Course of Study Guide 2014-2015

WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL COURSE OF STUDY GUIDE 2014-2015

CONTENTS MISSION OF THE SCHOOL

3

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

4-5

DAILY SCHEDULE

6

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

6-7

STANDARD COURSE OF STUDY BY FORM

8

GRADING SYSTEM

8

ACADEMIC INFORMATION (ACADEMIC HONORS, EXAMS, STUDY HALL, ETC)

8-10

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS BY DEPARTMENT ENGLISH

11

FINE ARTS

14

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

18

HISTORY

22

INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION/SAT PREP

26

MATHEMATICS

27

RELIGION

30

SCIENCE

31

ELECTIVES AT WOODBERRY

35

STUDY ABROAD

36

FACULTY

37

MISSION OF THE SCHOOL At Woodberry Forest School, our mission is to develop in our students, under Christian principles, a high sense of honor and moral integrity, a deep respect for sound scholarship, a full acceptance of responsibility, a love of excellence, and a desire to be of service to others. We aim to help our students become leaders of and active contributors to society. We also intend to prepare them to enter the best colleges and universities consistent with their potential.

At Woodberry, we are committed to ensuring our students' growth. We provide them a broad range of experiences to balance their academic, artistic, physical, and spiritual development. By offering students well-conceived challenges--together with support and encouragement--we instill in them self-confidence and a desire to achieve excellence throughout their lives. Woodberry is committed to helping boys acquire the strong values and capacity to reason that enable them to deal effectively with important intellectual, ethical, and social problems and to lead rewarding private lives. Our faculty is more concerned with teaching students how to think than what to think.

The Woodberry community fosters an atmosphere of civility and cooperation, urging its members to treat one another with the respect and consideration they hope to receive in return. Underpinning this effort is our honor system, which we view not as a rigid code, but as a way of life fundamental to the decency of our community. At Woodberry Forest, we seek to maintain a secure and healthy environment for our students, so that every one of them will come to think of the school as a second home.

WOODBERRY FOREST 2014-2015 ACADEMIC CALENDAR AUGUST 2014 SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY 2014

FEBRUARY

Wednesday Wednesday Thursday Monday, Tuesday Wednesday-Friday Thursday Friday, Saturday Saturday Sunday Sunday, Monday Tuesday Saturday Wednesday Thu/Friday Fri/Saturday Friday Saturday Sat/ Tuesday Tuesday Wednesday Friday Saturday Fri/Saturday Monday Saturday Thursday, Friday Saturday Saturday Saturday Thurs-Saturday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tuesday Monday Wednesday Friday Saturday Saturday Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday Friday Saturday Saturday Tuesday Wednesday Friday Friday Monday Saturday Thurs.-Saturday Friday.-Saturday

20 20 28 1-2 3-5 4 5-6 6 7 7-8 9 13 24 2-3 3-4 10 11 11-14 14 15 17 18 17-18 20 25 30-31 1 1 8 6-8 17 18 19 20 21 22 25 1 3 5 8 13 17 18 19 5 23 17 24 27 28 30 30 2 7 12-14 13-14

Invited candidates for varsity football arrive Invited candidates for varsity soccer arrive Invited candidates for varsity cross country arrive New faculty orientation at 6:00PM on Monday Opening faculty meetings begin at 8:30 AM New international students arrive Orientation for new international students Old boys arrive by 4:00 p.m.

New students arrive by noon; opening chapel service Orientation First day of classes ACT Last day to drop/add classes Advisory Council Fifth- and Sixth-form Parents’ Weekend End of 1st marking period SAT and SAT subject tests (Sixth-form) Fourth-Form Experience Grades/comments due by noon Faculty meeting at 7:00 pm Adviser comments due by noon (5th, 6th ) PSAT Third- and Fourth-form Parents’ Weekend Adviser comments due by noon (3rd, 4th ) ACT Fall Play Fall Play Grandparents’ Day SAT and SAT Subject Tests (Sixth-form) Fall meeting of the board of trustees Fall exam period: Review Day Morning Exam: Foreign Language Exams: Conflicts, Science Exams: History, Fine Arts/Religion Exams: Math, English Students depart for Thanksgiving break at 6:00 AM Trimester grades/comments due by noon Students return by 6:00 PM Faculty meeting at 7:00 PM Adviser comments due by noon SAT and SAT subject tests ACT School candlelight service Extended community candlelight service Students depart for Christmas break at 6:00 AM Students return by 6:00 PM End of 3rd marking period Winter semi-formal SAT and SAT subject tests (Fifth-form) Grades/comments due by noon Faculty meeting at 7:00 PM Adviser comments due by noon Students depart for long winter weekend at 6:00 AM Long winter weekend ends at 6:00 PM ACT Winter main stage production Winter meeting of the board of trustees

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

Fri /Sunday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tuesday Monday Wednesday Fri-Saturday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Fri / Saturday Saturday Friday Saturday Sunday Tuesday Wednesday Friday Fri - Saturday Saturday Monday Friday-Saturday Thurs.-Saturday Fri – Sunday Friday Friday Saturday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Sunday Monday Tuesday Saturday Saturday

27-28 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 14 10 23 25 27-28 2 3 4 5 17-18 18 24 25 26 28 29 1 1-2 2 4 8-9 14-16 22-24 22 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 6 13

Closed weekend End of winter trimester Exams: consultation day Exams: Math (morning exam) Exams: Conflicts, English Exams: Foreign Language, Religion/Fine Arts Exams: Science, History Students depart for spring break at 6:00 am SAT (no subject tests) Grades/comments due by noon Students return by 6:00 PM Faculty meeting 7:00 pm (no adviser comments) Invite Back Weekend Special schedule: B, A, A lab, D. E, E lab Special schedule: A, C, C lab, B, G, F No classes Easter Sunday Reunion weekend ACT End of 5th marking period Spring formal Fourth-Form Service Day Grades/comments due by noon Faculty meeting at 7:00 pm Adviser comments due by noon Advisory Council SAT and SAT Subject tests (Fifth-form) AP exam period begins Spring meeting of the Board of Trustees Spring main stage production Closed weekend End of Spring trimester/Review day Amici Night Graduation Exams: Science Exams: Conflicts, History Exams: Math, Fine Arts/Religion Exams: English, Foreign Language Students depart at 6:00 AM Final grades/comments due by noon End of year Faculty meeting 8:30 AM Final adviser comments due by 3:00 PM SAT and SAT Subject tests ACT

DAILY SCHEDULE Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1

8:00

E

F

A

B

C

D

2

8:45

F

G

B

C

A

E

3

9:30

F LAB

G LAB

B LAB

C LAB

CONSULTATION

A

4

10:15

G

E

C

D

B

B

5

11:00

A

D

D

E

G

6

11:45

MEETING

C

D LAB

E LAB

F

12:30 – 1:00 7

1:00

B

E

F

8

1:45

C

F

G

9

2:30

D

G

A

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS Entering third formers must complete at least 20 credits, including: English Mathematics* Foreign language * Science ** History Fine Arts ** Religion **

4 credits 2-4 credits 1-3 credits 3 credits 3 credits 1 credit 1/3 credit

English 300 through 600 Including Geometry, Algebra 2, and one course beyond Algebra 2 Completion of the third level of one language Conceptual Physics, Chemistry, Biology Stories and Histories, Modern European and US History Intro to arts trimester courses, or ensembles or other fine arts courses Biblical Survey

Entering fourth formers must complete at least 15 credits, including: English Mathematics * Foreign language * Science **

3 credits 1-3 credits 1-3 credits 2-3 credits

History Fine Arts ** Religion **

2 credits 1 credit 1/3 credit

English 400 through 600 Including Geometry, Algebra 2, and one course beyond Algebra 2 Completion of the third level of one language Completion of Chemistry, Biology (either Cellular or Ecological), and Physics Modern European and US History Intro to arts trimester courses, or ensembles or other fine arts courses Biblical Survey

Entering fifth formers must complete at least 10 credits including English Mathematics * Foreign language *

2 credits 1-2 credits 1-2 credits

History Science ** Fine Arts ** Religion **

1-2 credits 1-2 credits 2/3 credit 1/3 credit

English 500 through English 600 Including Geometry, Algebra 2, and one course past Algebra 2 Completion of the third level of one language or 2 levels of different languages Including a course in US History Completion of Chemistry, Biology, and Physics Intro to arts trimester courses, or ensembles or other fine arts courses Biblical Survey

*Initial placement in math and foreign language is done through summer placement tests **Woodberry Forest accepts a student’s successful completion of a high school level class in Religion, Fine Arts, History, or one of the sciences as completion of the parallel Woodberry requirement.

A student who finishes the year with an NC (no credit) in a sequential course must repeat the course or take the course in an approved summer school setting prior to advancing to the next level. A student who finishes the year with a D or D+ in a sequential course may be tutored over the summer in preparation for a re-exam, or may choose to repeat the course the next year.

Any student desiring to take—or required to take—a course for credit during the summer must have the course approved beforehand by the academic dean and the relevant department chair. The student should expect to present the department chair with a syllabus and course description. The department chair will make the final decision on the course’s validity.

At the end of the winter term, a student whose academic progress is less than satisfactory will have his reenrollment contract withheld. Parents and the student will be notified of this by a letter from the academic dean. This withhold is always reviewed at the final faculty meeting, and if the boy’s performance has improved appropriately, the re-enrollment contract will be released at that time.

If a student’s academic performance is unsatisfactory at the end of the school year, that student may be denied re-enrollment regardless of whether or not the contract had been initially withheld after the winter trimester.

USUAL COURSE OF STUDY BY FORM All students must be enrolled in at least five classes per trimester

THIRD FORM English Mathematics Science History Foreign Language Fine Arts

English 300 By placement test, usually Algebra 1 or Geometry Conceptual Physics Stories and Histories Level one or the level indicated by the placement test Introduction to the Arts, or Ensemble or Choir

FOURTH FORM English Mathematics Science History Foreign Language Fine Arts

English 400 or English 400W or Honors English 400 Next course in sequence, normally Geometry or Algebra 2 Chemistry or Honors Chemistry Modern European History or Honors Modern European History Level indicated by the placement test or promotion Introduction to Arts, or Ensemble or Choir or Dozen or other fine arts elective

FIFTH FORM English

English 500 or English 500W or Honors English 500 Literature or Honors English 500 Language, Honors English 500 Next course in sequence, usually Algebra 2 or Pre-Calculus Biology: A Cellular Approach, or Biology: An Ecological Approach, or Honors Biology; or another science if the student has already taken Biology US History or Honors US History Next course in sequence, or honors level courses or a new language Choir, Dozen, ensembles, intro or intermediate courses in fine arts Fine arts electives, Honors Advanced Acting and Directing Biblical Survey (1 trimester course, taken either fifth or sixth form year)

Mathematics Science History Foreign Language Fine Arts Religion SIXTH FORM English Mathematics

English 600 or Honors English 600 Pre-Calculus or Applied Calculus or Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry, or Honors Calculus B or Honors Calculus C, or Honors Statistics, Honors Intro to Computer Science No required course. Anatomy and Physiology or courses available at Honors level No required course. Honors American Government, Honors Economics or Economics, the 60s, Honors Constitutional Law, Honors Psychology, Psychology Next course in sequence, or an honors courses or a new language Choir, Dozen, ensembles, intro or intermediate courses in fine arts, Woodworking, Honors Advanced Acting and Directing, Honors Art History, Honors Studio Art, Photography, Digital Filmmaking Biblical Survey (1 trimester course)

Science History Foreign Language Fine Arts Religion

GRADING SYSTEM: A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D NC INC W NE

4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.0 0.0

Excellent Excellent Good Good Good Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory Marginally passing Marginally passing No credit Incomplete Withdrawn No exam

93-100 90-92 87-89 83-86 80-82 77-79 73-76 70-72 67-69 60-66 Below 60

NG

No grade

ACADEMIC HONORS Students receive a weight point of .5 for each Honors or AP course taken. Grades are not changed on either a report card or transcript, but the weighted GPA is included on all reports.

Students earn academic honors each trimester with weighted GPA’s as follows: Honors 3.4 and above High Honors 3.7 and above Walker Scholar 4.0 and above Students with year-end averages of 3.4 and above earn special academic honors seals on their transcripts.

Membership in the national Cum Laude Society recognizes academic excellence and personal character, and Woodberry Forest has been a member in the society since 1952. The school may induct a maximum of 20% of the graduating class each year, with up to one-half of that number selected in the spring of their fifth-form year. Membership is determined by calculation of a student’s grade-point average for the last five trimesters completed at Woodberry Forest. For example, membership for sixth formers is determined by the gradepoint average from the three trimesters of their junior year and the first two trimesters of their senior year.

Likewise for fifth formers, the grade-point average is calculated from the three trimesters of the fourth form and the first two of the fifth.

The diploma at Woodberry Forest notes three distinctions: Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude. These are determined by final academic standings. The top 10% is designated Summa Cum Laude, the next 10% as Magna Cum Laude and the next 10% as Cum Laude. This is an internal academic distinction and not to be confused with membership in the Cum Laude Society, described above.

The class valedictorian, the top student of the graduating class, delivers the only speech at the school’s graduation ceremony. The boy so designated is selected after evaluating his entire body of work, while focusing more strongly on the three trimesters of the fifth form and the first two of the sixth.

Only classes taken at Woodberry Forest are included on the Woodberry Forest transcript, and only Woodberry courses are used to determine academic standing and honors. The registrar and the office of college counseling will include all other transcripts, along with the transcript of any courses taken during the summer, as a part of the application packet sent to colleges.

GRADES OF D AND NC

In non-sequential courses, students who earn a D will be promoted without any further obligations. In sequential courses, a student who earns less than a C- will be required to complete additional work (summer school, or being tutored and having a successful re-exam) before promotion to the next level in the sequence.

Upon successful completion of either the summer school course or the re-exam, the D will be changed to a Con the school’s transcript.

Students who successfully repeat a course will have the grade of the successfully repeated course recorded on the transcript as the grade of record. The first grade will be recorded as withdrawn.

Underformers who finish a class with the grade of NC have three options: 1. Repeat the course in its entirety.

2. Attend an approved summer school course.

3. Be tutored in preparation for a re-exam.

After consulting with the department chair, the dean of academic affairs will notify the student’s parents as to which option will be required. If an underformer earns an NC in a trimester course, the grade is recorded on the transcript.

If a senior earns an NC in a course, he will not graduate. Summer work will need to be completed to ensure credit and to complete graduation requirements.

EXAMINATION POLICIES •

Every year-long course shall have an examination three times a year. Only the headmaster can make exceptions.

• •

Departments determine the weight of the trimester exam and that weight may vary from 20% to 33% for fall and winter exams. The spring exam in year-long courses may count as much as 25% of the final grade.

There are no final exams for sixth formers. All underclassmen will have final exams in each course, including AP courses.

DROP-ADD POLICY Add: Students may add a course only in the first three weeks in which is meets. After this point, only the dean of academic affairs, the department chair, or the instructor of the class in question can initiate adding a course to a student’s schedule.

Drop: Students may initiate dropping a course only in the first three weeks in which it meets AND after obtaining permission from their adviser and the instructor involved. After this point, only the dean of academic affairs, the department chair, or the instructor of a course can initiate a student’s dropping a course.

Change of levels: Students may change the level of a course (regular to Honors, Honors to regular, level 1 to level 2, etc.) after consulting with the teacher, the department chair, the advisor, and the dean of academic affairs. Seniors must also have the approval of their college counselor.

Courses dropped in the first half of the trimester will not be recorded on transcripts. Courses dropped in the second half will receive grades of W on the transcript.

EVENING STUDY HALL AND 5:20 STUDY HALL

Evening study hall: The two-hour study hall period at Woodberry Forest is among the most important times of the day. Students do not receive phone calls, text messages, or use the social networks of the Internet. The dorms are monitored by a faculty duty team, and all students are expected to be actively engaged in academic work. Study hall meets from 7:45 until 10:00 with a 15-minute break from 8:45 until 9:00 from Sunday through Friday nights. There is a proctored study hall which meets from Monday through Friday in Edwards Lecture Hall for students who need extra attention.

5:20: If a student comes to class unprepared, either because he has not had time to complete the assignment or he has simply not done the assigned work, a teacher may assign him to 5:20 study hall, which meets from 5:20 to 6:05 on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoon. Students may not leave early, so they need to bring other work in case they finish the previously incomplete work. This time period is an opportunity for the student to complete work, and not to be seen as a punishment for poor planning. Students cannot put themselves in 5:20. If they find that they need extra time to complete assigned work, they should speak with their afternoon activity supervisor or coach about being excused early.

ASSIGNING TESTS AND TESTING DAYS Students do not have to take more than two assigned tests or major papers/lab reports in any one academic day. The student may select which of his previously assigned tests he will take and which he will need to reschedule. He should take the test(s) that he chooses to postpone in the earliest possible slot available which will allow him reasonable preparation time. This should be arrived at through discussion with his teacher.

Monday is reserved for English. All tests and papers that the English department gives are scheduled for Mondays and no other department may assign a major paper or test for that day of the week.

Students should inform their teachers of the need to re-schedule their tests in a timely manner, usually 24 hours or more before the test is administered.

It is the student's choice as to which test he will take and which he will choose to postpone. The order in which tests are announced does not create the order in which students must take the tests.

ENGLISH With a curriculum that embraces both the traditional and the progressive, the Woodberry Forest English Department teaches critical reading and effective writing at every grade level. Starting in the ninth grade, students learn to organize their thoughts coherently and to express their ideas in clear, precise prose, and then they begin to experiment with style, voice, figures of speech, wit, rhetorical strategies, poetic devices, and form. Their reading assignments, ranging from Shakespeare and his contemporaries to the most recent memoirs, essays, and poetry, reinforce the principles of good writing and reveal minds that have defined our own and other cultures. But we also use clippings from the daily newspaper, current magazine articles, films, letters, speeches, websites, and advertisements to engage, instruct, inspire, and sometimes provoke our students, hence our claim to be both traditional and progressive. While we demand that our students encounter familiar canonical writers from the past, write in standard English, and master the principles of English grammar, we also employ non-canonical texts, visual arts, and modern media to prompt our students’ thinking. The complementary processes of reading and writing constitute the foundation of what the English Department teaches, and everything else—grammar, vocabulary, test-taking skills, research— must contribute to the primary goal of producing nuanced, thoughtful, canny readers and confident, controlled writers.

In the third and fourth forms, classes cover standard English grammar, formal and informal essay writing, and readings from different centuries in five genres: essay, poetry, drama, novel, and memoir. The students in the fifth and sixth forms write in longer, more sophisticated forms and study American, British, and world literature in depth.

The study of literature is skill-based, rather than content-based. The English Department asks its students to learn how to read actively, how to decode a complex text, how to respond to voices from earlier centuries, and how to respond to works in any genre of nonfiction or fiction.

The study of writing progresses from basic work in the paragraph to the personal narrative and finally to more formal analytical writing. In the fourth form students take a timed writing exam in December to evaluate their ability to write a personal narrative and again in April to demonstrate their ability to analyze a text. In the fall of the fifth form students begin to work with rhetorical strategies. The sixth form classes revisit and expand on the skill set of earlier forms. Every student meets at least once per marking period with his English teacher for a private conference to discuss writing problems and how to eliminate them.

English 300: English 300 for incoming third formers emphasize skill development in reading, grammar, vocabulary, literary analysis, and composition. Weekly writing assignments focus on description and personal narrative in the first two trimesters and shift to analytical assignments in the third trimester. The class introduces students to the techniques and lexicon of critical reading as it encourages the life-long pleasure to be found in reading, and it likewise emphasizes writing as a process that requires prewriting and rewriting. Students develop oral skills through the recitation of poems or excerpts, the leading of a class discussion on a literary work, and the delivering of oral book reports; build vocabulary through weekly quizzes, study of Greek and Latin roots, the study of words in context, and the examination of vocabulary within the texts chosen reading and study; and improve their understanding of grammar. The course also stresses study skills associated with the English class. In the spring the students see a performance of a Shakespearean play they read earlier in the year. Sample texts include Warriner’s Grammar, August Wilson’s Fences, Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Hannah Tinti’s The Good Thief, and Larry Watson’s Montana 1948.

English 400: English 400 for fourth formers focuses on the continued mastery of grammar while it broadens the students’ understanding of literature. Students read representative works in drama, poetry, short story, and the novel. A timed writing exam, administered twice a year, measures each student’s progress in writing both personal and argumentative essays. English 400 is distinguished by its focus on literary genres, on the terms useful for understanding literature, on close attention to the personal essay, and on its emphasis on the longer analytical essay by the end of the year. Literary analysis in English 400 builds upon and elaborates on that covered in the third form. In addition, students practice the close reading of a text for tone, nuance, implication, and its effect on a reader. Sample texts include William Shakespeare’s

Macbeth, Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

English 500: In English 500, all sections concentrate on American literature in specific genres: American prose, American drama, American poetry. Every student takes at least 15 vocabulary quizzes in the course of the year, and every student covers the principles of how to lay out an effective, sustained argument in a variety of forms, from the personal essay appropriate to a college application to a formal essay appropriate for publication. Honors students may choose to specialize in preparation for the A.P. English Literature exam, the A.P. English Language exam, or both. English 500 students review and build on the close-reading and diverse writing skills covered in the fourth form, practice writing in longer and more complex forms, including document-based questions, hone their editing and proofreading skills, and examine basic rhetorical strategies—appeal to emotion, appeal to reason, appeal to common values, and appeal on the basis of a reliable character. The course pays special attention to point of view, tone, narrative structure, connotation and denotation of language, levels of diction, figures of speech, tone shifts, irony, allusion, and validity of supporting evidence. Sample works include Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Frederick Douglass’s autobiography, Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Graff and Birkenstein’s They Say, I Say. English 600: English 600 prepares students who wish to take an Advanced Placement exam to do so, though the course is much more concerned with providing a satisfying and challenging culmination to the study of English in high school. Students who complete the course should be prepared for any reading and writing assignment that they will face as college freshmen and should feel confident of their preparation regardless of where they enroll. Because most of the students in English 600 Honors have already taken an Advanced Placement exam in English, the course looks beyond the preparation for A. P. exams to consider preparation for college English and lifetime success with reading and writing.

Students choose from a set of year-long electives. The choices for 2014-15 are listed below with course descriptions written by the individual teachers: Mythology and Modern Literature: There are certain basic stories—we’ll call them myths—that repeat themselves, over and over in almost every culture: stories of creation, stories of heroes, quests, fantastical beasts, floods, the destruction of the world, and so on. If, in fact, these same stories are told and retold everywhere and in every era, then they should also appear even in our modern and skeptical scientific age.

All of literature is nothing more than a constant re-working of these timeless and universal stories, which have been around since the first campfire tales. (We will look especially hard at the greatest old plot of all: the journey of the hero.) Many modern writers focus on the supposedly “realistic,” but some hearken back to the age-old stories, rediscovering and reinterpreting their truths for our own time. This course is aimed at seeing how the ancient, eternal stories play themselves out in modern lives and in modern literature.

Shakespeare for Groundlings: The dictionary offers two pertinent definitions of “groundling” 1. a spectator, reader, or other person of unsophisticated or uncultivated taste 2. a member of a theater audience who sits in one of the cheaper seats.

People get frightened by Shakespeare without reason. They decide that Shakespeare’s language is too difficult and that somehow he is only for intellectuals. Nothing could be further from the truth. Shakespeare wrote for everyone—kings and groundlings alike. His characters are universal. They span the full range of humanity. His observations about human nature are profoundly applicable to our everyday lives. Studying Shakespeare makes us understand our world and ourselves more fully. This course is aimed at helping regular people overcome their fear of Shakespeare and in the process learn to appreciate some of the world’s greatest literature. We will study comedies, tragedies, histories, and romances. We will read modern parallel works inspired by Shakespeare’s plays. We will also study a variety of actors and their performances in order to understand how Shakespeare comes alive on stage.

Trek to the Unknown: Genre Studies in Literature, Film, and Creative Writing: Unusual journeys populate contemporary literature and film. In 1959, Truman Capote traveled to Holcomb, Kansas, to examine what happens in a community when a prominent family is brutally murdered. In his “nonfiction novel” In Cold Blood, Capote tracks the escapades of the two killers as they travel across the U.S. and into Mexico. Capote’s book was made into a noir film, and his experiences interviewing the two murderers on death row were creatively rendered in feature films Capote and Infamous. Patrick deWitt’s western noir The Sisters Brothers includes a gunslinger as the likeable narrator who is hired with his brother to murder a

prospector during the San Francisco Gold Rush. In State of Wonder, Ann Patchett sends a woman on an expedition to the heart of the Amazon to recover the body of a friend who has disappeared. Francis Ford Coppola’s film Apocalypse Now provides a parallel journey into the “heart of darkness” of the Vietnam War. A study of the rhetoric of film will provide a framework for students to learn about the research process.

Readings will provide inspiration for student experiments with writing poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction.

The Bible in Literature, Art, Poetry, and Song: The Bible is old, but it certainly isn’t dead. It has inspired and influenced more literature than any other work in human history. In fact, it would be safe to say that we wouldn’t have literature, as we know it without it. The ancient stories continue to challenge and puzzle and inspire readers, and each generation of writers re-tell and re-interpret the stories. We will read some of those powerful and haunting biblical stories and talk about them not as theology or dogma but as powerful human stories. We will then read works that have been directly inspired by them and think about how the later writers have created a new lens through which to view the old stories. In addition to selections from the Old and New Testaments, texts will include Paradise Lost by John Milton, Son of Laughter by Frederich Buechner, JB by Archibald MacLeish, and A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.

Fact and Fiction: In this course for advanced readers and writers, we’ll be looking at the relationship between verifiable facts and imaginary events. The line between the two is not as distinct as you might think, as you will discover as we explore works that straddle the boundary between history and literature. The reading assignments will range from memoirs to novels, from classic plays like Hamlet to contemporary short stories from last week’s New Yorker, and the writing assignments will be equally varied. Some of the reading will be selected by the students themselves from a pool of titles provided by the instructor.

Uprising: Subversion and Survival in World Literature and Film: Scanning for a trout stream, a lone pilot flies his Cessna over a post-apocalyptic landscape with his dog, a fly rod, and a gun beside him. In terse but poetic prose, Peter Heller builds a chilling portrait of negotiating a new world in The Dog Stars.

Students in this course will examine literary form and technique as a way to grapple with world issues and develop their own expertise as creative writers. Contemporary readings will be as diverse as The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga’s darkly humorous version of murder as upward mobility in Indian economics, and Half a Yellow Sun, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s depiction of the struggle for wealth and power during the Biafran Civil War. In addition to writing creative commentary about these readings, students will experiment with style and form in book reviews, film critiques, creative nonfiction, short fiction, vignettes, free verse poetry, metrical poetry, scripts, and micro fiction. Analysis of the rhetoric of film will prepare students to design their own research projects. Each student will also pursue an independent reading and creative writing project within a unique area of world literature.

FINE ARTS Woodberry Forest’s Fine Arts Department consists of four programs: drama, speech, music and visual arts— which include desktop publishing. These programs are bound by the common goal of teaching students how to think critically and creatively, how to make art of the highest order possible, and how to appreciate their world more deeply.

Woodberry Forest expects new third and fourth formers to complete three trimester courses in the Fine Arts or to have two years of participation in a musical ensemble prior to graduation, and new fifth formers to complete two fine arts courses. Courses taken prior to attending Woodberry Forest can count towards this requirement.

VISUAL ARTS Intro to Visual Art: A one-trimester course designed to provide an understanding of the elements and principles of design through hands-on projects in the studio. This course promotes creative thinking, the use of various mediums, and understanding the importance of process in making art.

Intermediate Studio Art: A trimester course of studio art, which can be taken each trimester that emphasizes the elements and principles of design, drawing skills, and the importance of craft and presentation. Students are also challenged to create independent projects based on their own ideas and decisions. Work in the clay studio and printmaking is also features of this course.

Honors Studio Art: A year-long course in which a student prepares work for either the 2-D Design, 3-D Design, or Drawing Portfolio which is submitted for review by an AP committee in May. Honors Art History: A year-long course in which a student prepares work for either the 2-D Design, 3-D Design, or Drawing Portfolio which is submitted for review by an AP committee in May. Photography: A one-, two-trimester, or year-long course in which the student may begin at the basic level and pursue his studies on a more advanced level. Composition, darkroom procedures, and printing techniques are featured in this course. Cameras are provided. Students also explore digital options in this field as well.

Digital Filmmaking: A two-trimester course (Winter-Spring) in which the student learns to create engaging narratives using the artistic language of film. In addition to learning the concepts of framing and composition, the student gains significant skill in using sound and film editing software.

EXTRACURRICULAR ART Art as an Afternoon Activity (Varsity Art): This program allows students with a particular interest to spend more time learning about art and making art. Extended studio time, work with various visiting artists, gallery and museum visits are features of this program.

DRAMA AND SPEECH Introduction to Drama: This trimester class focuses on a number of topics including the history of theater, dramatic structure, acting, directing, technical design, improvisation, and stage combat. The trimester culminates with an exciting performance of scenes and combat sequences.

Honors Advanced Acting and Directing: A year-long class for intermediate and advanced students of the theater. Students who enjoyed the introductory class and want to learn more about the theater have an opportunity to study advanced acting techniques, directing, playwriting, and theater theory. The class culminates with full productions in the spring in our black box theater.

Honors Independent Study in Theater: Advanced drama students (usually students who have completed the two courses above) may make proposals for college-level work in the theater. Past projects have included full productions in our black box theater.

Introduction to Speech and Communication: A trimester class that offers students the fundamentals of speechmaking and provides students with opportunities to make speeches weekly. Major assignments include the writing and delivery of prepared or impromptu speeches, critiques of recorded and live speeches, and tests on textbook material.

Speech 2: This trimester class will offer students the skills to improve class presentations in any subject, to sharpen and quicken thinking through debate, and to improve social communication skills. Speech 2 is offered in the fall if there is sufficient interest.

Advanced Public Speaking: Open to a maximum of 4 students, this trimester-long class offers students the skills to make the transition from classroom speeches to college- and professional-level presentations.

Major units of learning include Critical Thinking & Research, Use of Powerpoint, and Dimensions of Delivery. The final project is a 10-20 minute presentation before a public audience. This course is offered in the fall if there is sufficient interest.

Comedy Class: A trimester class that introduces students to stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, and improv. Students will be on their feet and onstage for this class. Comedy enhances students’ acting and public speaking skills. This class is offered in the spring if there is sufficient interest.

Introduction to Woodworking: A hands-on experience that introduces students to a working shop environment. Students learn and develop the basic skills of woodworking through several projects using both hand-held and stationary power tools. Emphasis is placed on shop safety, safe use and operation of tools, and how to convert creative ideas into sculptured reality.

Introduction to AutoCAD: This course focuses on teaching the skills of computer assisted design. The use of AutoCad is prevalent in architecture, construction, and set design. This trimester elective introduces boys to the necessary skills and uses of this program such that they can then apply their knowledge to whatever field they decide to pursue.

EXTRACURRICULAR DRAMA Main Stage Productions: Woodberry Forest has a strong tradition of producing high quality theater in our large-scale proscenium theater, the Bowman Gray Auditorium. Full-scale productions with full sets and advanced technical design (including theatrical lighting, sound, and computerized rigging) cap each of three trimesters of work. Each winter or spring, the department produces a large-scale musical with a professional pit orchestra in support. Auditions are encouraged and open to all students.

Black Box Productions: Students may also audition for two or three shows in our smaller-venue black box theater, the Bomb Shelter. This hundred-seat space is ideal for young actors to start learning about theater. There are also possibilities for mounting student-written work in this space.

Technical Crew: Students may sign up for tech crew where they learn to design and build the sets utilized in our main stage and black box theaters. This activity introduces crew members to basic woodworking skills and may also interest future designers, architects, and engineers.

Speech and Debate Team: Woodberry Forest's award-winning Speech and Debate Team is an afternoon activity in the winter trimester. The team prepares students for post-graduation success by emphasizing skills that are essential for academic and career development. A typical member of the team has experience in public speaking, is well-read, is interested in current events, can organize complex material, can defend his ideas in competitive situations, and considers himself the friendly kind of intellectual. In the 2014-15 season, the team will attend 2-3 tournaments a month.

MUSIC MUSICAL ENSEMBLES The musical ensembles at Woodberry are classes, meeting during the academic day and are therefore not in conflict with athletics. Two years of participation in ensembles satisfies Woodberry’s Fine Arts graduation requirement.

Chapel Choir: This class provides music for our weekly chapel services. It is open to all forms with a simple audition.

The Dozen: A cherished Woodberry tradition since 1970. A cappella music from all periods and genres is performed. The Dozen is open to all forms with a competitive audition; previous experience is required.

Beginning Strings: Students may begin study on violin, viola, cello or double bass with no prior experience. Basic position, reading and ensemble skills are taught to prepare students to enter String Ensemble.

String Ensemble: This is the primary String Orchestra for all string players with experience. No audition is required; basic experience is expected. Chamber music groups (quartets, trios and duos) can be formed from the String Ensemble group.

Wind Ensemble: This is Woodberry's "Band" and the primary ensemble for brass, woodwind and percussion. No audition is required; basic experience is expected.

Jazz Ensemble: A sub-set of the Wind Ensemble, chosen by audition in the fall.

Piping and Drumming: Students may begin study on bagpipes or drums with no prior experience by signing up for Beginning Bagpipes or Beginning Drumming classes. Students with experience on pipes or drums may apply to sign up for Intermediate Bagpipes or Pipe Band Drumming. The Pipe Band is made up of select members of the Intermediate Bagpipes and Pipe Band Drumming classes.

PRIVATE INSTRUCTION Weekly private instruction is available on most any instrument. Organists have access to the Kenan Fisk organ in St. Andrew’s Chapel. Lessons are scheduled in a free period during the academic day.

COURSES Introduction to Music: A trimester-long component of Woodberry’s Fine Arts requirement, along with Intro to Drama, Intro to Speech, and Intro to Visual Art. Intro to Music is a trimester course in beginning music reading, classical music appreciation, and electronic music.

Intermediate Music Theory: A repeatable trimester course designed to prepare a student for Honors Music Theory. This class is most often accomplished as an independent study or weekly "lesson."

Honors Music Theory: An advanced year-long course designed to give students proficiency in functional harmony, counterpoint, form and analysis, and composition. Though this is not officially an AP course, successful completion should qualify a student to perform well on the AP Music Theory Exam.

Electronic Music Elective: This is a trimester elective course in electronic music. The course makes use of Woodberry’s extensive music lab and music computing resources including the software programs LogicPro, Ableton Live, and Massive.

EXTRACURRICULAR MUSIC Varsity Music: A trimester afternoon activity that gives committed musicians the time they need to make great music. This activity is open to all 5th and 6th formers and under-formers by special permission. Varsity Music rotates between the winter and spring trimester opposite the musical.

Recording Engineering: Woodberry has impressive live audio recording capabilities including ProTools recording software and a collection of fine microphones and accessories. Training in recording engineering is available on an informal apprenticeship basis.

Student Bands: Grass roots student bands form in most years and have access to a wide array of live performance and recording resources.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE The Foreign Language Department seeks not only to develop in students the ability to communicate in other languages, but to convey a fuller understanding and appreciation of other cultures as well. Demonstrating a broader knowledge of language and culture will prove invaluable for those who look to take positions of leadership in the current social, political, and economic climate.

Woodberry Forest offers instruction in Mandarin Chinese, French, Latin, and Spanish. Courses in modern foreign languages stress oral and written communication while exploring the cultural heritage of the countries where those languages are spoken, while courses in Latin acquaint students with Greek and Roman customs, laws, morals, and religion as they help build vocabulary and translation skills. In addition to classroom offerings, summer study and language immersion programs in Spain, Nicaragua, China and France are offered.

Students must successfully complete the third level of one language to fulfill the school’s graduation requirement. Initial placement is determined by means of a summer placement exam, which students complete at home prior to arrival on campus. Promotion to the next level of study is earned through a final grade of C- or higher.

Chinese 1: Chinese 1 introduces students to modern Chinese, stressing oral-aural proficiency with the correct use of tones, and the recognition of both original and simplified Chinese characters. The goal is have the students communicate in basic Chinese about daily matters, including, but not limited to, giving and receiving directions, shopping, and introducing one’s family and oneself. Students also study Chinese writing and Chinese culture, and are expected to understand major events in Chinese history and how they relate to modern China. Cultural differences, and their underpinnings, are explored.

Chinese 2: Chinese 2 builds upon the foundation given in the first year of language study, preparing students to communicate effectively on a basic level in an all-Chinese environment. By the end of this class, students will be thoroughly familiar with the diversity of spoken language, and will be prepared for negotiating the daily requirements of living in a homestay environment, interacting in Chinese in social exchanges in the classroom, in stores, and in public. Students are expected to perfect the basics of character writing and to understand the interrelated nature of each character and stroke. Class discussions include China’s growing importance in Asia and its interaction with its neighbors and with the United States.

Chinese 3: In the Chinese 3 course, students make great strides in fluency, not only in speaking and listening, but also in written expression. Because of the great emphasis placed upon speaking, listening, and writing, students must have access to a computer on which they can enter Chinese fonts and a microphone for use with oral homework. Students utilize Chinese newspapers and Chinese websites to understand more complex aspects of Chinese culture and modern life. Students gain a better understanding of Chinese holidays and their importance, differences in American and Chinese daily life, and Chinese school life. A new song or poem is introduced each marking period to increase overall fluency and understanding of the language and culture. Because students must type their work, the emphasis shifts from writing characters to memorizing their meanings.

Chinese 4 & Honors Chinese 4: In the Chinese 4 course, the emphasis is placed on listening and speaking with some writing about day-to-day life. Students in Honors Chinese 4 meet separately, and are held to a rigorous standard of character recognition and writing competence. Student in both Chinese 4 and Honors Chinese 4 present frequently on topics of historical, social, and academic significance.

French 1: Through intensive listening, speaking, and writing practice, the students learn how to construct sentences using basic vocabulary, verb forms, and grammatical structures. The class is conducted mostly in French from the first day. Heavy emphasis is placed on the development of aural/oral skills through the use of the language in class, the use of the language lab, and the daily use of the French in Action video program, which allows the students to see, hear, and imitate native speakers interacting in a variety of authentic cultural situations. The students are taught to understand grammatical concepts and to write the language with precision and accuracy. Extensive work is done on verb conjugations and the use of verb tenses. A daily quizzing method is used to ensure that no student falls behind. The present and passé composé tenses are introduced. Through the use of the video program, the students are introduced to French culture.

French 2: After a review of the material covered in French 1, the French in Action video program continues to be used with the same methods employed in French 1. Through intensive listening, speaking, and writing practice, the students learn how to construct sentences using basic vocabulary, verb forms, and grammatical structures. The class is conducted mostly in French. Heavy emphasis is placed on the development of aural/oral skills through the use of the language in class, the use of the language lab, and the daily use of the French in Action video program. The students are taught to understand grammatical concepts and to write the language with precision and accuracy. After the review period, a daily quizzing method is used to ensure that no student falls behind. The students continue to develop the ability to use the present and passé composé verb tenses, and the imperfect, pluperfect, conditional, subjunctive, and future tenses are introduced. Through the use of the video program, the student’s knowledge of French culture is broadened.

French 3: In French 3 the students continue to develop the basic language skills that they worked on in French 1 and 2. The course is conducted almost exclusively in French. The work of the course is centered on the study of the novel Les Jeux sont faits by Jean-Paul Sartre, which is read and discussed in class in great depth. This text is used as a source of vocabulary and grammatical patterns that the students are expected to learn. Vocabulary quizzes ensure that the students develop a large reading vocabulary. A film of the two novels is studied in class. The students learn to retell the story by giving short speeches and writing short essays. The French in Action video program is also used but not on a daily basis. Throughout the year there is a systematic study of French grammar. The students work on present and past verb tenses in the fall, future and conditional verb tenses in the winter, and subjunctive tenses in the spring. The student's knowledge of French culture is broadened by the study of the texts and videos used in the course.

Honors French 4: French 4 is a year-long course in French language and culture, taught with an emphasis on expanding the student’s formal knowledge of grammar and vocabulary as well as continuing to develop a general proficiency in reading, listening, speaking, and writing. A primary goal is to impart in each student the confidence to use his developing skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing to join in French-only communication with increasing levels of success and enjoyment. Students are asked to pull together listening, reading, writing, and speaking in an active and productive way on a daily basis. Reading many genres, including selections from novels, poems, short stories, and newspaper and magazine articles will significantly strengthen a student’s active vocabulary while providing topics for active class discussion. This class will serve as both an appropriate terminal class in the study of French or as preparation for the AP French Language exam, which could be taken upon successful completion of this course.

Honors French Language: Students who excel in Honors French 4 will be invited to take Honors French Language. This class seeks to develop a high level of competence in active communication skills by demanding that students understand spoken French in various contexts and read newspaper articles, magazine articles, literary texts and other non-technical writings without dependence on a dictionary—while at the same time learning how to use an online French dictionary as an extensive language developing resource. Students are expected to express themselves coherently with reasonable fluency and accuracy in both spoken and written French. Assignments include writing and reading short stories, the study of at least one French novel or play, giving oral presentations on topics researched in French, and listening for comprehension from a variety of different media. This course is not offered every year.

Latin 1: Latin 1 introduces the students to Latin grammar and vocabulary while exposing them to Roman history, culture, and mythology. Grammar is learned mainly through translation from Latin to English, although the students also practice translating from English to Latin, particularly in the fall term. Stories chronicling the time from the Trojan War to the founding of Rome by Romulus are read in Latin. The course

covers the first thirty lessons in Jenney's First Year Latin. The students learn all five noun declensions and all four verb conjugations in both active and passive tenses. A daily quizzing method ensures that no student falls behind. Through their study of Latin, the students improve their understanding of English grammar and increase their English vocabulary as they make connections between Latin vocabulary and English cognates.

Latin 2: Latin 2 expands the student’s study of Latin morphology, enriches his vocabulary, and further develops his knowledge of syntax. The balance of Jenney’s First Year Latin as well as Second Year Latin are completed. Readings cover the story of Rome from its founding by Romulus through the birth of the Republic and the early heroes of Roman history. With each unit a new chapter of Greco-Roman mythology is introduced, and common Latin idioms found in current English usage are covered. In the spring book one of Caesar’s commentaries on the Gallic War is read, initiating the process of familiarizing students with primary source Latin that will be the main focus of Latin 3.

Latin 3/Honors Latin 3: Latin 3 students begin the year with a thorough review of Latin grammar and syntax by reading book four of Caesar’s commentaries on the Gallic War. In the winter term students in both Latin 3 and honors Latin 3 sections are exposed to more complex Latin prose through Cicero’s speeches against Catiline and Pliny’s letters to Tacitus. In the spring Latin 3 and honors Latin 3 students read the poetry of Catullus, Ovid, and Martial. Meters, forms and techniques of Roman poetry are introduced. Each author’s poetry is discussed within its historical and cultural context. Throughout the year students in honors Latin 3 translate and analyze additional literature from the same authors and their contemporaries.

Advanced Latin Literature: Vergil: This course is designed to resemble a college-level Latin literature course. It does not follow the AP curriculum, but rather parallels it. Any student, but especially one in the honors section, has the opportunity to prepare for the AP exam. Students read a broad selection from Vergil’s Aeneid in the original Latin and gain insight into the historical context that serves as a background to the Aeneid, the collapse of the Roman Republic, and the establishment of the Augustan Principate. At the conclusion of the winter trimester, students indicating a desire to take the AP exam are given additional assignments to fill any gaps between the course syllabus and the AP syllabus. This course is taught every other year, in honors and regular sections.

Advanced Latin Literature: Ovid: The Ovid class is offered every other year, alternating with the Advanced Latin Literature: Vergil course. It is a college level reading class. Students read a large and varied selection of poems by Ovid. Students read the Vulgate Bible, as well as works by Catullus and Vergil and analyze plots lines, themes, and style for their influence on Ovid’s poetry. Students engage in comparative mythology, examining parallels between the myths of various cultures and time periods and Ovid’s poems.

Students also research the history and culture of Rome in the time of Ovid and the influence the author has had on modern literature. Students in the regular section and the honors section will meet at the same time, but the honors students will be expected to translate and deeply analyze more literature. This course is taught every other year, in honors and regular sections.

Spanish 1: Spanish 1 is a year-long course that introduces written and spoken Spanish along with listening comprehension through the use of the Destinos video series. Vocabulary and grammar are introduced within the context of the Destinos episodes. Additionally, Spanish language and culture are learned through the video story. The class focuses on building skills necessary for learning a foreign language which includes daily practice, regular quizzes, and time in the language lab. The language lab is used to provide a more extensive opportunity for listening and speaking than would be possible in a traditional classroom.

Spanish 2: Students in Spanish 2 continue to build a foundation in Spanish grammar and vocabulary.

Spanish and Latin-American history, culture, and literature provide topics for projects and presentations.

Oral presentations, tapes made in the language lab, and student-made films are some of the methods of assessment in Spanish 2. Students also develop their listening comprehension and reading skills through the use of the ¡Buen Viaje! Workbook and a Spanish reader. Students use the skills they develop in written form as well, writing essays related to the thematic chapters.

Spanish 3: The Spanish 3 class is taught entirely in Spanish and emphasizes written and spoken Spanish while continuing to cover the culture and history of Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Spain, and the United Sates. All the more advanced grammatical concepts of Spanish 2 are reviewed and given a more in-depth treatment. Besides the textbook and workbook, videos, dialogues, newspaper articles, short stories, poems, and music, are used to learn about culture and language, and to expand vocabulary. Students can expect to give two major presentations each trimester and read one novel by the end of the year.

Honors Spanish 3: Honors Spanish 3, an advanced and strictly immersive course in which students speak only Spanish, is designed to give students the tools necessary to speak, read, and understand Spanish on a day to day basis. In addition to following the textbook Conexiones and its accompanying workbook, which introduce new verb tenses, advanced grammar, and a significant amount of relevant vocabulary, students in Honors Spanish 3 read a play by the famed Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca. Students in Honors Spanish 3 can also expect to give presentations on a wide array of topics, keep up with current events in the Spanish-speaking world, listen to music, view films, and comfortably carry on conversations in Spanish.

Spanish 4: Students in Spanish 4 use what they already know of the rules of the Spanish language to study cultural topics in-depth including music, food, art and current events of Spanish-speaking countries.

Students work with authentic materials such as movies, newspapers, and literature, and utilize them to give oral presentations, write essays and articles, and hold classroom conversations. Students review grammar and vocabulary throughout the year with a special emphasis on the use of the subjunctive. Additionally, students read a short novel by Gabriel García Márquez and a work by the Spanish playwright Antonio Buero Vallejo.

Honors Spanish 4: Honors Spanish 4 is a year-long course for advanced students that emphasizes the active use of the language for oral and written communication. Students develop a vocabulary sufficiently ample to read newspaper and magazine articles, modern literature, and other non-technical literature.

Emphasis is placed on the ability to understand the language spoken by native speakers, of various registers, at a normal rate. This, in turn, increases a student’s ability to express himself accurately and resourcefully both orally and in writing. A wide variety of print and electronic media are employed. Reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills are integrated daily. All students enrolled may take the AP Spanish Language Exam if they have a cumulative A- at the end of the second trimester.

Honors Spanish 5: Honors Spanish 5, a year-long course, takes reading, writing, listening, and speaking to a college level. Students are expected to participate fully in class discussing a wide range of topics.

Additionally, they analyze in detail a fable by Paulo Coelho and a short novel by Gabriel García Marquez.

Advanced grammatical concepts are reviewed and expanded upon so students can converse as native speakers. Finally, students are expected to stay current with events in the Spanish-speaking world through daily research with differing forms of media.

HISTORY The disciplined study of history encourages students to pose questions, examine evidence, and reach conclusions about the development of humankind. At Woodberry Forest, students discover the historical method of gathering and interpreting factual information from primary and secondary sources in order to gain a better understanding of the past. The History Department stresses reading, writing, note-taking, and outlining to help students develop vital communication skills and critical thinking.

Woodberry Forest requires three history courses: Stories and Histories for third formers, Modern European History for fourth formers, and US history for fifth formers. An array of electives is available for sixth formers.

Stories and Histories: An Introduction to Historical Analysis: An introduction to the academic study of history, this course is required of all third formers. It addresses selected topics and themes in the history of Western Civilization. Each of the eleven units in the course begins with a story: the assassination of Julius Caesar, the coronation of Napoleon, the trial of Galileo, and other iconic moments from the past that highlight the dramatic dimension of the human experience. Students then use these episodes to learn the craft of the historian: asking “why” and “how” questions that reach beyond narrative towards analysis – from story to history. Connecting topics from Ancient Greece and Rome with related topics from Europe and the world after 1500, each of the three terms in the course addresses a single theme: war, culture, and society (fall term); democracy, republic, and empire (winter term); and ideas, science, and technology (spring term).

Over the course of the year, students systematically develop their analytical writing skills. In the fall term, students begin with very short (one-page) papers, combining three of these short papers into their first of several full-length (three-page) essays shortly after the fall midterm. In the winter term, students learn how to read, analyze, and manipulate primary sources – and how to incorporate those primary sources into their written work. In the spring term, students write their first substantial research paper, bringing together in one project the analytical and writing skills that they have developed over the course of the year.

Modern European History: This course for fourth formers traces the development of western society from the Reformation to recent times. Students become familiar with major episodes in the history of Western Europe, as well as some of Europe’s interactions with the rest of the world. Students are also introduced to important skills in historical thinking and analysis: evaluating and interpreting primary sources; formulating and supporting an argument; considering why the same event may be understood in different ways; debating issues and making presentations.

Honors Modern European History: This course for fourth formers is a college-level course, which traces the development of western society from the Reformation to recent times. Students become familiar with major episodes in the history of Western Europe, as well as some of Europe’s interactions with the rest of the world. . Honors students read a college-level text and are expected to read, analyze, and communicate at a more advanced level than those in a regular-level course. Students are also introduced to important skills in historical thinking and analysis: evaluating and interpreting primary sources; formulating and supporting an argument; considering why the same event may be understood in different ways; debating issues and making presentations. Students may choose to do some additional preparation in order to take the AP exam in this subject at the end of the school year.

United States History: United States History, a course primarily for fifth formers, reviews the important aspects of the history of the United States through primary and secondary sources from colonial times to the late twentieth century. It is arranged topically within a chronological framework and stresses the development of America’s political institutions and political theory. Pertinent social, constitutional, economic, and diplomatic themes are studied in order to understand the complexity and relationship of such forces in our political system. Students several major papers throughout the course: synthetic papers which require them to draw from a wide range of course material; a research paper based solely on primary sources; and a research paper involving both primary and secondary sources drawn from an array of subscription databases and the extensive collections of the Woodberry library.

Honors United States History: Honors United States History, a course primarily for qualified fifth formers, covers much of the same material as the United States History course, but in greater breadth and detail. Several college-level monographs are used to complement a standard college survey textbook.

Students write the same major papers as in the United States History course.

Honors American Government and Politics: Honors American Government and Politics is an elective course open to students who have completed the United States history survey course. It provides a close examination of America’s political theories, institutions, and processes. After a review of the historical foundations of the United States and of contemporary American political culture, the student will study the fundamental principles contained in the U.S. Constitution. Application of these principles will be stressed through case studies, with emphasis on the Congress, presidency, federal courts, and the bureaucracy and on how power is shared and wielded at the national level. Links will be made between these institutions and political parties, interest groups, the medias, and public opinion in order to understand the forces and constraints on policy making. The class moves off campus once each trimester to observe policymaking at Montpelier (the home of James Madison), the nation’s capital of Washington DC, and the state capital of Richmond. The students also periodically meet with visiting political participants including officeholders, campaign advisors and interest group advocates.

Psychology: Psychology is an elective course open to qualified seniors. Its purpose is to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings. Students are exposed to empirically-supported psychological facts, research findings, terminology, major figures, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields of psychology. They learn about the methods psychologists use in their science and practice, and will be expected to apply their knowledge of these methods to the analysis of current research. In addition to selected outside reading, student will be expected to complete projects and give presentations Honors Psychology: Honors Psychology is an elective course open to qualified seniors covering the same material as the Psychology course, but in greater detail and with the exploration of additional topics. The aim of this course is to provide the students with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory psychology courses. The same college level text will be used, along with a collection of the main studies in the field. Students will have more frequent projects and presentations than the Psychology course.

Introduction to Economics: Introduction to Economics is a trimester course open to underformers who are interested in an introductory survey of the key concepts of microeconomics and macroeconomics.

Honors Economics: This course covers macroeconomics in the first half of the senior year. Core concepts such as international trade, supply and demand, and government fiscal and monetary policies provide the initial foundation. Study of methods of measuring an economy through unemployment, inflation, and economic growth help the student to make connections with current economic statistics. The focus then moves to a more historical perspective as students study the development of different economic theories over the past 100 years based on the role of government in promoting economic growth. The last part of the course places takes a global perspective in studying issues such as currency valuation and the challenges of developing countries. The student will be prepared to take the AP Macroeconomics exam in May. The second half of the year-long offering focuses introductory microeconomic principles. Students study product markets and gain an understanding of concepts such as elasticity, efficiency, and costs of taxation.

They also study the theory of the firm, including concepts such as the costs of production, the four types of market structures, and game theory. There is also a focus on resource markets as well as the impact of government fiscal and monetary decisions. The student will be prepared to take the AP Microeconomics exam in May.

Economics: The course covers macroeconomics in the first trimester of the senior year. Topics such as economic systems, supply-demand, circular flow of the economy, and factors of production are covered.

Learning how to measure the economy through unemployment, inflation, and economic growth helps the student to make connections with current economic figures. The last part of macroeconomics includes the business cycle, monetary policy, the federal budget deficit and debt debate, international trade, and exchange rates.

The second trimester introductory microeconomic principles. This part of the course explores product markets, the theory of the firm, elasticity, efficiency, and costs of taxation. It then moves into areas such as market failure, externalities, government regulation, and resource markets.

In the third trimester the emphasis switches to personal finance and life skills. Initially topics include taxes, personal budgets, credit cards, saving, managing debt, and major purchases. The final month of the course will move into different types of investments, measuring risk comfort levels, understanding the stock market, and insurance basics.

The Sixties: The Sixties is an elective course open to seniors, which presumes prior completion of the survey course in United States history. It covers three numerically coincidental, yet historically critically important, decades in American history. The 1760s saw the beginning of serious colonial resistance to Great Britain; the 1860s witnessed the most turbulent period in the republic’s history with the American Civil War; and the 1960s was a period many Americans viewed as a “struggle for the nation’s very soul.” Many events in each of these decades involved intense debate, to the point of armed conflict, over abstract concepts such as “liberty,” “equality,” and “the American identity.” Attention is also given to how these concepts were interpreted in subsequent generations. The course utilizes an array of disciplines – political science, constitutional law, philosophy, military history, sociology, music, film, literature, and on-site study – to shed light on historical process.

The World Since 2001: This year-long course, intended for sixth formers, studies current political, economic, social and cultural trends in our globalized world, which has changed dramatically over the first decade of the twenty-first century. The course focuses on current events on the major continents and attempts to understand current conflicts and tensions by learning about their historical roots. Students read three short monographs and also draw from the school’s extensive array of online subscription sources of academic journals and international newspapers. Students also use translation software to read articles published in other languages. As in college courses, the main form of evaluation will be a paper due at the end of each trimester. This course is not offered every year.

Honors Constitutional Law: This elective course, open to qualified seniors, is an intensive introduction to the history of the American Constitution. After a comprehensive examination of the founding era (approximately 1765-1788) in the opening weeks of the fall term, the course traces the history of constitutional interpretation through key opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court in the winter and spring.

These opinions will be studied with an eye towards two particular topics. First, students will investigate the history of constitutional jurisprudence on the Supreme Court: How do Supreme Court judges go about making their decisions? What assumptions about the law and Constitution have guided the Supreme Court in the past? What assumptions guide the Supreme Court today? Second, students will explore the connections between constitutional law and our nation’s social and political development. How has the prevailing interpretation of our constitution reflected – and, in some cases, shaped – developments in our nation’s political and social history? The course will conclude with a consideration of abortion, gun control, school prayer, affirmative action, and other current “hot topics” on the Supreme Court’s docket. This course is not offered every year.

Criminal Law: Introduction to Criminal Law is a trimester elective course open to sixth formers The course traces the development of American criminal jurisprudence through landmark Supreme Court interpretations of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Major topics of study include selective incorporation, the right to counsel, search and seizure issues, police interrogation and confessions, entrapment, the exclusionary rule, prosecutorial discretion, the right to a speedy trial, plea bargaining, jury trials, freedom of the press and fair trials, sentencing issues, the death penalty, double jeopardy, the appeals process, and habeas corpus review. The culmination of the course is a field trip to the U.S. Supreme Court to hear oral argument in a criminal appeal. Prerequisite: US History

Military History: In this trimester course we will explore the relationship between war and political change using the text, A History of Warfare by John Keegan. A major area of focus will be the impact culture has made not only on the conflicts between nations but the difficulty of creating a lasting peace. The class will explore the influence of geography and technological innovation on military conflicts throughout history. The students will learn the importance of logistics and supply as they study a military campaign and focus on the difficulty of moving, feeding and supply an army in the field. Students will also learn the importance of topography on the battlefield by examining the battles of Gettysburg and Waterloo. The students will apply the principles of topography and defensive tactics as they prepare a defensive plan for our campus titled “Defend the Forest.” The students will discuss and debate the strategic and tactical decisions that have influenced some of the most decisive battles ever fought. The course will finish with a tactical battlefield study of the Napoleonic wars from the 1805 Austerlitz campaign.

Money and Banking: This trimester course will provide the student with an introduction to the different forms of money, how companies raise money for businesses, the role of the central bank in terms of creating money through monetary policy, how changing interest rates impact the value of our currency, and how to understand financial markets. We will also explore the business of banking, including how banks make money and how banks manage risk in terms of lending money for buying a house. This course is not offered every year.

Personal Finance: In this trimester course, Personal Finance will cover concepts such as how to give yourself the best chance of finding your first job, writing an effective résumé to help find a job, the importance of a monthly budget and early saving for retirement after you find a job, personal risk assessments in terms of future financial investments, how to effectively use debit and credit cards, avoiding debt as much as possible after Woodberry, our current tax system, using appropriate tax forms to file annual tax returns, and understanding how global economic conditions influence financial markets. This course is not offered every year.

INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION AND SAT PREP Individual instruction: Many students come to Woodberry Forest with the youthful disorganization that is common to most boys who are leaving middle school and starting high school. Others arrive with diagnosed learning differences and accommodations already in place from their previous schools. Still others arrive having not yet been pushed hard enough in their previous academic environment for any needs to become apparent, and only after regular exposure to the more rigorous academic setting here do problems in achievement arise.

Whatever the case, we want to support our students in the best way that we can, and we do so by incorporating a mixture of traditional teacher directed help (through what we call “consultation” with their teachers, and which is scheduled during free periods during the day), an opportunity to attend supervised study periods during the academic day (which in the Dunnington Reading Room, and are supervised by David Budlong), and one-on-one contact with our instructors in Academic Development. Jean Davenport and Renée Brister are prepared to be either a required stop during the day for students whose academic accommodations warrant it, or a regular step in helping a student learn to take the necessary steps towards understanding his own learning style and the techniques he needs to use in order to grown and optimize his own learning.

SAT Prep: Woodberry Forest believes that the best preparation for the SAT’s and ACT’s is the good daily preparation and work that your son will get from our own academic program. On the other hand, we understand that targeted preparation for standardized tests may produce higher scores, and that we need to provide that option to our families. The trick is to avoid is stretching a boy’s daily schedule to the point of taking away study time for his regular courses (which, after all, is the key factor in helping a boys to his best g.p.a. for the reason of giving him tips and techniques to use in getting the best numbers on the SAT and ACT. Therefore, we feel that the best plan for our boys is to create out of school hours classes of short duration and taught by independent tutors, which are scheduled to happen at the points of the year that can produce the best impact. These courses are offered through our College Counseling office, and target the major fall, winter and spring test dates. The College Counseling office will publicize and sign students up for these classes which will happen on targeted Wednesday evenings, as well as a couple of Sunday afternoons.

MATHEMATICS The Woodberry Forest mathematics program teaches students to draw conclusions using both contemporary and traditional approaches and to justify and prove conjectures through examples, counter examples or formal proofs. The courses offered include traditional college preparatory offerings for secondary school: Geometry, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Precalculus, Calculus, Statistics, and a Seminar in Advanced Mathematics.

Independent study opportunities are also available for the most advanced students.

Students are required to successfully complete a course beyond the level of Geometry and Algebra 2 in order to satisfy the school’s graduation requirement. Honors classes are available in courses beyond Algebra 1, and students are placed in these courses based on their aptitude and performance in mathematics. Initial placement is made based on the student’s performance on a summer placement test. Promotion to the next level study in a sequential course requires a final grade of C- or better.

Algebra 1: Algebra 1 is required for entering students who lack Algebra 1 credit. The emphasis is on mathematical literacy and problem solving to build a strong mathematical foundation for future studies.

Students will study how to recognize, classify, and use numbers and their properties; recognize, create, extend, and apply patterns, relations, and functions; simplify algebraic expressions including polynomials and rational expressions; solve and graph relations, inequalities, and systems in both one and two variables; and communicate using the language of algebra. We expect students to develop proficiency in reading and writing good mathematical expressions; factoring and divisibility of numbers and expressions; manipulating rational expressions; solving linear and quadratic equations and inequalities; solving linear problems with absolute value; and graphing in both one and two dimensions. Student work is evaluated frequently.

Generally a full-period test is given once each week and a cumulative exam is given at the end of each trimester. SAT-style questions in the context of the material studied are integrated into one of the weekly assignments. Calculators are not permitted in Algebra 1. No prerequisite is required.

Geometry: Geometry is a required course and follows Algebra 1. Geometry encourages students to value mathematics as a means of interpreting and understanding their world. Emphasis is on problem solving and developing logical, sequential arguments. Through reading, writing, and discussions, students develop inductive and deductive reasoning skills. Major topics include similarity, congruence, constructions, proof, and an introduction to trigonometry. An honors section is available for advanced students. Students will study how to communicate using the language of plane Euclidean geometry; identify, explore, discuss, and apply properties, theorems, axioms, and definitions related to plane figures; develop problem-solving skills utilizing multiple heuristic methods as outlined George Polya’s, How to Solve It. We expect students to develop proficiency in defining and recognizing terms and symbols of geometry and using them to communicate mathematical ideas; writing organized deductive proofs and clear definitions; applying algebra and using proportions and other equations to solve geometric problems; and developing elementary constructions with a compass and a straightedge.

Generally, a full-period quiz is given once a week. A cumulative exam is given at the end of each trimester.

Students also perform constructions using compass and straightedge as well as the software package Geometer’s Sketchpad. No prerequisite is required, although it is recommended that Geometry follow Algebra 1 and precede Algebra 2.

Algebra 2: Second-year algebra builds on the understanding and the skills developed in the first-year course. Students are taught to use mathematical thinking in problem solving; emphasis is placed on developing student communication skills, both written and oral. The mathematical content includes the study of a variety of mathematical functions – linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, radical, rational and polynomial. Additional topics may include linear programming, sequences and series, and an introduction to statistics. An Honors section is available for advanced students. Students will study how to write mathematics in a clear and logically consistent manner, using appropriate mathematical notation. The goals of this course are to instill in students an appreciation of the value of mathematics in solving a variety of problems; teach students an appreciation of the value of mathematics in solving a variety of problems; teach students the appropriate use of a calculator; and to inhibit students from engaging in sequential button-pushing in lieu of mastering underlying mathematical principles. We expect students to develop the skills necessary to solve many types of equations (linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, rational, and

polynomial), develop an organized methodology for solving certain types of word problems and use mathematical functions to describe real-world phenomena. Prerequisite: C- or better in Algebra 1 Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry: Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry (FST) is for students seeking math credit beyond the algebra 2 level. The content and questions integrate functions, statistics, and trigonometry and apply the algebra and geometry students have studied in previous courses. Sequences, counting problems, and other topics from discrete mathematics are also found in the content, and the course contains many topics of traditional pre-calculus courses. Topics and skills are not developed in isolation, but they are employed to both motivate and extend important concepts of functions, statistics, and trigonometry.

A goal of FST is to motivate, justify, extend, and otherwise enhance important concepts of functions, statistics, and trigonometry. We also expect students to read mathematics to develop understanding, to develop skill in carrying out various algorithms, use properties and relationships found in mathematics, represent and picture mathematical concepts with graphs, tables, and charts, and bolster the confidence of those students for whom success in mathematics has been elusive. Students should develop the ability to use the graphing calculator appropriately; read and write good mathematics and study mathematics individually so that he will be able to deal with the mathematics he sees in newspapers, magazines, television, on the job and in school. Prerequisite: C- or better in Algebra 2 or equivalent.

Pre-calculus: Pre-calculus generally follows Algebra 2 and is designed to build a strong foundation in mathematics leading to calculus. Students develop a firm grasp of the underlying mathematical concepts, while using algebra as a tool for solving problems. Topics include elementary functions, their properties, and transformations on these functions, trigonometric functions, systems of equations, matrices, and analytic geometry. The goals of precalculus are to provide the student with an understanding of the major functions used in the study of calculus with emphasis on both a graphical and analytic perspective using both technology and traditional methods; develop the critical analytical techniques to effectively model, interpret and analyze data within its appropriate context. Precalculus provides students with the opportunity to further develop critical thinking skills and become more effective problem solvers through the application of mathematical knowledge; provide an environment to use appropriate technology and communicate knowledge and understanding more effectively. Students are expected to develop the ability to analyze algebraic functions with an emphasis on end behavior, zeros, and asymptotes, analysis of transcendental functions and their inverses; use of both polar coordinates and vectors to gain insight into trigonometry, and know how to analyze and use polar, logarithmic, and exponential functions. Prerequisite: B- or better in Algebra 2.

Honors Introduction to Calculus: The honors pre-calculus course is known as Honors Introduction to Calculus. Students are expected to solve more complex problems than the regular section of precalculus.

Calculus concepts of the limit and continuity are integrated throughout the year. This course starts the Calculus curriculum in the spring and formalizes the idea of the limit as well as how the limit is used to define the derivative. Students are also expected to learn how to take the derivative of algebraic and trigonometric functions. Prerequisite: B or better in Honors Algebra 2 and a recommendation from the teacher.

Calculus: Calculus consists of a full academic year of work in calculus comparable to courses in colleges and universities. There are three levels of Calculus at Woodberry: Applied Calculus, Honors Calculus A, and Honors Calculus B. All levels address the development of a student’s understanding of the concepts of calculus and provide experience with its methods and applications. Honors Calculus A and Honors Calculus B are specifically targeted to the Advanced Placement courses Calculus AB and Calculus BC, respectively, described by the College Board. Applied Calculus mirrors Honors Calculus A with the omission of a few topics and greater emphasis on applying calculus to other disciplines. Honors Calculus B is an extension of Honors Calculus A rather than an enhancement; thus, common topics are addressed with similar depth.

The goals of the class are to help students understand the concept of the limit and its use to analyze the behavior of functions; understand the derivative and integral and their use to analyze the behavior of functions and to solve problems with rates of change and accumulation; develop analytical thinking and problem-solving skills and the ability to clearly communicate ideas both orally and in writing; incorporate the use of technology as an aid to understanding concepts. Honors Calculus A & B prepare students to succeed on the Advanced Placement Calculus examination. In all the Calculus courses, students learn how to use the limit process to both predict and explain observed local and global behavior of a function; evaluate derivatives of basic functions both explicitly and implicitly, and to apply the derivative to problems involving graphical analysis, projectile motion, related rates, and optimization; evaluate the integral of basic functions and apply to problems of area, volume, average value, projectile motion, and differential equations. In

Honors Calculus B, students learn how to use parametric, vector-valued, and polar functions to solve problems as well as how to analyze power series and use them to approximate functions.

Applied Calculus Prerequisites: C- or better in Pre-calculus Honors Calculus A Prerequisites: B or better in Pre-calculus and a recommendation from teacher.

Honors Calculus B Prerequisites: B or better in Honors Intro to Calculus or Honors Calculus A and a recommendation from the teacher.

Honors Statistics: Honors Statistics introduces students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes: exploring data, planning a study, anticipating patterns and statistical inference. Exploratory analysis of data makes use of graphical and numerical techniques to study patterns, and departures from patterns. Data must be collected according to a well-developed plan if valid information on a conjecture is to be obtained.

Probability is the tool used for anticipating what the distribution of data should look like under a given model, and statistical inference guides the selection of appropriate models. We expect students to develop the ability to find data descriptors (mean, variance, median) and determine expected shapes of graphs based upon these descriptors; to reason probabilities from given physical models, such as dice, coins, cards, etc. and for students to be able to use inferential statistics and perform significance tests and find confidence intervals. To accomplish these goals a student will need to learn how to determine the median, IQR, and outliers of a data set and how to use the normal distribution to find similar results of a continuous distribution. Students will learn how to use scatter plots, histograms, and other types of graphs to analyze data. A graphing calculator is used to not only compute descriptive statistics but also assist in performing significance tests. Prerequisite: minimum of a B or better in Algebra 2. Completion of Pre-calculus is recommended.

Seminar in Advanced Mathematics: Seminar in Advanced Mathematics (SAM) is an adventure in the study of mathematics unlike that of any other academic or extracurricular offering in secondary mathematics. The students retrace the steps, suffer the frustrations, enjoy the excitement, and bask in the accomplishments of many legendary mathematicians. The primary goal is to give each student superior proving and problem-solving skills, making the method more important than the content. Content varies according to the instructors and students. Topics have included group theory, abstract algebra, symbolic logic, multivariable calculus, analysis (advanced calculus), number theory, RSA cryptography, linear algebra, and game theory. Prerequisite: Calculus and a recommendation from the calculus teacher.

RELIGION Religion has always had a major impact on the history, art, literature, philosophy, politics, and economics of all civilizations. Holy texts (of which the Bible is one) are the most influential books in world literature.

With the expansion of cultural globalization, it is essential for students in the liberal arts tradition to become familiar with the Bible and its teachings as well as the fundamental components of other major world religions and their sacred texts. When asked why he was taking more than the required course in religious studies one student said, “It seems like we’re all floating down the same river but in different canoes. I’m really interested in the other boats and who’s paddling them.”

Biblical Survey: Biblical Survey, a trimester course, examines the Old and New Testaments to acquaint students with the entire sweep of the biblical drama. We examine the major historical, literary, and theological themes of the Bible as they display God’s engagement with the people of ancient Israel on through the development of the first-century Christian Church. Great questions such as “Why does God seem so different in the Old Testament than in the New Testament?” “How am I supposed to believe stories in the Bible when modern science contradicts them?” “What is the difference between faith and truth?”

The Old Testament and Contemporary Culture: The timeless relevance of Old Testament literature is exciting to see everywhere we look. The Bible continues to influence and inform all aspects of contemporary Western civilization. This course is a trimester elective designed to use the stories, characters, and themes of the Old Testament to examine and interpret contemporary culture. When we take time to notice, it is amazing how many daily news stories, books, films, TV shows, and songs rely on ancient stories for substance and meaning. The short stories of Flannery O’Connor, the music of U2, and films like The Matrix, Star Wars, and Avatar follow clear parallels to Old Testament events. Once one becomes familiar with the Old Testament stories they are evident everywhere!

Survey of World Religion: A few years back, the banner headline on the Yale Divinity School student newspaper was “GOD IS BIG.” While the headline may seem silly and self-evident, it is an important reminder. God is not merely big, but experienced, understood, and worshipped in many different ways.

Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Confucianism, and various tribal religions serve as the means by which the relationship between people and God exists. Being good world citizens and peaceful international neighbors requires us to understanding what our neighbors believe and how it affects all our lives. This trimester course provides a comprehensive overview of the major world religions.

SCIENCE Woodberry Forest is a “physics first” school, introducing its students to the science curriculum through conceptual physics, a required course for third formers. For students entering Woodberry in the third form year, the normal sequence of courses is to take Conceptual Physics in the third form, Chemistry in the fourth form, and Biology in the fifth form—which completes the required sequence.

Boys who come to Woodberry in their fourth-form year having taken biology in a previous school will normally take chemistry as fourth formers, and then choose physics or Honors Physics 1 as fifth formers.

The courses are described below, grouped by subject area: all physics courses, followed by all chemistry courses, followed by all biology courses, followed by other elective courses.

Conceptual Physics: Conceptual Physics, the year-long, third-form science course, emphasizes the principles of physics on a conceptual basis. The course begins with optics and waves and progresses through electric circuits before covering traditional mechanics topics. Students use the fundamental facts and equations of introductory physics as a vehicle for a thorough introduction to analytical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.

Approximately 50% of class time involves hands-on experimental work. Nightly problems require students to justify their answers with substantial verbal reasoning. Tests and exams questions are based on authentic items from New York Regents exams, adapted such that a calculator is not required, and adapted to require students to demonstrate their verbal as well as mathematical skills. It is expected that a successful conceptual physics student leaves with a solid understanding of qualitative mathematical approaches to problem-solving, including verbal justifications of answers; graphical analysis, both experimental and theoretical; order of magnitude estimation, including describing the physical meaning of numerical answers; and experimental verification and investigation of physical relationships.

Physics: Physics is a year-long course appropriate for upper-form students with a background in algebra and lab sciences. The course approaches the same topics covered in the 3rd form Conceptual Physics course, with more emphasis on working qualitatively with physical concepts. The course begins with a study of mechanics, including kinematics, Newton’s laws, and the conservations of energy and momentum. Later topics include circuits, waves, and optics.

Students spend a significant amount of class time doing hands-on experimentation, developing an understanding of how to use experimentation to make or verify physical predictions. Other time is spent learning and discussing physics principles, and practicing their application in problem solving and justification. Homework consists of readings and problem sets, with an emphasis on logical, verbal reasoning. Tests and exams are based on New York Regents exam questions.

It is expected that a successful student in General Physics leaves with a solid understanding of qualitative and quantitative mathematical approaches to problem-solving, including logical justifications of answers; experimental and theoretical graphical analysis; order of magnitude estimation, including describing the physical meaning of numerical answers; and experimental verification and investigation of physical relationships.

Honors Physics 1: Honors Physics 1 follows the course description for AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based provided by the College Board. This is an algebra-based, college-level survey course, covering important topics in classical physics. Students are expected to develop both a mathematical and conceptual understanding of the subject, with a substantial emphasis on the latter. The course is taught through the use of quantitative demonstrations and in-class laboratory exercises, paired with nightly assignments involving descriptive problem solving. In weekly extended laboratory sessions, students design experiments to investigate the principles discussed throughout the course.

Tests and exams are in the style of the AP Physics 1 exam. All students are required to take the AP Physics 1 exam in May. Honors Physics 1 is taught to three constituencies of students who may opt in: Any 12th grader who is interested, 11th graders who have completed a high school biology course or who are taking biology concurrently, and a set of 9th graders who are selected by the department during the first marking period.

The 9th grade section covers the identical material at the same college level; however, 9th grade students are not required to take the AP exam.

Honors Physics 2: Honors Physics 2 follows the course description for AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based as provided by the College Board, along with a few additional topics. This is an algebra-based, college-level survey course, covering topics in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, atomic and nuclear physics. Students are expected to develop both a mathematical and conceptual understanding of the subject.

The course is taught through the use of quantitative demonstrations, paired with nightly assignments involving descriptive problem solving. In weekly laboratory sessions, students design experiments to investigate the principles discussed throughout the course. Honors Physics 2 is primarily a senior course.

Honors Physics 1, or a placement test showing mastery of the skills and material covered in Honors Physics 1, is the required prerequisite.

Honors Research Physics and Physics C: From September until February, students research four problems in preparation for the US Invitational Young Physicist Tournament (USIYPT). Faculty and students together investigate these open-ended, college-level projects. A solid grasp of theory and intricate, involved experimental work is required. The trimester exam is a 5-10-minute talk based on the research project. As the tournament approaches, students are trained to conduct a “physics fight,” a ritualized debate over the merits of a solution. Four members of the class are selected to be representatives of Woodberry Forest at the USIYPT. Throughout the year students prepare for the AP Physics C – Mechanics or AP Physics C – Electricity & Magnetism exam, using the course description provided by the College Board. Calculus-based mechanics or E&M is covered through nightly problem-solving as well as in-class review, demonstration, and discussion.

Students are expected to develop both a mathematical and conceptual understanding of the subject so as to perform well on the May AP exam. The physics faculty will in the spring select approximately eight students, including mostly rising seniors but also some rising juniors, to audition for Research Physics. The invitations are issued based on performance in previous science courses, and based on the skills and background knowledge each student could bring to the competitive physics team at the tournament. The audition consists of a preliminary investigation into one of the USIYPT problems in the last weeks of May, followed by a presentation to the faculty during exam period. Students must be invited to and pass the audition in order to take the course.

Honors Physics: Biomechanics of the Human Body: Juniors or seniors who have completed their biology requirement, or who are taking biology concurrently generally take this honors level course. Virtually this entire course is spent in the laboratory where students conduct involved experiments, leading to truly independent investigations by course’s end. Laboratory topics go beyond the standard AP-style curriculum into biomechanics, sports physics, and topics appropriate for Science Olympiad or Virginia Junior Academy of Science projects. Evaluation is via the instructor’s observation of laboratory work, as well as through frequent student presentations of their work. The ability to not only do experimental work but also to communicate the results of such work is emphasized. Admission to the course is by invitation of the instructor only; invitations are issued based on performance in previous science courses, and based on the skills and background knowledge each student could bring to the graduate-school-style laboratory atmosphere.

Chemistry: Chemistry builds on the basic laws of energy and matter covered in Conceptual Physics and introduces the student to the broad spectrum of chemical interactions and concepts. A development of the fundamental principles of chemistry, as well as their applications, is presented. Chemical nomenclature, stoichiometry, atomic structure, bonding theories, thermochemistry, periodic properties, solution calculations, gas laws, and the properties of solids and liquids are among the topics discussed. Regular inquiry-style laboratory investigations involve direct hands-on study of matter and its changes.

Honors Chemistry: Like regular Chemistry, Honors Chemistry builds on the basic laws of energy and matter covered in Conceptual Physics and introduces the student to the broad spectrum of chemical interactions and concepts. The course places a heavier emphasis than the regular course on analytical thinking skills and problem-solving techniques. Top students in the class are encouraged (though not required) to take the AP Chemistry exam.

Topics covered in honors chemistry include classification of matter, chemical nomenclature, reactions in solution, oxidation and reduction, atomic and molecular structure, gas laws, properties of solutions, chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, acids and bases, and chemical equilibrium. All of the topics are approached with the goal of conceptual understanding through the particulate model of matter, with the ability to recognize

and work with quantitative relationships adding more depth to that understanding. Regular laboratory exercises give students a chance to discover relationships in a hands-on environment and to apply their classroom knowledge in chemical investigations.

Honors Chemistry is primarily taken by the most advanced fourth-form science students, though it is also available as a second-year chemistry course to any student who has already completed Chemistry.

Biology – a Cellular Approach: Biology – a Cellular Approach is designed for students who have particularly enjoyed their study of chemistry and are interested in the study of life with a focus on the processes that are occurring within the living cell. This is an introductory laboratory course, which presents topics of basic biology with an emphasis on biochemistry, cell structure and function, and molecular genetics.

A minimum of one quarter of the class time will spent conducting laboratory investigations and related class activities. This survey course also covers the biology of plants and animals, evolution and speciation and the interrelationships of between organisms and with their environment; it holds about three-quarters of material in common with Biology – an Ecological Approach. Emphasis in this course is on the major themes and cellular processes of life, and subject matter is presented within the context of how this study of life relates to technology and society. Reading and discussion of the class text along with current scientific literature is an integral part of the course. Open to fifth and sixth form students who have completed physics and chemistry. Though it is not a required pre-requisite, Biology - a Cellular Approach is an appropriate lead-in for students interested in taking either Anatomy and Physiology or Honors Biology in their senior year.

Biology – an Ecological Approach: Biology – an Ecological Approach is designed for students interested in the study of life with a focus on the environment and how organisms interact. This introductory laboratory course presents topics of basic biology with an emphasis on biological communities, energy flow, populations and ecosystems. A minimum of one-quarter of the class time will be spent conducting laboratory investigations, much of which will include fieldwork making full use of Woodberry Forest’s natural environment. This survey course also covers the requirement for life, basic cell structures and functions, the biology of plants and animals, genetics, evolution and speciation; it holds about three-quarters of material in common with Biology – an Ecological Approach. Emphasis in this course is on the major themes of life and principles of ecology, and subject matter is presented within the context of how this study of life relates to technology and society. Reading and discussion of our class text along with current scientific literature is an integral part of the course. Open to fifth and sixth form students who have completed physics and chemistry.

Though not a required pre-requisite, Biology- an Ecological Approach is an appropriate lead in for students interested in taking Honors Environmental Science for senior year.

Honors Biology: The Honors Biology course offers students a more in-depth study of biological science, with considerable emphasis on molecular and cellular biology, biochemical pathways, genetics and evolution.

The course follows the Advanced Placement Biology Curriculum Framework, emphasizing the 4 “Big Ideas” of biology and the core concepts students should master. Lab work and the process of science is an integral part of the course and will include, but not be limited to, the “7 Science Practices” as outlined in the Advanced Placement Biology Curriculum Framework. All students in this course are required to take the Advanced Placement Biology Examination.

Honors Environmental Science: Honors Environmental Science is a year-long course designed to be the equivalent of an introductory college course in environmental science including both laboratory and field investigation.

This is an interdisciplinary course that integrates material from both the natural and social sciences, with the intent of exploring natural interrelationships and analyzing societal problems from an ecological perspective.

Understanding the causes of environmental problems and finding their possible solutions are stressed.

Emphasis is placed on the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. By identifying and analyzing environmental problems and evaluating the risks associated with these problems, students are able to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing the root causes of the problem.

This is a laboratory intensive course. A lab notebook with lab data, procedure, and conclusions is required and graded periodically. Students learn to develop scientific methodology. They are at first guided along this path, then increasingly work on their own as they become more proficient. Labs at the end of the school year

are almost all student developed. Our campus allows for many field labs, as well as traditional indoor wet and dry labs.

Short-term projects and presentations over specific environmental issues are assigned over the course of the school year. Students are required to research their project, write a report on it, and present their findings and conclusions to the class in a short PowerPoint or similar presentation.

Students are encouraged but not required to take the AP Environmental Science exam.

Honors Molecular Biology Research: The laboratory-centered, trimester science course introduces students to the key instruments, molecular tools, and procedure of recombinant DNA technology and molecular biology. Considerable emphasis is placed on the structure and function of proteins and DNA. Students conduct restriction digest of DNA, separate the DNA fragments by gel electrophoresis, transform E. coli bacteria to produce a green fluorescent protein, and isolate this molecule using column chromatography.

Students also perform polymerase chain reactions, work with monoclonal antibodies, and study the factors affecting enzymatic reactions.

Honors Microbiology Research: This class is designed for upper-level students who want to expand their knowledge of the world of microbiology and get first-hand experience designing and participating in lab-based research. The focus will be on understanding fundamental properties of bacteria and how to manipulate them in the lab setting. Participants will learn about the molecular structure of bacteria and viruses, and how their structure relates to their pathogenic nature. In the laboratory, students will be expected to learn appropriate sterile technique in collecting, isolating, and growing microbes. They will prepare, view, and photograph microbes under the microscope. The will use inoculating loops, incubators, autoclaves, and other tools in designing and conducting controlled experiments on bacteria.

Human Anatomy & Physiology: This class is an introductory course to the structure of the human body and the functions of human cells and organ systems.

Emphasis is placed throughout the course on homeostasis – how the body’s different systems work together for the overall organism. In addition to the typical topics found in the different body systems – skeletal, muscular, integumentary, nervous, digestive, endocrine, circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive – topics such as nutrition, metabolism, and embryonic development are covered. Laboratory activities, including both hands-on dissection of preserved specimens and virtual human cadaver dissection, reinforce major concepts.

STUDY ABROAD Woodberry Forest conducts several programs abroad during the summer months. Linguistic and cultural immersion is offered through Woodberry in Spain, Woodberry in France, Woodberry in China and the CASA (Central American Summer Abroad) program. These programs, under the leadership of Woodberry Forest faculty members, provide students with a useful mixture of classroom and immersion exposure to the language and culture of these countries. For these programs, boys live in host families, travel with their group to sites and programs of interest within the country they are visiting, and, receive specific language instruction. The programs to Spain, France, and China are targeted for rising fifth- and sixth-form boys, but mature and advanced students who are rising fourth-formers may be chosen to participate. CASA is specifically targeted for rising fourth-form boys, with an eye towards accelerating their study of Spanish and providing a memorable experience in language study and community service. Woodberry in Spain, France and China provide a boy with the opportunity to earn a full-year’s language credit an opportunity to accelerate his course placement for the next year.

Woodberry in Scotland and Woodberry in Oxford provide two opportunities for boys to travel and study in Great Britain. Woodberry in Oxford takes place at Brasenose College, where Woodberry teachers oversee the group and conduct course work in two specific areas, chosen by them for the summer program. Upon completion of the course, participants earn one-third credit in the course’s target subject area. Woodberry in Scotland is a travel and study trip to Scotland, which is Woodberry’s only co-ed program. Eight girls from other boarding schools are selected to join with the eight Woodberry boys to travel to Scotland, where they learn about Scots’ history and culture for a three-week period. Boys earn one-third of a credit in history.

Finally, Woodberry participates with three of South Africa’s great boarding schools, Michaelhouse School, St. John’s College, and Hilton College, in a student exchange. Three junior boys are selected annually to participate; one going to Michaelhouse, one to St. John’s, and one to Hilton. Traditionally, our boys travel to South Africa either during Woodberry’s fall or winter trimester. Boys who choose to participate in this program must be strong and willing students, as they must do some work while away in order to keep pace with their courses at Woodberry.

Electives for 2014 - 2015 Classes will not be offered if there is insufficient enrollment.

English: sixth form, Year long ENG 600: the exact titles and focus of the 600 classes are included in the course of study guide for 2014-2015 HONORS ENG 600: the exact titles and focus of the 600 classes are included in the course of study guide for 2014-2015

Fine Arts: Trimester long:

Year-long

Advanced Public Speaking AutoCAD (intro and intermediate) Comedy Class Design for the Theater Desktop publishing (spring) Digital Filmmaking (winter-spring) Electronic Music (fall) Introduction to Speech Introduction to Music Introduction to Drama Introduction to Woodworking Introduction to Visual Art Intermediate Studio Art Photography (intro and advanced) Speech 2

Beginning Bagpipes Beginning Drumming Beginning Violin Chapel Choir and Consort The Dozen Pipe Band Drumming Intermediate Bagpipes Intermediate Music Theory Jazz Ensemble Wind Ensemble Honors Advanced Acting and Directing (5th and 6th formers) Honors Art History Honors Independent Study in Theater Honors Music Theory Honors Studio Art

Foreign Language: Year long Chinese 4 Honors French 4 Spanish 4 Honors Chinese 4 Honors French 5

History: Trimester long: Criminal Law (fall) Military History (spring) Personal Finance (spring, 6th formers)

Mathematics: Trimester long; Honors Introduction to Computer Science (fall-winter)

Honors Latin 5 Vergil Honors Latin 4 Honors Spanish 4

Honors Spanish 5

Year-long The Sixties Honors American Government and Politics Honors Psychology Honors Economics Economics Honors Constitutional Law

Year long Honors Statistics Applied Calculus Honors Calculus B Honors Calculus C Honors Seminar in Advanced Mathematics

Religion: Trimester long Survey of World Religions

Science: Trimester long: Honors Microbiology Research (winter) Honors Molecular Biology Research (fall)

Year-long Honors Biology Honors Chemistry Honors Physics 1 Honors Physics 2 Honors Physics: Biomechanics of the Human Body Honors Environmental Science Anatomy and Physiology

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