create, and to solve real-world problems.

COURSES

Interdisciplinary Elective STEAM Courses

These courses are entry level and have no prerequisite.

ENGINEERING & ROBOTICS

This course will build students’ fundamental skills in designing, constructing, and programming robots. Students will learn principles of electrical and mechanical engineering including building and programming sensors and motors. Students will have hands-on experience constructing their own robot both individually and in teams. Throughout the course students will compete in robotics challenges. Students in this course may attend the VEX Robotics Competitions with the Robotics Club. This course does not fulfill the Computer Science requirement. (1/2 unit; fall and spring; Grades 10,11, 12; no prerequisite)

ENGINEERING & DESIGN

Want to solve real life problems? Enjoy designing and making? This course will introduce students to various fields of engineering through interdisciplinary problem solving and the completion of studentdesigned projects. Engineers apply the principles of design, mathematics, science, and computer science to solve real-world problems. Students will plan, design, build, analyze, and stress test a variety of projects of their own designs. Have an interest in designing buildings, ships, or bridges? How about rockets, cars, or playground equipment? Robots, alarms, or digital maps? Renewable energy technologies? If so, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, or Chemical Engineering may be in your future! Students will complete several such projects, including a capstone design. This course does not fulfill the Computer Science requirement. (1/2 unit; spring; Grades 10, 11, 12; no prerequisite)

Makerspace Master Class & Apprenticeship

MAKERSPACE APPRENTICESHIP (LEVEL I)

This course is an introduction to working in and becoming ambassadors/ leaders for the RCDS Makerspace. Through this course, students will have the opportunity to be at the forefront of 21st Century advanced technology by receiving training to develop their skills of rapid prototyping, problem-solving, and invention. This course provides students the know-how to operate and use the equipment, fortify their confidence while removing some of their fear, and allow more time for creativity and exploration. Students will work with teachers to implement innovative projects that support the teachers’ curricula, help students with projects and tools, and teach the RCDS community about the technology in the Makerspace. This course is pass/fail. (1/2 credit per semester; Grades 9 - 12, prerequisite none, 3 meetings per cycle)

MAKERSPACE APPRENTICESHIP (LEVEL 2)

Students will continue on their Makerspace journey using an artistic lens that will guide them in developing artifacts with form, function, selfexpression, and imagination. Students will utilize computational-thinking and problem-solving to create aesthetically pleasing works that reflect personal choice and personal voice. This course will also provide students with time to design focused passion projects as well as the opportunity to collaborate with other Masterclass apprentices on advanced projects. Students will create something of their own design, an invention or community project approved by the makerspace coordinator. (1/2 credit per semester) Pre reqs: Makerspace Apprenticeship Level I (approval of instructor).

MAKERSPACE MASTERCLASS (LEVEL 3)

Students will continue on their Makerspace journey as leaders of the makerspace. They will work alongside the makerspace coordinator to mentor new Makerspace apprentices while continuing to develop projects that l utilize computational-thinking and problem-solving to create innovative and meaningful design solutions.. This course will also provide students the opportunity to collaborate with each other on advanced projects. Students will develop and create something of their own design, an invention or community project approved by the makerspace coordinator. (1/2 credit per semester) Pre reqs: Makerspace Apprenticeship Level II (approval of instructor).

COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY

Have you ever wondered how biologists were able to sequence the human genome, create accurate models of the brain, or model biological systems? Would you love to better understand how biologists use big data and programming to solve human problems? Then, this course is for you! Students will be taught the power of pairing computational thinking with answering biological questions. Students will use the programming language Python to implement, test, and debug algorithms for solving simple problems. For example, students will use programming to analyze and compare DNA sequences from different species, and to discover variability within the genome. This course will provide an appropriate challenge for both the experienced and the novice programmer. This course fulfills the Computer Science requirement. (1/2 unit; fall; grades 9, 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: B+ or better in Biology or B in Honors Biology)

YEARBOOK

Students in this class will learn all aspects of creating the Rye Country Day School yearbook, from planning the contents to designing the page layouts and keeping records of the production deadlines, orders, distribution, and advertising. Students will learn important elements of layout and design, implementing them with online publishing software as they work collaboratively to meet all production deadlines. Led by a student Editor-in-Chief, all students will have the opportunity to exercise creative leadership and to master their organizational and management skills. Class size will be limited to twelve students with preference given to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (1/2 unit, which applies to the arts credit graduation requirement; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; no prerequisite)

VISUAL ARTS

From introductory-level classes through the Advanced Placement Studio Art program, the RCDS Upper School Visual Arts department has something for everyone. We offer a broad range of classes in drawing, painting, photography, ceramics, videography, sculpture, and design. Classes take place in the Cohen Center for the Creative Arts, which offers capacious studio rooms, a digital media lab, a video production area, and exhibition space. Our faculty challenge students to take creative risks, to value the creative process, to discover innovative ways to give visual form to their ideas, and to develop their own aesthetic sensibilities. RCDS student-artists regularly exhibit their works around campus as well as in regional exhibitions and competitions.

POLICIES

Course Selection Guidelines

The following courses have NO PREREQUISITES: Painting 1; Drawing 1; Ceramics 1; Photography 1; Digital Painting 1; Video 1; Graphic Design 1

Departmental Policies Regarding Entry Into Honors, Advanced Topics and AP Courses

Honors and Advanced Topics courses in the Visual Arts department are for students who have demonstrated the ability to work independently and at a high level. In addition to meeting the appropriate prerequisite requirements, departmental approval is required for students wishing to enroll in any of the Honors or Advanced Topics courses offered in the department.

The Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art program is the equivalent of an introductory college-level course and is offered to highly motivated students interested in the serious study of art. Students should be aware that this program requires significantly more time than the typical high school studio arts course. Students interested in either of the three AP Studio Art courses - Drawing & Painting, 2D Design/Photography, or 3D Design - should email and speak with the Department Chair about the curricula for each of the different courses. No deadline is required other than the due date for the sign-up sheet itself. Please visit http:// media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-studio-arts-coursedescription.pdf for more information on the AP Studio Art program.

AP Studio Art Homework Guidelines

Students in the three AP Studio Art courses typically have homework. Students preparing the AP Studio Art: Photography portfolio typically have 1.5 - 2 weeks, including a weekend, to take photographs for assignments, and an equal amount of time to edit the work for critiques. The course includes a summer assignment to take photographs for the Breadth Portfolio. Students preparing the AP Studio Art: 2D Design or Drawing portfolios are assigned 4-5 summer projects upon entering the year-long course, and often need to spend time outside of class to refine their work. Similarly, students preparing the AP Studio Art: 3D Design portfolio are assigned 4-5 summer projects upon entering the year-long course, and often need to spend time outside of class to refine their work. The material nature of most 3D Design projects means that they usually cannot be worked on at a student’s home.

CURRICULAR SEQUENCE

The visual arts curriculum is very flexible in order to meet the needs of all students. While students typically progress through the department by following a sequential program by media (for example, students interested in photography typically begin with Photography 1, then progress to Photography 2, Photography 3, etc.), this does not mean a student cannot enroll in other courses and experience the curriculum in different ways. In fact, some students may elect to begin their visual arts studies with, for example, Drawing 1, and then enroll in Ceramics/Sculpture 1, and then pursue their interests in painting by enrolling in Painting 1. The curricular structure of the Visual Arts department allows for both breadth and depth, depending on each student’s interests.

Sample Routes To The Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art Courses

For students who aspire to enroll in one of the AP Studio Art courses, there are three typical routes to arrive at each of the three courses, but these are by no means the only routes a student may take. The sample routes below essentially ask students to decide, as 9th graders, where their artistic sensibilities lie, and the routes help maximize coursework relevant to each of the different artistic areas (Drawing & Painting, 2D Design/Photography, and 3D Design) so that students arrive at the AP Studio Art course of their choice as well-prepared as possible.

There are some students, however, who take broader and more circuitous routes through the Visual Arts department. For them, there are still pathways to an AP Studio Art course, if that is a goal. Below are some less typical but equally valid sample routes to fulfilling requirements and adequately preparing for either of the three different AP Studio Art courses. These routes offer a broader set of art-making experiences which, for some students, is desirable.

COURSES

DRAWING 1

This is an introductory course for students with little or no formal experience in drawing. Students will have the opportunity to explore both formal as well as experimental concepts of drawing using a variety of traditional and contemporary drawing techniques. The semester will engage students in gesture, contour, shading, expressive mark making, and linear perspective. Students will also learn techniques unique to charcoal, pencil, conté crayon, pastel, and pen & ink. Subject matter will be both representational and abstract, evolving from life studies and from students’ imaginations. (1/2unit; fallandspring;Grades9,10,11,12;noprerequisite)

DRAWING 2

In this course, students focus on developing skills necessary to visually express personal ideas through a variety of traditional and experimental media. Students will work on more thematic approaches to drawing and will be expected to show mastery of both concepts and techniques learned in Drawing 1. (1/2unit;Grades9,10,11,12;prerequisite: Drawing1ordepartmentalapproval)

PAINTING 1

All students can enjoy the power of color and its illusionistic effects by taking this course. Students will learn to mix color, be introduced to simple, easy-to-learn color theory relationships, and will apply color in various forms to a range of support surfaces. Colored pencil, Cray-Pas, watercolor, and acrylic will be applied to different textured papers and canvas board. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades9,10,11,12;noprerequisite)

PAINTING 2

Students utilize color theories that they learned in Painting 1 and apply them to controlling illusions of three-dimensional forms and space on a two-dimensional surface. The students make use primarily of watercolors and acrylics as they explore both content and style in their work. (1/2unit; Grades9,10,11,12;prerequisite:Painting1ordepartmentalapproval)

DIGITAL PAINTING

1

Students will learn basic painting and drawing techniques in addition to digital techniques for creating exciting 21st Century imagery. Working primarily with iPads and Adobe Photoshop, students will build upon preliminary sketches or photographs or create work directly on a blank digital canvas. The course will explore a wide range of aesthetic concepts while strengthening students’ understanding of the principles and elements of design. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades9,10,11,12;noprerequisite)

DIGITAL PAINTING 2

This course builds upon the skills related to the elements and principles of design learned in Digital Painting 1, but with a more independent study approach. While continuing to gain technical and creative skill in the digital painting medium, students will also be able to incorporate any traditional medium of their choice into their work. Students will devote their time to exploring personal visual concepts in both traditional and experimental formats, such as combining photography, watercolors, and computer design images. During the semester, students will work on pieces that could eventually be used in the AP Studio Art portfolio. (1/2 unit; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12;prerequisite:DigitalPainting1ordepartmentalapproval)

HONORS DRAWING AND PAINTING

This year-long course is designed for 11th or 12th grade students interested in continuing the study of two-dimensional art on a more advanced level. The emphasis of the class is on creating a supplemental portfolio for college

review and/or on beginning to create work for the AP Studio Art portfolio, which will be completed in the 12th grade. Through a variety of projects, many of which will be conceived of by the students themselves, students will continue to build upon their previous drawing and painting skills while they take greater steps towards developing their unique artistic voices. (1unit;Grades11,12;prerequisite:anythreecoursesfromamongDrawing 1, Drawing 2, Painting 1, Painting 2, Graphic Design 1, Digital Painting 1; and departmentalapproval)

ADVANCED TOPICS IN STUDIO ART

This course is designed to allow the advanced student who has demonstrated the capacity to work independently an opportunity to pursue a concentrated area of interest or explore a range of concepts and media in the studio arts or art history. In the semester prior to taking the course, students must meet with their art advisor, submit a written proposal describing the projects with which they will be engaged, and develop a schedule for their completion of the course. If and when necessary, written and/or oral assessments, as well as critiques, may be part of the course. By conducting a course on an individual level such as this, it is hoped that students will gain a broader understanding of themselves and their relationship to the visual arts. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades11,12; departmentapprovalrequired;mayberepeatedforcredit)

AP STUDIO ART: DRAWING OR 2D DESIGN

A year-long course, the AP program in Drawing or 2D Design is the equivalent of an introductory Drawing or 2D Design course at the college level and is offered to highly motivated students interested in the serious study of art. Students should be aware that this course requires significantly more time than the typical high school studio arts course. Students will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of art media and will pursue two areas of work:

• Sustained Investigation: 15 digital images; some may be details or process images.. Students will submit images and writing to document their inquiry-guided investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision.

• Selected Works: Students submit 5 digital images of their work and commentary online to demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. Works may come from the Sustained Investigation section, but they do not have to.

All students enrolling in this AP Studio Art class will be required to complete work over the summer between 11th and 12th grade. This work will be assigned by the instructor in June and will be designed to develop the student’s capacity for independent work and technical competency. All students approved for and enrolled in this course are required to submit an AP portfolio in May. (1unit;Grade12;prerequisites:Two introductory courses from among Painting 1, Drawing 1, or Digital Painting 1;andPainting2andDrawing2;departmentapprovalrequired)

CERAMICS / SCULPTURE 1

This course introduces students to a wide variety of approaches that develop an awareness of three-dimensional design primarily through clay, though other sculptural materials are sometimes introduced. Students are taught hand-building techniques to transform clay into both functional objects and sculptural forms. Students explore form, texture, and volume as they relate to three-dimensional spatial organization. This course will help students develop a sensitivity to 3-D design and prepare those who may be interested in pursuing the AP Studio Art: 3-D Design portfolio in the senior year. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades9,10,11,12;noprerequisite)

CERAMICS / SCULPTURE 2

Ceramics/Sculpture 2 continues to build on the skills and technical information introduced in Ceramics/Sculpture 1. While clay is the primary material used in this class, other sculptural materials will also be introduced. At this level, projects are introduced that are more complex in both concept and technique. Students are also introduced to the potter’s wheel. Students are expected to work independently, both inside and outside of class, and to create works that are visually strong and show distinct individual direction as well as mastery of technique. (1/2 unit; Grades 9, 10, 11,12;prerequisite:Ceramics/Sculpture1ordepartmentalapproval)

CERAMICS: WHEEL-THROWN POTTERY

This semester-long course is designed for students who want to learn how to create ceramic work on the pottery wheel. All levels are welcome, from beginner to advanced. Throughout the semester, students will learn the fundamentals of throwing and will move through various stages and, depending on individual ability, learn new techniques. Topics covered include centering; creating cylinders, bowls, and plates; trimming; and surface design. This course will help students develop a sensitivity to 3-D design and prepare those interested in pursuing the AP Studio Art: 3-D Design portfolio in their senior year. Please note that enrollment is limited due to the number of ceramic wheels we have. (1/2 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisite:anycourseinthevisualarts,anddepartmentalapproval.)

ADVANCED TOPICS IN CERAMICS / SCULPTURE

This semester-long course is designed to allow advanced students who have demonstrated the capacity to work independently an opportunity to pursue a concentrated area of interest or to explore a range of concepts within the medium of ceramics. In the semester prior to taking the course, students must meet with their art advisor, submit a written proposal describing the projects with which they will be engaged, and develop a schedule for their completion of the course. If and when necessary, written and/or oral assessments, as well as critiques, may be part of the course. By conducting a course on an individual level such as this, it is hoped that students will gain a broader understanding of themselves and their relationship to the ceramic medium. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades10,11, 12;prerequisite:Ceramics/Sculpture2orWheelThrowing anddepartment approval;mayberepeatedforcredit)

HONORS CERAMICS / SCULPTURE

This year-long course is designed for the 11th or 12th grader interested in continuing the study of three-dimensional art on a more advanced level. The emphasis of the class is on creating a portfolio for college review and/or on beginning to build the AP portfolio for the 12th grade year. Students are expected to work independently, both inside and outside of class, to build upon 3D design concepts in clay and other sculpture materials. Assignments and projects are meant to develop and showcase both technical skill and personal style. (1unit;Grades11,12;prerequisite: Ceramics/Sculpture3anddepartmentalapproval)

AP STUDIO ART: 3D DESIGN

A year-long course, the AP program in 3D Design is the equivalent of an introductory 3D Design course at the college level and is offered to highly motivated students interested in the serious study of art. While clay is the primary emphasis of the course, other sculptural media will be used as well. Students should be aware that this course requires significantly more time than the typical high school studio arts course. Students will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of art media and will pursue two areas of work:

• Sustained Investigation: 15 digital images; some may be details or process images. Students will submit images and writing to document their inquiry-guided investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision.

• Selected Works: Students submit 5 digital images of their work and commentary online to demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. Works may come from the Sustained Investigation section, but they do not have to.

All students enrolling in this AP Studio Art class will be required to complete work over the summer between 11th and 12th grade. This work will be assigned by the instructor in June and will be designed to develop the student’s capacity for independent work and technical competency. All students approved for and enrolled in this course are required to submit an AP portfolio in May. (1unit;Grade12;prerequisite:successfulcompletion ofCeramics/Sculpture1and2,plustwoothersemestersofceramicsor sculpture,anddepartmentalapproval)

PHOTOGRAPHY 1

This is an introductory course designed for students with little or no previous knowledge of photography. Through a range of assignments, students explore both the creative and technical aspects of digital cameras as they develop a small portfolio of images by semester’s end. Basic picture-taking, image manipulation, composition, scanning, printing, and mounting will be covered. Students will also explore the basics of Adobe Photoshop. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades9,10,11,12;noprerequisite)

PHOTOGRAPHY 2

This is a course for students who have successfully completed the requirements of Photography 1. In this course, students explore experimental techniques with the camera and Adobe Photoshop software. Students experience working with studio lighting, image and text, panoramas, environmental portraiture, and more advanced digital image manipulation. Students are encouraged to refine their skills with the digital SLR camera (available for use during the school day) while gaining expertise in digital editing. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades9,10,11,12;prerequisite: Photography1ordepartmentalapproval)

PHOTOGRAPHY 3

This is a course for highly motivated students who have successfully completed the requirements of Photography 2. With an emphasis on the development of individual style, students explore more sophisticated and experimental techniques and the work of master photographers. Students explore oversized images, time-lapse photography, photo essays, and the collaged manipulation of prints. An important component of the course entails the student’s analysis and integration of the work of a mentor master photographer. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades10,11,12;prerequisite: Photography2ordepartmentalapproval)

ADVANCED TOPICS IN PHOTOGRAPHY

This course is designed to allow the advanced student who has demonstrated the capacity to work independently an opportunity to pursue a concentrated area of interest in photography. In the semester prior to taking the course, students must meet with the art advisor and submit a written proposal describing the projects with which they will be engaged and a schedule for their completion of the course. If and when necessary, written and/or oral assessments, as well as critiques, may be part of the course. By conducting a course on an individual level such as this, it is hoped that students will gain a broader understanding of themselves and their relationship to the medium of photography. (1/2unit;fallandspring;

Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: Photography 1, 2, and 3 and department approval;mayberepeatedforcredit)

AP STUDIO ART: 2D DESIGN PORTFOLIO IN PHOTOGRAPHY

This is a year-long course for highly motivated students interested in the serious study of photography. Students will have the opportunity to explore photography in great depth with an emphasis on developing personal style and expression. Each student will submit to the AP Studio Art: 2D Design portfolio, but the work will be predominantly or substantially photo-based, and students will pursue two areas of work:

• Sustained Investigation: 15 digital images; some may be details or process images. Students will submit images and writing to document their inquiry-guided investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision.

• Selected Works: Students submit 5 digital images of their work and commentary online to demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. Works may come from the Sustained Investigation section, but they do not have to.

All students enrolling in this AP Studio Art class will be required to complete work over the summer before enrolling in the course. This work will be assigned by the instructor in June and will be designed to develop the student’s capacity for independent work and technical competency. All students approved for and enrolled in this course are required to submit an AP portfolio in May. (1unit;Grade11,12;prerequisites:successfulcompletion ofPhotography3anddepartmentalapproval)

ADVANCED HONORS PHOTOGRAPHY

This year-long course is for photography students who have completed AP Studio Art: Design Portfolio in Photography and want to continue the serious study of photography. In this course students will explore a variety of avenues for communicating visual ideas. Highlights of the course include curating and exhibiting a portfolio of each student’s work on campus and the creation of a book based on the student’s work. (1 unit; Grade 12; prerequisites: AP Studio Art: Design Portfolio in Photography and departmentalapproval)

GRAPHIC DESIGN 1

This course will give students the opportunity to explore digital imaging by utilizing Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Projects will explore the fundamentals of typography, composition, and the organization of visual information. Throughout the semester, special emphasis will be placed on learning the software programs, developing meaningful concepts, and exploring new avenues for problem-solving using a design thinking approach. Students will create high-quality original images and learn how to select the most appropriate typeface for each project. Projects may include album covers, informational posters, packaging design, logos, and typefaces. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades9,10,11,12;noprerequisite)

GRAPHIC DESIGN 2

This course expands on the design thinking process (problem-solving) learned in Graphic Design 1. Students will apply a combination of computer and design skills to satisfy various real-world graphic and communication needs while working toward incorporating self-expression and selfdiscovery. To attain this goal students will develop awareness of the presence of design in all aspects of our environment and as the basic structure in all art. Through continued study and experimentation with elements and principles of design, greater emphasis will be placed on how to combine the concepts of design and design thinking to achieve

the desired visual outcome. The course will also further develop student knowledge and skills in using graphics software such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Work from this class may be included in the AP Studio Art Portfolio. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades9,10,11,12;prerequisite:Graphic Design1ordepartmentalapproval)

VIDEO 1

Learn how to take your ideas from script to screen in this introductory semester-long video course. Students will work on multiple projects that will teach them all aspects of the production process, including scriptwriting, storyboarding, shooting, and the power of editing. Through these projects and movie screenings, students will develop a better understanding and knowledge of film history and film/video vocabulary. (1/2unit;fallandspring;Grades9,10,11,12;noprerequisite)

VIDEO 2

Building upon the skills learned in Video 1, students in Video 2 take their video production to the next level and learn how to craft stories that are worth telling. Students at this level will dive more deeply into the elements of narrative storytelling, pre-production, camera work, lighting, editing, special effects, and more. Film history and techniques are occasionally explored by watching critically-acclaimed movies. (1/2unit;fallandspring; Grades9,10,11,12;prerequisite:Video1)

ADVANCED TOPICS IN VIDEOGRAPHY

This course is designed to allow the advanced student who has demonstrated the capacity to work independently an opportunity to pursue a concentrated area of interest in videography. In the semester prior to taking the course, students must meet with the art advisor and submit a written proposal describing the projects with which they will be engaged and a schedule for their completion of the course. If and when necessary, written and/or oral assessments, as well as critiques, may be part of the course. By conducting a course on an individual level such as this, it is hoped that students will gain a broader understanding of themselves and their relationship to the medium of videography. (1/2unit;fallandspring; Grades 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: Video 1 and 2, and department approval; may berepeatedforcredit)

HONORS FILMMAKING

In this year-long course, students spend the entire academic year working on one film of their choosing. This allows students to spend more time on each stage of the filmmaking process, including script read-throughs, writing a casting notice and holding auditions, preparing a film budget, writing film grants, applying to film festivals, and creating a production reel. Students will also have screenings throughout the year of classic or noteworthy movies to inspire their own work and help expand their filmmaking vocabulary. At the end of the year, students will screen their final films to the RCDS community. Students who have completed Honors Filmmaking will also have an opportunity to compete in a multi-day film contestagainstfilmstudentsfromaroundtheworld.(1unit;Grades10,11, 12;prerequisite:Video1&Video2)