Wilmington Friends Upper School Program of Studies 10-11

UPPER SCHOOL :: PROGRAM OF STUDIES 2010 • 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Distribution Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 English. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Foreign Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 History/Social Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Mathematics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Performing Arts and Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 5 Human Dynamics and Development. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 6 Religion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 6

Theory of Knowledge (TOK). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 Athletics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 Non-Departmental Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8

Front cover: Blaine Kebede ’11 (right) spent her junior year in China through the School Year Abroad (SYA) program. Friends was the first Delaware school to join the SYA consortium. In 2010-11, two Friends juniors are participating in SYA’s program in Zaragoza, Spain.

INTRODUCTION

With guidance from their advisors, students are encouraged to take a comprehensive program of courses. In most cases, students are required to be enrolled in at least four major courses at all times; most students enroll in five. Any student who wants to take six major courses in one or more of the semesters must petition and receive approval from the upper school faculty before the beginning of the year or semester. Advanced work is available either through specifically designed courses or through individually prescribed work in a regular class. Independent study is available for those students who have exhausted the limits of course work in a particular discipline or when special need or interest dictates. Arrangements for independent study are made on an individual basis, require a faculty sponsor, and must be approved by the independent study committee and the upper school faculty. Within the limits of the Friends program, which seeks to challenge all students to their full potential, modified or less accelerated course work is also available on an individual basis.

General Planning Advice Since a good education provides a broad foundation and opportunities for exploration, we require students to include in their four-year plan courses from all departments as well as participation in sports. We advise students to join committees, activities, and clubs and to take advantage of volunteer and other school and community opportunities. For most students, a balanced program will leave some school time for work in study halls.

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DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS

Area

Credit

Required

English

4

Foreign Language

3

History/Social Science

3

Including one credit in United States History and one credit in Peace, Justice, and Social Change

Mathematics

3

Science

3

Including two laboratory science courses

Including 1/2 credit in performing arts; 1 /2 credit in visual arts; 1 credit to be distributed as the student desires (from performing arts, visual arts)

Performing Arts Visual Arts

] ] ]

2

Computer

1

/2

Religion

1

/2

Through level 3 of one language, and at least two years of one language

One course must be Quakerism in grades 10, 11 or 12

Service

Each student is required to complete fifty hours of service in an approved program

Sports

One sport each year (minimum)

Human Dynamics & Development

Ninth and tenth graders are required to take one semester of Human Dynamics and Development each year

Individual requests to modify or waive requirements will be considered by the department and the upper school faculty. Recommendations will be given to the Head of Upper School.

Regarding online course work, please note that credit will be given only for school-approved online course programs. At this time, there is only one such course, the 2010-11 pilot program in Mandarin.

FOR INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) DIPLOMA CANDIDATES: Beyond the Wilmington Friends School diploma, students interested in obtaining an IB diploma have additional requirements. One additional course that all IB Diploma candidates must take is Theory of Knowledge, which also counts towards the religion credit. They also complete a Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) requirement that equals a minimum of 150 hours of creative, athletic, and service activities, and which are all but covered by the WFS sports and community service requirements. IB diploma candidates must complete an extended essay that contains about 4,000 words, and sit for their final IB exams. Students decide in their sophomore year if they wish to pursue an IB diploma and work closely with their families and advisors as well as the IB Coordinator to determine whether or not the program is a good match.

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ENGLISH We recognize that the development of skills in language, composition, and literature is a spiraling process in which certain core skills are introduced and then continually strengthened and refined through the use of progressively more rigorous texts and assignments. We also recognize that the life-long love of literature and writing we seek to encourage can take root most effectively when students are encouraged to feel confident in their mastery of skills through appropriately challenging work and appropriately rigorous expectations. Finally, we know that this process is a developmental one; that is, students will make progress at a rate commensurate with their own aptitudes and experiences, rather than at a particular chronological age or grade level. Our aim is to help each student set challenging yet attainable personal goals for the study and analysis of literature and to achieve these goals within an atmosphere of shared excitement and intellectual curiosity.

409 English 9 1 credit, full year The major emphasis of this course is on basic language skills, including critical reading and literary analysis as well as experiential and imaginative writing. Grammar and usage review will be incorporated into the writing component of the course, with a focus on issues arising in student compositions. At the conclusion of the course, a student should be able to write a clearly-organized, multi-paragraph essay developing and supporting a thesis. Literature study explores the general themes of initiation and coming-of-age, and will also reflect the topics and themes studied in the ninth grade U.S. History course. Students will study such works as To Kill A Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, Romeo and Juliet, other novels and plays, selected poetry, and shorter pieces of fiction and non-fiction. A film study, graphic novel and memoir units, and public speaking components are also special features of this course.

410 English 10 1 credit, full year In this course students build on literary understandings and writing skills developed in the ninth grade program.

They explore the unifying theme of “The Power of Stories,” encountering various genres: the novel, poetry, drama, short story, memoir, and the expository essay.

Readings span different eras and continents, and include such works as The Great Gatsby, The Color Purple, Othello, The Things They Carried, A Doll’s House, and From Sleep Unbound. Students will develop an appreciation of the distinguishing features of these forms and acquire a vocabulary of literary terms. Particular attention is paid to the formal aspects of literature and the ways literary pieces are constructed. Primary sources, not secondary critical sources, are emphasized through3

out the course. A public speaking unit requires students to develop oral communication skills, and additional oral presentations throughout the course will help refine these techniques. Students develop and refine their critical and imaginative writing skills by writing and revising papers on a regular basis. They concentrate on developing critical abilities; consequently, a premium is placed on developing a thesis and an argument with complete paragraphs, solid support, and clear transitions.

English 11 and 12 1 credit, full year English 11 and 12 are year-long courses that require students to strengthen the reading, critical thinking, discussion, presentation, and analytical writing skills they developed in English 9 and 10. The two-year program is based on the International Baccalaureate Language A1 requirements, a challenging but accessible curriculum that prepares students for further literary study in college. Students are encouraged to enroll in the IB program, which includes several additional assessments and an exam at the end of the senior year in addition to the course requirements.

411 English 11/Journeys and Family Literature (no IB credit) 411HL IB English Higher Level, Year 1 1 credit, full year First semester texts are united by a journey motif, including Cold Mountain, Song of Solomon, and poetry

by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Students build on their speaking skills with formal oral presentations and also write several essays to develop their ability to dissect and analyze literature. Second semester includes a variety of world literature in translation, including Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons, Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, and the South African novel Fiela’s Child. The culminating assessment for second semester is an essay comparing two of these texts. Throughout both semesters, daily preparation for class, reading quizzes, and discussion will give students the opportunity to practice their critical thinking skills in a variety of ways.

412 English 12/Genre Study and Short Stories (no IB credit) 412HL IB English Higher Level, Year 2 1 credit, full year English 12 will begin with a close examination of four prominent literary genres: the novel, essay, poetry, and drama, including works by Salman Rushdie, Mary Oliver, Martin Luther King Jr., and William Shakespeare. Students focus on key aspects of each genre, examining how writers employ specific techniques and devices to create desired effects. The class will also take an active

FOREIGN LANGUAGE role in learning about the historical, political, social, and personal motivations that have inspired the work we read. The first semester places significant emphasis on oral communication skills, requiring students to participate in student-led Socratic discussions, short and longterm group projects and presentations, along with oral commentaries on key passages. Students will continue working to refine their writing skills as well, through both creative and analytical assignments.

The spring semester will be dedicated to the study of short fiction. Students will study the history of the genre, while closely examining key contributors to the form. In particular, students will extensively study the works of Anton Chekhov, Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, and Eudora Welty. Students address thematic links between works, a variety of story structures, and the effects created by each writer’s use of literary techniques. This second semester places significant emphasis on the refinement of critical reading and writing skills, while offering students opportunities to create their own imaginative works of fiction.

815 Whittier Miscellany (9,10,11,12) ½ credit, full year; does not fulfill English requirement The goal of this course is the production of the school’s student newspaper. While any student in the upper school may become a member of the Whittier staff, enrollment is limited so that each student has the opportunity to contribute to the issues that are published seven or eight times per academic year. In addition to the regularly scheduled meeting times, Whittier staff members are also required to participate at least once per semester in layout sessions that take place during the evenings in the weeks leading up to publication.

Students may participate in various ways—as writers, photographers, columnists, webmasters, or editors. All students who wish to take on the role of editor, including editor-in-chief, must submit an application to the faculty advisor. The application process and the selection of editors are in the spring for the following academic year. Credit from this course cannot be applied towards the English credit requirements for graduation. The Whittier class is graded on a pass/fail basis.

Please note: In 2010-2011, Friends is offering a pilot program in Mandarin through Stanford University’s Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) Online High School. Enrollment in that program was determined in the spring of 2010. Please contact the school in the spring of 2011 to determine enrollment options for 2011-12. The descriptions below apply to the school’s French and Spanish programs.

The ultimate goal of the foreign language department, driving the design of pedagogical activities, is a high degree of communicative competence. We teach the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. All upper school classes are taught in the total immersion method. Using only the target language, we reinforce the study of grammar and vocabulary through open-ended scenarios, skits, and dialogues. We discuss and debate contemporary issues, read foreign language newspapers and magazines, view films, and study the literature and culture of many countries in which French and Spanish are spoken. We enrich the experience with field trips, slides, recordings, video clips, documentaries, and video filming.

The study of foreign languages is an increasingly important way to nurture the globally conscious student.

Friends is a member of the School Year Abroad (SYA) program, a consortium of schools committed to international education, and encourages students to participate in SYA and other international study and service-learning programs, including our annual, school-sponsored trips.

In addition, the school hosts American Field Service (AFS) students every year—and is the only school in Delaware to have done so every year since the program’s founding in 1947—which encourages an awareness of other cultures through peer relationships.

For a Wilmington Friends diploma, upper school students must complete foreign language study through level 3 of one language, which must include at least two years of foreign language study in the same language. Upper school students may take more than one foreign language. Because foreign language study is cumulative, students must achieve a grade of C- (70%) to be promoted to the next course level. (For students who do not achieve the minimum grade, the department offers a summer exam for those who wish to try to advance to the next level. Students who choose not to take the test must repeat the previous course.) New students entering the upper school with prior foreign language experience must take the department’s placement examination to determine the appropriate course assignment.

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511 French 2 (9,10,11,12) 1 credit, full year

517 Spanish 1 (9,10,11,12) 1 credit, full year

In this course the main focus is on strengthening communicative skills by expanding the repertoire of verbs, tenses, and vocabulary. There is special emphasis on improving extemporaneous communication. Students are introduced to the geography of the French-speaking world and also study Paris in depth.

This is a course in which particular attention is paid to developing basic, everyday skills in listening, reading, writing, and speaking Spanish by using grammar and vocabulary in context. Students are introduced to the cultures and traditions of Spain and to the geography of the Spanish-speaking world.

512 French 3 (10,11,12) 1 credit, full year

518 Spanish 2 (9,10,11,12) 1 credit, full year

In this course students continue to strengthen oral skills and to increase their working vocabulary with an emphasis on idioms and extemporaneous speech.

We continue the study of grammar and focus on writing skills through various readings, songs, movies, and poems. We place special emphasis on French regions and culinary specialties.

This is a course that continues to develop the communication skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) begun in Spanish I or in Spanish 7 and 8. We expand the study of basic vocabulary and grammar. We study the culture of Hispanic countries through short readings, songs, and films.

513 French 4 (11,12, no IB credit) 513SL IB French Standard Level (11,12) 513HL IB French Higher Level, Year 1 (11) 1 credit, full year In this course we strengthen and develop communication skills. Emphasis is placed on spontaneous and studied oral expression (such as role-playing and debate), excellence in writing, and refinement of grammar. We study the Francophone world through various topics, including diversity, colonialism and post-colonialism, the European Union, the work force in France, immigration in France, and sustainable development. Many different sources (newspaper articles, magazines, short stories, bande-déssinées, films, songs, and web sites) are used to reflect the diversity of the French language spoken and written in the Francophone world.

514 French 5 (12, no IB credit) 514HL IB French Higher Level, Year 2 (12) 1 credit, full year The aim of this course is to continue working toward the goal of true fluency in all four skill areas in French.

We continue to examine French literature, culture, and contemporary language and society through the study of authentic materials, which include poetry, plays, films, and Francophone news media sources. The study of grammar is pursued at the advanced level.

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519 Spanish 3 (10,11,12) 1 credit, full year In this course particular emphasis is placed upon the development of conversational skills, the acquisition of a variety of verb tenses and moods, and the expansion of vocabulary. Students also begin to develop composition skills. Through readings, films, and special presentations, students begin to address directly cross-cultural issues as they relate to Latin American and Spanish cultural traditions and values, and students’ own experiences.

520 Spanish 4 (11,12, no IB credit) 520SL IB Spanish Standard Level (11,12) 520HL IB Spanish Higher Level, Year 1 (11) 1 credit, full year The highest-order grammatical skills are employed as students explore topics such as, but not limited to, Hispanic immigration in the U.S., environmental problems, and young people and their concerns through works of contemporary Hispanic writers, movies, and newspaper articles. Students will make comparisons to and connections between their own culture and the different cultures related to Spanish language, and will examine the relationships among Spanish and Latin-American short stories, legends, poetry, art, and film making. For example, we might study the Spanish Civil War through the works of Federico Garcia Lorca, “Guernica” by Picasso, and the movie Butterfly.

HISTORY / SOCIAL SCIENCE 521 Spanish 5 (12, no IB credit) 521HL IB Spanish Higher Level, Year 2 (12) 1 credit, full year The aim of this course is to provide a continuing opportunity towards the goal of true fluency through extensive conversation practice. Readings focus on the conversation process and help the students to understand their role in it. A study of Latin-American and Spanish culture is continued through original readings, lectures, and audio-visuals. In addition, the students are expected to read four major works by Casona, Carlos Fuentes, Garcia Lorca, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, as well as selected short stories written by Spanish and LatinAmerican writers. The study of grammar is pursued at the advanced level.

551 United States History (9) 1 credit, full year United States History emphasizes research and critical thinking skills that will prepare ninth grade students for the history and social science curriculum. The course is structured in separate units on immigration, race, law, economics, politics, gender, and foreign affairs. The focus deliberately changes month by month to increase understanding of this nation’s history from the end of its civil war to today though the chronology often repeats itself. Students maintain continuity by applying their individual yearlong research themes to each unit with extensive library support. Writing these multiple research essays helps students to improve their ability to interpret and analyze. Oral history begins the year with an immigration story and ends the year when students interview an elder who shares a 20th century life story. Learning geography is a foundation. Distinguishing between myth and reality, cause and effect, fact and opinion are important goals. Habits of the mind include active listening and thoughtful speaking; careful reading and incisive writing; empathy and cooperative group skills; intellectual curiosity and creative thinking; integrity and honesty. This course satisfies the United States History graduation requirement.

553 Peace, Justice, and Social Change (10) 1 credit, full year (designated Social Science course) Required for graduation. The purpose of this course is to expose students to some of the Quaker testimonies in the pursuit of Peace, Justice, and Social Change.

In this student-centered seminar each participant will be assigned to a developing country and will create a portfolio of research specific to that country. The focus of this research will be to use the analytical tools of the social sciences to diagnose the sustainable status of their developing country and to create prescriptive remedies for the challenges facing it using various international institutions and best practices. Through a variety of learning techniques, students will be introduced to the use of non-violence as a vehicle for social change.

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Mathematics IB History Studies: Students wishing to take IB History at the Higher Level must take IB History of the Americas Higher Level during their junior year and IB 20th C. World History Higher Level during their senior year. Students not doing IB Higher Level History need not follow this sequence.

555 History of the Americas (11,12, no IB credit) 555HL IB History of the Americas Higher Level (11) 1 credit, full year This one-year, one-credit course, highlights five major themes in the history of the Americas, stressing the need to view United States history within an international, comparative context. The US experience is continually compared to that of other countries facing similar challenges. The course focuses on social and political history and is designed to lead students to assess issues that remain central to moral and political debates going on today. Every unit is constructed around a major historical controversy with important modern-day reverberations; students are introduced to clashing theoretical and interpretive approaches; and numerous debates are held. In each unit, the moral example of a pivotal leader is subjected to critical questioning and analysis.

This course satisfies the United States history graduation requirement and may be taken as part of the International Baccalaureate program at the discretion of the student and the department.

556 20th Century World History (11,12, no IB credit) 556SL IB 20th Century World History Standard Level (11,12) 556HL IB 20th Century World History Higher Level (12) 1 credit, full year This course engages students in the study of the major events that have shaped the modern world. The primary focus of this course is political and social history, with special emphasis on the causes and effects of war, authoritarian regimes, and the Cold War. Students are encouraged to analyze the historical roots of current issues and to compare the common experiences of people across the globe. Students read primary and secondary historical works to prepare them to participate in seminar discussions, debates, and role-playing simulations. Students also complete analytical research assignments and concept-based tests and quizzes to assess their understanding of major ideas. At the discretion of student and teacher, this course may be taken as part of the International Baccalaureate history program.

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The mathematics program in upper school continues the integrated approach begun in lower school and expanded in middle school. Algebra, geometry, trigonometry, probability, statistics, graph theory, and logic are all studied but not in isolation. All students continue to learn to read and write mathematics and, in addition, to edit their own work. Mathematics is intended to be a dialogue, and as such students are required to explain their ideas to others, to interpret their results, and to document their thinking. Pictorial representations are as important as their written counterparts. Students are responsible for the learning of their classmates as well as their own. Collaboration and individual accomplishment are both valued. There is a balance between theory and application. In some instances, it is theory that precedes the applications while in other cases it is an examination of data that precedes a statement of a theorem. Project-based instruction is incorporated in most courses.

Students are required to take three full years of mathematics in upper school. Based on performance in eighth grade math and the middle school teachers’ assessment of demonstrated ability, the most common entry point is Integrated Math 2 followed by Integrated Math 3.

Advanced sections exist for both IM 2 and IM 3. Students are recommended by their teacher or by the math department chair. The pace is more demanding; additional topics are covered; and the work requires greater abstract reasoning ability. Students must earn a grade of C or better to remain in an advanced section.

Upon completing Integrated Math 3, students may choose to enter the International Baccalaureate program by selecting either Math Standard Level, a one-year course, or Math Higher Level, a two-year sequence.

Those students not opting for an IB experience may pursue advanced mathematics by selecting Precalculus, Statistics, or Calculus. The latter two may be taken for Advanced Placement credit.

The graphing calculator is an essential tool in all upper school mathematics courses. The TI-83+ or TI-84 is used in all classes.

532 Integrated Math 2 (9,10) 1 credit, full year Students investigate matrix models, patterns of association between two variables, the properties of plane figures, coordinate geometry, and transformational geometry. This course integrates algebra with the geometry and emphasizes applications and problem solving.

Experience with both informal and formal proof is built into the course. Lab activities using manipulatives and graphing calculators reinforce and clarify concepts.

soning, standard deviation and families of functions, as well as furthering the understanding of matrices, solutions of quadratic equations over the complex numbers, sequences and series, and trigonometry. The graphing calculator is used daily to model the mathematics and to encourage graphical analysis.

534 Precalculus (11,12, no IB credit) 534SL IB Mathematics Studies SL (11,12) 1 credit, full year

This course continues our integrated curriculum with topics from algebra, geometry, and statistics. The curriculum builds upon the theme of mathematics sense making. Investigations of real-life contexts lead to discovery of important mathematics that make sense to students and, in turn, enable them to make sense out of new situations and problems. Communication, reasoning, and making connections are integral parts of each lesson of every unit. Students investigate bivariate statistics, matrices, transformations, trigonometry, and quadratic relations to bring theory into concrete terms.

Students review basic properties of plane figures and use both inductive and deductive reasoning and direct and indirect methods of proof.

This precalculus course is an introductory course in advanced mathematics for students who intend to take college mathematics. This course will prepare a student to sit for the IB Standard Level Mathematics Paper, as well as prepare students to take AP Calculus AB in their senior year. The emphasis is on the decision-making aspect of mathematics, and students are expected to explain the concepts behind the algorithms that they use. This is a fast-paced course with major emphasis on the study of functions (trigonometric, polynomial, rational, logarithmic, and exponential). The course also includes units on logic, complex numbers, sequences and series, statistical analysis, and an introduction to limits and the derivative. There is a three-pronged emphasis throughout the course on graphic, numeric, and algebraic solutions. An extensive research project is an important feature of this course.

533 Integrated Math 3 (10,11) 1 credit, full year

535HL IB Mathematics Higher Level, Year 1 (11) 1 credit, full year

532A Advanced Integrated Math 2 (9,10) 1 credit, full year

As the culmination of the integrated math sequence, this course builds on the algebraic skills needed for advanced study and provides a solid foundation in both Euclidean and analytical geometry. There is a strong emphasis on the concept of function, data/graph interpretation, and modeling data in lab settings. Linear, rational, quadratic, absolute value, inverse, exponential, and logarithmic relations are explored. Sampling techniques, confidence intervals, and the Normal distribution are used to analyze univariate data. Students gain experience reading mathematics and acquire additional problem-solving skills.

533A Advanced Integrated Math 3 (10,11) 1 credit, full year Students in this course are challenged to focus on the underlying concepts of each unit, to hypothesize, and to draw conclusions based on their findings. Students investigate linear, rational, quadratic, absolute value, inverse, and logarithmic and exponential functions with a strong emphasis on problem solving, communication of mathematical reasoning, and data/graph interpretation. The course includes units on multiple-variable models, statistics, symbolic reasoning, geometric rea-

The first year of the two-year IB Higher Level Mathematics sequence, this course is designed for the most successful mathematics students who either have a genuine interest in mathematics and enjoy meeting its challenges and problems, or need such mathematics for related subjects such as physics, engineering, and technology at the university level. Students study in depth a wide range of complex topics including vectors, matrices, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, probability, statistics, differential and integral calculus, and abstract algebra. Prerequisite: ADV Integrated Math 3 536AP Advanced Placement Calculus AB (12) 1 credit, full year This is a one-year course in calculus that includes a review of elementary functions and covers the topics normally found in one semester of college-level calculus.

The primary emphasis is on an intuitive understanding of limits, continuity, and the concepts of differential and integral calculus with exploration of basic techniques and applications. Successful completion of the course will prepare students to take the Advanced Placement Exam in May. Prerequisite: Precalculus

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SCIENCE 537HL IB Mathematics Higher Level, Year 2 (12) 1 credit, full year This course is intended as a final preparation for the Higher Level IB Examination in mathematics. It is an intensive, higher-level calculus course that also includes linear algebra, vector geometry, and higher trigonometry. The course is designed for students whose level of mathematical sophistication is high, since it covers a variety of college-level mathematics topics with independent work required outside of class. Because it is an IB course, students taking this class will be expected to take the IB Higher Level Examination as their final examination. Students may obtain credit toward an International Baccalaureate diploma or certificate if they desire.

538 Statistics (11,12) 1 credit, full year In today’s ever changing world, there is a need for relevance and an understanding of how math is applied in real world situations. This course includes topics on financial math, statistics, probability, problem solving strategies, sets, and logic, as well as an extension of material included in other math courses such as functions and geometry. The focus and emphasis will be on problem solving and real life applications. Note: This course will be re-named “Contemporary Mathematics” for the 2011-2012 school year and will be offered to 11th & 12th grade students.

538AP Advanced Placement Statistics (11,12) 1 credit, full year Statistics acquaints students with the major concepts and tools for collecting, organizing, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students will work on projects involving hands-on gathering and analysis of real world data. Ideas and computations presented in this course will have immediate connections with actual events. Computers and calculators will allow students to focus deeply on the concepts involved. Students choose either the regular or AP option at the time of registration. For those students choosing the AP course, additional work will be required to prepare for the Advanced Placement Exam in May. Prerequisite: Integrated Math 3

In addition to the courses listed below, the department is interested in helping students to arrange independent study courses when appropriate. Proposals for independent study must be arranged in advance of the year (for full-year studies) or semester (for one- or two-semester studies) during which the work is to take place. An independent study could involve continuation of a course listed below, or study of a science topic or area not investigated by these courses. See the teacher or department head if interested.

Students discuss course choices with advisors, teachers, and the department head. Final placement decisions, however, are made by the department. (* Upon recommendation of the Science Department faculty, some rising 9th grade students may progress directly on to Chemistry 2, allowing them to take a second core science course at an advanced level such as Chemistry 3 or Physics 2+ before their 11th and 12th grade years.)

540 Physics (9) 1 credit, full year This ninth grade science course is designed to provide a solid foundation for subsequent department offerings, including International Baccalaureate science courses.

The course emphasizes Physics, and includes related and foundational concepts in chemistry, as well. The physics content includes electricity, waves and sound, and force and motion. The course will offer an extensive lab-based inquiry approach while building a basic knowledge of concepts.

541 Chemistry 2 (9*,10) 1 credit, full year This course, taken primarily by sophomores, further develops the atomic model introduced in the 9th grade course, extending the model to both macroscopic and submicroscopic views, and connecting it to large scale, “real world” applications and phenomena. Key concepts include Chemical Reactions, Stoichiometry, Atomic Theory, Gases, Acids and Bases, Equilibrium, and Oxidation and Reduction chemistry. Through laboratory and classroom exercises, the course introduces problem solving of a highly quantitative nature, emphasizes analytical precision in measurement and the analysis of experimental error, develops concepts to help students progress from concrete to abstract thinking, and develops an appreciation for the pervasiveness of chemicals in life.

This course is a prerequisite for the International Baccalaureate Standard Level chemistry course taken during the junior year, as well as a prerequisite for Biology 2.

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542 Biology 2 (10*,11,12, no IB credit) 542SL IB Biology Standard Level (11,12) 543HL IB Biology Higher Level (Advanced), Year 1 (11,12) 543 Advanced Biology 2 (10*,11,12) 1 credit, full year All of these sections of first year Biology utilize a molecular approach to the study of life. The core concepts covered in these courses include cell structure and energetics, classical and molecular genetics, microevolution, basic ecology, organismal structure and physiology. The courses are investigation-oriented in keeping with the science department’s goal to engage students in the process of science, including an emphasis on the inquiry process, where students learn to design, implement, and analyze their own experimental investigations. As scientific knowledge and technology grow more diverse, it becomes increasingly important for students to have a clear understanding of these advances in order to become effective decision-makers. Students learn to access scientific information through textbooks, scientific journals, and computer resources. Using this information, they develop the skills to critically analyze current issues relating to science and technology. Students participating in the Higher Level International Baccalaureate program, either as diploma candidates or as certificate candidates in biology, must complete both years of the two-year program in biology. (See the description of “Advanced Biology 3/IB-HL -Year 2� below.) Standard Level students, both diploma or certificate candidates, can complete the SL curriculum in one year.

544A Advanced Biology 3 (12, no IB credit) 544HL IB Biology Higher Level, Year 2 (Advanced) (12) 1 credit, full year Although comprehensive in nature of the topics involved in the course curriculum (Principles of Evolution, Cellular Basis of Life, Structure and Function, Principles of Genetics, and Ecology) the focus of the course is on an integrated approach to understanding and application of these content areas, emphasizing connections and extensions that help explain the mechanisms, significance, and consequences of fundamental observations in the biological world. The topics and activities are those that are included in the second year of the Higher Level (HL) International Baccalaureate (IB) Biology course. The laboratory and classroom activities are varied in nature and in content but generally are designed in order to maximize the student involvement in planning, implementation, and interpretation of their own experiments. In parallel to consideration of advanced topics in the areas of ecology and environmental science, macroevolution and human anatomy and physiology, students will participate in collaborative student-designed research projects as well as independent lab investigations that familiarize students with

current methodology in laboratory and field biology.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Biology 2. Permission of the science department and signature of the Department Head.

545A Advanced Chemistry 3 (10*,11,12, no IB credit) 545SL IB Chemistry Standard Level (Advanced) (11,12) 1 credit, full year Topic areas for this course (fulfilling the IB SL Chemistry curriculum) include Atomic Theory, Periodicity, Bonding, States of Matter, Energetics, Kinetics, Equilbrium, Acids and Bases, Oxidation and Reduction, and Organic Chemistry, plus an alternate options topic. This course is designed to develop scientific reasoning skills and to provide practice in designing experiments in order to gain direct experience with the process and inquiry of science. Students interested in the International Baccalaureate program, either as diploma candidates or as certificate candidates must complete both Chemistry 2 and Chemistry 3. A consecutive two-year program is recommended.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Chemistry 2.

Permission of the science department and signature of the Department Head. Concurrent enrollment in either Calculus or Precalculus (or their equivalent) is strongly recommended.

546 Physics 2 (11,12, no IB credit) 547A Advanced Physics (10*,11,12, no IB credit) 547SL IB Physics Standard Level (11,12) 1 credit, full year Physics 2 and the related courses continue the search for order and patterns in the physical universe. Students are introduced to such topics as Newtonian mechanics; conservation of mass, energy, and momentum; rotational motion, electricity, and magnetism; sound and light wave theory; and relativity. More fundamentally, the course illustrates the process by which physics is developed and applied; the observation of physical phenomena and the generalization of those observations into basic principles; the expression of those principles in abstract terms and the use of those abstractions to analyze new situations and to suggest further experiment. International Baccalaureate students, both diploma and certificate candidates, can complete the SL curriculum in one year.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Chemistry 2.

Permission of the science department and signature of the Department Head. Concurrent enrollment in either Calculus or Precalculus (or their equivalent) is strongly recommended.

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PERFORMING ARTS AND VISUAL ARTS 548 Environmental Systems & Society (11,12) 548SL Environmental Systems & Society, Standard Level (11,12) 1 credit, full year In this course students are introduced to the idea of planet Earth as an interrelated system, and how different parts influence each other and the system as a whole. Environmental issues are studied as parts of the system, highlighting the diverse options and complexity of solving our current environmental problems. In addition, each issue studied is examined from an historical perspective, to note changes in scientific understanding, attitudes, and the impact of human activity. A significant portion of the material covered will be researched by the students themselves, either through scientific inquiry, literature searches, reading about current events, or through other interactive, web-based activities. Critically analyzing, critiquing, and discussing the information obtained through these various sources help students to learn to address complicated and controversial issues by examining all sides objectively before forming opinions and taking action. Topics to be covered include population growth, energy use, global warming, biodiversity, and environmental toxins.

Each student in the upper school must accumulate a total of two credits in the disciplines of music, theatre arts, and visual arts combined. (Students who enter after the ninth grade will be required to accumulate credits on a prorated basis, depending on the number of years they attend.)

Within the two-credit requirement, a student will accumulate a minimum of ½ credit in the performing arts and ½ credit in visual arts. The remaining 1 credit (to complete a total of 2 credits in the combined disciplines) may be distributed between music, theatre arts, and visual arts in any way the student chooses. Students may fulfill the requirements in a variety of ways.

PERFORMING ARTS: MUSIC ELECTIVES 613 Musical Encounters (9,10,11,12) ½ credit, full year 3x per 7 days Why do we enjoy music so much? Why is it found in every culture and time period? Why is it a part of everything we do? This course is an exploration of how we encounter music in our day-to-day lives. Units in music history, world music, popular music, theater and media will focus on the function of music in the human experience. A review of basic music theory and the elements of music will provide students with a working vocabulary as they learn to recognize, appreciate, and analyze a variety of genres and musical styles. The role of technology in the world of music today will be addressed as a means of both consumption and creation.

611 Music Major (11,12, no IB credit) 611SL IB Music Standard Level (11,12) 611HL IB Music Higher Level, Year 1 (11) 612HL IB Music Higher Level, Year 2 (12) 1 credit, full year This course/course series affords an opportunity to study music in a thorough and comprehensive approach.

It is intended for students who may be interested in pursuing music as a major field of study in college, as well as for those students who demonstrate a strong aptitude along with a keen interest in music as a serious avocation. It combines an intensive study of music theory with music history and literature, and enhances the literacy and musicianship skills of any performer or student of music theory and/or composition. All students are expected to be musically literate before undertaking this course of study. This course is a central component of the Music IB program. Students pursuing music within the IB curriculum must be actively involved in some performance discipline, and it is strongly recom-

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mended that they participate in a performing ensemble at WFS. It is highly recommended that students planning to enroll in Music Major take World Music in either their 9th or 10th grade year.

ENSEMBLES Placement in Concert Choir, Chorale, Chamber Singers, and Jazz Band is based on auditions held mid-May through June, as determined by the director of the ensemble. Enrollment in any performing ensemble is a year-long commitment since the ensemble’s success as well as the student’s progress depend on consistent involvement.

600 Concert Choir (9,10,11,12) ½ credit, full year, 3x per 7 days The Concert Choir is open to all students in grades 9-12 who demonstrate an interest in choral singing. An audition and interview are required for admittance and proper placement within this mixed voice ensemble. The coursework includes sight singing and basic musicianship skills taught through the study of traditional choral literature of varying periods and styles. Participation in performances at WFS and in the community is required.

601 Chorale (9,10,11,12) (Intermediate) ½ credit, full year, 3x per 7 days Membership in Chorale is open by audition to students in grades 9-12. Students in this choir will perform both accompanied and a cappella settings while honing musicianship skills and sight-reading. This choir is an ideal choice for the motivated singer with prior musical experience who plans to continue singing throughout his/her WFS upper school career. Participation in performances at WFS and in the community is required.

602 Chamber Singers (10,11,12) (Advanced) ½ credit, full year, 3x per 7 days Membership in Chamber Singers is open by audition to students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. This choir concentrates on challenging, unaccompanied works from all eras of choral literature. Students in this small group (approximately 20) must demonstrate a serious interest in choral singing as well as a strong commitment to building a top-level performing ensemble. The choir serves as an ambassador for the school and frequently sings off campus, both locally and on a weekend tour in the second semester. Participation in performances at WFS and the community is required.

Students in 10th grade who are admitted by audition into Chamber Singers are also required to enroll in Concert Choir, Chorale, or Wind Ensemble. A 10th grade student may be excused from membership in Concert

Choir, Chorale, or Wind Ensemble if he/she is taking six majors for an entire year. 11th and 12th grade students are required to have been enrolled in an Upper School performing ensemble in the 9th and 10th grades in order to audition for an advanced group.

603 Wind Ensemble (9,10,11,12) ½ credit, full year, 3x per 7 days Wind Ensemble is made up of wind and brass musicians in grades 9-12. Knowledge of musical notation, understanding the notes and fingering on their instrument, etc., are assessed by a seating placement audition. The repertoire includes technical studies specific to wind instruments, as well as chorales, sight-reading, and music composed for band and orchestra. Participation in performances at WFS and in the community is required.

604 Jazz Band (9,10,11,12) (Advanced) ½ credit, full year, 3x per 7 days This is the only instrumental group in which participation may be limited by audition at the discretion of the band director. The program is designed to allow students the opportunity to experience and perform a wide range of American musical styles stemming from the jazz idiom.

Participation in performances at WFS and in the community is required.

Students in the 9th and 10th grades who are admitted by audition into Jazz Band are also required to be enrolled in Concert Choir, Chorale, or Wind Ensemble. A 9th or 10th grade student may be excused from membership in Concert Choir, Chorale, or Wind Ensemble if he/she is taking six majors for an entire year. 11th and 12th grade students are required to have been enrolled in an Upper School performing ensemble in the 9th and 10th grades in order to audition for an advanced group.

605 Percussion (9,10,11,12) ½ credit, full year, 3x per 7 days This ensemble offers students in grades 9-12 an opportunity to play more challenging repertoire and allow students to concentrate on the skills that are specific to percussion. Knowledge of musical notation, understanding the notes of the keyboard, and the ability to identify notes on both the treble and bass clefs are assessed by a placement audition. The repertoire includes technical studies of snare drum rudiments, mallet studies, timpani and auxiliary percussion techniques, percussion ensemble music, percussion parts to accompany the choirs or other percussion needs at WFS, sight-reading, and music that the Wind Ensemble is performing. Students are asked to rehearse with Wind Ensemble at times throughout the year. Participation in performances at WFS and in the community is required.

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PERFORMING ARTS: THEATRE ARTS

VISUAL ARTS

630 Acting (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester, 3x per 7 days

The visual arts program in the upper school nurtures and aids students in becoming discerning users of the arts as a visual language used in expression and communication. The program in each course concentrates on skill building as well as on the introduction of visual concepts and critical visual analysis. The students are engaged in critical choices, visual analysis, and original thought that involve both conscious and intuitive senses. These elements are introduced and nurtured through visual example and conceptual knowledge of art from many cultures.The visual arts department hopes that the art program will awaken each student’s creative enthusiasm and develop a feeling of confidence in the process of self-expression and interpretation. The curriculum uses both studio work and research to attain these goals.

This course engages students in the basic elements of movement and voice technique in acting. Through individual as well as collaborative work, students explore the elements of characterization, physicality, and movement in portraying a scene. We study and explore acting theory, tradition, and practice. Students work toward a final project, which involves memorizing and presenting a scene to an audience. Texts and resources include: Respect for the Actor by Uta Hagen, Improvisation and the Theater by Viola Spolin, as well as visiting actors.

631 Improvisation and Movement (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester, 3x per 7 days This course concentrates on the development and refinement of stage skill, through movement, speech, improvisation, in-class readings, and a culminating improvisational performance. Students study long-form and short-form improvisational techniques.

634 Upper School Musical (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester 635 Upper School Dramatic Production (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester 636 US/Performing Arts Technical Support (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, two semesters The fall musical and spring dram include all aspects of stage production: acting, set building, costume coordination, program design, prop coordination, lighting and sound design, pit band participation, etc. Rehearsals take place during evening and/or weekend hours, two to three times per week, as specified by the directors.

The final result is a full-scale staged production in which participation is required. Cast members, stage managers, and pit band members receive ¼ credit per show.

The running crew, lighting and sound team, property manager, costume assistants, and front of house staff receive ¼ credit when they participate in two shows over the course of their four years in the upper school. Credit earned in these productions does not count toward the ½ credit required in Performing Arts, although it does count towards the overall 2 credits required in Performing Arts/Visual Arts combined.

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Full Year Course Offerings

International Baccalaureate Visual Arts Area 6 The Visual Arts program for the International Baccalaureate student might include enrollment in Visual Arts at the Standard Level (option A), a two-year offering in grade 11 and 12. The student will be scheduled for ½ credit in 11th enrolled in the Art Studio course and 1 credit all year for 12th to complete the SLA course.

The other IB Area 6 offering is the IB Higher Level, a two-year, two-credit course. IB HL and SLA visual arts students must enroll in the required Visual Arts Foundations course in 9th or 10th grade.

570SLA IB SLA (with visual investigation component) ½ credit 11th, all year and 1 credit 12th, all year Those enrolled as IB SLA students will be engaged in preparing an organized body of work for a portfolio presentation, external evaluation, and final exhibition. This two-year study establishes composition, skill techniques, and artistic concepts fulfilling the IB curricular requirements for the SL courses.The IB curriculum assesses SLA students’ studio work as 60% of the final assessment, with the remaining 40% for the Investigation. Field trips to cultural areas and events are an integral part of these offerings.

571HL IB Art Studio HL/Yr 1 (with visual investigation component) 1 credit in junior year, all year 572HL IB Art Studio HL/Yr 2 (with visual investigation component) 1 credit in senior year, all year (Enrollment in HL (1) 11 and HL (2) 12 are required)

570 Art Studio (10,11,12) ½ credit, all year

The HL Visual Arts is designed to serve students who wish to pursue the higher-level studies over a twoyear period of time. Students who elect to take this HL course of study are encouraged to enroll in a visual arts elective in either grade 9 or 10. This Visual Arts HL course is intended for highly motivated students who are seriously interested in the study of art. This study of art reflects studio work as well as the study of art history, visual aesthetics, and criticism. This course requires a commitment by the art student to pursue a concentration, thematic compositional idea, which will be manipulated using technique and materials of the visual arts. The content of this course requires preparation of a body of studio work, which will be presented in an organized exhibit with external evaluation and reflected in the Investigation. The IB curriculum assesses HL students’ studio work as 60% of the IB grade, with the remaining 40% for the Investigation.

Art Studio is designed to assist the student who is preparing to submit portfolios for art and design schools, architecture programs, illustration, liberal arts school and other art career related programs at colleges and universities. It is advised that if this is a designated need, the student should enroll in this course in their 11th and 12th grade years. Although this course will benefit a student who might be considering an art-related career, it is also a possible choice for a student who might want to exercise their creative abilities in an extensive visual art course.

HL Visual Arts work involves significant artistic commitment and studio work time, to exercise talents with in depth exploration of visual ideas within cultural, historical, and individual investigation involving content and context. Field trips to cultural areas and events are an integral part of these offerings.

587 Visual Arts Foundations (9,10, new students) ½ credit, all year This is the required visual arts course to fulfill the minimum ½ credit visual arts requirement; this is also the prerequisite for the other visual arts electives.

This course is a full year course elective created as a foundation to the visual arts. The course combines visual research investigation and studio practice. Students study art history, culture, and visual aesthetics through investigation into global, multi-cultural perspectives and thematic visual ideas. This course employs historical, philosophical, and social context to present the importance, appreciation, and understanding of the visual arts in our world (past, present, and future interpretation). Students apply concepts in creating studio work that includes many media and techniques, utilizing the elements and principles of design through 2D and 3D projects.

Art Studio is required for enrollment in the IB SLA visual arts Area 6 course in the 11th grade for the ½ credit as the first part of the IB SLA. The course 583 Visual Art Foundations is the prerequisite for enrollment in this course.

Semester Course Electives

582 Visual Communication Design: Technology in the Visual Arts (Digital Photography and Animation) (10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester, 3x per 7 days This course fulfills the pre-IB preparation for the HL and SL courses and offers involvement in the visual arts through technology. Visual Arts Foundations is the prerequisite for enrollment in this elective. This course concentrates on technology and artistic design, which is evident in all areas of visual communication. Students are placed in the role of designer/photographer/animator and are assigned projects with specific themes. Visual interpretation and communication through images are emphasized, as well as the qualities of good design solutions. Digital Photography is used as the main image gathering medium. Photography techniques and compositional structure are introduced through the use of digital cameras. This course uses the computer imaging applications Adobe PhotoShop in the digital photography content and Macromedia Flash for an introduction to animation techniques in the animation content. Concept areas include communication design, photojournalism, the moving image, layout, web graphics, image photo collage, photo retouching, and manipulation of scanned images.

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COMPUTER Students are required to accumulate a minimum of ½ credit of computer classes. The courses include instruction in a range of applications and programming languages. Application courses stress the importance of making students self-sufficient by applying their new skills to a variety of projects. Students may study in the programming courses multiple times by taking a course at the next level (e.g. Java 1, Java 2). Different study levels will meet simultaneously.

654 Yearbook (9,10,11,12) ½ credit, full year (does not fulfill computer credit) Students in this course will work together throughout the year to create the Continuum yearbook. They will work with the Adobe InDesign, PhotoShop, and Acrobat programs. They will be involved with all facets of production, including layout, folio design, caption writing, photo cropping and manipulation, scanning, digital photography, sales, and requirements for submission for production. Course registration is contingent upon teacher’s approval. Students must submit a Yearbook Application Form.

662 Introduction to Computer Science (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days This course is intended to provide a basic proficiency in computer science for all high school students. Students will be exposed to applications and technology used in other courses as well as foundational topics in computer science. In the final part of the course students will be introduced to algorithmic thinking and basic programming. Topics include wiki’s, blogs, and other web 2.0 tools, information theory, computer hardware, networking, and programming.

663 Web Page Development 1 (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days Pre-requisite: Introduction to Computer Science or Permission of the Teacher This course provides students with an introduction to web page development and basic networking. By the end of the course students will be able to design a professional looking website. In addition to web topics, we will further enhance programming skills through implementation of dynamic web applications. Topics include HTML, CSS, databases, data security, and network theory.

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664 Web Page Development 2 (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days Pre-requisite: Web Page Development 1 or Permission of the Teacher This course is intended to allow students to create professional looking, dynamic websites. We will further explore topics introduced in web page development such as networks and databases. Students will learn how to create their own web applications similar to Facebook, Twitter, or Wikipedia.

665 Video Games Development (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days Pre-requisite: Introduction to Computer Science or Permission of the Teacher This course provides a rigorous introduction to programming in the context of video game design. Through various styles of video games students will be introduced to the concepts of efficiency, abstraction, and simulation.

An emphasis will be placed on algorithm design and formalized problem solving. Topics include computational thinking, decision structures, objects, and APIs. 666 Programming 1 (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days Pre-requisite: Video Games Development or Permission of the Teacher This half semester course will further student’s exploration into programming. Through both video games and a series of problem sets, students will continue their investigation of Object Oriented Programming and start to use and design basic data structures. In addition to programming we will investigate topics in computer science such as encryption, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

667 Programming 2 (9,10,11,12) ¼ credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days Pre-requisite: Programming 1 or Permission Required This course is a continuation of the topics covered in Programming 1. Topics will include efficiency analysis, threading, and networking.

HUMAN DYNAMICS AND DEVELOPMENT

RELIGION

709/710 Human Dynamics and Development (9,10) 1 semester 3x per 7 days

Students are required to take two semester religion courses, one of which will be the Quakerism course in either the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade year. The other course can be chosen from among the electives listed below. The usual sequence for most students will be to take one elective course during either the ninth or tenth grade year and the Quakerism course in tenth grade.

Students list their preference for the course they would like to take and the year they would prefer to take it.

Sections of courses will be scheduled based on student choices and the availability of the teacher. Not all courses will be offered every year.

This course is required for all ninth and tenth graders.

Each student is scheduled for one semester in each of the two years. The upper school wellness program is designed to create an awareness of the benefits of physical fitness, including the need for improved personal health and emotional well-being. A blended and goal-oriented combination of classroom concepts and physical activities is geared toward enhancing the decision-making process in each student.

702 Ethics for a Contemporary Society (9,10,11,12) 1 semester 3x per 7 days An introduction to ethics, which takes the student through the process of constructing a personal philosophy of life, examining moral behavior, and applying ethics in real-life situations.

703 Science and the Sacred (9,10,11,12) 1 semester 3x per 7 days This course will explore the differences, similarities, and meeting points between science and religion. The course will examine the different world views, and topics will include evolution and metaphysics and will focus on the individual’s search for compatibility between religion and science.

704 Experiencing World Religions (9,10,11,12) 1 semester 3x per 7 days Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism are explored using experiential exercises.

706 Quakerism and Thee (10,11,12) 1 semester 3x per 7 days This required course brings the student’s personal philosophy of religion and practice into a critical relationship with the Quaker philosophy and practice. Original writings by Quakers and the student’s own explorations of the Quaker philosophy form the core of this course.

Students will be scheduled into this course in either the sophomore, junior, or senior year, depending on student and teacher availability.

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theory of knowledge

ATHLETICS

711/712 IB Theory of Knowledge (11,12) 1 credit over two years, 3x per 7 days

A minimum of one athletic credit is required each year for all upper school students. In order to earn credit, students must be an active participant in a school sponsored athletic program (see list below) and meet the expectations of that program.

The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course is central to the educational philosophy of the International Baccalaureate. It challenges students and their teachers to reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and areas of knowledge, and to consider the role that knowledge plays in a global society. It encourages students to become aware of themselves as thinkers, to become aware of the complexity of knowledge, and to recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected world.

Questions are the very essence of TOK, both ageless questions on which thinkers have been reflecting for centuries and new ones, often challenging to accepted belief, which are posed by contemporary life. The course is designed to develop in students an appreciation of the quest for knowledge—in particular its importance, its complexities, and its human implications—by engaging them in a critical examination of knowledge.

Having completed this course, students will be prepared to gain and apply their own knowledge with greater awareness and responsibility.

Readings in the course include a variety of sources including excerpts from works of fiction and non-fiction, and newspaper and magazine articles. The most significant source of thought and reflection, though, is the students’ own experiences. We focus on their past history as knowers, within and beyond the classroom, as a jumping-off point for further study and exploration. As part of this approach, students are challenged to generate the questions that fuel their investigations into the subject, and also to thoughtfully and probingly respond to others’ questions on these issues. In order to facilitate the development of a personally relevant and intellectually sound conception of the theory of knowledge, students are required to provide examples of “ways of knowing” from the other classes they are pursuing, as primary matter for consideration by the group. Students lead sessions for the class on various aspects of the concepts under consideration.

Fall Field Hockey Football Soccer (Boys’) Volleyball Cross Country* Winter Basketball* Wrestling Swimming* Track and Field* Physical Fitness (Co-Ed) Spring Baseball Lacrosse* Soccer (Girls’) Tennis* Track and Field*

*Boys’ teams and girls’ teams are offered.

A junior or senior student who would like to apply to earn an athletic credit by serving as a team manager or student athletic trainer, must have the approval of the coach/athletic trainer and athletic director prior to the start of the season as well as approved written expectations/responsibilities.

A student who wishes to apply for an independent athletic experience to take the place of the athletic requirement must submit a written petition three weeks prior to the start of the school year. These applications are subject to the approval of the athletic committee (athletic director, head of upper school, head of middle school), and may be subject to approval from the upper school faculty and/or head of school. Exemptions will be handled on an individual basis and must be reviewed and re-approved each year.

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NONDEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMS 700 Service Project* Students must do fifty hours of community service some time during their upper school years as part of their graduation requirements. This requirement lies rooted in the history and practice of Quaker humanitarian service. It is an opportunity for students to implement personal values through service to others. This service may be performed during unscheduled periods of the school day, after school, on weekends, during school vacations, or in the summer.

Service projects must...

• be performed outside of the Wilmington Friends School community.

• be a steady involvement in one activity with one sponsor agency.

• be a minimum of fifty hours during a twelve-month period up to ten hours of which may be training and preparation.

• be performed any time during the student’s years in the upper school beginning with the summer before ninth grade and ending before the start of the Senior Exploration.

• be completed by all new students entering after ninth grade who have not previously met the requirement at another school.

• be performed for any organization (or person) whose purpose is that of service to the community and for which (whom) volunteers are used to perform an essential service. This does not include working for a political candidate or elected office holder in the routine performance of political duties, nor working for groups whose programs are inconsistent with the testimonies of the Religious Society of Friends.

Seniors are strongly encouraged to have their service project completed and documents submitted by the first day of school of their senior year. Experience has shown that the senior year is a very difficult time to complete one’s service hours. Note also that the service hours may not be counted towards Senior Exploration hours. *Note that students seeking the International Baccalaureate Diploma will be required to complete the IB service requirement between the summer prior to junior year and the start of the senior year. For more information on this requirement, please speak with the school’s IB Coordinator.

School Year Abroad In 2007, Wilmington Friends School became a member of School Year Abroad (SYA), a consortium of independent schools across the country with a commitment to international education. SYA was found in 1964 “to help young Americans become full-fledged citizens of the world,” and currently enrolls students in China, France, Italy, Japan, Spain, and Vietnam. The goal of the program is to give American students—high school juniors and seniors—the benefits of living in another country, with an emphasis on cultural understanding, language fluency, and consistent high-level preparation for university study. Students live with host families, and study at SYA schools both in English and in the language of the host country. Member schools have additional opportunities for student to participate in summer programs and for faculty members to teach and learn abroad. Students interested in participating in SYA programs should consult first with their families and faculty advisors. (Other international learning and hosting opportunities are also available.)

• be an experience involving direct service either to the participating community agency or the clients served by that agency.

• be approved in all cases by the service program coordinator, advisor, and the service program committee (during the school year) prior to student involvement.

• include a completed proposal form, a satisfactory agency evaluation of the student’s performance, a final self-evaluation and a product which is designed to pass the service experience on to others. This could be a poster, a journal, a student-designed Web site, or a formal presentation before a group such as to a lower school class, a committee of the Board of Trustees, a collection program, or an outside community group.

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Mastery Program

850 Senior Exploration

The mastery program is a vehicle to stimulate Friends School students to develop their talents, to explore deeply-felt interests, to challenge themselves in ways they might not otherwise attempt, and to produce an achievement of which they can be justifiably proud.

The aim of this program is to meet all of these goals, not one or two of them. In short, the final outcomes of students’ mastery projects should be extraordinary and recognized as such by both the participants and the school community at large.

In May of the senior year, the Senior Exploration provides students with a chance to integrate and apply skills and knowledge in an authentic, in-depth experience. Using a personal question as a guide, students are encouraged to find an experience that will require them to reflect on their own growth while at WFS and then present their “exploration� to a panel of faculty and experts. Students may explore any of the following: career options, service, immersion in a different culture, an old passion or a new interest. Students work with a mentor/expert, document the experience through guided journals and photographic evidence, and present to family, peers, and faculty.

The scope of the program is broad. Any student at Friends School may undertake a mastery project, and, in fact, may wish to undertake more than one during his or her Friends School career. Participation in the program is not limited to the strongest students; the school encourages any interested student to undertake a mastery project. However, the student will have to demonstrate initiative, rigor of approach, persistence, intensity, and follow-through to meet the requirements of a successful project.

Projects should be planned with specific time limitations in mind. Although some projects will necessarily take longer than others, students should generally plan to complete them within one semester. Interested students should speak with the clerk of the mastery program committee.

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Wilmington Friends School 101 School Road Wilmington, DE 19803

Quaker, founded in 1748; Welcoming to all faith and ethical traditions, with a focus on values rather than religion; Coed, Early Learning Center (ages two and three) through 12th grade;

During the 2009 football season, Coach Bob “T” Tattersall won his 250th career game and became the winningest coach in Delaware high school football history.

Middle/upper school campus: (Grades 6-12)

A “global” approach at all grade levels, in content and in teaching students to engage complex issues intellectually and in action, in and outside of the classroom, with a sense of confidence and responsibility;

Located in the residential neighborhood of Alapocas, just outside the City of Wilmington: approximately 25 acres, one building of 175,000 square feet; includes five athletic fields, six tennis courts, three full-size gyms, fitness room, a 500-person capacity theatre/auditorium, Meeting Room, seven science labs, and four full computer labs, one smaller public lab, two art room computer labs, and three mobile laptop labs.

Advanced and independent study opportunities;

Lower school campus:

Language study beginning in PK, upper school pilot program in Mandarin beginning fall 2010;

Located on the wooded boundary of Alapocas: approximately 30 acres (including wooded areas), two buildings totaling 68,000 square feet; includes two gyms, two science labs, computer classroom lab, After-School Program computer lab, and two mobile laptop labs, three outdoor playgrounds, two additional paved outdoor play areas (for basketball and other hard-surface activities), two athletic fields (also used by middle and upper school sports teams), a Library Media Center open all day every school day, Meeting Room/auditorium, and facilities architecturally designed for music (including practice rooms) and art (including ceramics studio).

Signature international programs, including the International Baccalaureate (first authorized IB school in Delaware) and School Year Abroad (first member school in Delaware);

Commitment to diversity dates to 1748, central to the school’s original and ongoing mission; National/international faculty searches, emphasis on continuing professional development; Competitive athletics in grades 7-12, extensive physical education program PK-6; Visual and performing arts, with courses and independent study to prepare for college majors, and with performance opportunities in instrumental and choral music, drama, and musical theatre; Integrated technology program, with specialized computer instruction in grades K-12; Two campuses located in a residential neighborhood just outside the city of Wilmington;

Early Learning Center (ages 2 and 3) – Grade 5

For more information, contact: Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (302) 576-2930 admissions@wilmingtonfriends.org

Extensive financial aid program, rooted in the school’s mission, to meet a range of need; After-School Program for Early Learning Center through sixth grade; Summer camps for age three through ninth grade.

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