SA Curriculum Guidance
Advanced Studies Courses
Our Advanced Studies curriculum, designated as “AS” on the Sonoma Academy transcript, is a pivotal extension beyond our core curriculum, and is comparable to college-level work in pace and content. Offered across academic disciplines, AS courses are developed by the Sonoma Academy faculty and provide more flexibility and versatility of content and instruction than the College Board Advanced Placement curriculum. These courses focus on building our students’ skills in inquiry, analytical investigation, and research and encourage them to question and challenge their prior learning.
Students typically do not enroll in AS courses until their junior year unless it is the next course in their math or world language trajectory.
Concentrations
A concentration is an overarching and interdisciplinary focus of study weaving together a series of classes, projects, leadership roles, and Intersession programs. It carries with it the commitment to complete a capstone project within the area of study.
Concentration areas include:
• Global Citizenship
• Scientific Research and STEM
• Environmental Stewardship and Climate Justice
The first step in pursuing a concentration is the declaration. This is typically done at the end of your sophomore year. To begin the declaration, fill out the Concentration Declaration form. Once reviewed, you will receive an email from Kelly Castañeda connecting you with your advisor. As you consider pursuing a Concentration, review the competencies you are expected to develop through the process, below.
Be prepared to discuss with your advisor the required classes, potential elective pathways, Intersession (or other experiential) programs, leadership roles, and capstone projects and how they each support the development of the competencies.
Recommended Math Sequence and Pathways
Algebra I and Algebra II will now be taught over two semesters, with classes meeting 3 times per week for 55 minutes per class. The rationale behind this is that both courses are foundational to the study of higher-level math. With consistent practice and reinforcement of Algebra I and Algebra II skills, our students will be better prepared to tackle the rigor of PreCalculus/AS PreCalculus, Calculus/AS Calculus, and beyond.
Math Magician
ALGEBRA TO CALCULUS PATH
9th 10th 11th 12th
Algebra 2
Math Dabbler
Math Minimalist
Students will take one semester of Geometry. Depending on their placement and goals, students will take Geometry concurrently with Algebra II, or they may be able to take Geometry and PreCalc/AS PreCalc in the same year. Individual pathways will be discussed with students during course selection time.
Not all students want to pursue the highest levels of math we offer, while others who may be anticipating attending college and/or pursuing careers in math-related fields will want to follow the math pathway that leads them to the highest level math courses.
Additionally, while it is technically not a graduation requirement, the College Counselors strongly advise that all students take math all four years of high school.
Please note that this pathway represents the Algebra to Calculus path. Students are welcome and encouraged to explore other math options not represented here such as Statistics, AS Statistics or Financial Literacy as a component of their math curriculum.
Geometry/ AS Precalculus
AS Calculus 1 / AS Calculus 2 AS Multiv Calc
AS Calculus 1 AS Calculus 2
Alg 2/ Geo AS Precalculus AS Calculus 1 / AS Calculus 2 AS Multiv Calc
AS Precalculus AS Calculus 1
Algebra 2
Geometry
Precalculus Calculus
Algebra 1 Alg 2/ Geo Precalculus Calculus
Precalculus
Algebra 1
Algebra 2
Geometry
Algebra 2
Precalculus Calculus or AS Calculus 1
Coyote Block
Coyote Block (F and G blocks ) is designed to extend beyond traditional college preparation and provide a more diverse schedule that caters to varied student needs and interests. It aims to preserve the spirit of the one-mod schedule, while acknowledging the realities of student commitments outside of school, such as long commutes, extracurricular activities, or jobs.
The offerings in F and G blocks will primarily focus on the arts (choir, ensembles, visual arts, tech, etc.) and wellness/PE, but aren’t limited to those areas. These optional blocks will allow students the freedom to chart their own course. Final offerings will be based on student interest, ensuring that the schedule is diverse and beneficial to students. Grades earned during the Coyote Block will be included in the students’ GPA. Courses offered only during this time are noted in the course catalog.
We believe that the arts, as they are both experienced and practiced, are irreplaceable instruments of knowledge. The Arts curriculum is grounded in our core values of interdisciplinary inquiry, personal growth, and creative exploration. In each arts course, students have opportunities to develop new skills in a supportive environment, as well as to collaborate, critique, and learn to utilize feedback from others. We approach each discipline with a balance of historical, theoretical, and practical instruction as well as an emphasis on innovation and imagination. Our arts courses seek to establish a lifelong appreciation for the arts and to nurture critical competencies like empathy, prototyping and experimentation, and ensemble cooperation. With courses in visual arts, theater, vocal and instrumental music, dance, and visual thinking and fabrication, as well as a thriving performance program, arts education at Sonoma Academy is an integral part of our academic program and our school culture.
All students are required to take 2 semesters (or 4 mods) of art courses; 1 semester/2 mods in 9th grade; and at least 2 mods in a single discipline.
MUSIC
Our goal is to explore the universality of music and the effect it has on our lives and our culture. We believe that everyone can participate in music, and we honor the value of every music-culture across the world.
With a variety of opportunities, our students can experiment with many different modes of musical expression—experienced musicians or novices alike. Our musicians and vocalists perform in several concerts each year, as well as in theater productions, in regional competitions and festivals, and at our weekly Community Meetings.
Courses are listed in the following order: semester-long courses first, followed by 1-mod courses.
AS Advanced Musicianship
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Audition or permission of the instructor
The purpose of this course is to encourage growth for advanced musicians in the following facets (topics taken from CA state board of education VAPA Advanced Music Standards):
• Artistic Perception: Students will read and notate music through harmonic analysis and
dictation. Listen to, analyze, and describe music using musical elements and harmonic language.
• Creative Expression: Students will apply vocal and instrumental skills by playing and singing a variety of technical elements of music as well as sight singing and sight reading. Students will compose, arrange, and improvise.
• Historical and Cultural Context: Students will gain an understanding of the role of music throughout history. Students will study and analyze music from a variety of backgrounds.
• Aesthetic Valuing: Students will learn to express their analysis and assessment on whether or not they enjoy a piece of music using musical language and analysis. Students will derive meaning from music by discussing the reasoning behind an emotional response.
• Connections, Relationships, Applications: Students understand connections and applications to different subject areas. Students learn about the variety of career paths for musicians and how the theoretical skills can guide them in that path.
AS Chamber Choir
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Instructor approval, by audition
This course is dedicated to training the vocal musician, with multiple objectives for helping the intermediate to advanced musician grow. This auditioned small ensemble exposes students to many different styles of choral literature through the performance of advanced levels of Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Jazz and Popular styles. Areas of study include ensemble skills, music appreci-
ation, active listening skills, music vocabulary, music reading, sight reading, interpretation, technique, and rehearsal skills. This is a performance-based class—rehearsals/concerts outside the school day will be required.
AS Chamber Orchestra
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Instructor approval, by audition
This course is dedicated to training the instrumental musician, with multiple objectives for helping the intermediate to advanced musician grow. Students will form ensembles of two to seven musicians and rehearse standard repertory as well as modern arrangements, culminating in a concert at the end of the semester. Students will also perform large ensemble works as a whole. Areas of study include ensemble skills, music appreciation, active listening skills, music vocabulary, music reading, sight reading, interpretation, technique, and rehearsal skills. This is a performance-based class—rehearsals/concerts outside the school day will be required.
Concert Band (Coyote Block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Concert Band is a great opportunity for student musicians to join a performance ensemble! This course will explore a wide range of musical genres, including Rock, Pop, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and more, allowing students to broaden their musical horizons. Whether you’re a seasoned musician or a beginner, you’ll have the opportunity to grow and learn in a supportive environ-
ment. The band will also have frequent performances at Community Meetings, the Winter and Spring Concerts, and other school events, offering students a chance to showcase their talent and hard work to the school community. Note: After school performances and rehearsals will be required!
Concert Choir (Coyote Block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Instructor approval or audition
Concert Choir develops vocal proficiency, musical expression, and ensemble skills through the performance of choral music. This course is open to students with varying levels of vocal experience, from beginners to advanced singers. Through a repertoire spanning various musical genres and styles, students will explore vocal technique, musicianship, and ensemble cohesion. In addition to regular rehearsals, students will participate in public performances on and off campus. Performances include concerts, recitals, tours, and community outreach events. This is a performance-based class—rehearsals/concerts outside the school day will be required.
History of American Music
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Embark on a melodic voyage through the diverse and fascinating tapestry of the History of American Music. This course offers an exploration of the musical heritage of the United States, tracing the evolution of distinct genres
and styles that have shaped the nation’s cultural landscape. From the roots of indigenous music to the melting pot of influences brought by immigrants, enslaved communities, and regional cultures, this course provides a comprehensive overview of the musical journey that has unfolded across the United States.
History of Rock Music
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Dive into the vibrant and dynamic world of rock music with our captivating History of Rock Music course. This exploration will take you on a chronological journey through the evolution of one of the most influential and diverse genres in the history of popular music. This course provides an in-depth examination of the social, cultural, and musical forces that shaped rock music from its roots in the mid-20th century to its multifaceted contemporary expressions. Participants will explore iconic artists, groundbreaking albums, significant events, and the evolution of sub-genres that have contributed to the rich tapestry of rock music.
Introduction to Drum and Percussion Instruments
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course will offer students the opportunity to explore the musical fundamentals of drums, percussion, rhythm, technique, and
performance across various musical genres, with a primary focus on learning how to use the “drum kit”. From rhythmic patterns to subdivisions, accents, and dynamics, we will cover the essential techniques needed to play a drum set with confidence! Through developing the fundamentals of rhythm and percussion, students will develop a better sense of rhythm with the music they love, and apply these new methods through practice and performance. Students will leave with the individual tools necessary to continue their practice, in addition to the skills needed to perform in a band or ensemble.
Introduction to Guitar + Bass + Fretted
Instruments
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed for students interested in learning guitar, bass, and other fretted string instruments. Students will spend their class time learning fundamental techniques of the guitar, in addition to collaborating and performing music across genres as a group/ ensemble. Finger placement, fretting, plucking, strumming patterns, chord progressions, and scales will all be implemented to empower each student to pursue the music they love. Performance opportunities will also be available for students to showcase their progress and develop confidence in their abilities as both soloists and ensemble players. Students will ultimately leave the course with the skills necessary to learn, write, and perform their own music of their choosing.
Jazz & BAM! (Coyote Block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Jazz and BAM (Black American Music) is a course aimed at students curious about learning the art of Jazz through practice and performance! With a focus on learning Jazz tunes from the classic era to now, and a focus on improvisation, each musician will hone their skills culminating in a final concert performance. All instruments and skill levels are welcome. These afternoon classes will be open to spectators and guests; anyone interested in joining can drop in to see the ensemble first hand.
Jazz Band
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Instructor approval, by audition
This intermediate music course is an introduction to jazz music through performance. Students will rehearse, practice, and perform with other jazz musicians who are equally interested in having a good time growing both their ensemble playing and solo improvisational skills. Emphasis will be placed on performance technique, improvisational skills, musicianship, and personal accountability. This is a performance-based class and performances outside of the school day will be required. Instruments include woodwinds, brass, piano, drum set, guitar, bass, and percussion (other instruments may also be considered). Note: After school performances and rehearsals will be required.
Producing Music and Sound Design for Film & Games
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of composing and producing music for film, television, and video games. Students will explore the key elements of music and sound design, learn basic music theory concepts, and develop practical skills in music software (such as GarageBand or a similar DAW). Through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on projects, students will gain a foundational understanding of how music shapes narrative, enhances emotional impact, and creates immersive experiences in audiovisual media. They will be able to identify and analyze the role of music in various film and video game genres, and understand basic music theory concepts, including melody, harmony, rhythm, and tempo. Students will be able to use music software to create and manipulate sounds, including synthesizers, samples, and recorded audio. They will be able to apply music theory and sound design techniques to compose simple musical pieces for short film clips or video game prototypes.
Rock Band
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Instructor approval, by audition
This class will be a great opportunity to get a collaborative performance experience through learning the language of rock music. We will be jamming out to the classics of the genre
both old and new, and learning how to craft epic riffs and solos. Guitarists, bassists, drummers, pianists, and singers, now’s your time! All other instruments are welcome as well, the more the merrier! Join us as we jam through one of the most popular and culture defining genres of all time! Note: After school performances and rehearsals will be required.
Solo Singing
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Welcome to the enchanting world of Solo Singing! This course is designed to guide aspiring vocalists through the fundamentals and intricacies of solo singing, fostering the development of a confident and expressive solo performance. Throughout this course, participants will embark on a journey of vocal discovery, honing essential techniques to unleash the full potential of their individual voices. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including breath control, vocal range expansion, pitch accuracy, tone quality, and expressive interpretation.
Songwriting 101
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Music
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed for students with an interest/passion for songwriting. Students will learn fundamental techniques of basic music theory through song analysis in order to create their own original works. Each student will take time to write, edit, and record their own original songs.
THEATER ARTS & DANCE
Our Theater Arts & Dance programs allow students to explore life on and behind the stage. We offer a wide array of courses, as well as multiple stage productions per year that include student-directed productions. For those who are interested in theater or dance but prefer to remain offstage, we have many opportunities to work in lighting, set and costume design, choreography, and more.
Courses are listed in the following order: semester-long courses first, followed by 1-mod courses.
AS Contemporary Theater
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Theater
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: One Acting Mod or an audition
In this class, students examine the variety of styles in acting technique, plays, and forms of presentation that have emerged throughout the 20th and into the 21st centuries. Through the analysis and performance of modern plays students look at the ways in which playwrights have struggled to understand or comment upon the society in which they have lived. The class explores the techniques of a variety of noted acting teachers or directors—Mamet, Strasberg, Meisner, Grotowski and others—who either built upon or reacted against the foundation of contemporary acting established by Stanislavski. Assessment for the class will occur through journal writing, performance of scenes and monologues, class exercises and written assignments. This is a performance class, but extensive experience is not required.
Introduction to Acting Length: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Theater
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This Introduction to Acting class is designed for beginning performers with a passion for the dramatic arts, a creative spirit and a desire to learn the craft of acting technique. Whether you’re a complete novice or have some acting experience, you’ll dive into an exciting world of theatrical exploration. Through theater games, improv exercises, and structured methodology training, you’ll learn the language and techniques of professional acting in a supportive ensemble style setting. The class focuses on building confidence, creativity, and performance skills through hands-on experiences. Participants will work with contemporary theater scenes and monologues, engaging in constructive peer critique and collaborative rehearsals. No prior experience is necessary—just bring your enthusiasm, openness to learning, and willingness to step out of your comfort zone.
Production & Design Studio Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Theater
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: AS Contemporary Theater, Foundation Arts: Theater, Introduction to Acting, or a one mod theater course; or instructor approval
The Production & Design elective is an intensive course that acts as a training ground in all areas of producing live theater, culminating in a fully staged production. Students will study all aspects of production to gain shared skills
and vocabulary creating life-long collaborative skills and production knowledge and techniques. The class will follow a rehearsal and production process consisting of training the ensemble to each take on an individual role in supporting and producing a play. Areas of study and investigation include acting techniques, assistant directing, voice and diction, movement and dance/ theater literature/script analysis and history (dramaturgy), stage management and design technologies related to production including costume, set, sound and lighting design.
This course culminates in a full-scale public performance, with students taking a lead role in all areas of the production and design process. The acting roles will be by audition and guest teachers will support the costume/lighting/design/set construction elements. This course is designed for advanced theater students interested in acting, directing, dramaturgy, stage management, publicity, theater, business management, scenic and lighting design as well as costuming and stage makeup. Auditions for the acting roles will be in the fall and all performers must be available for a week of after school rehearsals prior to the opening.
One Act Production: Acting, Writing/Adapting, Design & Directing (Coyote Block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Theater
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Prepare to bring your creative vision to life! In this course, you’ll not only hone your acting and directing skills but also explore the art of playwriting as we craft compelling one-act pieces, bringing your unique stories to the stage. As you write and direct your own works, you’ll collaborate with peers to polish performances, fine-tune
the writing, and rehearse tirelessly. Your journey culminates in the Winter One Act Theater Series, where you’ll showcase your production to a live audience, celebrating the hard work and creativity that brought your vision to life. Whether you’re a budding playwright, an aspiring director/ designer, or a passionate performer, this course offers a powerful, hands-on experience in every aspect of theatrical creation. Students planning to direct or perform in a Winter One Act should enroll in this course.
Shakespeare & Swords!
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Theater
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Immerse yourself in the challenging world of Shakespearean theater in performance with this dynamic introductory course. This performance course offers participants a multifaceted exploration of Shakespeare’s works, focusing on monologue delivery, scene study, stage combat sword work, and vocal technique. We will also dive into the intricacies of Shakespearean language and verse, learning techniques for approaching and interpreting the timeless texts. We will work to unlock the power of Shakespearean texts through character analysis, emotional exploration, and vocal technique through the nuances of rhythm, meter, and poetic imagery. We will partner with fellow participants to analyze, rehearse, and stage scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, honing your skills in character interaction, blocking, and storytelling within the context of the scene. With a guest instructor we will also learn about and practice Stage Combat Sword and the thrill of stage combat as you learn the basics of swordplay in Shakespearean theater. Under the guidance of experienced fight choreographers, master techniques for safely executing choreographed fight
sequences, including sword handling, footwork, and timing. Those who elect to participate will participate in a culminating performance showcase. Whether you’re a seasoned actor looking to expand your repertoire or a newcomer eager to explore the beauty and complexity of Shakespeare’s works, this class offers an immersive introduction to the timeless art of Shakespearean theater. Join us as we unlock the magic of the Bard’s words and bring his stories to life on stage.
Stagecraft & Technical Theater (Coyote Block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Theater
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
In this hands-on class, you’ll dive into the art of stagecraft and technical theater, learning essential skills in sound, lighting, set design, scenic construction and prop building. From designing and crafting sets to mastering audio and lighting equipment, you’ll gain practical, real-world experience as you collaborate to bring the fall, winter and spring plays to life. You’ll also get exclusive access to our new PAC state-of-the-art lighting and sound booth, learning to operate high-level technical equipment used in professional productions. Perfect for those who have been curious or involved with the after school “SA Tech Team”. This course builds technical skills while sparking creativity and teamwork. Whether you’re interested in set design, sound engineering, or just love to create and learn new things, join us to learn the ins and outs of theater production—and see your work come alive on stage.
DANCE
Introduction to Dance: Fusion Length: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Dance Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
In this course, students embark on a journey through the world of dance, exploring foundational techniques and diverse modern styles and forms. This course fosters physical literacy by developing coordination and rhythm, while nurturing artistic expression and self-confidence. All are welcome, regardless of prior experience, as we delve into the joy of movement.
Introduction to Dance: Hip Hop Length: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Dance Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
The Introduction to Hip Hop class is an energetic experience focused on teaching various styles of street dance within the hip-hop genre. Students learn fundamental movements and choreographed routines set to popular hiphop music. This class often emphasizes rhythm, coordination, and individual expression, while also promoting teamwork and creativity. Overall, it’s a fun and inclusive environment where students can learn new skills and enjoy the music and culture of hip-hop.
Choreography Lab
Length: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Applies Toward: Dance Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Approval of the instructor
Unleash your creative vision and bring your dance ideas to life! In this dynamic choreography class, you’ll explore the art of crafting original pieces in the genre of your choice. Whether you’re inspired by contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, tap or any other style, you’ll learn how to design and refine choreography that tells a story and captivates an audience.
Under guided mentorship, you’ll develop your own solos, duets, or group pieces, gaining hands-on experience in teaching your choreography to others. Your work could even be featured in the Dance Corps Showcase or serve as a powerful tool for building your skills as a creator. Perfect for dancers eager to explore their artistic voice, this course encourages experimentation, collaboration, and personal expression. Step into the role of choreographer and see your ideas come to life on stage.
Advanced Dance Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credit: 0.5
Applies Toward: Dance
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: By audition
Advanced Dance class is designed for seasoned dancers looking to refine their skills and push their technical abilities to new heights. This class focuses on advanced choreography, dynamic movement sequences, and performance quality. Students will work on improving their versatility, incorporating a variety of dance styles, and mastering complex turns, leaps, and flexibility techniques. With a strong emphasis on musicality, rhythm, and expression, dancers will engage in high-intensity routines that challenge both their physical and mental stamina. This class is perfect for those ready to elevate their craft and prepare for professional-level performances or competitions.
VISUAL ARTS & FABRICATION
Our Visual Arts program focuses on studio projects, as well as visits to art spaces, critiques, guest lectures, and class discussions. Students practice skills in drawing, design, painting, sculpture, art history, and appreciation. Additionally, students can branch out into the study of digital photography, deeper studio art work, graphic design, filmmaking, and a variety of other art explorations. Our studio spaces provide room for students to practice the art of design thinking, as they imagine, model, prototype, test, and fine-tune their creations, whether they are finely detailed clay vessels, or original film productions. A deep knowledge of this process serves students in the studios, in the classroom, and in the world, as they learn to experiment and stay nimble in the face of setbacks.
Courses are listed in the following order: semester-long courses first, followed by 1-mod courses.
Foundation Arts: Visual
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Dive into the world of art through hands-on studio projects, inspiring guest lectures, and visits to local art spaces.
This introductory course explores:
• Basic Drawing: Master value, composition, tex-
ture, and perspective using charcoal, graphite, and colored pencils.
• Design: Communicate visual ideas through dynamic layouts and compositions.
• Painting: Experiment with watercolor and acrylic to bring your vision to life.
• Sculpture: Craft three-dimensional works using clay, wire, and mixed media.
• Digital Media: Create digital stories with iMovie, and learn basic Photoshop skills.
• Art History & Appreciation: Discover influential artists and movements, present your findings, and engage with the art world through museum visits and gallery reviews.
Foundation Arts: Visual Thinking & Fabrication
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Whether creating for art or engineering (or an exciting combination of the two), a foundation in how to communicate and fabricate what you see in your mind is an essential skill - and one that anyone can learn! Through Visual Thinking and Fabrication our goal is to help students learn to draw and make the ideas in their mind. The course will focus on developing rapid visualization and prototyping skills in the context of solving design problems. Students will emerge with a foundation in cross-disciplinary and collaborative strategies, skills for engineering, effective problem solving, creative expression, an introduction to the language of craft and design, and personal empowerment through self-confidence and self-esteem. Classes are a combination of lecture and studio time where students will work individually and in groups on 2D and 3D projects and challenges.
AS Studio Art/Portfolio
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th or by permission of the instructor
Prerequisite: Studio Art
This course is designed to help build a portfolio for college, much like an AP arts class. While students continue to develop conceptual and technical skills and use of media, they are encouraged to experiment and take greater risks. Assignments generally last longer than studio and foundation classes and require more thought, preparation, and research. Time management is critical for working on these long term projects. In Advanced Studio, students gain more expertise in working from the figure and draw directly from models. A variety of challenging assignments hone skills and focus on creativity. The last month of the course is dedicated to portfolio development and working on an individual project that is of particular interest to the student. Past projects have included: developing a set of fashion illustrations, oil portraiture, miniature sculpture, writing and illustrating a book, landscape painting, mural painting and much more.
Digital Photography
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th or by permission of the instructor
Prerequisite: None
Jump into the exciting world of digital photography! In this introductory course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of camera operation and Photoshop basics as your digital darkroom. Discover how to adjust and manipulate images
to create powerful visuals. Most of your shooting happens outside of class on the weekends, giving you the freedom to explore and capture the world around you. In class, we’ll dive into editing techniques, revisit assignments to push your creative boundaries, and engage in lively critiques and discussions. You’ll also explore the rich history of photography and discover the latest trends in contemporary photography.
Important: A manual digital camera is required, with controls for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. If needed, a limited number of cameras are available for students to borrow.
Introduction to Ceramics
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed for students who have an interest in working with clay as a medium for artistic expression. Ceramics provides an opportunity to be creative learning a very physical, hands-on practice. This course introduces students to basic hand-building techniques and glazing. We explore sculptural as well as functional forms while learning about historical and contemporary applications.
Puppetry
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Foundation Art: Visual, Drawing, Painting, Foundation Art: Visual Thinking & Fabrication or by permission of the instructor
What role have puppets played throughout history? Puppets are critics, educators and enter-
tainers. Throughout history, they have been used in rituals and festivals, to instruct, to illustrate religious stories, to critique societies and governments, and to entertain. Puppetry continues to be a significant art form today practiced around the world, from small villages to Broadway and TV.
This course includes writing, drawing, painting, carving, building, rehearsal, video, and performance. In fact, we will create puppets for the spring production, which will be scheduled at the same time as theater and music for cross collaboration. Students will learn how to make shadow, hand, and rod puppets; marionettes; and large-scale pageant puppets. Performance is an integral part of the course. In addition to fabricating the puppets, students may perform traditional stories or creations of their own. If you like art, play, theater and building things, this is the course for you! The final will be a puppet video or performance.
Studio Art
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Foundation Arts Visual, Introduction to Painting & Introduction to Drawing, or permission of the instructor
Take your artistic skills to the next level! This course builds on the basics, diving deeper into drawing, painting, sculpture, and design. Perfect for students eager to master a variety of media, the projects are more conceptually driven, pushing you to think outside the box. You’ll tackle creative challenges, interpreting both realistic subjects and abstract ideas in bold new ways. Engaging class critiques and thought-provoking homework assignments
will help you refine your voice as an artist. Get ready to experiment, explore, and expand your creative potential!
Digital Storytelling with Sound & Visuals
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Students will hone their storytelling skills by learning multiple techniques and tools used to produce textual, audible, and visual content. From the written word in the form of blogs and websites, to audio recordings for podcasts, to videos for social media, short film, news, ads, etc. students will be encouraged to explore a wide range of topics, creating various forms of digital media to tell both fictional and non-fictional stories.
Garden Art
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Bring magic and whimsy to our new garden space through the power of art! In this vibrant, hands-on course, you’ll create unique pieces that transform the garden into an inspiring outdoor gallery and learning space. From kinetic sculptures and colorful murals to mosaic panels, ceramic totems, printed flags, and graffiti-style art, the possibilities are endless. You’ll experiment with a variety of materials— repurposed, painted, sewn, and more—crafting durable works of art that can withstand the elements.Every class brings a fresh perspective, and no two sessions are the same! Join as many times as you like to continue contribut-
ing to this ever-evolving creative space. Get ready to leave your artistic mark and help build a magical garden that sparks joy and wonder for all who visit!
Graphic Design 1
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
In graphic design, students embark on an exciting journey into the multifaceted world of visual communication. Throughout the course, we delve into various aspects of design, ranging from web design to label design, packaging, logo design, and publications. With hands-on projects and engaging lessons, students learn the fundamentals of design principles, typography, color theory, and digital tools essential for creating compelling visuals.
Graphic Design 2
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Graphic Design 1
In this Digital Graphic Design course, students will learn the fundamentals of visual communication through the use of industry-standard design software. They will explore key concepts such as color theory, typography, and composition to create visually compelling designs for both digital and print media. Throughout the course, students will develop skills to effectively translate ideas into visual formats, while also gaining experience in working with clients and collaborating on group projects. By the end of the class, students will have the confidence to create professional-level designs and a strong
understanding of the creative process from concept to completion.
Introduction to Mixed Media:
Encaustic Fusion
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Step into the world of mixed media encaustics, where traditional techniques merge with contemporary creativity in this dynamic course. Encaustic art, dating back to ancient times, meets modern innovation as you explore the rich possibilities of combining beeswax, resin, and pigments with a variety of materials. Through hands-on experimentation and guided instruction, you’ll learn to manipulate layers of wax, incorporate collage elements, embed objects, and utilize heat tools to achieve captivating textures and depth. Discover the versatility of encaustics as you blend techniques such as painting, photography, and sculpting to create stunning, multidimensional works of art. Whether you’re an experienced artist looking to expand your repertoire or a beginner eager to explore new mediums, this course offers a transformative journey into the expressive world of mixed media encaustics.
Introduction to Mosaics
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
In this course, students learn the ancient and contemporary art of making mosaics. A mosaic is a work made up of cut fragments with no particular identity. These cut pieces which
may be made of glass, ceramic, shell, stone or china are assembled together with a binding agent but with gaps left between them. When a mosaic is completed it may be either a picture or a design. Because mosaics are durable and permanent, they have been used in a variety of ways. They may take the form of a wall, fireplace, floor, ceiling or pool design, tabletop, or framed picture. Students will design and create their own mosaics using both contemporary and traditional approaches, copy master mosaics from other cultures and time periods, and work on a group project. Class time is spent making mosaics, critiquing, and viewing examples of other artists’ mosaics. Homework is spent designing and researching.
Introduction to Sculpture
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Unleash your creativity in three-dimensional form as you explore the art of sculpture. Learn to manipulate materials such as clay, wire, mixed media, and other materials to create captivating sculptures. This is an introductory course open to all levels, and is especially suited for the beginner. Taken in combination with other introductory art courses, Introduction to Sculpture provides a valuable foundation in the visual arts.
Pixar In A Box: Tools and Techniques for Creating Stories, Characters, and Worlds
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
If you like animated movies it’s hard to deny that Pixar Animation Studios is one of the best in the world. At Pixar, it all starts with the story, which is at the heart of every part of the filmmaking process at the renowned studio. In this course, students delve deep into the philosophies, tools, and techniques used by Pixar artists and directors for creating original stories, characters, and worlds for a global audience. Students will reference their favorite films and things like strong memories to develop a finished story idea for a film. They’ll explore character development, creating a world in which the story takes place, as well as visual language, internal vs. external features and much more. At the end of the course students will be comfortable pitching their story ideas and incorporating valuable feedback from others, skills that will benefit them for years to come.
Short Filmmaking I: Film Appreciation, Screenwriting & Storyboarding
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This faced-paced and immersive course will envelope the students in lush cinematic experiences. You’ll screen a wide variety of commercial films, from small budget to blockbuster, and discuss at-length the tools and techniques used to craft powerful and compelling stories for the big screen...even if they’re shot on a phone! Students will learn proper screenplay structure and how to research and write multiple drafts of an original short film script, creating and weaving unique characters into stories and worlds from their own imaginations. You’ll then create storyboards for their script to flesh out the action and camera angles to provide a roadmap for shooting their short films.
Short Filmmaking II: Production - Lighting, Cinematography & Post-Production
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None (Smartphone Filmmaking I preferred)
This hands-on course equips students with the technical and creative know-how to bring their films to life. They will delve into the fundamentals of creating a shot list based on their screenplay, location scouting/set design, lighting, directing actors and crew, recording location sound, and cinematography techniques. Students will gain practical experience through daily lessons and handling of equipment, culminating in the production of a short film by small, highly-collaborative groups. They will learn the art of crafting engaging visual sequences, manipulating sound to evoke and heighten emotions, designing graphics and titles, and choosing (or composing!) music that complements the individual scenes and overall story arc.
Street Art
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Are you a lover of graffiti, murals, and other public art? Are you looking for new ways to express yourself? In this elective, students will learn about the street art movement and influential local and international artists. They will learn a variety of techniques including graffiti writing, wheat paste, sticker making, and stenciling while also creating their own original artwork.
Woodshop Basics
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Ever wonder how a chair and table are made… or even a house? Have you seen people using power tools and ever wonder how they use them without hurting themselves? And how do you make cool things with those tools? In this course we will learn how to safely use the essential tools of a woodshop, and apply those skills to making something you have always wanted.
Woodshop: Intermediate / Advanced
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Applied Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Woodshop Basics
Want to continue your exploration and increase your expertise using the tools and materials in the woodshop? This intermediate woodshop class builds on foundational skills, introducing students to advanced woodworking techniques such as joinery and finishing methods. Students will design and construct functional projects, emphasizing precision, creativity, and safe tool operation. Through hands-on experience with power tools and hand tools, they will refine their craftsmanship while learning about wood properties and project planning. By the end of the course, students will have completed complex individual and group projects, preparing them for further study or practical applications in woodworking.
Yearbook
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Visual Art
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Students will learn the fundamentals of photography, graphic design, layout composition, and journalistic writing specifically tailored for yearbook production. We will explore the importance of and how to capture key moments and milestones that define the school year. Students will gain proficiency in using software such as Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Lightroom to design and edit and create various elements of the yearbook, including photographs, typography, and layouts. They will also learn about the ethical considerations involved in photojournalism and yearbook publishing, ensuring accuracy, fairness, and sensitivity in representing their peers and community and practice effective communication skills, time management, and attention to detail.
Our curriculum teaches students to think critically and creatively, to collaborate, to lead, to disagree, and to build consensus, and these tenets are central to our Humanities courses. Students are immersed in an interdisciplinary Humanities curriculum in 9th-11th grades that is rooted in literature and history.
Following a case study approach, each level of our integrated Humanities courses are organized around an essential question. The Humanities I question is: How does geography shape culture?
In level II, we ask students to get more philosophical, bringing the same interdisciplinary approach to the essential question: How do ideas shape culture? Junior year, students take a closer look at where they themselves come from in another interdisciplinary course that examines primary and secondary sources from American history and a wide range of literature by American writers, and asks the question: What does it mean to be American?
All students are required to take Humanities I, II, & III, as well as a minimum of 1 additional unit of English in their senior year. Each integrated Humanities course provides students with the equivalent of one year of English and one year of History. Levels I and II meet the requirement for World History, and Level III meets the requirement for US History. It is strongly recommended that students take at least 1 additional unit of History/Social Science.
Beyond the core curriculum, we invite our students to explore a broad range of topics, ideas, and periods of history and literature through our extensive elective and Advanced Studies courses.
Humanities I: English 9 and World History 9
Required for 9th grade
Length of Course: 2 Semesters
Credits: 2.0
1.0 Applies Toward: English
1.0 Applies Toward: World History
Grade Level: 9th
Prerequisite: None
In this 9th grade core humanities course, we explore the role that place plays in our sense of self and that geography plays in the development of culture and society. We look at the interplay between geography and culture in early riverine, desert, mountain, and island societies, including those of the Indus Valley, China, Indonesia, Tibet, and Australia. We then examine how the search for home is expressed in the literature of ancient empires as well as contemporary Western societies. Readings may include: creation stories from India, China, Indonesia, Australia; Bhagavad Gita; Ramayana; excerpts from the Laws of Manu and the Upanishads; The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Enuma Elish; Desert Solitaire; The Odyssey; Tears of Blood); plus short fiction, personal narratives, essays, and poetry on the sense of place.
Humanities II: English 10 and World History 10
Length of Course: 2 Semesters
Credits: 2.0
1.0 Applies Toward: English
1.0 Applies Toward: World History
Grade Level: 10th
Prerequisite: Humanities I
Humanities I focused on how geography shapes culture; this year we will consider the ways in which ideas shape culture. Using the Spanish Conquest, South African apartheid, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Iranian Revolution, the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, the post WWII US Occupation of Japan, and post-WWII Germany as case studies, we will examine ideologies such as colonialism, imperialism, nationalism, fascism, communism, activism, pacifism, fundamentalism, and terrorism. We will investigate the origins of these ideas, what social and political forces allowed them to gain traction, how they were propagated, how they transformed over time and in different contexts, and how they affected cultures. Throughout the semester we will have opportunities to pay particular attention to the idea of justice. Specifically, we’ll look at how nations have dealt with the legacy of war and come to terms with or made amends for supporting criminal regimes. At the end of the year, you will have a chance to articulate your own ideologies—your views of religion, justice, reality, self, freedom, and morality in a personal philosophical manifesto.
Humanities III: American Literature and US History
Required for 11th grade
Length of Course: 2 Semesters
Credits: 2.0
1.0 Applies Toward: English
1.0 Applies Toward: World History
Grade Level: 11th
Prerequisite: Humanities II
The overarching goal of the course is the interdisciplinary study of the people, events, and literature that have shaped the nation in which we live today. We take a chronological approach to the history, pausing to read fiction and other primary documents to fill out our understanding of each time period. Students write a series of interdisciplinary essays throughout the year, culminating with a final writing assignment that will involve research. The analytical thinking, writing, and reading skills that students develop will equip them for college and lifelong learning. In addition, students learn that language is a tool they can use to argue, persuade, describe, define, and refute.
ENGLISH
Courses are listed in the following order: semester-long courses first, followed by 1-mod courses.
AS British Literature
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- or above in current Humanities course and departmental approval
Frankenstein. Miss Havisham. Lady Macbeth. Heathcliff. Hamlet. Elizabeth Bennet. Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Some of the most memorable characters in all of literature live in the poetry and fiction of England. In this course, we’ll consider how literature’s most iconic characters grappled with some of the same questions we face today. What is love, and how do we find it? What happens when a leader’s personal ambition threatens the good of a community? How does new technology change our lives, and do we control it, or does it control us? What is the role of intense, irrational emotion in a world of reason and practicality? You’ll gain confidence and independence making sense of challenging texts, and you’ll write analytically, creatively, and in timed settings. Possible texts include Shakespeare’s Macbeth; the Romantic poetry of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, Shelley, and Byron; Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice; Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations; Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights; and Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway.
AS Debate
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: English (should not be your only Senior English course)
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, and 12th
Prerequisite: Must be on the debate team and/ or have taken the Intro to Debate course
This is the course for those looking to take their policy debate journey to the next level. Members of the debate team are strongly encouraged to take this course. This research-intensive class will have students dive deep into the 2025-2026 policy debate topic: Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly increase its
exploration and/or development of the Arctic. Each student will produce a major research assignment, give several practice speeches per week, participate in practice debates, and give and receive peer feedback. Students will have a great degree of choice in whether they pursue research related to politics, economics, international relations, and/or philosophy.
AS Literary Villains
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- or above in current Humanities course and departmental approval
In this course, students read literature about murderers—some of them fictional, some of them real. We’ll examine the relationships between the murderers’ life circumstances, their motives, methods, and madnesses, their crimes, their consciences, and their punishments. Class members will pay special attention to their own moral compasses as they read. We’ll analyze ways in which literature manipulates and cajoles us, sometimes causing us to sympathize with and even root for protagonists whose behaviors we find (or want to find) morally reprehensible. Throughout the semester, we’ll explore criminal behavior through the lens of the free will vs. determinism debate. Students will wrestle with questions about the degree of control that people have over their actions and the implications that their conclusions might have on their ideas of guilt, blame, and appropriate punishment.
AS Ancient Epics - The Far East
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- or above in current Humanities course and departmental approval
An introduction to the landmark achievements of the East-Asian, and African intellectual traditions, Ancient Epics - East is a course that examines ancient history, philosophy, and literature from around the world. Designed as a semester-long course that can be taken with Ancient Epics - West or independently, students will gain a strong foundation in classical texts and see classical and medieval influences taken up and transformed in the Renaissance and Modern eras. Lectures and discussions investigate a wide range of issues and stimulate plural perspectives. They are enhanced by trips to museums, plays, concerts and art galleries both on campus and in the Bay Area. The Eastern canon will feature the great Hindu epics, The Ramayana and The Mahabharata, epics from the Far East such as The Water Margin, The Three Kingdoms, Kojiki, and The Tale of the Heike, epics from the Middle East such as The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Enuma Elish , and The Shahnameh, and epics from Western and Central Africa, including The Sundiata, The Lianja Epic, and The Mwindo Epic.
AS Ancient Epics - Ancient Rome and the West Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- or above in current Humanities course and departmental approval
An introduction to the landmark achievements of the Western European and Ancient Roman
intellectual traditions, Ancient Epics - West is a course that examines ancient history, philosophy, and literature from around the world. Designed as a semester-long course that can be taken together with Ancient Epics - East or independently, students will gain a strong foundation in classical texts and see classical and medieval influences taken up and transformed in the Renaissance and Modern eras. Lectures and discussions investigate a wide range of issues and stimulate plural perspectives. They are enhanced by trips to museums, plays, concerts and art galleries both on campus and in the Bay Area. The Western canon will explore epic literature from the Christian and Islamic worlds and features Ancient Roman epics including Virgil’s Aeneid and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, classic Eastern-Western tales such as The Arabian Nights and Aladdin, The Book of Dede Korkut from the Ottoman Empire, and the Alexandrian epic The Voyage of the Argo.
Horror in Literature
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Fear is a primal human emotion. And yet, what scares us, both as individuals and as a collective, varies widely across time and space. What is considered dark, dreadful, or disgusting at any one moment, therefore, tells us more about ourselves than it does about the monsters and machete-wielding maniacs that make our skin crawl. By exploring the taboo and very fringes of what is tolerable or appropriate, horror pushes the boundaries of literature and cinema, forcing us to continuously ask, “who are the real monsters and why do they haunt us?” By examining select
texts from the Romantic to the contemporary period, we will explore both the development of horror as a genre and its value as a lens on history and society. Are you brave enough to face your fears?
Mythology: Norse Influences on American Literature
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Mythology is a course about two cultures— Norse and American—separated by time, history, and geography, but linked through a common fascination with myth, stories, and symbols. The overall goal of this course is to expose students to the teachings and wisdom contained within ancient texts and to enable them to see the extent to which modern literature and culture is shaped and informed by that knowledge. The Norse myths are epic tales of love, vengeance, and heroism, but their effectiveness as stories lies in the humanity at the core of their structure, content, and characters. The Scandinavians conquered their fear of the unknown by fashioning the gods in their image, imbuing them with ethical flaws and moral failings that are relatable because they are human. This course is an introduction to the who’s who of classical mythology and its cultural influence on ideas of justice, sex, identity, and gender in American film and literature.
Outer Limits: Literature of the Environment
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
When journalists asked Sir Edmund Hillary why he wanted to be the first human to set foot on the summit of Mt. Everest, he replied, “Because it’s there.” Well said! This class explores the vital relationship between wild spaces (jungles, mountains, oceans, deserts) and the individuals and groups who push themselves to find meaning within them. We will begin with readings from early European settlers in North America and their attitudes toward nature and uninhabited lands. Then we will move to the rich literary tradition of documenting—through journals, essays, novels and podcasts—journeys into the unknown. Potential texts include Blair Braverman’s Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube, Albert Lansing’s Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Journey, and JRR Tolkein’s The Hobbit. Warning: some of the readings feature unseemly death. Most contain dramatic weight loss, the presence of creatures large and small that want to cause harm, temperatures both frigid and scorching, and moments of total bliss, joy, freedom, and the redefining of what is possible for humans to achieve.
True Grit: The Western Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Stagecoach chases. Outlaws. Mustachioed gamblers. Isolated ranches, saloons, and sweeping desert landscapes. The Western— the major defining genre of the American film industry—is not just a form of nostalgic entertainment for the masses. It is a conscious attempt to eulogize the early days of the American Frontier, to forward myths of American concepts of exceptionalism, to expose the borders between civilization and
wilderness, and to reflect our ever-changing national attitudes toward justice, race, gender, and equity. This course will begin with an overview of the merits of film as both an art form and a reflector and instigator of cultural values. How has film—specifically the Western—reflected American values for the last two centuries? We will explore how, over time Western films have been redefined, reinvented, expanded, spoofed, dismissed, and rediscovered. We will begin with Edwin S. Porter’s 1903 genre-establishing silent film The Great Train Robbery as well as tracing the Western through John Ford’s classics, the masterpieces of the 1950s, the ‘Spaghetti Westerns’ of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and the Western revival films of the ‘80s and ‘90s. We will pay special attention to genre-breaking Westerns like Brokeback Mountain, and a slew of recent Westerns like The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and The Power of the Dog. In addition to film screenings, readings may include: The Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken Past of the American West, Little Big Man, True Grit, Ceremony, Cowboys are my Weakness, and The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.
Creative Nonfiction Writing
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
In this course, we’ll explore the craft of creative nonfiction writing. You’ll learn how to tell your life stories and share your wisdom in a way that really sounds like you and connects deeply with your reader. You’ll learn how to see your life experiences through new eyes in your efforts to capture them on the page. You’ll share your writing with others
and learn how to give and receive feedback that will really make your writing better. You’ll read creative nonfiction by a range of different contemporary writers, engage in short, approachable generative writing exercises, and ultimately develop, workshop, and revise an original personal essay. If you view yourself as a writer, you’ll hone your craft here. If you lack writing confidence, you’ll learn how to tell the stories only you can tell, and maybe find some confidence along the way.
Introduction to Debate
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credit: 0.5
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Dive into the dynamic world of policy debate with our Intro to Debate class!
This exciting course is your gateway to mastering the high-energy, 2v2 debate format where teams clash over potential U.S. federal legislation changes. Perfect for sharpening your critical thinking skills, policy debate is known for its fast pace and objective analysis. You’ll get hands-on with the essentials: crafting solid arguments, honing research techniques, boosting your confidence and persuasion, taking quality notes, and tuning your listening to laser focus. Each year brings a fresh topic, and next up is the riveting realm of intellectual property rights. This course is designed as the onboarding course for our nationally competitive Policy Debate team.
All students interested in joining the team should sign up for the class, but joining the team is not a requirement to take the class.
Introduction to Speech
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Find your voice and own the stage in our speech class, tailor-made for anyone eager to express themselves creatively. Whether you’re into illuminating speeches on pressing issues, weaving words into poetry, cracking up the crowd with humor, or advocating for change, this class is your springboard. We guide you from sparking your passion to crafting and performing your piece, all while keeping it fresh and engaging. You’re not just picking from a menu of speech events; you’re choosing your path to the spotlight. Plus, the work you do will be used to compete in a local competition, offering a platform to showcase your skills beyond the classroom. If you’re keen to express yourself and maybe even compete, this is your starting line.
Paw Print (Coyote Block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
The Paw Print is our SA school newspaper. In this elective, you’ll work as a team of journalists to pitch, research, write, edit, and publish articles that will reach the entire SA community and beyond. No experience is necessary; you’ll learn all the skills you’ll need to write for every section of the paper (news, features, arts and entertainment, opinions, sports), from pitching to interviewing to writing a snappy lede to copy editing. Students who are looking to have a leadership role on the paper
(editors-in-chief, section editors, editors of photography and graphics, regular columnists, etc.) must be enrolled in this class.
Personal Storytelling (Coyote Block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: English
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
In this elective we will learn the basic building blocks of a story, which includes the elements of character, setting, and theme as well as structure. We will create our own stories based on experiences from our life and then hone, craft, and rehearse those stories to be produced for live performance.
HISTORY/SOCIAL SCIENCE
Courses are listed in the following order: semester-long courses first, followed by 1-mod courses.
Art History
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World History
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Departmental approval
This class is structured as a critical conversation between the (largely Western) art historical cannon and more contemporary artists, movements, and works of art. The class studies pieces that exemplify each period and practices detailed visual readings in order to better understand the function of these works within their cultural context. Major artistic trends, artists, art works, and techniques are discussed as well as the historical
and philosophical settings of each period. Students will be expected to visit a Bay Area museum on their own as part of this course.
AS African Studies
Length of course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World History
Grade Levels: 11th and 12th
Prerequisites: A- or above in current Humanities course and departmental approval
This course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the history, geography, art, music, and literature of the African continent. By studying the developments on the continent within their local, national, and global contexts, this course aims to dispel the stereotypes and distorted views generally held about Africa and to increase the awareness and understanding of the major challenges that Africa is facing today. Students also spend considerable time appreciating and analyzing African music.
In this course we become familiar with the history and literature largely from sub-Saharan Africa. We focus on three different periods in the history of sub-Saharan Africa: the rise of the Bantu civilization and the subsequent colonization of Central and South Africa; the colonization of Africa by European nations; and postcolonial, modern Africa. While we cannot possibly cover the individual histories and literatures of every nation, we spend time on quite a few, going in depth into the case studies of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia. Students learn how ancient histories have been constructed using linguistic evidence as we trace the Bantu colonization of Central and South Africa from West Africa. We examine epics, oral and written, and discuss how the plots and narrative techniques support and contest, as well as exalt and undermine, tribal authority. Students study the colonial perspective on Africa with an
understanding of the Orientalist context in which various histories and colonial narratives were produced. Students read revolutionary literature, celebrating the resistance of colonial and imperialist powers and the ultimate arrival at independence, but they will also understand that many of the struggles endured during the colonial and imperialist era are ongoing with far-reaching consequences.
AS American Constitutional Law
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- or above in current Humanities course and departmental approval
Brown v. Board of Education. Roe v. Wade. New York Times v. Sullivan. Many students have heard of these landmark Supreme Court cases. But what exactly did the Court decide, how did the Court reach these decisions, and what are the implications of these decisions for us, individually and as a nation especially at a time when many of these precedents are being challenged and, in some cases, overturned. In this intensive introduction to American constitutional law, students read these and other famous cases in an effort to answer these often difficult, yet fascinating questions. The focus is largely on those provisions of the United States Constitution designed to protect individual liberties, namely the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Speech and Religion Clauses of the First Amendment. In addition to actual Court opinions, students are assigned supplemental readings from noted constitutional law scholars and practitioners. There will also be guest speakers and a field trip to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
AS Historical Research: California
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 11th and 12th
Prerequisite: A- or above in current Humanities course and departmental approval
The closest thing we have to a time machine, historical research allows you to transport and immerse yourself in the details of an entirely different time and place. Far from rote memorization of people, places, and dates, “doing history” is a journey into the unknown where opportunities for discovery are endless. Questions and clues lead to dusty libraries, damp archives, and the deep recesses of the inter-webs where new findings can illuminate our understanding of both the past and the present. Using California as our geographic boundary of inquiry, students in this class will take a deep dive into the full gamut of historical research, from developing research questions to identifying sources, navigating archives, reading historical sources critically, and building data-driven arguments in support of an original idea. The culminating project will be an intensive research essay where students use the skills they’ve developed in the course to explore an original historical question or issue. The course will include a visit to a local historical archive.
AS Philosophy
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- or above in current Humanities course and departmental approval
Is there such a thing as a non-material substance? Is science the only path to knowledge?
What gives our self continuity over time? What would happen if we were able to prove the existence of God? What is the relationship between the brain and consciousness? How can we know what the universe would really look like independent of our perceptions? Does life have a purpose? How should we conceive of death? If everything has a cause, how can actions be free? In this course, students will read about key ideas in various fields of philosophy. Topics may include epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of science, moral philosophy, political philosophy, and the philosophy of religion. In class, students will be assigned to teach their peers small portions of the material each day, they will assess their mastery of the content with frequent quizzes, and they’ll generate their own philosophies in written reflections.
History of Science
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
From the Ancient Greeks to the Modern Era, the study of the natural world has influenced human society. This course looks at several major revelations in the world of science and relates them to how they have shaped our world. Topics covered include Aristotelian philosophy, the scientific revolution, the age of exploration and discovery of the New World, and the individuals who have contributed to scientific advancement such as Galileo, Newton, and Darwin. Though the topics covered will be scientific in nature, this is decidedly a history course, so expect to read, discuss, and write about how these topics impact society and culture.
Middle Eastern Studies
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World History
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course will explore major events, ideologies, and encounters that continue to shape the Modern Middle East: colonialism, nationalism, war, the nation-state system, and political Islam. Starting with the precipitating events of WWI and continuing up to the present moment, students will gain a better understanding of the modern Middle East and its relationship to Europe and the U.S., and also confront the ways in which certain historical narratives feed and perpetuate current stereotypes. Contemporary topics that we will likely cover include peace for Israel and Palestine, the nuclearization of Iran, the Syrian Civil War, the departure of the U.S. military from Afghanistan, recent women-led protests throughout the region, among others. This course will be a solid choice for students who are interested in a potential career in the government, international relations, and politics.
Race, Class, & Gender in Modern America
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: US History
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This American History elective course examines the complex interdependency of three categories of analysis: race, class, and gender. Beginning in 1954 with the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education and continuing through the present day, students consider issues such as affirmative action, migrant worker rights, gender discrimination in
education and the workplace, gay marriage, and the plight of the working poor.
Beyond the Trolley: Philosophy Explored Through Thought Experiments
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course uses thought experiments as springboards into various lines of philosophical inquiry. Some topics covered will be personal identity, moral responsibility, consciousness, epistemology, paradoxes, and the meaning of life. Students will write frequent reflections, learn key philosophical concepts, and participate in discussions.
Current Events and Global Affairs
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
With breaking news as our daily guide, students in this course will read, analyze and discuss current events with an eye to historical context, cultural relevance, and global interconnection. As such, students will be better informed of pressing matters, elevate their media literacy skills, and be the life of any dinner party.
Ethics
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course is a thought-provoking exploration of ethical reasoning and decision-making. It will provide an introduction to the key concepts, theories, and debates within the field of ethics, fostering an understanding of the ethical challenges that individuals and societies encounter. Through readings, case studies, discussions, and ethical analyses, students will develop a foundation in ethical reasoning and acquire the skills necessary to navigate complex moral landscapes. This course invites students to engage critically with ethical questions and encourages the development of a thoughtful and informed approach to ethical decision-making in both personal and professional contexts.
History of Rock ‘N Roll
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This class will explore the cultural fabric of post-WWII America through the prism of music—Rock ‘N Roll music. We will begin with its country and blues roots, then track the rise of rock through the corporate 50s, the social turmoil of the 60s, the Punk movement of the 70s, whatever the heck the 80s was, and beyond to grunge, hip hop, and other interpretations of the genre. On a deeper level, we will look at the interrelated issues of art, business, politics, race, and gender that continue to define both Rock ‘N Roll and the American experience.
History of the American Musical
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
In this elective we will learn about the artists, writers, composers, and visionaries who crested and continue to define the American Musical genre. Beginning with foundational shows such as Showboat and Oklahoma, students will explore how musical theatre integrated song and dance, and pushed the cultural conversations around feminism, racism, xenophobia, and inclusion. Students will study everything from Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton to understand how this genre continues to reflect shifts and changes within American culture. This course will also involve seeing an SF Broadway musical.
Human Rights in a Global Context
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: World History
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course delves into the fundamental principles, historical contexts, contemporary issues, and global significance of human rights. Students will examine the evolution of human rights concepts, exploring the philosophical, legal, and cultural underpinnings that shape our understanding of human dignity and equality. Throughout the course, students will engage in critical analysis of case studies, international treaties, and real-world events to deepen their understanding of human rights violations and advocacy efforts.
International Relations
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course provides students with an introduction to the study of international relations. Students will examine the various ways in which nation-states, international organizations, and non-state actors interact with each other to create the present-day political world. A major conflict addressed in the course is between the forces of globalization and those of sovereign nation-states, still relevant and still powerful long after their emergence in the 1600s. Always in the background are the pressing global crises demanding the world’s attention—climate change, access to fresh water, pandemic diseases, poverty, hunger, war and nuclear weapons, terrorism, trade, international law and human rights. Students in this course will discuss and analyze how the world’s nations, organizations, and people can work together to solve these world-spanning problems, even while contending with their own needs, aims, and strategic goals.
Introduction to Anthropology and Linguistics
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Humanities II
Do the Inuit really have 53 words for snow, and what would it mean if they did? Is the fact that their language only has a present tense the reason a particular Amazon community has proven so resistant to Christian mission-
aries? In this course you will explore the relationship between language and culture, read key texts in the fields of Anthropology and Linguistics and even conduct your own field work to answer your own question about the way language operates in our community.
Marketing Fundamentals
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
We live in a world inundated with brand messaging and imagery. We are all deeply conversant in the language of brands, but we often aren’t aware that we are. If you are interested in the mechanics of marketing and branding, if you’d like to learn more about how the influencers influence us, if you are interested in business or entrepreneurship, if you’re a social media maven, a podcaster, writer, videographer or filmmaker, photographer, or anyone else interested in the creative arts, take this introductory course! We’ll learn what a brand is, the 4 Ps of marketing, all about audience segmentation, competitor analysis, and explore topics like the psychology of colors and fonts, the history of marketing and advertising, how brands influence and are influenced by culture and impact ideas of race, class, and gender, as well as the tools and techniques brands use to influence us... and how we may use them to become more savvy consumers or even create our own brands!
Moral Panic and Mass Hysteria
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th
Prerequisite: None
This course will give students a chance to explore moral panics in depth. Moral panics are fears within a community that a specific group of people or behavior pose a threat to society’s values and morals and are fueled by exaggerated or false perceptions which are amplified by propaganda. We will explore several examples of moral panics throughout history, beginning with the witch trials of the middle ages in Salem, Norway, and England to find the root causes, the propaganda that convinced people, what happened as a result of the panic, and how the panic ended. We will then study eras that were known for having a moral panic such as the rise of the Nazi party, the Red Scare of the 1950s, and finally the Satanic Panic of the 1970s and 1980s. Students will then pick a moral panic they want to study and will spend the last half of the course researching and writing a paper detailing the moral panic. This course does have a research paper as its final, and the purpose is to give you an opportunity to learn research and paper writing skills with a topic you are excited to research.
Sport Sociology
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course is an examination of the issues and impact of sport in various cultures and subcultures within the context of sociology.
This study of sport includes an exploration of how it is influenced by and influences the basic institutions of society: family, economics, politics, religion, education, etc. This course examines selected topics within the sociology and history of sport. Particular emphasis will be given to issues related to the potential of sport to benefit society as well as its potential to reinforce existing social problems.
The Unsinkable Course
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: History/Social Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th
Prerequisite: None
Titanic and Other Disasters - open to juniors and seniors due to research component. This course will give students the opportunity to understand how to research, analyse, and write about disasters.
We’ll begin with an in depth study of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, looking at the design of ocean liners and competition between shipping lines through the industrial revolution to understand why these ships were called “unsinkable.” We’ll study the events of April 1912 that lead to the sinking, what happened in the 2 hours and 40 minutes it took the ship to sink, then the aftermath, inquiries, and laws that changed like lifeboat capacity and safety training. Finally, we’ll discuss the cultural impact and many movies and TV series of the event to analyse why it continues to fascinate us.
After we conclude our study of Titanic, we’ll look at two more disasters, the WW1 torpedo sinking of the RMS Lusitania and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, to apply our new research skills. Students will then pick a disaster
or event they want to study and will spend the last half of the course researching their event and writing a paper detailing the lead up, the event, and the aftermath of their disaster. This course does have a research paper as its final, and the purpose is to give you an opportunity to learn research and paper writing skills using an event you are excited to research.
Our STEM Department brings our students to the forefront of scientific thinking, which guides and shapes technology as it grows to meet the increasing demands of a new world vision. STEM classes foster curiosity and analytical thinking, encouraging students to imagine, innovate, and create. Our core courses in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics build confidence and competence, providing a solid foundation from which students’ understanding can grow. Having developed these building blocks using the principles of the scientific method—inquiry, observation, data collection, analysis—students are well positioned to become creators and investigators and not just consumers. Students’ educational experiences are enhanced by more specialized elective and advanced studies courses that will help our students become the problem solvers of tomorrow. We strive to integrate technology into every aspect of our curriculum, providing students with tangible artifacts of their learning, preparing students for the problems they will face, and introducing them to the methodology they will need in the future. We also offer a number of technology and engineering electives.
All students are required to take 3 credits of Science, including two lab sciences (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics). It is strongly recommended that students take at least 1 additional credit of science in their senior year.
All students are required to take 3 credits of Math, including Algebra II and Geometry. It is strongly recommended that students take at least 1 additional credit of Math in their senior year.
SCIENCE
Courses are listed in the following order: semester-long courses first, followed by 1-mod courses.
Biology (required for 9th graders)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Level: 9th
Prerequisite: None
Biology is an objective and experimental attempt to understand the principles and forces operating in the “the study of all life.” In this course we look at the cellular basis of living things, how DNA codes for life, and the genetic bases for inheritance in organisms. The class also studies the evolutionary relationships among organisms and the diversity of life on planet earth by considering the structural and functional relationships of microorganisms, fungi, plants, and animals in the broad scale concepts of ecosystems and natural selection.
Chemistry (required for 10th graders)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Level: 10th
Prerequisite: Biology and Algebra I
Since chemistry is referred to as the “central science,” it is fitting for students to continue their core science curriculum exploring the world through a chemist’s eye. Concepts retained from biology form the foundation for this course, enabling students to further explore the world around them through chemical concepts. Students combine laboratory experimentation with theoretical concepts. Topics include structure of matter (classification of matter, atomic theory, atomic structure, and chemical bonding), states of matter (solids, liquids, gases), solutions, reactions (oxidation-reduction, precipitation and acid-base) and descriptive chemistry (periodic table and organic chemistry). Students are called upon to sharpen their skills of experimentation, critical thinking and writing, problem solving, and presentation.
Physics
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Chemistry, Algebra II, and Geometry
In this course, students will explore the fundamental laws that govern the motion and interactions of physical objects. Topics may include kinematics, Newtonian mechanics, waves and sound, optics, electricity, and atomic physics. A strong hands-on laboratory component encourages inquiry-based learning, the application of mathematics
to model physical phenomena, and collaboration in analyzing experimental results. Through engaging experiments and real-world connections, students will develop a deeper understanding of physics and its role in everyday life.
AS Chemistry
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisite: A in Chemistry and Physics or B in AS Physics, A in Precalculus or B in AS Precalculus; and permission of the department.
This course covers topics in structure of matter (atomic theory and atomic structure, chemical bonding and nuclear chemistry), states of matter (solids, liquids, gasses), solutions, reactions (oxidation-reduction, stoichiometry, kinetics, catalysis, thermodynamics and chemical equilibrium) and descriptive chemistry (periodic table, organic and polymer chemistry) are covered in depth. In addition, topics in quantum theory of the atom, electronic configuration and periodicity, molecular geometry and chemical bonding theory, materials science and coordination complexes are covered. Analytical writing is emphasized through written lab reports.
Students may choose to take only AS Chemistry I. Students must take AS Chemistry I in order to take AS Chemistry II.
AS Environmental Science
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: A in Biology and Chemistry, A in Precalculus or B in AS Precalculus; and permission of the department.
Environmental Science is the ultimate interdisciplinary study blending the sciences of biology, ecology, chemistry, geology and physics with sociology and political science in order to acquire the ability to identify and analyze both natural and anthropogenic environmental issues. This course helps students develop the skills necessary to assess the relative risks associated with both local and global environmental problems, as well as suggest more sustainable solutions and alternatives to the current conventional methods that cause environmental damage. It will be a project-based exploration into the interconnectedness of the natural world and the exploration of the solutions needed for sustainability. Students should be comfortable balancing chemical equations, and have strong Algebra skills.
AS Integrated Physics & Chemistry
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisite: A- in AS Physics and AS Chemistry
The course will focus on principles of physics (motion, forces, acceleration, momentum, gravity, energy, thermodynamics, waves, light, sound, electricity, and magnetism); as well as principles of chemistry (atomic structure, properties of matter, elements and the periodic table, conservation of matter, chemical bonding and compounds/molecules, chemical reaction
and its kinetics, stoichiometry, solutions, chemical equilibrium, organic and biochemistry, and materials science) as described within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
As an advanced course, students are expected to be confident in their mathematical skills since many of the concepts require applications and manipulation of mathematical models. At the end of the course, students will be required to take a comprehensive final exam.
AS Physics
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: A- in Algebra II or Precalculus, A in Chemistry, Placement test
This course is equivalent to an introductory college-level physics course in Newtonian Mechanics. Topics include the study of motion, forces, circular motion and gravitation, work and energy, linear momentum and fluids if time permits. This course consists of traditional lectures as well as guided inquiry and student-centered learning to foster the development of critical thinking skills. There is also a hands-on laboratory component comparable to introductory college-level physics laboratories. Students in this class are expected to demonstrate a high level of motivation, independent thinking skills and a willingness to collaborate with others.
Students may choose to take only AS Physics I. Students must take AS Physics I in order to take AS Physics II.
Architecture & Environmental Design
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- in Foundation Arts: Visual Thinking & Fabrication, Foundation Arts: Visual or Design for Environmental Good
Some call it architecture, design, construction, engineering, city planning, even art. Whatever you call it, it’s humans doing what they do best: changing their environment to suit their needs. Architecture is everything: From the moment we wake, to the moment our head hits the pillow, we are surrounded by our built environment, yet most of us have very little understanding of how it came to be or how it’s built. In this class we will investigate architectural design, from simple homes to complex cities, all the while looking at the economic forces that influence what is finally built. Emphasis will be on the creative design process and how we express our designs, through both hand drawings and online CAD drafting tools. We will create architectural renderings and perspectives, and we will investigate our designs through 3D modeling with both physical and digital models. We will also look at the construction technologies that allow us to shape our environment, and take a deep dive into the energy and resources we use to make our structures livable. Because architecture and design cannot be contained within 1-hour increments, students are expected to spend time working outside of class in order to stay apace with the design projects.
Astronomy
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Students will explore the methods used to study space, the properties and motion of celestial bodies, and the dynamic relationships within the cosmos. Topics include historical developments in astronomy, the use of astronomical instruments, the celestial sphere, the solar system, the science behind seasons, eclipses, constellations, auroras, and more. Students will also examine the life cycle of stars and the vast structure of galaxies. Whether you’re curious about distant planets or fascinated by the mysteries of deep space, this course will provide a solid foundation in the science of the universe.
Food Science
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry
Everyone eats, often three times a day. There aren’t many things that we do as often. But what are we really doing when we cook and eat? Where does our food come from (historically), why do we cook, why and how do we cook what we cook, and how does it affect our bodies? This course will attempt to engage students with myriad scientific disciplines and food cultures in a sort of “eat your vegetables” way, while we eat our vegetables.
NOTE: this course is not all about eating food, although there will be taste tests.
Human Anatomy
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry
This course explores the intricate function of the human body. Through investigations, observations, and the occasional dissection, students will build an understanding of the interrelatedness of body systems, as well as an understanding of the structure and function of different parts of the body.
Medical Biochemistry
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chemistry
Medical Biochemistry provides students with an understanding of how biological processes work at a chemical level and how those processes are regulated in human beings. First, students will learn the basic skills in chemistry needed to understand protein structure and function. Second, the chemistry of the human genome will be explored with special emphasis given to gene expression. Third, students will analyze eukaryotic metabolism, specifically the pathways associated with the facilitation and regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. Lastly, cellular physiology will be addressed with a focus on cell signaling and the chemistry of receptor binding. Every topic will leverage a medical “case study” approach to learning where students will learn content through a combination of medical diagnostics and laboratory investigation as they apply to symptoms and lab results from hypothetical patients.
Earth Science
Length: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
When it comes to epic Earth Sciences, California has it all: rocky coasts, wildly different climatic zones, towering mountain ranges, hydrothermal features, natural and human made water resources, and so much more. With that beauty, we also must face earthquakes, wildfires, drought, and landslides. While this course will not focus solely on California, we will focus on how California and the Sierra Nevadas and the Earth itself were formed over geologic time, how ocean currents from Alaska impact our climate and how ocean circulation impacts the global climate. We will study how the Santa Ana and Diablo winds create the perfect environment for wildfires, how the uplift of the Himalayas has impacted global climate for the last 40 million years and how earthquakes have shaped our state, their impacts globally, and how to best plan for them in the built environment.
Ecology of Sonoma County
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology
In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of ecology through studying the variety of ecosystems in Sonoma County. Students will explore the interconnectedness of both living and nonliving organisms by engaging with readings, research, observations, and the occasional field trip. This class is for students who want to understand the world
around them and have a desire to be (occasionally) outside.
Neuroscience
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology
This neuroscience course offers students a comprehensive exploration of brain structure and functions, addressing topics in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and clinical neurobiology. This elective combines theoretical knowledge with practical experiences, including hands-on activities and dissections, to deepen understanding of the human brain’s complexities. The curriculum also covers important topics such as mental health, addiction, pharmacology, and their clinical implications, aiming to enhance students’ appreciation and understanding of behavior, motivation, and cognitive processes.
Science Research Methods I
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology
Scientific research often begins in the Library. An essential part of the scientific method is talking with other scientists, reading through their work, and building upon existing knowledge. This course will show you how to gather scientific articles on a particular topic, read through them with a critical eye, and summarize what you have learned in a literature review. You will learn how a scientific paper is organized and how to find it in a published journal article.
TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING
Courses are listed in the following order: semester-long courses first, followed by 1-mod courses.
AS Computer Programming
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Algebra II, Intro to Coding & Computer Science, and instructor approval
AS Computer Programming builds upon the foundations of Introduction to Coding & Computer Science, with the goal of assisting students to become fully functioning developers able to contribute to real world programs. After a short review of programming fundamentals, students apply their knowledge to various domains, creating games, web, server, and desktop applications. Additionally, students learn the tools necessary for efficient code editing and collaboration. Students who take AS Computer Programming will be well prepared for a programming job or summer internship or other opportunities in the programming field.
Design for Environmental Good
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Algebra I, Geometry, and Foundation Arts: Visual Thinking & Fabrication
Ever wonder why our lives are so comfortable? How electricity just streams from our
home’s walls, or water flows freely from our taps? Engineering, duh! Formerly called Introduction to Engineering, this course will look at how humans use energy, the resources we use to make our modern world, with an emphasis of positive and sustainable solutions going into the future. This class will delve into the world of solar energy and provide students with hands-on experience designing and building a variety of solar projects. We will learn about circuitry and focus that knowledge on designing and building solar homes, ultimately wirelessly controlling these homes with arduinos. We will become quite familiar with the engineering design process, from idea, investigation, prototyping, testing, and redesign. Yes, there will be lots of trial and error. Additionally students will be exposed to other facets of engineering through technical research, guest speakers, and inspiring field trips.
Design for Social Good Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
This course emphasizes a human-centered approach to developing systems that improve lives, with a primary focus on designing and developing adaptive technology for individuals with physical limitations. Relying on student inquiry and a project-based approach, the course features heterogeneous teams that allow for skill specialization and the strategic development of products reflecting each team member’s interests and talents. Project topics and skill development will emerge from interactions with subject matter experts and community stakeholders, curated by the instructor and school collaborators. Depending
on project specifics, students will explore technologies such as Arduino, Blender, Fusion 360, 3D printing, and laser cutting. By the end of the course, students will curate an online portfolio and complete a final service project related to their area of interest.
Digital Fabrication
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Visual Thinking & Fabrication and Fundamentals of CAD
Lasers, plastic, and wood…OH MY! Take the skills you learned in Visual Thinking & Fabrication to the next level in this course. In Digital Fabrication you will use 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, and basic hand and power tools to create objects for yourself, for others, and for the community. Learn and develop creative thinking and problem solving skills while gaining confidence in the art of working with your hands. Class time is focused on both individual work and collaboration. Bring your ideas and excitement and we will design and build amazing things.
Introduction to Coding & Computer Science
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Algebra I; App Lab or Coding for the True Beginner; or prior coding experience
Computer science skills are in high demand and valued by colleges and employers throughout the country and the world. This course introduces you to the essential ideas of computer science and shows how computing and technology can influence the world around you. You can
pursue your interests in digital projects – like apps, films, games or music – that showcase your creativity, and use your creations to make a difference in your community. The primary goal of this course is to increase student access to computer science, computing and STEM through a more multidisciplinary approach than a straight programming course. It emphasizes not only on learning to program, but how computers can be used to creatively solve (and sometimes create) problems.
Structured around six “Big Ideas,” including abstraction, global impact and creativity, this course will allow students to walk away with a wider understanding of how computers and humans can interact.
AI & Media Literacy
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
AI and Media Literacy explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence in media, education, and society, equipping students with the critical skills to navigate and assess AI-generated content. The course examines both generative AI (which creates text, images, and video) and predictive AI (which classifies, recommends, and forecasts), focusing on detecting fake images, deepfakes, and AI-altered videos while analyzing the logical fallacies that fuel misinformation. Students will explore AI’s expanding role in education and medicine, debating its efficacy in learning environments, particularly in coding and computer science.
A hands-on component allows students to train and build their own AI chatbot, deepening their understanding of generative models and their potential for positive applications. Through projects like media detection labs,
deepfake analysis, and AI ethics debates, students will learn to critically assess AI-driven communication, appreciate its complexities, and recognize both its benefits and challenges in shaping modern discourse.
App Lab
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th
Prerequisite: None
In this course from code.org, students explore the role of physical devices in computing. Using App Lab and Adafruit’s Circuit Playground, students develop programs that utilize the same hardware inputs and outputs that you see in the smart devices, looking at how a simple rough prototype can lead to a finished product. Then, students explore how physical devices can be used to react to the world around them using a “maker” mindset to create prototypes with everyday materials. This course is for the true beginner in coding and requires no prior experience, and also may be overly simple for those with lots of block-based programming experience.
Coding for the True Beginner
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed for individuals with no prior experience in programming or computer science. This course introduces students to the world of coding through a hands-on, interactive approach, making it accessible and engaging for absolute beginners. Students will learn the fundamental concepts of programming, including
variables, data types, loops, conditionals, and functions, using beginner-friendly programming languages. Through practical exercises and real-world examples, students will develop problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and an understanding of how to write and debug code. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the foundational knowledge to pursue further studies in coding and technology.
Fundamentals of Computer Aided Design
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course is a Computer Aided Design (CAD) class in which students will learn the fundamentals of using Fusion 360 software. Students will learn basic CAD techniques that are used to create sketches; apply dimensions; extrude sketches into 3D, and create multipart assemblies. No previous experience is required. Students who complete this course will be prepared to take future courses in fabrication, including 3D printing, CNC machining, and laser cutting.
Fundamentals of CNC Manufacturing
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Fundamentals of CAD
Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) manufacturing processes are used to create many objects in our modern world. In this course students will build on their CAD knowledge and learn how to manufacture their designs using CNC machines. Students will learn about
designing for the CNC manufacturing process, various machining strategies, endmill selection, feeds and speeds, and part tolerances.
Game Jam: Make, Play, and Compete!
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Intro to Coding or equivalent experience, Geometry
Ever dreamed of making your own game? In GameJam, you’ll dive into the fast-paced world of online game design competitions, where creativity, teamwork, and rapid problem-solving come together. To create your games you’ll follow the Engineering Design Cycle, from brainstorming game ideas based on the jam’s theme, to bringing those ideas to life with code, art, and sound, playtesting your creations, then tweaking and refining them! You’ll learn to love experimenting, failing, and improving - because great games aren’t just made, they’re iterated!
Independent Fabrication
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Fundamentals of CAD, Visual Thinking & Fabrication, and Digital Fabrication
Independent Study Fabrication is a course for students who have a strong interest and skill set in fabrication and an idea of their own to bring to life. Students will propose ideas to build which may include a community service component, a problem solving component, a connection to other coursework, etc. Students enrolled in this course must have an approved proposal for a fabrication project. This class provides an
opportunity for students to demonstrate and further their understanding of the studios core competencies, and create something new of their own creative design.
Robotics
Length: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course offers an exciting opportunity for both beginners and students on the robotics team to explore and apply the principles of robotics in a hands-on environment. The course covers the fundamentals of robotics, while also providing dedicated time for team members to work on their competition robots.
Through guided instruction and collaborative work, students will learn essential robotics concepts such as sensors, actuators, motion planning, and basic programming. At the same time, team members will have the opportunity to directly apply these concepts to improve, test, and refine their competition robots. The course fosters teamwork, problem-solving, and innovation while preparing students for success in robotics competitions.
Solving Problems with 3D Printing and Laser Cutting
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Fundamentals of CAD
In this course, students will identify a problem at Sonoma Academy that can be solved by inventing a solution, designing it in CAD, and either 3D printing or laser cutting a part or
assembly. Students will seek out a problem and proceed through a design, prototyping, and iterative process to develop a solution to the problem. Students will learn strategies specific to designing for 3D printing and laser cutting.
MATH
Algebra I
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Level: 9th
Prerequisite: Placement test
This course is appropriate for students who need to solidify and master the basic concepts of algebraic thinking and operations. The topics covered in this course are simplifying expressions, solving equations, graphing linear equations and inequalities, writing linear equations, systems of equations and inequalities, properties of exponents, multiplying and factoring polynomials, and an introduction to quadratics. Students learn fundamental concepts of algebra, such as solving equations, word problems, polynomials, factoring, exponents, graphing, systems of two equations, and an introduction to quadratics.
Algebra II
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th
Prerequisite: Placement test or a C- in Algebra I and departmental recommendation
This course builds on and extends the topics learned in Algebra I and develops more
complex algebraic skills. Students review and extend their knowledge of linear equations, inequalities, and quadratic functions. Students also explore and analyze numeric, algebraic, and graphical models for more advanced relations such as logarithmic, exponential, rational, and radical functions.
Geometry
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Algebra I
In this course, students learn geometry through an inductive approach by developing their own definitions and conjectures using traditional construction tools and software (particularly, Geometer’s Sketchpad). Students master the basic tools of geometry while applying them to real situations, such as geometrical optics and geometrical patterns in nature and art. Geometry topics covered in this course include congruence, similarity, line and angle properties, coordinate geometry, and the properties of triangles, polygons, and circles as well as area, surface area, and volume. The skills acquired are used to describe and model biological and other natural systems. Right angle trigonometry is also introduced in this course.
Precalculus
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: C- in Algebra II AND Geometry
This course covers a general precalculus syllabus, including trigonometry and advanced functions, with activities that help students
see how the concepts can be applied using a calculator or computer. Topics include: Linear functions, quadratic functions, polynomial functions, inequalities, graphs of functions, exponents and logarithms, analytic geometry, trigonometric functions, trigonometric equations, triangle trigonometry, complex numbers, and probability. Technology is integrated throughout to prepare the student for participation in a technological society. Communication is stressed, emphasizing reading, writing, discussion, and visual thinking.
AS Precalculus
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: A in Algebra II and teacher recommendation
This rigorous class is designed to familiarize students thoroughly with functions they will encounter in subsequent calculus and science courses. To achieve this knowledge, numerous applications, examples, graphical interpretations, and multi-level exercises are presented. Topics include properties of functions, inverse functions, composite functions, piecewise functions, limits, exponential and logarithmic functions, transformations of functions, complex and imaginary numbers, polynomial and rational functions, trigonometry based on triangles, and trigonometry based on the unit circle. Technology is integrated throughout to prepare the student for participation in a technological society. Communication is stressed, emphasizing reading, writing, discussion, and visual thinking.
Calculus
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: C- in Precalculus or AS Precalculus and teacher recommendation
This course is designed to develop students’ understanding of the concepts of calculus and provide experience with its methods and applications. The elements of derivatives, integrals, and limits are developed in a unifying manner using technology and a multi-representational approach that will develop the students’ understanding of concepts. This course does not adhere to the AP course guidelines, providing the freedom to look at concepts in greater depth and devote the necessary time developing a deeper understanding of the material.
AS Calculus I
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: A- in AS Precalculus, or, A in Precalculus, and teacher recommendation
The fundamental concepts of calculus are introduced in this class: the limit, the derivative, and the definite and indefinite integrals. Topics covered are: limits, asymptotic behavior, continuity as a property of functions, the concept of the derivative, derivative at a point, derivatives of functions, second derivatives, applications of derivatives, computation of Riemann sums, the definite integral as a limit of Riemann sums, and various integration techniques.
AS Calculus II
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A in AS Calculus I and teacher recommendation
AS Calculus II picks up where AS Calculus I left off. We begin with finding volumes using integrals, then we study further techniques of integration and improper integrals. Then we study sequences and series including the tests for convergence, power series, Taylor series, and series estimates. The course culminates with a study of parametric functions, vectors in the plane, and polar functions.
AS Multivariable Calculus
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisites: AS Calculus II
Multivariable Calculus is the extension of AS Calculus II in one variable to calculus in more than one variable. Thus, differential and integral calculus are expanded to encompass functions involving multiple variables and dimensions. Operations and theories investigated include limits and continuity, partial differentiation, multiple integration, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus in multiple dimensions, partial derivatives, multiple integrals, and topics in vector calculus. Applications are emphasized throughout. Technology will be introduced for visualization and study of three-dimensional surfaces. The class culminates with a major project.
Statistics
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Algebra II and Geometry
Statistics is a mathematics course introducing students to statistical analysis while applying them to real-world situations. Topics covered are graphical displays and analysis of univariate and bivariate data, methods of data collection, planning and conducting surveys and experiments, producing models using probability theory and simulation, and statistical inference. This is a technology heavy course and requires students to learn the language and notation of statistics and communicate statistical practices clearly.
AS Statistics
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- in AS Precalculus, teacher recommendation, and completion of any required summer work
AS Statistics is an advanced mathematics course introducing students to statistical analysis while applying them to real -world situations. Topics covered are graphical displays and analysis of univariate and bivariate data, methods of data collection, planning and conducting surveys and experiments, producing models using probability theory and simulation, and statistical inference. This is a technology heavy course and requires students to learn the language and notation of statistics and communicate statistical practices clearly. The course ends with a research project and final research paper where
students design and carry out an observational study or experiment.
Financial Literacy: Personal Finance, Investing, Business, and The Global Economy
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Algebra II
This course explores all the times when you definitely will have to use math in real life: whether to buy a house or rent, whether to lease a car or buy, how to choose between competing job offers, how to create and stick to a budget, how to save for the future and why “time in the market” is better than timing the market, the opportunity cost of colleges, cost benefit analysis of “going green,” the true cost of credit and yes, taxes are inevitable.
Additionally, we will evaluate and invest in companies, understand stocks and bonds and options, how supply and demand interact, how banks, the Federal Reserve, and the FDIC work within US monetary policy, and some of the economic history of how we got from bartering to Bitcoin and the economic cycles of boom and bust.
Our STEM Department brings our students to the forefront of scientific thinking, which guides and shapes technology as it grows to meet the increasing demands of a new world vision. STEM classes foster curiosity and analytical thinking, encouraging students to imagine, innovate, and create. Our core courses in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics build confidence and competence, providing a solid foundation from which students’ understanding can grow. Having developed these building blocks using the principles of the scientific method—inquiry, observation, data collection, analysis—students are well positioned to become creators and investigators and not just consumers. Students’ educational experiences are enhanced by more specialized elective and advanced studies courses that will help our students become the problem solvers of tomorrow. We strive to integrate technology into every aspect of our curriculum, providing students with tangible artifacts of their learning, preparing students for the problems they will face, and introducing them to the methodology they will need in the future. We also offer a number of technology and engineering electives.
All students are required to take 3 credits of Science, including two lab sciences (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics). It is strongly recommended that students take at least 1 additional credit of science in their senior year.
All students are required to take 3 credits of Math, including Algebra II and Geometry. It is strongly recommended that students take at least 1 additional credit of Math in their senior year.
SCIENCE
Courses are listed in the following order: semester-long courses first, followed by 1-mod courses.
Biology (required for 9th graders)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Level: 9th
Prerequisite: None
Biology is an objective and experimental attempt to understand the principles and forces operating in the “the study of all life.” In this course we look at the cellular basis of living things, how DNA codes for life, and the genetic bases for inheritance in organisms. The class also studies the evolutionary relationships among organisms and the diversity of life on planet earth by considering the structural and functional relationships of microorganisms, fungi, plants, and animals in the broad scale concepts of ecosystems and natural selection.
Chemistry (required for 10th graders)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Level: 10th
Prerequisite: Biology and Algebra I
Since chemistry is referred to as the “central science,” it is fitting for students to continue their core science curriculum exploring the world through a chemist’s eye. Concepts retained from biology form the foundation for this course, enabling students to further explore the world around them through chemical concepts. Students combine laboratory experimentation with theoretical concepts. Topics include structure of matter (classification of matter, atomic theory, atomic structure, and chemical bonding), states of matter (solids, liquids, gases), solutions, reactions (oxidation-reduction, precipitation and acid-base) and descriptive chemistry (periodic table and organic chemistry). Students are called upon to sharpen their skills of experimentation, critical thinking and writing, problem solving, and presentation.
Physics
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Chemistry, Algebra II, and Geometry
In this course, students will explore the fundamental laws that govern the motion and interactions of physical objects. Topics may include kinematics, Newtonian mechanics, waves and sound, optics, electricity, and atomic physics. A strong hands-on laboratory component encourages inquiry-based learning, the application of mathematics
to model physical phenomena, and collaboration in analyzing experimental results. Through engaging experiments and real-world connections, students will develop a deeper understanding of physics and its role in everyday life.
AS Chemistry
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisite: A in Chemistry and Physics or B in AS Physics, A in Precalculus or B in AS Precalculus; and permission of the department.
This course covers topics in structure of matter (atomic theory and atomic structure, chemical bonding and nuclear chemistry), states of matter (solids, liquids, gasses), solutions, reactions (oxidation-reduction, stoichiometry, kinetics, catalysis, thermodynamics and chemical equilibrium) and descriptive chemistry (periodic table, organic and polymer chemistry) are covered in depth. In addition, topics in quantum theory of the atom, electronic configuration and periodicity, molecular geometry and chemical bonding theory, materials science and coordination complexes are covered. Analytical writing is emphasized through written lab reports.
Students may choose to take only AS Chemistry I. Students must take AS Chemistry I in order to take AS Chemistry II.
AS Environmental Science
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: A in Biology and Chemistry, A in Precalculus or B in AS Precalculus; and permission of the department.
Environmental Science is the ultimate interdisciplinary study blending the sciences of biology, ecology, chemistry, geology and physics with sociology and political science in order to acquire the ability to identify and analyze both natural and anthropogenic environmental issues. This course helps students develop the skills necessary to assess the relative risks associated with both local and global environmental problems, as well as suggest more sustainable solutions and alternatives to the current conventional methods that cause environmental damage. It will be a project-based exploration into the interconnectedness of the natural world and the exploration of the solutions needed for sustainability. Students should be comfortable balancing chemical equations, and have strong Algebra skills.
AS Integrated Physics & Chemistry
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisite: A- in AS Physics and AS Chemistry
The course will focus on principles of physics (motion, forces, acceleration, momentum, gravity, energy, thermodynamics, waves, light, sound, electricity, and magnetism); as well as principles of chemistry (atomic structure, properties of matter, elements and the periodic table, conservation of matter, chemical bonding and compounds/molecules, chemical reaction
and its kinetics, stoichiometry, solutions, chemical equilibrium, organic and biochemistry, and materials science) as described within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
As an advanced course, students are expected to be confident in their mathematical skills since many of the concepts require applications and manipulation of mathematical models. At the end of the course, students will be required to take a comprehensive final exam.
AS Physics
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: A- in Algebra II or Precalculus, A in Chemistry, Placement test
This course is equivalent to an introductory college-level physics course in Newtonian Mechanics. Topics include the study of motion, forces, circular motion and gravitation, work and energy, linear momentum and fluids if time permits. This course consists of traditional lectures as well as guided inquiry and student-centered learning to foster the development of critical thinking skills. There is also a hands-on laboratory component comparable to introductory college-level physics laboratories. Students in this class are expected to demonstrate a high level of motivation, independent thinking skills and a willingness to collaborate with others.
Students may choose to take only AS Physics I. Students must take AS Physics I in order to take AS Physics II.
Architecture & Environmental Design
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- in Foundation Arts: Visual Thinking & Fabrication, Foundation Arts: Visual or Design for Environmental Good
Some call it architecture, design, construction, engineering, city planning, even art. Whatever you call it, it’s humans doing what they do best: changing their environment to suit their needs. Architecture is everything: From the moment we wake, to the moment our head hits the pillow, we are surrounded by our built environment, yet most of us have very little understanding of how it came to be or how it’s built. In this class we will investigate architectural design, from simple homes to complex cities, all the while looking at the economic forces that influence what is finally built. Emphasis will be on the creative design process and how we express our designs, through both hand drawings and online CAD drafting tools. We will create architectural renderings and perspectives, and we will investigate our designs through 3D modeling with both physical and digital models. We will also look at the construction technologies that allow us to shape our environment, and take a deep dive into the energy and resources we use to make our structures livable. Because architecture and design cannot be contained within 1-hour increments, students are expected to spend time working outside of class in order to stay apace with the design projects.
Astronomy
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
Students will explore the methods used to study space, the properties and motion of celestial bodies, and the dynamic relationships within the cosmos. Topics include historical developments in astronomy, the use of astronomical instruments, the celestial sphere, the solar system, the science behind seasons, eclipses, constellations, auroras, and more. Students will also examine the life cycle of stars and the vast structure of galaxies. Whether you’re curious about distant planets or fascinated by the mysteries of deep space, this course will provide a solid foundation in the science of the universe.
Food Science
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry
Everyone eats, often three times a day. There aren’t many things that we do as often. But what are we really doing when we cook and eat? Where does our food come from (historically), why do we cook, why and how do we cook what we cook, and how does it affect our bodies? This course will attempt to engage students with myriad scientific disciplines and food cultures in a sort of “eat your vegetables” way, while we eat our vegetables.
NOTE: this course is not all about eating food, although there will be taste tests.
Human Anatomy
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry
This course explores the intricate function of the human body. Through investigations, observations, and the occasional dissection, students will build an understanding of the interrelatedness of body systems, as well as an understanding of the structure and function of different parts of the body.
Medical Biochemistry
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chemistry
Medical Biochemistry provides students with an understanding of how biological processes work at a chemical level and how those processes are regulated in human beings. First, students will learn the basic skills in chemistry needed to understand protein structure and function. Second, the chemistry of the human genome will be explored with special emphasis given to gene expression. Third, students will analyze eukaryotic metabolism, specifically the pathways associated with the facilitation and regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. Lastly, cellular physiology will be addressed with a focus on cell signaling and the chemistry of receptor binding. Every topic will leverage a medical “case study” approach to learning where students will learn content through a combination of medical diagnostics and laboratory investigation as they apply to symptoms and lab results from hypothetical patients.
Earth Science
Length: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
When it comes to epic Earth Sciences, California has it all: rocky coasts, wildly different climatic zones, towering mountain ranges, hydrothermal features, natural and human made water resources, and so much more. With that beauty, we also must face earthquakes, wildfires, drought, and landslides. While this course will not focus solely on California, we will focus on how California and the Sierra Nevadas and the Earth itself were formed over geologic time, how ocean currents from Alaska impact our climate and how ocean circulation impacts the global climate. We will study how the Santa Ana and Diablo winds create the perfect environment for wildfires, how the uplift of the Himalayas has impacted global climate for the last 40 million years and how earthquakes have shaped our state, their impacts globally, and how to best plan for them in the built environment.
Ecology of Sonoma County
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology
In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of ecology through studying the variety of ecosystems in Sonoma County. Students will explore the interconnectedness of both living and nonliving organisms by engaging with readings, research, observations, and the occasional field trip. This class is for students who want to understand the world
around them and have a desire to be (occasionally) outside.
Neuroscience
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology
This neuroscience course offers students a comprehensive exploration of brain structure and functions, addressing topics in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and clinical neurobiology. This elective combines theoretical knowledge with practical experiences, including hands-on activities and dissections, to deepen understanding of the human brain’s complexities. The curriculum also covers important topics such as mental health, addiction, pharmacology, and their clinical implications, aiming to enhance students’ appreciation and understanding of behavior, motivation, and cognitive processes.
Science Research Methods I
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Science
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Biology
Scientific research often begins in the Library. An essential part of the scientific method is talking with other scientists, reading through their work, and building upon existing knowledge. This course will show you how to gather scientific articles on a particular topic, read through them with a critical eye, and summarize what you have learned in a literature review. You will learn how a scientific paper is organized and how to find it in a published journal article.
TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING
Courses are listed in the following order: semester-long courses first, followed by 1-mod courses.
AS Computer Programming
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Algebra II, Intro to Coding & Computer Science, and instructor approval
AS Computer Programming builds upon the foundations of Introduction to Coding & Computer Science, with the goal of assisting students to become fully functioning developers able to contribute to real world programs. After a short review of programming fundamentals, students apply their knowledge to various domains, creating games, web, server, and desktop applications. Additionally, students learn the tools necessary for efficient code editing and collaboration. Students who take AS Computer Programming will be well prepared for a programming job or summer internship or other opportunities in the programming field.
Design for Environmental Good
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Algebra I, Geometry, and Foundation Arts: Visual Thinking & Fabrication
Ever wonder why our lives are so comfortable? How electricity just streams from our
home’s walls, or water flows freely from our taps? Engineering, duh! Formerly called Introduction to Engineering, this course will look at how humans use energy, the resources we use to make our modern world, with an emphasis of positive and sustainable solutions going into the future. This class will delve into the world of solar energy and provide students with hands-on experience designing and building a variety of solar projects. We will learn about circuitry and focus that knowledge on designing and building solar homes, ultimately wirelessly controlling these homes with arduinos. We will become quite familiar with the engineering design process, from idea, investigation, prototyping, testing, and redesign. Yes, there will be lots of trial and error. Additionally students will be exposed to other facets of engineering through technical research, guest speakers, and inspiring field trips.
Design for Social Good Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
This course emphasizes a human-centered approach to developing systems that improve lives, with a primary focus on designing and developing adaptive technology for individuals with physical limitations. Relying on student inquiry and a project-based approach, the course features heterogeneous teams that allow for skill specialization and the strategic development of products reflecting each team member’s interests and talents. Project topics and skill development will emerge from interactions with subject matter experts and community stakeholders, curated by the instructor and school collaborators. Depending
on project specifics, students will explore technologies such as Arduino, Blender, Fusion 360, 3D printing, and laser cutting. By the end of the course, students will curate an online portfolio and complete a final service project related to their area of interest.
Digital Fabrication
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Visual Thinking & Fabrication and Fundamentals of CAD
Lasers, plastic, and wood…OH MY! Take the skills you learned in Visual Thinking & Fabrication to the next level in this course. In Digital Fabrication you will use 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, and basic hand and power tools to create objects for yourself, for others, and for the community. Learn and develop creative thinking and problem solving skills while gaining confidence in the art of working with your hands. Class time is focused on both individual work and collaboration. Bring your ideas and excitement and we will design and build amazing things.
Introduction to Coding & Computer Science
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Algebra I; App Lab or Coding for the True Beginner; or prior coding experience
Computer science skills are in high demand and valued by colleges and employers throughout the country and the world. This course introduces you to the essential ideas of computer science and shows how computing and technology can influence the world around you. You can
pursue your interests in digital projects – like apps, films, games or music – that showcase your creativity, and use your creations to make a difference in your community. The primary goal of this course is to increase student access to computer science, computing and STEM through a more multidisciplinary approach than a straight programming course. It emphasizes not only on learning to program, but how computers can be used to creatively solve (and sometimes create) problems.
Structured around six “Big Ideas,” including abstraction, global impact and creativity, this course will allow students to walk away with a wider understanding of how computers and humans can interact.
AI & Media Literacy
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
AI and Media Literacy explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence in media, education, and society, equipping students with the critical skills to navigate and assess AI-generated content. The course examines both generative AI (which creates text, images, and video) and predictive AI (which classifies, recommends, and forecasts), focusing on detecting fake images, deepfakes, and AI-altered videos while analyzing the logical fallacies that fuel misinformation. Students will explore AI’s expanding role in education and medicine, debating its efficacy in learning environments, particularly in coding and computer science.
A hands-on component allows students to train and build their own AI chatbot, deepening their understanding of generative models and their potential for positive applications. Through projects like media detection labs,
deepfake analysis, and AI ethics debates, students will learn to critically assess AI-driven communication, appreciate its complexities, and recognize both its benefits and challenges in shaping modern discourse.
App Lab
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th
Prerequisite: None
In this course from code.org, students explore the role of physical devices in computing. Using App Lab and Adafruit’s Circuit Playground, students develop programs that utilize the same hardware inputs and outputs that you see in the smart devices, looking at how a simple rough prototype can lead to a finished product. Then, students explore how physical devices can be used to react to the world around them using a “maker” mindset to create prototypes with everyday materials. This course is for the true beginner in coding and requires no prior experience, and also may be overly simple for those with lots of block-based programming experience.
Coding for the True Beginner
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed for individuals with no prior experience in programming or computer science. This course introduces students to the world of coding through a hands-on, interactive approach, making it accessible and engaging for absolute beginners. Students will learn the fundamental concepts of programming, including
variables, data types, loops, conditionals, and functions, using beginner-friendly programming languages. Through practical exercises and real-world examples, students will develop problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and an understanding of how to write and debug code. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the foundational knowledge to pursue further studies in coding and technology.
Fundamentals of Computer Aided Design
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course is a Computer Aided Design (CAD) class in which students will learn the fundamentals of using Fusion 360 software. Students will learn basic CAD techniques that are used to create sketches; apply dimensions; extrude sketches into 3D, and create multipart assemblies. No previous experience is required. Students who complete this course will be prepared to take future courses in fabrication, including 3D printing, CNC machining, and laser cutting.
Fundamentals of CNC Manufacturing
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Fundamentals of CAD
Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) manufacturing processes are used to create many objects in our modern world. In this course students will build on their CAD knowledge and learn how to manufacture their designs using CNC machines. Students will learn about
designing for the CNC manufacturing process, various machining strategies, endmill selection, feeds and speeds, and part tolerances.
Game Jam: Make, Play, and Compete!
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Intro to Coding or equivalent experience, Geometry
Ever dreamed of making your own game? In GameJam, you’ll dive into the fast-paced world of online game design competitions, where creativity, teamwork, and rapid problem-solving come together. To create your games you’ll follow the Engineering Design Cycle, from brainstorming game ideas based on the jam’s theme, to bringing those ideas to life with code, art, and sound, playtesting your creations, then tweaking and refining them! You’ll learn to love experimenting, failing, and improving - because great games aren’t just made, they’re iterated!
Independent Fabrication
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Fundamentals of CAD, Visual Thinking & Fabrication, and Digital Fabrication
Independent Study Fabrication is a course for students who have a strong interest and skill set in fabrication and an idea of their own to bring to life. Students will propose ideas to build which may include a community service component, a problem solving component, a connection to other coursework, etc. Students enrolled in this course must have an approved proposal for a fabrication project. This class provides an
opportunity for students to demonstrate and further their understanding of the studios core competencies, and create something new of their own creative design.
Robotics
Length: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: None
This course offers an exciting opportunity for both beginners and students on the robotics team to explore and apply the principles of robotics in a hands-on environment. The course covers the fundamentals of robotics, while also providing dedicated time for team members to work on their competition robots.
Through guided instruction and collaborative work, students will learn essential robotics concepts such as sensors, actuators, motion planning, and basic programming. At the same time, team members will have the opportunity to directly apply these concepts to improve, test, and refine their competition robots. The course fosters teamwork, problem-solving, and innovation while preparing students for success in robotics competitions.
Solving Problems with 3D Printing and Laser Cutting
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Engineering/Technology
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Fundamentals of CAD
In this course, students will identify a problem at Sonoma Academy that can be solved by inventing a solution, designing it in CAD, and either 3D printing or laser cutting a part or
assembly. Students will seek out a problem and proceed through a design, prototyping, and iterative process to develop a solution to the problem. Students will learn strategies specific to designing for 3D printing and laser cutting.
MATH
Algebra I
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Level: 9th
Prerequisite: Placement test
This course is appropriate for students who need to solidify and master the basic concepts of algebraic thinking and operations. The topics covered in this course are simplifying expressions, solving equations, graphing linear equations and inequalities, writing linear equations, systems of equations and inequalities, properties of exponents, multiplying and factoring polynomials, and an introduction to quadratics. Students learn fundamental concepts of algebra, such as solving equations, word problems, polynomials, factoring, exponents, graphing, systems of two equations, and an introduction to quadratics.
Algebra II
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th
Prerequisite: Placement test or a C- in Algebra I and departmental recommendation
This course builds on and extends the topics learned in Algebra I and develops more
complex algebraic skills. Students review and extend their knowledge of linear equations, inequalities, and quadratic functions. Students also explore and analyze numeric, algebraic, and graphical models for more advanced relations such as logarithmic, exponential, rational, and radical functions.
Geometry
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: Algebra I
In this course, students learn geometry through an inductive approach by developing their own definitions and conjectures using traditional construction tools and software (particularly, Geometer’s Sketchpad). Students master the basic tools of geometry while applying them to real situations, such as geometrical optics and geometrical patterns in nature and art. Geometry topics covered in this course include congruence, similarity, line and angle properties, coordinate geometry, and the properties of triangles, polygons, and circles as well as area, surface area, and volume. The skills acquired are used to describe and model biological and other natural systems. Right angle trigonometry is also introduced in this course.
Precalculus
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: C- in Algebra II AND Geometry
This course covers a general precalculus syllabus, including trigonometry and advanced functions, with activities that help students
see how the concepts can be applied using a calculator or computer. Topics include: Linear functions, quadratic functions, polynomial functions, inequalities, graphs of functions, exponents and logarithms, analytic geometry, trigonometric functions, trigonometric equations, triangle trigonometry, complex numbers, and probability. Technology is integrated throughout to prepare the student for participation in a technological society. Communication is stressed, emphasizing reading, writing, discussion, and visual thinking.
AS Precalculus
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: A in Algebra II and teacher recommendation
This rigorous class is designed to familiarize students thoroughly with functions they will encounter in subsequent calculus and science courses. To achieve this knowledge, numerous applications, examples, graphical interpretations, and multi-level exercises are presented. Topics include properties of functions, inverse functions, composite functions, piecewise functions, limits, exponential and logarithmic functions, transformations of functions, complex and imaginary numbers, polynomial and rational functions, trigonometry based on triangles, and trigonometry based on the unit circle. Technology is integrated throughout to prepare the student for participation in a technological society. Communication is stressed, emphasizing reading, writing, discussion, and visual thinking.
Calculus
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: C- in Precalculus or AS Precalculus and teacher recommendation
This course is designed to develop students’ understanding of the concepts of calculus and provide experience with its methods and applications. The elements of derivatives, integrals, and limits are developed in a unifying manner using technology and a multi-representational approach that will develop the students’ understanding of concepts. This course does not adhere to the AP course guidelines, providing the freedom to look at concepts in greater depth and devote the necessary time developing a deeper understanding of the material.
AS Calculus I
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: A- in AS Precalculus, or, A in Precalculus, and teacher recommendation
The fundamental concepts of calculus are introduced in this class: the limit, the derivative, and the definite and indefinite integrals. Topics covered are: limits, asymptotic behavior, continuity as a property of functions, the concept of the derivative, derivative at a point, derivatives of functions, second derivatives, applications of derivatives, computation of Riemann sums, the definite integral as a limit of Riemann sums, and various integration techniques.
AS Calculus II
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A in AS Calculus I and teacher recommendation
AS Calculus II picks up where AS Calculus I left off. We begin with finding volumes using integrals, then we study further techniques of integration and improper integrals. Then we study sequences and series including the tests for convergence, power series, Taylor series, and series estimates. The course culminates with a study of parametric functions, vectors in the plane, and polar functions.
AS Multivariable Calculus
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisites: AS Calculus II
Multivariable Calculus is the extension of AS Calculus II in one variable to calculus in more than one variable. Thus, differential and integral calculus are expanded to encompass functions involving multiple variables and dimensions. Operations and theories investigated include limits and continuity, partial differentiation, multiple integration, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus in multiple dimensions, partial derivatives, multiple integrals, and topics in vector calculus. Applications are emphasized throughout. Technology will be introduced for visualization and study of three-dimensional surfaces. The class culminates with a major project.
Statistics
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Algebra II and Geometry
Statistics is a mathematics course introducing students to statistical analysis while applying them to real-world situations. Topics covered are graphical displays and analysis of univariate and bivariate data, methods of data collection, planning and conducting surveys and experiments, producing models using probability theory and simulation, and statistical inference. This is a technology heavy course and requires students to learn the language and notation of statistics and communicate statistical practices clearly.
AS Statistics
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: Math
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: A- in AS Precalculus, teacher recommendation, and completion of any required summer work
AS Statistics is an advanced mathematics course introducing students to statistical analysis while applying them to real -world situations. Topics covered are graphical displays and analysis of univariate and bivariate data, methods of data collection, planning and conducting surveys and experiments, producing models using probability theory and simulation, and statistical inference. This is a technology heavy course and requires students to learn the language and notation of statistics and communicate statistical practices clearly. The course ends with a research project and final research paper where
We believe that the best way to understand another culture is from the inside out. Our World Languages teachers proceed from the premise that if students learn a language well enough, they will start thinking differently—developing a profound internal understanding of self and other—and will be better able to understand their home culture as well. Emphasizing not only fundamental grammatical knowledge and practical fluency, but a desire to get out there and experience life elsewhere, our teachers use a wide array of methodologies that facilitate students’ progress in speaking, comprehending, reading, and writing a foreign language.
Our World Languages teachers strive to engage students in using the language for self-expression and communication and to provide insights into the culture. We encourage and expect students to use the language during class and to look for opportunities to practice it outside the classroom.
Our students are able to choose to study Spanish, French, or Mandarin. Students must complete 9 mods of World Languages and Level III in one language.
Please note that levels I-III of World Languages are taught across all four mods to provide the consistency that is necessary for language mastery. Taught in 55 minute blocks, these courses provide the equivalent instruction time to semester-long courses that meet for full, 70 minute blocks. They are worth 1.0 credit.
FRENCH
French I
Length of Course: Year-long
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
Students begin their study of French with an introduction to the vocabulary and grammatical structures that will allow them to begin communicating in the language. Through text, web resources, video, songs, and classroom conversation, students learn to introduce themselves, ask questions to friends, and describe their lives—from describing their family and school to their likes and dislikes. Although all four skills are introduced, the primary focus is on developing the students’ skills of oral communication and ear for the language. Students also begin to explore the richness and diversity of French culture.
French II
Length of Course: Year-long
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: : French I
Students in French II build on their previous knowledge of the language and its culture, although more attention is paid to reading and writing. Students learn to describe their life at home, including their daily routine as well as their health. In addition, they will learn two of the past tenses and be able to talk about past events and their childhood in general. All four skills will be developed with the use of text, web resources, video, songs, and classroom conversations. Students will be exposed to authentic literature of various kinds and will develop their listening skills with the French News Broadcast.
French III
Length of Course: Year-long
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: : French II
French III is an intermediate-level course designed for students who have a solid foundation in the French language to further refine their speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. This course will focus on enhancing students’ abilities to communicate in more complex situations, while deepening their understanding of French grammar, vocabulary, and culture. In this course, students will explore advanced verb tenses such as combining passé-composé and imperfect (imparfait), get exposed to the subjunctive mood, while mastering more nuanced sentence structures. Emphasis will be placed on refining writing techniques through short essays and other creative projects. Additionally, stu-
dents will engage in more sophisticated conversations on various topics.
French IV
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisite: French III; teacher recommendation
French IV is an advanced level course designed for students who are already proficient in the French language and wish to refine their fluency and deepen their cultural understanding. Building on skills acquired in previous levels, this course emphasizes advanced grammar, vocabulary, and communication techniques, preparing students for real-world conversations and academic writing in French. Throughout the course, students will engage with authentic French texts and films to enhance reading comprehension and expand their vocabulary. They will study advanced grammatical structures, such as conditional, the subjunctive in complex sentences, past tenses in various contexts, and more nuanced uses of idiomatic expressions. Additionally, students will practice writing more sophisticated essays and creative projects, all while focusing on proper style and cohesion. Speaking and listening skills will be honed through discussions, debates, and presentations on a wide range of topics.
Chinese language. In this course students will learn how to read, speak, and write in Mandarin in a basic way. They will learn rudimentary Chinese grammar and be able to function with simple Chinese sentence structures. Students will focus on conversations relating to self introductions and daily life. Students will also be given an introduction to Chinese culture, social etiquette, and history.
Mandarin II
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Mandarin I
Students begin their study of Mandarin with an introduction to the vocabulary and grammatical structures that will allow them to begin communicating in the language. Through text, web resources, video, song, and classroom conversation, students learn to introduce themselves, ask questions of friends, and describe their lives—from describing their family and school to their likes and dislikes. Although all four skills are introduced, the primary focus is on developing the students’ skills of oral communication and ear for the language. Students also begin to explore the richness and diversity of Chinese culture.At the end of Mandarin I, students are asked to take a final exam to determine if they reached the Novice High target.
Mandarin III
Mandarin I
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
Mandarin I is an introduction to the Mandarin
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Mandarin II
Mandarin III requires students to increase their proficiency in each of the four basic language
MANDARIN
skills. Students are expected to master more spoken and written vocabulary and grammar and be able to use Mandarin as much as possible with improved pronunciation and intonation. Students will continue to enhance their reading comprehension and writing composition skills. This stage of Mandarin learning enables students to develop their communicative competence and provides them with a daily opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.
Mandarin IV
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Mandarin III
This enriched Mandarin IV course focuses on composition, conversation, translation of authentic texts, and culture, with a complete review of Chinese grammar. Throughout the semester, students hone their speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills. They research and present on several topics, including Chinese holidays, poetry, cinema, culinary art, and travel. Students are introduced to a number of Chinese texts through various readings of literature and articles about history, the arts, and culture. Students will also practice reading traditional Chinese characters.
AS Chinese Language & Culture
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Mandarin IV with an A and a teacher recommendation
The AS Chinese Language and Culture course in Mandarin Chinese emphasizes communica-
tion (understanding and being understood by others) by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills in real-life situations. This includes vocabulary usage, language control, communication strategies, and cultural awareness. The course strives to not overemphasize grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. To best facilitate the study of language and culture, the course is taught almost exclusively in Chinese, but will on occasion have lessons taught in English to dive deeply into issues of cultural nuance and complex literature and history. The AS Chinese Language and Culture course engages students in an exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. The course develops students’ awareness and appreciation of cultural products, (e.g., tools, books, music, laws, conventions, institutions); practices (patterns of social interactions within a culture); and perspectives (values, attitudes, and assumptions). Students will also read and discuss famous literary works in Chinese, like Sherlock Holmes, The Secret Garden, Monkey King, and Mulan.
SPANISH
Spanish I
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
In this introductory course to the Spanish language, students will learn how to communicate in Spanish in simple daily conversations, as well as discover a new culture full of traditions and customs. All four modalities are covered: reading, writing, listening and speaking. The topics that are presented in this course relate to basic
personal information, family and friends, daily activities and personal preferences. Students learn to describe their school routine, talk about housing, their favorite activities, music and hobbies they enjoy. Students practice correct pronunciation, learn to ask and answer questions and more.
Spanish II
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Spanish I
Students in Spanish II will build on their previous knowledge of the language and its culture, although more attention is paid to reading and writing. During this year, students learn both past tenses, preterite and imperfect, as well as the simple future. Students continue to learn new vocabulary and study more irregular verbs and complex grammatical structures, as well as familiarize themselves with different countries and regions where the language is spoken. All four skills will be developed with the use of text, web resources, video, songs, and classroom conversations.
Spanish III
Length of Course: Yearlong
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Spanish II
Spanish III students focus on the world around them. At this intermediate level, students develop a sense of ownership of the language and culture, allowing them to become more creative. Students gain more fluency with the tenses learned last year
and add the subjunctive (the tense of the hypothetical) to their repertoire. They are able to write long essays, to listen to a play and act it out themselves, and to understand subtleties of the language and its culture. At the end of this course, students are asked to present a project—an oral or written presentation, video, play, art, etc. The project allows students to use their own learning styles and demonstrate individual creativity as they show mastery of the language and understanding of the culture. At the end of Spanish III, students who wish to take Spanish 4 or AS Spanish will need to demonstrate a speaking proficiency level of Intermediate-Mid to Intermediate-High level.
Spanish IV
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Spanish III
This course is designed for students who have successfully completed Spanish III and who have a genuine interest in becoming more confident in both written and spoken Spanish, as well as in developing cultural competence about the Spanish speaking world. The main objectives of this course include: to engage students with a variety of sources, such as informative articles, short stories, news broadcasts, music, and video clips/films; to increase students’ writing and speaking proficiency by providing them with ample opportunities to communicate in Spanish with their teacher, their peers, and community members; to raise students’ awareness of specific economic, political, and cultural issues relevant to Spanish speaking communities, both near and far; and to encourage students to take responsibility for their own journey in becoming bilingual and biliterate.
AS Spanish Language & Culture
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: World Languages
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Spanish IV, with a final course grade of A; teacher recommendation
This course is designed for students that are able to consistently perform at an advanced level with fluency of speech, varied vocabulary and accurate grammatical structures. The course will be fully immersive and students will be asked to speak in Spanish-only at all times. Through the use of authentic materials, such as current news, podcasts, movies and literary work, students will explore many aspects of the cultures that co-exist in different Spanish-speaking communities. At the same time, they will expand their knowledge about the sociopolitical situation in those communities. Students will be asked to engage in advanced-level conversations and to write argumentative essays about the essential questions that we will be tackling throughout the semester.
The overall ethos at Sonoma Academy is oriented towards academic and personal growth and evolution. Our college counseling program reflects those same values as our college counselors guide students through self-discovery and future planning. This support includes course planning, standardized testing preparation, college research, application tools, and personal statement preparation, as well as financial aid literacy and planning. Students meet individually and in groups with their college counselor several times in increasing frequency as they approach the completion of their applications.
Our College Counselors help students build a balanced list of schools that match the student’s interests, passions, and strengths, as well as the quality of life they seek at college. By developing one-on-one relationships with all of our students and working with families, we are better able to advise them on appropriate college matches and to advocate for them to admissions offices. What’s most important is that students have a variety of options and the knowledge of self to choose the college that is right for them.
In our new 4-mod schedule, juniors and seniors will have regular group and individual touch-points with their college counselor as well as dedicated time to move their process forward. Juniors have a full semester of college counseling scheduled in the second half of the school year, during which time they will meet in small groups for class instruction in addition to having ample time for one-on-one meetings and college research. Seniors are also scheduled for a full semester of college counseling in the first part of the school year to align with college application deadlines and similarly will have a combination of in-class group instruction as well as time for one-onone meetings and to work on their applications and essays.
11th Grade College Counseling
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: College Counseling
Grade Level: 11th
Prerequisites: None
This course is required for all 11th grade students
All 11th grade students at Sonoma Academy will take a full semester of College Counseling class so all students are well-informed and prepared to tackle this journey as it unfolds into their 12th grade year. This dedicated time in students’ schedule will include a combination of in-class group instruction and dedicated time for one-on-one counseling meetings and individual college research. Class time will include a combination of informational presentations and exercises for students to learn about the ins-and-outs of the college admissions process in the United States and abroad as well as workshop-style sessions where they will begin the early process of filling out applications, brainstorming essay topics, participating in a mock admissions committee, and more. Topics covered include types of colleges and universities, standardized testing, effective college research strategies, holistic admissions, financial aid and scholarships, how to build a balanced college list, bias in the college admissions process, college visit and tour etiquette, decision plans, teacher letters of recommendation, course request for senior year, and more! Students will head into the summer before 12th grade with a partially-completed Common Application as well as brainstorming exercises and ideas to begin drafting their Common Application Personal Statement and University of California Personal Insight Questions (if relevant).
12th Grade College Counseling
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 1.0
Apply Toward: College Counseling
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisites: None
This course is required for all 12th grade students
All 12th grade students at Sonoma Academy will take a full semester of College Counseling class, a natural extension of the 11th grade College Counseling class that will see them through the bulk of their application process. This dedicated time in students’ schedule will include a combination of in-class group instruction and dedicated time for one-on-one counseling meetings and individual work time to complete college applications and essays. While College Counseling class in 12th grade continues to include informational presentations, the bulk of class time is focused on application workshops, where students will be walked through completing the Common Application, University of California application, California State University application, and more. We will dive more deeply into crafting strong and compelling supplemental essays, prepare students for admission interviews, discuss college funding and applying for financial aid, and support students in navigating the appropriate steps after they submit their applications. 12th grade College Counseling will also include norm setting around how the senior class wants to support one another and express gratitude throughout this process, which is an ongoing conversation throughout their final year of high school.
Our Wellness curriculum encompasses courses designed to support student wellbeing as well as their social-emotional development, physical fitness, and to promote civic and community engagement. This program includes our Health & Wellness courses, PE courses, and additional optional electives in Community Wellness.
9th and 10th grade students are required to take Health & Wellness I and II. All students are encouraged to explore topics in Wellness and choose courses based on their interests.
Asian Cooking (Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
This course will primarily focus on learning to cook quick, classic Asian dishes; however, we will also touch upon the reasons that specific ingredients and cooking techniques have evolved in different parts of Asia. While we will still work on the “classics” like fried rice, contrary to past editions of this course, we will also delve deeper into Southeast and
Central Asia as well as India. Even if you’ve taken this course before, there will be plenty of new dishes and techniques to learn.
Building Bikes for a Better Community
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
Bicycles have been around since the beginning of the 19th century, but do you know how a bike works? In this course, students will fully disassemble a neglected bike and learn how all of the parts work together. We will fully clean, repair, upgrade, and restore a bike and then donate it to a community organization which provides bikes at low cost. No previous experience is required. It is not necessary to even know how to ride a
bike. All students who want to learn to work with their hands and help their community are welcome.
Community Health (Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Levels: 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: Health & Wellness I and II
In this course, we explore these central questions: Who is responsible for the health of a community? How do we support the health of our own communities? Members of our immediate and extended community will visit the class to share the ways in which they work on the individual and organizational level to address community health needs. This class will help students identify the unique skills and passions they can use to have a positive impact. Through project based work, students will develop critical thinking and creative problem solving skills to address community health issues.
Culinary Chronicles: Discovering the Stories Behind Food (Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
Embark on an interactive journey that blends hands-on cooking with cultural exploration. Delve into the rich tapestry of a region’s cuisine while researching the captivating influences of climate, religion, and history. Develop your cooking skills with dishes from around the world as you uncover their cultural significance and deepen your understanding of global culinary traditions.
Global Citizenship
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
Human beings are social creatures who live and work in communities. Often as we work together, we develop the skills necessary to live harmoniously: taking each others’ perspectives, finding more than one method towards solving shared issues, acknowledging and peeling back bias, persevering through change, and challenging ourselves to rise to the occasion. Throughout this course, students will share their personal stories, interview others, stretch their comfort zones, interrogate assumptions, engage mentors, dialog with students in local and global communities, and so much more, all in service of growing as global citizens.
Health & Wellness I
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Level: 9th
Prerequisites: none
In this course, students will critically examine the messages they receive about health and explore the connection between mental and physical well-being. Through interactive discussions and activities, they will analyze external influences on health and develop practical strategies for maintaining overall wellness. Key topics include sleep, nutrition, body image, technology, time management, and coping mechanisms. Additionally, a dedicated unit on substance use will provide students with an informed understanding of associated risks and harm reduction strategies. By the end of the
course, students will gain valuable tools to make informed, healthy choices in their daily lives.
Health & Wellness II
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Level: 10th
Prerequisites: Health & Wellness I
In this course, students will explore their personal values and beliefs related to relationships and sexuality while developing the knowledge and skills to navigate these topics with confidence. In the relationships unit, students will examine the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships, recognize warning signs of abuse, and learn about resources available to support young people. The sexuality unit will provide a historical perspective on gender and sexuality, cover essential topics in sexual and reproductive health, and emphasize the importance of consent and communication in relationships. Through discussions, activities, and reflection, students will gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others in the context of relationships and sexuality.
Health & Wellness for Seniors
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisites: Health & Wellness I and II
The transition into post-high school life is huge. This optional class offers graduating seniors the opportunity to explore the topics that feel most relevant to them as they prepare for this transition. By incorporating elements of life skill and health and wellness, we will attempt to answer the big questions—both fun and scary. Purposefully open, the curriculum for this class will be
responsive to the needs and interests of the students in the course.
Introduction to Sports Medicine
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
This introductory Sports Medicine course provides students with a general overview of athletic training, sports medicine and its history. Throughout the course, students will explore the athletic trainer’s scope of practice: injury prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, emergency injury management and administrative functions.
Taught by a certified athletic trainer, this course is intended to help students gain an understanding of sports medicine, various associated disciplines and the role they play in the physically active community. This course is perfect for individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in sports medicine, physical therapy, or other health-related fields.
By the end of the course, students will have a solid foundation in sports medicine and may be inspired to continue their education or pursue a career in this field. Whether you are an athlete yourself or simply interested in the intersection of sports and health, this course is a great starting point for further study and exploration. Join us and discover the exciting world of sports medicine!
Mindfulness and Meditation
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
In this course, you’ll learn the basic principles of mindfulness. You’ll learn and practice a range of meditation techniques to calm your mind, focus on the present moment, understand your inner landscape of thoughts and emotions more intimately, increase your sense of peace and wellbeing, and have more control over your reactions to stressful situations. We’ll also practice relational mindfulness; techniques for sharing about ourselves and listening to others that build and deepen connection. Watch your relationships to friends, family, enemies, and, most importantly, yourself, change as you practice these techniques in the supportive company of others. The course will conclude with a field trip in which you’ll be immersed in daily life at a local zen monastery and organic farm.
Your Personal Technology Credo (Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
What does the fact that casinos have no windows or clocks have to do with why it is so hard to stop scrolling and go to bed? Why do tearful YouTube apologies seem to make things worse for public figures in crisis? Is the invention of the smartphone really to blame for the rise in teens reporting struggles with mental health? In this course, you will explore the relationship between technology, well-
being and society; break down the neuroscience that explains the allure of social media; and harness the power of personal values to reclaim control over your own tech use.
Urban Gardening and Horticulture
(Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: Community Wellness
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
Students will be empowered and educated in producing their own food and homemade products. This is accomplished utilizing place-based learning modules, experiential learning activities, cooking activities, and civic engagement projects through a combined study of horticulture, homesteading, and the experiential processes of creating school/community garden. Students will gain knowledge of important topics in horticulture while applying homesteading and square foot gardening techniques to maximize product yield and garden space. Urban Gardening is growing plants in a city environment, which has a positive impact on the economy, the environment, and food security. Urban Horticulture is the study of garden crops, generally fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants, which we will focus on the use of small plots with a wide variety of mixed crops with square foot gardening. Homesteading activities typically include growing and preserving food crops, cooking meals from scratch, making homemade medicines, personal care products, and cleaning products. The homesteading focus will be on growing, preserving, and creating products for use and sale via the farm stand. Students will pick a project to research and complete during the school year.
Our physical education program philosophy is centered on promoting the importance of regular physical activity and leading a healthy lifestyle. We believe that physical education is crucial for the overall wellbeing of our students. Our program also seeks to instill a lifelong appreciation for physical activity and encourages students to find activities that they enjoy. We aim to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where all students feel confident and empowered to take part in physical education activities. We value teamwork, cooperation, and leadership skills that can be developed through participation in team sports and group activities. Some courses will be offered in Coyote Block and will run for half of the semester. These courses are skills-building courses for our athletic teams.
9th and 10th grade students are required to take one mod of PE each year. You may meet your PE credit requirement in the following ways:
1. Take a PE class! Peruse the courses we are offering and choose one (or more if you like) that interests you!
2. Participate on a Sonoma Academy sports team or in our Dance Corps. Participation will earn your PE credit.
3. Off-campus PE. Participate in an off-campus program that meets the criteria. These may include (but are not limited to) club sports, equestrian, dance, swimming, and more.
NEW! Some PE courses will be offered in Coyote Block for one mod only (not the full semester), earning 0.25 credits. These courses are designed to be both for pre-season preparation and for students interested in trying out a sport for the first time.
Students who wish to incorporate physical education courses into their daily schedule are encouraged to take courses throughout their high school years.
Accelerated Sports Program
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: PE
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: High level of commitment and excellence in respective sports, permission from the Athletic Director
This program is designed for high-level, motivated student-athletes seeking individual guidance and attention to enhance their athletic performance, and overall sport-specific growth. This program combines goal setting strategies, specialized training sessions, college recruiting guidance, and skill development tailored to each athlete’s specific sport and goals. Through a supportive and focused environment, athletes will develop essential tools, strategies, and mentorship to excel in their sport and maximize their development. In order to participate student-athletes have to demonstrate a high level of commitment and excellence in their respective sports. This program isn’t for the standard student-athlete but instead for those that are competing at the highest level inside and outside the SA program.
Baseball (Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.25
Apply Toward: PE
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
The baseball PE class is great for students who play on the baseball team and want to hone their skills, or for those who are inspired by the A’s and Giants and want to enjoy America’s favorite pastime.
Basketball (Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5 or 0.25
Apply Toward: PE
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
Basketball will be offered as a general course for all students and as a specialized option for basketball players during the preseason. This course is designed to help participants improve their skills, enhance their fitness levels, and work on off-season development.
The class will focus on various aspects of the game such as shooting, passing, dribbling, defense, and overall basketball IQ. Participants will engage in drills, scrimmages, and other activities aimed at improving their game. Additionally, the class will incorporate strength and conditioning exercises to help enhance endurance, agility, and overall physical fitness. Whether you are a beginner looking to learn the basics or an experienced player wanting to take your game to the next level, this class will provide valuable training and opportunities for improvement.
Lacrosse (Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.25
Apply Toward: PE
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
This course is designed to help players improve their skills, stay in shape, and stay connected to the sport during the offseason. These classes are open to both new and experienced players. Skills that may be covered in off-season lacrosse classes include:
Stick skills : Players will work on improving their passing, catching, cradling, and shooting skills.
Footwork: Players will work on their agility, speed, and overall footwork to improve their on-field performance.
Conditioning: Players will participate in drills and exercises to improve their overall fitness and endurance.
Game strategy: Players will learn and practice different offensive and defensive strategies to improve their game IQ.
New players will receive instruction on the basics of the game, such as rules, positions, and skills. Experienced players will have the opportunity to fine-tune their skills and learn more advanced techniques. Both new and experienced players will have the opportunity to practice and apply their skills in game-like situations.
Mindful Movement
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: PE
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
This class combines yoga, Pilates and hiking to improve strength, flexibility, and endurance. It focuses on building core stability, enhancing mobility, and improving overall fitness while incorporating the benefits of outdoor hiking. It is a practical, well-rounded workout that helps reduce stress and boost energy levels. Suitable for all fitness levels, this class offers a challenging yet accessible way to move your body and stay active in a natural setting.
Physical Education
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: PE
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
This course is designed to introduce students (both athletes and non-athletes) to a variety of physical activities and exercises that promote physical fitness, health, and overall well-being. Students will learn fundamental movement skills, develop strength and endurance, and explore the benefits of incorporating regular physical activity into their daily routine.
Through a combination of classroom instruction and practical application, students will gain a basic understanding of exercise principles, proper form and technique, and the importance of maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Students will have the knowledge and skills necessary to continue on their fitness journey and pursue more advanced physical activities.
Students will engage in a variety of physical activities including team sports, individual sports, and fitness exercises to improve their physical fitness and overall wellness. Additionally, students will learn about the benefits of physical activity on mental health, stress management, and overall well-being.
This course will focus on developing and maintaining a lifelong commitment to physical fitness and well-being.
Soccer (Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.25
Apply Toward: PE
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
In this class, students will focus on improving their soccer skills through a variety of drills, exercises, and games. The class will also incorporate aspects of futsal, an indoor version of soccer played on a smaller court with a smaller, heavier ball. This will help students develop their ball control, passing, and decision-making abilities in a more confined space. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to play both indoor and outdoor soccer games, allowing them to practice their skills in different environments and conditions. Coaches will emphasize the importance of teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship throughout the class, helping students to develop both their physical abilities and their character.
Strength and Conditioning
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.5
Apply Toward: PE
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
In this course, you will learn how to effectively use weight room equipment and develop a personalized plan to improve your overall strength and conditioning. Whether you are new to fitness or looking to take your training to the next level, this course will provide you with the knowledge and skills to safely and effectively navigate the weight room and achieve your fitness goals. Throughout the course, you will learn proper techniques for strength training exercises, how to create a
balanced workout program, and strategies for maximizing your physical performance.
Volleyball (Coyote block only)
Length of Course: 1 Mod
Credits: 0.25
Apply Toward: PE
Grade Levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Prerequisites: None
In this class, you will learn the fundamentals of volleyball, including proper serving, passing, setting, hitting, and blocking techniques. You will also work on your footwork, agility, and positioning to maximize your performance on the court. Through drills, scrimmages, and game simulations, you will have the opportunity to put your skills to the test in a controlled and supportive environment.
For new players, our volleyball class is a great introduction to the sport, teaching you the basics and helping you build a strong foundation of skills. We will work on developing your hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and communication skills to help you become a confident and competent volleyball player. For experienced players, our volleyball class offers a chance to refine and advance your skills. We will focus on more advanced techniques, strategies, and game situations to help you elevate your game to the next level. You will have the opportunity to work on specific areas of your game that you want to improve, whether it’s your serving, blocking, or defensive skills.
Open Gym & Weight Room
Opportunities for students to workout during the week will be announced at the beginning of the school year.
To discover your true self, to develop a passion for learning that extends beyond grades, to connect with peers across interests, grade-levels, and different backgrounds and experiences, to express gratitude and appreciation to and for one another, to honor different perspectives, and to respect the world around you.
These are the values of an SA education, values that prepare you to lead a purposeful life.
