PROGRAMANDSCHEDULE
AcademicSchedule
Mostcoursesmeetforfive60-minuteperiodspercycle,butatcertaingradelevels,somecoursesmeetlessoften. Winsor’syearlycalendarhastwosemesters,semester1(alsocalledthefallsemester)andsemester2(alsocalledthe springsemester).
Ateverygradelevel,allLowerSchoolstudentstakeEnglish,math,science,history,alanguage,visualorperforming arts,health,physicaleducationandatechnologycourse. Inaddition,ouracademicschedulecontainsabandof communitytime,devotedtoclubs,advisory,performingartsensembles,studyhallsandtownmeetings.
LowerSchoolstudentsareaskedtomakesomechoiceseachyearregardingartsandotherelectives.
Attheendoftheacademicyear,allLowerSchoolstudentsleadaconferencewiththeirparents/guardiansandfaculty advisor Inlinewiththeschool’scommitmenttostudent-centeredlearning,theyshareevidencefromtheirlongitudinal portfoliosandreflectontheirevolvingunderstandingofthemselvesaslearnersandmembersoftheWinsor community
ClassI
EnteringClassIstudentsneedtochoosealanguageandaperformingartsensemble(orchestraorchorus) InClassI, history,math,English,scienceandphysicaleducationmeetfivetimesperseven-dayrotation Languageandartsmeet fourtimesperrotation AllClassIstudentstake alibraryskills/technologycourseandhealth,bothofwhichmeetone timeperrotation
ClassII
AllClassIIstudentswillneedtochooseaperformingartsensembleandeithergeneralmusicorastringsworkshopfor theirmusicclass. ClassIIstudentsareexpectedtocontinuewiththelanguagetheystartedinClassI,andnewstudents chooseoneofthefourlanguagesoffered.InClassII,history,math,English,scienceandlanguagemeetfivetimesper seven-dayrotation. Physicaleducationandartsmeetfourtimesperrotation. Inaddition,allClassIIstudentstakea codingcourseandhealth,bothofwhichmeetonetimeperrotation.
ClassIII
AllClassIIIstudentswillneedtochooseanartselectiveforeachsemesterandmayalsoelecttocontinueparticipation inaperformingartsensemblebyselectingorchestra,chorusordance. ClassIIIstudentsareexpectedtocontinuewith thelanguagetheywerestudyingtheprioryear. InClassIII,history,math,English,science,artsandlanguagemeet fivetimesperseven-dayrotation Physicaleducationmeetsthreetimesperrotation Inaddition,allClassIIIstudents takesemester-longelectronicscourse,asemestercoursein2D/3Dfabricationandhealth,allofwhichmeetonetime perrotation
ClassIV
AllClassIVstudentswillneedtochooseanarts electiveforfirstsemesterandmayalsoelecttocontinueparticipation inaperformingartsensemblebyselectingorchestra,chorusordance ClassIVstudentsthenparticipate inthe ShakespeareProjectinplaceofanartselectiveinthespring ClassIVstudentsareexpectedtocontinue withthe languagetheywerestudyingtheprioryear InClassIV,history,math,English,science,artsandlanguagemeetfive timesperseven-dayrotation Physicaleducationmeetsthreetimesperrotation Inaddition,allClassIVchoosea semester-longSTEM“studio”andhealth,eachofwhichmeetsonceperrotation
Thepagesthatfollowcontaindetaileddescriptionsofeachdepartment’scoursesandprogram.
ENGLISH
ClassI
Strongreading,writing,andthinkingskillsarethefocusofthiscourse Literature-basedunitsaredesignedtohelp studentsmakeconnectionsbetweentextsandtothinkaboutthelayersofmeaningincomplexstories Byusingactive readingstrategies,studentsrespondtoliteratureanddevelopreadingcomprehension,interpretation,andanalysisskills Writingskillsaredevelopedthroughworkinavarietyofexpositoryandcreativeforms Inrespondingtoliterature, studentspracticewritingstrongparagraphsandsupportingopinionswithspecificdetails Manycreativewriting opportunities,includinganovel-writingandpoetryunit,allowstudentstofollowthestepsofthewritingprocess Technologyisatoolthatstudentswillusetocommunicate,collaborate,andcreatewhiledevelopingtheircritical thinkingskills.
ClassII
Thiscoursefocusesonbuildingreading,writing,andcriticalthinkingskillsthroughcarefullychosentextsandwriting projects.Inourcomparativemythologyunit,studentsalsodeveloptechnology,research,andpresentationskillsasthey worktogethertounderstandhowmythreflectsaculture’svaluesandhowdifferentcultures’mythscompare withone another.Literatureunitsonmythologyandmulticulturalfictionallowstudentstodeepentheirunderstandingof character,theme,plot,andsetting.Apoetryunit reinforcesclosereadingandcreativewritingskills.Narratives, dialogues,analyticalparagraphs,shortessays,andreflectivewritingarealsowovenintothecurriculum Largeand smallgroupdiscussionsenablestudentstodeveloptheirideasandtopracticeexpressingthem Throughout eachunit, studentspracticerevising,editing,andproofreadingtheirwork
ClassIII
Studentsworkonreadingaccuratelyandindepthbystudyingavarietyofgenresinthiscourse They learntermsof literaryanalysisandexplorehowplot,characters,andthemesdevelop Studentsalsolearntotakeusefulandconcise notesastheyread Writtenassignmentsfocusondeveloping aneffectivewritingprocessandincludeanalytical paragraphs,shortessays,andshortstories.There isalsoregulargrammarstudyfocusingonpartsofspeechand functionsofthenoun.Worksmayincludeacollection ofshortstories, theplay A Raisin in the Sun, andthenovel The Secret Life of Bees.Aunitonthegraphicnovel The Arrival focusesonvisualanalysisandincludesaresearchproject onimmigration.
ClassIV
Thiscourseincludesunitson The Poet X andavarietyofpoems, The House on Mango Street, Snowflower and the Secret Fan,andaShakespeareplay,whichtheywillperformintheirdramaclasses.Theydevelopanalytical skills throughclosereadingofthesetextsandthroughvisualanalysisduringourmedialiteracyunit Duringfrequentwriting assignments,studentsdeveloptheirabilitytostructureparagraphsandlongerpieces,towritethesisandtopic sentences,andtoincorporateevidence Thereiscontinued emphasisonthewritingprocess,includingbrainstorming, outlining,andrevising ClassIVstudentsalsostudy creativeandpersonalwritingandcompletearesearchproject Grammarstudycontinueswithareviewofpartsofspeechandfunctionsofthenounandanintroductiontodependent clausesandpunctuation
HISTORY
ClassI:EarlyAmericanHistory
ClassIHistorywillintroducestudentstotheearlyhistoryoftheUnitedStatesandthedynamicsinvolvedinforginga youngAmericannation.Wewillexplorethequestion, “WhatdoesitmeantobeanAmerican?”aswestudy someof thepeople,events,values,andconflictsthatshapedearlyAmerica’ssenseofitselfandthatcontinue todefineusasa nationtoday.Thecoursewillbeginwithastudyof theNativeAmericansandtheirinfluenceontheAmerican identity. Next,wewillexaminetheperiodofearlyAmerican colonization,whichwillincludeananalysisofthecontributions ofboththeWest-CentralAfricansandtheEuropeans totheAmericanpicture.Wewillthenconsiderthe causesand consequencesoftheAmericanRevolution,followed bythedevelopmentoftheUSConstitutionanditssignificanceas thefoundationofthenewAmericanrepublic Anequally importantaimofthiscourseistoteachWinsorgirls tothink andreadlikeahistorian Wehopetofosteravariety ofspecificskillsthatmakeWinsorstudentsactive and discriminatinglearners Inparticular,wewillemphasizehowtoanalyzeahistoricalsource,howtocraftacohesiveand persuasiveargument(bothorallyandonpaper),andhowtocontextualizeapersonoreventinordertounderstandits importancefully
ClassII:AncientCultures
Inthiscourse,studentswilllearnaboutsomeoftheancientworld'slargestandarguablymostimpactfulcivilizations: GreeceandRome Whileimportanthistoricalevents andpeoplewillbediscussedthroughoutthecourse,ourbigger focuswillbeonhowandwhythesecivilizationsriseandfall Asstudentswillsee,agreatnumberof factors contributedtothetrajectoryofeventsstudied Eachcivilization’sstoryisgreatlyaffectedbythegeographyofits surroundingterritoryandareasitconquered.The diverseculturesthatcombinedtoformulatethesecivilizationsmakes themtrulyspecialinthattheywerethefirstgenerationofglobalempires.Eachcivilizationtookitsownuniquepath, filledwithgreatopportunityandachievement,aswellaschallengesandtragedy.Whiletheancient worldmayseem remoteanddistant,studentswilllearnboththatthesetwocivilizationshaddramaticimpactsontheworldtodayand thattheempiresoftheancientworld,forbetterorworse,maynotbesodifferentthanmajorpowersinthemodern world.
ClassIII:CulturalTraditionsandCulturalEncounters
ClassIIIstudentswillexplorethethemeofculturalexchangethroughthelensoftwohistoricalencounters,theSilk RoadandtheCrusades.Inthefirstsemester,webeginourstudyoftheSilkRoadbylearningaboutTang China–its government,religion,culture,values,andtraditions.WethenexplorethefoundingofIslam,theexpansionofthe empirethroughouttheMiddleEast,andtheachievementsofmedievalIslamicscholars Thesetwounitscome together attheendofthesemesterwithourstudyoftheSilkRoad,alargelypeacefulencounteramongdifferentcultures Inthe secondsemester,weexaminetheCrusadesbyfirststudyingJudaismandChristianity,followedbyaclose investigationoflifeinmedievalEurope Theyear concludeswithanin-depthstudyoftheCrusades,anoften-violent encounter StudentswilllearnaboutCrusaderandMuslimmotives,battletactics,andtherichexchangesthatoccurred duringtimesofpeace Ultimately,thiscourseisthestoryofhowculturesinteract,whathappenswhentheymeet,and whysomeencountersarepeacefulandsomearenot
ClassIV:TheBirthofModernEurope
InClassIV,HistorystudentscontinuewiththethemeofculturalencountersandculturalexchangesdevelopedinClass IIIHistory ThiscourseexploreshowEuropeanstates emergedasdominantworldpowersbythe1500sdespitetheir lackofunityandfinancialstrengthattheconclusionoftheCrusadesinthe1200s.Inparticular,weconsiderhow Europeanwaysofthinkingshiftedasitscitizensenteredthemodernage.SignificanttimeisspentexaminingtheBlack Death,thedevelopmentofcapitalism,theRenaissance,theReformation,andtheadventofstrongmonarchs.Students willalsoconsiderhowtheseeventsshapedthewayEuropeanssawthemselvesaswellasthosearoundthem.Finally, wewillexaminehowEuropeansusedtheirnewknowledgeandpowertoconquerandsubjugatethecitizensofthe NewWorld.
MATHEMATICS
AllstudentsinClassIandClassIIhavemathclassinheterogeneouslymixedgroups.StartinginClassIII,studentsare groupedhomogeneously.Algebra1isalsoofferedto qualifyingClassIIIStudents.
ClassI
Studentsstudyarithmeticusingwholenumbers,fractions,anddecimalstounderstandconceptsandstrengthenskills. Manipulativesareusedtohelpillustratesomeconcepts.Othertopicsincludemeasurement,geometry, andestimation. Mentalandwrittencomputationisemphasized,butcalculatorsorcomputersareusedforappropriateactivities. Studentsworkindividuallyaswellasingroupswhenappropriate.
Throughouttheyear,studentsmoveawayfromrotearithmetictoapplicationsandproblemsolving Learninghowto applyskills,bothinandoutofthecontextinwhichtheyweretaught,providesstudentswithadeeperunderstandingof howandwhytheywillusemathematicsasavaluabletoolintheirlives
ClassII
Themathematicscurriculumincludesfractions,decimals,percents,numbertheory,orderofoperations,measurement, two-dimensionalgeometry,dataanalysis,andanintroductiontonegativenumbers Studentsdevelopbasicfinancial literacythroughacomputersimulationproject All topicsinvolveindividualandgroupactivitiesandsolvingavariety ofproblems Scientificcalculatorsareintroduced Computerspreadsheetsarealsointroducedandusedduringthe studyoffinancialliteracyanddataanalysis StudentsparticipateintheElementarySchoolMathOlympiads
ClassIII
Introduction to Algebra
Thecourseincludeswritingalgebraicexpressionsandsolvingequations,three-dimensionalgeometry,ratioand proportion,andprobability.Applicationofthese topicsisbuilt-inthroughoutthecourse.Studentsalsolearncreative problemsolvingbyparticipatingintheMiddleSchoolMathOlympiad.
Algebra 1
Thecourseincludessolvingandgraphinglinearequationsandinequalities,exponents,polynomials,solvingand graphingquadraticequationsandsolvingsystemsofequations.Duringtheyearstudentsdevelopandrefinetheir problem-solvingandcriticalthinkingskills,andavarietyofwordproblemsandapplicationsareintroduced Graphing calculatorsareintroduced StudentsparticipateintheMathOlympiad
ClassIV
Algebra 1
Thecourseincludessolvingandgraphinglinearequationsandinequalities,exponents,polynomials,solvingand graphingquadraticequationsandsolvingsystemsofequations Duringtheyearstudentsdevelopandrefinetheir problem-solvingandcriticalthinkingskills,andavarietyofwordproblemsandapplicationsareintroduced Graphing calculatorsareintroduced StudentsparticipateintheMathOlympiad
Algebra 2
AllstudentswillstudythecoretopicsofAlgebra 2:linear,quadratic,radical,rational,exponential,andlogarithmic expressions,andtheequationsandfunctionsthatinvolvethem.Complexnumbers,systemsofequations,andinverse functionswillalsobestudied.Thealgebraicand graphicalaspectsofeachtopicwillbeemphasized.Additionaltopics suchasanalyticgeometryanddataanalysiswillbeincludediftimepermits.Theapplicationsofthe TI-NspireCX graphingcalculatorwillbeintroduced.Thiscourse isopentostudentswhohavecompletedafullyearofAlgebra1at Winsor.
SCIENCE
ClassI
Bybecomingnaturalists,ClassIstudentslearntoobservetheirnaturalsurroundingsandgainanappreciationforthe interconnectednessofallorganisms Studentslearntomakeandrecordobservationsusingwords,numbers,and drawings,astheykeepayear-longnaturejournal Bytrackinglocalecosystemsovertime,studentsobservethe changesthattakeplaceandcollectdatathatmaycontributetocitizenscienceefforts Studentsexploreaspectsof ecologyaswellastheclassificationanddiversityofmajorgroupsoforganismswithanemphasisoncomparingand contrastingorganismalbodyplans Studentsundertakeadeepdiveintoenvironmentaljusticeandaccesstogreen spaces,examiningcasestudiesofwell-knownfemalenaturalists.
ClassII
Studentsundertakeaguidedinquiryintothemajorsystemsofthehumanbody.Infrequentlaboratoryexercises,they honetheirobservation,datacollection,andanalysisskills,whiledevelopinganunderstandingofthedigestive, respiratory,circulatory,andmusculoskeletalsystems.Cellstructureandprocesses,aswellasmicroscopeskills,are alsointroducedsostudentscanunderstandthehumanbodyatbothcellularandsystemiclevels.Studentsdevelopand analyzemodelstoincreasetheirunderstandingofthestructureandfunctionofbodysystems.Theypractice engineeringskillsthroughtwodesignchallenges,collaboratingtoinvestigateandtestdifferentinsulationmaterialsand tobuildaprostheticarmcapableofcompletingaseriesofdexteritychallenges Inthespring,studentsconduct independentresearchonahumanbodytopicoftheirchoiceandcreateanelectronicmagazinearticle
ClassIII
Studentsexplorethenatureofsciencebyexamining“howscienceworks”inthecontextofthreecasestudies:thePlate Tectonicrevolution,Darwin’sdevelopmentofNaturalSelection,andthemoderncaseforclimatechange Through inquiry-basedexperimentationandmodeling,studentsareexposedtoarangeoftopicsinearthandlifescience includinggeologictime,theearth’sinterior,platetectonics,seismology,evolution,genetics,thefactorsthatdetermine globalclimate,andtheevidenceforitschange.Studentsbuildanunderstandingofconcepts,solveproblems,andapply theirknowledgetonewsituations.Acapstoneproject allowsstudentstosynthesizetheirunderstandingoftheearth’s physicalandbiologicalsystemstobetterunderstandtheeffectthatearth’sorganicinhabitantshaveonitslong-term environmentaltrends.
ClassIV
Introductoryphysicalscienceisalaboratory-basedcourseinwhichstudentsinvestigatethephysicalandchemical propertiesofmatteraswellasthephysicsofforces Practicinglaboratoryskills,solvingproblemsduringexperiments, collectingandanalyzingdata,andwritinglaboratoryreportsaremajorlearninggoalsofthecourse Studentsusetheir understandingofpropertiesofmatterinacollaborativeexerciseinwhichtheyseparateandanalyzethecompositionof anunknownmixture Theyapplytheirknowledgeof physicsinanengineeringdesignchallengeinwhichthey constructamousetrapcar Finally,studentsdesignandconductanindependentinvestigationandpresenttheirresultsin ascientificposterasaculminationoftheirlaboratoryexperiences
French
ClassIFrench
Who am I as a learner? And who do I want to be? What does learning French look like and feel like? Learningin FrenchIisguidedbyexplorationofthesequestions Asweworkonlistening,speaking,reading,andwritingskills, studentsdevelopthedispositionsrequiredofeffectivelearners,includingtenacity,resilience,receptivitytofeedback, andcarefulobservationskills Studentswillexplorethefundamentalsofgrammarandsyntax:number (singular/plural),gender,verbconjugation,spelling,andpronunciationconventions Asstudentslearn todescribe themselves,theirpeersandthewiderworldinFrench,theywillactivelycontributetobuildingtheirunderstandingof theFrenchlanguage.Emphasizingcreativity,communication,andculturalawareness,theFrenchIcurriculum encouragesstudentstoapproachlanguagelearningfrommanyanglesandtodiscoverwhichstrategiesandtoolsare bestforthemaslanguagelearnersalongtheway.
ClassIIFrench
How do careful observation and listening contribute to problem solving? How are problem-solving and language-learning connected? What can I learn from making a map of a city? What can a map tell us about a city’s inhabitants? What do I learn about my classmates from the maps they create? StudentsinFrenchIIwillengagewith theseessentialquestionsthroughouttheyearastheypracticelistening,speaking,reading,andwritinganddevelop theirculturalcompetencyskills Inajoyful,vibrantandcreativesetting,studentsperformskits,sing,andcreateworks ofartastheyacquirethebasicsoftheFrenchlanguageanddevelopthedispositionsofeffective,independentlearners StudentsbegintheyearinFrenchIIcreatingamapofaFrench-speakingcityandconsideringwhataspectsofacity’s structurearenecessaryforaculturetoflourish Thisconsiderationofcitylifewillcontinueinsecondsemester,when studentspursuearesearchprojectonacityfromtheFrancophoneworld Throughouttheyear,students willcontinue todeveloptheirmasteryofthefundamentalsofgrammarandsyntaxandaddtotheirvocabularybase They willlearn toexpresspreferences,todescribetheirfamily,school,andtheworldaroundthem.Astheydoso, studentswill activelycontributetobuildingthecontentanddrivingthecurriculumofthiscourseandwillbeencouragedtotake chargeoftheirlearning,givethemselvesfeedback,anddeveloppersonalstrategiestoachieveexcellence.
ClassIIIFrench
How do the patterns I observe in the language lead to understanding? Where is French spoken in the world? What does it mean to be a French speaker? What does it mean to me to be learning French? InFrenchIII,studentswill activelyengagewiththesequestionsastheycontinuetostrengthentheirlistening,speaking,reading,writingand culturalcompetency Studentswillcontinuetohonetheircriticalthinkingskillsrelatedtolanguagelearningandwill beencouragedtoactivelyreflectonwhotheyareasalearnerandhowtheylearnbest InFrenchIII,studentswill developtheirresearchskillsastheyexplorethewiderangeofculturesintheFrancophoneworld They willencounter newnuancesofthelanguageastheyexpandtheirvocabularybase,discovernewverbfamilies,andwillbeableto describefutureevents,formquestions,anddevelopricherandmorecomplexsentences Usingculturallyauthentic sources,studentswilllearntonegotiatetravelplansandconsiderdifferencesandsimilaritiesinfoodculture Students willalsodevelopandextendtheirreadingcomprehensionskillsastheyengagewiththeshortmysterynovel Le voyage de sa vie
ClassIVFrench
What do I learn about myself and my own culture by engaging with other cultures? How does what I am learning in French class connect to who I am in the world? How can I be a more independent learner? Thesequestionswillserve astouchstonesforourclassthroughouttheyearasstudentscontinuetodeveloptheirlistening,speaking,reading,
writingskills,aswellastheirculturalcompetency.Buildingonpreviousyears,FrenchIVemphasizescriticalthinking skillsrelatedtolanguageacquisition,andstudentsactivelyreflectonhowtheylearnaswellaswhattheyarelearning Linguistically,studentswillreview,refine,andbuildupontheirfoundationofgrammarandvocabulary,andtheywill acquirenewstructures,suchasthepassécomposé,thatwillexpandtheirabilitytoexpresstheirthoughtsinFrench TheywillfurtherdeveloptheirreadingcomprehensionskillsandpracticecriticalanalysisinFrenchastheyreadand discussworksofshortfiction Theywillengagein morecomplexwritingassignments,includingshortessaysand creativewriting StudentswillcontinuewiththeirexplorationoftheFrancophoneworldastheydelveintothestudyof theprovinceofQuébec
ClassILatin
Who am I as a learner? And who do I want to be? What does learning Latin look, sound, and feel like? Duringthis course,studentswillunpacktheanswerstothesequestionsastheydiscovertheLatinlanguageandvariousaspectsof RomanculturethroughstoriesintheformatofagraphicnovelaboutthedailylivesandadventuresofRomanfamilies livinginthetownofHerculaneuminthefirstcenturyC.E. TheyacquireasufficientknowledgeofLatin grammarand vocabularytobeabletocarryonaLatinconversationandreadandwritesimplestoriesinLatin. They enrichtheir EnglishvocabularybymakingconnectionsbetweenEnglishwordsandtheirLatinroots,therebydeepeningtheir understandingofEnglishgrammar Theyalsoexplore thearchaeologicalfindsthathavecontributedtoourknowledge ofRomanlife Latinstudentswillworkwiththeirpeersinotherlanguagestoresearch,experience,andmake connectionsbetweenthecuisineofancientandmodernsocieties WiththehelpofthestoriesonGreek andRoman mythologyincludedineachchapterofthetextbook,studentsencounteraspectsandperspectivesofRomanculturethat informbothancientandmodernliterature
ClassIILatin
What was life like for someone like me in ancient Rome? If I lived then, how would my experience be different? The same? What does learning Latin tell me about myself as a learner? How does careful observation and listening lead to problem solving? ThinkingaboutaspectsofRomanlifelearnedinthepreviousyearandwhattheyimagineabout Romandailylife,studentsbegintoexploretheLatinlanguagethroughtheeyesofyoungpeoplelivingduringthe RomanEmpire,astoldinthe Ecce Romani series. TheywillexpandtheirknowledgeofLatingrammarasthey encounterthepresentandimperfecttenses,theimperativemood,aswellasthenominative,accusativeandablative cases.StudentswillcontinuetoexploremythologyandhistoryandexaminethebeliefsofancientRomans.Thestudy ofLatininClassIIperfectlycomplementstheexplorationofAncientGreeceandRomeinhistoryclasses,enabling studentstomakedeeperconnectionsastheypreparefortheGreeksymposium.Inaddition,Latinstudentswilljoin theirclassmatesstudyingmodernlanguagesincompletingaprojectabouttheancientcity Aworkshopatthe Harrison GrayOtisHousewillhighlighttheinfluenceoftherediscoveryofthecityofPompeiiandofclassicalartand architectureonthecityofBostonintheearly19thcentury Studentsultimatelygrowintheirappreciationoftheechoes ofRomanarchitectureandengineeringthatarestillevidentintheworldtoday
ClassIIILatin
How do the patterns I observe in the language lead to understanding? What do the everyday practices of the ancient Romans teach me about their beliefs and priorities? How can archeological discoveries teach me about people’s lives and the history of their culture? Thecourseisbasedonareadingapproachtolanguagelearning,usingthe Ecce Romani textbookseries. Inthisimmersionmethod,studentslearngrammarandvocabularybyreadingpassagesin Latinanddeveloptheirabilitytousedeductivelogic. AsstudentslearnhowLatinworksasalanguage,theydraw comparisonsbetweenLatinandEnglishandotherlanguagestheymayknow.Theyalsomakevocabularyconnections andlearntousetheirknowledgeofLatinwordstodecodethemeaningofunfamiliarwordsinEnglish. Avariedrange
ofclassactivitiesandprojectsservestoaccommodatethelearningstylesofallstudents.Theclassdoesaresearch projectfocusingonthearcheologicalevidenceforeverydayculturalpractices,aswellassmallerprojectsrelatingto artisticexpressionsofRomanmythologyandculture Readingskillsarereinforcedorallythroughthecreationof descriptions,dialoguesandskits Throughthestudy oflanguage,history,mythology,art,architecture,andgeography, studentsdiscoverthemultifacetedaspectsofRomancivilizationandtheinfluenceofancientRomeonmodernculture
ClassIVLatin
Whose voices are centered in the stories we read about ancient Roman culture? How does this impact my thinking about whose voices are centered in my own culture? How can I be a more independent learner? Studentsexplorethe answerstothesequestionsastheycontinuetheirstudyofLatinusingthereadingapproachofthe Ecce Romani textbookseries.Astheyencounterpassagesofincreasing difficulty,studentswillcontinuetohonetheirdeductive logicinordertogainmasteryofLatingrammarandvocabulary.Studentswillnotonlygrapplewiththeintricaciesof Latingrammar,butwillalsodelvedeeperintheirhistoricalandculturalunderstandingoftheGreco-Romanworld.To accommodatethelearningstylesofallstudents,thecoursereinforcesreadingskillsorallyandincludesvarious creativeactivitiesandprojects. StudentswilltaketheNationalLatinExaminMarchandthenfinishtheyearwithan in-depthstudyofmythology. Theywillengagewith multipleancientsourcesandcreateaninterpretationthat re-imaginesastoryfromanewperspective. Studentswillcompletetheyearnotonlyreadytofacethechallengesofa Latin2class,butalsoequippedwithathoroughunderstandingofanancientworldsocloselylinkedwiththeworldwe liveintoday
Spanish
ClassISpanish
Who am I as a learner? And who do I want to be? What does it mean to me to be excellent? What will I do to achieve excellence? ExplorationofthesequestionsguidesstudentlearninginSpanish Whileworkingonlistening, speaking, reading,andwritingskills,studentsalsodevelopthedispositionsrequiredofeffectivelearners,includingtenacity, resilience,receptivitytofeedback,andcarefulobservationskills,amongothers. Focusingondescribingthemselves, theirpeersandthewiderworldinSpanish,studentsactivelycontributetobuildingthecontentanddrivingthe curriculumofthiscourse. Emphasizingcreativity,spontaneity,andtheArts,studentsapproachlanguage learningfrom manyangles,discoveringwhichstrategiesandtoolsarebestforthemalongtheway.
ClassIISpanish
What do I learn from making the map? What do I learn about the other map-makers from the maps they have created? How does careful observation and listening lead to problem solving? Theseessentialquestionsguidestudentlearning throughouttheyearastheypracticelistening,speaking,reading,writingandculturalcompetencyskills,anddevelop thedispositionsofaneffective,independentlearner Focusingonexpressingpreferences,negotiatinglifeina community,anddescribingtheworldaroundtheminSpanish,studentsactivelycontributetobuildingthecontentand drivingthecurriculumofthiscourse Inajoyful,vibrantandcreativesetting,studentsperformskits,sing,andcreate worksofartastheyacquirethebasicsofSpanishlanguage Inthisclass,studentsarealwaysencouragedtotakecharge oftheirlearning,givethemselvesfeedback,anddeveloppersonalstrategiestoachieveexcellence
ClassIIISpanish
What is the pattern? What does it tell me? How will I use it? What does carefully engaging with the Arts teach me about myself and the world? ThesequestionsserveasthethroughlinesforSpanishIII Allyear,students workto developlistening,speaking,reading,writingandculturalcompetencyskillstoreachthecommunicativebenchmarksof thiscourse Usingmanytraditionalartforms,includingAfro-Caribbeandrummingandtraditionalfolkmusic,students exploretheirrelationshipstocommunities,localandglobal Forexample,studentsresearchhealthchallengesfacedby Boston-areaLatinocommunities,anduseDesignThinking strategiestocreateauthenticwellnesspostersthatare displayedthroughoutthecity Asinpreviousyears, thiscourseemphasizescriticalthinkingskillsrelatedtolanguage learning,encouragingstudentstoactivelyreflectonhowtheylearn Usingawiderangeofclassroomroutines, studentsdevelopasolidgrammarandvocabularyfoundationtoengageindailydialoguesandwrittenactivities.As studentsdeveloptheskillsanddispositionsneededtoguidetheirownlearning,classesarestructuredtoprovide supportandscaffoldingfortheindividuallearner.
ClassIVSpanish
What do I learn about myself and my community by taking a stand? How does understanding the immigrant experience deepen my understanding of my country? How can I be a more independent learner? Thesequestionswillserveas touchstonesthroughouttheyearasstudentsdeveloptheskillsets,listening,speaking,reading,writingandcultural competency,thatarenecessarytoreachthecommunicativebenchmarksofthiscourse. Inthecontent-rich,culturally appropriatecontextprovidedinclass,studentslearntodiscusssocialissuesthatinterestthemaswellastakingpolitical action,theydeepentheirunderstandingofthelanguagebyexploringthejourneysofimmigrantfamiliesintheUS,and thecomplexnarrativesaroundimmigrationinthiscountry Buildingonpreviousyears,thecoursecontinuesto emphasizecriticalthinkingskillsrelatedtolanguageacquisition,andencouragesstudentstoactivelyreflectonhow theylearnaswellaswhattheyarelearning Studentswilldeveloptheskillsanddispositionsneededtoguidetheir ownlearning,withtheclassstructuredtoprovidethesupportandscaffoldingneededbytheindividuallearnerto achievegoalsshesetsforherselfwithinthecontextoftheexistingcurriculum
Chinese
ClassIChinese
Who am I as a learner? What does learning Chinese look like and feel like? ClassIlanguageemphasizescritical thinkingskillsrelatedtolanguageacquisitionandencouragesstudentstodevelopaproductiveandproactive“language acquisitionstance.” Studentswillbeaskedtoconsciouslydevelopandstrengthenspecificskillsandwillalwaysbe askedtoexplainwhattheyknowandhowitisthattheyknowit.ClassIMandarinstudentswillbegintoacquirethe phoneticspellingsystemPinyinwithtones,andthebuildingblocksofChinesecharactersthroughdrawingandacting. ThiscoursealsoservesasanintroductiontothegeographyoftheChinesespeakingworlds Studentswillconsider questionssuchas:WhospeaksChinese?Whatarethe culturesoftheseplaceslike?Studentswillexplorevarious aspectsofChina’sculturesthroughstories,rhymes,games,andvideos Studentswilldeveloptheskillsand dispositionsneededtoguidetheirownlearning,withtheclassstructuredtoprovidethesupportandscaffoldingneeded bytheindividuallearnertoachievegoals
ClassIIChinese
What do I learn from making the map of a community? What do I learn about the other map-makers from the maps they have created? How does careful observation and listening lead to problem solving? InClassIIMandarin,students willcontinuetodeveloptheircriticalthinkingskills,andpracticeusingavarietyofthinkingroutinestoacquirenew materials.Studentswillbedevelopingfiveskillssetsastheyrelatetolanguageacquisition:listening,speaking, reading,writingandculturalcompetency.Pinyin–themandarinphoneticsystemwillbeemphasized,withaparticular focusontypingChinesecharactersusingPinyin.At thesametime,studentswilllearntowritesomemostcommonly
usedChinesecharacters,fromstrokestostrokeorders,radicals,andformationofcharacters.MiniresearchonChinese culturaltopicswillbeconducted,includinghands-onexperiencewithcalligraphy,papercutting,andorigami This coursewillusetheiPadasatooltoenhanceeverydaylearning Studentswilldeveloptheskillsanddispositions neededtoguidetheirownlearning,withtheclassstructuredtoprovidethesupportandscaffoldingneededbythe individuallearnertoachievegoals
ClassIIIChinese
How do the patterns I observe in the language lead to understanding? Where is Chinese spoken in the world? What does it mean to be a Chinese speaker? What does it mean to me to be learning Chinese? ClassIIIMandarinwill continuetointroducestudentstotheofficialChineselanguage(Putonghua),itswritingsystem(simplifiedcharacters) anditsculture.Studentswillstartwithareviewofpronunciationrulesandgraduallymoveuptobuildingthe vocabularyfoundationneededfordailyconversationsrelatedtoone’scommunity.Studentswillmakeconnections betweentheChinesecultureandtheirhomeculturethroughviewingeducationalvideosthatexplorevariouscultural topics.Thisclasswillhelpstudentsdevelopaproductive andproactiveapproachthatworksforthemasstudentsof language.
ClassIVChinese
What strategies have I developed that help me learn? How does understanding the Chinese immigrant experience deepen my understanding of my country? How does what I am learning in Chinese class connect to who I am in the world? Thiscoursewillsupportstudentsastheyassimilatemorecomplexgrammarandvocabulary,andasthey challengethemselvestothinkinChinese Studentswillacquirenewexpressionsneededforaskingandanswering questionsaboutone’spastexperiencesandfutureplans Thecoursewillprovidestudentswithfeedback ontheir speaking,writing,listeningandreadingperformanceaswellastheirlearningprocessandstrategies Studentswill learntolookforpatternsintheirownworkandmakeuseofthoseobservationsbywayofreflectionthathelpsthem designandprioritizelearninggoals StudentswillalsoencountertheChineseculturethroughhistoricalevents happeningintheUSandaroundtheworld Theywill uncoverhiddenconnectionsbetweenChineselanguageandits manyforms,learningabouthowChineseidentitieslookedindifferenttimesandplaces.Thiscourse isconducted primarilyinMandarin.
VISUALANDPERFORMINGARTS
ClassI
AllClassIstudentsbegintheyearwithafocusonsinging,dancing,andlearningtobepartofanensembletheater production,culminatinginfullclassparticipationintheClassIMusical.StudentsinClassIspendthesecondhalfof theyearwithafullsemesterofvisualartsstudy Inaddition,allClassIstudentswillbuildafoundationinmusic performancethroughrequiredparticipationinthePerformingArtsBlock,byjoiningeitherthechorus oran instrumentalensemble
ClassII
AllClassIIstudentsstudyafullsemesterofvisualarts,andafullsemesterofperformingartsdividedintosixweeks eachofdance,drama,andmusic,settingafoundationformoreelectivechoiceinClassesIIIandIV Forthesixweeks ofmusic,twooptionsareavailable:generalmusicorabeginningstringsworkshop Inaddition,allClassIIstudents willbuildafoundationinmusicperformancethroughrequiredparticipationinthePerformingArtsBlock, byjoining eitherthechorusoraninstrumentalensemble.
ClassesIIIandIV
InClassIIIandthefirstsemesterofClassIV,studentswillbeginanexcitingelectiveprograminthearts. Students willchooseoneartscourseeachsemesterfromavarietyofofferingsinvisualarts,music,danceanddrama.Second semester,allClassIVstudentswillparticipatein agradeleveldramaexperienceintheformofaShakespeareplay, supplementedbyotherperformingartsopportunitiesinmusic,costuming,technicaltheater,anddance. Studentsin ClassIIIandIVwillalsohavetheoptiontocontinue participationinthePerformingArtsBlockbyjoining thechorus, danceensemble,oraninstrumentalensemble
ClassIIICourses: VisualArts
Animation
Inthisclass,studentswillexploreseveraldifferentmethodsofstorytellingthrougharangeoftraditionalanddigital techniquesofanimation,fromflipbookstocharcoaldrawingsandpapercutoutstoClaymation;studentswilllearnhow tousestoryboardingandlayouttoplaneachframeofastoryandwillbecomefamiliarwithdifferentprograms includingiStopMotion,iMovie,andtimelapse Offeredfirstsemester.
Sculpture
Inthisclass,studentswillexploreclay,plaster,wire,and papier mache,aswellasavarietyoftechniques,suchas building,carvingandmodeling Completedsculptureswillrangeinsizefromaheadofgarlictoalargeinstallationon ourschoolcampus.Wireand papier mache animals,abstractplasterformsinspiredbyartistssuchasConstantin BrancusiandHenryMoore,andwearableartmadefromavarietyofmaterialsincludingpaperclips,ducttape,and bubblewrapwillbecompleted.Offeredfirstsemester.
Drawing and Design
Throughassignmentsthatrangefromsculptureandceramicstodrawing,paintingand printmaking,studentslearnto applytheelementsofdesignandtheprinciplesofdrawingbothtwoandthreedimensionally.Studentsworkfromtheir imagination,observationandfromphotographsonprojectsthatincludepapersculptures,abstractcollages,celebrity portraitsanddigitaltessellations Thiscoursemarks thebeginningofaseriesofbothlowerandupperschoolcourses thatcompriseour“DrawingandPainting”track,andisanexcellentfoundationforanyfurtherworkinthevisualarts Offeredsecondsemester.
Ceramics
Inthisclass,studentswilllearnmanyhand-buildingtechniques,includingpinching,coiling,andslabbing,andprojects willrangefrompinch-potanimalstodecorativecoilvesselsbasedonancienttraditionalforms Throughout alloftheir work,studentswillconsiderthree-dimensionalformandsurfacetreatmentastheydevelopcraftsmanshipandpersonal expression.Useofvarioustoolsanddifferentglazingtechniqueswillalsobeincluded. Offeredsecondsemester.
ClassIIICourses: PerformingArts-Dance
Making Dances
Inthisclass,studentswilllearnsetrepertory(existingdances),experimentwithmovementimprovisation,createtheir owncompositionsandchoreography,andperforminclassforeachother Theclassallowsstudentsto takerisks,try newthings,andseewhatitisliketocreatetheirowndances Itisnotfocusedonperformanceinordertoallowfor creativeexplorationandrisktaking Offeredfirstsemester.
ClassIIICourses: PerformingArts-Theater
Stagecraft
Inthiscourse,studentswillbeintroducedtotechnicaltheaterpractices.Thiswillincludelearninghow touseavariety oftoolsinthesceneshop,learnbasicconstructiontechniques,andhowtosetupandbepartofthetechnicalcrew duringperformancesandeventspresentedinthetheater.Thestudentswillbetrainedinacollaborativeenvironment thatintroducesaspectsofprofessionaltheatre.Offeredfirstsemester.
Scripted/Unscripted
Studentswillread,rehearseandperformseveralscenesandmonologuesandlearntocreateavarietyofdifferent charactersusingcluesfromthetext. Thiswillbe pairedwithanintroductiontoimprovisationthroughgames, exercise,skitsandsketches Studentswilllearntothinkontheirfeetandcreatescenesoftheirown Offeredsecond semester.
ClassIIICourses: PerformingArts -Music
Drum, Strum, and More
Studentswillplayavarietyofinstrumentsincludingpercussioninstruments,acousticguitar,andmalletinstruments Theywilldeveloptheirsingingvoicesbystrengtheningtheirtechniqueanddevelopingtheirear Theirfirst performancewillbefortheUndertheLightspeprally Studentswilllearntoplaythe12-barbluesonguitar,bass, piano,xylophone,andpercussionwhileimprovisingusingthepentatonicscale;theirpreparationswillculminateina rockbandbluesjam. Studentswillalsoplayandsinginvariousgenreswithandwithoutscores,improvise,compose, andperforminensembles.Theywillhaveseveralperformances duringthesemester.Offeredfirstsemester.
Ebony and Ivory
Studentswilllearnbasicpianoplayingtechniquefromthestandardsoloandduetpianorepertoire.Theywillwork individuallyattheirownpaceonexercises,basicsightreadingandsolopiecesattheirparticularlevelofdevelopment. Studentswillalsoworkinpairsandsmallgroups,andtheywillhaveregularopportunitiestoperformwithandfor theirclassmates.Studentswilllearntodobasicimprovisationusingthechordprogressionlearnedinclass.Usingthe computerswiththepianos,studentswillexplorecreatingtheirownmusicusingGarageBandonthecomputer. Offeredsecondsemester.
Intro to Music Composition
Studentswilllearnthefundamentalsofcreatingtheirownoriginalmusicthroughthestudyofmusictheory,different musicalgenresandstyles,andvariouscomposers Studentswillexploreimprovisation,andtheywillalsolearnhowto usemusicnotationsoftware Thisclasswillcover thefollowingmusicalstyles:12-barblues,rock/pop,classical,and
more. Studentswillhaveopportunitiestoperformcompositionsinclass. Thiscourseisopentoallstudentswhoare comfortablereadingmusic.Offeredsecondsemester.
ClassIVCourses: VisualArts
Introduction to Darkroom and Digital Photography
Inthiscourse,studentswilllearnhowtomakebothanaloganddigitalphotographsandwillexplorethepossibilitiesof creatingimagesasameansofcommunicationandself-expressionthroughagrowingunderstandingofhowtoapply theprinciplesofphotography.Startingwiththemostbasicformofacamera,alight-tightchamberwithatinyhole, studentswillusepinholecamerasandwillthengoontousebothfilmanddigitalcamerastocompleteassignments rangingfromportraitstoarchitecture. Offeredfirstsemester.
Drawing and Painting
Thiscourseintroducesstudentstoarangeofapproachestoworkingwithpaintandothercolormedia,suchassoft pastel,pastelpencilandmarkers,whilecontinuingtoreinforcethefundamentalsoftwo-dimensionaldesignincluding composition,line,color,formandvalue Technical approachesrangefromthetraditionalstylesofunderpaintingused bytheoldmasterstomoreexperimentalmixedmediausefavoredbycontemporaryartists Subjectsincludelandscape, animals,stilllifeandportraiture Whileworking frombothphotographsandfromobservation,studentswilldrawfrom theirimaginationinanattempttotransformtheirsubjectmatterinawaythatreflectstheirartisticvoice Offeredfirst semester.
ClassIVCourses:PerformingArts-Theater
Introduction to Costuming
Studentswillbeintroducedtothemyriadofskillsnecessarytobringthecostumedesignofaproductiontogether The coursewillintroduceconceptsinscriptanalysis,rendering,costumedesign,andtechnology Asa project-based course,studentswillworkcollaborativelytocreatecostumepiecesforcharactersfromplaysandforuseinfuture productionsontheWinsorstage Thecourseisan opportunitytolearnpracticalsewingtechniquesanddevelop students’creativityandproblemsolvingskills All levelsofsewinganddrawingexperiencearewelcome Offered firstsemester.
Tech Theater
Inthiscourse,studentswillbeintroducedtotheatreprinciplesthroughanexplorationoflighting,set,andsound This willincludelearninghowtooperatethesoundandlightboard,howtouseavarietyoftoolsinthesceneshop,andhow tocreatedifferentpaintingtechniques.Thestudents willbetrainedinacollaborativeenvironmentthatintroduces aspectsofprofessionaltheatre.Allstudentsare welcome!Offeredfirstsemester.
ClassIVCourses:PerformingArts-Music
Noteworthy Women in Music
Studentswilllearnaboutadiversegroupofpowerfulfemaleperformers,composers,conductors,andbandleaderswho haverevolutionizedtheworldofmusicthroughouthistory. Thisproject-basedcoursewillbeamix ofmusichistory, musicappreciation,theoryandcomposition,andtheclasswillcovermusicfromavarietyofgenresincluding classical,country,jazz,pop,latin,soul,R&B,rap,andmore! Throughdailylisteningactivities,students willdevelop andusetheiractivelisteningandmusicalanalysisskillstowritemusicreviewsforschoolperformances,createtheir
ownmusic,anddistinguishcharacteristicsamongmanymusicalstyles. Allstudentsarewelcome! Offeredfirst semester.
Rock On: A Survey of American Music
StudentswilllearnaboutandperformmusicfromTaylor SwifttotheBeatles,andfromhip-hoptotheblues They willexplorethepopularmusicoftheUnitedStates,thenchoosespecificsongstolearnoninstrumentsincludingguitar, bass,piano,drumkit,xylophone,andvariouspercussioninstruments Theywillpracticesingingstylistically while developingharmonysinging,microphonetechnique,stagepresence,andpersonalexpression Thesemester will concludewithafinalperformance Offeredfirstsemester.
ShakespeareProject(Semester2)
AllstudentsparticipateintheannualShakespeareProject,whichinvolvesperformingtwoadaptationsofa ShakespeareplaythatstudentsreadintheirfirstsemesterEnglishclass. Inadditiontoactinginoneoftheshows, studentswillsupplementtheprojectwiththeirworkincostumeandsetdesign,music,anddance,withtheoverallgoal ofenhancingthedramaticexperienceinShakespeareandexposingstudentstovariousaspectsoftheproduction process. Theprojectwillculminateinperformances forUpperandLowerschoolstudentsinMay,alongwitha separateparentperformance.
LowerSchoolPerformingArtsBlock
PerformingArtsBlockensemblesareafullyearcommitment.
Dance
LSDanceEnsemble
TheLSDanceEnsembleisfocusedondevelopingbodycontrol,coordination,andbasicdancetechniquesfor jumping,leaping,falling,turningandcarvingspace Studentslearnanoriginalcontemporarydancethatblends popandmoderndanceinthefall Inthespring,studentsworkonsmallgroupchoreographyprojects TheLS DanceEnsembleperformsinformallyfortheLowerSchoolinthefallandspring
Music
LowerSchoolInstrumentalEnsemblesareanopportunityforinstrumentaliststoplaymusicinanensemblesetting. Studentsofalllevelsandabilitiescanparticipateinoneofthefollowinggroups:BeginningStringEnsemble, BeginningWindEnsemble,andLowerSchoolOrchestra. Studentswillneedtocompleteabriefauditionatthe beginningoftheschoolyearsotheycanbeplacedintheappropriategroup.Allgroupsperformthroughout theschool year. Studentsneedtoprovidetheirowninstruments.
LowerSchoolBeginningStringEnsemble
Thisgroupisopentoviolin,viola,cello,andbassstudentswithapproximately0-3yearsofplaying experience Studentswilldevelopfundamentalskillssuchastoneandintonation,strengthentheirnote reading,andlearnhowtoplaywithothersinalargerensemble Studentsneedtoprovidetheirowninstrument
LowerSchoolBeginningWindEnsemble
Thisgroupisopentowoodwindandbrassstudentswithapproximately0-3yearsofplayingexperience. Studentswillbuildfundamentalskillssuchastoneproductionandintonation,strengthentheirnotereading, andlearnhowtoplaywithothersinalargerensemble. Studentsneedtoprovidetheirowninstrument.
LowerSchoolOrchestra
Thisgroupisopentointermediatetoadvancedstring(violin,viola,cello,bass,harp),woodwind(flute,oboe, clarinet,bassoon),brass,percussion,andpianostudentswithatleast3yearsofplayingexperience Students willstrengthenmusicianshipandensembleskillswhilelearningadiversesetofrepertoire Allstudents should becomfortableplayinginavarietyofkeysignatureswithupto4sharpsandflats,andstringplayersshouldbe abletoshifttodifferentpositions Pleasenotethatthereisverylimitedspaceforpianists All string, woodwind,andbrassstudentsneedtoprovidetheirowninstrument
LowerSchoolChorus: LSChoruswillbedividedintotwosections.Eachgroupwillhaveachancetolearnitsown repertoireaswellasmusicthatbothgroupswillsingasalargechoralensemble.LSChoruswilllearnmusicfromthe SAandSSAstandardliteraturetohelpdevelopbasic choralsingingskillswhilelearninggoodtoneproduction, intonation,breathcontrol,phrasing,diction,basicsightsingingskills,useofdynamicsandarticulation,andfollowing aconductor.LSChoruswillhaveseveralopportunitiestoperformduringtheyear.
Chorus1
OpentoClassIandIIstudents.
Chorus2
OpentoClassIIIandIVstudents
HEALTHANDWELLNESS
ClassI
StudentsspendtheiryearinHealthclassfocusingonbuildingasafe,trustingcommunityofpeers;exploringphysical, emotionalandsocialhealth;goalsetting,decisionmakingandcommunicationskills,navigatingrelationships, understandingthebasicsofhumandevelopmentandpuberty;andpracticinghealthyselfmanagementbehaviors.
ClassII
Studentscontinuetheirexplorationofpubertyandadolescentdevelopment,withaparticularemphasisonthe developmentofsocial-emotionalskillsandhealthydecision-making,bothinreallifeandonline.Inaddition,they focusondefiningfamily,recognizingpositiveandnegativeinfluencesintheirlives,healthynutrition,fitness,andthe importanceofeffectivecommunicationinrelationships Thegirlsparticipateingroupprojects,inweeklyjournal activities,inspecialclassdiscussionswithUpperSchoolPeersupporters,andinconversationswithadultsintheir familiesandcommunities
ClassIII
StudentsprepareformiddleschoolsociallifeinHealthClass,exploringself-esteem,healthycommunication,moral andethicalpeerinteractions;andwaystopreventandstanduptoexclusionandunkindness Inadditionstudents practicewaystocopewithstress,theimportanceofsleep,andthenegativeimpactofalcohol,drugsandtobacco Throughsafediscussions,groupprojects,andtheuseofmediaandtechnology,thegirlslearntointeractwithand participateinsocietyinstrongandresponsibleways.
ClassIV
Studentsdelvemoredeeplyintoquestionsabouttheirowndevelopmentandlifepath,anddevelopimportantskillsto takecareofthemselvesandadvocateforothers.A specialemphasisispaidtomentalhealth,analyzingpositiveand negativeinfluences,sexuality,effectivecommunicationskillsincludingsocialnetworks,practicingrefusaland decisionmakingskills,managingstress,andfinally,makingasuccessfultransitiontoUpperSchool.
PHYSICALEDUCATION
Eachyear,studentsarerequiredtoparticipateininstructionalphysicaleducationseveraltimespercycleduringthe schoolday Additionally,afterschoolsportsoptions areavailableforstudentsbeginninginClassII Belowisan exampleofunitsthatstudentsmightrotatethroughduringthedifferentseasons
ClassI
Fall
Cooperativeandfitnessrelatedgames,fieldhockey,kickball,soccer
Winter
Basketball,floorhockey,swimming
Spring
Lacrosse,racketsports,softball
ClassII
Fall
Fieldhockey,fitness,Nitroball,soccer
Winter
Basketball,fitness,squash,swimming
Spring
Fitness,lacrosse,racketsports,softball
ClassIII
Fall
Fieldhockey,fitness,soccer,volleyball
Winter
Basketball,fitness,floorhockey,swimming
Spring
Fitness,lacrosse,softball,squash,teamhandball
ClassIV
Fall
FitnessI,flagfootball,nitroball,ultimatefrisbee
Winter
FitnessI&II,floorhockey,rowing,squash,volleyball
Spring
Olympicgames,racketsports,rugby,softball,spikeball
LOWERSCHOOLSTEMCOURSES
ClassI:LibraryandTechnologySkills
Inthiscourse,studentslearntoaccessqualityinformationforpleasurereadingandresearchinbothprintbooksand digitalsourcesusingtheonlinelibrarycatalog,subscriptiondatabases,andsearchengines Studentslearntoask probingresearchquestions,assesssourcesforreliabilityandobjectivity,andpracticegoodscholarshipbyaccurately paraphrasinginformationandcitingsourcesusingMLAformat Thesecondsemesterisprimarilydevoted toeach studentcompletingaresearchprojectoftheirchoosing Studentsalsoexploredigitalcitizenshipandonlinesafety
ClassII:Coding
Inthishands-oncourse,studentslearnhowtoprogramacomputertocreatedynamicmultimediaoutputusingthe Processinglanguage(Java-based)andP5.js(Javascript-based).Studentsdeveloptheskillsoftext-basedsyntaxand gainexperiencewithvariousdatatypes,conditionals,functions,userinputs,graphics,physicalcomputing,andmore, whiledesigningvideogamesandotherdigitalinteractions.
ClassIIISTEMCourses
StudentsinClassIIItakebothofthecoursesdescribedbelow,oneeachsemester.HalfoftheClassIIIstudentswill takeCircuitsandElectronicsfirst,andtheotherhalfwilltakeCADfor2D&3DFabricationfirst.
ClassIII:Circuits,ComponentsandSignals
Inthiscourse,studentsbuildontheirknowledgeofprogrammingfromClassIIanddevelopadeeper understandingofelectronicsbylearningtobuildanddesigncircuitsusingavarietyofcomponentssuchas LEDs,servomotors,potentiometers,piezobuzzers,andproximitysensors,tonameafew Students prototype,test,andrevisetheircircuitsonbreadboards Inaddition,embeddedcodingisusedtointerfacewith theirdesigns
ClassIII:ComputerAidedDesignfor2Dand3DFabrication
UsingComputerAidedDesign(CAD)softwaretorender andfabricateprecisegeometriesformechanicalparts andinterestingforms,studentswillpracticemethodsin3Dvisualization,additiveandsubtractive manufacturing,rapidprototyping,measurement,andqualityassessment.Intheprocess,theywillgain experiencewithtolerance,precision,andmaterialsofvaryingcharacteristicsthroughthelensofengineering design.3Dprintersaswellaslasercutters/engravers,operatingin2D,willbeusedregularly.Studentswillalso learnabouthowthesemachinesfunction,howtheyaremaintained,howtodesignfortheirstrengths,andhow totesttheirdesignsasthebasisforimprovement.
ClassIVSTEMStudios
ClassIVstudentshavethechoiceofadesignteam wheretheywillhavetheopportunitytoapplytheskillslearnedin theirClassesI-IIISTEMclassestointerdisciplinaryengineeringchallenges Teamsarethematicinnature andfollowa design-thinking or project-based learning model Allprojectsinvolvesomecoding,electronics,and3Ddesign,ina contextchosenbythestudents Allstudentsselect onesemester-longcoursefromthelistbelow The othersemester, studentsmayelecttoparticipateonanotherteamortohaveastudy
TheAutomationLab
Withmillionsofyearsofevolutionaryexperience,naturehasfoundwonderfulsolutionstocommonproblems. Withoutleadership,antsorganizefoodcollectionlines,in-the-darkbatsadapthighfrequencysoundto“see,” andthebranchingpatternsoftreesoptimizetheircollectionofsolarenergy.Thus,studentsinthe Automation
Labwillapproachtheirprojectsfromtheperspectiveof“biomimetics,”drawingfrombiologyfordesign inspiration Studentswillintegrateprogramming,electronics,3Ddesign,andotherprototypingskillsand applythemtocreatemachinesorrobotsthatfunctionautonomously Theywilldevelophabitsofprototyping, engageinadesigncycle,furthertheirfabricationskills,establishmethodsofqualitycontrol,andparticipatein interdisciplinaryproblemsolving
DataAcquisitionTeam
Buildingdevicestomakerealmeasurements,youcouldfinallysettlequestionsaboutwhocanmakethemost noiseandwhichisthesmelliestcheese,youcouldanswerlocalenvironmentalquestionsaboutthepollutants aroundusandnearbysoilquality,youcouldbeginscientificinvestigationsintoheartrateandelectrical activityinmuscles,oryoucouldfollowcuriositytoallowustohearwhatbatswouldsoundlike,ifonlywe couldhearultrasonicfrequencies.Asamemberof theDataAcquisitionteam,studentswillbuildand use scientificinstruments,andthenvisualizedatatoilluminatetheinvisibleandexperiencethehidden.Students willbeintroducedto“bigdata”andfindagencythroughinformation.Theywillintegrateprogramming, electronics,3Ddesign,andotherSTEMskillsandapplythemtotheacquisition,processing,andapplicationof data.Studentswilldevelophabitsofprototyping,engageinadesigncycle,furthertheirfabricationskills, establishmethodsofqualitycontrol,andparticipateininterdisciplinaryproblemsolving.
ThePrototypingLab
Foranyonewhoeverwantedtheirumbrellatotellthemwhentobringit,theirvacuumtocheckacalendarand operateitself,theirfishtobefedbyamobileapp,orforanyonewhoevernoticedthatalotofthingscouldbe better,thePrototypingHousewillrethinkandredesignthecommonplacetobesmarter,moreefficient,more interesting,andmorecapable Studentswillintegrateprogramming,electronics,3Ddesign,andother prototypingskillsandapplythemtotinkerwiththethingsaroundusandtofabricateoriginalideas Theywill develophabitsofprototyping,engageinadesigncycle,furthertheirfabricationskills,establishmethodsof qualitycontrol,andparticipateininterdisciplinaryproblemsolving
ManifestArtsSTEAMStudio
Arthasalwayshadarelationshipwithtechnology.Paintersneededcanvasandsculptorsneededchisels,and youhaveLEDs,servomotors,infraredsensors,3Dprinters,computers,andsomuchmore.IntheManifest ArtsStudio,studentswilldesignphysicalobjectsthatchangeorevolveovertimeandinrelationtotheir environment.Theywillintegrateprogramming,electronics, 3Ddesign,andotherprototypingskillsandapply themtoproduceworksofartwithwhichwephysicallyinteract.Studentswilldevelophabitsofprototyping, engageinadesigncycle,furthertheirfabricationskills,establishmethodsofqualitycontrol,andparticipatein interdisciplinaryproblemsolving
TemporalArtsSTEAMStudio
Performingartsareexperiencedtemporally,asafunctionoftime,andtheyhavealsoevolvedovertime,as technologydefinedthesoundofeachera’smusic,advancedcomplexstageproductions,andcreatedfilmfrom staticpictures Whenwepushtechnologyforward, wecanadvanceartitself TheTemporalArtsStudio will engineerequipmentforcreatingworksofsoundandmotion Studentswillintegrateprogramming,electronics, 3Ddesign,andotherprototypingskillsandapplythemtoproduceartthatweexperiencethroughperformance Theywilldevelophabitsofprototyping,engageinadesigncycle,furthertheirfabricationskills,establish methodsofqualitycontrol,andparticipateininterdisciplinaryproblemsolving.
InteractionDesignStudio
Designisproblemsolving,butalsomuchmore Designersmaketheartofourdailylives,theyshape technologyforhumanneeds,theyapplythoughttorationallymakedecisionsfromtheminutiaeoffontsonan interfacetotheoverarchingarchitectureofamachineandbeyond,andtheybridgefieldsfromengineeringto art MembersoftheInteractionDesignStudiowillexercisebrainstormingtechniques,utilizemethodsofrapid prototyping,conductqualitativeresearch,iterate,andputhumaninteractionfrontandcenter Studentswill exploresolutions,lookingbeyondmerelyovercomingtechnicalhurdlestomakethingsthatreflectthepeople theyaremadefor Theywillintegrateprogramming, electronics,3D/2Ddesign,andotherprototypingskills andapplythemtodesigntheproductswithwhichweinteract