Course Catalog 2013-2014

St. Mark’s School of Texas 2013 | 2014 Course Catalog

Statement of Purpose St. Mark’s School of Texas is a non-sectarian, college-preparatory, independent day school for boys in grades 1–12. The Charter states that the School is “designed to afford its students well-rounded physical, intellectual, moral, and religious training and instruction.” The St. Mark’s Board of Trustees intends for the School to be a diverse community of teachers and students who share a love of learning and who strive for high achievement in whatever they undertake.

Challenging studies in the sciences, arts, and humanities form the basis of a St. Mark’s education. Teachers work to instill an enthusiasm for learning, to encourage independent and critical judgment, and to demonstrate the methods for making sound inquiries and for effective communications. To complement this academic experience, St. Mark’s offers boys a rich

variety of opportunities for involvement and leadership in the school community and on its playing fields to realize their potential, rewarding those who strive as well as those who achieve.

St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world. To this end, the School professes and upholds certain values.

These values include the discipline of postponing immediate gratification in the interests of earning eventual, hard-won satisfaction; the responsibility of defending one’s own ideas, of respecting the views of others, and of accepting the consequences for one’s own actions; and an appreciation for the lively connection between knowledge and responsibility, privilege, and the obligation to serve.

St. Mark’s School of Texas does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.

Legend Symbols Used in this Catalog • Students are asked to list a second choice for these courses. † Courses designated Honors (H) or Advanced Placement (AP) carry a weighted grade in recognition of the extra work required. # Several courses of a performing or creative nature may be taken repeatedly in successive years, and since the outcome of the work is different each year, the courses carry the credit indicated each time. * Due to limited coaching staff and facilities, a place cannot be guaranteed in all interscholastic sports.

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Table of Contents Lower School Program (1–4).................................................................................4 Middle School Program (5–8)................................................................................5 Upper School Program (9–12)...............................................................................7

Course Descriptions English................................................................................................................. 13 Humanities.......................................................................................................... 16 Science................................................................................................................ 18 Foreign Language................................................................................................ 22 Mathematics........................................................................................................ 29 Social Studies....................................................................................................... 33 Fine Arts.............................................................................................................. 36 Computer Science................................................................................................ 45 Non-Departmental Electives................................................................................ 47 Academic Seminar............................................................................................... 48 Physical Education & Athletics............................................................................. 48 Global Online Academy Courses........................................................................... 50 Private Piano Lessons..........................................................................................54

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Curriculum Descriptions Lower School (Grades 1–4) The Lower School program offers courses in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and Spanish language as well as instruction in performing and fine arts.

Physical education instructors conduct a developmental program for Lower School boys, and a non-sectarian chapel program stimulates spiritual reflections twice a week. Work with computers begins in first grade, and boys begin taking classes in our computer lab in second grade. There are also computers located in each of our grade-level classrooms.

The study of Spanish begins in first grade, and in fourth grade we combine language arts, social studies, and study skills to form our humanities classes. Throughout the Lower School program, an effort is made to develop strong character, leadership, life skills, and study skills. Maintaining concentration, working well both independently and as a member of a group, persevering when confronted with difficulty, learning from mistakes, and enjoying work that is well done are emphasized daily. Experiences structured to strengthen both character and intellect are integral parts of the early years at St. Mark’s.

The academic program in Lower School is determined through the cooperative efforts of faculty and administration and is reviewed annually. The Lower School faculty meets each week to discuss a variety of specific matters and concerns relating to the overall program. The Head of Lower School coordinates these efforts, looks after the welfare of the Lower School boys, facilitates communication between the School and parents, and supervises Lower School activities.

PROGRESS REPORTS Lower School faculty members assess students’ progress without using letter grades. Formal communication about a child’s academic accomplishments and general growth and behavior occurs three times each year when teachers provide written narrative comments ,and parents discuss their son’s progress with a core faculty member.

Faculty members often provide informal verbal and written information to parents. The communications between teachers and parents generate a clearer sense of each child.

Conference times help to ensure that we share a common understanding about our goals for the boys.

Homework & Daily Routine Homework is a regular expectation for boys in first through fourth grade; it is given to establish good study skills and responsibility. In first and second grade, it is almost exclusively a review of material and skills learned in class. In third and fourth grade, homework more often calls for greater independence, and there are more long-term assignments. First graders will generally have 20–30 minutes of homework, and the expected homework time gradually increases to 75–90 minutes for boys in fourth grade.

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A consistent daily/weekly routine is very beneficial for most children. Boys need guidance in managing afterschool time and responsibilities, and in establishing a ­regular place and time for homework. They also need unstructured time each day for play. It is a rare student who can successfully and happily handle more than two regularly scheduled activities per week after school. It is also essential that growing boys have a nourishing breakfast each day and a consistent, appropriate bedtime on school nights.

TESTING Most testing at school consists of teacher-devised evaluations administered to a group of students. In addition, third- and fourth-grade boys take standardized tests in academic areas and physical education. The academic test results are reported to parents. While the School considers the long-term observations by its faculty more accurate in tracing growth, standardized tests provide one means of comparing an individual boy’s achievement with that of students elsewhere. Standardized tests are also an additional source of information about a child’s learning.

Occasionally, the School will suggest individual testing of a student (for example, when a learning difference is suspected), which is usually administered by a psychologist. Parents may initiate a request for such testing regarding academic or other matters by contacting their child’s teacher or the Head of Lower School.

EXTRA HELP To accomplish their academic goals in the Lower School, some boys will be offered short-term extra help after school, which is normally supervised by the boy’s regular teacher.

In a few cases, the School may recommend that a student receive longer-term private tutoring, or parents may choose this option on their own. When tutoring takes place, it is essential that the classroom teacher communicate regularly with the tutor. Summer work with a tutor is sometimes necessary for boys who will benefit from additional assistance. In these cases, the School may require a written report from the instructor at the conclusion of the course.

BOYS EXPERIENCING ACADEMIC DIFFICULTY Nearly all of our boys experience success with their academic work. Any child, however, may experience a period of time when the School program is particularly challenging. If problems arise, parents and teachers meet to further explore the difficulty and to develop an appropriate plan of action. The Head of Lower School often joins these discussions.

Occasionally, however, the School feels compelled to suggest that the parents consider a different school setting for their boy or have him repeat a grade at St. Mark’s. In each case, close and comprehensive communication forms the basis for evaluation of a student’s progress before any decisions are made.

LOWER SCHOOL LIBRARY The Lower School librarian organizes classes once a week for boys in each grade. The librarian encourages boys to read a wide range of books and promotes the life-long habit of reading for recreation and information seeking. Lessons provide the necessary skills for independent use of libraries.

Students in all grade levels are trained to search the online electronic catalog for library materials. With students in the first grade, the librarian shares literature related to various subjects taught in the classroom. These titles include classics, folklore, current publications, and Caldecott winners.

The students also learn the difference between fiction and non-fiction books and how to locate them in the library. The second graders learn the arrangement of non-fiction books, review the use of the online electronic catalog, and are introduced to a few of our online subscription databases.

In the third grade, the boys continue to hone their research skills using the online catalog and our subscription databases. The boys also begin to learn how to evaluate websites on the Internet. Marksmen are introduced to the reference section of the library and learn how to use the resources found there. The third and fourth graders participate in the Texas Bluebonnet Award program. The fourth grade uses the library throughout the year to work on research projects related to the humanities and to the science and Spanish curricula. They use previously learned skills to find information in both print and electronic resources. During each grade level’s weekly library time, all students may check out library books to take home. Parents are encouraged to check out additional books for their children at any time.

Middle School (Grades 5 –8) The program in the Middle School is arranged by departments to offer a planned sequence of courses which teach basic skills. Humanities, foreign language, mathematics, and science courses are required to be taken in sequence, though some students in the same grade may be placed at a different level in the foreign language or mathematics sequences. Fine arts courses are required at every level as well as daily physical education or athletics.

The individuals and groups responsible for the Middle School academic program strive to teach strong study skills as they reinforce the fundamentals already learned and introduce many more advanced courses. The Head of Middle School works closely with teachers, advisors, class sponsors, and administrators to see that each boy profits richly from his Middle School years.

PROGRESS REPORTS Throughout the year, teachers write comments reporting the academic progress of their students. Boys in seventh and eighth grade receive grades in addition to faculty comments and are eligible for the Honor Roll by earning the following grades: Honor Roll — B average or better. The student may have one C, but there must be a compensating A in another subject.

High Honor Roll — All A’s, or all A’s and one B. The Humanities grade is counted twice because the course meets for a double period and the material covered is equivalent to two classes.

Students who earn a place on the Honor Roll are placed on study hall release for the trimester, giving them the opportunity to study anywhere on campus during their normal study hall periods. Grades and comments should stimulate thorough discussion between parents and their son. Scheduled advisor days give parents the opportunity to meet with their son’s advisor to discuss the student’s academic standing, as well as his all-around success in the Middle School.

homework A certain amount of homework is required in each Middle School subject. To be prepared for each day’s classroom experience, a boy must conscientiously complete his assignments, both written and unwritten. The wise Middle Schooler will schedule a regular time period of several hours each day for homework preparation. In fifth and sixth grade, a boy can expect 20–30 minutes of homework per academic subject each night, as well as an ongoing outside reading book every two weeks. Seventh and eighth graders can expect 30–40 minutes per academic subject each night.

Good use of study hall will give boys more free time during their evenings.

TESTING A “test” differs from a “quiz” in that a test requires special preparation beyond the normal night’s assignment, while a quiz covers material a student should know from having conscientiously completed his homework. Teachers give students at least three days notice of a test, and

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such a boy find the right academic setting for his particular needs. Though most developmental problems are discovered in Lower School, there is still an occasional boy who is asked to repeat a grade. These boys are usually thought to have the potential for success at St. Mark’s but are slow in forming some of the developmental skills necessary for the School’s rigorous academic program.

MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY

normally, students take no more than two tests on the same day. Though end-of-term exams are usually not given to Middle Schoolers, they often have a number of major tests at the end of each trimester. Eighth graders, however, do have scheduled exams in May which count 10–20 percent of the grade for those courses in which they are given. In addition to tests which originate in the classroom, the E.R.B. (Educational Records Bureau) examination is the standardized test given in the Middle School and reported to parents at an advisor conference.

boys experiencing academic difficulty Students who are experiencing difficulty in an academic subject should meet with their teachers for extra assistance.

If the teacher and student feel that more help is needed, a request may be made to the Head of Middle School for a student tutor. Student tutors are academically successful Upper Schoolers who volunteer their time to assist Middle Schoolers once or twice a week during their study hall. At times, a student and his parents may feel that he needs a professional tutor. The Head of Middle School should be informed or contacted for recommendations. In the case of a suspected learning difficulty, the School’s Counseling Office may recommend diagnostic testing. Based on the testing, appropriate accommodations and recommendations will be implemented. Each year, several boys are asked to attend summer courses to strengthen their academic standing. When the School requires this type of work, it is necessary for students to supply the Head of Middle School with a progress report from the teacher at the end of the course.

Most boys adjust to Middle School at St. Mark’s responsibly and successfully. However, there are always a few boys during the four-year period to whom the School does not offer re-enrollment. These decisions usually follow a period of monitoring after the student begins to have problems.

When it is decided not to offer re-enrollment, it is because the School does not feel that the student is responding well to the St. Mark’s program and that he would have a more positive academic experience in an environment that is less strenuous for him. The School is always willing to help

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The Middle School Library Program represents an integral part of the academic life of the School. Although students use the library to enrich their studies in all classes, most formal Middle School library and information retrieval instruction is integrated with the Humanities curriculum. Students receive Green Library orientation at the beginning of fifth grade and library instruction throughout the academic year. After fifth grade, further instruction is sequential and related to Humanities or other classroom projects. Before each research assignment, students meet with the librarians and the classroom teacher to learn new library and information retrieval and usage skills. Fifth and sixth graders learn to use the sophisticated electronic catalog to locate curriculum-related and recreational books. They learn the proper use of general reference books, such as encyclopedias, biographical sources, almanacs, atlases, and dictionaries. For periodical research, sixth graders learn to use the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature and online periodical databases. Seventh graders focus on Texas history sources and online periodical databases to produce two major research papers. Online databases available to students include subscription services to hundreds of magazine, newspaper, encyclopedia, and topic databases. Eighth graders continue to hone their research skills as they pursue research in science and the humanities as well as the debate topic of the year.

The three professional librarians not only teach students to locate information from print and computer sources, but also to critically evaluate the information so that they can use it intelligently.

Curriculum Requirements & Selections The Middle School follows a required schedule of courses in humanities, science, mathematics, and foreign languages.

Fifth and sixth graders are required to take Exploring Asia and Spanish, while seventh and eighth graders are given a choice of Chinese, Latin, or Spanish to study. All students take a one trimester computer applications course.

The choices in Middle School are in finea rts and, in seventh and eighth grade, physical education and foreign language. The School recommends that each boy take at least one course in each area of the arts (music, drama, art, industrial arts) at some time in the Middle School. Middle schoolers choose the following:

Grades 5 & 6 • The equivalent of one- and two-thirds years of fine arts courses from the full-year and trimester courses offered.

Grades 7 & 8 • One full-year fine arts course or three trimester courses.

• A sport or physical education for each of the Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons.

• The recommended mathematics course (by the mathematics department).

• A foreign language.

A new seventh or eighth grader with no foreign language experience should sign up for one of the following courses: Latin IA, Mandarin Chinese IA, MS Introduc­tory Spanish (seventh and eighth grade), or US Introduction to Spanish (eighth grade only with Department Chair permission).

NOTE: Though an attempt is made to honor all fine arts selections, it is sometimes necessary to assign a student to a different trimester course than he requests. Likewise, several sports have limited enrollment, and a student may not always receive his first choice. A typical course meets 45 minutes a day for either four or five days a week. Fifth and sixth graders normally have 3–5 periods of scheduled study hall time per week. Students are urged to make their selections carefully. Courses may not be changed after the first ten days of class.

MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARDS General Academic Honors • Honor Certificates to fifth and sixth graders for exceptional work in a subject.

• Special recognition for recipients of Honors Certificates in all academic subjects.

• Seventh and eighth grade Honor Roll.

• Seventh and eighth grade High Honor Roll.

• Special Recognition Awards at each grade level in each subject.

Seventh Grade Award • Hunt Silcock Award for academics, athletics, and character.

Eighth Grade Awards • Athlete of the Year Award for outstanding sportsmanship and ability in sports.

• Outstanding Scholar Award for aptitude and mastery of all academic subjects.

• Middle School Cup for outstanding performance in academics, athletics, and fine arts and for representing the values and ideals that St. Mark’s strives to instill in its students.

Upper School (Grades 9 –12) St. Mark’s graduation requirements go well beyond the required curriculum for college admission. Students may also take additional courses each term to add depth in areas of special interest. Boys should aspire to the most challenging program of study they can successfully undertake. This goal is discussed yearly between families and each boy’s advisor.

A boy’s Upper School program includes required and elective courses, physical education or sports, community service, and optional extracurricular activities.

The Committee on the Academic Program supervises the academic program of the School. Questions or concerns should be raised with the Head of Upper School or the Director of Academic Information Systems.

Graduation Requirements Students must successfully complete the equivalent of 18 full-year liberal, fine arts, and elective courses, physical education or sports, community service, the Pecos Wilderness Experience, the Senior Exhibition, and optional extracurricular activities. Distribution requirements include: • 12 credits of English • 9 credits of social studies: Foundations of World Societies, The Modern World, U.S. History • 9 credits of laboratory science, including Biology • 9 credits of mathematics, but not less than completion of Algebra II • 9 credits of one foreign language, but not less than completion of Level III equivalent • 3 credits of fine arts • 3 credits of elective courses • 4 years of physical education or athletics (seniors are exempt from P.E. or athletics if they pass the Physical Fitness Test.)

Students in the Upper School must satisfy the following co-curricular requirements: • 15 hours of Community Service during each school year.

• Completion of the Pecos Wilderness Experience (required for all students entering St. Mark’s in ninth grade).

• Satisfactory completion of the Senior Exhibition.

Additionally, a student must achieve a cumulative Upper School grade point average of 2.0 or better to be eligible to graduate from the School.

Course Selections Courses are listed by department. A typical course meets 45 minutes a day, five days a week. Instructors may choose to meet four-out-of-five days a week for tutorial and work days as needed to meet course and departmental objectives.

Science classes add one 45-minute lab period weekly.

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Scheduling

Grades and Reports

1. Students must carry a minimum of four credit courses each trimester as well as P.E. or Athletics; more than 5 courses require the permission of the Head of School.

2. Students should not take more than two courses (including tutorials) simultaneously in the same department or from the same teacher.

3. Four full-credit, graded courses are required to be considered for the Honor Roll.

4. Academic Tutorials are not graded but earn credit and become one of the courses on a student’s schedule.

5. Extracurricular activities can take a great deal of time and should be considered in scheduling (e.g. debate, publications, elected office).

6. Under-enrollment or other reasons may cause an elective course to be canceled.

7. Students are asked to rank their course selections in order of preference. When a conflict occurs, every effort is made to schedule courses that are ranked highest.

8. Students are asked to list a second choice for those courses marked by a circle (•). The alternate course must be comparable to the first choice course in length, weight (credit or non credit), and trimester. It is acceptable for one- and/or two-term courses to serve as the alternate to one full-year course, other factors being equal. Students should choose alternate courses, which would indeed be acceptable to them and meet the School’s requirements.

Students who choose courses offered at Hockaday must choose an alternate course offered at St. Mark’s.

It is the policy of St. Mark’s School of Texas that grading be used for three specific purposes: to provide the student with an accurate assessment of his performance in specific courses; to assist the student in learning the skills and content of various disciplines; and to encourage the student to put forth his best effort in the classroom.

The School recognizes that student evaluation varies widely among grade levels, areas of study, specific courses, and teachers. While no specific system is prescribed, teachers are advised to employ procedures that encourage honesty, that are easily understood, and that are compatible with the School’s rigorous academic program. All teachers should communicate the specifics of their grading systems and the role that evaluation will play in their respective courses to their students in clear and certain terms.

Grades are reported at the middle and end of each trimester. Teacher comments are posted online three times a year for normal, year-long courses. Parents will be notified when the comments are available on the School’s secure web portal. Students should discuss these reports with their parents. As questions arise, boys should talk to their teachers. In addition, grades are recorded to transcripts after the course is completed, and G.P.A. is calculated only on final transcript grades. Further inquiries may be made to advisors, department chairs, and the Head of School.

Parents are strongly urged to attend conferences with their son’s advisor on Advisor Days. The best experience is achieved when the student, the parents, and the advisor communicate regularly.

Course Changes and Withdrawals Students may request course changes during the first ten class days of the term in which the courses in question start. As a student considers these changes, he must consult with the Department Chair, his instructor, and his parents.

When the Department Chair agrees that the course may be changed or dropped, the student must procure a Course Change Form from the Upper School Office. Signatures are required before submitting the request to the Head of Upper School. Requests are then reviewed by the Head of School for appropriateness.

After the deadline has passed, exceptions to course change requirements are very rare and are granted only at the discretion of the Head of School. Such exceptions will be noted “WP” (withdrew passing) or “WF” (withdrew failing) on the student’s transcript, unless a department chair initiates the course change or the Head of Upper School determines the course change to be necessary and in the student’s best interest.

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Homework Homework is required in each Upper School subject. To be prepared for each day’s classroom experience, a boy must conscientiously complete his assignments, both written and unwritten. Upper School students should schedule a regular time period of several hours each day for homework preparation. Daily assignments in each academic course should require between 35 and 45 minutes in the Upper School, with the aggregate homework time per course per week in the Upper School not to exceed three and one-half hours.

Good use of study hall periods, tutorial time, and help sessions will give boys more free time during their evenings and allow them to work individually with instructors should difficulty arise.

Grading The School uses a simple letter system for awarding grades: A = High Honors (4.0) B = Honors (3.0) C = Competent (2.0) D = Acceptable for credit (1.0) F = No credit I = Incomplete P = Pass (no G.P.A. points) Courses designated Honors (H) or Advanced Placement (AP) carry a weighted grade in recognition of the extra work required: A = 5.0, B = 3.75, C = 2.5, D = 1.25 Grades are not recorded on a transcript until the end of a course.

Honor Rolls An academic report with all A’s, and no more than one B, qualifies a boy for the High Honor Roll. A report with all B’s (one C is permitted if there is a compensating A) qualifies for the Honor Roll. In either case, a boy must be taking at least four graded courses; Pass/Fail courses do not contribute to Honor Roll requirements.

Honors and Advanced Placement Each spring, department chairs ask their teachers for nominations to Honors and Advanced Placement sections.

Students must read and abide by each department’s criteria and selection process in the course descriptions in the catalog. Students will be informed of their nomination by their advisors. Students are encouraged but not required to accept nominations. Boys should consult with their advisors or the Head of School concerning their total load, particularly if they are considering several AP or Honors courses or have other heavy commitments of time and energy in mind. All AP Exams are voluntary. Though teachers may encourage students to take the exams, students are not required to do so. Students are expected to give their best effort on each AP exam they take. AP classes, complete with evaluations and grades, will continue to meet until the end of the term, and a final evaluation is a requirement for students in all AP courses.

Students who are new to St. Mark’s take placement tests in mathematics and foreign language upon admission.

Generally, entering students are not placed into Honors or AP courses. However, if a new student wishes to be considered, he may apply for an Honors or AP course through the Head of School. The Head of School, in consultation with the appropriate Department Chair, will make a determination of the request before the beginning of the new academic school year.

Testing Students encounter a variety of tests, papers, reports, and quizzes. “Tests,” “reports,” and “papers” imply preparation beyond a normal night’s assignment. “Quizzes” address only material covered by a conscientious night’s homework preparation. Teachers give students at least three days notice of a test, and longer for reports and papers; such long-term assignments are the equivalent of a test for scheduling purposes. Students take no more than two tests per day. Major tests, papers, and projects are posted on the School’s website for student consultation. Students should see the Head of School when the “two-test” policy conflicts with an individual’s work load. Scheduled examinations in most subjects are given at the end of the third trimester.

Certain standardized tests are given as well:

Ninth Grade • ERB – CTP4 testing – standardized achievement and reasoning test • SAT Subject Tests as appropriate for college entrance requirements

Tenth Grade • PSAT for practice only; no score is recorded.

• SAT Subject Tests as appropriate for college entrance requirements

Eleventh Grade • PSAT no score is recorded, but the result is used to qualify for the National Merit Scholars program • SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject Tests as appropriate for college entrance requirements • ACT with Writing as appropriate for college entrance requirements • AP (Advanced Placement) Tests as appropriate

Twelfth Grade • SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject Tests as appropriate for college entrance requirements • ACT with Writing as appropriate for college entrance requirements.

• AP (Advanced Placement) Tests as appropriate.

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Re-Enrollment Each year, a few boys are not offered re-enrollment.

These decisions are made by the Headmaster and the Head of School after discussions with teachers, advisors, and parents and follow a period of monitoring after the student begins to have problems. When re-enrollment is not offered, it is because the School feels that the student is not matched well or responding well to St. Mark’s. Such decisions are based on a thorough review of students at each grade level.

Boys Experiencing ACADEMIC difficulty

Failed and Repeated Courses

Most students adjust to the Upper School curriculum very successfully. However, there are times when students require special attention and support. There are several programs that are intended to promote greater confidence, clearer focus on academics, and remedial or supplemental instruction.

Students are cautioned that, in the case of a failed course, the Head of School may withdraw the School’s offer of reenrollment. Alternatively, a boy may be required to do summer work or to repeat the course. In such a case, only the second grade will be used in computing the G.P.A., and the transcript will include the notation, “RF” (Repeated Failing).

In cumulative disciplines such as math and foreign language, the Head of School may also require a boy to improve his skills before continuing his course of study at the next level. Some students will do required summer work; others will be assigned to repeat the course. Students who repeat a passed course receive only one credit. Only the second grade will be used in computing the G.P.A., and the transcript will include the notation, “RP” (Repeated Passing).

• Teachers as tutors: St. Mark’s faculty expects and enjoys the opportunity to work individually with students who are experiencing temporary difficulty with assignments or new concepts. Students are expected to use their free periods to make and keep extra-help appointments. Some teachers also offer regularly scheduled help sessions outside the School day.

• Professional tutors: The Head of School will recommend professional tutors for boys whose difficulties lie beyond the scope of teacher or peer assistance. The School expects that the tutor and the teacher will be in contact in order to assure the best approach to a student’s difficulty.

• Professional evaluation: In the case of a suspected learning difficulty, the School’s Counseling Office may recommend diagnostic testing. Based on the testing, appropriate accommodations and recommendations will be implemented.

• Academic Probation: A student will usually be placed on Academic Probation by the Head of School if he earns two or more D’s or one F at any one reporting period. Boys on Academic Probation may be required to attend study halls during their free periods and may not miss academic classes for extracurricular activities.

• Summer work: Some boys are asked to attend summer courses to strengthen their academic preparation.

St. Mark’s does not grant credit for such work but will ask for evidence of summer work before classes begin in the fall.

Pecos Wilderness Trip All boys entering the ninth grade are required to go on a school-sponsored trip to the Pecos Wilderness for 10 days in August prior to the opening of school. No boys may miss the Pecos Trip without advance permission from the Pecos sponsor and the Head of School or the Headmaster. Only exceptionally compelling circumstances will earn an excuse.

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Academic Tutorials Students wishing to gain academic experience in a particular area not covered in the curriculum may do so by submitting a tutorial application to the Head of Upper School three weeks before an academic term.

A tutorial may not serve as a substitute for a course in the curriculum, nor may it serve to rectify a conflict in a student’s schedule. To apply for a tutorial, a student should speak to the Head of Upper School about procedures and requirements and ask for an application. The Head of Upper School approves or rejects all tutorial applications and may initiate a standard of accountability during a student’s tutorial experience. Initiated by the student, a tutorial is normally approved for one trimester only, though a student may reapply at the end of each trimester for an extension. Tutorials usually are pass/fail and receive credit and are recorded on student transcripts. The tutorial does not carry a weighted or honors credit and is not calculated into the cumulative G.P.A. Some tutorials approved in the past few years include specialized study in bacteriology, creative writing, drama, visual art, and other specific academic and artistic areas; assisting a teacher with regular course planning, grading, and tutoring; and study at other educational institutions.

Tutorials are normally approved during the spring at about the time the Course Selections are due. Students should sign up for courses without assuming they will take a tutorial and then alter their course choices if the tutorial is approved.

Academic Seminars

Special Senior Notices

Seminars are courses of study meant to offer opportunities for learning outside of areas already covered by the core course curriculum. Academic seminar offerings are designed by a cadre of interdisciplinary faculty. These offerings allow the team of teachers to teach in a less formal way than a regular course as seminars operate by initiating and developing purposeful, intense discussions that constitute the basis of instruction.

Understood to be an additional area of study to a normal schedule for teachers and students alike, seminars are expected to assign relatively little homework on most nights. Students agree to read and prepare materials in advance of the course. For example, students who wish to apply for a full-year course will read the required materials during the summer prior to the fall start of the course.

Initiated by the faculty, a seminar may be a full year or trimester-based course. Seminars are pass/fail, receive credit, and are recorded on student transcripts. The seminar does not carry a weighted or honors credit and is not calculated into the cumulative G.P.A. Open to all rising juniors and seniors except those taking six academic courses.

1. Pass/Fail — Seniors may take one non-required course each term on a Pass/Fail basis. The request to do so must be made within the 10-day period allowed for course changes. Forms with which to make this request are available in the Upper School office. The Head of School determines which requests will be approved. Once a request is approved, it cannot be changed.

2. Senior Failures—Seniors must receive passing grades in all courses taken during their senior year in order to graduate. The Head of School may, at his option, permit a student to make up failing grades in a way acceptable to the Head, Headmaster, and the department involved.

Such an arrangement may or may not restore a student’s eligibility to receive a diploma and/or to participate in graduation exercises at the discretion of the Headmaster.

3. Senior Exhibition—The Senior Exhibition is the performance of a special talent, skill, or interest made to one or two grade levels and the faculty. Senior Exhibitions may include speeches, chapel talks, musical performances, or other presentations as approved by the Headmaster and the Head of Upper School. Students plan for their exhibition in the spring of their junior year. A date and venue are assigned by the Upper School office.

4. Senior Spring Project—A senior may apply for a Spring Project during the second term if his cumulative and current G.P.A. is 2.8 or better and if he has not received any D’s and is in good citizenship standing. A Spring Project permits a senior to pursue a special interest on or off campus in place of one or more of his academic classes (except AP courses and courses required to meet distribution requirements for graduation). For example, a senior might work in a law office, intern at a newspaper, study with a teacher on a particular topic, or follow other vocational or intellectual interests. This project must meet the criteria set out in the Senior Project Application and must be approved by the Spring Project Committee.

Satisfactory completion of an approved Senior Project is a graduation requirement. Questions should be directed to the Head of Upper School.

5. Senior Final Assessment—All seniors are required to complete year-long courses in an effective and meaningful way. To that end, teachers of senior courses will generate culminating activities unless the course is a one- or two-trimester class. The activity is meant to be a creative collaboration between teacher and student.

Some possible culminating activities are panel debates, take-home essays, power point demonstrations, oral defenses, and video presentations, or teachers and seniors may opt for an objective comprehensive test.

Whatever the activity, its goals are to encourage class and student integrity, to maintain a higher level of interest through the end of the academic year, to explore a creative response to course work, and to bring closure to the class.

library The Cecil and Ida Green Library and the Lower School Library serve as centers for academic research, writing, and recreational reading. The libraries’ combined collections include 55,000 printed volumes, 20,000 e-books, over 110 periodical titles, 3,200 historical microfilm reels, DVD’s, audiobooks, computers, and online information subscriptions to over 4,000 electronic publications: magazines, newspapers, books, and research databases. The libraries’ electronic catalog is a sophisticated automation system.

The libraries have computer stations available to students, faculty, and staff. Students also can access the LIONS (Library Information Online System) and subscription databases, via the Library Web Page, from any computer on campus, and from home. The libraries provide patrons with quiet study environments for research, homework, and recreational reading. Three professional librarians are faculty members with extensive teaching experience, and each holds a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. The librarians teach Internet and other library and information literacy skills in conjunction with classroom assignments. A library administrative assistant provides circulation and program support.

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COORDINATE COURSES St. Mark’s and The Hockaday School have a number of coordinate courses available to Upper School students on both campuses. These courses consist of offerings not available at the “home” school. Students interested in enrolling for a course at Hockaday must register for the course at St. Mark’s during the spring course selection process.

Students who do not register for the course at that time will not be allowed to enroll after classes begin. Further, students who register for courses at Hockaday must indicate an alternate course at St. Mark’s in case of conflict. Class offering limitations are based on 1) scheduling conflicts, 2) class size set by Hockaday, and 3) graduation requirements.

If the course is over-enrolled, students will be registered for the course on a lottery basis. Course curriculum, grades, prerequisites, limitations, and requirements are set by the School where the student is taking the course; however, transcripts will only state the course name, teacher name, and the grade assigned. St. Mark’s provides transportation to Hockaday, and St. Mark’s students are required to use it.

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English Lower School The Lower School Language Arts program emphasizes skills in reading, writing, and speaking. In first grade, students are taught to put spoken language into written form. Then in-class lessons expand and reinforce skills in the areas of composition, handwriting, and spelling.

Students develop into independent readers with good silentreading comprehension. A phonetic approach to reading and spelling is used primarily but not to the exclusion of other methods. Language arts classes in second, third, and fourth grades develop previously taught skills along with a wide range of new skills and a continuing emphasis on reading comprehension, composition (including proofreading and summarizing), vocabulary-building, grammar, and spelling. Organizational and study skills are also emphasized, and throughout the language arts program, children are exposed to good literature. In fourth grade, students begin our humanities program. This combination of language arts, social studies, and study skills is developmentally appropriate for the boys, and it helps prepare them for further humanities work in Middle School.

middle School See Humanities section for Middle School courses.

Upper School Upper School English courses reinforce and expand students’ abilities to read, think, write, and speak well.

Classes are mostly discussions, although teachers may present some background material in lectures. Teachers ask, and teach students to ask, increasingly complex questions about literature of several kinds: poetry, short stories, novels, plays, and essays. By helping students discover the wisdom preserved in texts, teachers encourage students to develop full, meaningful and ethical lives. They should be able not only to articulate their ideas about life in creative and original ways, but also to support these ideas by cogent reasoning from textual evidence. While junior and senior electives are organized thematically, the required courses generally include some literature that complements the Social Studies curriculum, as well as other works that appeal to and expand students’ interests.

Upper School students complete frequent writing assignments that demand complexity of thought, compelling narrative and descriptive techniques, and increasing sophistication of style. These assignments include peer review and required revision. In addition, at each grade level, every student writes a departmental essay, a coordinated writing project assigned to all students in a particular grade. The departmental essay for each grade is as follows: Grade 9 – a literary analysis: the art of textual explication

Grade 10 – a family history: making sense of one’s personal history Grade 11 – an argument: writing to persuade and refute (a personal essay suitable for a college application) Grade 12 – a literary researched essay: incorporating secondary sources to blend analysis and argument By the end of each year, every student in a particular grade should have written at least one successful departmental essay.

Students take the English courses corresponding to their grade levels. During junior and senior years, students choose either an AP class or the one-trimester required non-AP course plus two English 11/12 Complementary Courses. These complementary courses allow a student to concentrate on or to expand his interest in literature and writing. AP students may choose English complementary courses in addition to AP classes.

Guidance for Students Selecting AP Courses At the ends of 10th and 11th grades, students may continue with English 11 and 12, or they may select AP English 11 or AP English 12. Before selecting an AP course, students should feel confident that they have consistently met, and will continue to meet, these criteria: • Demonstrate excellence as a critical reader and expository writer • Bring to class a keen appreciation for wonders of the written word • Thrive in an environment that not only expects but also requires students to educate themselves independently of pedagogical prompting • Display a genuine, pure interest in learning.

• Prove to be not just able but eager to face academic and intellectual challenges • Final selection into AP is subject to review by the Department Chair Students should list several courses and prioritize preferences.

English 9 Grade 9 | Full Year English 9 is an introduction to the formal study of literature. In addition to reading, discussing, and writing extensively, students engage in ongoing vocabulary study.

Writing assignments encourage critical thinking, problem solving, and creative expression. Readings that complement the ninth-grade history curriculum are Julius Caesar, The Odyssey, The Prince, and Murder in the Cathedral. Other representative readings are Of Mice and Men, The Old Man and the Sea, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Siddhartha, Introduction to the Short Story, and selected poetry and essays.

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English 10

English 12: Literature and Research

Grade 10 | Full year

Grade 12 | 1 Trimester

English 10 emphasizes the development of close reading, interpretive and critical thinking skills, and thoughtful writing. Daily readings complement frequent vocabulary and writing assignments, which include descriptive, narrative, and analytical expository essays along with creative poetry and short fiction. In addition, each student writes a major research paper that explores his family’s history.

Representative readings include A Separate Peace, Othello, Brave New World, Life of Pi, A Soldier of the Great War, Crime and Punishment, and selected poetry and essays.

Required of all non-AP seniors, this course extends the students’ familiarity with the literary canon and guides their locating and applying critical sources to compose a literary researched essay. During the trimester, students analyze and then enhance, compare, or counter the interpretations of published scholars with their own insights and analysis. In the process, they gain facility in using the print resources and online databases available both in Green Library and on college campuses. By helping students structure complex arguments supported by multiple sources, the course affords them opportunity to create mature, polished scholarship. Vocabulary study further extends their command of spoken and written English. Students read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Heart of Darkness, Hamlet, poetry, and critical essays. In addition to benefiting from the common experience of this traditional course, non-AP seniors complete their English studies by taking two English electives in which they apply their skills to course specific forms of literature.

English 11: American Literature Grade 11 | 1 Trimester Required of all non-AP eleventh graders, this course develops competence in literary analysis and in the personal essay. Literary analysis involves problem-solving and associative logic while personal writing involves working with narrative and descriptive techniques; both require creativity. By asking students to use both forms of writing, the course urges students to develop their reading and thinking skills and to derive satisfaction from stating their views with exactness, conciseness, and accuracy. On-going work in vocabulary helps students speak and write with increasing precision, and a speech unit encourages effective public speaking. Most of the literary selections come from American literature to complement juniors’ study of American history. These works include Matterhorn, Macbeth, The Great Gatsby, poetry, and perhaps Death of a Salesman or Catcher in the Rye. In addition to English 11, non-AP juniors complete their eleventh-grade English studies by taking two courses from the slate of English electives.

AP English Language and Composition Grade 11 | Full Year Intended for students who are passionate about the written word and have demonstrated excellence in reading and writing, this course offers elaborate examination of verbal artistry in works of fiction, essays, drama, and poetry. While the course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Examination in Language and Composition, its focus is the continued exploration of identity as presented in mostly American works. Units of study culminate in a variety of compositions: analysis, research, timed writings, narratives, and creative writing.

Representative readings include Leaves of Grass, The Tales of Hawthorne, Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby, Macbeth, As I Lay Dying, The Shipping News, A Confederacy of Dunces, and The Stranger. Students also complete a public-speaking unit.

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AP English Literature and Composition Grade 12 | Full Year Students who choose to enroll in AP English Literature should have a strong interest in literary analysis and in the exploration of ideas. They should expect to read widely and adventurously, to contribute frequently to the serious discussion of literature in class, and to write extensively in a variety of forms, including analytical and synthesis essays, poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Students in this class learn a broad range of techniques that help them to develop a unique voice and style and to convey their ideas with precision and elegance. They will also learn to write on a college level and will gain practice in literary research methods. One important objective of the course is to prepare students to take the Advanced Placement Examination in English Literature and Composition in the spring. Representative readings include Hamlet, Moby Dick, Heart of Darkness, The Crossing, Pride and Prejudice, and King Lear.

Note: Non-AP English 11 and 12 students should select more than two complementary courses and indicate their order of preference.

English 11/12: Fiction from Faraway Places Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester Fiction created beyond the boundaries of the United States and Europe contains a wealth of culture, geography, and insight into the human condition. If we are global citizens, our educations must involve explorations of other

hemispheres, not necessarily because they are better or more important, but because the world has shrunk and we now live with others from distant lands. Ignorance about our neighbors fosters distrust, faulty myths, and even conflict. We should read their works to understand the faraway, not just the familiar and nearby. This course focuses on fiction from Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and the South Pacific. Its purpose is to expose students to non-Western writers and cultures. Although plays, novels, and poetry are the primary materials, class discussions extend beyond purely literary concerns. The format includes student-led discussions, lectures, and films.

Students read and write essays on these literary works.

Representative titles include The Places in Between, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Sputnik Sweetheart, The White Tiger, and Master Harold and the Boys.

English 11/12: Lyric and Lyrics Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester This elective traces the inseparable history of lyric poetry and music using representative examples of each, with a focus on twentieth century innovations and trends.

Students will become familiar with meter, rhythm, tone, and voice in order to evaluate lyricism in poems, songs, and melodies following the examples set by essayists and critics in reputable journals and magazines devoted to the genres. In addition, students will set poems to music and write lyrics for musical pieces that lack them. Yeats, Auden, Larkin, Dylan, Cohen, Waits, Tribe Called Quest may make up the official repertoire, but students’ preferences will weigh heavily in determining selections. Works include The Norton Anthology of Poetry, handouts, and critical essays online.

• English 11/12: Travel Literature from Faraway Places

English 11/12: Science Fiction

Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester

Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester

This course features nonfiction travel accounts of adventures to such areas as Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and the South Pacific. The word “travel” derives from the English word “travail” and the French word “travailler.”

Travel does indeed entail ordeals and work, and good travel, according to Mark Twain, “is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” If we are global citizens, our educations must involve explorations of other hemispheres, not necessarily because they are better or more important, but because the world has shrunk and we now live with others from distant lands. Ignorance about our neighbors fosters distrust, faulty myths, and even conflict. We should read travel adventures to understand the faraway, not just the familiar and nearby. Representative works include Jupiter’s Travels, The White Nile, The Incredible Voyage, Tracks, The Great Railway Bazaar, Into the Wild, and Three Cups of Tea.

This elective introduces the range of stories offered up as science fiction over the last two hundred years, but predominantly from the post-World War II era. Students may read examples of scientific romances of the 19th century, space opera and Golden Age fiction, hard sci-fi and New Age experimentalism, as well as more recent magical realism, cyberpunk, and dystopian stories. Discussion requires knowledge of American and world history, of authors’ backgrounds, and of current events. Required essays and in-class writings will explore the works and their themes’ reflection in the real world. Representative works include: The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester, Starship Troopers

by Robert A. Heinlein, On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony; “Deeper Than the Darkness,” by Harlan Ellison, and Midnight Nation by J. Michael Straczynski.

• English 11/12 Short Fiction Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester This course gives students the time and the tools to work creatively to develop stories that matter to them. The class studies the craft of short story masters in order to develop stylistic techniques and to explore experimental forms.

Material and inspiration also come from music, painting, poems, philosophy, and the stuff of our lives. We work to pry words from banal, merely utilitarian associations in order to arrange them into fresh interesting combinations that breathe added life into our stories, moving our writing from “craft” to “art.” A typical text is The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction.

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• English 11/12: Literature & Philosophy I Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester

English 11/12: Contemporary Fiction Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester This course explores the value of recent fiction both to individuals and to society, thus seeking to determine how contemporary fiction fits into current political, cultural, historical, and philosophical trends. Texts selected by the teacher will consist of works written in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The students will select one text.

Representative materials include Lee by Tito Perdue, Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, The Gathering by Anne Enright, Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler, and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.

English 11/12: The Bible as Literature Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester Particularly looking through the lens of genre, this course examines the Bible as one of the world’s great literary texts. Studies include the tragedies of Saul and Job, the epic story of Moses, the comedic action of creation, and the lyric present in Psalms and Song of Solomon. As part of their studies, students consider the relationship of additional literary and cinematic texts in order to understand ways in which they both employ Biblical sources and reveal authors’ purposes. Texts include the Bible, The Bible as Literature: A Reader, and various films.

• English 11/12: Gender Studies Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester This course offers students an opportunity to investigate the issues of gender relations, gender stereotypes, and gender biases. Students study fiction, non-fiction, and a variety of media forms with the specific intent of identifying and understanding the various gender issues suggested within the works. As part of their investigations, students write expository essays and creative pieces, including a personal philosophy essay. Representative readings are Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Needs of Boys, Men and Women in Conversation: You Just Don’t Understand, Amsterdam, Sula, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and Fight Club.

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Literature and Philosophy I explores the questions of what it means to be, to know, and to live well through reading, discussing, and writing about some vital texts in the history of our civilization. Students read Plato’s Apology of Socrates and discuss the fertile tensions between philosophy and culture, wisdom and ignorance. They then study Kant’s Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals together with Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling to consider the natures of morality, reason, and faith and the extent to which they are in conflict. The course ends with a study of Nietzsche’s The Birth of Tragedy in order to explore whether human reason ultimately reveals or conceals truth and whether philosophy or art is better equipped to reveal truth.

English 11/12: Literature & Philosophy II Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester Literature and Philosophy II explores the questions of what it means to be, to know, and to live well through reading, discussing, and writing upon some vital texts written in the last two centuries. Students read several of Emerson’s essays in order to understand his sense of the authentic self as needing to constantly overcome itself.

Then they will read Lionel Trilling’s Sincerity and Authenticity and Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue and discuss their critiques of the Western ethical tradition as embodied in its literature. Finally, they study and discuss their generous accounts of the virtue ethics tradition from Homer and Aristotle through Jane Austen and Henry James and ask whether this tradition can be resuscitated in our lives today.

Humanities Middle School The Middle School Humanities curriculum is designed to help the student to achieve a global appreciation of people and society and to further develop the student’s reading, writing, speaking, listening, research, and critical-thinking skills. The curriculum offers a series of perspectives from which the student can approach the diversity of human experience. Each year’s study focuses on a set of themes that will allow the student to make connections across cultures, time periods, and academic disciplines in order to broaden his understanding of what it means to be human. Teachers present themselves as generalists who join with students in their quest for knowledge.

Meeting two periods a day, humanities courses intensively develop basic composition and reading skills. Writing instruction focuses on sentences, paragraphs, short essays, poems, and stories. Formal and informal instruction in grammar and usage occurs throughout the curriculum.

Study of literature occurs at all grade levels with special effort to improve comprehension, increase vocabulary, and introduce analyses of character, plot, and theme. By the time a student finishes the eighth grade course, he should have a foundation in both writing and reading that is strong enough to support the advanced work required in the Upper School.

Humanities 5: A National Perspective Grade 5 | Full Year The course focuses on the relationship of people to their nation, with emphasis on the history and geography of the United States from colonial America to the present. It poses the question: Who are we as Americans, as citizens of the United States? Students pursue this inquiry through fiction and non-fiction readings about people of many cultures.

Extensive instruction in vocabulary, grammar, writing, reading, and critical thinking skills complements the thematic studies.

Humanities 7: A Mythical Perspective Grade 7 | Full Year Mythological themes, such as Beginnings, Coming of Age, Heroes, and The Search for Paradise (Endings), inspire the units in this course. Students explore these themes by reading a variety of myths, literary works, and non-fiction, and by relating these universal themes to their own lives and to life in today’s world. The goal is to achieve a better understanding of man and his place in the world, including the student’s own place as a citizen of his city and state.

Intertwined with the study of mythological themes is the study of Texas and Dallas, their histories, geographies, governments, and multicultural heritages During the year, students complete several research projects designed to introduce effective research techniques, including use of the latest technology available to study a related current event. The course emphasizes critical thinking, and expository and creative writing assignments help students improve their expressive capabilities. Study skills, organization, and time management are taught, and a strong emphasis is placed upon enrichment of vocabulary and instruction in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Humanities 8: A Moral Perspective Grade 8 | Full Year

Humanities 6: A World Perspective Grade 6 | Full Year The sixth grade humanities curriculum is designed to give students a foundation upon which to construct a solid understanding of the dynamics of culture and societal institutions while developing skills in the language arts. Students learn effective strategies for critical reading, research, composition, vocabulary, spelling, and grammar through structured activities and weekly writing assignments. Instruction emphasizes the development of effective organizational skills and good habits of scholarship. Working independently and in collaboration with others, students explore the geography and rich heritage of cultural groups in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. In addition to developing an understanding of the interrelationship between human beings and their environments, students begin to recognize features of cultural diffusion as groups make contact with one another through migration, trade, exploration, and conquest. With this strong background in world cultures, together with well-honed thinking and writing skills, students leave the course with an appreciation for human diversity and a solid foundation upon which to build future pursuits in language arts and history.

This course explores questions especially pertinent to young people as they think seriously about themselves and the world in which they live. The questions central to the course are: What makes a good society? What makes a good leader? What makes a good person? What is worth fighting for? Students explore these questions by studying American history in Glencoe’s American Journey and by reading texts such as Huckleberry Finn, Killer Angels, Richard III, Inherit the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, Animal Farm, Lord of the Flies, The Things They Carried, and selections from Poems: American Themes. How these questions appear in the contemporary world is pursued through the use of Time magazine, newspapers, and videos. Since the course also aims to make young men better writers as well as better readers, students work to improve their proficiency by writing both analytical compositions and creative pieces.

The course strongly emphasizes the writing process, and students improve their critical reading and thinking skills by learning to support their ideas both in class discussions and in written essays.

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Science The science curriculum at St. Mark’s is an integrated, intensive, laboratory-oriented program. Skills in critical thinking, reading, and drawing conclusions are drawn from other disciplines, utilized and extended. A wonderful facility complements the program formulated below.

Students make regular visits to the three-climate greenhouse, the planetarium, and the observatory.

Lower School The Lower School Science curriculum provides the boys with the foundations for observing, communicating, measuring, comparing, describing, classifying, predicting, collecting, and interpreting data. It is built to foster curiosity, inventiveness, persistence, and enthusiasm. We want the boys to learn by doing and reflecting. We use materials from a variety of programs to explore the life, earth and space, and physical sciences. In first grade, we look at physical objects and their properties; life cycles, habitats and the classification of plants and animals; the sun and its effect on earth; and rocks, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Our secondgrade curriculum covers interactions and systems; air, water, and ground pollution; and animals and endangered species. In third grade, we formally discuss the use of scientific method. We study the oceans, the sun, other galaxies, black holes, the eye and sight, the senses, the skeletal and digestive systems, and nutrition. Our fourth-grade curriculum covers an in-depth look at each planet in the solar system; we study the earth from its core to the crust. We work with the basic features of matter and motion. In the life science area, fourth graders study the respiratory and circulatory systems of the human body. Fourth graders also learn basic laboratory techniques. In the Lower School, we use our planetarium as a primary tool in the study of astronomy.

Middle School The Middle School Science curriculum is a series of laboratory-oriented disciplines which attempt to bring students and science together in such a manner that each student will gain knowledge and a sense of confidence about his environment. He will be able to analyze unfamiliar situations, consider alternatives, and then decide on a course of action. In this way, students will ultimately learn on their own initiative and develop an active interest in the learning process. There is a balance between the physical and biological sciences and between the descriptive and more quantitative aspects of science. The Middle School science courses are required at the indicated grade levels.

Upper School The Upper School Science curriculum offers a program of studies by which students will gain a basic knowledge of modern scientific principles and ideas and an understanding of the methods and significance of science in contemporary society. There is a three-year laboratory science graduation requirement, and all students must take biology. Students, of course, are encouraged to continue their study of science beyond the three-year requirement. A variety of courses in biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology, environmental science, DNA science, and engineering comprise the basic science curriculum. Students who have the full complement of basic courses may qualify for Advanced Placement courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science. There are some other courses which will appeal to students according to the individual descriptions below. Special activities sponsored by the science department include JETS competitions, the Astronomy Club, U.S. First, Rocket Club, Garden Club, Caduceus, Scientific Marksman, and Biology & Chemistry clubs.

Criteria and Selection Process for AP/Honors Courses Each spring, the department will solicit nominations for placing students in AP courses for the following fall trimester.

Criteria for Nomination: • Students choose, based on recommendations from teachers and personal enthusiasm for the subject, to apply for an AP course.

• Specific AP courses have detailed prerequisites which are outlined under each course in the Course Catalog descriptions. Students must read and meet those prerequisites.

• Students must have demonstrated high and consistent levels of achievement in each of the prerequisites.

Selection to AP: • Final selection into an AP course is subject to review by the Department Chair.

• When the student is nominated for the AP/Honors course, his advisor will be notified so that the student may select the course on his Course Selection Sheet.

Appeal Process: • The student has an option to appeal through the Department Chair.

Science 5: Physical Science Grade 5 | Full Year Science 5 builds on the skills and processes begun in the Lower School Science sequence. Concepts of hypothesis formation and testing, measurement, observation, and

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data collection and processing are developed through class work, laboratory investigations, and special projects. A unit on LEGO robotics allows students to apply design and application skills. Separate units in sex education and fire safety are presented through the year. The development of interest in science is stressed in approaching each topic.

Math and language skills are integrated and reinforced in each unit. Additionally, study and organizational skills are incorporated to help build a strong foundation for success in subsequent courses.

Science 6: Life Science Grade 6 | Full Year Science 6 is a full-year, interdisciplinary course which deals exclusively with living organisms. In this introductory biology course, students learn about evolution, genetics, the diversity of living things, and human systems. Six different dissections, as well as a significant focus on introductory microscopy highlight the laboratory work which is integral to this course.

Science 7: Earth & Space Science Grade 7 | Full Year Science 7 is an introduction to the basis of geology, astronomy, and meteorology. The topics include rocks, minerals, surface processes, oceanography, the universe, space exploration, the solar system, and the elements of weather. A variety of planetarium and laboratory activities enhances these studies.

Science 8: Physics/Chemistry Grade 8 | Full Year Science 8 is an introductory course in physical science designed to equip students with the skills they will use in future science courses. Basic physics and chemistry topics are covered, with an emphasis on specific problem-solving strategies and clear presentation of work. Laboratory experiences will stress measurement, clear presentation of data, hypothesizing, and error analysis. The course also will include several special projects incorporating ideas being studied. These projects will be prepared at home.

Biology Grades 9–11 | Full Year This course covers in-depth the basic biological concepts as they apply to both plants and animals. Emphasis is given to the major biological themes, including cellular structure and function, molecular biology, metabolism, genetics,

evolution, survey of plant and animal phyla, and human anatomy and physiology. Laboratory investigations, outside readings, and projects supplement an intense course of study. Class discussions focus on recent developments in biological science. Students successfully completing this course may take the June Biology SAT Subject Test offered by the College Entrance Examination Board.

† AP Biology Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course is intended for those students seeking Advanced Placement. It is the equivalent of a college freshman course in biology. The course meets six periods per week and features a biochemical approach to the study of life functions. Emphasis is on the basic principles as they apply to both plants and animals. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course with specific mandatory lab investigations. To acquaint students with procedures used by the College Entrance Examination Board, teacher-made tests include both objective and essay questions.

Students will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May. The text is Biology by Neil Campbell, 9th Edition. Prerequisites: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics (Honors grades in Biology and Chemistry). If all other prerequisites have been satisfied, students may take Physics concurrently with AP Biology.

Chemistry Grades 10–12 | Full Year This course provides an introduction to the essential theories and applications of inorganic chemistry at the college-preparatory level. Major topics include atomic theory and periodicity, chemical bonding and compound behavior, equilibrium, acids and bases, and behaviors of gasses, liquids, and solids. The student is asked to share in the excitement of discovery through laboratory experience, and qualitative and quantitative analyses are both required.

Theory and mathematical concepts are highly stressed.

Non-senior students successfully completing this course at the honors level or better may take the June Chemistry SAT II Subject test offered by the College Entrance Examination Board. Prerequisites: Completion of Algebra I and Biology.

2013–2014 Course Catalog 19

• Marine Ecology Grades 10–12 | 1 Trimester – 2nd only

Applied Chemistry Grades 10–12 | Full Year This course covers the basic concepts of chemistry, with emphasis on the qualitative aspects of the material. Students will explore fundamental chemical principles and their applications in industry, research, and society. Students are expected to participate in lecture, discussion, research, and laboratory activities. Prerequisites: Biology and Algebra I. Limitations: Dept. Chair approval required.

† AP Chemistry Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course emphasizes the mathematical and theoretical aspects of inorganic and organic chemistry at the freshman college level. Laboratory work includes first-year college experiments in inorganic chemistry. Students enrolled in this class will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement Chemistry examination in May. Prerequisites: Algebra II, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Physics may be taken concurrently with AP Chemistry to meet the requirement.

This one-trimester course will cover basic concepts in marine ecology that relate to the declining health of world oceans. During the first half of the trimester, students will learn about the ecology of coastal ecosystems as well as marine adaptations and biodiversity. Special interest will be given to coral reefs which contain more plant and animal phyla than any other ecosystem. The second half of the course will focus on the complexity of human-marine interactions. Over half of the world’s human population lives within 50 miles of a coast. The collapse of ocean fisheries during the last 50 years is one of several subjects students will explore in order to learn how important sustainable management of marine resources is to our own well-being.

Prerequisites: Biology.

Physics Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to a mathematical perspective of the world by studying patterns of motion in common and uncommon objects.

Emphasis is equally divided between oral communication and discussion of physical phenomena, and written communication and analysis of physical problems and laboratory experiments. Students study the physical laws governing mechanics, electricity, magnetism, light, sound, and waves.

Assessments used to determine mastery of skills include solving problems, writing lab reports, and short essays, as well as class discussion. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra II and Chemistry.

Conceptual Physics Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year

• Oceanography Grades 10–12 | 1 Trimester – 1st only In this one-trimester course, three-quarters of the Earth’s surface will be explored. The world’s oceans form a single dynamic medium which significantly affects global societies and climate. Students will investigate the geologic aspects of marine environments from the shore to deep sea canyons.

Physical characteristics of seawater will be studied in order to understand how currents and waves function and what their potential for providing alternative energy may be in the near future. Finally, students will delve into modern oceanographic exploration which is uncovering as many unknowns about the undersea world as our space program is revealing in outer space. Students will gain a greater understanding of the complexity of the oceans and the crucial role they play in our survival on earth. Prerequisites: Biology.

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While mathematics is the structural foundation for all of physics’ worldview and understanding, this course emphasizes analytical reasoning and creative thinking.

Students will develop quantitative skills and qualitative reasoning through lecture, collaborative work, and laboratory experiments. When needed, additional time will be devoted to teaching mathematical skills that are prerequisites for Physics. Topics covered include motion, force, energy, momentum, electricity, magnetism, waves, sound, and light.

† AP Physics B Grade 12 | Full Year This course involves the study of the full spectrum of topics presented in college-level physics. The content includes mechanics, fluids, thermodynamics, waves and sound,

electricity, magnetism, optics, modern physics, and nuclear physics. It features problem-solving in both the theoretical and practical, with emphasis on laboratory experience. The course requires knowledge of algebra and trigonometry.

Students taking this course are prepared to take the AP Physics B exam in May. Prerequisites: Physics, concurrently enrolled in Calculus.

† AP Physics C: Mechanics, Electricity, and Magnetism Grade 12 | Full Year The AP Physics C course is designed with the future scientist in mind. Classical and relativistic mechanics are studied in the first half of the year, followed by electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetism in the second half. The workload demands that only students interested in a career in science or engineering sign up for the course. Since mathematics is the language of science, the AP Physics C course speaks most fluently in calculus. Therefore, not only is previous success in physics a must, but the student also must have a strong mathematics background. By the end of the School year, a diligent student will do very well on the AP Physics C exam and have a firm foundation of understanding of the physical world around him. Prerequisites: Physics and concurrent enrollment in AP Calculus BC, or concurrent enrollment in AP Calculus AB with Science Dept. Chair approval.

• Astronomy & Geology Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course provides the student with an introduction to topics in earth and space science. Students will study the principles of physical and historical geology including minerals, rocks, the rock cycle, and geologic processes and structures. Laboratory activities will include rock and mineral identification. The astronomical topics will include the formation and structure of the universe and the solar system, comparative planetology, and the history of astronomy. Students will learn the principles of astronomical observation and become proficient with the night sky.

Some activities in this course will occur outside the normal school day, and students are expected to attend field trips on which they collect geologic and astronomical data.

• DNA Science Grades 11 & 12 | 2 Trimesters – 1st & 2nd only This elective is offered in the first two trimesters. It will be primarily a laboratory course of cumulative investigations that presupposes no prior experience on the part of the student. The laboratory experiments cover the basic

techniques of sterile bacterial culturing, DNA restriction digest and ligation, rapid colony transformation, purification and identification of plasmid DNA, recombination of antibiotic resistance genes, replica plating, and purification and identification of recombinant DNA. The course will include student preparation of reagents, flowcharts to help in the scheduling of experiments, and the analysis of results. The students will keep a daily journal of record much like a “bench scientist.” Students enrolling in this course must be self-directed, highly motivated, and able to work independently. The text is DNA Science, 2nd edition.

Prerequisites: Biology, Chemistry. Limitations: Dept. Chair approval required.

• Proteomics & Bioinformatics Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester – 3rd only This course is an elective offered to students who have completed the two-trimester DNA Science course as a junior or senior. Bioinformatics is a new discipline that has become so prominent that anyone with an interest in biotechnology, molecular genetics, or modern medicine must have training in this field. Bioinformatics uses computers to search biological databases comparing DNA sequences, look at amino acid sequences and protein structures, and ask biological or biomedical questions. Proteomics investigates isolation of proteins from bacteria, size exclusion chromatography, and Bradford protein assay. The bioinformatics portion includes retrieving protein and DNA sequences from the computer databases as well as analysis of sequences within specific genomes. Prerequisite: DNA Science.

† AP Environmental Science Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course will thoroughly explore the fundamentals of environmental science including population dynamics, ecosystem inter-dependence, and renewable energy sources. Students will investigate various topics through lab experiments, problem-solving exercises, lectures, and field trips. Skills will be developed in specific techniques and procedures (such as collecting and analyzing water sample data from a real study). Experience with a local field study will help students gain awareness of the importance of confounding variables that exist in the “real world.”

Recent historical case studies of ecologically significant phenomena will also be examined. Special emphasis will be put on the role of human encroachment into threatened ecosystems. Students are prepared to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May. The text is Living in the Environment by G. Tyler Miller. Prerequisites: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Physics may be taken concurrently.

The course INFORMATION ENGINEERING can be found in the NON-DEPARTMENTAL offerings on page 47.

2013–2014 Course Catalog 21

Foreign Language LoweR School The Lower School Spanish Studies Program focuses on both Hispanic culture and the Spanish language. The goals of the program include an initial understanding of the language, a clear sense of confidence and success at learning a foreign language, and a greater awareness of life in Hispanic communities. Boys begin the language in first grade and continue their studies through fourth grade.

This program also provides the boys with a positive foreign language experience that is a foundation for further study.

Middle School Fifth and sixth grade students study Spanish three days a week. Building on the foundation acquired in Lower School, boys learn more about Hispanic culture and grow increasingly comfortable using the language. Fifth and sixth graders also are introduced to the study of Asia as well as the Chinese language. Exploring Asia 5, which meets twice a week, is required of all fifth graders. Exploring Asia 6 expands upon the base laid in fifth grade and delves into the culture and language of China. New fifth and sixth grade students with little or no exposure to Spanish are grouped together in Beginning Spanish and Exploring Asia 5.

Seventh graders choose one language as their focus and have the option of studying Spanish, Latin, or Chinese.

All students should bear in mind that the graduation requirement in foreign language is the completion of three consecutive years of the same language in the Upper School. Credit for Middle School classes is given only for placement in Upper School courses. It does not appear on the college transcript.

Upper School The Upper School Foreign Language Program offers courses in Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and Latin. Students must complete three years in the Upper School and must pass the Level III course (Intermediate B, in Spanish) to satisfy the foreign language graduation requirement. Credit for the first year of a language is given only if a second year is successfully completed, but seniors may begin the study of a new language and receive one credit. Seniors are encouraged to continue their foreign language study since many will be required to study a language in college.

The Upper School program builds on the grammar and communicative skills acquired in the Middle School while placing increased emphasis on composition and reading.

In addition to learning the language, students will develop expression, creativity, and a greater awareness and appreciation of a different culture and way of life.

Criteria and Selection Process for AP/Honors Courses Each spring, the department will solicit nominations from the foreign language faculty for placing students in AP/Honors courses for the following fall trimester.

Criteria for Nomination • The student should, in the judgment of his current teacher, exhibit strength in all areas of language learning, as demonstrated by consistently high achievement on written evaluations as well as by strong performance on oral and aural tasks. The candidate should be able to integrate the concepts he has studied in order to engage in meaningful communication using appropriate structures and vocabulary as well as to create with the language.

• Show respect and appreciation for the language and culture, as reflected in a positive classroom demeanor and a willingness to understand cultural and linguistic differences.

• Demonstrate eagerness to respond to academic and intellectual challenges by going beyond the minimum requirement and by taking an active role in class discussions and activities.

• Display creativity, self-motivation, and a capacity for independent thinking.

Selection to AP/Honors • Beginning in Level IV, honors status may be offered to outstanding students even if the enrollment does not permit the creation of a separate honors section.

• Students who receive the honors designation will be expected to maintain a high level of achievement throughout the year and to complete the supplementary work assigned by the teacher.

• The Department Chair gives final approval to all students gaining admission to the AP/Honors level.

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• When the student is nominated for the AP/Honors course, his advisor will be notified so that the student may select the course on his Course Selection Sheet.

Appeal Process • The student must first engage in a conversation with his most recent language teacher.

• The student has an option to appeal through the Department Chair.

Latin IA Grades 7–9 | Full Year Latin IA is a systematic introduction to the language, culture, and history of the ancient Romans. In terms of the language, students will concentrate on building a fundamental Latin vocabulary, while learning and applying the concepts of case, number, gender, tense, declension, and conjugation. The course instills in the students sound habits of mind, above all cultivating organizational, analytical, and mnemonic skills. The class also reads the story of Aeneas, the Trojan refugee and legendary founder of the Roman race. In both the legends and the language of the Romans, students will begin to see patterns of belief and modes of expression that continue to inform our daily life in the modern world. Students may participate in Junior Classical League competitions, and all students will take the National Latin Exam.

Latin IB Grades 8–10 | Full Year This course is the continuation of Latin IA, and it retains the emphasis on fundamentals of Latin grammar and vocabulary. In the latter part of the year, students begin to encounter more sophisticated elements such as participles and infinitives. Students learn by reading passages authored by real Romans. Our study of Latin greatly enhances students’ understanding of the English language, exposes them to the world of ideas that is the origin of the humanistic tradition, and provides a valuable foundation for the Romance languages. Time also is devoted to the study of various topics in Roman civilization, including architecture, mythology, and daily life. Students participate in Junior Classical League competitions and the National Latin Exam. Prerequisite: Latin IA.

Latin II Grades 9–12 | Full Year Second-year Latin continues the sequence of study begun in Latin IA and IB. Verbs are the central theme of our study of advanced grammar and syntax, from the forms

of irregulars, deponents and gerunds to the concept of the subjunctive mood and its various constructions. In order to master grammar and vocabulary and to develop translation skills, students read passages from numerous genres of Latin literature. Increasingly, emphasis is also given to discussing the ideas expressed in these words. Reading an unadapted Latin passage with comprehension is the primary goal. The close relationship between Latin and English continues to serve as a regular topic of instruction.

The Roman world of the two 1st centuries (BCE and CE) is the focus of cultural study. Over the course of the year, students gain appreciation for the pervasive influence of Latin and the Roman world in their own lives. Students participate in Junior Classical League competitions and the National Latin Exam. Prerequisite: Latin IB.

Latin III Grades 10–12 | Full Year This is an intermediate Latin level reading course which aims to refine students’ mastery of grammar and vocabulary and to develop their ability to read prose and verse genres of Latin literature. The first half of the year is devoted to reading prose, as students, among other things, study selections from Cicero’s legal, philosophical, and epistolary works. The poetry of Ovid takes center stage in the latter half of the year, when the class reads tales from his mythological epic, the Metamorphoses along with selections from his elegiac love poems, the Amores. Students become acquainted with literary and rhetorical devices that distinguish the authors and works we read. Learning to discuss and write about Latin literature becomes an important focus during the spring. The examination of individual authors will be supplemented by study of contemporary political, historical, and cultural topics. Throughout the year, students will practice Latin composition, an exercise that enhances appreciation of Latin grammar, syntax, and idiom. As always, the students will be asked to make relevant connections between the language, history and culture of the Romans and our own age. Students participate in Junior Classical League competitions and the National Latin Exam. Prerequisite: Latin II.

Latin IV Grades 10–12 | Full Year Latin IV is designed for those students who have completed Latin III and are not yet ready for AP Latin.

This advanced course aims to polish students’ mastery of grammar and syntax and to enhance their reading skill.

The students will read primarily the prose of Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico and the epic verse of Vergil’s Aeneid. Discussion of these and other texts, so pivotal in the Western literary tradition, is an integral part of the class;

2013–2014 Course Catalog 23

great emphasis is also placed on students’ ability to express in writing their interpretation and analysis. Cultural and political studies include units on the structure of the Roman government, its virtues and limitations, and on Roman coins and inscriptions. Students participate in Junior Classical League competitions and the National Latin Exam.

Prerequisite: Latin III.

† AP Latin Grades 11 &1 | Full Year AP Latin is designed to provide advanced students with a rich and rigorous course, approximately equivalent to an upper-intermediate college or university course. Students who successfully complete the course are able to read, understand, translate, and analyze Latin poetry and prose.

The syllabus concentrates on translating selections of two important literary works: The Aeneid, Vergil’s great epic poem about the Trojan prince Aeneas’ mission to fulfill his destiny and establish a new home in Italy; and Julius Caesar’s Gallic War, a historical, first-hand account of Caesar’s methodical and relentless subjugation of ancient France. Classes will revolve around the close analysis of the Latin text for content, stylistic features, and historical context. The theme of leadership will constitute a focus in the discussion of the two works. This course will prepare students to take the AP Latin Exam in the spring. Students also participate in Junior Classical League competition, and they will take the National Latin Exam. Prerequisite: Latin III (with teacher recommendation), or Latin IV. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

Senior Latin: A Survey of Roman History & Literature Grade 12 | Full Year Senior Latin, as the title implies, is a course designed for students who have either completed Latin IV or the Advanced Placement Syllabus. The course will provide a study of Roman history, from its legendary foundation to the fall of the republic, through both primary and secondary Latin sources. The selections covered, drawn primarily from a college-level reader, Aeneas to Augustus, constitute a broad range of authors and texts, some famous and some obscure, in both prose and poetry. The goal of the course is, first, further refinement of students’ skills in reading Latin of all genres and, second, the placement of the heroes, villains, events and authors in a clearer historical and chronological context. The course will bring into clearer focus the broad sweep of Roman history and will serve as a fitting capstone to students’ careers in classics at St. Mark’s.

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Exploring Asia 5 Grades 5 & 6 | Full Year Fifth graders, as well as sixth graders enrolled in Beginning Spanish, are introduced to the study of Asia through Exploring Asia 5. This course aims to develop an appreciation for Asian cultures while developing basic communicative skills in Mandarin Chinese. In addition to listening and speaking, a limited number of basic characters is introduced. The year begins with an overview of Asia, focusing on Japan, Korea, and India, in addition to China, which allows students to understand some of the similarities and differences among those cultures.

Exploring Asia 6 Grade 6 | Full Year Exploring Asia 6 builds on the basics of Chinese language acquired in Exploring Asia 5. Students delve more deeply into Chinese culture and continue to expand their communicative skills in Chinese through age-appropriate activities. Emphasis will be placed on speaking and listening, but the students will also develop rudimentary reading and writing skills. Through the study of significant Chinese customs and traditions, as well as topics related to daily life, the students gain a greater appreciation of one of the world’s oldest cultures.

Mandarin Chinese IA Grades 7 & 8 | Full Year Mandarin Chinese IA is an introductory course for seventh or eighth graders that focuses on developing basic communication skills and on an introduction to Chinese culture. As the students begin to build listening and speaking skills, proper pronunciation is emphasized.

Reading and writing are introduced as well. The texts are Discovering Chinese, Vol. 1 & 2.

Mandarin Chinese IB Grades 8 & 9 | Full Year A continuation of Mandarin Chinese IA, this course emphasizes the acquisition of vocabulary through situational conversations. Students continue to develop their communicative skills for listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The study of grammar is incorporated into the learning and practice of communication. The use of the computer to input Chinese characters is also introduced.

The textbook is Integrated Chinese, Level 1, Part 1.

Prerequisite: Mandarin Chinese IA.

Mandarin Chinese II Grades 9–12 | Full Year This course is for students who have successfully completed Mandarin Chinese II or who can demonstrate sufficient proficiency on a second-year placement test.

The emphasis of the course is on listening, speaking, and reading. Students also learn to write short passages in a limited time period. Units cover topics related to the students’ lives, sports, dating, travel, and social issues.

Vocabulary expansion and increased command of grammatical structures will enable students to better understand the Chinese language and culture. The textbook is Integrated Chinese, Level 1, Part 1. Prerequisite: Mandarin Chinese IB.

Mandarin Chinese III

† AP Chinese Language and Culture/ Mandarin Chinese V Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year

This course is for students who have successfully completed Mandarin Chinese II or who can demonstrate sufficient proficiency on a second-year placement test. The emphasis of the course is on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will learn the basic technique of handwriting and patterns/structures of Chinese characters. In addition to typing, students will be encouraged to handwrite Chinese characters. Students also learn to write short messages in a limited time period. Units cover topics related to the students’ lives, sports, dating, travel, and social issues. Vocabulary expansion and increased command of grammatical structures will enable students to better understand the Chinese language and culture. The textbook is Integrated Chinese, Level A, Part 1. Prerequisites: Mandarin Chinese II or placement test.

The primary goal of AP Chinese Language and Culture/ Mandarin Chinese V is to enable students to master conventions of communication through the exploration of topics reflecting multiple aspects of Chinese society and culture, the use of various authentic multimedia and literary materials in different linguistic registers, and the study of advanced-level Chinese language structures and expressive styles. Students in the course will continue to develop communicative competence in the language as they discuss, read, and write about Chinese culture, and make connections and comparisons with other content areas.

Students enrolled in AP Chinese Language and Culture will be expected to perform at a level commensurate with the requirements of the AP Exam. The text is Beyond the Basics: Communicative Chinese for Intermediate and Advanced Learners. Prerequisite: Chinese IV or IV-H. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

Mandarin Chinese IV/IV-H

Japanese III

Grades 10–12 | Full Year

Grade 10 | Full Year Students learn about life in Japan by reading a story in which an American high school student experiences a homestay in Tokyo. Students practice language through communicative activities and expand their understanding of Japanese culture. The text is Adventures in Japanese 3.

Prerequisite: Japanese II.

Grades 10–12 | Full Year

Mandarin Chinese IV aims to enable students to communicate in authentic Chinese while systematically introducing them to aspects of Chinese politics, culture, society, and history. The course has two major goals: to accelerate building vocabulary and to master important but difficult grammar, words, and phrases. During the introduction of new material, students will have opportunities to review and strengthen skills gained in previous classes. Increased emphasis is given to the use of linking words and phrases that will give students the tools to express their opinions coherently in a series of sentences. Honors students will be required to complete more challenging tasks in preparation for the AP Chinese course. The textbook is Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2.

† Japanese IV/IV-H Grade 11 | Full Year In Japanese IV / IV-H, the students will further develop their listening and speaking skills in everyday school situations. They will explore Japanese culture through readings in history, literature, and current events in Japanese. They will learn to write about their observations and opinions on everyday topics and some social issues by comparing Japanese culture to their own. Honors students will be

2013–2014 Course Catalog 25

a sense of confidence and success at learning another language, as well as an appreciation of Hispanic culture.

The class uses the interactive version of Realidades A and its accompanying workbooks.

• Elementary Spanish A Grade 6 | Full Year evaluated in accordance with higher performance expectations. The text is Adventures in Japanese 4. Prerequisite: Japanese III. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required for Japanese IV-H.

† AP Japanese Language and Culture/Japanese V Grade 12 | Full Year AP Japanese Language and Culture/Japanese V continues to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Japanese. Oral proficiency is a central focus of this course, as students are asked to take their discourse to a higher level. Other activities include the analysis and discussion of authentic texts and Japanese films. Much attention is given to vocabulary expansion and the study of Kanji characters. Students enrolled in AP Japanese Language and Culture will be expected to perform at a level commensurate with the requirements of the AP Exam.

Prerequisite: Japanese IV or IV-H. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

Basic Spanish Grade 5 | Full Year Boys in Basic Spanish continue to develop basic communication skills and their understanding of the Spanish-speaking world. In addition to expanding their vocabulary, the students increase their understanding of the structure of the language and become increasingly comfortable speaking Spanish. Writing skills are also introduced. Songs, games, and other age-appropriate activities are integral parts of the course. The class uses the interactive version of Realidades A and its accompanying workbooks.

• Beginning Spanish Grades 5 & 6 | Full Year Beginning Spanish is for those students who have had little or no previous exposure to Spanish and for students who receive a recommendation after fourth-grade Spanish.

This course develops basic communication skills in Spanish, with a focus on listening and speaking. Songs, games, and other age-appropriate activities are integral parts of the class. The course aims to develop in the boys

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Sixth graders continue to develop their proficiency with the Spanish language while growing in their understanding of Hispanic culture. The course focuses on vocabulary expansion and on developing a basic understanding of the structure of the language. Attention is given to all four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) through the use of games and other age-appropriate activities. Prerequisite: Beginning or Basic Spanish or the equivalent.

Más Allá: A Course for Spanish Speakers Grades 5 & 6 | Full Year This course is designed to engage and challenge fifth and sixth graders who speak Spanish at home or who have near-native proficiency in the language. Students work individually and as a group to build their formal language skills, giving special attention to reading, writing, and vocabulary expansion. Students also explore the diverse cultures of the Spanish-speaking world through age-appropriate activities.

Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

• Elementary Spanish B Grades 7 & 8 | Full Year This course is for students who have completed Elementary Spanish A or MS Introductory Spanish at St. Mark’s or who qualify by placement testing. The students will further their understanding of the structure of the language while building their communicative skills. Students learn to talk about hobbies, celebrations, the home, shopping, vacations, community involvement, television, and technology. Much emphasis is given to oral work, but written skills are stressed as well. Students also continue to expand their understanding of the culture of the Hispanic world.

Activities include games, skits, oral interviews, and songs that aim to build the skills the student will need to communicate in Spanish. The class culminates with the production of a movie showcasing the skills developed during the year. Students completing this course will be qualified for Intermediate Spanish A. The texts are Realidades B and the accompanying workbooks. Prerequisite: Elementary Spanish A, MS Introductory Spanish, or the equivalent.

• MS Introductory Spanish Grades 7 & 8 | Full Year This course is for students new to grades 7 or 8 who have had no previous Spanish experience and for those students requiring a stronger foundation after Elementary Spanish A. The focus is on the development of basic communicative skills and an introduction to the culture of the Hispanic world.

Students learn to talk about their activities, school, food, and hobbies. Much emphasis is given to oral work, but written skills are stressed as well. Activities include games, skits, oral interviews, and songs that aim to build the skills the student will need to communicate in Spanish. Students completing this course will be qualified for Elementary Spanish B. The texts are the interactive version of Realidades A and accompanying workbooks. Depending on enrollment, this course may be combined with Intensive Elementary Spanish, in which case students are expected to attend a two-week workshop prior to the start of school.

• Intensive Elementary Spanish

the accompanying workbooks. Prerequisite: Elementary Spanish B, Intensive Elementary Spanish, or US Introduction to Spanish.

Spanish for Spanish Speakers Grades 7–12 | Full Year This course is designed for students who speak Spanish at home but who have had little or no formal training in the language. Students will work individually and as a group to develop their control of the conventions of the written language, to expand their vocabulary, and to begin to develop an awareness of linguistic registers. Special emphasis will be given to spelling, grammar, reading, and writing as well as to developing a greater appreciation of the diversity of the Hispanic world. Speaking activities will prepare students to assume a leadership role in future Spanish courses. At the end of this class, students will be recommended for an appropriate course according to their language skills and maturity.

Grades 7 & 8 | Full Year This course is for seventh grade students who took Beginning Spanish in the sixth grade at St. Mark’s and for seventh and eighth graders who qualify by placement testing. The class builds on the fundamentals of the language while improving communicative skills. Students learn to talk about food, hobbies, celebrations, the home, shopping, vacations, community involvement, television, and technology.

Much emphasis is given to oral work, but written skills are stressed as well. Students also continue to expand their understanding of the culture of the Hispanic world. Activities include games, skits, oral interviews, and songs that aim to build the skills the student will need to communicate in Spanish. The class culminates with the production of a movie showcasing the skills the students have developed during the year. Students completing this course will be qualified for Intermediate Spanish A. The texts are Realidades A and B and the accompanying workbooks. Prerequisite: Beginning Spanish in Grade 6 or the equivalent.

Intermediate Spanish A Grades 8 & 9 | Full Year This course builds on the fundamentals taught in Elementary Spanish and strives to improve students’ communicative skills and understanding of Hispanic culture. Topics include the School day, special events, community activities, recounting past experiences, and the news. Class activities are varied and include games, skits, oral interviews, videos, and music. Although the focus of classroom activities continues to be the development of strong oral skills, increased emphasis is given to reading and writing as well. The texts are Realidades 2 and

•US Introduction to Spanish Grades 8–12 | Full Year This is a beginning course for eighth graders and Upper School students with little or no previous experience in the language, for those students who qualify by placement testing, or for those students requiring a stronger foundation after Elementary Spanish B. All four basic foreign language skills are taught through a multimedia approach utilizing videos, CDs, and textbooks. Class is conducted almost entirely in Spanish, and priority is given to developing communicative skills in the target language. In addition, a strong emphasis is placed on learning about the culture of the Spanish-speaking world.

Intermediate Spanish B Grades 9–12 | Full Year This course is designed to further develop students’ communicative skills by providing them with a strong grammatical base and an expanded vocabulary. Increased emphasis is given to writing and reading, including cultural material, folk tales, and legends. The text is Realidades 3 with its accompanying workbooks. Prerequisite: Intermediate Spanish A.

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Advanced Spanish A: History & Culture of Spain

Senior Spanish: Applications in the Real World

Grades 10–12 | Full Year

Grade 12 | Full Year

This advanced level Spanish course focuses on continued vocabulary acquisition and a thorough review of grammatical structures learned in previous Spanish courses, with an emphasis on refining listening, speaking, and writing skills. Unique to this course is a study of Spanish civilization, beginning with the geography and history of Spain. Major Spanish artists and their works also will be studied, and the art unit will culminate with a field trip to the Meadows Museum of Spanish Art on the SMU campus. In addition, selected short stories will be read and studied, and music will be used throughout the course as an additional teaching tool. This class is conducted primarily in Spanish, and the students are expected to use the target language in class whenever possible. Prerequisite: Intermediate Spanish B.

Senior Spanish: Applications in the Real World is a course designed for those seniors who have completed Advanced Spanish B, or its equivalent, and who elect not to enroll in AP Spanish Language or AP Spanish Literature but wish to maintain and enhance their use of Spanish. It seeks to develop those skills necessary for communication in reallife activities, such as the expression of ideas and feelings, and those needed to function satisfactorily while traveling or residing abroad. Significant emphasis will be given to cultural understanding as well. Other components of the course include movies, selected readings, and creative and expository writing. Prerequisite: Advanced Spanish B.

† AP Spanish Language & Culture Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year

† Advanced Spanish A-H: History & Culture of Spain Grades 10–12 | Full Year Students who have demonstrated a high level of ability and competence in Spanish are nominated for Advanced Spanish A-H. This course covers the same material as the non-honors class yet delves more deeply into the intricacies of the language and proceeds at a faster pace, requiring a greater degree of self-direction on the part of the student.

A high level of proficiency in Spanish is developed through readings concentrating on Spanish history and Hispanic culture, listening comprehension exercises, grammar review, compositions, and class discussions. Various resources such as music, newspaper and Internet articles, and movies in the target language provide insight into the culture of the Hispanic world. Prerequisite: Intermediate Spanish B. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

Advanced Spanish B: History & Culture of Latin America Grades 11–12 | Full Year This course is designed to enhance proficiency in Spanish through the study of Latin-American history and culture. Students gain insight into Latin America through cultural and historical readings, Latin-American short stories, films, music, and student presentations. Special emphasis is given to the development of skills needed for effective oral communication and creative and expository writing. The course seeks to solidify previously taught grammatical structures while introducing more advanced grammatical concepts. Vocabulary acquisition is another important component of the course. The texts include: Conversación y repaso, Civilización y cultura, and Galería de arte y vida. Prerequisite: Advanced Spanish A.

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AP Spanish Language and Culture takes a thematic approach to developing skills in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) while developing a more in-depth understanding of the cultures of the Hispanic world. Topics covered are global challenges, science and technology, contemporary life, families and communities, personal and public identities, and beauty and aesthetics. Students learn to communicate on a wide variety of interdisciplinary topics as well as to draw comparisons between their own culture and that of the target language. Readings include short stories, news articles, and a novel. Listening materials are drawn primarily from sources intended for native speakers.

Prerequisite: Advanced Spanish A-H, Advanced Spanish B, or Advanced Spanish A (with teacher recommendation).

Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

AP Spanish Literature & Culture Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year AP Spanish Literature is the culmination of the study of Spanish at St. Mark’s, allowing the student to explore master works of Hispanic civilization. Readings comprise a survey of Spanish and Latin American Literature from the Middle Ages to modern times. Students will read texts from all genres and learn to analyze them critically in writing and through class discussion. Special attention will be given to the historical, cultural, and sociopolitical context in which the works were written. Typical assignments include nightly readings, short essays, creative projects, and oral reports. Students who have completed Advanced Spanish B or AP Spanish Language and who meet the department criteria for nomination are eligible for this course. Prerequisite: Advanced Spanish B, AP Spanish Language, or by teacher recommendation. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

Mathematics Lower School The Lower School mathematics students learn the four whole-number operations in a step-by-step approach which seeks to develop mastery by the end of grade four.

At each level, students read and solve word problems using the number operations that they are learning. Place value, measurement, algebra, geometry, fractions, and concepts of numbers are introduced and reinforced. Frequent use of manipulative objects teaches concepts and reinforces understanding. In first grade, addition and subtraction are introduced, and the concept of place value is taught. This work is extended during second grade with the introduction of regrouping in multi-digit addition and multi-digit subtraction. Multiplication is introduced in second grade.

In third grade, multiplication and division are emphasized, including the multiplication and division facts, long division with remainders, and two-digit multiplication. In fourth grade, the goal is for students to comprehend and apply whole-number theory which is taught and reinforced throughout the curriculum in grades one through four.

Students develop algebraic concepts and thinking and strengthen their problem-solving skills.

Middle School The Middle School Mathematics program’s primary aim is to develop number-sense skills, problem-solving techniques, and the ability to see and to describe numerical and geometric patterns and relationships. Beginning with Computations and Concepts in Grade 5, students are helped to start construction of the bridge that connects the concrete world of arithmetic to the abstract world of algebra. Student participation in class activities and discussions is encouraged as is the development of good communication skills. Many students will be ready to take Algebra I in the eighth grade, but others will not yet be ready for the necessary abstraction. The course sequence allows students to develop mathematical maturity at different paces and yet arrive at the common goal of completing the bridge to the abstract with the same level of competence. Students in grades five and six will use the TI-30 series of scientific calculators to explore interesting numerical patterns and to enable them to solve realistic applied problems. Students in grade seven and all other students new to St. Mark’s will be issued a TI-84 graphing calculator in their mathematics class at the beginning of the School year, and they should bring them to class as directed by their teacher. In the spring, the Mathematics Department will make recommendations regarding each boy’s course selection for the following year. These recommendations are based upon what would be the best course for the student. Thus, the student is expected to enroll in that course. Enrollment in an Honors section must be approved by the Department Chair.

Upper School The Upper School Mathematics courses seek to develop skills and concepts which will enable students to analyze and solve problems from a wide range of mathematical areas, including algebra, geometry, probability, statistics, and the standard elementary (polynomial, rational, trigonometric, logarithmic, and exponential) functions.

Emphasis is placed on active student participation in all aspects of the learning process. Other goals include the development of logical and critical thinking, of competence in the use of language and symbols, and of the ability to communicate clearly. Appropriate technology will be used to explore mathematical concepts and to allow a rich array of applied problems.

Students must complete the required sequence of mathematics courses through Algebra II before graduation. They must take mathematics courses through their junior year but are encouraged to continue their study of mathematics through their senior year. The department offers a variety of electives to meet the needs and interests of students who complete the Algebra II course before the end of the junior year.

Criteria and Selection Process for AP/Honors Courses Each spring, the department will solicit nominations from the faculty for placing students in AP/Honors courses for the following fall trimester.

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Appeal Process The student must first engage in a conversation with his most recent mathematics teacher. The student has an option to appeal through the Department Chair.

Placement Testing Placement testing is for new students only. We do not give placement tests to current students.

Computations & Concepts Grade 5 | Full Year

Criteria for Nomination The student should, in the judgment of his most recent teacher, • Demonstrate mathematical skill and understanding by consistent achievement at the high honors level on tests, quizzes, and other evaluations. CML and ERB scores are also indicators of achievement and potential.

• Learn quickly, as the pace of an Honors/AP class is significantly faster than a regular mathematics class. Thus, the student must pick up new ideas and concepts without needing lengthy explanations.

• Show that he is truly curious about mathematics by taking an active role in class, asking and answering probing questions consistently, and seeking opportunities to engage in mathematics beyond what is required. For example, the student might regularly complete honors problems, participate on the math team, or complete a summer course or activity involving mathematics.

• Demonstrate the ability to solve problems in a creative and non-routine manner. His solutions should not merely reproduce methods presented in the book or by the teacher.

• Prove to be self-motivated. He should have a natural capacity for discipline and hard work.

Selection to AP/Honors • A student may enter the honors sequence at any grade level, although entrance at the Upper School level may require additional summer work.

• All candidates are reviewed at a meeting of the entire Mathematics Department.

• The input of all teachers who know the student is considered in the selection process.

• Final approval is subject to review by the Department Chair.

• When the student is nominated for the AP/Honors course, his advisor will be notified so that the student may select the course on his Course Selection Sheet.

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This course stresses operations with real numbers.

Students review whole numbers, continue their exploration of fractions and decimals, and are introduced to integers.

Among other topics discussed are geometry, measurement, counting problems, and statistics. Problem solving and writing equations are an integral component in all units, and many enrichment activities supplement textbook units.

Mathematical Transitions Grade 6 | Full Year This course seeks to refine the student’s skill level with regard to real numbers in the form of fractions, decimals, and integers. Special effort is made to help students understand the properties and concepts studied and apply them to novel problem-solving situations. Abstract reasoning, including the concepts of variable and equality, is gradually introduced, but not explored in depth. Supplementary topics such as number theory, geometry, probability, and counting problems are included.

Mathematical Foundations Grade 7 | Full Year This course is intended for those students who will profit from the reinforcement of the skills and concepts of arithmetic before moving on to another math course.

Although some abstract concepts will be developed, the emphasis of the course will be on helping students achieve both greater facility with arithmetic manipulations and a deeper understanding of arithmetic operations. Problem-solving techniques will be explored and enrichment activities will be incorporated to broaden student exposure to mathematical concepts. Students also begin to apply algebraic concepts to geometry, statistics and probability, and discrete mathematics. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

Mathematical Connections Grade 7 | Full Year This course is designed to complete the bridge being built between the concrete concepts of arithmetic and the abstract concepts of algebra and geometry. Patterns are used to develop an understanding of variable, equality, and inequality, as well as many of the principles of geometry.

Students are expected to become proficient in communicating their reasoning, both orally and in writing. By the end of the course, students should be confident in their ability to manipulate real numbers and should be ready to apply the same concepts in the abstract language of algebra.

Mathematical Investigations Grade 7 | Full Year This course will acquaint the student with new techniques and concepts in the fields of number theory, algebra, geometry, combinatorics, data analysis, matrices, and others. The course is an exploratory one, with an underlying scope and sequence, but designed to pursue the mathematical interest of students and to delve more deeply into the areas covered by the class of Mathematical Connections.

Limitation: Departmental nominations are required.

Expectations are similar to those outlined for Honors/AP classes in the Upper School.

Introduction to Algebra Grades 8 & 9 | Full Year This course continues to build the bridge between the concrete concepts of arithmetic and the abstract concepts of algebra and geometry. Students learn to express data in table, symbolic, and graph forms, often accompanied by the use of the TI-84 calculator. The course is intended for those students whose mathematical development requires more exploration before making the final transition to Algebra I. Limitation: Department Chair approval required.

Algebra I / † Algebra I–H Grades 8 & 9 | Full Year These are rigorous first-year algebra courses. It is assumed that students have been previously introduced to the concept of a variable and that they are familiar with symbolic representations of mathematical expressions.

Furthermore, students should have a working knowledge of operations and their inverses and be able to apply that knowledge to the process of solving simple linear equations.

Emphasis is placed on the concepts of equality, inequality, proportionality, and function. Linear and quadratic functions are explored in depth, symbolically and graphically.

Students learn rules to re-express rational, radical, and

exponential expressions in alternate forms. Concepts and procedures are explored within real-world settings as well as in a purely mathematical context, and the TI-84 graphing calculator becomes a fundamental tool. Limitation: Dept.

Chair approval required for the Honors class.

Algebra II / † Algebra II–H Grades 10 & 11 | Full Year These courses emphasize functions. Linear, quadratic, rational, irrational, algebraic, exponential, and logarithmic functions are studied symbolically and graphically.

Trigonometric functions are introduced, as are quadratic relations and sequences. Word problems are used extensively to increase student awareness of the real-world applications of these functions and as a vehicle to practice skills (including problem-solving skills). Prerequisite: Algebra I. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required for the Honors class.

Geometry / † Geometry–H Grades 9 & 10 | Full Year Geometry and Geometry Honors are full-year courses which stress the organization of a deductive system, accurate use of language and logic, writing proofs, and developing the ability to analyze and solve problems. Plane, coordinate, and 3-dimensional geometries are studied, and algebra is used as a tool in applying new facts. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required for the Honors course.

Precalculus / † Precalculus–H Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year These courses expand the student’s understanding of trigonometric, circular, polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions. The syllabus also includes parametric equations, logistic functions, polar coordinates, sequences, series, and vectors. The traditional curriculum is enhanced by continuously adding geometric representations to the algebraic representations. Students successfully completing this course will be sufficiently prepared for AP Calculus and the SAT Mathematics Level 2 tests. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required for the Honors class.

Fundamentals of Calculus Grade 12 | Full Year This course builds upon the concepts and procedures studied in previous mathematics classes, including Precalculus. For example, linear functions serve as the foundation for a study of the concept of slopes of non-linear functions.

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Geometric sequences and series are used to explore the mathematics of investment and to build the concept of Riemann sums. Particular topics may vary from year to year to allow for the interests and strengths of the current students, but all students who successfully complete this course should be well prepared to take college level mathematics courses, including calculus. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

† AP Calculus AB

Independent Study in Advanced Mathematics Grade 12 | Full Year Independent study in several advanced topics, including linear algebra, number theory, differential equations, and multi-variable calculus is available to students who have completed the Calculus BC course prior to their senior year or who want a math elective in addition to Calculus.

Such opportunity, however, will be based upon faculty availability. Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in the St. Mark’s AP Calculus BC course and Dept. Chair approval.

Grade 12 | Full Year This is the AB-level Advanced Placement Calculus course. Its syllabus is determined by the College Board and requires extensive exploration with the TI-84 graphing calculator. Calculus AB is the equivalent of the first semester course in calculus offered by most universities.

Students may earn credit and/or placement at universities by taking and passing the AP Examination in May. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

† AP Calculus BC Grade 12 | Full Year This is the BC-level Advanced Placement Calculus course. Its syllabus is determined by the College Board and requires exploration with the TI-84 graphing calculator.

Calculus BC is the equivalent of a full first-year course in calculus offered by most universities. Students may earn credit and/or placement at universities by taking and passing the AP Examination in May. This course is fastpaced and demanding. It is intended only for those students who have both an outstanding aptitude and a high interest in mathematics. Limitation: Dept. Chair approval required.

College Algebra & Trigonometry Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year College Algebra & Trigonometry (CAT) is designed as a full-year course with emphasis on preparation for entrylevel college mathematics classes. Whereas Precalculus is designed with the content and pace necessary to prepare students for a next course in Calculus, CAT is focused on 1) developing a full course in Trigonometry that extends the explorations studied in Geometry & Algebra II and 2) strengthening students’ knowledge of algebra concepts and skills through problem-solving and graphical investigation. The expectation is that students completing this course would be able to transition successfully into a college-level mathematics course. Prerequisite: Algebra II.

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† AP Statistics Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year The purpose of this AP course is to introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes: exploring data, planning a study, anticipating patterns in advance, and statistical inference. Technology instruction is emphasized through the use of the TI-84 graphing calculator’s statistical computation features. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra II. Limitations: Dept. Chair approval required.

Social Studies Lower School The Lower School Social Studies curriculum is designed to introduce skills and to foster an understanding of the basic foundation skills of social studies: geography, history, sociology, anthropology, economics, and political science. The first-year curriculum is centered on learning about families and neighborhoods and on exploration and discovery. The second-year focuses on communities; students study their own community in Dallas, Texas, and the Alaskan Eskimo and Australian Aborigine communities in depth. Third-grade students study the use and conservation of natural resources and participate in related projects.

The students also study how the people of the Netherlands and Nepal care for their land, solve problems at their national parks, and manage their resources. The fourth grade uses a humanities curriculum that focuses on Texas; the boys study the history, geography, and people of our state. World geography is also an area of focus. Appropriate map skills are taught at several points in the Lower School.

Middle School See the Humanities section for the Middle School courses.

Upper School The Upper School Social Studies curriculum is a combination of required core courses and electives.

The core courses are designed to help students gain an understanding of and an appreciation for their cultural heritage and to develop a sense of historical perspective in a confusing and rapidly changing world. The courses continue to emphasize and build upon the skills and concepts introduced in Middle School.

Typically, students take Foundations of World Societies (ninth grade), The Modern World (tenth grade), and U.S. History (eleventh grade) in sequence. Deviation from taking a core course in the typical grade requires Departmental Chair approval. Students are not allowed to alter the sequence of the required core offerings. Elective courses offered in the eleventh and twelfth grades afford students the opportunity to pursue their individual interests.

Criteria and Selection Process for AP/Honors Courses Each spring, the department will solicit nominations from the faculty for placing students in AP/Honors courses for the following fall trimester.

Criteria for Nomination: The student should, in the judgment of his most recent social studies teacher: • Demonstrate social studies skill and understanding by consistently high achievement on tests, papers, and quizzes.

• Learn new ideas quickly without having to be provided with lengthy explanations.

• Show true curiosity about his coursework by taking an active role in class discussions.

• Display a creative intellect in dealing with issues and problems. He should be able to go beyond answers or solutions presented in the textbook.

• Prove to be self-motivated. He should have the capacity for hard work, and it should be evident that he enjoys studying history.

Selection to AP/Honors: A student is nominated by his most recent history teacher for an AP course.

• The AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics class is open to admission by permission of the teacher and the Department Chair.

• Final approval for AP History classes is subject to approval by the Department Chair.

• When the student is nominated for the AP/Honors course, his advisor will be notified so that the student may select the course on his Course Selection Sheet.

Appeal Process The student must first engage in a conversation with his most recent history teacher. The student has an option to appeal through the Department Chair.

Foundations Of World Societies Grades 9 & 10 | Full Year From the latter stages of the Agricultural Revolution to the doorstep of the Rational and Scientific Revolutions, this course will cover the period from roughly 3000 BCE to 1550 CE. Ancient and Medieval global societies will be studied up to the point when the foundations of the modern world come into view. The texts for this course include A History of World Societies, and World Civilizations, Vol. I.

The Modern World Grades 10 & 11 | Full Year This is a survey of World History from the birth pangs of the nation state to the present. Emphasis is on the development of Western institutions and arts and Western/nonWestern relationships. The texts for this course include A History of World Societies, and World Civilizations, Vol. II.

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U.S. History & Government Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course covers American History, emphasizing political, social, and diplomatic developments, especially those of the twentieth century. The texts include The American Pageant and Historical Viewpoints, Vol. I & II.

• AP United States History Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course will cover the full span of American History from the colonial beginnings to the 21st century. It will prepare students for the AP exam given in May. Extensive readings from primary and secondary sources will supplement the basic textbook, and students will be evaluated by means of a variety of essay assignments and short answer tests. Students will gain experience dealing with the Documents Based Questions and may be required to review materials not extensively covered in the course syllabus.

Political, economic, social, cultural, military, and domestic aspects of American History will be examined in depth.

Limitations: Dept. Chair approval required.

•AP European History Grade 12 | Full Year AP European History is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in European History. Students are prepared for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those of full-year introductory college courses. A seminar format is used, and students are expected to contribute to class discussions, prepare oral reports based on sound historical scholarship, and present substantive evidence clearly and persuasively in written essays. The texts include A History of the Modern World and other primary sources. Summer reading: Back to the Front.

Limitations: Dept. Chair approval and completion of U.S. History; enrollment is limited.

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•AP Economics: Microeconomics and Macroeconomics Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This advanced level course features an in-depth examination of both microeconomic and macroeconomic principles and their applications. Emphasis is placed on price theory, the firm, different market structures, income and employment determination, money and banking, and international trade and finance. The course prepares students to take the Advanced Placement Examinations in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. The text is Economics Today. Limitations: Dept. Chair approval, completion of Precalculus and completion of or concurrent enrollment in U.S. History.

Multicultural Malaise: Imperialism, Nationalism, and Terror Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course will explore the evolution of East-West interaction, from initial cultural encounter to colonization, nationalist reaction and independence, descending toward the maelstrom of the Cold War and 21st century terror. The British Empire will be used as context because of its connection with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Possible texts include Empire, N. Ferguson, and The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, L. James. Limitations: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in U.S. History.

The Evolution of Film Grades 11 & 12 | 1 Trimester Movies are such a big part of our American culture but have you ever wondered where they came from? This course will provide an examination of film history from the accidental discovery of Motion Pictures to modern film.

Students will learn how film evolved from single perspective recordings of actual events to Classical American Film.

The course will cover such topics as how Hollywood began and how TV and Communism almost destroyed it. We will examine such films as the early Lumiere films, D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation, the introduction of sound films with The Jazz Singer, and the ultimate Classical Hollywood film, Orson Wells’ Citizen Kane. This class will also discuss how films influenced American culture and vice versa.

AP Psychology Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course introduces students to psychological science, the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Course goals include gaining a working knowledge of the theories and key concepts of each of the major subfields within psychology, exposure to contributing psychologists and major research studies that shape our understanding of psychology, learning to apply psychological principles and understanding connections between theories and ideas, and developing an appreciation for scientific methods and ethical procedures. Topics covered include neuroscience, research methods, sensation and perception, states of consciousness, learning and memory, cognition, intelligence, motivation, emotion, developmental psychology, personality, psychological disorders and treatment, and social psychology. Students are expected to complete two papers in APA style, participate in experiential exercises, and contribute to class discussion. The text is Psychology.

Prerequisites: Instructor and Dept. Chair approval required.

Sport and Humanity: The Olympic Movement Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year Sport, and the Olympics, in particular, pervades all aspects of Western life. We humans enjoy competing: we are sorrowful in defeat, and we rejoice in the opportunity to fight another day. Yet though we extol the purity of athletic contests, we know there is another side of sport which is less savory, more difficult to understand, and sometimes disappointing. In this course on the Olympic movement, we will examine the beauty, foibles, and faults of these wonderfully human games. We will cover topics such as using the games as a political platform, resolving the nature of amateurism, the impact of finance, the history, the violence associated with the games, politics and corruption, media coverage and its impact, and the Olympic independence as a self-sustaining human activity. Representative books and media employed in this course include the books The Secret Race, Doping in Elite Sport, and Dropping the Torch, and the films When We Were Kings, Olympia, and The Olympic Series.

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Fine Arts Lower School Lower School Creative Arts classes help students become more visually and aesthetically aware. Students learn the basic art elements and language as they grow in their appreciation of art. They gain confidence and skill in using two- and three-dimensional art materials and become familiar with the work of various artists. Guest speakers and visual presentations enhance the program.

Lower School Dramatics – Through improvisations, pantomimes, theater games, puppetry, play-making, scene study, and playwriting, as well as seeing professional performances, boys learn to express their intuitive dramatic insights and gain appreciation for the work of classmates and professionals. Each grade focuses on a body of literature as the source for dramatic activities.

Grade 1 – fairy tales, fables, folk tales, and contemporary children’s literature Grade 2 – Greek myths Grade 3 – King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable, and contemporary children’s literature Grade 4 – stories from Shakespeare and Shakespeare’s theater Lower School Music – Lower School Music students in grades 1 through 3 are actively involved with the elements of music through singing, listening, moving, creating, performing, and evaluating. They explore the process of building ensembles through an adaptation of Orff-Kodaly techniques and the use of instruments. They are exposed to various styles of music performances and receive beginning recorder instruction.

NOTE: At the conclusion of Grade 3, a selection process takes place to aid the placement of students in choir, creative music, or strings for fourth grade.

Lower School Select Choir – This group of fourth-grade boys shares a special aptitude for singing and an interest in accelerating their vocal skills. Choir members study the performance and notation of music and develop vocal techniques. They learn the rudiments of singing and sightreading through principles developed in Anglican choirs through the centuries. The boys lead singing in chapel and participate in the St. Mark’s Choir.

Lower School Strings – This class is for fourth graders who have not had previous instruction in playing a string instrument (violin, viola, and cello). A traditional music reading approach is used, with emphasis on correct technique and playing position. Instruments may be rented from the School, and there is a performance by the strings group in the spring.

Lower School Creative Music – Fourth-Grade Creative Music is a continuation of the spiral music curriculum which began in Grade 1. It includes the musical exploration on

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melodic and non-melodic percussion instruments. There is a weekly study of music theory, notation, and sight reading.

The study of composers and their music continues on a monthly basis. Singing, dancing, listening, and composing, as well as continued study of the recorder are elements of this class. At least two performances take place each year.

Middle School The Middle School Fine Arts program gives students a variety of arts experiences in three basic areas: visual and industrial arts, drama and speech, and music. Students may choose areas of special interest for repeated exposure.

To varying degrees, all courses seek to advance students’ growth in initiative, self-confidence, self-discipline, decision-making, and teamwork; all offer emotional release through ordered, non-threatening experiences. Several courses are sequential in nature: Band, Choir, Strings, Industrial Arts, and Drama. Beginning level courses in these fields are prerequisites for later courses.

Students in instrumental music classes furnish their instruments or rent them from the School or from local music stores. The majority of students rent instruments from the School, allowing changes in instruments and their size to be made over the course of a student’s musical studies. Rental fees support a fund for instrument replacement.

NOTE: Though an attempt is made to honor all fine arts selections, it is sometimes necessary to assign a student to a different course than he requests.

Upper School The Upper School Fine Arts students are challenged to explore their creative selves through the performing, visual, and media arts. At the core of the curriculum lies the opportunity for students to express those creative instincts that make us uniquely human. The study of art at St. Mark’s includes scholarly inquiry into the history, theory, and style of artistic expression. Performing, visual, and media arts find expression in a variety of programs designed to allow students to fully express and develop artistic talents.

Criteria and Selection Process for AP/Honors Courses Each spring, the department will solicit nominations from the faculty for placing students in AP/Honors courses for the following fall trimester.

Criteria for Nomination The student should: • Be a rising junior or senior in good standing.

• Have completed two years of study in the same field of art in the Upper School.

• Exhibit a mastery of art.

Selection to AP/Honors: • A student may enter the honors sequence at the junior or senior level after two years of study in an art area in the Upper School.

• When the student is nominated for the AP/Honors course, his advisor will be notified so that the student may be placed in that course selection.

Appeal Process: The student must first engage in a conversation with his most recent art teacher. The student has an option to appeal through the Department Chair. # Several courses of a performing or creative nature may be taken repeatedly in successive years, and since the outcome of the work is different each year, the courses carry the credit indicated each time.

Music

# Upper School Band Grades 9–12 | Full Year

† Upper School Band–H Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year Concert Band offers advanced instrumental music instruction on band instruments of the student’s choice.

The course includes music theory and appreciation and concert performances during the year in addition to performing at all home Varsity football games. Limitation: Teacher approval required.

Beginning Strings Grades 5–8 | Full Year This course is offered to Middle School students with no previous experience on a string instrument. It is an accelerated version of the Lower School strings and allows students to continue, the following year, at the Elementary or Intermediate Level.

Beginning Band

Elementary Strings

Grades 5–7 | Full Year

Grades 5–8 | Full Year

This is a course of elementary instruction in instrumental music, including musical notation, technical instruction for each instrument, and some simple music theory. Students choose which instrument they wish to study. Thirty minutes practice per day is expected.

# Intermediate Band Grades 6–8 | Full Year

Elementary Strings is a continuation of Lower School Strings. Music reading and correct technique are stressed, and the literature progresses from unison material to fourpart string orchestra arrangements. Prerequisite: Beginning Strings or by audition.

Intermediate Strings Grades 5–8 | Full Year

Intermediate Band is a course for students with one year’s experience playing a band instrument at St. Mark’s.

It includes work on all major scales, sight reading, technical instruction for each instrument, and some simple music theory. Thirty minutes practice per day is expected.

Prerequisite: Beginning Band.

Intermediate Strings is a continuation of Elementary Strings. More difficult keys, rhythms, bowings, and position work are introduced, and string orchestra arrangements are rehearsed. Prerequisite: Elementary Strings or by audition.

# Middle School Band Grades 7 & 8 | Full Year This course of advanced instruction in instrumental music is for students with two or three years’ experience playing a band instrument. Students audition and must pass a proficiency test of major scales, major intervals of thirds through five flat and five sharp keys, and the complete range of the chromatic scale. Drummers must play the first 13 rudiments with at least a 78 percent proficiency rating on all rudiments. Prerequisite: Two to three years’ experience playing a band instrument. Limitations: By audition only.

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# Advanced Strings

Middle School Choir II

Grades 5–8 | Full Year

Grades 7&8 | Full Year

Advanced Strings is the main performing string ensemble of the Middle School. It is a continuation of Intermediate Strings and includes further study of positions and bowing techniques. Limitation: New students who feel qualified for this course need to audition with the instructor.

The Middle School Choir II joins the Middle School Choir I and the Upper School Choir regularly for performances.

In addition, the Middle School Choir II explores musical literature especially targeting the changing male voice.

As desired by individual students, work may continue on achieving higher levels in the Royal School of Church Music in America curriculum. Programs include leading singing in chapel, participating in Choral Evensong services, the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols, a spring concert, and local, national, and international trips. There will be some additional rehearsals required for these events outside the scheduled class time. Limitation: By audition only.

# Upper School Orchestra Grades 9–12 | Full Year

† Upper School Orchestra–H Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year The Upper School Orchestra rehearses and performs standard string orchestra literature, from Baroque to Contemporary, with emphasis on expression and style.

Limitation: Teacher approval required; new students must audition.

Middle School Choir I Grades 5 & 6 | Full Year The Middle School Choir performs choral literature for treble voices, often in conjunction with the Upper School Chorus. The course includes instruction in musical notation, vocal training, musical style, and a study of the lives of composers through the chorister-training scheme of the Royal School of Church Music in America. Programs include leading singing in chapel, Choral Evensong, the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols, a spring concert, and both local and international trips. There will be some additional rehearsals for these events. Limitation: By audition only.

# Upper School Choir Grades 9–12 | Full Year The Upper School Choir performs choral literature for male voices (TTBB), and sings with the St. Mark’s Schola for Choral Evensong. Programs include leading singing in chapel, participating in Choral Evensong services, the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols, a spring concert, and local, national and international trips. There will be some additional rehearsals required for these events outside the scheduled class time. Limitation: By audition only.

†Upper School Choir–H Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year Upper School Choir–Honors is limited to grades 11 and 12, and to exceptionally talented students willing to take on additional ensemble responsibilities and instruction in music notation, vocal training, musical style, and music history. Limitation: By audition only. Two years of Upper School Choir.

# Piano Study 1–8 # Piano Study 9–12 # Piano Study H 11 & 12 Full Year Piano Study teaches students how to play the piano with the goal of enjoying the art of piano performance as a lifetime skill and interest. Pianists will learn to play a repertoire from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary, Jazz, and Popular eras. This course includes music theory, keyboard techniques, sight-reading, and performance and accompaniment skills. The curriculum conforms to the requirements of the National College of Musicians and the National Guild of Piano Teachers. Course content is adapted for each student individually as is the daily practice requirement. Students will participate in trimester reviews at the

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end of the first and second trimesters and in recitals in both the Winter and Spring trimesters. Pianists may participate in local festivals and competitions through the Dallas Music Teachers Association upon teacher’s recommendation.

Because Piano Study is taught as one private lesson weekly during the School year, it is offered on a supplemental tuition basis only, earning one fine arts credit. Piano Study may be taken as additional credit at the same time as other fine arts courses, if so desired. Limitation: Space limited; application required (see page 53 of this Course Catalog for the form). Honors: Two years of piano study in the Upper School at St. Mark’s. Teacher approval required.

Global Music: From Accordions to Zithers Grades 5 & 6 | 1 Trimester Global Music is an introduction to the music of the world’s peoples. It explores music in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia with an emphasis on its function within the culture of which it is a part. In-class instruction will include improvisation and performance using world music instruments. The students’ final projects will be the creation of an instrument of their own design.

No previous musical experience is required.

Digital Music & Multimedia 5A/6A Grades 5 & 6 | 1 Trimester This introduction to the world of digital music will discuss the origins of digital music. Students will begin with an introduction to various genres of music and a discussion of meter (time signatures). The structure of a song and its component parts will lead directly into the creation of music by the students. The course explores sequencing and sampling.

Students will use GarageBand to create various musical pieces in various genres.

Digital Music & Multimedia 6B Grade 6 | 1 Trimester Digital Music & Multimedia is the presentation of various media genres in digital format. The course explores sequencing, sampling, and digital recording techniques.

Projects will include the incorporation of art, music, video, photos, and poetry. The Digital Music & Multimedia class will entail blending different mediums that in some way incorporate interaction with the viewer.

Visual Arts & Industrial Arts # Creative Arts 5/6 Grades 5 & 6 | 1 Trimester Student activities and projects are directed toward exploring the visual arts: drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and architecture.

# Creative Arts 6B Grade 6 | 1 Trimester The course focuses on further development of visual thinking skills and appreciation for aesthetics. Activities and projects are directed toward learning art fundamentals and improving manual dexterity. Students will explore creative intelligence and their artistic potential through working in various 2D and 3D art mediums. Prerequisite: Creative Arts 5/6A.

# MS Art History 5/6 Grades 5 & 6 | 1 Trimester The course is an introduction to study Western Art History in 2-D Art, 3-D Art, Architecture, and Photography.

The format includes lectures, visual presentation, field trips, and hands-on projects to develop an appreciation of the means of artistic expression explored in the History of Art.

Art Fundamentals 7 Grade 7 | 1 Trimester This course focuses on building visual literacy. Students will study the theory and practice of art elements and principles of design through drawing, painting, and various 3-D art projects. Emphasis is on developing a keen eye, rendering skills, and familiarity with various art materials such as graphite, charcoal, pastel, pen and ink, watercolor, and acrylic paint. Students are encouraged to take creative risks and to think outside the box while learning the objectives.

Drawing and Painting 8A Grade 8 | 1 Trimester This course focuses on various methods and approaches to drawing and painting mediums. Students will study the essential art elements and principles of composition.

Emphasis is on developing rendering and painting skills and a keen eye. Students are strongly encouraged to explore their creative potential and individual voice while learning the objectives. Drawing in a sketchbook on a daily basis is required.

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Drawing and Painting 8B

US Drawing and Painting II: Intermediate

Grade 8 | 1 Trimester

Grades 10–12 | Full Year

This course is an extension of the study of various methods and approaches in drawing and painting mediums. Students will focus on increasing their rendering and painting skills and developing visual thinking skills developed in earlier classes. Students are encouraged to discover and develop an individual voice through solving perceptual problems in still life, landscape, portrait, and the Bargue drawing technique. Drawing daily in a sketchbook is required. Prerequisite: Drawing and Painting 8A.

This course is an extension of the study of technical skills and approaches in drawing and painting developed in US Drawing and Painting I: Beginning. Students continue to develop and sharpen their rendering skills and perceptual sensibility with emphasis on increasing knowledge and experience in finding an individual voice through solving a variety of perceptual problems. The Bargue drawing technique, drawing and painting from a model in charcoal, graphite powder, pastel and acrylic paint are explored.

Daily drawing in a sketchbook is required. Prerequisite: US Drawing and Painting I. Limitation: Teacher approval.

Art Elements Grades 9–12 | 1 Trimester Art Elements is a beginner’s course in the visual arts designed to introduce the student to the theory and practice of art fundamentals. Drawing, painting, ceramics, and sculpture are explored. The focus will be on the properties of art elements: line, form, shape, value, texture, and color.

Ceramics Grades 9–12 | 2 Trimesters This course involves basic instruction in coil, slab, and wheel pottery techniques, raku pottery and firing techniques, and an introduction to glazing. Students read selections from Ceramics Monthly, Ceramics, Clay and Glazes for the Potter, and Raku: Art and Technique. Prerequisite: Art Elements. Limitation: Teacher approval required.

# Ceramics Grades 10–12 | Full Year This course involves instruction in coil, slab, and wheel pottery techniques, raku pottery and firing techniques, and an introduction to glazing. Students read selections from Ceramics Monthly, Ceramics, Clay and Glazes for the Potter, and Raku: Art and Technique. Prerequisite: Art Elements and Ceramics 2 trimesters. Limitation: Teacher approval required.

US Drawing and Painting I: Beginning Grades 9–12 | Full Year This studio course focuses on creative visual thinking and expression through methods and concepts of composition used in all other art classes with the awareness of the role of visual communication in society and life. A variety of techniques employing various painting and drawing media with an awareness of the expressive and compositional aspects of creating a work of art is explored.

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US Advanced Drawing and Painting–H Grades 10–12 | Full Year This course is an advanced course focusing on further exploration of concepts, materials and individual interpretation of traditional art. Emphasis is on documenting the steps of the creative process and the decision making process through solving perceptual and intellectual problems in art making. Students continue to sharpen the disciplined learning and techniques in traditional drawing and painting mediums, the Barque method and other classical drawing methods. Prerequisite: US Drawing and Painting II. Limitation: Teacher approval.

# Sculpture Grades 10–12 | 2 Trimesters – 2nd & 3rd only This course is a studio class dealing with the fundamentals of three-dimensional art: sculpture and design.

Basic principles and techniques are applied to assigned projects, emphasizing the student’s imagination, craftsmanship, and self-expression. Prerequisite: Art Elements or Visual Studies 8.

Photography 7 Grade 7 | 1 Trimester This course will introduce the fundamentals of photography in the digital age. Students will discover the creative possibilities available through digital manipulation and the processes and procedures exclusive to the digital darkroom.

Continuous access to a “point & shoot” digital camera (four megapixel minimum) will be required. Critiques will be held on a regular basis to discuss all student work in an open forum.

Photography 8 Grade 8 | 1 Trimester This class is an introduction to photographic techniques and the digital darkroom. Students will explore Adobe Photoshop and the procedures necessary to produce fine black and white digital photographs. Students will be faced with aesthetic and compositional issues through the use of “point & shoot” cameras and weekly projects. Critiques will be held on a regular basis to discuss all student work in an open forum. Continuous access to a “point & shoot” digital camera (four megapixel minimum) will be required.

US Photography I Grades 9–12 | Full Year This course involves the exploration of black and white digital photography: visualization, exposure, digital capture, digital workflow, and printmaking. This course works to broaden a student’s visual vocabulary through the study of photographic masters and photographic history.

Critiques will be held on a regular basis to exchange ideas and comment on all student work. Continuous access to a digital SLR camera with at least five megapixels and manual exposure controls will be required.

# US Advanced Photography Grades 10–12 | Full Year This is an advanced course in black and white photography with an introduction to the principles of color photography. It is an accelerated exploration of photographic materials, processes, and aesthetics with an emphasis on the quality of the fine print. All issues involving digital pre- and post- production, including scanning, pre-press, and various forms of output, will be discussed. Continuous access to a digital SLR camera with at least five megapixels and manual exposure controls will be required. Prerequisite: US Photography I or a portfolio of previous work exhibiting an adequate level of competence.

Limitation: Teacher approval required.

† US Advanced Photography–H

Prerequisite: US Advanced Photography or a portfolio of previous work exhibiting an adequate level of competence.

Limitation: Teacher approval required.

Industrial Arts 5/6 A Grades 5 & 6 | 1 Trimester This is a first-year introductory course for fifth and sixth graders covering units in project planning (single and multi-view sketching, plus scale), hand tool woodworking, and hand tool plastics. Students complete projects of their choice in each area.

Industrial Arts 6B Grade 6 | 1 Trimester Industrial Arts 6B is an extension of technical skills developed in Industrial Arts 5/6A. Students will continue to develop an understanding of project planning and design, and hone their skills with woodworking hand tools.

Additionally, limited power tools will be introduced to aid in the construction process. The main project focus for this course will be hands-on application of basic Power Technology and automotive design in the form of “CO2 dragsters.” Each student will research, design, and build a dragster. The trimester culminates with a final racing competition. Craftsmanship, work ethic, and maintaining safe work habits will be emphasized. Prerequisite: Industrial Arts 5/6A.

Industrial Arts 7A Grade 7 | 1 Trimester

Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course will concentrate on the successful visual execution of conceptual ideas. Students will manipulate the traditional photograph through Adobe Photoshop and other experimental techniques to produce highly communicative images. Emphasis is on individual growth through largely independent projects based on student interest, culminating with portfolios suitable for college admissions.

Continuous access to a digital SLR camera with at least five megapixels and manual exposure controls will be required.

This course introduces the computer-aided drafting (CAD) software to aid in the preliminary development of unique hands-on projects to be constructed. Additionally, power tools and machines will be introduced to augment the hand tool skills developed in the previous Industrial Arts classes. Students will design projects that address the relationship between form and function. Craftsmanship, creativity, work ethic, and maintaining safe work habits will be emphasized. Prerequisite: Industrial Arts 5/6A, 6B preferred. Limitation: Twelve students maximum.

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object design and construction. Craftsmanship, creative problem solving, drawing skills, effective work habits, and safety protocol will be emphasized. Prerequisite: Industrial Arts 7A or 8B preferred. Limitation: Teacher approval required. Ten students maximum.

# US ADVANCED Wood and Metal Grades 10–12 | Full Year

† US ADVANCED Wood and Metal–H Industrial Arts 7 Transfer Industrial Arts 8 Transfer Grades 7 & 8 | 1 Trimester This is the beginning-level Industrial Arts course for seventh and eighth graders transferring to St. Mark’s and for others who did not take Industrial Arts 5/6A or Industrial Arts 7A. It includes basic units in formal mechanical drawing (using traditional instruments and the computer), hand tool woodworking, and limited power tool woodworking. Students complete projects of their own choosing and read selections from General Industrial Education and Technology.

Industrial Arts 8B

Grades 11–12 | Full Year This is an advanced three-dimensional design course focusing on the implementation of a full range of woodworking tools and metalworking equipment in order to construct works that marry form and function. Students will begin pursuing unique paths of interest through individual research and problem solving for assigned and self-developed projects. Students should begin to develop a conceptual platform to support the forms they create.

Emphasis will be placed on demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the 3D design elements and principles, intentional craftsmanship, self-motivated work habits, and safety protocol. This course may be repeated with progressively higher expectations relative to experience. Prerequisite: Intro to US Woodworking and Drafting. Limitation: Teacher approval required. Ten students maximum.

Grade 8 | 1 Trimester This course will serve as the prerequisite for US Woodworking. Emphasis will be placed on developing a thorough understanding of basic design elements and principles, including line, plane, mass, volume, texture, and space.

Students will continue to utilize the CAD software in their project development. Students will demonstrate their understanding of design through hands-on projects in wood and other materials. Prerequisite: Industrial Arts 7A or 7T.

US Wood and Metal Grades 9–12 | Full Year This course will investigate the visual language of three-dimensional form through the implementation of the elements and principles of design. Project planning, including sketching, multi-view and pictorial drawings, and individual research will be employed in order to visualize and conceive unique projects. Students will be introduced to historical and contemporary figures and themes in art and design to further inform the work they create. In the studio, focus will be placed on developing an understanding of and technical proficiency with a broad range of hand and power woodworking tools, welding equipment, and metal fabrication processes as they relate to three-dimensional

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Drama & Film Studies Creative Dramatics 5/6 A Grades 5 & 6 | 1 Trimester The focus of this course is on creative experiences in drama, including improvisations, pantomimes, scenes, and plays, with emphasis on the creative process, communication skills, and group participation. There will be some training in technical areas, and students will create their own projects with direction and supervision from the teacher. This course is for first-year drama students.

Creative Dramatics 6B Grade 6 | 1 Trimester Creative Dramatics 6B is an advanced course with advanced work on manuscripts, original plays, and the technical elements of theater. Performance work will be required. Prerequisite: Creative Dramatics 5/6A.

Film Studies 6B

Film Studies 8

Grade 6 | 1 Trimester

Grade 8 | 1 Trimester

This course focuses on the beginnings of film history from optical illusion toys of the 18th century to the advent of sound in film in the 1920s. During the production phase of the class, students learn the basics of silent film storytelling. They write a story and then learn how to translate it into pictures using a technique called storyboarding. The students learn how to use digital video cameras and employ basic editing techniques on iMovie. Prerequisite: Creative Dramatics 5/6A.

This course focuses on film history from World War II to modern-day films. Students learn more advanced screenwriting formats and for the first time, produce a full-sound film. More emphasis is placed on story, film form, and editing technique than in any other MS film studies class. The goal of the class is to give students an appreciation for film as an art form, rather than just as an entertainment medium.

Drama 7 Workshop

Acting Styles I Grades 9–12 | Full Year

Grade 7 | 1 Trimester Drama 7 Workshop broadens theater skills through the study of improvisation and theater games, creative script writing, and script study. Activities include, but are not limited to, theater games, radio plays, stage combat, monologues, and in-class performances. Technical theater skills are also taught.

Acting Styles I is a basic acting course focusing on techniques, theory, and performance for the stage. The course includes acting exercises, in-class acting scenes, group improvisation, and rehearsal for a Studio Production.

# Advanced Acting Grades 10–12 | 2 Trimesters

Film Studies 7 Grade 7 | 1 Trimester This course picks up where Film Studies 6 left off, with the introduction of sound and color in film. The class covers the history of film from the first all-sound film, The Jazz Singer, up until World War II. Students learn about basic screenwriting techniques and formats. The students produce a silent film and learn how to add music and sound effects to heighten the emotional tone of their films.

Drama 8 Improvisation Grade 8 | 1 Trimester This course focuses on developing intuitive thinking and problem-solving skills through the use of improvisational techniques and theater games. Students will develop original scenes applying the dramatic elements. This is a non-performance class.

Drama 8 Production Grade 8 | 1 Trimester

Advanced Acting focuses on scene work, and students are expected to memorize scenes and monologues for in-class performances and a public studio performance.

Prerequisite: Acting Styles I class.

# Actors’ Workshop Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year Actors’ Workshop is an intensive study of acting skills and theory for the advanced student. The course includes acting exercises, scene study, and rehearsals for a studio production each trimester. Prerequisite: Acting Styles.

Limitations: Teacher permission required.

# US Improvisation Workshop Grades 9–12 | 1 Trimester The course focuses on both long form and short form improvisation techniques. Students will explore the dramatic elements through original scenes, improvisational structures, and theater games. Source books include, but are not limited to, Improvisation for the Theater by Viola Spolin and Improv! by Greg Atkins.

Drama 8 Production is a course that builds on creative skills learned in earlier drama courses and works toward a major production of a play during the trimester. The course involves new technical skills and challenging acting situations for experienced students and for newcomers.

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# Directing II Grades 10–12 | 1 Trimester Directing II is an advanced course for students who have completed Directing and are interested in further directorial studies. The student will select, direct, and produce a one-act play. Prerequisite: Directing. Limitations: Teacher permission required.

# US Film Studies Lighting Design Grades 9–12 | 1 Trimester (1st Trimester) This is an introductory course in lighting design for the stage. Design elements, script analysis, lighting instruments, lamps, color and light, and design tools will be studied. Each student will select a play and design the lights for that play. A ground plan and light plot to scale and a cue list will be the final project. The Fall Play will serve as a practicum for this course.

Theater Props: Design and Construction Grades 9–12 | 1 Trimester (2nd Trimester) This course will focus on the fundamentals of prop design and construction for the stage. Design elements, script analysis, the responsibility of the prop master, construction materials, and tools will be studied. Each student will select a play and be responsible for deciding what props are needed and if they should be bought, rented, or built. They will select a prop or group of props and design and build them. The Winter Play will serve as a practicum for this course.

Set Design and Construction Grades 9–12 | 1 Trimester (3rd Trimester) This is an introductory course in set design for the stage. Design elements, script analysis, and construction techniques will be studied. Each student will select a script and design a set, create the ground plan, and produce a rendering of the set. The Spring Play will serve as a practicum for this course

# Directing Grades 9–12 | Full Year Directing is a fundamental course studying the theory and practice of stage directing, focusing on organization, script interpretation, rehearsal scheduling, and working with different styles of acting and directing. The student will direct several scenes using student actors.

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Grades 9–12 | Full Year This year-long fine arts course will focus on understanding film structure as well as the filmmaking process.

Students will learn basic screenwriting techniques, and each will write his own original script. Students will then produce that screenplay. Several projects will be done throughout the year to teach the basics of video photography and editing.

Throughout the year, students will learn about film history, theory, and production so that by the end of the year they will be able to look at films in a whole new way. The text for this course is Understanding Movies by Louis Giannetti.

# Advanced US Film Studies Advanced US Film Studies–H Grades 10–12 | Full Year This is an advanced year-long course in film production and technique. It expands on principles taught in the US Film Studies course but places more emphasis on production value and technique. Students will learn more sophisticated screenwriting formats, camera and lighting techniques, and advanced non-linear editing using the program Final Cut Pro HD. Prerequisites: US Film Studies.

Limitation: Teacher approval.

Speech & Debate 7/8 Debate 1 Grades 7 & 8 | 1 Trimester This course focuses on the fundamentals of public speaking and debate with an emphasis on critical thinking and research. Each student will participate in a minimum of four debates. Debate Topics are designed to complement the themes being studied in eighth grade humanities. It is preferred that students have a computer that is capable of running a Windows-based system. For Mac users a utility program like Boot Camp or Parallels that allows Windows to be run on a Mac is acceptable.

MS Debate 2

Computer Science

Grade 8 | 1 Trimester Debate 2 seeks to enhance and augment the research and argumentation skills learned in Debate 1. In 2013–2014, research will be focused on the topic, Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its economic engagement toward Cuba, Mexico, or Venezuela.

Students will be required to participate in at least one local debate tournament during the term in which they are registered for the course. It is preferred that students have a computer that is capable of running a Windows-based system. For Mac users a utility program like Boot Camp or Parallels that allows Windows to be run on a Mac is acceptable. Prerequisite: Debate 1.

# US Argumentation & Debate Grades 9–12 | Full Year Argumentation and Debate is a course for students who wish to be active in the interscholastic debate program.

Members of the team do extensive research on the current national debate resolution and participate in tournament competitions (September to June) on a local, regional, and national level. Most students in the program also attend debate workshops in the summer. Students are required to have a laptop that is capable of running a Windows-based system. For Mac users a utility program like Boot Camp or Parallels that allows Windows to be run on a Mac is acceptable. Limitation: Teacher approval required.

# US Argumentation & Debate–H Grades 11–12 | Full Year Argumentation and Debate Honors is a course for students in the debate program who seek to compete at the national level and who have demonstrated the research skills to produce innovative and in-depth research assignments. In addition to the requirements of Argumentation and Debate, honors students are expected to complete at least five comprehensive research assignments during the year. Students are required to have a laptop that is capable of running a Windows-based system. For Mac users a utility program like Boot Camp or Parallels that allows Windows to be run on a Mac is acceptable. Limitation: Teacher approval required.

Middle School Computer Applications 5 Grade 5 | 1 Trimester The Fifth Grade Computer Applications class stresses the development of fundamental keyboard and typing skills.

Students will receive extensive instruction and practice with a standard QWERTY keyboard layout. Instruction in Microsoft Word covers the fundamentals of work with the graphic word processing program, including text selection, font and style selection, paragraph formatting, and proofing tools. Students also will learn basic file management skills in both Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. Students also receive basic instruction in the use and management of their Microsoft Exchange e-mail account.

Computer Applications 6 Grade 6 | 1 Trimester The Sixth Grade Computer Applications class builds on the skills presented in the fifth grade program. Work continues with basic keyboarding and typing skills, though at a reduced level from the previous year. Students learn the fundamentals of webpage design using Adobe Dreamweaver. Concepts taught include the design of a good website, the basics of Internet searches, and the effective use of St. Mark’s online databases for research purposes.

Proper file structure, naming conventions, and accurate citation of sources are taught. Students create a webpage on the topic of their choosing, research the topic, and display the information in a clear and concise manner for web publication using images, text and hyperlinks. Students will also learn basic level skills with their Microsoft Exchange account. These skills include managing e-mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes on both computers and mobile devices.

Computer Applications 7 Grade 7 | Full Year (one period per week) The Seventh Grade Computer Applications class builds on the skills developed in the fifth and sixth grade curriculum and introduces new productivity skills and applications using Adobe InDesign. This class is offered in conjunc­t ion and cooperation with the Humanities program. The typing skills of each student will be evaluated at the start of the course. Recommendations for further work using an online typing program will be made as required. Students will learn fundamental and intermediate level skills with InDesign, the page layout program from Adobe. Projects using these skills will be developed in

2013–2014 Course Catalog 45

consultation with the Humanities instructor. Students will also learn intermediate level skills with Microsoft Exchange.

These skills include managing e-mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes on both computers and mobile devices.

Appeal Process: The student must first engage in a conversation with his most recent computer teacher. The student has an option to appeal through the Department Chair.

Computer Applications 8

• Visual Basic

Grade 8 | Full Year (one period per week)

Grades 9–12 | 1 Trimester – 1st only

The Eighth Grade Computer Applications class builds on the skills developed in the fifth, sixth, and seventh grade curriculum and intro­duces new productivity skills and applications. This class is offered in conjunction and cooper­ation with the Humanities program. Emphasis is placed on the integration of new and estab­l ished skills in the production of complex documents. Students learn the fundamentals of Microsoft Excel, the spreadsheet program included in the Microsoft Office suite of programs. Students also receive instruction in Microsoft Power Point, the presentation pro­g ram in Microsoft Office. Projects using these skills will be developed in consultation with the Humanities instructor. Students will review Internet search and retrieval skills. Students will also learn advanced level skills with Microsoft Exchange. These skills include managing e-mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes on both computers and mobile devices.

In this introductory course, students write Windows programs using Microsoft’s Visual Basic package. Students create programs using conditional statements, looping constructs, and simple data structures and will adhere to Object Oriented Programming (OOP) methodology.

• Web Page Design Grades 9–12 | 1 Trimester – 2nd only In this introductory course, students start with a simple text editor and master tags, tables, forms, and graphics.

Students then learn to use a web page editor to automate many of the tasks.

• JavaScript Grades 9–12 | 1 Trimester – 3rd only

Upper School Criteria and Selection Process for AP/Honors Courses Each spring, the department will solicit nominations from the faculty for placing students in AP courses for the following fall trimester.

Criteria for Nomination: The student should, in the judgment of his most recent computer science teacher, • Thrive in an environment that not only expects but requires students to educate themselves independently of pedagogical prompting.

• Prove to be not just able but eager to face academic and intellectual challenges.

Selection to AP: • The student must be enrolled in or have taken Visual Basic to be nominated.

• The student must be approved by the instructor to be placed in the AP Computer Science course.

• When the student is nominated for the AP/Honors course, his advisor will be notified so that the student may select the course on his Course Selection Sheet.

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This one-trimester course will be offered in the spring trimester only. In this course, students will integrate skills obtained in the prerequisite classes. Students will learn to program in a web page environment making sophisticated interactive web pages. Prerequisites: Visual Basic; Web Page Design.

iPhone App Development Grades 9–12 | Full year Students will learn to develop applications (Apps) to run on the iPhone or iPod Touch. Students will download and master the Apple Software Development Kit (SDK) including the iPhone simulator and the Xcode development environment. Students will master Objective-C programming and will ultimately publish an application to the App Store. Students will enroll as a Registered iPhone Developer with their parent’s permission. Required materials include Beginning iPhone Development – Exploring the iPhone SDK, online tutorials, and an iPod Touch.

† AP Computer Science A Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year AP Computer Science A consists of the study of programming methodology without any discussion of formal correctness proofs or arguments. Algorithms (particularly sorting and searching algorithms) are informally compared, and no use is made of “Big-O” notation. Data structures and data abstraction are studied in the context of a computer language’s built-in types and structures (e.g., arrays and records) and non-linked structures that can be built from these. Recursion is introduced as a control abstraction. Students will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement Examination in Computer Science A but are not required to do so. Note: AP Computer Science A will be offered every other year. Prerequisite: Visual Basic.

Non-Departmental Electives Beginning Journalism Grades 9–12 | Full Year This course provides students with an introduction into the world of mass media, with a special emphasis on the verbal/visual connection of communications. We will begin with an overview of journalism – its history, purposes, and development through the years, along with ethical studies, including appropriateness of content, elements of news, and definitions and studies of libel. From there, students will focus on the verbal elements of reporting: interviewing, copy editing, style rules, news writing and in-depth coverage, and specialized styles of writing (sports, arts, editorials, and columns). Next comes an exploration in the visual aspect of communications: basic layout principles, advanced design, and the use of typography, artwork, photographs, sidebars/charts, and color as tools in

further telling the story. This course is a preparatory one for students who wish to work on The ReMarker newspaper or the Marksmen yearbook.

Advanced Journalism Grades 10–12 | Full Year This course, designed for students contributing to The ReMarker newspaper, provides practical application into the verbal/visual connection in communications. Students will utilize their knowledge of journalistic principles, ethics, appropriateness, coverage, writing, and design to plan and execute publication of The ReMarker, St. Mark’s student newspaper. Real-world experiences include coverage, planning and story development, news and specialized writing assignments, editorial decision making, editing and re-writing, mentoring beginning staff members, layout and design, business management, and circulation responsibilities. Students will follow a production schedule and make decisions which affect the ultimate consumption of the newspaper for its community. Prerequisite: Beginning Journalism or instructor’s permission.

Graphic Design & Editing Grades 9–12 | Full Year Students will learn feature writing, layout principles, design and graphics, desktop publishing programs (Photoshop and Illustrator) and basic principals of photo usage (coverage, selection, cropping, decorative techniques).

Students in this course may contribute to production of Marksmen, the student yearbook for St. Mark’s. Recommended for students who ultimately wish to pursue leadership positions on the yearbook staff. Limitation: Teacher approval required.

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• Information Engineering

Physical Education & Athletics

Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This course is a college-level introduction to electrical engineering and signal processing that uses professional grade software tools to create digital devices. The curriculum focuses on: 1) exploration and analysis of the various processes of digitizing, compress­i ng, storing, transporting, and displaying in­formation or media from various sources such as music, images, movies, and text; 2) introducing the basic physical building blocks and components of modern multimedia and information systems; and 3) developing the necessary skills for designing, building, and testing computer based hardware through easy-to-use, advanced software design tools.

Students who successfully complete this course will have a deeper understanding of engineering in the era of digital devices. They will also have an appre­ciation of the role and relevance of math and science in technology, along with first-hand experience with electronic components, microcontrollers, signal processing, and managing challenging digital projects. Students who take this elective will usually be pursuing a science, math, or engineering track in college.

Prerequisites: Algebra II, two previous years of lab science.

Limitations: Teacher approval required.

Academic Seminar See pg. 11 for description.

The Sociobiology of Ethics and Leadership Grades 11 & 12 | Full Year This interdisciplinary seminar will study E. O. Wilson’s The Social Conquest of Earth, and will also feature two other texts: David Brooks’ The Social Animal and Brian Swimme’s Journey of the Universe. Co-taught by many teachers from different academic disciplines, the discussion-based seminar will focus on explaining ethics and leadership as evolving naturally in our world by locating and explaining the preconditions for the moment in time when ethical behavior as we have come to know it is born and human evolution transcends the narrow concern for mere blood-relatives and widens to others outside of the family. Additionally, the course will explore political, religious, narrative, and organizational leadership strategies to align individuals’ interests with the communities that foster them. Students will be required to complete summer reading assignments to prepare for this course. The seminar will meet three days per week and graded pass/fail.

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Physical education and athletics are important components of the overall school curriculum. They strive to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes through application of the concepts and principles of human movement and participation in competitive sports.

As with other disciplines, physical education and athletics seek to prepare individuals to live effectively in the modern world. When one can develop his physical potential, he experiences the joy and exhilaration of a functionally efficient body. In addition and equally important to fitness are the intellectual, social, cultural, and emotional understandings and responsibilities that are developed through sports.

The goals for the program include the development of improved health, physical fitness, movement skills, specialized knowledge of and appreciation for sports, self-understanding through social interaction, and appreciation of play and the use of leisure time. The program also strives to develop highly competitive teams.

Physical Education: Lower School The Lower School Physical Education Program includes movement experience and body mechanics, rhythmic activities, simple game activities and relays, apparatus, stunts, tumbling, swimming, water safety, and water polo. In the third grade, we begin to place greater emphasis on sports skills and activities. Similarly, the fourth-grade program supplements the previous items with more rigorous fitness routines and a greater spectrum of activities.

Physical Education: Grades 5 & 6 Fifth and sixth graders participate in daily physical education classes where they are introduced to a wide variety of athletic activities, including but not restricted to the offerings in the Upper School. All fifth and sixth graders are to sign up for 5/6 P.E. Classes meet for 45 minutes and are directed by members of the physical education department. Lessons are structured to introduce the students to basic skills and rules involved in each sport, as well as the continued development of personal physical fitness goals.

Physical Education: Grades 7 & 8 Seventh and eighth grade P.E. classes and athletic teams meet from 2:20–3:45 p.m., five days per week. Students are required to participate daily and are allowed several options each season. Because of the nature of competitive sports, the time commitment and fitness expectations are varied and demanding. Students should be aware of a particular sport’s time and fitness requirements before signing up. Coaches are happy to answer questions.

Students should choose a sport for each season from the following list: Fall 7/8 P.E. 7/8 Cross Country 7/8 Fencing, Football 7* Football 8* 7/8 P.E. Tennis 7/8 Volleyball* Spring 7/8 P.E. Baseball 7* Baseball 8* 7/8 Lacrosse* 7/8 Tennis* 7/8 Track 7/8 Water Polo

Winter 7/8 P.E. Basketball 7 Blue* Basketball 7 Gold* Basketball 8 Blue* Basketball 8 Gold* Soccer 7* Soccer 8* 7/8 Swimming 7/8 Wrestling*

* Due to limited coaching staff and facilities, a place cannot be guaranteed in all interscholastic sports.

P.E. Tutorial: Grades 7 & 8 The Athletic Department offers a tutorial program for students wishing to pursue an interest in a particular sport as an alternative to our Physical Education requirement. This offering is restricted to only one season during the School year for each qualifying student. This program is designed for the athlete who has already established a significant interest, dedication, and commitment to a particular sport and is actively practicing and competing in that sport year-round, regardless of the St. Mark’s physical education or athletics requirement. Boys who wish to be considered for a tutorial must obtain a tutorial application form from the Athletics Office and submit a report to the Athletic Director for consideration on the first day of school for the Fall season and two weeks before the start of Winter and Spring sports seasons.

Boys considering a tutorial should sign up for P.E. during the course selection process in the Spring.

Physical Education & Athletics: Grades 9–12 Fall US P.E. Cheerleading Cross Country Fencing Football Volleyball Winter US P.E. Basketball (9, JV, V) Soccer Swimming Wrestling

Spring US P.E. Baseball Crew Golf Lacrosse Tennis Track & Field Water Polo

Upper School students are required to participate in physical education or athletics each season and must choose from the selections listed. However, seniors may be exempt from P.E. or athletics if they can pass the Physical Fitness Test. Athletic teams usually meet for two hours per day (4:00 to 6:00 p.m.), five days per week. Time and physical expectations on athletes are varied and demanding. Students should consult with the coach if there are any questions about expectations before they make their sport selections.

P.E. Tutorial: Grades 9–11 The Athletic Department offers a tutorial program for students wishing to pursue an interest in a particular sport as an alternative to our Physical Education requirement.

This offering is restricted to only one season during the School year for each qualifying student. This program is designed for the athlete who has already established a significant interest, dedication, and commitment to a particular sport and is actively practicing and competing in that sport year-round, regardless of the St. Mark’s physical education or athletics requirement. Boys who wish to be considered for a tutorial must obtain a tutorial application form from the Athletics Office and submit a report to the Athletic Director for consideration on the first day of school for the Fall season and two weeks before the start of Winter and Spring sports seasons. Boys considering a tutorial should sign up for P.E. during the course selection process in the Spring.

2013–2014 Course Catalog 49

Global Online Academy Teachers create their own materials for classes and connect students to curated material gathered from a variety of sources. Just like in regular classrooms at our member schools’ campuses there is an emphasis on engagement, interaction, and collaboration among students and with the teacher. Classes are asynchronous, meaning students have flexibility over when they log in, but they are also teacher-paced, meaning students are assigned work throughout the week rather than being given assignments to complete on the weekends or in one large block of time.

Through their curricula, teachers aim to meet three main goals: to create and maintain meaningful relationships with, and among, students; to create opportunities for students to share their local and personal perspective on global issues; and for the work to be meaningful and rigorous.

Students practice and hone 21st century skills in practical, hands-on ways. They learn how to collaborate with peers who are not sitting with them on campus; to communicate with people living in areas of the world that are culturally different from their own; how to hold themselves and others accountable for their work in a public forum; how to organize their time and tasks when given flexibility and autonomy; and how to use a variety of learning tools to interpret assignments and effectively express themselves.

All of these skills are necessary for becoming effective and constructive global citizens.

Note: Students who wish to take courses through Global Online Academy (GOA) may not take a course above the standard St. Mark’s course limits. Additionally, the student must receive permission from the Head of Upper School to apply for a course. Once permission is granted, the student must notify the Provost, who serves as the Site Director for Global Online Academy, so that the proper registration procedures can be followed. Additionally, the student must select the course(s) through the normal spring, course-selection process with their advisors.

Year-long courses average twenty-eight weeks, and semester courses average fourteen weeks in length.

Students must have access to a computer or laptop, access to a webcam and headset/microphone, and high-speed internet connectivity.

Global Online Academy courses will be graded, will receive GPA credit, and will be placed on official St. Mark’s transcripts. All St. Mark’s academic policies will be in effect on courses taken through GOA, and students must familiarize themselves with and agree to GOA’s policies listed in the GOA Student Handbook.

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Year-Long Courses Japanese Language Through Culture This course is a unique combination of Japanese culture and language, weaving cultural comparison with the study of basic Japanese language and grammar. While examining various cultural topics such as literature, art, lifestyle, and economy, students will learn the basics of the Japanese writing system, grammar and vocabulary. Students will learn the Japanese language by examining different cultural topics every two weeks. The ultimate goal of this course is to raise awareness and appreciation of different cultures through learning the basics of the Japanese language. The focus of this course will be 60 percent on language and 40 percent on culture. This course is appropriate for beginning-level high school students.

Fall Semester Arabic I: Language Through Culture This course will highlight Modern Standard Arabic, and the spoken dialect of the Levant. With an emphasis on Arabic culture, students will learn commonly used expressions and proverbs from North Africa, the Levant, and the Persian Gulf. Students will develop their skills in listening, reading, writing, forming grammatically correct structured sentences, and most importantly, conversation. This will be accomplished through podcasts, videos, chat logs, web conferencing, and letters, which will be exchanged between the participating students in this course and native Arabic speakers from Jordan. Since Arabic is becoming one of the most functional languages in the world, especially in the areas of commerce, business, and trade, students participating in this course can avail themselves of the opportunity to learn the language in a highly stimulating and rich cultural context.

Bioethics Ethics is the study of what one should do as an individual and as a member of society. In this course students will evaluate ethical issues related to medicine and the life sciences.

During the semester, students will explore real-life ethical issues, including vaccination policies, organ transplantation, genetic testing, human experimentation, and animal research. Through reading, writing, and discussion, students will be introduced to basic concepts and skills in the field of bioethics, will deepen their understanding of biological concepts, will strengthen their critical-reasoning skills, and will learn to engage in respectful dialogue with people whose views may differ from their own. In addition to journal articles and position papers, students will be required to read Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Crimes Against Humanity The 20th century witnessed some of the most horrifying examples of inhumanity in world history. The Armenian Genocide during World War I, the Holocaust in Europe during World War II, and the Rwanda Genocide in 1994 demonstrated how hatred and violence could unfold in dramatic fashion by the actions of both private citizens and the policies of governments. Yet these atrocities also led to new perspectives in international justice by developing definitions and punishments for crimes against humanity in the Nuremberg Tribunals and the subsequent International Criminal Court proceedings. This course first explores the three genocides in depth, using primary and secondary source readings, group projects, documentaries, and literature, and then turns to an examination of international justice with particular attention to the significance of the Nuremberg Tribunals. Students will write a research paper, collaborate on group presentations, and create a human rights report card website for a current nation of the world.

Global Health What makes people sick? What social and political factors lead to the health disparities we see both within our own communities and on a global scale? Using an interdisciplinary approach to address these two questions, this course hopes to improve students’ health literacy through an examination of the most significant public-health challenges facing today’s global population. Topics addressed will be the biology of infectious diseases; the statistics and quantitative measures associated with health issues; the social determinants of health; and the role of organizations (public and private) in shaping the landscape of global health policy. Students will use illness as a lens through which to examine critically such social issues as poverty, gender, and race. Student work will include analytical and creative writing; peer review, critique, and discussion; and online presentations.

Medical Problem Solving In this course students will collaboratively solve medical mystery cases, similar to the approach used in many medical schools. Students enhance their critical thinking skills as they examine data, draw conclusions, diagnose, and treat patients. Students will use problem-solving techniques in order to understand and appreciate relevant medical/ biological facts as they confront the principles and practices of medicine. Students will explore anatomy and physiology pertaining to medical scenarios and gain an understanding of the disease process, demographics of disease, and pharmacology. Additional learning experiences will include studying current issues in health and medicine, analyzing personal health and lifestyle, interviewing a patient, and creating a community-service action plan.

Comparative Governments This course introduces students to the comparative method of understanding power by studying the political systems of six nations: Great Britain, France, the United States, China, Russia, and India. Some questions that will be addressed are: what are the different models of representative democracy?; and how does religion play a role in shaping government? Students use these case studies to gain insight into international relations and other political science subfields and concepts. Histories, institutions, political processes, and current events will be covered through a variety of readings and sources.

Microeconomics This course provides students with an overview of the modern market economy as a system for dealing with resource scarcity. Students will learn basic microeconomic theory: supply, demand, and resource allocation; profit maximization; analysis of various market and industry structures; social costs and benefits; and international trade. Students will: test their understanding of demand and supply in a stock market simulation; investigate profit maximization by looking at case studies such as Apple; and experiment with game theory to gain insight into the behavior of firms. Using a problem-solving approach, students will learn through interactive lectures, group work, individual projects, discussions, and simulations.

Multivariable Calculus Multivariable Calculus will extend the principles and techniques of a first course in calculus to higher dimensions. Students will study vector algebra and functions, matrices, curves in space, arc length and curvature, and velocity and acceleration. Students will also learn: partial differentiation, local extrema, exact differentials, chain rule, directional derivative and gradient. As a continuation of integral calculus students will study double integration and triple integration, line integrals, volume and other applications. This course is meant for students who successfully completed (B+ or better) a first year AP (or equivalent) calculus course. Students must have access to a computerized 3D graphing utility, such as Grapher (standard utility on Mac computers) or Autograph, and must be comfortable using or learning to use new technology.

2013–2014 Course Catalog 51

Music Theory and Digital Composition This course focuses on the building blocks of music (scales, chords, keys, intervals, harmonic relationships, rhythm and meter) with the ultimate goal of helping students create compositions of their own. Students will use a variety of online resources to build their skills and to learn to create and arrange music using various digital media. The intent is for students to craft their own work without resorting to pre-determined, canned, digital samples, but rather to draw from their own intellect musical tools that can be written down, tweaked, and ultimately performed and recorded. Class members will share their work with others online, offer peer feedback in conjunction with faculty guidance, and begin building a body of their own compositions.

9/11 in a Global Context September 11, 2001, was a tragedy that must be understood on multiple levels. Locally, it radically altered New York City, leaving physical and psychological scars. Nationally, it shook a superpower, prompting widespread fear, confusion, and new policies that highlighted the tension between freedom and security. Internationally, it rewrote diplomatic relationships, launching the War on Terror and spurring many human-rights concerns. While 9/11 was a starting point for all of this, it was also an end point, the product of decades of global transformations. This class situates 9/11 where it belongs, at the center of an extended narrative, amidst the contemporary trends of post-imperialism, globalization, and terrorism.

Spring Semester Bioethics Ethics is the study of what one should do as an individual and as a member of society. In this course students will evaluate ethical issues related to medicine and the life sciences. During the semester, students will explore real-life ethical issues, including vaccination policies, organ transplantation, genetic testing, human experimentation, and animal research. Through reading, writing, and discussion, students will be introduced to basic concepts and skills in the field of bioethics, will deepen their understanding of biological concepts, will strengthen their critical-reasoning skills, and will learn to engage in respectful dialogue with people whose views may differ from their own. In addition to journal articles and position papers, students will be required to read Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Comparative Religions This course will compare Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. We will view each faith through the same lens, applying a shared vocabulary and framework to discover the origin, theology, and practices of each tradition. Students will work together to consider similarities among these faiths and to identify significant points of divergence. In the final weeks of the semester, students will be charged with questions that tap both personal and global perspectives. What are my own religious beliefs, and how do my own religious beliefs influence the way I interact with others? Where in the world do I see religion influencing political, economic, and/or social issues, and how might the similarities we have identified be utilized to ameliorate tensions caused by the differences among different faiths?

Declaring Our Humanity Declaring Our Humanity is an applied philosophy course that will use the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as a way of connecting pressing contemporary issues with broad-range philosophical ideas and controversies, drawn from multiple traditions and many centuries. We will also reverse our gaze and ask whether we must consider the declaration itself differently, and perhaps more critically, in light of recent political events like the global economic downturn and the sweeping revolutions of the Arab Spring, as well as new developments in fields as diverse as biology, cognitive science, and political theory. In addition to introducing students to the work of philosophers as diverse as Confucius and Martin Heidegger, this course also aims to be richly interdisciplinary, incorporating models and methods from diverse fields including history, journalism, literary criticism, and media studies. The topics we will explore in this class include the institution of slavery

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in the 21st century; the use of torture by Western countries during the War on Terror; the questions that new technologies raise for the rights to property, privacy, and freedom of speech; the deepening problem of global poverty; and the hope (and fear) inspired by the emergence of new populist movements around the globe.

Game Theory Do you play games? Ever wonder if you’re using “the right” strategy? What makes one strategy better than another? In this course, we’ll explore a branch of mathematics known as game theory, which answers these questions and many more. Game theory is widely applicable in the real world as we face dilemmas and challenges every day, most of which we can mathematically treat as games!

We will consider significant global events like the Cuban Missile Crisis, Mandela’s rise in South Africa, or the rise of Nobel Peace Prize winner Sirleaf in Liberia from a math perspective. Specific mathematical ideas we’ll discuss include two person zero sum games, utility theory, two person non-zero sum games, multi-player games, game trees, matrix algebra, linear optimization, and applications of game theory techniques to a plethora of real world problems. (Prerequisite: Comfortable with Algebra)

Multivariable Calculus Multivariable Calculus will extend the principles and techniques of a first course in calculus to higher dimensions. Students will study vector algebra and functions, matrices, curves in space, arc length and curvature, and velocity and acceleration. Students will also learn: partial differentiation, local extrema, exact differentials, chain rule, directional derivative and gradient. As a continuation of integral calculus students will study double integration and triple integration, line integrals, volume and other applications. This course is meant for students who successfully completed (B+ or better) a first year AP (or equivalent) calculus course. Students must have access to a computerized 3D graphing utility, such as Grapher (standard utility on Mac computers) or Autograph, and must be comfortable using or learning to use new technology.

International Macroeconomics In this course, students will study macroeconomic theory as it relates to domestic and global policies on employment, national income, government spending, and the impact of foreign spending on domestic economies and foreign exchange markets. Students will use real world events and data as case studies in order to develop a better understanding of the driving forces behind domestic and international macroeconomic markets. In the final portion of the course, students will have the opportunity to develop their own solutions to a local/global issue of their choice (such as poverty, environmental pollution, and limited access to education) based on their new understanding of macroeconomic theory.

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Private Piano Lessons St. Mark’s offers in-school, private piano instruction for Grades 1–12 during the academic year. Students in Grades 5–12 who take instruction for the full year will receive one fine arts credit. If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Hall, Piano Studies Coordinator, at halls@smtexas.org or 214.346.8265.

LESSONS:

One 45-minute, private lesson per school week.

CREDIT:

One fine arts credit for a full year’s instruction in fifth through twelfth grade. Piano Study counts toward the minimum fine arts requirement. Piano students are permitted to take other fine arts courses at the same time, if they so desire.

OPEN TO:

Boys in first through fourth grade during P.E. Boys in fifth through twelfth grade in a regularly scheduled period.

TUITION:

Tuition Supplement of $1,550 for the School year. Additionally, there is a $100 supplies fee required for this course. Financial Aid does not cover piano tuition.

REGISTER:

By returning this letter, signed below, by WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2013. No late enrollment forms will be accepted.

BILLING:

Billed in full by the School in June with regular School tuition bills, payable on July 1, 2013. Students will not be scheduled for piano instruction if tuition is not paid by the July 1st deadline. Tuition is non-refundable after lessons have begun since instruction time and resources will have been committed.

SCHEDULE: You will receive a confirmation of your registration. Notification of lesson time will occur at the beginning of the School year. Scheduling may be limited by available class times.

REGISTRATION Send to:

Sandy Hall Piano Studies Coordinator St. Mark’s School of Texas 10600 Preston Road Dallas, TX 75230-4047

Register my son, who will be in grade

, in the Fall, 2013, for private piano lessons.

Parent Name Parent Signature Telephone Email Home Address

54 St. Mark’s School of Texas

St. Mark’s School of Texas 10600 Preston Road Dallas, TX 75230 www.smtexas.org