2026-27 High School Course Catalog

Hello –

I am the course catalog. Thanks for reading me. It gives me purpose.

Not to brag, but I do this every year, so allow me to offer you some insider tips to contemplate as you peruse my contents:

1. Read me thoroughly. Discuss me with others. Ask questions. Scribble down answers. Only then can you make informed decisions for yourself.

2. Trust the voice in your head that says, “That sounds cool/fun/interesting.”

3. Don’t trust the voice in your head that says, “I could never do that.” Challenging yourself is the only way to improve at anything.

4. However: it is also possible to over-challenge yourself. You need sleep, play, and time to focus on the classes you do commit to. More is not always more.

5. All of the above can be part of a conversation with your Dean during registration.

All right. You’re ready.

And I am.

Yours truly,

C.C.

Cover Artwork by: Chapin N., 11th Grade

MINIMUM GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Arts Four courses in the arts, preferably at least one in art, one in music, and one in theater

Computer Science Students must practice using computers and other devices competently, and they must navigate digital spaces ethically and responsibly.

English Four years

History Four years

Language Four years of language study

Math Four years, including Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2

Rec Arts One course or one interscholastic sport per year

Science Three years including one year of biology and one year of physical science

ART

All classes meet one double period per week unless otherwise noted.

Note: Although the descriptions for many of the art electives are general, it is the teachers’ prerogative to be more specialized in their individual approaches. For instance, the Painting and Painting/Drawing courses have several sections taught by different teachers in the department, and each teacher guides the curriculum through personal aesthetic passions and interests while taking into consideration the experiential and technical abilities of individual students in the class.

Animation

(Tokmakova)

Over the course of the year, each student will conceive, design, and produce an animated film, creating sets and characters with clay, paper cutouts, digital and traditional drawings, mixed media, or found materials. We will employ long-established stop-motion techniques to create our films frame-by-frame, using Dragon Animation software or drawing tablets. Students who prefer to work digitally on an iPad will be able to do so. Everything comes together during the editing stage: the images can be layered or manipulated, and the soundtrack—including dialogue, music, sound effects, or narration—is added. No previous experience necessary.

Ceramic Sculpture

(The Department)

Not a pottery course; however we do employ potters’ methods, such as coil, slab, and pinch-pot techniques, in addition to modeling directly in clay and porcelain. Students will create both sculptural and functional objects, as well as works that bridge those categories. Various surface treatments are investigated: stain, slip, paint, and glazes. Each participant will develop a body of work drawing upon a variety of sources and themes, both personal and art historical, while also exploring geometric and organic form, abstract and figurative motifs, human and animal subjects—both in the round and in relief—as well as architecture.

Elements of Sculpture

(Adili)

This course will explore three-dimensional form through both additive and reductive processes. We will use a variety of materials, which may include: plaster, papier-mâché, alginate, clay, wax, wood, and fabric. We will explore topics such as installation, the relationship between surface and form, mold making, polychromy, book arts, and collaboration. The class will utilize select assignments and extensive independent projects.

Introduction to Architecture & Design 1 (Rumage)

This course introduces and explores some of the basic drawing systems used to communicate three-dimensional architectural ideas within two-dimensional formats (elevations, floor plans, isometric and axonometric projections and perspective). Students progress from representing simple three-dimensional forms to drawing self-designed architectural structures and translating their architectural ideas into representative scale models.

Introduction to Architecture & Design 2 (Rumage)

This course is an extension of Introduction to Architecture & Design 1. The course will broaden the exploration of architectural concepts and model-making, allowing students to gain greater confidence and fluency while applying the various projection and mechanical drawing systems to specific design problems. Prerequisite(s): Introduction to Architecture & Design 1

Digital Photography (Venable)

This course will focus on the basics of making and understanding photographs, utilizing digital processes as well as color photography in the spring semester. We will explore technical tools, concepts, and philosophies essential to photography in a variety of projects. Throughout the year, we will look at photographers and other artists whose work is especially relevant to the processes and topics we explore.

Experimental & Alternative Photographic Processes (Venable)

This course will dive further into the topics covered in an analog or digital photography class with a focus on printing with UV light-based processes such as cyanotypes and Van Dyke Brown. We will also experiment with other processes such as pinhole photography, emulsion lifts, transfers, and photograms. A solid understanding of how to use an SLR or DSLR camera and basic understanding of Photoshop are required. Prerequisite(s): Digital Photography, Darkroom Photography 1/2/3, or equivalent experience as determined by the instructor.

Drawing

(Sassoon)

In this class we focus on the fundamentals of drawing. Observation, perception, composition, and the language of mark-making are stressed. Students will work primarily from observation, including: still life, works of the Old Masters, and models, in addition to other sources. Using materials such as pencil, charcoal, pastel, ink, watercolor, and colored pencils, we will explore line, tonality, volume, and texture as we gain rendering skills and develop personal artistic expression.

Figure

Drawing (Hillis, Tokmakova)

This course will explore the techniques and expressive potential of drawing the human body. Working directly from live models and using a wide range of media, we will investigate the skeletal and muscle structures, considering form, proportion, movement, and ways of translating onto the page both what we know and how we see. Individual attention will be prioritized so that every student may achieve a greater familiarity with the human form and expand their personal visual vocabulary.

Figure Drawing with Extensive Study of the Head and Facial Expression

(The Department) (4x per week)

In this course students will learn to draw the human figure from a live model, both dressed and nude. From short movement sketches to longer studies of a still model, students will explore the figure, including special studies of its hands and feet, using china ink, graphite, charcoal, oil sticks, etc. We will pay particular attention to the head. Students will learn to depict the head proportionally, from different angles, and in three dimensions. Drawing from a live model as well as from classical sculptures, they will learn to depict individual facial characteristics, creating a portrait. During the second semester, students will be ready to make stylized portraits (e.g. caricatures, cartoons, and anthropomorphized animals) as well as various realistic expressions. We will also explore drawing groups of interacting figures. This course will be demanding, requiring stamina, dedication, and a desire to learn how to draw realistically. Previous drawing experience is desirable but not necessary. Note: This class will meet two double periods per week.

Darkroom Photography 1: Basic Camera and Darkroom Techniques

(Giraldo, Venable)

Learn to capture and share your view of the world through the lens of traditional black and white photography. In addition to class discussions and critiques, students will study the basics of composition and visual communication through slide show presentations of wellknown and lesser-known photographers, assignments to be completed outside of class, and in-class exercises in the analog photographic process. Taking our inspiration from the history of photography and other visual arts, we will explore a variety of processes—from those used to produce the very first photographs up through the emergence of 35mm.

Darkroom Photography 2/3: Personal Style and Advanced Darkroom Techniques

(Giraldo, Venable)

Already equipped with the basics of the analog photographic process, students will learn techniques in documentary photography and portraiture, and explore methods to develop personal style. Darkroom practice will include the use of new materials such as Fiber-based Silver Gelatin and Medium Format Negatives. Prerequisite(s): Introduction to Photography, or equivalent experience in black and white photography and darkroom developing, as determined by the instructor.

Painting

(The Department)

Employing oils and a variety of other painting media, this course is an exploration of pictorial construction, color, composition, and conception, with an emphasis on student’s personal expression.

Painting Intensive

(Bellfatto) (4x per week)

See “Painting.” Offered in an intensive format of two double periods per week. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor

Painting & Drawing

(Adili, Hillis)

An exploration of pictorial life—how drawing begins, its development, manifestation, and transmutation. An alchemical approach to picture making: experimentation with content in a variety of styles and media toward the development of a personal vision.

Printmaking

(Greenwood)

Before the photocopy or even the photograph, there was printmaking! Closely tied to drawing, printmaking is the art of creating multiples by transferring an image from a matrix to a sheet of paper. This is a broad course that examines various forms of printmaking, focusing on relief printing (linoleum and woodcut), intaglio (drypoint, etching, and aquatint), and monotype. Utilizing the printing press, students will develop their own graphic portfolio. Students will gain an understanding of these fascinating technical processes through hands-on experimentation and by looking at printmakers throughout history.

Printmaking: Posters

(Arashloo)

This course is devoted to silkscreen design and production. In addition to creating our own silkscreens, including prints on t-shirts and fabric, this course works closely with the Theater Department to produce bold, eye-catching posters for all school productions throughout the year. Through hands-on experimentation, we will create our own imagery while also collaborating on professionally designed poster editions to display around campus. This is a chance to blend art, design, and storytelling—while seeing our work come to life in a realworld setting!

COMPUTER SCIENCE

We are surrounded by science fiction—portable computers, social media, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, electronic games, online journals, instant reference books, genetic sequencing, nanotech, increasingly massive datasets—built by people who know how to design, dream, and code. With computer science we can make art, crunch numbers, translate languages, and solve many human problems.

Our courses show students how to be more than just consumers or users: they will be independent creators on computers, able to control and shape the tools of today and tomorrow. Using software that runs similarly on Mac, Windows, Unix/Linux, and tablet computers, our courses teach a range of topics including programming, graphics, circuitry, web development, spreadsheet analysis, logic, and other skills that are useful for doing everything from analysis to artwork to running social movements. Classes are full year and meet twice a week unless otherwise noted.

3D Design and Printing (The Department)

There is an engineer and an artist in all of us, and learning to design and print in 3D unites them both. Careful planning and measuring are used in the service of creative visions, and the process of printing failures is a way to get comfortable with the iterative design process and cultivate patience and problem-solving. Different software and approaches will be covered over the year, leaving students with a toolbox of skills. Students are also challenged to think critically about design, asking how the world can be improved for more people by coming up with better solutions to problems.

Advanced Topics in Computer Science: Java for Robotics (Verdi)

Programming a robot involves receiving data from sensors, processing that data, and determining the robot’s action. Java is one of the most popular and powerful programming languages today and is widely used for computer applications, including robotics. In this course students will build a foundational knowledge of Java related to First Tech Challenge robotics including classes, methods, packages, and OpModes to manage motors, servos, sensors, IMUs, odometry, and cameras. We will design and structure code using OnBot Java in order to effectively program an FTC robot. Prerequisite(s): Previous or current enrollment in Robotics Seminar

Computer Animation (Poindexter)

Learn about computer-aided methods of animation with frame-by-frame animation including the traditional walk-cycle and bird flap projects. Use more advanced techniques including digital puppets within a 3D space, and explore special effects such as lightning and explosions. Additional projects may include digital puppetry, green screen projects, 3D movie title sequences (like the iconic Star Wars titles), music videos, and a final animated film using techniques of the student’s choosing. Note: No prior experience is required, but attention to detail and perseverance are a must!

Physical Computing 1 (Caccamise)

Move beyond the idea that a computer is a box or a system of information retrieval and processing, and learn how to interact physically with a computer without using the mouse, keyboard, or monitor. Using a microcontroller (a single-chip computer that can fit in your hand), write and execute interactive computer programs that convert movement into digital information. Work with components such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, and transistors as well as integrated circuits. Through lab exercises and longer creative assignments, learn how to program, prototype, and use components effectively. Control motors and interpret sensor data, as well as explore advanced concepts in interface, motion, and display. Note: This course is for students who have not taken Design and Engineering classes in Middle School.

Physical Computing 2 (Caccamise)

Students combine theory and practice to interface microcontrollers and transducers. We learn how to make devices respond to a wide range of human physical actions. Building on knowledge acquired in Physical Computing 1, we build projects from schematics, make programs based on class examples, and make interfaces talk to each other. Topics may include: networking protocols and network topologies, mobile objects and wireless networks of various sorts, digital logic building blocks, and digital numbering systems. Students are involved in short production assignments and final projects, and create a digital portfolio to document their work and research.

Creating interactive work relies on building a relationship between the object and the viewer. By gathering information in the form of input, processing that into meaningful data, and outputting that contextually, new forms of engagement and interaction with an audience can be established. This class is for students who have prior experience with Physical Computing and would like the opportunity to develop their own project and spend time researching, testing, prototyping and documenting it. Prerequisite(s): Physical Computing 1, Design & Engineering Lab 1 in Middle School or permission of the instructor

Programming 1: Intro to Computer Science

(Verdi)

Curious about Computer Science but haven’t had the chance to pursue your nascent interest? Intended for students with no experience or a Middle School Programming 1 background, this course is an introduction to the concepts and applications of computer science. We will learn to read, write, and debug code, and we will develop a framework and practical skills in computer science that deepen their understanding of how computers work all around us. Learn the basics of programming, from C to Python and from HTML to Javascript, and embark on a tour of various languages and concepts to familiarize yourself with this area of study. Learn how code works by looking at variables, if-then logic, comparison operators, functions, and loops. Learn how computers work by studying the things that are involved in running your code: compilers, machine code, binary, CPU, RAM, I/O, and more. This core knowledge will also offer a basis for further study in computer science. You may tap into something you wish to pursue further!

Programming 2

(The Department)

Can you program a bouncing ball? How about 1,000 bouncing balls that each have their own behavior? To do that, we’ll learn about Object Oriented Programming, which lets us use a thing called “classes” to make efficiently reusable code. To handle large numbers of “objects,” we’ll also learn about arrays and other sorts of collections, get better at using loops, and further refine all the basics you’ve already learned in earlier courses [INTRO/PROGRAMMING1]: variables, Boolean logic, conditionals, functions, input and output, etc. We will gain a foundational knowledge of programming concepts such as object/ class relationships, modularization, abstraction, parameter passing, method calling, and declaration.We will also practice developing algorithmic thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential in the field of computer science. Large projects will include writing an interactive, animated project with control windows and graphics. Prerequisite(s): Middle School Programming 1 & 2 or Intro to CS/ Programming 1 or permission of the department chair. This is the course for anyone who has taken programming in Middle School and feels comfortable with basic programming.

Programming 3 (Verdi)

Java is one of the most popular and powerful programming languages today and is widely used in software development. The goal of this course is to give students a foundational knowledge of Java so that they can independently pursue building their own applications. This course will continue to build on topics learned in earlier programming courses in the department, most importantly object oriented programming using classes and objects. We will focus on how to represent, store, and process data using Java’s syntax, and explore algorithms using Java. Students will learn fundamental programming concepts such as lists, stacks, trees, linked lists, sorting, searching, and hashing. Note: This course is recommended only for students who have completed the Programming 1 and 2 sequence in high school or Middle School Programming 2.

Robotics

(Verdi)

In 2022, Saint Ann’s launched its first high school Robotics Club. We joined the NYC FIRST Tech Challenge League (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and have competed for two years in qualifier and super qualifier matches.

During the first half of the school year in this course, students will brainstorm, plan, and implement a new robot design for the year’s FTC competition. They will work together contributing their talents and developing new skills. Students will prepare for and contribute to the team’s two qualifying matches by designing, building, and programming a robot; creating an engaging and informative tri-fold poster to display at the qualifying matches; writing and illustrating a 15-page engineering portfolio that describes the team’s design process, challenges, improvements, and growth; participating in community outreach; finding and attending mentorship opportunities; and attending one of the qualifiers. Participating in FIRST robotics helps students develop problem-solving, organizational, and team-building skills. Students must be able to work well with others to achieve a common goal.

Since the format changes from year to year, there is a kick off in September announcing the current year’s challenge. The actual competitions will take place in different schools further afield in Brooklyn and Queens on Saturdays and Sundays in December and January. In the past four seasons, our club attended a qualifier on a Sunday in December and a second qualifier on a Sunday in January.

ENGLISH

Literature and the World (Ninth Grade)

(The Department)

The first year of high school English is a voyage, exploring novels, stories, plays, and poems from a variety of narrative perspectives, content subjects, and literary styles to expand the reader’s sense of what’s possible on the page. Ninth graders vigorously air their responses to literature, hone their essay craft, and experiment creatively throughout the year. Grammar and vocabulary exercises reinforce their reading and writing skills.

Poetry, Drama & The Novel (10th Grade)

(The Department)

Sophomores encounter increasing demands on the quality of their thinking, writing, and close reading skills while they grapple with texts ranging from Elizabethan drama to Harlem Renaissance poetry to contemporary American fiction of the immigrant experience. Authors often include Shakespeare, Morrison, Fitzgerald, Akhtar, and Baldwin. In an additional class period each week, small groups of six to ten sophomores practice their analytic craft and work on individual writing skills.

Junior/Senior Electives

All of the Feelings (Rutter)

In this class, we will think analytically about emotions. What is a feeling? Must you have a body to feel? How are moods different from feelings? Is emotion an absence of thought or a form of thought? What does it mean to repress a feeling? Is repression bad? Always? ‘Do you feel me?’ We will study the structure of particular emotions. How is anger different from disgust, and shame from guilt, and empathy from sympathy, and happiness from joy? We will study aesthetic categories: the beautiful and the sublime, horror and the uncanny, cuteness, awesomeness, camp. Feelings are squishy, and we can’t expect exactness, but we will learn something in the process. We will read philosophy, essays, poetry, and most of the following novels.

James Baldwin Giovanni’s Room Woolf To the Lighthouse

Marilynne Robinson Housekeeping Chekhov Selected Stories

Jennifer Egan A Visit From the Goon Squad Elif Batuman Either / Or Philip K Dick Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

The Art of Hell

(Avrich)

Through me you pass into the city of woe: Through me you pass into eternal pain:… Abandon hope all ye who enter here. –written on the gates of Hell from Dante’s Inferno

The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n. –Satan, from John Milton’s Paradise Lost

Why do creative minds make masterpieces out of Hell? Throughout the history of literature and the arts, Hell, the dark landscape of human sin and everlasting doom, has inspired some of our greatest imaginative ventures. The sinners we meet in the fiery pit are seductive, rebellious, innovative and, unlike the angels, psychologically complex.

We relate to the soulful Dante, wandering the infernal urban ghetto, and to Milton’s fallen archangel Satan, charred but not undimmed. The same is true in more contemporary hellscapes of poverty, slavery and war. The characters and their experiences are startling and resonant.

In this course, we will take a tour of The Inferno, Dante’s concentrically circular city of progressively sinful and ghastly souls. We will ponder Milton’s majestic masterwork, Paradise Lost, Yuri Herrera’s Dante-esque Signs Preceding the End of the World , Toni Morrison’s hellish, haunted Beloved , and Shakespeare’s resonant, chaotic King Lear. Student art and multimedia projects will accompany expository and creative writing, theatrical performances—including tasteless musicals—and tableaux vivants.

Big City Lit

(Donohue)

Some love the big city, some hate it, and some love to hate it. “Prepare for death, if here at night you roam,” a young Samuel Johnson wrote of London in 1738; it was a place where “Malice, Rapine, Accident conspire, / And now a Rabble rages, now a Fire.” And yet, four decades later, Johnson said that “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” The poet William Blake was so dismayed by the “marks of weakness, marks of woe” in London faces that in 1800, at age 43, he packed up and left—only to discover that life away from the city was unbearable. He moved back in 1803 and stayed till his death.

In this class, we read about three big cities—Paris, London, and New York—and the various ways in which they’ve been loved and hated. We’ll read some poets who praise city life (Whitman, O’Hara), others who find it soul-crushing (Wordsworth, Yeats), and still others who can’t make up their minds. Our biggest quarry will be a pair of sprawling urban novels of the 19th century: Balzac’s Le père Goriot and Dickens’s Bleak House. (The latter checks in at close to 1,000 pages—so be ready.) We’ll read “This Morning, This Evening, So Soon,”

James Baldwin’s mid-20th-century reflection on Paris, and parts of Graham Robb’s Parisians And we’ll end in modern-day New York, as depicted in Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Shuffle and Teju Cole’s Open City.

Black Literature: A Survey of the Strange and the Marvelous (Patterson)

The course is devoted to writers who transform the facts of Black life into dark comedies, alternate histories, magical-realist texts, and transcendental narratives. Our interests range from the folklore collected by Zora Neale Hurston to science fiction as imagined by Octavia Butler to the pop art of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Black Panther comics. We will explore the concepts of Afrofuturism and Afrosurrealism, guided by Suzanne Césaire's idea that Surrealism is less an aesthetic style than a way of being, an alertness to the fantastic and the uncanny: "Be in permanent readiness for the Marvelous.”

We will read as many novels as time permits; likely delights include Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man , Toni Morrison's Jazz , George Schuyler's Black No More, Colson Whitehead's The Intuitionist, Fran Ross's Oreo, Paul Beatty's Slumberland , and maybe some Percival Everett. We will become familiar with history and social science as written by Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Frantz Fanon, Margo Jefferson, LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka, and Ishmael Reed. If we take an interest in drama, then we will look up Adrienne Kennedy, Suzan-Lori Parks, and Dutchman.

In pursuit of a rich understanding of Black culture and its foundations, we will frequently explore painting, photography, sculpture, and music, music, music, interrogating the work of Basquiat, Beyoncé, André Breton, Alice Coltrane, Ryan Coogler, Wilfredo Lam, Kendrick Lamar, Jacob Lawrence, Spike Lee, Prince Rogers Nelson, Parliament-Funkadelic, Jordan Peele, RZA, SZA, Lorna Simpson, and Kara Walker, among other artists of the African diaspora. If this class were a late-night talk show, it would aspire to attract The Sun Ra Arkestra as its house band.

Critical Theory and the Novel

(Biers)

What’s the best way to overthrow an all-powerful leader? Do good and evil actually exist? Who is manipulating the media? Are criminals born or made? Why can’t I stop looking at my phone?

You have questions. Critical theory has answers. We will seek them in the pages of the most influential philosophical critiques of modern life. Kant, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Adorno, Foucault, and modern-day theorists like Byung-Chul Han will be our guides, as will a set of novels that illustrate and explore their ideas, including Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, Melville’s Benito Cereno, Kafka’s The Trial , DeLillo’s White Noise and Lockwood’s No One Is Talking About This. We’ll also examine the biting social critique found in short stories by Guy de Maupassant, George Saunders, Jorges Borges, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, and Philip K. Dick. You will write several short essays exploring the relationship between narrative

and argument. How does critical theory tell stories and how can stories be critical? You’ll engage in frequent informal short writing in class in order to explore difficult concepts and to practice comparing and applying them. Finally, you’ll produce a longer personal critical essay that creatively applies a concept from our reading to contemporary popular culture or to your personal experience.

The course has two aims. The first is to understand and practice applying the major modes of social critique as a lens on our lives today. What can we learn about ourselves and the coercive structures of modern life in which we are caught up? The second is to understand the relationship between theory and fiction. How does fiction writing change with theories about society and culture? How did Freud change Kafka? How did Marx impact Maupassant? And what about now? In the age of total internet connectivity, can we tell a love story in the same way Jane Austen did in the age of letters?

Gothic Fictions (Go)

Across centuries, the term “Gothic” has been attached to disparate but related cultural phenomena: a revival of medieval architectural forms; a subculture of black-clad alternativemusic fans; a dense, angular calligraphic script, to name a few. Within the world of literature, what began as Romanticism’s dark, brooding counterpart has grown to encompass many subgenres and contexts: Gothic romance, Gothic horror, urban Gothic, and regional variants. What unites these diverse interpretations? At the heart of all these visions lie haunted atmospheres, fear and foreboding, a preoccupation with the past, and an aesthetic that dwells on decay and the grotesque.

This course will start by examining how classic authors use the trappings of Gothic fiction— ruined castles and solitary houses; virtuous heroines, enigmatic heroes, and ruthless villains; suggestions and appearances of the supernatural; suspense and shock—not merely for sensational amusements but to pose questions about the boundaries between good and evil, the burdens of the past, the individual’s place in society, the limits of reason, the ills of industrialization, the tensions occasioned by gender and class, and the powers of emotion and imagination. Time, interest, and prior reading experiences will dictate our exact path, but we’ll trace the development of the genre through defining works such as Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto, Matthew Lewis’s The Monk, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Next, we’ll explore how authors have adapted the genre to address the social, political, and racial concerns of the American South and Latin America (possibilities include William Faulkner, Carson McCullers, Octavia Butler, Carlos Fuentes, and Mariana Enriquez). Along the way, we’ll read essays on terror, the sublime, and the uncanny by Anne Radcliffe, Edmund Burke, and Sigmund Freud. We’ll also read poems by Coleridge and Keats, and stories by the likes of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Sheridan Le Fanu, Heinrich von Kleist, E.T.A. Hoffmann, Isak Dinesen, and Angela Carter, and we may view inventive cinematic renderings by Jan Švankmajer, Andrei Tarkovsky, David Lynch, and others.

Great

American Novels (Khoury)

The idea of “The Great American Novel” can be traced back to an 1868 article by that title, in which a writer named John DeForest does some hand-wringing about the literary status of the young nation, casting an envious eye at the most accomplished authors of England and France. “Have we as yet,” he asks, “the literary culture to educate Thackerays and Balzacs?”

What was needed, according to DeForest, was not just a great novel by an American, or one set in America, but one that makes America itself the real subject. Such a book would “perform a national service,” he explains, by holding up a mirror to the country: “The American people will say, ‘That is my picture.’”

In the century and a half that followed, the hubris of this idea has sometimes made it the subject of mockery. In 1923, William Carlos Williams became the first author to go ahead and make The Great American Novel his book’s actual title. Five more writers have since made the same joke.

Apparently this phenomenon doesn’t exist in other countries. There aren’t heated debates and essays about “the” great Russian, or Indian, or Japanese novel. But DeForest’s quest, for the book that captures and expresses “the American soul,” persists in earnest here, with regular surveys of the top contenders for the heavyweight belt (several of which will feature on our syllabus). What makes these books “great” will of course be one of our subjects, but we’ll also have to figure out what makes them “American.” What tends to be associated with that adjective, and what tends to be excluded? And why is it always “The” rather than “A” Great American Novel? Our answers will have something to tell us not only about our books, but about the country, too.

We’ll read most if not all of the following (some of which are also great in length, so please be prepared for an occasional thirty-page assignment):

Ralph Ellison Invisible Man

Marilynne Robinson

Toni Morrison

Ernest Hemingway

James Baldwin

Housekeeping

Beloved

The Sun Also Rises

Giovanni’s Room

The

Modernist Novel (Gear)

Consider the claim: “On or about December 1910, human character changed.” It’s quite a thought, tantalizing as it is vague. Why 1910? Why December? Could human character really change so distinctly, so quickly? What does “on or about” mean?

For a moment, take the idea as seriously as you’ve taken any idea. Under what conditions could such a thing happen? If someone said as much—and if that someone happened to be a novelist—what might she think literature is meant to do?

Virginia Woolf, whose claim it is, was making the case for a new kind of fiction. In her 1924 essay “Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Brown” (which we will read early and reference often) Woolf argues that she and her peers have not (yet!) figured out how to represent this recent change in human character: “Do not expect just at present a complete and satisfactory presentment of her. Tolerate the spasmodic, the obscure, the fragmentary, the failure.”

What might we call conditions powerful enough to change human character? For now, let’s call them modernity. While we’re at it, let’s call artists’ attempts to make meaning out of these conditions modernism. A generation of writers observed the effects of technological accelerationism, hyperurbanization, ethnonationalism, mass-production, and mechanized warfare on human subjectivity. Then they turned these observations into art. In the process, they adopted “the spasmodic, the obscure, the fragmentary, the failure.”

Alongside T. S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” (1922), we will read five novels:

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (Joyce, 1916)

Cane (Toomer, 1923)

To the Lighthouse (Woolf, 1927)

The Sound and the Fury (Faulkner, 1929)

Nightwood (Barnes, 1936)

With the hope of reading one of the following three, depending on time and disposition:

The Trial (Kafka, 1925)

Passing (Larsen, 1929)

Jazz (Morrison, 1992)

Expect a heavy work load. We will write a lot: one 2000-word essay (typed) each semester, alongside shorter hand-written assignments. To guarantee diligent reading, we will take semiregular quizzes.

A final note: in another essay of Woolf’s, she lampoons what she calls the “tyranny” of plot. These novelists tell stories, and good ones. But they do so while subordinating content to form, action to psychology, exterior to interior. They make a problem of plot. If you, dear reader, are most compelled by smooth storytelling, consider yourself both warmly welcome and duly forewarned.

New York City in Literature (Smith)

When the Dutch first settled in what they called “New Amsterdam,” did they know that this foothold in the New World would eventually lay claim to being “the greatest city in the world”? New York has certainly come a long way from Peter Stuyvesant, peg legs, and draft riots. Looking at the city so nice they named it twice through the lens of what E.B. White called “the transplant, the commuter, and the native,” this course will explore the “Noo Yawk” attitude and our city’s evolution over the past 300 years into the city that never sleeps—and always writes.

Poe, Melville, and Twain will be our tour guides for 19th century New York and Brooklyn. They’ll bear witness to the beginnings of “city” and “outer borough” culture as Manhattan becomes “elite” and the early “bridge and tunnel” crowd is looked down upon. Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison and James Weldon Johnson, among others, will show us the “birth of cool” in New York: the Harlem Renaissance and this new music on the streets, on the radio, and in the bars providing the soundtrack for New York and slavery’s first descendants to drag America into the age of social integration only hinted at in The Great Gatsby. (Wait— you really thought all those jazz musicians at Gatsby’s parties were white guys?) Meanwhile, Joan Didion and Danielle Evans, to name a few, will tell us what it’s like being a woman and a teen girl in New York. Along the way, we may stop in and hear what James Baldwin, Teju Cole, John Guare, Edwidge Danticat, Jay McInerney, Colson Whitehead, and Tom Wolfe have to say about race, class, and coming of age in New York. Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? Well, there are allegedly 8 million stories in the big city, and in New York, everybody’s got something to say. Robust debate will be encouraged.

Some of the following we’ll read cover to cover; others, we’ll excerpt:

Jazz

Here is New York

Open City

Six Degrees of Separation

Toni Morrison

E.B.White

Teju Cole

John Guare

Bright Lights, Big City Jay McInerney

The Fire Next Time

Krik! Krak!

Sag Harbor

Writing New York

Wonderful Town

James Baldwin

Edwidge Danticat

Colson Whitehead

Various

Various

Oddballs and Square Pegs: The Literature of Outsiders

(Fodaski)

Some of us define ourselves through adherence to a group; others understand themselves in and through opposition. Some realize their “true” selves through affiliation and allegiance, while others can never feel “free” within the bounds of a rigid order. In this class, we will side with the misfit and the loner, in an effort to understand a world that, to some extent, gets us wrong.

Literature has plenty of nonconformists, and we will read some of them closely. We will also consider the role of the writer, at once insider and outsider, skirting the boundaries—perhaps collapsing them—but always, in part, on the fringe. As James Baldwin said, “Perhaps the primary distinction of the artist is that he must actively cultivate that state which most men, necessarily, must avoid; the state of being alone.” The role of the artist, that lone traveler, then, is, according to Baldwin, “to conquer the great wilderness of himself…to illuminate that darkness, blaze roads through that vast forest, so that we will not, in all our doing, lose sight of its purpose, which is, after all, to make the world a more human dwelling place.” Through close, deep reading and frequent writing, we will attempt to make at least our classroom a vibrant, human dwelling place.

Texts and authors may include, but are not limited to, James Baldwin (Giovanni’s Room , Short Stories, and Essays), Marilynne Robinson (Housekeeping ), Herman Melville (“Bartleby the Scrivener”),Toni Morrison (Jazz), Virginia Woolf (To the Lighthouse), Arundhati Roy (The God of Small Things), Gwendolyn Brooks (Maud Martha), and Kazuo Ishiguro (The Remains of the Day).

There will be frequent writing assignments, both expository and creative.

Russian Literature (Aronson)

You too are an exile, I thought. You mourn for the broad open steppes where you have room to spread your icy wings. Here you feel stifled and constricted, like an eagle that cries and beats against the bars of an iron cage.

—Mikhail Lermontov, A Hero of Our Time

Since the late eighteenth century when Russian authors began to be translated into French, German, and English, Russian literature has moved and intrigued Westerners with its depth and subtlety. This course considers a number of major figures in Russian literature— beginning in the first part of the nineteenth century with Russia’s foremost lyric and narrative poet, Alexander Pushkin. The reading list also includes works by Mikhail Lermontov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Ivan Turgenev, Nikolai Gogol, and Anton Chekhov. It is possible that we will find our way into the twentieth century, which would take us to authors like Vladimir Nabokov, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Mikhail Bulgakov. This is indeed a weighty and wide-ranging enterprise that raises questions of the individual’s place in society and the world, the nature of truth and reality, the meaning of faith in God, and the role of the past in the present—to name a few.

WASPs and Other Nutmeggers

(Murphy)

“Connecticut is a state that's hard to love, but which I love anyhow, as one often loves what wounds – if only for familiarity.”

—Rick Moody

When you imagine Connecticut, what comes to mind? Perhaps country houses, boarding schools, and blue election results? The Nutmeg State is a place that looms in the American imagination as a preppy, affluent, traditional place. And it is! But it has also served as home to suffragettes, radicals, tastemakers, bon vivants, and rabble-rousers of all kinds, from Jackie Robinson and Ralph Nader to Harriet Beecher Stowe and Prudence Crandall. Connecticut was also home to the landmark 1965 SCOTUS case Griswold vs Connecticut, which ensured married couples the right to use birth control. Ann Petry, the first black woman to sell over a million copies of a novel, was born and raised in Old Saybrook. In 1975, Ella Grasso became the country’s first woman governor elected in her own right (not as a successor to her dead husband) and the first U.S. governor of Italian descent in the entire United States. Home to 3.6 million people, Connecticut is 7% Puerto Rican. This class will explore a handful of novels set in Connecticut (Yates’ Revolutionary Road , Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, and Petry’s Country Place, and maybe The Ice Storm (Moody), The Stepford Wives (Levin), or The Gospel of Winter (Kiely). We will also study some short stories (Chimamanda Adichie’s “The Thing Around Your Neck” and J.D. Salinger’s “Uncle Wiggly in Connecticut”) and poems (by Wallace Stevens, Joan Kwon Glass, and Marilyn Nelson), and a play set in Hartford by Cin Martinez, Frog Hollow State of Mind .

There will be expository and creative writing assignments, a few movies, and perhaps some visitors from Connecticut.

HEALTH

9th Grade Health

(The Department) (Fall Semester)

Ninth grade health focuses on substance use, sexuality, and consent, and adjusting to the high school experience. We explore how we make health-related decisions, discuss prevention as a cornerstone to wellness, and examine contemporary issues in health.

10th Grade Health

(The Department) (Spring Semester)

The first part of tenth grade health is dedicated to the National Council for Wellbeing’s Teen Mental Health First Aid training. Following this we will look at body image, eating disorders, and developing healthy relationships, among other topics. The class focuses on the practical application of health knowledge.

11th Grade Health

(The Department) (Fall Semester)

This class looks at health as both a personal and social issue. Weaving in current events, media, and recent research, eleventh grade health tries to help students navigate their increasing independence as they prepare for adulthood. We look at bystander intervention and the creation of safer communities. This class also explores controversies in public health and covers the wide range of viewpoints proffered on hot button issues while asking students to think critically about these issues themselves.

High School Mentoring

(The Department)

(Please see Seminars)

Reproductive and Sexual Politics

(Friedrichs) (Spring Semester)

In June 2022, the overturn of Roe v. Wade ended 50 years of the constitutional right to abortion. Since then, myriad laws have been introduced aiming to limit access to everything from reproductive health services, to gender-affirming care, and sex education.

But how did we get here? In fact, this situation was long in the making and this elective class will dive into the ideology driving such legislation in order to explore the history and current state of sexual and reproductive politics in the United States.

We will draw from both popular and scholarly works to look at topics including: Reproductive rights, LGBTQIA+ politics, child marriage, disability justice, maternal mortality, and more

Past field trips have included walking tours of LGBT sites in lower Manhattan, attending a Broadway show and visits to galleries and museums.

Note: This is a single-semester class which meets once a week. It is open to high school students in any grade and may be taken in the place of either ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade health class, with permission of the department.

HISTORY

World History (9th Grade)

(The Department)

This course explores the period from the 18th century through the 20th century. From revolution to globalization, from industrialization to decolonization, we explore these and other themes in a global context with the specific goals of complicating the Eurocentric narrative and emphasizing the experiences of marginalized peoples and cultures. We emphasize intellectual histories along with political and social changes. Throughout the year, students learn to think critically and work with diverse primary and secondary sources to create both analytical and research-based essays.

U.S. History (10th Grade)

(The Department)

The objective of this course is for students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the nation’s past through inclusive narratives with a specific goal of decentering whiteness. Students learn about Indigenous Peoples, European Americans, African Americans, women of all races and classes, workers, immigrants, and other groups who are usually marginalized in the U.S. historical narrative. In their final year before entering into the elective program, students continue to hone their skills as critical thinkers, readers, and writers with a greater emphasis on historiography.

American Women’s History: 1848 to the Present

(Schragger)

This course examines the contributions of women throughout American history, from the Seneca Falls convention in 1848 to the present day. In the fall semester, students will examine women’s history from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, focusing on topics such as women’s roles in the industrial economy, the fight for suffrage, and the development of reform movements. In the spring semester, the course will cover the mid-20th century to the present, with a concentration on 20th century women’s movements as well as contemporary issues such as reproductive rights and justice, the equal pay movement, and constitutional equality. We will look at the definition of “feminism,” as well as the development of second and third wave feminism, with a particular eye to the limits of the movements as well as the ways in which the movements became more inclusive and intersectional. In addition, the course will explore the ways in which women have been portrayed in popular culture and will attempt to highlight both the unifying forces and dividing factors among women. Finally, we will study the shifting notions of gender roles and how the legal system has evolved in relation to transgender people.

Students will read both primary and secondary sources, and there will be a significant research component to this course. Readings include Major Problems in American Women’s History: Documents and Essays (ed. Mary Beth Norton), selections from The Feminist Promise: 1792 to the Present (Christine Stansell), Women and the American Experience (ed. Nancy Woloch), Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America (Rebecca L. Davis) and Feminism in Our Time: The Essential Writings, World War II to the Present (ed. Miriam Schneir).

Ancient & Medieval Buddhism

(Higa)

This course will explore the richness and diversity of Buddhism, ca. 100 CE to 1600 CE. After covering the ancient Indian foundations of the Buddhist tradition through the teachings of the Buddha himself, we will turn to the development and spread of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism in South, Central, and East Asia. Topics covered will include: Abhidharma, Madhyamaka, and the foundations of Buddhist philosophy; the forms and purposes of meditation; ethics and the structure of early monastic communities; interactions between Buddhism and indigenous traditions in East Asia; Buddhist ritual and political power; poetry and aesthetics; gender and sexuality; cosmology and landscape; Tibetan tantra; Zen controversies over enlightenment; Pure Land theories about self-power/other-power; the rise of the Dalai Lamas; and devotion to deities like Guanyin, Tara, and Amida.

Discussion, writing, creative projects, and experiments in practice will be required, most of them in response to a variety of primary sources. Premodern people viewed images and read texts carefully, slowly, reverently. In this class, we will do something similar, retreating from the hectic pace of the modern world to spend time with premodern religious sources and allow them to unfold before us. We will engage with several important texts: the Dhammapada, the Vinaya, the Lotus Sutra, the Diamond Sutra, the Bodhicaryavatara, the Platform Sutra, and the biography of Tibetan saint Yeshe Tsogyal. In addition to these, we will look at poetry, hymns, philosophy, ritual, visions, painting, calligraphy, sculpture, and architecture.

Art History 102: 1300–2000

(Kohn)

Travel the world in this art history course, which will take you from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel to the stone walls of Machu Picchu, from the broad avenues of Paris to the minarets of the Taj Mahal, and from the oil-paint-encrusted studios of Picasso and Pollock (Can’t you just smell the linseed and turpentine?) to the gritty and graffiti-filled streets of 1980s New York.

This course will examine the world’s artistic production from 1300 to the present (or as present as we can manage). Focusing on the fine arts of painting, sculpture, and photography, with forays into architecture, students will learn about the artistic traditions of Africa, the Americas, China, Europe, India, and Japan. The goal of the course is for students to gain a foundational understanding of the movements that define art history and the context in

which these amazing moments of creativity were produced. Along the way, we’ll meet a cast of colorful characters who have defined not only what we see but how we see.

The Bible (Stayer)

In the beginning was the word (John 1:1)

Followed in this massive tome by MANY, MANY more words. A sacred text. A national epic. A compendium of storytelling tropes and motifs. Because of the rich history, multivarious narratives, and unique cultural position of the Bible, any true investigation of it requires from us a wide array of cross-disciplinary tools, from literary and historical analysis to comparative mythology, source criticism, and moral philosophy. We will begin by placing the opening Genesis narratives in the context of other near-eastern and Mediterranean mythic cosmological traditions, before exploring the evolving relationship of God to his people across the Pentateuch. Throughout the course we will examine recurring imagery, genre, authorship and context, and grapple with ever-present yet protean moral and ethical ideas (which will be supplemented by secondary texts ranging from Rabbinical commentary and Maimonides to Boethius and Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling ). We will then dive into the interwoven narratives surrounding the emergence and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth and the community that formed around him. Who was this man: rebel, rabbi, philosopher, son of God? We will consider Gnostic gospels also and the process through which official Christianity emerged. While it will be necessary to pick and choose selections from the text, our goal will be to leave with a firm understanding of the work as a whole and its broad cultural legacy.

The Black Atlantic (Wyatt)

For over five hundred years, people of African descent have traversed the Atlantic Ocean and the landmasses that form its coastline. Moving around and across this waterscape, our course will focus on the daily experiences, social struggles, multicultural traditions, and political accomplishments of these historical actors and their descendants. We will begin with an in-depth investigation into the 16th- and 17th-century origins of the African diaspora in the Caribbean, the Americas, and Europe before embarking on a thematic exploration of the “Black Atlantic world” as it has developed over the centuries. Topics of discussion include (but are in no ways limited to) race, gender, and transatlantic enslavement; Black Atlantic religion; resistance, revolution, and decolonization; Négritude and Créolité; Pan-Africanism, Black socialism, and civil rights; racial capitalism and globalization; and a number of contemporary social justice movements.

The scholarship and artistry of West African, African American, Afro-Latinx, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-European people will be central to our course of study; over the year, students will be introduced to a variety of thinkers who—across space and throughout time—have shaped the intellectual tradition of the Black Atlantic. Along with primary and secondary historical sources, we will consider works of material culture, political theory, literature, music, and visual art. Potential texts include works by W.E.B. Du Bois, Sylvia Wynter, Dionne Brand,

Paul Gilroy, Léopold Sédar Senghor, Jennifer L. Morgan, C.L.R. James, Frantz Fanon, Édouard Glissant, Tiffany Lethabo King, Maryse Condé, Cedric Robinson, Zora Neale Hurston, and Miriam Jiménez Román.

The Cold War in Africa and Asia

(Johnson)

The Cold War has often been framed in a way that focuses on the role of the superpowers of the 20th century—the United States and the Soviet Union. Many historians have taken the approach of believing it was simply a war of ideas between two great military powers. However, the Cold War was in fact a global war. While the superpowers’ propaganda included the Space Race and the technological advancements like dishwashers and refrigerators, this was veiled propaganda for the Cold War. The superpowers worked to bring recently decolonized countries throughout Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean to ally with them in an effort to become a single global power, which would either be ruled by American capitalism or Soviet communism. Newly decolonized nations rejected this in various ways. We will examine liberation movements and the demand for sovereignty among African and Asian nations, including (but not limited to) Kwame Nkrumah’s leadership to decolonize Ghana and its eventual alliance with the United States, Patrice Lumumba’s leadership decolonizing the Democratic Republic of the Congo from France, Ho Chi Minh’s role in North Vietnam, and Fidel Castro and Che Guevara’s roles in the Cuban Revolution. We will uncover and examine the physical wars and conflicts along with the revolutionary ideas that inspired nations throughout the 20th, and into the 21st, centuries. We will use various documents from African and Asian activists, philosophers, psychologists and scholars who wrote books, editorials, speeches, and published studies about the various approaches that colonized people used to ultimately realize their “freedom dreams” during the Cold War.

The Gulf Wars in American History (Smith)

In November 1990, the UN gave Iraqi President Saddam Hussein an ultimatum in the form of Security Council Resolution 678: withdraw all troops from Kuwait by January 15, 1991, or face retribution by “all necessary means.” By the time of this resolution, the United States had already sent more than 500,000 troops to Saudi Arabia in the largest deployment since WWII, Operation Desert Shield. What was at stake for the United States in this conflict? How did President George H.W. Bush and his cabinet shape public perception about the impending war? And how did Operation Desert Storm lay the groundwork for the post-9/11 American interventions in the Middle East? In what ways can we consider this to be one long war from 1990 onwards? In this elective, we will strive to answer these questions, beginning by looking at American relationships with the Middle East starting in 1945, and the role of the region as a front in the Cold War. This will lead to units on the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the September 11 attacks, and the Global War on Terror, respectively. We will take a multidisciplinary approach, folding together a visit to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, theoretical texts like Jean Baudrillard’s The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, and films by directors from David O. Russell to Laura Poitras and Werner Herzog. As scholars of the recent past, we will delve into what “Homeland Security” means to the nation and what America’s role in the Middle East means today.

How to Live an Authentic Life: Philosophical Approaches to ‘Meaning Making’ (Ackman)

As we grow up, we learn about ourselves and the world around us. We are constantly confronted with decisions about how to live our lives—about what is meaningful and what isn’t. How do we choose? How do we learn what our values are and, importantly, who we are? What does it feel like to live a life authentic to and in alignment with ourselves? To feel safe, seen, and fully present? And, furthermore, once we understand what these values are, how do we live a life based on them?

This elective explores the philosophy and methodology of “meaning making.” Meaning making is the active creation of life rather than passive acceptance of the one given. We will explore this notion through reading and discussing works of philosophy, psychoanalysis, and history as well as looking to indigenous practices. In our traditional conception, a person’s experience of the world—and the world itself—are objective phenomena. There exists a fixed “real world” that one encounters and subsequently responds to. By contrast, within the framework of meaning making, our experience of the world is the product of an individualized creative process. Reality is always shaped, or created, by an individual—by both “consciousness” (the meaning one involuntarily assigns to experience) and “intention” (the meaning one actively chooses).

Living in society—in a family, with peers, going to school, consuming media, etc.— often hijacks one’s ability to create with intention. Over time, within the life of both the individual and of society, entrenched patterns emerge—databases of meaning that are imposed rather than chosen, which we feel must be followed and cannot be changed. These patterns constrain our ability to intentionally shape our lives. Reclaiming meaning is the path to unlocking freedom, agency, and authenticity. We will read works by Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Jacques Lacan, Félix Guattari, Soren Kirkegaard, Martin Heidegger, Slavoj Zizek, Michel Foucault, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Friedrich Schelling, Novalis, Friedrich Schiller, Gilles Deleuze, and Richard Rorty, among others. Assignments will consist of essays reconstructing philosophical arguments, debates, self-reflective analytical writing, and a research paper.

“How We Tell the American Story” (Ingall)

“American history is longer, larger, more various, more beautiful, and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it.” Writing in 1963, James Baldwin captured a— maybe the—fundamental truth about the study of the past: no single account can capture its complexity. Every telling is partial, shaped by the teller's method, moment, and mission. On the two-hundred-fiftieth anniversary of the United States’s founding, this course explores how Americans have narrated their nation's history—in poetry, novels, and nonfiction as well as in scholarly works—to understand how the stories we tell determine which pasts we inherit and which futures we can imagine.

Was the Constitution a “glorious liberty document” (Frederick Douglass) or a “covenant with

the devil” (William Lloyd Garrison)? Was Puritanism “the most destructive and evil force which ever oppressed people and their literature” (Anaïs Nin) or “the most conspicuous, the most sustained, and the most fecund” American intellectual tradition (Perry Miller)? Was Reconstruction a “tide of change [that] rose and then receded” (Eric Foner) or our nation’s “second founding” (also Eric Foner)? Is the American story one of celebration or tragedy? To answer these questions, to the extent that they’re answerable, we’ll hit the books. (Lots of them.) Where tenth grade surveys, we’ll dig deep. Through close reading and comparative analysis, we'll investigate how looking through different lenses produces radically different American stories: intellectual history vs. social history, consensus vs. conflict, exceptionalism vs. critique, elites vs. ordinary people. Each unit will pair competing stories about the same period or event.

Why do Bailyn and Beard produce such different accounts of the American Revolution? How can Turner’s frontier thesis and Limerick’s conquest narrative use the same geography to draw opposite conclusions? We'll trace and examine major historiographical schools— from Bancroft's providential nationalism through Progressive economic history, Cold War consensus, New Left radicalism, social “history from below,” and contemporary syntheses— alongside literary texts that have themselves shaped historical memory. In doing so, we’ll ask Baldwin's implicit question: whose America are we talking about, and who gets to tell its story?

Texts may include: Tocqueville, Douglass, Garrison, Stowe, Twain, Henry James, Perry Miller, Margaret Mitchell, Ulrich, Weber, Beard, Bailyn, Zinn, Wood, Hofstadter, Genovese, Giovanni, Foner, Baptist, Turner, Limerick, Sinclair, Vonnegut, Didion, Baldwin, Morrison, and others.

Nationalism and Rebellion (Mellon)

This class will focus on three revolutions in other countries—the Taiping Rebellion of 1850–64, the First War of Indian Independence in 1857, and the Mexican resistance to and overthrow of the “Emperor” Maximilian from 1862–1867—as our main units for understanding how nationalism and rebellion shaped this era in different parts of the world, shook powerful empires to their very cores, and created foundational moments that rival our own. Our main texts for the class will include The Last Mughal by William Dalrymple and Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom by Stephen Platt, but expect lots of other readings from such sources as Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, Alan Taylor, Jonathan Spence, and Kaushik Roy. A main goal of the class will also be to see how these conflicts were written about at the time that they took place. In addition, we will also study how these conflicts involved the use of what we call “war correspondents” who used print and photography in order to bring the images and events of these conflicts to their readers at home and across the world. You should expect a lot of reading and writing, including a major research paper.

No One Gets Out Alive: Disease, Difference, and Death in History

(Fields)

Have you ever been drawn in by an unfamiliar cause of death on a centuries-old headstone? Been stopped in your tracks by a gruesome painting depicting the plague? Wondered how our culture came to be in denial about the most inevitable thing in anyone’s life? Join us to explore the rich and troubling terrain of historical disease and death.

Much of our year will be spent diving deeply into specific places and times when disease shaped the courses of events, communities, and individuals. We can touch on smallpox, the plague, HIV/AIDs, polio, cholera, flu, STIs, scurvy, cancer, tuberculosis, and Covid. Historical conceptions of mental illness, and the role of those with mental differences, will be included. As we learn about the diseases that shaped eras, we’ll examine the cultural factors that shaped how people understood disease and mortality itself, like religion, science, and government. The class will consider how factors like geography, rulers, research, trust, and racism transformed the extent and impact of diseases, especially communicable ones. Viewing works of art both from disease-riddled eras and that later reimagine them will enrich our studies and help us to track how people think about death and illness. Possible artistic sources for a unit like the plague include The Decameron , Year of Wonders, Masque of the Red Death, and Bruegel’s Triumph of Death

We will be guided by questions like, How have the challenges of health changed over time? Why have concepts of mortality changed over time? What roles have diseases played in world history and private lives? What does the history of disease suggest about how disease and health could/should be handled and conceptualized now? Key texts may include Pathogenesis, History of the World in Six Plagues, the Emperor of All Maladies, Far From the Tree, Homo Deus, and religious texts. We can also pull from myriad sources like Ghost Map, Everything is Tuberculosis, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down , Spook: Sciences Tackles the Afterlife, The Pox and the Covenant, and countless primary sources.

As we move towards the present, our studies will turn more towards the role that governments have to play in mitigating disease, and how trust between populations and governments impacts outcomes. Our last units will find us examining health care systems, medical discrimination based on race and socioeconomic status, celebrity doctors, gene therapies, the role of poverty, and the impact of technology and social media on physical and mental illness. Students should expect to read widely and deeply, do original research, challenge their expectations about the interconnectedness of our world, and get a little grossed out.

The Politics of Food: Who and What Controls What’s on Your Plate?

(Shefelman)

Have you ever considered that the food on your plate is part of a deeply political and complex system? Every bite you take is shaped by government policies, corporate interests, labor practices, environmental pressures, and social inequalities. In this elective, we will examine the hidden structures behind food production, distribution, and consumption in the United States. We will begin by unpacking how the American food system developed and the government’s role in shaping it historically and today from farm subsidies to SNAP and federal nutrition programs. From there, we will explore pressing contemporary issues, including food deserts, rising obesity rates alongside the boom in weight-loss drugs, ultraprocessed foods, foodborne illness outbreaks, COVID-era supply chain disruptions, and shifting global trade relationships. The course will also investigate the power of the meat, sugar, and dairy industries, analyzing how corporations influence what Americans eat and how activists, policymakers, and communities have sought to challenge that influence. Throughout, we will examine these issues through the lenses of race, class, and nationality, asking how identity and inequality shape access to food and agency within the food system. We will conclude by studying movements that seek to revive Indigenous, local, and transparent food practices as alternatives to industrialized models.

Students will engage with a wide range of primary and secondary sources, including theoretical analyses of the U.S. food system; selections from Marion Nestle’s Food Politics, Roni Neff’s Introduction to the U.S. Food System , and Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle ; social media and advertising campaigns as well as articles from major publications such as The Wall Street Journal , The Atlantic, and The New York Times. We will also analyze documentary films and series, including Food, Inc. 2. In addition to regular reading and active participation in discussion, students will complete several analytical writing assignments and an independent research project. If you are ready to think critically about who and what shapes the way we eat, this is the elective for you!

Stories from the Arab World (Pesaran)

This course introduces students to the social and cultural history of the Arab world, a region stretching from Southwest Asia to North Africa. The Arab world has an immensely rich and diverse history and culture, yet it is often misrepresented, leading to the persistence of negative images and harmful stereotypes in popular discourse. Stories from the Arab World aims to challenge these misconceptions, fostering critical thinking, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for the complexities of Arab societies.

Rather than a chronological survey, the course takes a thematic approach, exploring topics that include, but are not limited to: migration, trade and industry, activism, music, artistic expression, film and media. Each theme offers a unique lens through which to examine the region’s history, highlighting the stories of influential figures and collective movements. From Egyptian women’s rights activists to the rise of Arabic Hip Hop, from the Baghdad modern art movement to Bahraini pearl divers, students will explore the diverse forces that have had

a lasting impact on the region’s social and cultural fabric. They will also consider how the countries and peoples of the Arab world are deeply connected to global political and social forces—both driving change and responding to external pressures over time.

Throughout this course, students will engage with a variety of primary sources, including writings, art, music, and film produced by the region’s thinkers, artists, and activists. These materials will be analyzed in conversation with scholarly texts and other secondary sources to provide context and critical perspectives. Students should expect regular reading and writing assignments and will also be required to complete end-of-unit assessments, a mid-term paper, and a final research project. By the end of the course, students will have gained a deeper understanding of the Arab world’s historical and contemporary significance, as well as the ability to critically engage with narratives about the region.

Independent Research in History

(The Department) (1x per week)

The Independent Research in History (IHR) program enables students to explore a historical topic in depth over the course of the school year. Working with a mentor from the department, students will identify the significant historical questions raised by their chosen topic, and pursue them by employing various research techniques and examining a variety of sources and documents. Students will meet one period a week in class, and with their individual mentors throughout the year. Each research project may be the work of up to two students. The expectation is that students will develop their research into a significant formal historical essay, to be presented at the end of the school year in a symposium. Papers may be accompanied by a supplementary presentation of research in another medium. Note: To be considered for the IHR program, students should sign up at registration; they will then be sent a link to a proposal form, which must be completed by June 1. The program is open to seniors and juniors, and preference may be given to students who have not taken IHR before. The maximum enrollment is 16 students.

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

The Art of Resistance: Social Justice Movements and Their Creative Expression (Langol/Reid)

Art can be a powerful protest. Social justice movements in the US have long produced music, visual art and film that critiques the present and presents a vision of liberation. In this course we will explore how art critiques and challenges power structures, oppression, and inequality, using creative expression as a tool for social change, consciousness-raising, and imagining new possibilities. We will examine how art reflects, reinforces, or subverts dominant narratives related to race, gender, class, and sexuality. Weekly 90-minute discussion-based classes will consist of critically listening to music, watching films, and discussing art as our primary source material. Homework and research projects will include short readings on social movements and their context. Students will develop a conceptual vocabulary to support their own critical creativity. “Mastery” of any particular art form is not necessary, but a willingness to work collaboratively is required. Our projects will task students with researching and presenting pieces of art that resonate with them. These projects may include students’ activist art, zines, collage, photo essays, or short films.

We will explore movements across time. From protest songs that sprung from the labor movement, jazz and radical boundary-pushing avant-garde jazz in the 1960s and 70s that served as a musical extension of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, to hip-hop’s historical platform as a resistance to structural racism and voice lived realities. Visual arts have historically functioned as a powerful, inseparable tool for social justice, acting as a medium for protest, documentation, and mobilization. 18th–19th century art was used in the abolitionist movement to expose the brutality of slavery and during the women's suffrage movement to advocate for rights. Early 20th century movements like Dadaism and Surrealism critiqued war, nationalism, and societal inequality. Art from the 1960s–1970s was integral to the Civil Rights and feminist movements, using painting, photography, and poster art to directly challenge systemic racism and patriarchy, often aiming to make the invisible visible. Contemporary era art forms such as graffiti, digital art and public murals have become essential for modern movements like Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ rights, allowing for widespread communication of solidarity and resistance. Documentary films provide a critical, visual, and analytical record of the history of racism. Key documentary films and documentary movie shorts using various documentary techniques are used to reveal how white supremacy and racial oppression were constructed, maintained, and legally enforced. These films often challenge dominant, simplified historical narratives, and other films feature the exploration of the positive reconstruction of racial identities.

Possible Reading Materials:

• A People's Art History of the United States by Nicolas Lampert

• Beautiful Trouble: A Toolbox for Revolution (Pocket Edition), edited by Andrew Boyd and Dave Oswald Mitchell

• At the Crossroads of Music and Social Justice (Edited by Brenda M. Romero, et al.): A collection analyzing music's role in dealing with race, gender, and sexual orientation

• Blues People: Negro Music in White America (LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka): A foundational text on Black music

• culture, and social history

• Key musical examples, visual art and documentaries films: tbd

Note: This class meets for 90 minutes once a week and is open to students in grades 9–12. This class may be taken for Interdisciplinary Studies credit.

Sound Art: Engaging the Sonosphere

(Spann)

In the early 2000’s artist and composer Pauline Oliveros articulated, “The sonosphere is the sonorous or sonic envelope of the earth. All cells of the earth and body vibrate.” Her attention to the aural over the visual faculties was a radical assertion of a lesser appreciated form of knowledge: listening.

This course emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of sound works as they emerge in conceptual art, installative work, and noise music. We will focus on the history and methodology of sound art as an avant garde practice which emerged in the 1960s and which thrives with contemporary technological advances.

We will learn from creative people working with audio who do not fall neatly into the category of musicians nor visual artists, who make neither objects nor performances. We will discuss DIY communities which have long engaged in unconventional sound making without the backing of institutional funding, the political implications of working with an ephemeral and intangible material, and the ways in which sound shapes our lived experiences. We will examine the intersections between ecology, acoustics, and disability justice with an ear towards the philosophical and theoretical implications of these fields of study.

Students will be expected to complete regular listenings, readings, and short written responses, as well as original sound works. As New York is one of the centers of conceptual art, students will also visit installations and galleries while engaging various practitioners in our local sound community through regular class visits. Students will complete a final project that will take the form of an original sound work, accompanied by an artist’s statement.

Possible projects include:

• Using transducers to turn every day objects into speakers

• Experimenting with speaker placement in quadraphonic array to create sound installations

• Realizing text scores

• Making our own sound circuits

• Sculpting sound with modular synthesizers

• Soundwalks and field recording around Saint Ann’s to document our particular community’s acoustic environment

Artists will include Kevin Beasely, RP Boo, Max Neuhaus, Halim El Dabh, Eliane Radigue, Christine Sun Kim, Raven Chacon, Aki Onda, Maryanne Amacher, and Carl Craig.

Readings will include Liz Pelly, Pauline Oliveros, Alvin Lucier, Fred Moten, R Murray Schafer, Daphne Carr, Bill Dietz, Bonnie Jones, and Ciaran Finlayson.

This class is for students interested in experimental music, public and conceptual art, and computer science. Note: This class meets for 90 minutes once a week and is open to students in grades 9–12. This class may be taken for Interdisciplinary Studies credit.

LANGUAGES

Chinese

Chinese 1

(The Department)

This course is designed for students with no or little previous experience in Chinese language. In the first year, we master the pronunciation system (pinyin), recognize and write simplified characters (traditional characters can be accommodated upon request), acquire words on a variety of themes, build basic sentence structures, and explore culture.

Accelerated Chinese

(The Department)

This course is designed for students who are heritage speakers and/or are motivated to do two years of Chinese in one. We use the textbook series Integrated Chinese, and students will take Chinese 3 the following year upon completion. We master the pronunciation system (pinyin), recognize and write simplified characters (traditional characters can be accommodated upon request), build essential sentence structures, focus on making conversations for functional and daily life situations, and explore culture. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the Department and Grade Dean.

Chinese 2

(The Department)

In the second year, we transition into the textbook series Integrated Chinese. Students will continue to hone their pronunciation, write and memorize characters, master essential sentence structures, focus on making conversations for functional and daily life situations, and explore culture.

Chinese 3

(The Department)

The third year of Chinese learning emphasizes mastering long sentences with advanced grammar including particles, complements, conjunctions, and clauses, conversing in more formal situations in more sophisticated language, and deeper explorations of culture.

Chinese 4

(The Department)

The fourth year of Chinese learning emphasizes building short paragraphs by connecting

sentences with coherent transitions, expressing thoughts and opinions in accurate and advanced language on everyday life and social topics, as well as understanding culture with a comparative lens.

Chinese 5

(The Department)

The fifth year of Chinese learning emphasizes elaborating and presenting, including research and original composition in lengthy, formal and fluent language; comprehending and analyzing topics in politics, economy, history, and society: and understanding culture with a comparative lens.

Chinese 6

(The Department)

In the final year of Chinese learning we finish the textbook series Integrated Chinese and read authentic materials such as news articles, poems, fairy tales, and movie scripts. This course emphasizes honing proficiency in accuracy, fluency, and complexity, as well as the mastery of native speakers’ language usages.

Chinese Conversation

(The Department)

This course is designed for students who have completed at least Chinese 3 to take in addition to their regular Chinese class to further improve their listening and speaking skills. The course eschews quizzes, and instead emphasizes not only gaining spontaneity and fluency in daily life topics, but also learning and discussing in depth about culture, history, politics, education, current events, and so on. Prerequisite(s): Chinese 3

Japanese

Japanese 1 (Otsue)

The first year of Japanese focuses on building students’ foundations in the language. While students take in the two phonetic systems, hiragana and katakana, they learn basic grammar including distinctive aspects of the language such as the use of markers. Numerous expressions and patterns that are needed to construct sentences to function in various social situations are also introduced. Additionally, students continuously explore Japanese culture and traditions from ancient periods to the current “pop” trends. Each year, students have face-to-face exposure with various Japanese artists.

Japanese 2

(Otsue)

The second year continues from the first with grammar including distinctive topics such as measurement words for various objects, equipment, animals, machines, etc., but adds emphasis on composition—students begin writing fictional stories. Students continue to learn to function in various social situations while they learn to become a culturally competent speaker of Japanese. Kanji is introduced.

Japanese 3

(Otsue)

The third year continues the emphasis on students developing all four skills of speaking, listening, writing, and reading, and building on what they have learned in the previous years. In the second half of the year, a number of complex sentence patterns and formulaic expressions, including keigo, are introduced. Students are provided with extensive training to enhance their communication skills, putting emphasis on spontaneity and accuracy. Creative writing exercises are embedded in grammar exercises. The listening comprehension materials include real life dialogues. New kanji and kanji vocabulary are introduced on a daily basis.

Japanese 4

(Otsue)

The fourth year builds on the foundation laid in the third, but explores reading more extensively. The reading materials include news articles, stories, cultural episodes, etc., and include a number of new and old kanji. Students continue to build their vocabulary.

Japanese 5

(Otsue)

The fifth year continues with an emphasis on reading, but features texts with more complex syntax and advanced kanji vocabulary in both the formal and the informal styles. Readings cover a wide range of topics including Japanese inventions, social hierarchy, traditional arts and Zen, etc. Students will further their understanding of Japanese society and culture through discussions of history and current social issues through news articles. In addition, students will learn to express their opinions and thoughts in the formal style of writing with a stronger command of the language. In order to facilitate students’ fluency, more sentence patterns, formulaic expressions, idioms, and the use of onomatopoeia are introduced.

Japanese Conversation/Composition

(Otsue) (2x per week)

Students further develop their abilities to express themselves effectively, and also explore the culture via various mediums. Students are given ample time to discuss topics like crosscultural issues, cultural events and current topics. On a regular basis, students are asked to conduct research and give oral presentations on a topic of their choice. As they develop their presentation skills, students learn to construct cohesive paragraphs when working on both spoken and written tasks. Prerequisite(s): Japanese 3

Greek

Greek 1

(The Department)

This course introduces students to the rudiments of Ancient Greek. Memorization of forms, vocabulary and syntax are stressed in order to facilitate the reading of unadapted Greek texts as quickly as possible. By the year’s end, students will have a strong command of basic syntax.

Intensive Ancient Greek

(The Department)

This is a fast-paced course that introduces the essential morphology and syntax of Ancient Greek. The systematic acquisition of forms and vocabulary complement the learning of simple and complex syntax. By the end of this rather ambitious year students will be able to read Ancient Greek texts in the original.

Greek 2

(The Department)

This course features review of material from Greek 1 and continues to round out the students’ knowledge of Greek forms and syntax. In the second semester, students will refine their skills through translation of selections from a variety of authors, including Herodotus, Plato, and Aristophanes, and will explore the different styles and expressions employed by each. The course is intended to provide students with the skills and confidence to move on to deeper exploration of specific Greek texts. Prerequisite(s): Greek 1

Greek 3

(The Department)

This course emphasizes facility in reading and translating unadapted Greek authors— studying the literary forms they work in and using textual evidence to gain insight into the ancient world, while also consolidating the grammar and vocabulary acquired in earlier courses. Texts vary across region and genre, depending on the interests of participants. Prerequisite(s): Greek 2 or Intensive Ancient Greek

Greek 4: Attic and Ionic Prose

(The Department)

What Greece has as a constant is poverty. But arete—excellence, virtue—is its achievement. Thus the exile Demaratus warns King Xerxes when the Persians are on the march. Greece’s excellence, he explains, comes from wisdom and from strong laws, sophia and nomos. And excellence, he concludes—to Xerxes’s distaste—is the weapon by which Greece makes

war against poverty and despotism. This exchange, found in Herodotus, competes with the Funeral Oration of Pericles, found in Thucydides, as examples of chest-thumping rhetoric about Greek greatness. But the details complicate things. Herodotus is Ionian, which is to say from the Carian region of Asia Minor, while Spartan Demaratus is actually limiting his praise to Spartans and their Dorian relations, despite using the generic name Hellas. And while Thucydides and Pericles are both thoroughly Athenian, this oration is not only an attack against other Greeks but also on close inspection a dramatically ironic one, painfully framed within the horrible Peloponnesian War. Just as one would not mistake Athens at its peak for a poverty-proud city, one cannot see Greek literature as an undifferentiated mass.

This course will stretch the reader’s linguistic range, solidifying their familiarity with Attic morphosyntax and encountering Ionic Greek for a first sustained study. It is a prose literature class that will hunt out wisdom and nomos at every turn. We will look, as Virginia Woolf says, past poetry’s “lightning quick, sneering, out-of-doors manner,” via the orators, to the symposium. There “it is an exhausting process; to concentrate painfully upon the exact meaning of words; to judge what each admission involves; to follow intently, yet critically, the dwindling and changing of opinion as it hardens and intensifies into truth.” And truth, whose testimony and autopsy we will see pinned down by historians of both dialects, Xenophon, Thucydides, and Herodotus, will link us to the Ionian Enlightenment of the Presocratics and Hippocrates. Prerequisite(s): Greek 3

Greek 5: Order, Chaos, and Absurdity: The Fall of a Democracy (Connaghan)

In its war with Sparta, Athens had endured plague, disrupted food supplies, internal factional violence, catastrophic defeats on land and sea, and, perhaps most telling of all, an unendurable crisis of identity.

In 405 BCE Spartan victory was finally assured, the death knell sounded for the democracy, and the terror of The Thirty Tyrants approached at speed.

In this landscape, Euripides in his tragedy The Bacchae and Aristophanes in his comedy The Frogs both turned to the god Dionysus. These poets saw fit to embrace the god of the irrational and to embark on a journey into the chaotic forces of nature and the subconscious, into the breakdown of societal norms and personal identities, and into the primordial underbelly of civilization. In his Gorgias, Plato chose to set his stark analysis of the clash between reason and the political reality of the day precisely in this year, 405 BCE. Here he too undermines the idea that rationality is the cornerstone of human behavior.

Through the Bacchae, Frogs, and Gorgias we will examine the ethical landscape of a society ravaged by war, the tensions between the rational and the irrational, civilization and nature, the divine and the mortal, the familiar and the foreign, prey and predator, between the male, the female, both or neither. We will attempt to understand the civic role of Dionysus in Athenian democracy as god of fertility, theater, and societal cohesion. We will look at the use of myth to make sense of an apparently senseless world and will reflect on the social, political, and psychological contexts within which the Athenian democracy staggered to an end.

While Euripides the tragedian and Plato the philosopher wrestled to unlock the mysteries of human motivation, the comic poet Aristophanes knew just where to find the answers to the human enigma: to resurrect an intellectually and morally dead Athens, Dionysus, an absurdist Heracles, must descend to the Underworld to speak with the dead. Prerequisite(s): Greek 4

Greek 6: Greek Lyric Poetry

(The Department)

In the 3rd century BCE Greek scholars and poets established a canon of the founders, innovators, and great stylists of Lyric poetry. There were nine, to match the Muses: Alcman, Steisichorus, Anacreon, Bacchylides, Ibycus, Sappho, Alcaeus, Pindar, and Simonides.

However, in response to this male dominated canon, Antipater of Thessalonika proposed an alternate canon of the most brilliant female authors of the form: Corinna, Praxilla, Moero, Anyte, Erinna, Telesilla, Nossis, Myrtis, and of course Sappho again.

In class we will read lyric of both canons, interpreting, contextualizing, and developing our appreciation for the finest poets of the genre. These texts had a complicated transmission history, which has meant that many texts have been lost or have only survived in fragmentary pieces. We will consider how and why this happened and will make a virtue out of this by developing skills in papyrology and palaeography as we dig not only into complete poems but also into pieces discovered in libraries, in lost collections, and in archaeological finds from the sands of Egyptian trash heaps. Prerequisite(s): Greek 5

Latin Latin 1

(The Department)

This fast-paced course introduces students to the basic linguistic forms and syntax of the language of the Roman world. Memorization is stressed in order to facilitate the reading of Latin literature as quickly as possible. Readings are selected from unadapted authors. The course also touches on the mythology, history, and social realities on the ground as interpreters see them.

Latin Poetry, Prose, Drama & The Novel

(The Department)

Designed as a bridge between the introductory Latin course and specialized electives, this course emphasizes facility in reading and translating Latin authors, studying the literary forms we encounter, and using textual evidence to gain insight into life in the ancient world. Authors include Cicero, Ovid, Plautus, Sallust, Sulpicia, Livy, Catullus, Horace, Caesar, Vergil, and others. The course also intensively reviews Latin grammar and syntax. Prerequisite(s): Latin 1

The Aeneid: Vergil and The Latin Epic (The Department)

The Aeneid is the Roman epic that charts the mytho-historical founding of the Roman people and state. Books I, II, IV, VI, VII, VIII, X and XII of the Aeneid are read in Latin, in part or in whole, and the rest of the text in English. Emphasis is on translation and textual analysis, with daily assignments for translation as well as passages for sight-reading in class. Several short critical papers are involved. Prerequisite(s): Latin Poetry, Prose, Drama & The Novel.

Latin Electives

Students should rank their preferences for electives. Enrollments will depend on registration and scheduling.

Horace (Mason)

Nunc est bibendum…. —Odes, 1.37.1

Quintus Horatius Flaccus was born in Venusia in 65 BCE as the Republic was entering its final, inexorable lurch towards a brutal, bloody end. He must have been brilliant at a young age, or maybe just lucky, for his father provided him the education of the elite, sending him to Athens to study in the Academy. There he soaked up the teachings of the Epicureans and the Stoics, immersing himself in Greek literature and learning, while he befriended a who’s who of the children of the leaders of the Republic, including a young Marcus Cicero, the son of the Cicero. These were troubled times, however, and the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE thrust the Republic into its final death throes. Horace picked the losing side, joining Brutus at Actium. Bad choice. As the liberators were crushed in battle, Horace retreated from the action, abandoning the fight, and his shield. He returned to Rome, stripped of his property, eager to start again under a new regime. He was lucky to be befriended by Maecenas, Augustus’ patron of the arts. Horace, we can safely say, had an exciting young adulthood. By the time of his death in 8 BCE Horace produced an impressively diverse body of poetic works: Satires, Epodes, Odes, Epistles, Carmen Saeculare, and, finally, the Ars Poetica. In this class we will read slowly and carefully selections from many of these poems. Our goal will be to enter the worlds created in each one of them and to come to terms, if possible, with the entirety of Horace’s artistic vision. We will engage a brilliant poet and a fierce literary critic, and we will interrogate his place in the Greco-Roman literary tradition –how does the poet create his own identity in the powerful currents created by the literatures of Greece and Rome? We will most likely spend the majority of our energy on the Odes, in which we might marvel at Horace’s transformation of Latin poetry, his bending of Latin to fit the lyric meters of Greek, his musicality and technical brilliance. Perhaps we will see that Horace did much more than create artful poems: he relocated the world of Greek lyric to the Rome of Augustus while exploring themes that resound for a reader, ancient and modern. For sure, we will think about the things Horace found compelling: love, desire,

and sex; aging, youth, and death; patriotism, Rome, and war; beauty, nature, memory, and, of course, drinking wine. Daily translations will be the majority of our work, along with serious and engaged thinking about the poems. An occasional paper, written translation with commentary, and a presentation will round out the requirements. Prerequisite(s): Aeneid

Foundations of Rome: Livy and the Poets (Siebengartner)

Among the best-known stories preserved in Latin literature are those the Romans told about their origins as a people and the foundation of their city. In search of a new home for his band of refugees, Aeneas mixed Trojan and Latin blood on the banks of the Tiber River; Romulus and Remus established the physical and sacred boundaries of the city itself; with the abduction of the Sabine women, the fabric of a sustainable populace began to be knit together; through the violence and resistance of Brutus and Lucretia, kings were expelled and the Republic formed; stories like that of Cincinnatus explain the origins of Roman virtus ; in 390 BCE, after the Gauls’ devastating sack and near-total destruction of Rome, amidst serious debate about abandoning the city, the hero Camillus stood up and convinced his people to persevere, to rebuild, to refound their city.

While many of these stories seem to float in the realm of myth and legend, others feel more securely anchored by verifiable historical fact. Indeed, our only continuous narrative of the years from Aeneas to Camillus is the first five books of Livy’s monumental 142-book history of Rome, his Ab Urbe Condita , “From the Founding of the City.” Published c. 27 BCE separately from and some fifteen years before the rest of the work, they take us from Aeneas’s landfall in Italy to the post-Gallic-sack refoundation of Rome—what Livy later calls at the start of book 6 the renovata urbs, “renewed city.” Using Livy’s first pentad as our guide and comparing his account with retellings of particular episodes by poets like Vergil, Ovid, Horace, and Propertius, we will explore the blurry line between myth and history and consider how Rome’s self-fashioning is contested across genres. All these authors are writing during yet another rebirth of Rome under the rule of their emperor/friend/patron, Augustus. How are they using stories of origins, foundations, and refoundations to make sense of living through the upheavals of civil war and a violent transition from Republic to Empire— what Augustus would have Romans call res publica restituta , “the Republic restored”?

Prerequisite(s): Aeneid

Additional Courses

Introduction to Linguistics

(The Department) (2x per week)

This class will introduce students to the study of human languages. We will ask big questions—what is language, how does language work in the brain, the body, and society, and what, if anything, can we learn about humanity by considering human languages? We will explore topics in linguistics, from grammar (phonetics, morphology, syntax, etc.) to sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, lexicography, second language acquisition, and

computational linguistics. Our focus will in part be determined by student interest. This class will be conducted mostly as a workshop and homework will be limited. That said, students will be invited to give presentations on topics that particularly compel them. No knowledge of Greek or Latin is necessary.

French

Accelerated French

(The Department)

This course is offered to students who have successfully completed at least two years of another language and can process and master grammatical structures at a fast pace. Students use Contacts, a college-level textbook, to learn the use of the following tenses: present indicative, future, imperfect, perfect, and moods in the subjunctive, conditional, and imperative. They are also introduced to the following structures: articles; possessive, demonstrative, and descriptive adjectives; and direct, indirect, and reflexive pronouns. Note: Upon completing the course, students are placed in a French 2 or a French 3 class the following year, depending on their level of mastery of the material presented.

French 2

(The Department)

This course is designed to foster continued development in each of the four language skills: speaking, writing, reading, and aural comprehension. Students use EntreCultures 3 to further their exploration of the French-speaking world while strengthening their knowledge of the fundamental elements of a Romance language, such as word agreement and proper use of verb tenses. Students add to their repertoire the use of pronominal verbs and conjugations in the following tenses and moods: present subjunctive, simple future, and present conditional.

French 3

(The Department)

In French 3, students use Saint Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince as a springboard to explore cultural, historical, philosophical, grammatical, and lexical topics in context. Students review all of the verb tenses and structures studied in the past while adding the following tenses and moods: past subjunctive and past conditional, and the following structures: relative, demonstrative, and possessive pronouns. Through open-ended discussions, close readings, and various creative writing assignments, students learn to express themselves while paying attention to content and form.

French 4: French Language & Composition

(The Department)

This course invites students to deepen their mastery of the French language and broadens their understanding of French and Francophone cultures from a historical perspective. Through a variety of themes—such as Identities, Travel and Global Citizenship, Memory, and others—students will engage with authentic cultural materials, including Renaissance poetry, Enlightenment fiction, French New Wave films, and contemporary rap and theater from the Francophone world. Students will review grammar and hone their skills to communicate in French, with a particular focus on sharing, understanding and presenting information, in oral and written form. Authors may include Montaigne, Rousseau, Olympe de Gouges, Flaubert, Fanon, Giono, Roy, Godard.

French 4: French Language & Culture

(The Department)

What can a book, film, song, or recipe reveal about culture? How does the French language reflect the colonial history and values of the French Republic? This course examines cultural themes and social issues in the Francophone world through diverse texts and audiovisual materials. Through discussions and written reflections, students will explore migration, and postcolonial influences while engaging with works by authors such as Oyono, Senghor, Dib, Ben Jelloun, Condé, Delsham, Guène, and Nothomb. Emphasizing both language proficiency and cultural literacy, the course fosters a deeper understanding of global Francophone perspectives.

Cultural Topics in the French-Speaking World

(The Department)

Designed for students who have completed French 4, this course will focus on cultural topics in the contemporary French-speaking world through the study of film, literature, art, music, news sources, and other media. Class discussions, reading, writing, and individual and group projects will develop students’ skills in every area of expression in French while expanding their knowledge of the diverse cultures of Francophone countries in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, North America, and Asia. Special attention will be paid to idiomatic expressions and the way French is used in everyday life. Students will explore historical and personal narratives, gender and cultural identities, integration and exclusion, language politics, religion, education, food, and fashion. Prerequisite(s): French 4

French and Francophone Literatures

(The Department)

“Qu’est-ce que la littérature?” “Qu’est-ce qu’écrire?” “Pour qui écrit-on?” These were some of the questions asked by Jean-Paul Sartre in a celebrated essay of 1947. While Sartre was not the first to ask these questions, such questions took on particular urgency for writers in French in the colonial and post-colonial contexts. From the Enlightenment to realism and surrealism through to Negritude, existentialism, and the diverse contemporary scene, literature in French has assumed many forms. The purpose of this course is to explore a wide

variety of writers in French from Europe, Africa, and the Americas. We will sample many genres—poetry, short stories, novels, plays, and autobiographical writing. In addition to reading, discussion, and oral reports, students will be invited to try their hand at creative writing, essays, and group projects. We will explore topics such as freedom, writing the self, gender roles, alienation, and racialization. Possible authors include Rousseau, Flaubert, Baudelaire, Proust, Césaire, Laye, Choukri, Duras, Camus, Beauvoir, NDiaye, and Laferrière. We will complement our readings with occasional forays into the world of painting and cinema. Prerequisite(s): French 4

Advanced Readings in French

(The Department) (2x per week)

This seminar-style course is designed for advanced students who have completed all other elective coursework in French. Texts are selected based on students’ interests and literary backgrounds, allowing for an engaging and dynamic exploration of French literature. Through close reading and in-depth discussions, we will analyze a diverse range of works, examining their historical, cultural, and philosophical contexts.

French Conversation

(The Department) (2x per week)

Offered to juniors and seniors, and to sophomores with permission of the department chair, this class helps students use their acquired vocabulary and expand it to express themselves more fluently. Students build their oral/aural skills through a variety of activities—verbal games, oral presentations, debates and informal conversation on topics such as politics, education, culture, everyday life, or other subjects of interest to the group. Accurate pronunciation is stressed. Note: Class is capped at 10 students.

Spanish

Accelerated Spanish

(The Department)

This course is offered to students who have successfully completed at least two years of another language and can process and master grammatical structures at a fast pace. Students learn the use of the following tenses: present indicative, preterite, imperfect, and moods in the subjunctive, conditional, and imperative. They are also introduced to the following structures: articles; possessive, demonstrative, and descriptive adjectives; and direct, indirect, and reflexive pronouns. Note: Upon completing the course, students are placed in a Spanish 2 or a Spanish 3 class the following year, depending on their level of mastery of the material presented.

Spanish 1

(The Department)

This course is for students learning Spanish for the first time, as well as those who would

benefit from another full year of instruction to solidify their knowledge and use of the fundamentals. Emphasis is placed on sentence structure and oral expression. Using Descubre 1, students work to acquire elementary conversational skills and learn vocabulary through texts and review exercises.

Spanish 2

(The Department)

This course is designed to foster continued development in each of the four language skills: speaking, writing, reading, and aural comprehension. Students use Descubre 2 to further their exploration of the Spanish-speaking world while strengthening their knowledge of the fundamental elements of a Romance language, such as word agreement and proper use of verb tenses. Students add to their repertoire the use of reflexive and reciprocal reflexives, and conjugations in the following tenses and moods: imperfect, simple future, conditional; present, past, and future perfect; commands, and the subjunctive.

Spanish 3

(The Department)

In Spanish 3, students use the textbook Descubre 3 to review and practice all the tenses and structures studied previously. While revisiting reflexive verbs, preterite and imperfect tenses, perfect tenses, formal and informal commands, the subjunctive, and conditional clauses, students work with vocabulary on personal relations, leisure time, health, travel, nature, technology, the job market, and pop culture. Students are introduced to more literary texts, poetry, and articles on culture and current events in Latin America and Spain.

Spanish 4: Language & Composition

(The Department)

This course is designed to consolidate previously-acquired language skills and enable students to enjoy increasingly complex literature. While emphasis is given to class discussion and writing to improve active command of the language, it is through reading texts of various literary genres that the students will review grammar and start producing critical and creative writing. The authors studied may include, but are not limited to: Allende, Bolaño, Borges, García Márquez, García Lorca, Martín Gaite, and Neruda.

Spanish 4: Language & Culture

(The Department)

Using the textbook “El cine documental. Spanish Language and Culture Through Documentary Film”, this course exposes students to a variety of materials, textual as well as audio-visual, and emphasizes communication skills through conversation, short writing assignments, and hands-on activities. Cultural themes pertaining to life in the Spanishspeaking world are presented through Spanish-language films, short readings, songs, and other appropriate materials. After careful elucidation and practice of the linguistic elements necessary for exploring these themes, students are able to express themselves on the various topics introduced.

Cultural Topics in the Spanish-Speaking World

(The Department)

Designed for students who have completed Spanish 4, this course uses the textbook “Retratos: Arte y sociedad en Latinoamérica y España” to explore cultural and political topics in the contemporary Spanish-speaking world through the study of film, literature, art, music, news sources and other media. Class discussions, reading, writing, and individual and group projects (including, potentially, plays or musical performances) will develop students’ skills in every area of expression in Spanish while expanding their knowledge of the diverse cultures of Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, Europe, and the Caribbean. Special attention will be paid to idiomatic expressions and the way Spanish is used in everyday life. Possible topics to be considered are protest movements, racism, integration and exclusion, language politics, sexual and cultural identities, religion, education, food, and fashion. Prerequisite(s): Spanish 4

20th and 21st Century Literature in Spanish

(The Department)

The prose and poetry studied in this course provide a comprehensive view of 20th and 21stcentury Hispanic letters. Through the works of Matute and García Lorca (Spain), and of Fuentes, Borges, Bolaño, Restrepo, and García Márquez (Latin America), and poetry from both regions, the course aims to stimulate the students’ interest in contemporary Hispanic literature and expand their knowledge of language and culture. Short novels by contemporary authors such as Zambra, Quintana, Schweblin, and Indiana introduce students to the present literary trends in Latin America that lived through dictatorships, economic crises, and drug wars. Excerpts from movies that explore said conflicts are also watched and discussed. Prerequisite(s): Spanish 4

Spanish Conversation

(The Department) (2x per week)

For juniors and seniors who have completed at least Spanish 3, this class helps students use their acquired vocabulary and expand it to express themselves more fluently. Students build their oral/aural skills through a variety of activities—verbal games, oral presentations, debates, and informal conversation on topics such as politics, education, culture, everyday life, or other subjects of interest to the group. Accurate pronunciation is stressed. Note: Conversation classes are capped at 10 students.

MATHEMATICS

Required Courses

Algebra 1 (8th Grade)

(The Department)

In Algebra 1, students learn to generalize the laws of arithmetic and perform the four operations on variable expressions. They develop their ability to model and solve word problems by assigning variables to unknown quantities and determining the precise relationship between constant and variable terms. Students apply the laws of equality in order to solve a wide variety of equations and proportions. In the process of graphing the solution sets of linear equations on the Cartesian plane, students gain familiarity with the concepts of slope and intercept. They find simultaneous solutions to systems of equations and apply factoring in order to find the roots of quadratic equations. All of these activities promote both arithmetic and algebraic fluency.

Geometry (9th Grade)

(The Department)

In Geometry, we study the world of points, lines, and planes. We cover topics that include the analysis of congruent and similar triangles, the Pythagorean Theorem, angle sum and area formulas, and theorems concerning the relationship between chords, secants, and tangents of a circle. We solve problems and explore geometric situations intuitively; we also investigate geometry as a formal system, where we begin with a small set of postulates and then build up a Euclidean geometric system by deductively proving further results. With this balance, we uncover mathematics the way it often plays out historically, where bursts of intuition drive knowledge forward, and then formalization solidifies known results into a cohesive whole.

Algebra 2

(The Department)

In Algebra 2, students solve equations, graph relations on the Cartesian Plane, and study properties of functions. They use algebraic tools to explore geometric theorems involving similar figures and properties of circles. They spend time on conic sections and higher degree polynomials. They derive the quadratic formula and analyze the roots of seconddegree equations. This exploration leads to the discovery of complex numbers, the complex plane, and a formulation of the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra. They are introduced to exponential and logarithmic functions. The expansion of the binomial leads to a generalization of the binomial theorem and its application to problems involving counting and probability. Note: This course is open to sophomores and above. Freshmen may take it only with the permission of their grade dean and the department chair.

Sequential Electives

Trigonometry

(The Department) (Fall Semester)

This course develops a deep understanding of trigonometric relationships through both geometric reasoning and algebraic analysis. The semester begins with the exploration of the right-triangle definitions of the trigonometric ratios, but then extends to include oblique triangles, the unit circle, and the laws of sines and cosines. Students will use these extended definitions to explore the algebraic relationships between the trigonometric functions via trigonometric identities, inverse trigonometric functions, and solving trigonometric equations. Students will also graph these functions with various linear transformations applied to them and learn to identify the changes in period, amplitude, and phase that result. Throughout the course, students will explore the application of these functions in a variety of real-world problems. In conjunction with the spring semester course Analysis, this course is a prerequisite for Calculus. Prerequisite(s): Algebra 2

Analysis

(The Department) (Spring Semester)

This course provides a rigorous extension of algebraic and functional reasoning to further explore the mathematical concepts covered in Algebra 2 and Trigonometry. Students will take a more detailed look at polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions and analyze and graph those functions' behavior. Students will also further explore the world of analytic geometry, polar coordinates, and the complex plane, in order to enhance the understanding and abstraction of many of the topics previously explored. In conjunction with the fall semester course Trigonometry, this course is a prerequisite for Calculus. Prerequisite(s): Trigonometry

Statistics

(The Department)

They use statistics to decorate their articles. They use statistics as a club in the battle for what they believe intuitively to be correct. That is why [they] often believe that you can prove anything with statistics, an obscene and ludicrous position, but one which is the natural outgrowth of the way that they themselves use statistics. What I wanted to do was teach people instead to use statistics as a sword to cut toward the truth.

—Bill James

In this class, we will design and perform experiments, analyze and visualize data, build models, play and study card games, run simulations, summarize data, and write chunks of code (absolutely no prior programming experience is expected). We’ll see how probability underlies our understanding of science, grapple with uncertainty, and become fledgling data scientists. This class will be partially project-based, including a substantial (individual) endof-the-year project of your choosing. Prerequisite(s): Algebra 2

Advanced Statistics

(The Department)

This course will delve deeper into the world of statistics. Students will refine the techniques learned in the first year of Statistics and will continue to discuss the derivations and ramifications of the formulas used. Students will formally explore the realm of regression, touching upon various types of non-linear regression analysis. Throughout the year, students will be analyzing large data sets, often as parts of independent projects. Other topics can include: hypothesis testing, various types of sampling distributions, Bayes’ theorem, probabilistic analysis, the central limit theorem and confidence intervals. Prerequisite(s): Statistics

Calculus

(The Department)

This is a rigorous calculus course with emphasis on proofs, derivations, and applications. This course will require a working knowledge of trigonometric, exponential, logarithmic, and rational functions. We will begin with a study of limits and continuity before turning to differentiation. Derivative rules including implicit and logarithmic differentiation will be explored, along with applications such as related rates and optimization. We will explore the definition of the integral, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus and introductory integration techniques. Prerequisite(s): Trigonometry and Analysis—and permission of the department.

Further Explorations in Calculus

(The Department)

In this class, we will continue the exploration of calculus with advanced integration techniques, such as integration by parts, partial fractions, and trigonometric substitution. We will study applications such as arc length, perimeter, measurement of surfaces, areas of regions in polar coordinates, and differential equations. We will reexamine integration with a more rigorous treatment than we took in Calculus. In addition, we will take ideas from calculus and use them as stepping stones towards extensions and explorations in more advanced areas. We will delve deeper into the convergence and divergence of sequences and series, leading us to a discussion of the Taylor and Maclaurin Series. Prerequisite(s): Calculus 1

Additional Electives

Advanced Problem Solving

(The Department) (2x per week)

This course is designed for students who love solving challenging math problems, and it is especially appropriate for students who enjoy contest-type math. We focus on a broad array of mathematical topics, including number theory, modular arithmetic, polynomials, geometric loci, probability, combinatorics, functional equations, algebraic and trigonometric identities, geometric inequalities, divisibility, three-dimensional geometry, complex numbers, recursions, and infinite series. The objective of the course is both to be more familiar with creative

thinking approaches and also to have wider exposure to mathematics beyond our standard curriculum. We meet twice a week, working both individually and collaboratively to tackle difficult and engaging problems. Additionally, we participate in a wide variety of high-school math competitions.

Advanced Topics in Mathematics—Multivariable Calculus

(Hanisch) (4x per week)

Too often advanced mathematics courses in college are so fast paced, leaving students with insufficient time to absorb the material, and presented overly abstractly. Furthermore the shift in focus at the upper undergraduate level from problem solving to proofs can cause many students to feel disoriented. This course aims to remedy this by gently introducing students to important advanced and abstract concepts, as well as providing insight and intuition behind the historical development of them. Additionally, readings from classic texts by prominent mathematicians will be assigned to provide students with first-rate examples of how proofs are written. Students taking this class should not view it as a way to place out of future college courses, but rather as an introduction to advanced mathematical topics along with the abstract ideas and thinking that pervade higher mathematics.

The course for this year will focus on multivariable calculus. Topics will include vectors and matrices; multivariable and vector-valued functions; partial and directional derivatives, and the total differential; the multivariable chain rule; extrema in multiple dimensions; divergence and curl; multiple integrals; line and surface integrals; and Green’s, Stokes’, and Gauss’ theorems. Emphasis will be both on theory—all the important theorems will be proved—and those applications of describing natural phenomena which inspired mathematicians to develop the subject. Prerequisite(s): Calculus 1—or permission of department

Linear Algebra

(Aroskar) (One Semester, Fall/Spring TBD)

Linear algebra is the common denominator of mathematics, with uses in pure as well as applied branches of mathematics. In itself, it is a profoundly enriching field of study that has also developed into a universal tool. While linear algebra is broadly the study of structurepreserving operators on linear (vector) spaces, these concepts are extremely useful in a variety of disciplines ranging from physics and engineering to economics and computer science. In this introductory course, we will study matrix algebra and learn to solve linear systems in several variables. There will be an emphasis on topics useful in other disciplines and various applications will be discussed. We will also aim to gain a deeper understanding of abstract vector spaces and linear transformations by exploring interesting examples and examining isomorphic structures. Proficiency in concepts and skills from Algebra 2 will greatly benefit students taking this course. Prerequisite(s): Algebra 2

Logic

(Aronson)(One Semester, Fall/Spring TBD)

Formal logic, a discipline created by Aristotle, has applications in a variety of disciplines including philosophy, mathematics, physics, computer science, and linguistics. One might, in fact, argue that logic is relevant to any endeavor that involves reasoning. This course begins with a consideration of arguments of English and the question: What constitutes a good argument? We then focus on the symbolic system known as sentential logic and the more powerful symbolic system known as predicate logic. In both cases, students learn to translate arguments of English into symbolic arguments and to evaluate such arguments using the aforementioned systems. This is a proof intensive class. Prerequisite(s): Geometry

Numerical Methods

(M. Kaplan) (One Semester, Fall/Spring TBD)

Mathematical and engineering developments have enabled us to model and analyze all manner of phenomena including planetary motion, the progression of infectious diseases, economic trends, weather forecasting, and scheduling of air traffic. Despite the existence of detailed models to describe so many processes, exact solutions are impossible to find in most real-world applications, rendering the models almost useless. In order to crack open these models and understand the behavior of these disparate systems, we are forced to turn to accurate—although inherently approximate—numerical methods. In this class, we will learn the basics for using iterative techniques, in which, step-by-step, we reduce the error of our answer to get closer and closer to the true result. We will investigate curve fitting of data, numerical derivatives, solutions to differential equations and the convergence properties of the algorithms. Concepts from Trigonometry and Calculus will be used, but previous knowledge of these fields is not required. No prior experience with programming is needed— we will pick up coding skills as we implement the techniques we develop. Prerequisite(s): Algebra 2

Independent Research in Mathematics

(The Department)

Students work one-on-one with a mentor on a focused research project. Topics are to be determined by interest and inclination of the student. Note: Students must submit a research proposal to the department chair by June 1 to be considered for Independent Research in Mathematics. Proposal guidelines can be picked up in the High School Office or in the Mathematics Department. Math research is limited to 8 students.

MUSIC

All music courses meet two periods per week unless otherwise noted.

Performance Study and Ensembles

The Music Department will offer the following large ensembles based on student needs and interests. It is recommended that students interested in large ensembles rank two choices. Please consult with your current instrumental teacher if you need to know more about any group.

The Music Department is committed to helping students thrive in our ensembles. Students enrolled in any ensemble are required to practice regularly outside of class. The Music Department provides additional support to individual students by offering a Music Resource Room where students can practice with the help of a teacher during the school day, and we offer a wide-ranging list of private lesson options for those students who wish to support the ensemble experience by studying privately.

Large Ensembles

Brass Choir (horns, trombones, trumpets)— Grow/Lormand

Chamber Strings (violins, violas, cellos)—Kwon

Concert Band (woodwinds, brass, percussion)—Raia

High School Chorus Eagen

Jazz Performance The Department

Symphonic Ensemble (string, winds, brass, percussion)— Grow/The Department

Advanced Percussion Techniques (The Percussion Section) (Lin)

This class builds skills required to play in a percussion section of the larger Saint Ann’s ensembles. Advanced study of snare drum, xylophone, glockenspiel, timpani, vibraphone, bass drum, crash cymbal, tambourine and various other percussion instruments is emphasized. Later in each term, students are invited to play in the percussion section of any number of the larger ensembles like the Brass Choir, Symphonic Ensemble, or Concert Band. Percussion ensemble music compliments percussion section work.

Bach Ensemble and Chamber Singers

(Gilbert/Eagen)

Open to advanced vocalists and instrumentalists, we’ll explore the rich world of early music, from Renaissance madrigals to Baroque cantatas to chamber instrumental works by J.S. Bach. We will work on many aspects of Baroque performance practice, including style, ornamentation, and the relationship and interdependence of words and music. Singers and instrumentalists will work both separately and together to prepare one-on-a-part music, advancing both their technique and high-level ensemble skills. Keyboard players will learn how to interpret and realize a figured bass and will learn how to play the portative organ. Perfect for musicians who can independently hold a part and are eager to dive into the world of early music! Singers can register for both HS Chorus and Chamber Ensemble to maximize rehearsal time

Brass Choir

(Grow/Lormand) (4x per week)

The Brass Choir is an ensemble for advanced brass players. Musical and technical skills are cultivated through the study and performance of major brass ensemble compositions representing a wide variety of styles. The Brass Choir will perform in multiple settings during the year.

This class will meet for two double periods. One double period we will rehearse as a Brass Choir and one double period we will rehearse either with Symphonic Ensemble or Concert Band (as decided by the directors). All members are encouraged to take private lessons/seek outside practice assistance. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor(s)

Chamber Players

(The Department) (1x per week)

This class is for students interested in the challenges and rewards of playing chamber music. Chamber Players groups are organized based upon enrollment. Duos, trios, quartets, or quintets will be coached once a week and each semester culminates with a performance. Because of the skills required to perform chamber music, students are strongly encouraged to take private lessons/seek outside practice assistance. An audition is required for all students who will be participating in the chamber music program for the first time; students currently participating will be placed at an appropriate level.

Chamber Strings

(Kwon/The Department)

This class is for students who are already studying a string instrument and want to strengthen both their individual and ensemble skills. Students will explore a variety of exciting repertoire and gain a deeper understanding of different performance styles along the way. Emphasis will be on refining instrumental technique as well as exploring more advanced skills like shifting and vibrato. Students are strongly encouraged to enhance their class experience with personalized private lessons.

Concert

Band (Raia)

Concert Band is an ensemble which combines woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments to perform large ensemble repertoire in various styles as well as review and perfect fundamentals. We will perform in the winter and spring choral/instrumental concerts. This course will include sectional coaching, as well as full ensemble playing. Repertoire will be chosen to the level of the players and will give everyone the unique experience of playing larger scale ensemble music in a community of dedicated musicians.

High School Chorus (Eagen)

High School Chorus is open to anyone who loves to sing. The chorus sings repertoire from choral traditions from around the world, developing skills in ear-training, part-reading, vocal technique, and style through multi-part singing. On occasion, Chorus collaborates with Symphonic Ensemble and Brass Choir to perform major orchestral works. No previous singing experience is required.

Jazz Performance

(The Department) (3x per week)

Jazz challenges and develops your musical skills in all ways. Learn and perform jazz standards and contemporary pieces. We will explore essential styles of jazz, develop approaches to improvisation, and improve ensemble skills. Students will explore how jazz musicians think about chords and scales and develop a practice that strengthens these skills. Jazz Lab sessions will provide an opportunity for each student to develop a practice and an individualized learning program. Performance opportunities—and collaborations with other disciplines— occur throughout the year. Jazz requires dedicated engagement with one’s instrument, and therefore private lessons are encouraged. Note: All instrumentalists are welcome. Reading skills are required.

Jazz Techniques (The

Department)

A class in jazz improvisation and ensemble playing. Instruction in basic scales and chords provides a vocabulary for improvisation. Students are introduced to the jazz repertoire. All instrumentalists and vocalists are welcome. Students in this class are encouraged to take private lessons/seek outside practice assistance. This class may have upper middle school students enrolled. Note: Interested students should prepare an audition demonstrating current playing level and reading ability.

Rock Band

(The Department)

Students in Rock Band will play repertoire from rock and pop genres. Along with discussing the history of rock and pop music, and the social impact of this music, we will attempt to

historically contextualize each piece we play. In addition to using common forms of music notation, the class members will look at developing ear training skills and seek to employ their ears when learning tunes. Basic music theory will be discussed and tunes will be analyzed using music theory concepts based on the historical development of rock music styles. Improvisation will be utilized and supported with music theory as well. Style elements of the sub genres of rock music will be explored.

We will also explore what it means to play this music with conviction and in ways that represent each artist’s approach to playing, singing, and song writing. Goals include deepening the musician’s abilities to play in an ensemble setting and develop listening skills. In addition, we will take time to look at caring for our instruments and cultivate an understanding of how to use equipment in a band setting. The students also will have opportunities to perform in school concerts. Students will be expected to prepare by listening to the repertoire and working on parts outside of class. Prerequisite(s): Proficiency on one instrument and an appreciation for the genre

Symphonic Ensemble

(Grow/The Department) (3x per week, 1 double period and 1 sectional)

Symphonic Ensemble is an ensemble which combines all of the orchestral instruments (strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion) to perform symphonic repertoire in various styles. We will perform in the winter and spring choral/instrumental concerts. High school musicians will meet for one double period and one sectional. This course will include intensive sectional coaching, as well as full ensemble playing. As an advanced course, daily practice is a requirement for this class. All members are encouraged to take private lessons/seek outside practice assistance The repertoire will be chosen to the level of the players and will give everyone the unique experience of playing larger scale orchestral music in a community of dedicated musicians. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor

Vocal Study and Ensembles

(Clark) (3x per week, 2x per week plus HS Chorus)

Saint Ann’s Voice Class alumni sing at the Metropolitan Opera, London’s West End, Broadway, and the Grand Ole Opry…and YOU can too! The goal of the High School Voice Program is to bring beginning and experienced singers greater skill, comfort and confidence, whether as soloists or choristers. Various related techniques—acting, expression, focus, meditation, breathing, diction—are the foundation of our class work. Find out the kind of singer you are and what your true vocal range is by working with small groups (classes are mixed with students of all grades). Art songs (in English, Italian, French, Spanish and German) and repertoire from the Great American Songbook, including Broadway and Opera, will be taught and performed in solo concerts. Additionally, singers will join together to explore the rich and broad canon of western and non-western choral music. Performance opportunities include choral concerts, the winter Voice Recital, and the spring Musical Theater Workshop. Who doesn’t want to be a more confident singer? There is no audition and no judgement. All are welcome, even (and especially) seniors who have never sung a note in public. Bye-Bye Brooklyn Sing Along in the final assembly will be here before you know

it, so let’s start singing! Students in Vocal Studies/Ensembles will also participate in High School Chorus.

Q: How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

A: High School Voice Class or the N, R, Q, W trains.

Instrument Instruction

African Drumming (Vann)

This class builds hand percussive techniques and knowledge of West and Central African rhythms. Advanced study of djembe drum, DunDunba, Sangba, Kenkini, conga and various other percussion instruments is emphasized. We will be working towards each student knowing multiple parts on various percussive instruments. We will explore the link between drumming, dance, and song, as well as popular music’s connection to traditional rhythms and patterns. We hope to perform for a school event. Students may also be asked to play for West African dance classes.

Bassoon (Henderson)

The bassoon is a relatively rare instrument that can play music from the Renaissance to the present. It is most commonly heard in orchestra, chamber music, and new music. In this course students will learn the fundamentals of playing the bassoon with the goal of creating a beautiful sound and building solid technique that can be used in any musical setting.

Double

Bass (Langol)

This course is designed for the beginning and intermediate double bass player. The course work focuses on developing performing skills and good double bass playing technique through the study of recognized method books, classical pieces, popular music, and jazz. The students are provided an opportunity to focus on skills and repertoire specific to their instrument through the study of solo and ensemble literature with the goal of playing in an ensemble setting. Tone production, technique development, basic bowing technique, and maximally effective practice strategies are the focus of class assignments. Prior string playing experience is a plus. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor

Guitar 2 (Goldfinger)

This course is designed to enhance performance skills on the guitar by learning a more advanced repertoire and a deeper exploration of musical styles and theory. Prerequisite(s): Guitar 1 or permission of the instructor

Guitar

3 (Goldfinger)

This course is designed for students to take their guitar playing to the next level. Students will learn complex repertoire, music theory, and advanced guitar techniques. The goal is to develop a deeper understanding of the fretboard and functions of the guitar through the performance of compelling pieces. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor

Percussion: The Drum Set (Lin)

This class will teach the fundamentals of drum set playing. This includes developing a sense of time, sound production and proper technique. These goals will be achieved through the use of various playing styles which include; Rock, Funk, Jazz, Soul and Pop music. This class also includes ear training, an essential component that enables students to learn various rhythmic idioms from both past and current recordings.

Theory, Composition, and Music Technology

Composition Studio (Elliott)

Open to all music creators who wish to share work, explore new approaches, sharpen technique, and engage in a broad conversation about musical philosophy. We will explore instrumentation, notation, setting words to music, and electronic techniques. For guidance and inspiration we will study the works of creators from a variety of traditions. Our goal will be to produce live performances, recordings, and archival materials for sharing our work. Collaborations are welcome. Experience with production and notation software is useful but not required.

Music & Computers 1

(Langol)

This class explores the use of electronic keyboards, computers, and software in making music reflective of various musical idioms. Our focus is on understanding the bigger concepts around recording and making music with current music technology in contemporary musical idioms. Students are introduced to MIDI editing and sequencing using industry standard music production tools. An overview in the music production skills such as sampling audio and drum programming is provided along with opportunities to apply these ideas to individual music making projects. This class is for the student with no experience or a beginning knowledge of using music technology. In addition to advancing skills as music technologists, students will be exposed to fundamentals of music theory and various compositional methods as required. Music making is examined through various styles and through the lens of popular musical idioms spanning hip hop, EDM, rock and pop. Project work will apply these ideas, as will the musical desires of each student. Previous experience with composition is desirable, though not necessary.

Music & Computers 2 (Langol)

This advanced class continues to explore ideas and solidify skills established through previous music and computers lab experience. Each semester a different sets of plug-ins and a variety of sound design techniques are used to facilitate a deeper understanding of sound design and synthesis. An understanding of how sound works is established while discussing basic recording techniques and effects processing. The foundational knowledge and skills needed to understand current music production techniques are covered through the year.

Sampling techniques going back to Musique concrète—spanning the beginnings of hiphop to J. Dilla up to the present—are studied and applied to musical projects. A number of approaches to using drum machines and drum programming are further developed in an effort to open up creative options. Contemporary musical genres from hip hop to EDM are pulled apart structurally and technologically in order to see what makes this music work while providing a framework for students to examine their own creative process. All of this may be looked at through the exposure to the history of electronic music making in all musical idioms up to the present day.

Time for the pursuit of individual personal musical goals is provided in a guided learning environment. Avenues for strengthening harmonic knowledge, keyboarding skills and ear training are provided and encouraged throughout the course. Prerequisite(s): Music & Computers 1 or adequate middle school Music Lab experience, and permission of the instructor

Music Scoring for Multimedia (Langol)

This class targets the ideas around electronic music composition specifically for film, dance, puppetry, theater, and animation with an emphasis on film music. Open to students with advanced skills, an interest in performance/composition, and a facility with music making software, this workshop/class allows students with experience in MIDI and sound processing to realize their creative ideas using the myriad tools of the music lab. Software technology enables composers to achieve unprecedented variety and richness in manipulating recorded sound to create original compositions in support of other art forms that include film and dance. Exploring various compositional approaches and various electronic music making methods opens a door to endless musical and sonic possibilities. The development of listening skills and musical analysis are employed in the course work and these become an important part of utilizing compositional methods and style. Prerequisite(s): Music lab experience, facility on an instrument, and permission of the instructor

Music Theory Fundamentals

(Elliott)

This is a class for any musician—instrumentalist, singer, composer, improviser—who wishes to develop a fundamental understanding of pitch, rhythm, and acoustics. We will study all aspects of musical language: intervals, key, tonality, meter, form and instrumentation. Musicians from every tradition use pitch and rhythm to express themselves. In this exploratory musical laboratory students will build their fundamental musicianship through ear training, harmonic exploration, and instrumentation, with a focus on the practical application of these concepts. This class is for anyone who wishes to build skills in performing, creating and understanding music of all kinds.

Songwriter’s Toolbox

(Eagen, Hathaway)

This class will give you the tools you need to pen and perform that song you’ve had on a loop in your head for years but never shared with the world. Throughout the year we will concentrate on the art of lyric and melody writing, as well as introduce the students to harmony, rhythm and arranging. You’ll gain many practical tools for your toolbox, including the fundamentals of music notation and the ability to play a few essential chords and chord progressions on piano and guitar. As we listen to and analyze the structure of songs we love, we’ll explore the role of songwriters in history from blues to Tin Pan Alley to MTV and beyond. Throughout the year, you’ll have informal chances to workshop and share your songs, and at the end of the course, you’ll record your original songs and direct your own live performance or music video. If you are an experienced songwriter you will spend the year deepening your craft; however, no formal musical training or experience is required to take this class. All students who are eager to write, sing, play and perform their own songs and those of their classmates are welcome.

Music Literature

Music History

(Elliott)

Where does music originate? How have humans made and conceived music through the ages? As we pursue questions about the origins of music we will consider music as a fundamental expression of culture. By considering the context for musical expression and performance practice, we will discover the ways that a group’s music reflects its cultural foundations. Students will develop critical listening skills through an exploration of the elements of musical languages manipulated with dazzling invention and imagination by musicians through the ages. This class is recommended for any student who wishes to broaden their experience and knowledge of comparative musical traditions.

(Clark)

People who love opera are obsessed and cannot get enough. The stories are rich in intrigue (historical and fictional), the music is gorgeous, the personalities are huge, and the production demands are mind-boggling. There is a reason it is known as “the extravagant art.” This class is designed for the opera curious, and it is a unique opportunity to see what it’s all about, taught by an opera singer who lives and breathes the art form. You will get to know opera from the ground up, from Monteverdi through contemporary works. We will definitely see some crazy new stuff in addition to classic works. You don’t need to be a musician or singer to love opera, and you will NOT be asked to sing (nor discouraged from humming along.) The class work involves libretto reading, audio listening, and video watching. Twice a week, we will peer into the scandalous lives of the great composers and opera stars, and experience opera together LIVE! Class participation includes three daytime trips to the Metropolitan Opera and a bit of reading and written work. (And maybe even some HD Broadcasts!). There is no need to be afraid of opera anymore! It’s calling you.

RECREATIONAL ARTS

All Rec Arts elective classes meet one period per week (45 mins) unless otherwise noted.

Basketball

(The Department)

This course will prepare the students for both the physical and mental aspects of basketball, and is open to all skill levels. Students will learn basketball vocabulary, explore strategies, and raise their overall basketball IQ. Students will have a chance to implement their skills in half and full court games during class time.

Challenge Course

(The Department)

Students are faced with challenges through group activities and will set individual as well as collective goals. Team work, leadership, and trust building are major components of this class. We will explore horizontal and vertical climbs on our climbing wall and learn various climbing and belaying techniques.

Flag Football

(Yamond)

This course introduces the rules and fundamentals of flag football. Emphasis is placed on proper techniques of throwing, catching, offensive and defensive concepts, and teamwork. Students will work through skill drills and play games during the class period.

Floor Hockey

(The Department)

This is an enjoyable and exciting class for all skill levels. Students improve hand-eye coordination and knowledge of the game through drills and games. Hockey fans and nonhockey fans alike will enjoy the good natured competition offered in this course.

High School Gym/Park

(The Department)

If you enjoyed your middle school “Gym/Park” class, then this class is for you. A variety of sports and physical activities will be offered. Based on the availability of indoor and outdoor facilities, you will play games like capture the flag, dodgeball, ultimate frisbee, soccer, wiffle ball, basketball, and volleyball. Individual fitness activities may be offered in the fitness room as well.

Karate 1

(Magnes)

Students learn the fundamental punches, kicks, and blocks of traditional karate, combining these techniques in the practice of kata and sparring. Some self defense applications are covered, although the primary emphasis of the course is on karate as a sport and martial art. A gi (karate uniform) is supplied by the school.

Karate 2/3

(Magnes)

In this class we cover material for the color belt ranks, with increased emphasis on free fighting and street defense. Prerequisite(s): A minimum of one year training in the Saint Ann’s martial arts program.

Parkour Fitness

(Benney)

This class will incorporate both the technical aspects and the physical rigor of Parkour to create a challenging and adventurous workout. Perfect for students interested in gymnastics, dance, and athletics, this “boot-camp” style of exercise class will focus on upper body strengthening, cardiovascular endurance, balance, and agility. It will take place in the 10th floor apparatus room and gym, and at various outdoor locations depending upon the weather.

Physioball Fitness

(The Department)

Using large physioballs, this class teaches different exercises designed to increase flexibility, enhance coordination, develop strength, and improve cardiovascular fitness. The emphasis is on core (abdominal and back) strengthening and conditioning.

Pilates Conditioning

(Benney)

The Pilates method of body conditioning is a unique system of stretching and strengthening exercises developed over 90 years ago by Joseph Pilates. It strengthens and tones muscles, improves posture, enhances flexibility and balance, and unites body and mind.

Racquet Games

(Stevenson)

Racquet Games is a course for all skill levels. The units will include badminton, pickleball (the fastest growing sport in the United States), and table tennis, depending on gym availability. Beginners learn the games by working on fundamental stroke technique; more advanced players polish their skills while improving game strategy. All students participate in exciting singles and doubles matches.

Running

(The Department)

A course to help people with little or no running experience; experienced runners are also welcome. Strength training, warm up, cool downs, and stretching exercises are taught, along with techniques to improve form and increase speed. Injury prevention is discussed as well. Weekly running routes change from week to week and vary in distance and intensity.

Table Tennis

(Carr, Stevenson)

Game to 11? Let’s rally. Join table tennis to learn how to play or to improve your skills. This full year class will introduce you to the basic strokes, how to add spins, scorekeeping, strategy and more.

Ultimate Frisbee

(The Department)

Ultimate offers a fun, exciting alternative to traditional sports. Students incorporate throwing, catching, and teamwork into a framework of speed and finesse.

Urban Cycling

(Benney, Carr)

Get outside. Ride a bike. See Brooklyn from a new vantage point. This full-year class will emphasize safe cycling and group riding procedures. Students will learn basic bike maintenance in addition to building cardiovascular endurance. Students should already feel comfortable riding a bike. Bikes and helmets will be provided, or students may provide their own equipment. Note: All bikes must have hand brakes.

Urban Cycling II

(Benney, Carr)

If you’ve already taken Urban Cycling and are ready for more, this class is for you. This full-year class will take your group riding skills and add intensity, endurance and climbing. The rides will be longer and more challenging. We will ride in Prospect Park. We may introduce pacelining. Bikes and helmets will be provided, or students may provide their own equipment. This is a double period class. Prerequisite(s): Urban Cycling Note: All bikes must have hand brakes.

Weight & Fitness Training (Yamond)

This course introduces the student to the merits of weight and fitness training. Workouts will include free-weight, body weight, and cardiovascular exercises. Other areas to be explored include flexibility (through stretching) and the value of aerobic training.

Workout of the Week (W.O.W.)

(The Department)

This class is a group exercise class which incorporates a variety of workouts. Each class will be unique and will make use of different equipment including, but not limited to, dumbbells, suspension trainers, physioballs, BOSUs, and resistance bands.

Yoga for Sport Performance (Scheele)

Did you know that LeBron James, Serena Williams, and Lionel Messi are huge fans of yoga, claiming that it has not only improved their game but helped them to avoid injury and stay focused throughout the season? Not only is yoga a great way to stay in shape and improve your flexibility and core strength, but it can also help your mental state when playing a sport. In this class, you will learn stretches to help your pre-game/meet warm up and cooldown, while practicing poses to help increase strength and stamina. The class will also focus on breathing techniques to help with performance anxiety and stress management. All are welcome, especially those who might be new to the practice. Yoga students are encouraged to wear clothing in which they can comfortably move and stretch.

Yoga: Hatha/Gentle (Scheele)

This course introduces the ancient discipline of personal development that balances body, mind, and spirit. Students learn a series of traditional asanas (poses) and proper breathing techniques as well as meditation and other practical methods for relaxation that promote health, alleviate stress, improve skeletal alignment, and increase muscular strength and flexibility. Poses are held longer than in flow classes in order to help open and stretch the body. Yoga students are encouraged to wear clothing in which they can comfortably move and stretch. All levels welcome!

Yoga: Vinyasa Flow (Scheele)

Students explore more vigorous and dynamic yoga sequences and breathing techniques. Practice will incorporate conscious breathwork, vinyasa flows, sun salutations and balance postures. Classes are mainly flow-based, but may focus on a specific intention or on a series of asanas (poses) to reach an apex pose and will allow students to release stress while building strength and gaining flexibility. Yoga students are encouraged to wear clothing in which they can comfortably move and stretch. This yoga class is ideal for those who have practiced yoga and are looking for a more energetic experience, but all are welcome!

Interscholastic Sports

(The Department)

The Recreational Arts requirement may be fulfilled through full-season participation as a player on a junior varsity or varsity team. Emphasis is placed on developing and fostering athletic standards of excellence through participation and competition. All team sports require a significant commitment to practice and game schedules. Saint Ann’s is a member of the Athletic Conference of Independent Schools (ACIS), and the girls’ teams also belong to the Athletic Association of Independent Schools (AAIS). Teams include baseball, basketball, gymnastics, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, and volleyball. .

SCIENCE

All courses meet for a full year unless otherwise noted.

Biology Courses

Biology

(The Department) (required)

This is a dense, grand tour of the most definitive aspect of this planet. Biology takes us to the wild world inside a cell, and nudges us to take a close look at the genetic and evolutionary relationships of living things. Laboratory work, in a double period, is an integral part of the course, both illustrating principles presented in lectures and providing experience conducting qualitative analysis. This course covers vital topics in this field such as cytology, genetics, biochemistry, taxonomy, evolution, and ecology.

Advanced Biology

(Kaplan)

This is an intense and rigorous immersion in a comprehensive study of biochemistry, cell biology, and topics in genetics, botany, evolution, and anatomy and physiology. Lectures and discussions are supplemented with occasional in-depth labs and articles from journals such as Nature, Science, and Scientific American. The only way to cross the ocean of information, enjoying the fast pace and laboratory work, is to be a bonafide biophile! Note: Students are expected to have a thorough grasp of ninth grade biology topics. The class meets one seminar period each week in addition to regular class time. Prerequisite(s): Biology and Chemistry

Advanced Physiology and Medical Ethics

(Levin)

Do you want to learn how to read an EKG? How a bone marrow transplant works? What makes carbon monoxide gas poisonous? How human T cells can be genetically edited to fight leukemia, or about corrective surgeries performed on a fetus before birth? We will explore all of this and more in this course as we work our way through the biological mechanisms of the human body, focusing on the cardiovascular, respiratory, hematologic, immune, and reproductive systems. Along the way, we will examine what happens when our human machinery fails and learn about medical therapies such as defibrillators, ventilators, reproductive technologies, organ transplantation, gene therapy, and CRISPR. We will also tackle mystery cases in which you will become both doctor and researcher, diagnosing a “patient” through a series of medical clues, explaining the pathophysiology of disease, and proposing management plans and therapeutic interventions. This course will involve analysis of articles from scientific journals including Nature and The New England Journal of Medicine, as well as readings from magazines like The New Yorker and other literary works

related to health and disease. Delving deeply into these varied readings, we will build skills in critical analysis of the scientific literature, and we will challenge ourselves to grapple with some of the most complex ethical dilemmas in modern medicine. Prerequisite(s): Biology and Chemistry

The Naked Ape: An Exploration of Biological Anthropology

(Harbison)

What makes us human? How did we get to where we are as a species? These questions have fascinated scientists and anthropologists like Charles Darwin, Mary Leakey and Lee Berger. This class will explore the scientific foundations for understanding human evolution. We will explore the fast-changing world of biological anthropology, the transition from great apes to modern humans, through topics including anatomy, geology, primatology, and behavior. Driving questions for the class include: How do humans compare with other primates? Who were our ancestor species? What makes Homo sapiens unique? How have improved genetic techniques changed our understanding of the human story? How have pseudo-scientific ideas (e.g. racism and eugenics) related to human evolution influenced modern society ?

Prerequisite(s): none

Marine Science

(Zayas)

Come dive into the ocean! We will embark on an exciting journey through a variety of marine ecosystems, from the vibrant coral reefs to the mysterious ocean floors. We will explore the fascinating organisms that inhabit these environments—ranging from tiny plankton to massive whales—and understand their roles in maintaining the balance of marine life. Topics may include oceanography, marine food chains, the impact of human activity on marine ecosystems, and conservation efforts to protect our oceans. By the end of the course, you will have a deeper appreciation for the beauty and complexity of marine life. Let’s unravel the mysteries of life under the sea! Prerequisite(s): Biology

Chemistry Courses

Chemistry

(The Department)

This is a broad, sweeping, fast-paced survey course introducing students to the fundamental principles of chemistry, and to the basic techniques a chemist uses. Topics include stoichiometry, atomic and molecular theory, basic atomic and molecular structure, and gas laws. Thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium, and acid-base chemistry may also be covered. Students develop facility working with calculators and become intimate with the Periodic Table.Laboratory work is an integral part of the course, both in illustrating principles presented in lectures and in providing experience conducting qualitative analysis. Prerequisite(s): none Note: This course is open to sophomores and above. Freshmen may take it with the permission of their Grade Dean and the Science Department Chair.

Advanced Chemistry

(The Department)

Advanced Chemistry is designed to give students the experience of an intensive collegelevel course in which they will hone their ability to think critically about chemical phenomena. We will discover why some chemical reactions happen while others don’t, how quickly reactions happen and how far they will proceed (thermodynamics, kinetics, and equilibrium). We will also revisit, and explore in greater depth, some of the topics from first year Chemistry including stoichiometry, gas laws, and bonding. Additionally, we will discuss applications of chemistry such as electrochemistry, buffer systems, and solubility. The rapid pace of the course requires independent learning and preparation on the part of the students, and weekly labs add to the time commitment. Advanced Chemistry is for those who seek a deeper understanding of matter, relish wrestling with equations, and who find chemical reactions exocharmic. The class meets one seminar period each week in addition to regular class time. Prerequisite(s): Chemistry

Organic Chemistry (Fiori)

Organic molecules are everywhere. They make up our bodies, our clothing, the medicine we take, and the food we eat. This course is an introduction to the astounding complexity of these molecules and the diverse chemistry they participate in. We will focus primarily on the basic principles necessary to understand the structure and reactivity of these ubiquitous organic molecules. Students will learn to think like organic chemists. We will explore how differences in electronegativity, the presence of lone electron pairs, and resonance structures influence reactivity. We will analyze the symmetry of molecules and learn how to see molecules in three dimensions. Students will use chemical techniques and spectroscopy to determine the structure of unknown organic molecules. Additionally, we will learn to use our chemical knowledge to design routes to make complex molecules from simple starting materials. Throughout this course, we will draw on examples from daily life to illustrate the important chemical concepts we are studying. Weekly labs will introduce common laboratory separation and purification techniques and allow students to have first-hand experience performing the reactions they study in class. Prerequisite(s): Chemistry

Chemistry of Cooking

(Jackson/Siegler)

Have you ever tried to make homemade whipped cream and wound up with butter, or wondered why egg whites turn white when heated? This course is about the chemicals in foods and the processes that take place in the kitchen. We experiment with many chemical processes such as crystallization (a.k.a. candy making) and emulsification (mayonnaise). We explore food spoilage and learn how humans have exploited it to produce yogurt, cheese and bread, and we learn about food trends such as gluten-free and vegan cooking. Larger projects include the “Perfect-A-Recipe” project and two challenges modeled on The Great British Baking Show.

This course includes many topics not covered in Chemistry while exploring the applications of some Chemistry concepts. The class consists of lectures and labs (most of which will produce edible results!). Homework consists mainly of cooking in your own home.

Prerequisite(s): none

Physics Courses

Physics

(The Department)

This course provides a systematic introduction to the main principles of classical physics such as linear, projectile and rotational motion, forces, gravitation, energy and momentum, waves, fields, electricity, and optics. We emphasize the development of conceptual understanding and problem solving skills. The class includes a laboratory component. Note: this course is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Freshmen require permission of their Grade Dean and instructor.

Physics: Mechanics and Relativity

(Kandel)

Mechanics and Relativity is a physics course that emphasizes deep problem solving, along with the philosophical and historical dimensions of the subject. Because we focus our efforts on mechanics (though we briefly discuss thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and optics), we can go into far greater depth. Students strive for a sturdy grasp of physical theories, utilizing diverse modes of thinking: qualitative reasoning, pure intuition, rigorous analysis. We consider the big questions: Where is the Earth in relation to the cosmos, how is it moving, and do its local laws generalize to the Universe? There are wonderful stories behind all of these, in which theories rise and fall, and human beings struggle to overthrow the mental constraints of their forebears. We study the astronomers of the Ancient Greeks, the Copernican Revolution, and the beautiful contributions of Galileo, Newton, and Einstein. In all of these realms, we not only tackle daunting problems, but we bring attention to the problem-solving process itself, to gain insight into our own learning processes; and we consider the wider philosophical implications. For example, does the unprecedented accuracy of Newtonian predictions threaten our belief in free will? Does the very concept of Laplace’s demon imply that the future is predetermined? We employ mathematical methods to describe trajectories, orbits, and the strange physics within a spinning spaceship. By the end of the year, we are forced to question many of our deepest assumptions as we tackle the paradoxes of Special Relativity and the implications of the Big Bang model! Prerequisite(s): none

Analytical Physics

(Pelzer/Johnson)

This second-year physics course builds on the material from first year Physics with an emphasis on deeper, more complex problems. The course focuses on conceptual analysis and mathematical modeling. Topics include fluid dynamics, sound and light, electricity and magnetism, and particle physics. Quantum mechanics, general and special relativity, fission and fusion, thermodynamics, optics, and other advanced mechanics topics may also be covered. Prerequisite(s): Physics

Astronomy

(Pelzer)

When we look deeply into the night sky, we can see there are remarkable patterns on all scales, and so many questions that unfold about our own existence, and existence itself. The universe becomes our playground, with endless secrets to uncover. This is the art of astronomy. We will start locally by exploring the Earth, Sun, Moon, planets, and all aspects of the solar system. We will then study the details of planet formation, nebulae, exoplanets, the habitable zone, stars, supernovae, black holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs. We will then leave the Milky Way and discuss galaxy formation and evolution, quasars, blazars, and look deep into the large-scale structure of the universe. Dark energy, dark matter, the Big Bang, general relativity, and the true nature of spacetime will all be explained, and we will examine the progression of how current theories came to be, and what is yet to be known. The course will use a balance of qualitative and quantitative analysis, as well as using real observations to test and discover theoretical models, with an emphasis on current research and discovery. Simple math will be reviewed, such as scientific notation, units, and powers of ten. Basic equations and algebra will illuminate concepts such as gravity, circular motion, wave mechanics and light. Come study the all-encompassing awesomeness of the universe! Prerequisite(s): completion of or current enrollment in Algebra 2

Electricity and Magnetism (Smith)

This class is a calculus-based exploration of Maxwell’s equations, which describe the behavior of classical electromagnetism. So it’ll be one entire year for four measly equations. Easy! But those four equations are dense with physical insight, mathematical beauty, inspired guesses, and spooky premonitions about special relativity long before Einstein came along. And they’ve held up remarkably well; even now they remain the state-of-the-art for a wide swath of physics and engineering. Our journey will require a deep dive into vector calculus, a slew of 19th century experiments, differential equations, various scientific controversies, special relativity magic, and amazing applications. If you want to get down to the fundamentals, in all their muck and glory, this class is for you. Prerequisite(s): Physics, and completion of or current enrollment in calculus. Also required: completion of at least one of the following courses—Analytical Physics, Calculus or Advanced Chemistry—and the strong recommendation of that course’s instructor.

Additional Courses

Environmental Science (Javens)

While environmental analysis has only recently gained traction, a truer history shows us that attunement to the land has been among the most important cultural and political forces through time. This ecological sensibility has been lost in modern articulations of the relationship between land and people that emphasize hierarchy and domination. Through interactions between industry, governance, and ideas of progress, violent systems of relation have become visible to varying degrees across landscapes and the people that live on them. To reclaim our future, we must start with the past.

We will explore four main intersecting topics: environmental science (climate change, earthquakes, tsunamis); environmental justice (history, resistance, liberation); environmental politics (capitalism, dark money, popular environmentalisms); and environmental arts (imagination, solidarity, process). Scientists, artists, philosophers, historians, musicians, authors… Come all! Prerequisite(s): none

Independent Science Research

(The Department) (1x per week)

The Independent Science Research Program grants students the opportunity to design experimental strategies to explore personally perplexing questions of science: What would happen if...? Why is it that...? How does...? Research objectives are as unique and varied as the investigator. Topics are multidisciplinary, ranging from biology and chemistry to the physical fields.

Independent Science Research is a cooperative endeavor between a student (or several students) and their chosen mentor. Saint Ann’s science teachers, as well as auxiliary research investigators, serve as advisers. Students will be matched with potential mentors based on mutual research interests and expertise. Research work proceeds at a pace stipulated by the project as well as the ambition of the research team. Research groups are expected to meet regularly, i.e. every week. After completing a year of exploration, students summarize their projects in a formal research paper. In the spring, discoveries are made public though a poster session and oral symposium. Prerequisite(s): Students MUST submit a research proposal to the Science Department by May 19 to be considered for approval by the department. This program will be limited to 14 projects. Proposal guidelines are available in the Science Office and High School Office Note: This course bears one half credit.

SEMINAR

American Sign Language

(Cheng)

The ASL Seminar is designed for multi-year enrollment and will cover deaf culture and history while developing students’ communication skills using ASL. No matter if you’re a beginner or if you’ve attended classes in the past, there is always more to learn!

For the sake of immersion, the class will meet silently and use writing tablets for communication until students are confident in their Signing. Some reading will also be assigned from popular books like Sara Novic’s True Biz , Nyle DiMarco and Robert Siebert’s Deaf Utopia , or Mary Herring Wright’s Sounds Like Home.

Art Journal

(The Department) (Spring Semester)

The Art Journal is a yearly publication celebrating the vigor and creativity of our school’s artistic community. A team of editors and associate editors will meet weekly to collaborate on production of the journal—which will publish work created that year by high school students, faculty, and staff, in any genre or medium. Anyone with a passion for visual art, photography, or book design and layout is welcome. Note: Because the work is heaviest in March and April, students should expect to give several extra hours a week during this period.

Art of Fly Fishing

(Rumage) (Spring Semester)

Fly fishing is a centuries-old pursuit that brings together art, science, and literature. It combines technical skill with careful observation of the natural world. The course traces fly fishing’s rich literary tradition, beginning with Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler and extending to twentieth-century writers such as Ernest Hemingway and Norman Maclean. In A River Runs Through It, Maclean portrays fly fishing not merely as a sport but as a spiritual discipline and a metaphor for precision, grace, and attentiveness.

Scientific understanding is equally central. Students study aquatic ecosystems—especially the mayfly life cycle—to inform practical instruction in fly tying, casting technique, and fly presentation on the water. By connecting entomology and fluid dynamics to technique, participants learn how knowledge of the river directly shapes successful angling.

The seminar culminates in an excursion to nearby rivers, where students apply their literary insights, ecological knowledge, and technical skills in practice. Note: Families may be charged an additional fee to pay for transportation and other costs associated with the fishing trip. Financial Aid may be available.

Birds! (Velikonja)

In this seminar we will learn all about birds, from behaviors to morphology and from peregrines to house sparrows. We will spend as much time as reasonable outside watching birds (especially in the early fall and late spring)—there’s a lot to see in Brooklyn Bridge Park! When it’s too dark and cold to go out we will learn about bird bodies and habits, about migrations and invasive species. Join me to learn to look and listen anytime, anywhere—your journey on planet earth will never be the same.

Blacks in Film (Taylor)

Movie buffs welcome! The course will explore and examine Black representation in films beginning in the 20th century in the United States. Along the way, we will discuss the history that informed these representations and engage in discussions regarding the real life implications of these cinematic depictions. The diverse selection of films will offer students a rough chronological and historical lens to view each piece. Students will be encouraged to engage in thoughtful conversations regarding the complex intersections of Black identity and how they are (or not) portrayed in film. In the end, students should walk away with a better historical and cultural understanding of Black representation in film.

Chinese Classical Dance (Qiu)

(Fall Semester)

Chinese Classical Dance is a performance art with a history spanning thousands of years. It is distinguished by its pursuit of three essential artistic principles: form, spirit, and power. The technique draws from Chinese opera, martial arts, and ballet, blending these influences into a highly expressive movement vocabulary. The crucial aesthetic principle in Chinese Classical Dance is body rhyme, the practice of initiating movement through the body’s internal energy (气, qì), creating sense of seamless and rhythmic continuity.

Classical Chinese Dance also incorporates a wide range of props into its choreography, including silk fans, artificial flowers, Chinese umbrellas, paper fans, and Taiji swords. In this semester-long seminar, students will learn the foundational body rhythms of Classical Chinese Dance and study a short choreography, with or without props. The course will begin with fundamental training and progress toward learning and refining a selected piece together.

Film Noir, Jazz and The American Night

(Flaherty)

America, in 1945, was triumphant: victors of the "Good War," about to embark upon its most sustained and extensive economic boom in modern history. Yet, culturally, things were not so simple.

Film noir—a term that would have been novel to most of its early practitioners—was establishing itself as a major American genre. A product of budget constraints and major studio dictates, this formula of necessity was also a site of American existential guilt and despair, a field of drama for the underside of a nation that felt vast, furtive, and utterly unresolved.

At the same time jazz—before the war the most popular music of the time, practiced by big bands—began to be centered in compact clubs below street level, played by small combos in late hours. "Jazz" became a signifier for the urban pulse, a music knotty, obscure, and freighted with danger. Did this have anything to do with a backlash to Black artists creating a language of their own? (Hint: yes)

So let's look at the stories, the songs, the shadows and camera angles that created a new American night. A cultural nightbloom not only counter to suburban dreams of wholesomeness, but wholly part of it: an American night as vital as its daytime tales.

Requirements: no assignments, but a commitment to dive into two great indigenous American art forms.

High School Literary Magazine

(English Department)

The High School Literary Magazine is created by a board of students and faculty advisers whose goal is to find and publish excellent high school writing. The Board, which includes 18 to 20 staff members and a few high school editors, meets once a week during a seminar period to discuss submissions and decide which to include. Editors (and staff members who are interested in helping out) also produce the magazine itself, finding student artwork, preparing selections for layout, designing, and composing the final publication.

Because the work is heaviest in March and April, students should expect to give several extra hours a week during this period.

High School Mentoring

(Friedrichs/Garber-Browne)

High school mentoring is a program where juniors and seniors work with middle school students. Students complete a letter of interest and attend a series of trainings and check-ins throughout the year. The mentors then meet regularly in small groups, along with a health teacher, to plan monthly sessions for 8th graders. These sessions occur in the 8th graders’

regular health classes and provide an opportunity for the younger students to hear from a fellow teen who is not so far removed from their own experiences.

Mentors will also be able to become involved in Upper Middle School GUST. Additionally, mentors who are not yet trained will have the opportunity to become certified in teen Mental Health First Aid and all participants will receive bystander intervention training. Note: Potential mentors should contact Meli Garber-Browne prior to registering.

Iranian History Through Film (Ahsan)

Iran in the twentieth century underwent major social and political transformations: two revolutions, a coup d’etat, a war with neighboring Iraq, and the establishment of a major national oil industry, to name a few. Simultaneously, Iranian filmmakers gained recognition internationally for their major contributions to arthouse cinema. By the start of the twentyfirst century, Iran’s national cinema played a singular role in a growing international film industry. In this seminar, we will watch films by Abbas Kiarostami, Dariush Mehrjui, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Bahram Beyzai and others. Course meetings will be alternately spent screening movies and holding group discussions, which will sometimes be supplemented by reading the works of historians and film critics. We will consider what Iranian cinema can teach us about Iran in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, its political aspirations, contradictions, and competing nationalisms. While we will appreciate films for their formal and aesthetic qualities, emphasis will be placed on thinking about these films in their social and historical context: reading the films themselves as historical texts.

Ovid’s Metamorphoses (Bissette/Gear)

Artists under autocracy must place themselves somewhere on a treacherous spectrum. At one end, the court poets: they serve at the pleasure of the king. At the other, those exiled or executed.

In the year 8 CE, Augustus banished Ovid to modern-day Romania, where he lived until he died. His crime? Carmen et error—a poem and a mistake.

We will begin the year with excerpts from the poem most scholars agree to be Ovid’s mistake, Ars Amatoria, pinpointing what made the work threatening to Augustus. Then, we’ll move on to Ovid’s masterpiece, the Meramorphoses, a work of staggering literary ambition which Ovid completed but never had the chance to revise prior to his banishment.

The Ovid of Metamorphoses is virtuosic, subversive, provocative, vain. Unifying all prior myth and history in one ecstatically unspooling thread, he attempts to outdo his epic forebears while subtly calling power of many kinds—divine, political, patriarchal—into question.

We’ll read in translation, likely Stephanie McCarter’s (with occasional doses of Ted Hughes). Although we’ll sometimes turn to the original Latin to savor Ovid’s acrobatic, effervescent syntax, we welcome seminarians with no knowledge of Latin.

Philosophical Problems (Aronson)

From its beginnings in Ancient Greece, Western philosophy has attempted to ask and answer the big questions that underlie our lives and our relationship to the world—questions that from the philosophical point of view are always with us, even if we are not always conscious of them. For instance: What is knowledge and how do we obtain it? What is the nature of reality? What is truth? Do we live in a deterministic world or is there free will? Does God exist? Is there, in fact, something that we can call mind or soul as distinguishable from brain or body? What is art? This course considers how, in each of the above cases (as well as others), a variety of philosophers—some ancient, some modern, some still alive—have dealt with these inherently thorny issues. There are no prerequisites other than a desire to think hard.

Poetry Writing Workshop (Skoble)

Poetry is a craft as well as an art. Poems don’t happen, they are made. In this workshop we learn how to use the tools of poets. We take poems apart to see how they work, and we put things together to see if they work. Construction and experimentation, exploration and imitation are the processes we use to help us create poems. The poetry workshop is open to all, including dancers, thespians, musicians, athletes, and astrophysicists. We meet one double period each week to share our efforts, to read and discuss, and, of course, to write.

Puppetry Studio Internship (Okuneva)

Middle School puppetry students at times need guidance, oversight and assistance in completing projects… are you as a high schooler interested in helping out in the Puppetry Studio? This seminar is a one or two period a week internship, not meeting in the Seminar period. Once your schedule is set for the year, you will be placed in the classroom to help out with younger students as they build, design, plan and execute their class projects. Some tech knowledge is helpful, but interest in being a part of the Puppetry Studio and assisting Middle School students is a must!

Student Internship in Technology @ Saint Ann’s (

The Department)

This elective seminar will allow students to explore the realm of either Information Technology or Computer Science in an educational environment. The focus of the seminar will be different based on which area you are interested:

1. Information Technology: The primary focus will be on technical support, and students will also learn how to manipulate and work with large datasets in database and spreadsheet

applications, become familiar with network and wireless protocols and architecture, and work towards eventually being able to perform certain technical support tasks, under the supervision of the Technology Department staff. This will require one to two periods per week, scheduled in periods where the student and their mentor are mutually available.

2. Computer Science: The focus will be on helping design, set up, implement and run the maker-space located in the computer center. Students will be individually trained on devices and equipment, under the supervision of the Computer Science department.

3. Digital Literacy Teacher’s Assistant: In this role, students will co-teach sixth grade Digital Literacy, a once weekly class. Students will co-facilitate the sixth grade class, which is about coming of age in an increasingly data-driven world. Sixth graders will examine how digital technologies and the media impact how we are informed and make decisions and how to stay safe online and create authentic and positive digital identities. Teacher’s Assistants will co-facilitate class content and support with classroom management.

The Chinese Diaspora through Film and Literature (The Chinese Program)

Open to high school students no matter their experience with the Chinese language, this course explores the diverse global experiences of Chinese-speaking people through a mix of classic and contemporary cinema and writing, especially short stories, and memoirs. In these works, we will analyze themes of identity, generational change, and the meaning of "home." We will acquire language exposure through units focused on key vocabulary and phrases found as motifs in the works, and also enrich our cultural understanding of historical and contemporary global Chinese artists.

The Ram Newspaper Staff (Donohue/Patterson)

For more than 30 years, student journalists at The Ram have sought answers to interesting questions. Why doesn’t our school mandate community service? What happened in the 1984 fire? Why did we buy that new building? How did the robotics team boot up? Does GUST still serve its purpose? Where’s the best bacon-egg-and-cheese in the Heights? How’s the volleyball team doing? What actually is a Saint Ann’s “Steamer”?

Join us as we produce a monthly newspaper. Mandatory staff meetings, for all editors and staff writers, will take place once a week during the Monday seminar period. Then all writers and editors will have another class period later in the week, for further guidance on their current stories and on general principles of journalism. Writing staff size will be capped at 30. Expect to make a serious time commitment.

We are also eager to commission work from illustrators, photographers, and puzzle makers. No need to sign up here; please reach out to editors in the fall.

The Task of the Translator (Schmidt) (Fall Semester)

What makes a good or bad translation? Is translation a creative act? What does translating a work really do to it? Though the work of translation has in the last few years been radically transformed by advances in machine translation, translation is also, perhaps as a consequence, more interesting than ever as a site of critical and literary engagement. We will read foundational texts that have shaped the field of translation studies and discuss various aesthetic and political questions raised by literary translation. If you have ever wondered how a translation comes into being or been interested in translating a work of poetry or prose that speaks to you, please join us. Participants are encouraged to use the space to solicit feedback if they are working on a translation project on their own. By the end of the semester, we will produce our own collection of translations. We will read new texts and translations this term, so you are welcome to join us even if you have taken this seminar before. Knowledge of a second language is preferred, but not required.

Two Victorian Novels

(Ingall/Rutter)

Two long, slow, brilliant, and secretly kind of scary Victorian novels, George Eliot's Middlemarch (1871) and Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady (1881) both feature ambitious heroines asking big questions. Namely: what kind of person should I be? Who should I spend my life with? Their efforts to answer these questions don’t work out as they might have wished. Why not? What now? We’ll read these books as moral inquiries as well as literary accomplishments, possibly alongside philosophical texts on character, companionship, and feminism. Prepare for fifty-ish (dense!) pages of reading per week.

War and Peace (Donohue)

War and Peace (1869) is widely considered one of the greatest novels ever written, but its author, Leo Tolstoy, denied that it was a novel at all. “We Russians,” he wrote, “do not know how to write novels in the sense in which this genre is understood in Europe.” We may disagree with this judgment as we read of Andrei Bolkonsky, going off to the Napoleonic wars as an a general’s aide; or of the young and vital Natasha Rostov, coming of age on her parents’ estate; or of the awkward, portly intellectual Pierre Bezukhov, an illegitimate son who just wants to figure out the meaning of life.

At about 1,400 pages, War and Peace is too long for a regular English class, but it's well suited for a seminar: we can read it in 60-page installments, which will let us finish the book by spring break. If we have time, we’ll tack on The Death of Ivan Ilych, Tolstoy’s late novella. Come take the plunge.

Yearbook Staff

Photographers

and Editors

(Venable)

Calling all photographers, artists, designers, and bookmakers! Come be a part of a collaborative process that weaves together the images and memories of a year in the life at Saint Ann’s. Bring your artistry and creativity to help make a book that will be cherished by the whole community. Senior editors will learn InDesign, Photoshop, project management, the basics of book publishing, while practicing their leadership skills. Editors work closely with staff photographers throughout the year to take the photos that will be incorporated into the final book design. Staff photographers will spend the year photographing people, places, and memories throughout the school year on 35mm film and digital cameras as well as printing in the darkroom and learning how to scan negatives. Prerequisite(s): Two years of photography or portfolio review. Open to Juniors and Seniors. Note: Editors are expected to meet twice a week: Wednesday seminar period AND Friday from 3:30–5:50 p.m. Staff is expected to attend at least either Wednesday seminar period OR Friday 3:30–5:50 p.m. each week from September through the end of March.

THEATER

All theater classes meet one double period per week (90 mins) unless otherwise noted.

Acting: Imagination and Characterization

(Barnett, Lamazor)

This acting class will help you to walk truthfully in your own shoes—and in the shoes of a wide array of fascinating, fierce, funny, villainous, heroic, complex characters. You are invited to choose text from a play, film, poem, or historical speech, to become a character from a beloved short story or novel, or to interpret song lyrics. Part of our work and play will include group improvisation, scene work, storytelling, and theater games; part will include solo performance. This is a great class for actors who want to deepen their craft and prepare audition monologues. Writers who want to take their words from page to stage are welcome. For students who want to act in a mainstage play or sharpen skills of public speaking, this class will give you the joy, confidence, tools, and experience to have fun and Go For It! Class trips to the theater and visits by guest artists will inspire us.

Acting: Scene Study

(Victorson)

This class will focus on texts from plays and screenplays and bringing these words to life through activated storytelling. In our weekly class, students engage in text analysis, improvisation, character work and playing a character’s objective. We will look at scripts by classical and contemporary playwrights and explore a variety of styles, characters and themes. Rehearsals will take place both in and outside of class with scene presentations happening every few weeks during class. Class trips to see plays will also be a part of this class. This class is open to students who have some previous experience in an acting class or with permission of the teacher. This class is a great way to experience the process of being in a play. Prerequisite(s): Permission from the instructor

Dialects, Accents and the Actor’s Voice (Osborn) (1 period per

week)

The wonderful world of dialects, speech, and vocal production awaits you. Funny voices, accents, and more are explored in this class in which the vocal side of acting is stressed. Poetry and contemporary and classical texts are used, and we work on several class projects including improvisation and scene and monologue work. Past years’ material included The Importance of Being Earnest, Riders to the Sea , Monty Python and the Holy Grail , Harry Potter, and The Enchanted . We incorporate relaxation techniques, voice building, and breathing to help actors deal with the demands of auditions and performance. This dynamic and practical class is tailored to the specific needs of its students.

African Dance (Mackall)

African Dance is an exciting survey of the techniques and traditions of dances from the African Diaspora with a special emphasis on the dances of West Africa. Classes are accompanied by live drumming. Note: Participation in the High School Dance Concert in March/April is a requirement of this class and requires attendance at Sunday and after school rehearsals during the second semester in the period leading up to the concert.

Challenging Films and the Art of Cinema

(Dobski) (2 double periods per week)

A film might be considered challenging simply because its characteristics are unfamiliar to the viewer. It might be from a different culture, or time period, or its pacing might be unconventional. Perhaps its photographic style is innovative. The subject matter might be important, but disturbing. Perhaps the narrative is non-linear and requires effort to comprehend. Perhaps there is no narrative at all. These characteristics certainly could be obstacles in understanding or appreciating a film, or puzzles to be resolved. In this course, we will seek to resolve puzzles. To understand the art of motion pictures, the early history of film will be introduced, discussing the development of equipment and techniques for the recording and presentation of moving images. While consistently screening unique, outstanding, and uncommon films, we will simultaneously be addressing the analysis of the formal elements of cinema.

Our survey will include works from the avant-garde (Maya Deren; Oscar Fischinger; Len Lye); documentaries (Nikolaus Geyrhalter; Leni Riefenstahl; Stanley Nelson) US and international feature films (Djibril Diop Mambéty; Terrence Malick; Michael Haneke). Readings will be from various texts and professional journals. Students will post short opinion pieces in Classroom semi-weekly, and also conduct research in order to write essays on selected topics. Based on the films we have been studying, the final project of the year may be an artistic endeavor (painting, playwriting, poetry, music, culinary art, sound design, a zine) or a research project which culminates in data and/or an essay. All final work will be presented to the class.

Costume Production

(Bevans, Shand)

Come explore costume design and construction as you create costumes for our productions, collaborative pieces and personal projects. All experience levels are welcome, as assignments will offer a range of technical skills. In addition to focusing on construction techniques, such as hand and machine sewing, students will have the chance to explore skills such as pattern making, draping and topics such as fashion design and the intersection of art and costume and costume history. Through videos, articles, and podcasts, students learn about the wideranging world of textile crafts—from the history of New York City’s costume shops and the Garment District to the rich traditions of cloth, construction, and its many makers around the world. Participation on a costume crew for one of the mainstage productions will give each student an opportunity to deepen their construction practice while working together

to help run all aspects of wardrobe, hair and makeup for the show. In late May, we celebrate student costume creations at our Annual Clothesline Show. Note: All costume students are required to work on one costume crew for a production, which will require time outside of class.

Dance/Choreography 1

(The Department)

The class focuses on developing students’ choreographic voices through improvisation and the creation of short movement studies. Class begins with a warm-up that integrates different techniques from ballet to African dance to yoga. Students are exposed to different choreographic approaches through studying video and attending performances live or virtually. In addition, students have the opportunity to work with professional choreographers, learning pieces, and taking direction. Dances created both individually and collaboratively are performed in class throughout the year. Dances developed in association with the instructor are eligible for performance in the student dance concert. Both new and experienced dancers are welcome. Note: Participation in the High School Dance Concert in March/ April is a requirement of this class and requires attendance at Sunday and after school rehearsals during the second semester in the period leading up to the concert.

Dance/Choreography 2/3

(The Department)

This class continues the study of Modern Dance technique, improvisation, and composition through solo, duet, and group forms. Emphasis is placed on movement textures, dynamic qualities, partnering, and weight exchange to convey emotional meaning. Formal compositional elements such as symmetry, groupings of multiple bodies in space, and rhythm are investigated. In collaboration with the teacher, student choreographers are encouraged to develop their own work for the dance concert. Students have the opportunity to take direction from professional choreographers during workshops and attend field trips to notable dance performances. Prerequisite(s): Dance/Choreography 1 and/or permission of the instructor. Note: Participation in the High School Dance Concert in March/April is a requirement of this class and requires attendance at Sunday and after school rehearsals during the second semester in the period leading up to the concert.

Dance/Choreography 4

(The Department)

We continue our study of dance technique, improvisation, and composition. Emphasis is placed on the development of the individual artistic voice through complex, expressive dances incorporating solo and group aspects, examination of multimedia techniques, and the use of juxtaposition and collage to expand dramatic possibilities. Students have the opportunity to learn pieces and take direction from professional choreographers. Dances developed in association with the instructor are eligible for performance in the student dance concert. There is a potential for field trips to notable performances. Prerequisite(s): Dance/Choreography 1, Dance/Choreography 2/3, or permission of the instructor Note: Participation in the High School Dance Concert in March/ April is a requirement of this

class and requires attendance at Sunday and after school rehearsals during the second semester in the period leading up to the concert.

High School Videography

(Akbari, Mirabella-Davis)

The course is designed to give you an inspiring foundation in both film theory and production. You will develop the skills to tell your own stories through the art and technology of digital filmmaking as you practice camera direction, screenwriting, directing actors and the art of editing. Working in groups, you will write, direct, shoot, and edit a sync-sound short using digital cameras, advanced sound equipment and the Adobe Premiere Pro editing software. Films from this class will be screened and celebrated as a part of our end of year film festival.

Moving Image 1

(Akbari, Mirabella-Davis)

This is a filmmaking course in beginning 16mm film production and black and white cinematography. Working individually, you will write, direct, shoot, and edit your own 5–7 minute short black and white film. With special focus on silent films and the language of visual storytelling, this class will explore groundbreaking work from directors past and present from around the world. You will learn the origins of motion picture film technology, and will engage in hands-on work with 16mm cameras, film stocks, lenses, exposure, lighting and linear editing, as you cut and splice your film together by hand. Films from this class will be screened and celebrated as a part of our end of year film festival. Note: This course is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and it requires constant participation and work outside of class time, including one or more weekend film shoots.

Moving Image 2

(Akbari, Mirabella-Davis)

Drawing from jewels of classic and contemporary cinema, this class is an advanced, auteur film production course that covers directing, cinematography, screenwriting and editing, with emphasis on writing and recording dialogue. You will individually write, direct, cast, shoot and edit a sync-sound, color digital short film. The course will delve deeply into narrative structure, advanced digital camera technology, directing actors and the art of non-linear editing using the Adobe Premiere Pro software. Films from this class will be screened and celebrated as a part of our end of year film festival. Prerequisite(s): Moving Image 1 and permission of the instructor. Note: This course is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and it requires constant participation and work outside of class time, including one or more weekend film shoots.

Moving Image 3 (Dobski)

In this advanced 16mm color film production and cinematography course, students begin by refreshing their skills with 16mm black and white stock, demonstrating proficiency with exposure, focus, camera movement, and lenses. In the first semester, students shoot two to three short assignments in black & white. When ready, students study light and color, then shoot with 16mm Ektachrome for their first color assignment. Simultaneously, students are developing a treatment for a short narrative film; then finally, a storyboard. This project is photographed with color-negative film and transferred to a high-definition file for editing. The final project will have a non-synchronous soundtrack including an original score, and/or a voice over, sound effects, or ADR. Throughout the year, students may collaborate with the Music Scoring for Multimedia course in creating music for any of their short projects. The year will culminate with a film screening mid-May. This course demands much outside-ofschool work throughout the year, constant attention to communication with the instructor, and attention to detail. Prerequisite(s): Moving Image 1 and 2 and permission of the instructor.

Performance Art (Barnett)

In this class, students cultivate an improvisational technique that encourages personal storytelling, spontaneity, and abstract thinking. Students work on individual and collaborative projects. There is a focus on interactive site-specific theater (performances, ‘happenings,’ or installations set outside the traditional stage). Past work has taken place in parks, street corners, storefront windows, in the lobby of school, and the lobby of a hotel. Projects have taken the form of scavenger hunts, dance parties, and games. Given the role of technology in art (and life!) today, this class also offers an opportunity to experiment and explore formats other than live performance. Through trips, screenings—both virtual and inperson—as well as lively discussion, the class learns about the role of performance in history and contemporary culture. This is a course for students with or without previous experience in theater. It is a class for visual artists and dancers interested in working with text, and writers wanting to transform their ideas into physical life. The class also benefits those who feel nervous when speaking in public.

Play Production

(Kaluza/Thaxton-Stevenson)

Each member of a production staff, from the director to the stagehand, has specific duties and skills. Students in this class learn techniques for running a smooth and professional show, taking on the responsibilities for our theatrical projects and productions. Topics covered are construction, maintenance and set-up of props, reading and taping-out scale ground plans, writing cues, calling light and sound cues, and more. This is a course for advanced tech students committed to our theater and productions. Students with an interest in stage management, props mastering, as well as light, set, and sound design are encouraged to enroll and to deepen their experience of backstage work; the vital, unseen, component of

the theater. Prerequisite(s): One year of Technical Theater, or permission of the instructors. Note: All students are required to work on at least one production, which will require time outside of class.

Playwriting

(The Department)

This course invites students to cultivate their voices as playwrights by generating dynamic material through scaffolded exercises and close readings, paying special attention to character development and structure. Students develop their writing practice by reading plays, discussing peer drafts, and preparing scripts to share with collaborators and audiences. Weekly writing assignments and discussions lead to a festival of new student plays in March. Time management and focus are key components of this class that relies on the collaborative efforts of the writing workshop. The remainder of the year is dedicated to experiments in playwriting and gaining familiarity with contemporary plays.

Playwriting Intensive

(The Department)

Playwriting intensive is an investigation into playwriting strategies, movements, and motivations. Plays will be approached from all angles. Students should have experience writing plays, and an eagerness to sharpen their commitment to the craft. In addition to exercises, there will be an emphasis on close reading and critical discussion. From the study of contemporary plays to theoretical texts, this intensive workshop encourages students to challenge their preconceptions, and grapple with wide-ranging theatrical concepts. The workshop culminates in a festival of new work that will offer students opportunities to collaborate and experiment with content, form, and presentation. Prerequisite(s): At least one year of High School Playwriting and permission of the instructors. Note: The festival requires a major commitment of time and energy during the final three weeks of school.

Puppetry and Practical Effects for Film & TV

(Rodriguez)

Movie magic often includes puppetry and savvy camera tricks. For example, did you know that Grogu (a.k.a Baby Yoda) is a puppet? Even the blockbuster Barbie movie used practical effects whenever possible. While CGI effects are always advancing, some of the most infamous film and TV effects were created through old-fashioned practical effects and puppetry! In this class we will explore the many ways in which puppetry and practical effects function to create fantasy in filmmaking.

We’ll begin the year by creating our own Muppet-style puppets and mastering “monitor technique” for professional film and TV work. We will then delve into specific practical effects for film, such as perspective, puppetry and prop mechanisms, and editing. Taking inspiration from such pioneers of puppetry as Lotte Reiniger, Jan Švankmajer, Ray Harryhausen, and even Jim Henson, we will culminate the year by creating our own puppet movie using the skills we’ve learned. Students will have the opportunity to build puppets

and props, write scripts, construct sets and backdrops, design lighting and sound, and even edit the footage. Collaborations with the film, tech, and music departments will take place throughout the year to imbue our puppet films with the latest techniques and technologies from across departments. Our puppet creations from the year will also be incorporated into our community-wide Puppet Parade in the spring.

Student-Directed Plays (Lamazor)

We begin by exploring fascinating texts while wearing a director’s hat! Fun and focused on-the-spot directing and acting exercises, creative assignments and prompts using a wide variety of plays, scenes, poems will bring insight and experience as directors, devisers, daring dreamers of dramatic art! You will collaborate with each other, pitch ideas to one another, coach and direct each other. We will take class trips to see groundbreaking and great works of theater! You will become comfortable and confident putting your storytelling ideas into play with empathy, artistry, and energy. Readings IN CLASS may include seminal works such as Peter Brooks’ The Empty Space, Anne Bogart’s A Director Prepares, What’s The Story, SuzanLori Parks’ Elements of Style, Stanislavski’s An Actor Prepares, Maria Irene Fornes’ Conducting a Life, Uta Hagen’s Respect for Acting. There will be no assigned reading homework. As you dream, devise, and dive deeper as directors, you will choose a short play that inspires you to conceptualize, cast, direct, rehearse, and produce to share with our community in an imaginative, authentic mode. You will seek to inspire / learn from the actors that you direct. You will ask important questions, provoke a response in your audience. At year’s end, you will also have a wide-ranging set of notes, blueprints for future devised pieces, directing projects, and plays that matter to you. We will engage with directing as a process and practice in the past, present, and future. Storytelling as a director of theater and film is not to be underestimated, undervalued. We will reveal why the practice and art of the director is exciting/essential, for (and as) humans and artists.

Technical Theater

(Kaluza/Thaxton-Stevenson)

Technical Theater is both a practical and a theoretical course that serves as an introduction to the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating theatrical productions. With particular focus on scenery, lighting, audio, and props, students practice creating and experimenting with technical elements as a way to tell stories. This practice ranges from the design process (working out ideas and translating them into something that can be shared with others) to the implementation—with hands-on experience with power tools, lighting gear, sound equipment, and software for programming lighting and sound effects and cue sequences. Students work side-by-side with their teachers, developing basic stage construction skills, building flats and platforms, creating props, and painting. We welcome and encourage students who wish to further develop their technical skills to apply for a position running a production. Note: This class will not meet as a weekly class, but instead will be scheduled into one of the student’s free periods during the week.

SCIENCE COURSE PERIODS

Period A

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Advanced Biology

Analytical Physics

Marine Science

Organic Chemistry

Non A/B

Chemistry of Cooking

Electricity and Magnetism

Independent Science Research

TBD

Astronomy

Environmental Science

Mechanics and Relativity

Period B

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Advanced Chemistry

Advanced Physiology & Medical Ethics

Analytical Physics

Biological Anthropology

HUMANITIES COURSE PERIODS

Period C (English)

All of the Feelings (Rutter)

The Art of Hell ( Avrich)

Black Literature (Patterson)

Gothic Fictions (Go)

Literature of Outsiders (Fodaski)

WASPS & Other Nutmeggers (Murphy)

Period C (History)

The Bible (Stayer)

The Cold War in Africa and Asia ( Johnson)

Death, Difference, & Disease in History (Fields)

Gulf Wars in American History (Smith)

“How We Tell the American Story” (Ingall )

Nationalism and Rebellion (Mellon)

The Politics of Food (Shefelman)

Period D (English)

Big City Lit (Donohue)

Critical Theory & the Novel (Biers)

Great American Novels (Khoury)

The Modernist Novel (Gear)

New York City in Literature (Smith)

Russian Literature ( Aronson)

Period D (History)

American Women’s History: 1848 to the Present (Schragger)

Ancient & Medieval Buddhism (Higa)

Art History 102: 1300–2000 (Kohn)

The Black Atlantic (Wyatt)

Philosophical Approaches to ‘Meaning Making’ ( Ackman)

Stories from the Arab World (Pesaran)

HUMANITIES RANKING

WORKSHEET FOR RISING JUNIORS AND SENIORS

Helpful Hints:

Each line of section 1 must include an English and History class; one that meets in C period, and one that meets in D.

NO REPEATS (i.e. you may not list the same class twice)

Every class you choose must be a class that you are prepared to take; you may receive any course you list. And you must list six classes in each section.

In section 2, rank all courses listed above in order of overall preference. Don’t worry about what period it meets or which department it is in.

NOTES

NOTES