Curriculum Guide: 2023-24

CURRICULUM GUIDE 2023–2024

COURSE OF STUDY FRESHMAN

SOPHOMORE

JUNIOR

SENIOR

Religion

Introduction to Scripture: Encountering God’s Word (1)

Discipleship: Responding to Christ’s Call (1)

Theology and Ethics (1)

Social Justice (.5) & One-Semester Elective (.5)

English

English 9* (1)

English 10* (1)

AP English Language (1) English 11 (1) Journalism (1)

AP English Literature (1) Elective Pairing (1) Journalism (1)

History

Global Studies 9* (1)

AP World History (1) or Global Studies 10 (1)

U.S. History (1) or AP U.S. History (1)

Modern History (1) Selected AP Course (1) Economics (1) Undocumented History Makers (1)

Mathematics***

Algebra 1* (1) or Geometry* (1)

Algebra 2/Trigonometry* (1) or Geometry* (1)

AP Calculus AB (1) Algebra 2/Trigonometry* (1) Calculus (1) Introduction to Calculus (1)

Calculus (1) AP Calculus AB (1) AP Calculus BC (1) Financial Accounting (1) Introduction to Calculus (1)

Language***

French 1 (1) Italian 1 (1) Latin 1 (1) Spanish 1* (1)

French 2 (1) Italian 2 (1) Latin 2 (1) Spanish 2* (1)

Arabic 1 (1) French 3 (1) Italian 3 (1) Latin 3 (1) Spanish 3* (1)

Arabic 1 (1) French 4 (1) Italian 4 (1) AP Italian (1) Latin 4 (1) Spanish 4 (1) AP Spanish (1)

Science***

Biology* (1)

Chemistry* (1)

AP Biology/Chemistry/Physics (1) Astronomy and Astrobiology (1) Anatomy and Physiology (1) Engineering Principles and Design (1) Environmental Science (1) Physics I (1)

AP Biology/Chemistry/Physics II (1) Astronomy and Astrobiology (1) Anatomy and Physiology (1) Engineering Principles and Design (1) Environmental Science (1) Physics I (1)

Technology

Coding (.5)

AP Computer Science (1) Architectural Design and 3D Modeling (1) Entrepreneurship and Technical Innovation (1) Game Design with Unity (1) Moviemaking and Editing with Premiere Pro (1) Robotics (1)

AP Computer Science (1) Architectural Design and 3D Modeling (1) Entrepreneurship and Technical Innovation (1) Game Design with Unity (1) Moviemaking and Editing with Premiere Pro (1) Robotics (1)

Fine Arts****

Art 1: Introduction to Art Making (.5) Art 2: Drawing and Color (1) Art History (.5) Blue Night Band (1) Foundations of Instrumental Music (1) Instrumental Music I (1) Introduction to Acting (.5) Stagecraft (.5) Survey of Music (.5) Vocal Music (1)

Acting for Film (.5) Advanced Acting (.5) Art 1: Introduction to Art Making (.5) Art 2: Drawing and Color (1) Art 3: Concept, Composition, and 2D Design (1) Art History (.5) Blue Night Band (1) Instrumental Music II: Contemporary Songs and Songwriting (1) Introduction to Acting 10 (.5) Learn about Recording (.5) Stagecraft (.5) Survey of Music (.5) Vocal Music (1)

Acting for Film (.5) Advanced Acting (.5) Art 1: Introduction to Art Making (.5) Art 2: Drawing and Color (1) Art 3: Concept, Composition, and 2D Design (1) Art History (.5) Blue Night Band (1) Instrumental Music III: Play, Compose, and Record (1) Introduction to Acting 11 (.5) Learn about Recording (.5) Stagecraft (.5) Survey of Music (.5) Vocal Music (1)

Acting for Film (.5) Advanced Acting (.5) AP Art and Design (1) Art 1: Introduction to Art Making (.5) Art 2: Drawing and Color (1) Art 3: Concept, Composition, and 2D Design (1) Art 4: 2D Design Art (1) Art History (.5) Blue Night Band (1) Elements of Cinema (1) Instrumental Music IV (1) Learn about Recording (.5) Photoshop for Designers (1) Stagecraft (.5) Survey of Music (.5)

Physical Education

Physical Education 9 (.5)

Health (.5) Physical Education 10 (.5)

Physical Education 11 (.5)

Physical Education 12 (.5)

Military Education

Military Science 9 ** (.5)

Military Science 10 ** (.5)

Military Science 11 ** (.5)

Military Science 12 ** (.5)

Required Credits

7.5

7.5

6.5

6.5

*Honors Course Available

Mathematics is required in each of the first three years. Electives are available in senior year.

**Freshmen attend a three-cycle orientation to introduce our JROTC program. If a student chooses to stay in JROTC, then Military Science is part of the curriculum.

Language is a three-year sequence continuing the language begun in freshman year. Options for junior and senior year are described in the Student Handbook and online curriculum descriptions.

***Mathematics, Language, and Science only require 3 credits for graduation. During senior year students may choose electives to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

Science is required for three years. Electives are available in both junior and senior year.

****Only 1.5 Fine Arts credits are required for graduation, but students may choose to take more courses as electives after fulfilling the credit requirement.

Fine Arts is a 1.5-credit requirement fulfilled in the first three years by enrolling in a combination of art, music electives, band (by audition), vocal music, or acting.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Modern and Classical Languages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Mathematics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Fine Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Computer Science and Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Military Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Health and Physical Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Guidance Department Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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RELIGION

Social Justice (½ credit) The required first semester of each senior religion course will be Social Justice. Building on the foundations of the first three years of religious education, this one-semester course explores social justice as a fundamental dimension of Christian discipleship in today’s world.

The themes of this course are a natural extension of the theological, philosophical, moral, and social concerns studied throughout the previous year of junior religious education. Informed by faith in Jesus Christ, the biblical vision of justice, and Catholic social teaching, this course will explore “the service of faith and the promotion of justice” as rooted in the dignity of human persons called to community and solidarity with one another, most especially for and with the poor.

Introduction to Scripture: Encountering God’s Word (1 credit) The goal of freshman religion at Xavier is for students to understand and appreciate that, through their participation in the Catholic community’s worship, prayer, and activity for love and justice, they encounter the same dramatic and saving grace of God that was present to our Jewish ancestors and that is present in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The course begins with an exploration of how the abundance of meaning found in myths, stories, and rituals in the Judeo-Christian tradition makes present again God’s saving actions in history. During the first semester, students will read selections from the Old Testament, beginning with the stories of the Patriarchs and Exodus, the defining experiences of the Israelites when they experienced God’s saving and covenantal love in historical events. After exploring Exodus, students will explore how the Israelites worked to remain faithful to the covenant through the leadership of the kings and prophets. Throughout the second semester, students will turn their learning to the New Testament, with priority given to the Gospels, so that they may grapple with God’s definitive revelation of saving grace in the person of Jesus Christ, and what it means to have been baptized into Christ’s death to rise with him.

Seniors must select one of the following religion courses for the second semester elective.

Christian Ethics on War and Peace (½ credit) How does a Christian respond to the reality of violent conflict in the world? This semester elective will explore the two threads of the Christian tradition: just war theory and peacebuilding. The student will explore the global impact and Christian understanding of war and peace in dialogue with interreligious perspectives, with particular emphasis on holy war, pacifism, active nonviolence, and just war theory. Attention will be paid to efforts for humanitarian intervention, conflict resolution, and reconciliation efforts in light of the challenges of contemporary warfare faced in the 20th and 21st centuries. The student will be invited to engage in a final project in which he dialogues with the work of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) or grassroots organizations focused on peace.

Discipleship: Responding to Christ’s Call (1 credit) This course aims to introduce the sophomore student to the community of disciples through the rich tradition of the Church and to invite him to bring those traditions into his own experience of Christian discipleship. By critically examining the witness of significant disciples of different ages, the student will be invited to reflect critically on his call to discipleship in light of the tension between the values of the Gospel and our contemporary world.

An exploration of the Church, prayer, and moral decision-making will further support the student’s reflection and analysis of how he is called to respond to God’s activity in the world today.

Philosophy and Christian Thought (½ credit) This one semester introductory philosophy course will explore the origin and development of Western Philosophy from antiquity to the modern period while tracing the influence of Western Philosophy on Christian thought. Students will be challenged to grapple with metaphysics and epistemology as they engage the thoughts of the Presocratics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and consider their influence on prominent Christian thinkers such as Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas. Over the course of the semester, students will explore questions regarding the nature and limits of knowledge, the nature of being and reality, the existence of God, morality and the problem of evil, and the nature of personhood, death, and immortality. Students should expect challenging primary and secondary source readings and frequent essays. This course will prepare students for college level philosophy courses.

Theology and Ethics (1 credit) By critically engaging with theological and moral questions of enduring significance, this course challenges the junior student to become more intentional at living out and reflecting upon how to be a faithful disciple in our contemporary world. Utilizing faith and reason, the student will be invited to reflect on his capacity to make God’s love present in the world and recognize that he needs to make a concrete decision to be an active, informed agent for personal and social change. The course will critically explore a variety of contemporary moral issues that highlight the tensions between the Gospel and Western values and culture. When exploring these issues, students will be challenged to develop a personal, informed, conscious perspective on these issues. To become informed, engaged moral agents, students will learn to analyze the social complexities of moral issues that will build a foundation for a more rigorous examination of justice issues in senior year.

World Religions (½ credit) This semester elective will explore how the Catholic Church recognizes and values the respective truth found in the world’s religions through interreligious dialogue. The student will be introduced to the nature and philosophy of the worldviews of various religious traditions, namely those of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam. The student will explore the elements of each religion and how human persons have experienced the presence of the sacred and sought to comprehend the mystery of life.

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Attention will be given to various rituals and traditions associated with each religion alongside a comparative evaluation of how each comes to understand the unique roles of the divine, human nature, and our shared search for meaning. The student will be asked to engage in a major synthesis project that requires a visit to a place of worship from a religious tradition not his own.

451 (Bradbury), The Catcher in the Rye (Salinger), and Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck). Students will also begin their four-year study of Shakespeare with an intensive reading and analysis of Julius Caesar.

English 9 Honors (1 credit) All freshman students admitted to the Ignatian Scholars Honors Program will be enrolled in English 9 Honors. Students will begin with an intensive writing program, and critically challenging reading and writing assignments will be geared toward developing pre-AP thinking and writing skills featuring literary and rhetorical analysis. Students will study grammar topics related to writing clearly and powerfully. Honors students will do more frequent writing and reading assignments and more complex analyses of texts than the students in English 9. Students will also read a second Shakespearean play.

Ignatian Perspectives (½ credit) What will you take with you from your four years at Xavier? How can you make choices that deliberately build character and integrity? What can you do with questions that seem to defy answers, and how do you draw meaning from your experiences— good and bad? This course will explore how Ignatius’ experiences and discernment methods are still relevant today and help you to refine your approach to answer these and similar questions.

Like St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, the approach will be primarily Christ-centered; but any student comfortable with Christianity will be welcome to join in the process of self-reflection and adapting Ignatius’ perspectives for themselves. Expect this reflection process to involve writing assignments and generous investment of your time in exploring your own experience.

English 10 (1 credit) This course provides a foundation in world literature, through the exploration of both classic and contemporary works. The class is structured thematically to compare texts from all over the world, exploring various commonalities in the human experience. Possible topics discussed will include the hero’s development across cultures, the use of magical realism in various settings, the effect of colonialism on culture and literature, and the formation of self. Texts will include selections from Homer’s Odyssey as well as novels by writers like Chinua Achebe, Franz Kafka, Jumpa Lahiri, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Salman Rushdie. Major works will be supplemented with pieces of short fiction, non-fiction, and poetry from across various literary movements and cultures.

Students will continue to develop their skills in expository, analytical, and argumentative writing, their understanding and implementation of the rules of grammar, and their study of vocabulary for the enhancement of critical reading and comprehension.

Theology, the Environment, and Climate Change (½ credit) Participants in this course will understand what climate change is, how it affects the world, and how we are called to address it as a people of faith. This course, which is rooted in the Jesuit tradition of social justice and service to humanity, will pay special attention to the needs of the poor, the weak, and the vulnerable in a debate often dominated by more powerful interests. The course empowers young people to move beyond learning to action, by creating hopeful solutions in their own local context. Students will also experience the spiritual and temporal benefits that come with making sustainable choices, and will understand how their choices around consumption relate to Catholic Social Teaching, Christ’s Gospel message, and the themes of Laudato Si’.

English 10 Honors (1 credit) This course will enhance the literary studies begun in freshman year with a specific focus on world literature. The students’ composition, vocabulary, and reading skills will be developed further, and the instructor will teach critical reading and writing with a pre-AP focus. English 10 Honors students will do more frequent and lengthier writing and reading assignments and more complex analyses of texts than the students in English 10.

English 10 Honors also requires independent research and in-class presentations. Some assigned texts will be the same as those in English 10 since this is also a World Literature class; however, there will be several texts that are different from or in addition to the list of texts that the English 10 students will be reading.

ENGLISH English 9 (1 credit) In the first year of English study at Xavier, students begin with an intensive writing curriculum in the first quarter in which they will practice the art of writing. Students will read exemplary essays and writing samples—description, reflection, narration, argumentation, exposition, and analysis—and will write essays and short pieces in these modes of writing. Writing instruction is complemented by the study of grammar (particularly parts of speech, proper sentence structure, and agreement). In subsequent quarters, students will read widely across genres which will include the short story, poetry, and the novel. This course has multiple aims: to enable students to become confident and proficient readers; to develop and hone critical thinking skills through discussion and literary analysis; to fashion and foster one’s analytical and creative voice through the written and spoken word. Vocabulary is taught and reinforced both within the context of the literature at hand and also through the study of commonly occurring words for academic and reading proficiency.

Students will learn how to approach literary analysis by studying various longer texts which may include the following: Fahrenheit

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English 11: Exploring American Identity Through Literature (1 credit)

Pairing #1: Irish Literature and Culture & Literature in Film

The junior year English course examines a broad range of classic and contemporary literature through the lens of four themes: dreams, faith, conformity and rebellion, social pressure, and moral codes. Through thematic units, students will study the diverse voices and cultures that represent the American identity. Texts will include American short stories, poetry, documents, speeches, plays, and novels. Titles covered may include, but are not limited to, the following: Go Tell It on the Mountain (Baldwin), The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald), Sula (Morrison), Ethan Frome (Wharton), A Streetcar Named Desire (Williams), and others. Selections vary from year to year. Students will also continue their study of Shakespeare with Othello. Writing advances in difficulty and expectation as students learn to place their literary analysis in the context of the critical studies of others and learn to place their voices in the context of analyzing the rhetoric of others. Study of grammar continues in the junior year both to improve student writing and to enhance proficiency in light of college entrance exam expectations. Deliberate study of vocabulary in context continues in the junior year to enhance student reading comprehension.

Pairing #3: Surviving: True and Unbelievable Stories & Soldiers’ Stories

Pairing #2: Modernism: “Make it New!” & Imprisonment in Literature

Pairing #4: The Rise and Reign of the Antihero: 1963-2017 & Dread, Angst, and the Battle Against Oblivion Pairing #5: Voices of the Harlem Renaissance & The Dream Deferred Pairing #6: Fiction Writing & Screenwriting

SENIOR ELECTIVE COURSE DESCRIPTION Literature in Film (½ credit) Literature in Film will explore the relationship between the screen and the written word. Questions that will be the focus of the class will include: what are the problems that arise when you transpose fiction to film? How does the story change? The characters? Does it make a difference when a story is written and when it is made into a film? Students will compare and contrast the positive and negative aspects of literature turned into film and in doing so will hopefully increase their understanding of the text and appreciation of multiple art forms. The texts studied will cover a variety of genres: plays, prose, and memoir. Texts may include titles such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Fences by August Wilson, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, and Between a Rock and A Hard Place by Aron Ralston (127 Hours).

AP English Language and Composition (1 credit) The study of American Literature forms the background of this course, and some of the texts will be common to the English 11 course list; however, the AP course is primarily a college-level study of rhetoric and writing. The course engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose, mainly non-fiction, from a variety of literary periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts. Students will focus on becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes.

Frequent writing and reading tasks will make students aware of the interactions between a writer’s purposes, an audience’s expectations, and the writer’s subject, as well as the way conventions in writing and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing.

Special attention will be devoted to the development of voice and style in writing. Students are REQUIRED to take the AP English Language and Composition Exam that is administered in May.

Irish Literature and Culture (½ credit) That so small a country, Ireland, has produced such literary powerhouses as Joyce, Swift, Heaney, and Doyle deserves a semester of in-depth reading, writing, and discussion. Ireland has been called “a terrible beauty” and the writers that hail from her shores have spent countless hours and many pages exploring this intense paradox. In this elective, we will look not only at this but at questions that connect us across ethnic, religious, and societal divides: What is it to love one’s country? Where does love end and fanaticism begin? How can one recover from the loss of identity and love? Where can we find beauty and happiness in the most mundane corners of life? One does not have to be Irish to engage in these conversations and appreciate these funny, sad, and brilliant writers! We will also enjoy delving into Irish culture which will include looking at Irish immigration in New York, Irish food, music, and folklore. Authors include James Joyce, Roddy Doyle, Colum McCann, Jonathan Swift, Seamus Heaney, and Claire Keegan. A walking tour of the New York Irish experience, Irish step dancers, seeing a play at the Irish Repertory Theatre, and enjoying Irish delicacies are some of the encounters included in this course.

Journalism (1 credit) This introductory course to journalism and news writing will emphasize critical reading, thinking, and writing along with the ethics and responsibilities of journalists. The course is writing intensive. The course will cover many journalistic writing styles and we will look at techniques for gathering, evaluating, using, and citing sources and conducting interviews. We will also explore print, digital, and web-based publications and the use of photography in journalism. Journalism is an elective and must be taken with English 11 or AP English Language.

Seniors select from among the current offerings of English elective pairings (unless that student chooses to take AP Literature and Composition). The following list is composed of recently offered and currently offered elective pairings. These electives vary year to year depending on student interest.

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Modernism: “Make it New!” (½ credit)

Soldiers’ Stories (½ credit)

The tumultuousness of World War I fostered a new class of artists and writers who were disillusioned with the technological advances of warfare that took annihilation and destruction to new heights. Modernist writers destroyed conventions and championed each individual’s perception of his world. This class will explore the roots of Modernist literature, beginning with Ezra Pound and tracing the trajectory of modernism as it forever altered the literary landscape. We will examine the writers and artists who broke with tradition, embraced change, and created a new way to envision the world. We will read works by T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jean Rhys, and Ernest Hemingway. We will also look at works by Picasso, Braque, Brancusi, and other artists who worked alongside Modernist authors to depict our world in unprecedented ways.

Honor. Glory. Freedom. Young men and women serve in the military for a host of reasons, and every year soldiers transition back to civilian life. Much has been written by and about soldiers at war and returning from war. In this course, we will delve into soldiers’ stories—their experience of war and experience of coming back from war. Students will read Tribe (Junger), selected stories from Redeployment (Klay) and The Things They Carried (O’Brien), play All My Sons (Miller), and memoir American Sniper (Kyle), plus short works, stories, and poems by Robert Graves, Brian Turner, Wilfred Owen, and others. Students will also evaluate dramatic film and documentary film depictions of soldiers’ stories. Films may include Restrepo, Hell and Back Again, and The Hurt Locker.

The Rise and Reign of the Antihero: 1963-2017 (½ credit) Our current fascination—indeed, obsession—with protagonists who bend and oftentimes break the rules raises important questions about what our society values. This course will trace the timeliness and popularity of the antihero, from 1950s gendered Americana, to super-antiheroes like Batman, to a contemporary critique of jock culture. Texts include Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, and Gabe Habash’s Stephen Florida. Students will be charged with charting the development of an antihero/heroine from historical catalyst to literary response. Classes will consist of seminar-style critical reading sessions, character analyses, presentations, and debates.

Imprisonment in Literature (½ credit) This class spans both fiction and nonfiction to explore the function and impact of prisons on our society. We begin by examining how laws, prisons, and the judicial system work to keep certain segments of the population captive. In The Handmaid’s Tale, a totalitarian government imprisons all of its women to facilitate repopulation after a cataclysmic environmental disaster. This dystopian novel slyly and subtly reflects shifts in our society with the advent of computerized banking and surveillance. We shift gears with Just Mercy, a nonfiction account of Bryan Stevenson’s work on behalf of prisoners, which powerfully examines the shattering effect of imprisonment on individuals and their families.

The use of laws to criminalize behavior will be illuminated by shorter works including Oscar Wilde’s The Ballad of Reading Gaol, Anna Akhmatova’s Requiem, and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” This course concludes with a close reading of Hamlet and Jesus Hopped the A Train (Giurgis), contrasting these two works in terms of style and substance.

Dread, Angst, and the Battle Against Oblivion (½ credit) Being a man for others is what Xavier instills in its students, and within its walls, this value is paramount, but how do young men committed to social justice confront a world in which morality is consistently challenged? This seminar-style class will focus on an intertextual discourse between texts previously encountered at Xavier about religion and ethics (including Frankl, Kant, Aristotle, and Mill) and works that deconstruct our notions of right and wrong, just and unjust. Can we find values in the void, or are these works black holes? How has Xavier equipped you to contend with the omnipresent assault on meaning in these texts?

Texts include Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, Ngũg˜l wa Thiong’o’s Weep Not, Child, and listening sessions dedicated to studying albums by Nirvana, The Notorious B.I.G., and Sly Stone.

Surviving: True and Unbelievable Stories (½ credit) What does it take to survive? How do writers of stories of extreme adversity define and illuminate personal grit? In this course students will read mostly non-fiction pieces that deal with adversity—adversity that is chosen, such as mountain climbing, or adversity that is accidentally thrust upon us, such as a plane crash or other scenario. Seminar-style classes will allow for in-depth discussions of Nando Parrado’s Miracle in the Andes, Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic novel, The Road, non-fiction accounts of survival such as Into Thin Air (Krakauer) and The Perfect Storm (Junger), selections from memoirs and documentary film accounts of survival such as Meru, The Center Cannot Hold (Saks), and Finding Home, plus articles and talks by Sherwin Nuland and others. All works studied will aim to illuminate and inform our understanding of the human will to survive and the questions people must consider when faced with extreme adversity.

Voices of the Harlem Renaissance (½ credit) Rising out of the ashes of enslavement, reconstruction, and the Industrial Revolution, the Harlem Renaissance was at the forefront of the African-American experience. This important movement was born from a theory created by philosopher, professor, and essayist Alain Locke, who believed in the reinvention and redefinition of the Negro in 20th-century America. Literature, the arts, dance, and music were essential to this rebirth, and the first semester examines contributions from key African-Americans of the time to understand this new vision. Essential to the landscape of New York City history, this course also seeks to discover the importance of identity, culture, and self-determination. Selected works include Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes’ Not Without Laughter, Nella Larsen’s Quicksand, and poems from Jean Toomer’s Cane will culminate in a final project by each student.

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The Dream Deferred (½ credit)

Screenwriting (½ credit)

“Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people.

But stories can also repair that broken dignity.”

— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This course will provide a foundation in writing for the screen.

We will transition from reading and writing fiction to reading and writing screenplays first by reading the novel Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, then reading the screenplay of the novel, and then watching the movie. Along the way, we will see what understanding we can glean from the transition from book to script to the finished film. We will then read both draft and shooting scripts of produced films to study the form of the screenplay, and we will watch films to deepen our understanding of the art form of film. We will then write our own screenplays, workshopping them as we workshopped the fiction in the first semester. (We will use a screenwriting software to write our screenplays; Final Draft is one example.) Working in five-page chunks, we will culminate, by the end of the semester, in a 30-page screenplay that will serve as a polished writing sample to take forward into college (and perhaps continue the study of screenwriting or filmmaking there). We will read excerpts from McKee’s seminal treatise on structure, Story, as well as Save the Cat and a variety of other texts on screenwriting (and perhaps some of Joseph Campbell’s writings on myth). Screenplays or films we will read or watch part or all of will include Good Will Hunting, Syriana, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The End of the Tour, When Harry Met Sally, Mulholland Drive, and The Dark Knight.

The importance of the African-American voice becomes more apparent as history and society change. Culture and literature play a very important role in getting to know who we are as a country, but more importantly who we are as a people. Specifically, the African-American woman has played a major role in shaping our country as we know it today, from nannies to mammies, educators to caretakers, mothers, daughters, and mentors. In this course, we will study the various ways that the African-American female voice has been birthed and raised in the poetry, short stories, and novels of the American literary canon. Through the works of Nikki Giovanni, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, and other standouts, we will explore the evolution of this voice through the lenses of strength, compassion, friendship, intersectionality, and love. Selected works include Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings; Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon; Alice Walker’s The Color Purple.

AP English Literature and Composition (1 credit) This program is offered to students of proven ability and performance who wish to pursue a college-level literature course. Students choosing this AP Lit course should be students who love reading and analyzing literature at a challenging level.

Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature as well as essays in exposition and argument. Readings will represent several genres and periods and may include works

by Austen, Bronte, Dante, Greene, McCarthy, Morrison, Diaz, Shakespeare, and Waugh. Emphasis will be on close reading and intensive study of representational works of literary merit.

Additionally, students will examine critical views of the works they are studying and learn how to situate their reading and analysis of the literature among the voices and views of contemporary critics. Students are REQUIRED to take the AP English Literature and Composition Exam that is administered in May.

HISTORY Global Studies 9 (1 credit) The freshman year course investigates the ancient through medieval histories of the Near East, Africa, Greece, Rome, Europe, India, and the Far East. History is surveyed from the dawn of civilization to the European Renaissance. By studying the geography, society, government, economy, and philosophy of different regions, students gain an understanding of the diversity of human culture and learn the underpinnings of Eastern and Western civilization.

Global Studies 9 Honors (1 credit) All freshman students admitted to the Ignatian Scholars Honors Program will enroll in Global Studies 9 Honors.

The structure of this course is similar to Global Studies 9.

Students in this course can expect more writing assignments and will be held to a higher standard on these. This is an accelerated and pre-AP course, so the students can expect a heavier workload compared to Global Studies 9.

Fiction Writing (½ credit) This course will feature the study of classic short stories alongside the careful consideration of works submitted by students. We will closely read both the published stories and the student-written works with an eye toward gleaning lessons from them that will inform our compositional practices. Our workshop discussions will marshal our highest intelligence in the service of helpful, cogent, respectful feedback about what works and doesn’t in the pages under consideration. We will explore the formal underpinnings of narrative art, emphasizing craft techniques such as managing point of view and time; writing with the five senses; incorporating both showing and telling into one’s work; promoting conflict and ambiguity; involving the reader psychologically and emotionally; developing a voice; writing beautiful sentences. Occasional short reflection papers on assigned published readings will supplement the creative writing done for the class. Written critiques of workshopped student stories will also contribute to the grade. Among the writers whose works we will consider are Poe, Hemingway, Joyce, Chekhov, Diaz, Saunders, Lahiri, Baldwin, and others.

Global Studies 10 (1 credit) This is a two-part world history course. In freshman year, the course investigates the ancient through medieval histories of the Near East, Africa, Greece, Rome, Europe, India, and the Far East. History is surveyed from the dawn of civilization to the European Renaissance.

In sophomore year, the focus shifts to modern world history initially with the Renaissance era and continuing through the World War II era. By studying the geography, society, government, economy, and philosophy of different regions in each course, students gain an understanding of the diversity of human cultures and learn the underpinnings of both Eastern and Western civilizations.

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AP World History (1 credit)

AP Comparative Government and Politics (1 credit)

This is a college-level course in world history. Its focus is the period from 10,000 B.C. to the present. Students in the course will examine the impact of interaction among major societies, the impact of technology on people and the environment, changes in the structures and functions of nations and states, systems of social structure and gender structure, and cultural and intellectual developments throughout the world. Students will master various methods that modern historians use to evaluate and interpret historical documents. Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement Examination in World History at the conclusion of the course and may earn college credits through this exam.

This is a college-level course that introduces students to the fundamental concepts used by political scientists to study the processes and outcomes of politics in a variety of country settings.

This course aims to communicate to students the importance of global political and economic changes. It covers the major concepts that are used to organize and interpret what we know about political phenomena and relationships through an emphasis on specific countries and their governments including China, Great Britain, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia. The political system of the United States will also be covered as a point of comparison. In addition, students will sharpen their oral, analytical, and writing skills. Students are REQUIRED to take the Advanced Placement Examination in Comparative Government and Politics at the conclusion of the course and may earn college credits through this exam.

Challenges of the Modern World: From the Cold War and Civil Rights Movement to the Post 9/11 World (1 credit)

AP United States Government and Politics (1 credit)

This course will survey the history of the world and the United States since World War II. The course will begin with a study of economics and how it has impacted history. The course will enable students to understand contemporary events in the context of recent history. Students will use primary and secondary sources to analyze long term issues and events such as World War II, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, Middle Eastern conflicts, the end of colonialism, the rise of new nation states, modern technological developments, the rise of pandemics such as AIDS, civil rights struggles in the United States, the rise of fundamentalism and international terrorism, and recent developments in American politics, society, and culture. This will be a writingintensive course and will include a term research paper.

This is a college-level course that will give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. government and politics and the analysis of specific examples. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. government and politics. Students who successfully complete this course will know important facts, concepts, and theories on U.S. government and politics, understand typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their consequences, be able to analyze and interpret basic data relevant to U.S. government and politics, be able to critically analyze relevant theories and concepts, apply them appropriately, and develop their connections across the curriculum. In addition, students will sharpen their oral, analytical, and writing skills. Students are REQUIRED to take the Advanced Placement Examination in United States Government and Politics at the conclusion of the course and may earn college credits through this exam.

AP United States History (1 credit) This is a college-level course in American history. Students will gain a strong grounding in the facts surrounding important events in United States history. They will also learn to read historical material analytically and critically, weigh historical evidence and interpretations, and arrive at conclusions based on informed judgments. The student will be expected to acquire knowledge of primary sources as well as their use, to interpret maps, statistical tables, and graphic materials.

Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement Examination in United States History at the conclusion of the course and may earn college credits through this exam.

AP European History (1 credit) This is a college-level course in European history. This course will cover the history of Europe from the Renaissance to the present. In this course, students will examine how Europe was transformed from the “medieval” to the “modern” over one thousand years. Students will investigate the social, economic, political, and military movements that have come to define Europe. Attention will be given to artistic and literary movements. Students are REQUIRED to take the Advanced Placement Examination in European History at the conclusion of the course and may earn college credits through this exam.

United States History (1 credit) This course surveys the history of the United States from its colonial origins through the World War II era. Students will develop their historical skills and perspective by concentrating on certain topics and themes within that narrative. Particular attention is paid in the first semester to the political and constitutional development of the country from the period of the American Revolution through the age of Jackson to the Civil War. In the second half of the year, students will explore the impact of industrialization and immigration on society, the economy, politics, and the relationship between the government and citizens. Attention is also paid to the formation of American foreign policy and its evolution through the World Wars.

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Introduction to Economics (1 credit)

Spanish 1 Honors (1 credit)

This course introduces students to the fundamental principles of economic theory and practice. Students develop a working definition of economics and undergo an extensive introduction to supply and demand and laws that relate to supply and demand.

They also are exposed to the variety of political systems and their effect on economic theory including socialism, capitalism, and communism. Types of businesses are explained including sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. The pros and cons of each type of organization are discussed. Other important concepts are explored including pricing, gross national product, inflation, taxation, and selected economic indicators. Additionally, the competencies, which form the basis for this course, enable students to analyze their personal financial decisions, evaluate the costs and benefits of their decisions, recognize their rights and responsibilities as consumers, and apply the knowledge learned in school to financial situations encountered later in life.

This course is designed to introduce students to the Spanish language and culture with an in-depth analysis of grammar and vocabulary. There is a great emphasis on reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills. This course is comparable to Spanish 1 but it moves at an accelerated pace to cover additional topics at the end of the academic year with the expectation to prepare students for the intermediate level of the Spanish 2 Honors course.

Spanish 2 (1 credit) Spanish 2 is a comprehensible input language course. The main goal is to help students to acquire and to learn Spanish in an immersion program format; a great part of the class time is spent using Spanish. The course focuses on listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. The purpose is that all skills will come more naturally as students experience speaking and writing while listening and reading. They will learn how to creatively use a combination of new and old grammar structures instead of just knowing how to conjugate verbs or knowing a list of vocabulary.

Teachers use grammatical structures in class discussions, stories, and cultural explorations, and students are expected to recognize them when they read or hear them and produce them in speech and writing. This course is very interactive and requires students to work collaboratively with the teacher and with each other. The expectation is that by the end of the year students will feel more comfortable communicating in Spanish with each other and other people they come across, using the present and the past tenses.

Undocumented History Makers (1 credit) This is a modern history and technology course that seeks to provide a voice for the important people who are often omitted from the historical record. In the first semester, students will scour history textbooks, books and scholarly articles to identify and learn the mostly untold stories of people that influenced the famous events of the post-World War II era. Using technologies like web-design, infographics, game design, video making, and 3D printing, students will create “artifacts” that tell the stories of their research subjects and present them in a student-designed museum exhibition. In the second semester, students will make a documentary film that tells the real story of a subject of their choice. These films will feature a subject or subjects whose stories are affected by events from modern history (post-World War II). The class requires no previous experience with technology. By the end of the course, students will have MADE real contributions to the historical record.

Spanish 2 Honors (1 credit) This course is for those students who have successfully completed one year of Spanish Honors. The course continues an in-depth analysis of grammar and places great emphasis on reading, oral, and writing skills.

Spanish 3 (1 credit) Spanish 3 builds on the vocabulary and grammatical structures learned in Spanish 1 and Spanish 2. Various cultural themes and grammar topics are covered in each marking period. Culture includes geography, art, and the history of various Spanish-speaking countries around the world. The focus of the course is the integration of the four skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking, through inclass activities, homework, dialogues, and Internet assignments.

MODERN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT: 1. Students are required to take a three-year sequence (three years of the same language) in a foreign language at Xavier. The fourth level of the language may be taken as an elective.

2. Students who begin a second language in junior year are required to continue the second level of this language in senior year. Choices for a second language include Spanish 1, French 1, Italian 1, Latin 1, and Arabic 1.

Spanish 3 Honors (1 credit) This course is a comprehensive continuation of the Spanish 2 Honors course. Through an in-depth analysis of the language, this language immersion course completes the presentation of Spanish grammar, while at the same time emphasizing reading, writing, and oral skills.

Spanish 4 (1 credit)

Spanish 1 (1 credit)

Spanish 4 is designed to be an overall review and expansion of the basic skills of Spanish. It is intended, through an in-depth examination of grammar, to increase accuracy and consistency in reading, listening, and writing, and to develop oral proficiency. Students read newspaper articles, literary selections, and practice letterwriting skills. Spanish and/or Latin-American films may be studied to introduce cultural themes and reinforce vocabulary in context.

This course is designed to introduce students to the Spanish language. Students will develop an understanding of grammar concepts as well as knowledge of vocabulary and culture.

Students are expected to speak, read, and write in Spanish as much as possible. By the end of the year, students will have begun to possess the skills necessary to express themselves on a variety of topics in the target language.

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MATHEMATICS

French 4 (1 credit) In the fourth year students are expected to become familiar with the history, literature, and art of the French people over the centuries. In addition, structures are reviewed as necessary. The focus is on the reading of various selections. Questions and answers concerning the readings are in French. The various cultural, philosophical and religious aspects of these works are explored. Films are used whenever possible to help students further understand a particular historical period or to visualize a literary work.

Algebra 1 (1 credit) This course begins with students understanding the language of algebra. The first half of the course then progresses into examining real numbers and polynomials, followed by a focus on understanding linear equations and inequalities through solving, analyzing, and graphing their relations. The latter half seeks to apply and build upon these fundamental skills, focusing on quadratic functions and factoring as well as exponential and radical expressions and equations.

Latin 1 (1 credit) Latin I exposes learners to Roman culture and history through the Latin language. The focus of this course is on learners and their stories using the most frequent words that appear in Latin literature. Personalized texts and learner-centered stories are co-created as a class with the help of the teacher using various story-telling strategies. This Latin course is a Comprehension-based language course, which means that the methods and practices that are employed are based on the Comprehensible Input Hypothesis of linguists and researchers such as Dr. Stephen Krashen and Dr. Bill Van Patten.

Algebra 1 Honors (1 credit) Incoming freshman students are admitted to Algebra Honors based on their performance on the mathematics placement examination administered in the summer before their freshman year. Families are welcome to appeal placement with the submission of NYS Algebra Regents Exam results. Algebra Honors is very similar to Algebra but typically moves at an accelerated pace, allowing the instructor to cover concepts with greater depth. An emphasis on inquiry-based learning allows students to acquire knowledge through investigation and discovery. This method encourages students to use and hone their critical thinking skills to deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts and their appropriate application. Note: All freshmen in the Ignatian Scholars Honors Program who are not placed in Geometry or Geometry Honors will be placed in Algebra Honors. A graphing calculator is required.

Latin 2 (1 credit) Latin 2 continues to build upon the knowledge and themes established in the prior year. The focus of this course is on learners and their stories using the most frequent words that appear in Latin literature. Personalized texts and learnercentered stories are co-created as a class with the help of the teacher using various story-telling strategies. This Latin course is a comprehension-based language course, which means that the methods and practices that are employed are based on the Comprehensible Input Hypothesis of linguists and researchers such as Dr. Stephen Krashen and Dr. Bill Van Patten.

Geometry (1 credit) This course is for students who have successfully completed the Algebra course. The course will focus on two-dimensional space and the relationships between the figures within that space. Students will be taught how to develop and explain conclusions based on given information, logical reasoning, and geometric rules and facts.

Topics of three-dimensional geometry will also be addressed.

Latin 3 (1 credit) Students will focus on higher levels of Latin. They will continue to read and listen to Latin as well as begin to write in Latin. Cultural understanding will be created through novellas and discussion. Students will develop intermediatelevel language skills and learn about Roman culture.

Geometry Honors (1 credit) Incoming freshman students are admitted to Geometry Honors based on their performance on the mathematics placement examination administered in the summer before freshman year.

Families are welcome to appeal placement with the submission of NYS Algebra Regents Exam results. While similar to Geometry, the Geometry Honors course takes a more intensive and extensive look at the concepts covered which include exploring congruent and similar two-dimensional figures as well as applications of surface area, volume, and density of three-dimensional figures.

Students are asked to not only solve for values but also to analyze and articulate the similarities and differences of geometric figures and concepts. An emphasis on inquiry-based learning allows students to acquire knowledge through investigation and discovery.

Latin 4 (1 credit) Latin 4 is a literature and culture course that provides deeper coverage of the themes covered in Latin 3, namely, the hero’s journey. Through a survey of intermediate-level texts, students will study the most important mythical stories and sagas from the classical world, as well as the reception of these various myths in later literature, art, and film. Latin grammar is studied, but it is not the emphasis of this course and is only discussed in the context of the works we are reading.

Arabic 1 (1 credit)

Algebra 2/Trigonometry (1 credit)

Designed to give incentive and advantage for students to continue Arabic and Middle Eastern studies in college, Arabic 1 duplicates college-level Elementary Arabic with mastery of the alphabet (both print and cursive), the basic grammar of Modern Standard Arabic, reading proficiency, basic conversational skills, and the culture/ history of the Middle East. There is no guarantee that Arabic will fit into the junior year schedule. Priority will be given to seniors.

This course is for students who have successfully completed Geometry. This course will cover an in-depth exploration of functions including quadratic, polynomial, radical, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric.

The characteristics of these functions, their graphs, and how to algebraically solve equations involving these types of expressions will be the primary focus.

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Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors (1 credit) This is a more intensive and extensive treatment of the topics covered in the Algebra 2/Trigonometry course. This course aims to prepare students for a higher-level Calculus course.

An emphasis on inquiry-based learning allows students to acquire knowledge through investigation and discovery.

Each cycle, students are required to complete major laboratory experiments or conduct group assignments in which data collection and analysis are required. In addition to these laboratory experiments, the instructor will conduct in-class demonstrations to expose students to more advanced laboratory techniques and practices.

Introduction to Calculus (1 credit)

Biology Honors (1 credit) Biology Honors progresses at an accelerated pace with more indepth coverage of the chemistry behind cellular processes such as photosynthesis, cellular respiration, protein synthesis, DNA/RNA replication, and human genetics. This course takes full advantage of cross-curricular opportunities by exploring and incorporating major principles of chemistry, physics, and mathematics in living systems, both during lectures and laboratory activities. During laboratory activities, which occur more frequently, students use more advanced techniques such as preparing buffers, transferring solutions using micropipettes, and preparing and running electrophoresis gels.

This course will review the different types of algebraic and trigonometric functions with a focus on graphical analysis.

The course will introduce the concepts of limits and differential calculus and explore appropriate applications.

Financial Accounting (1 credit) This course provides an introduction to generally accepted accounting principles and the conceptual framework underlying financial reporting. Students will learn to analyze, measure, and record the effects of economic transactions, as well as construct and interpret financial statements. Specific topics include revenue and expense recognition, inventory, and longlived assets. This course is beneficial to students considering a business degree in college and to those who are interested in becoming more fluent in the language of business.

AP Biology (1 credit) Juniors wishing to take AP Biology must do so concurrently with either Physics or AP Physics. The AP Biology course is designed to fulfill the requirements of college-level biology.

It includes class work, contracts, traditional and independent laboratory investigations, and outside assignments. The student must be able to do independent work.

Calculus (1 credit) This course offers a more in-depth study of the major topics of both differential and integral calculus, as well as a closer look at the theory of calculus. This course covers most of the essential topics for the AP Calculus AB exam enabling students to take the AP exam in May, if they wish.

Chemistry (1 credit)

This course offers a more intensive and faster-paced treatment of the topics covered in the Calculus course.

There is a thorough review for the nationwide AP exam.

Students are REQUIRED to take the AP exam.

This is a traditional chemistry course using atomic and molecular structure to describe and explain how matter behaves and how the composition of substances governs their interactions.

Students will enhance their knowledge of scientific thinking and the course will cover the structure and interactions of matter.

Topics include atomic structure, chemical reactions and equations, phases of matter, bonding, temperature, stoichiometry, acids and bases, and interactions between energy and matter.

AP Calculus BC (1 credit)

Chemistry Honors (1 credit)

This course covers additional topics in calculus that were not covered in Calculus or AP Calculus AB. Such topics include additional integration techniques, parametric equations, polar equations, and infinite series. There is a thorough review for the nationwide AP exam. Students are REQUIRED to take the AP exam.

This course covers the content in Chemistry and pursues more in-depth coverage of several subjects, including quantum mechanical chemistry, applications of chemical processes in other branches of science and industry, nuclear chemistry, and a deeper focus on research methodology as it pertains to chemistry.

AP Calculus AB (1 credit)

AP Chemistry (1 credit)

SCIENCE

Juniors wishing to take AP Chemistry must do so concurrently with either Physics or AP Physics. The AP Chemistry course provides students with a college-level foundation to support future advanced coursework in chemistry. Much of the coursework will include laboratory and inquiry-based investigations. Students will continue to explore topics learned in Chemistry and Chemistry Honors, such as atomic structure, intermolecular forces and bonding, chemical reactions, kinetics, thermodynamics, and equilibrium. The course explores core scientific principles, theories, and processes that cut across traditional boundaries and provide a broad way of thinking about the particulate nature of matter underlying the observations students make about the physical world. The offering of this course will be contingent on receiving a sufficient number of qualified candidates.

Biology (1 credit) Biology is a freshman-level course that covers in-depth topics such as the scientific method, the cell along with its organelles and their microscopic structures and functions, cellular processes such as reproduction, respiration, and photosynthesis, genetics, heredity, and evolution. While biology is a natural science, we also emphasize, in the spirit of Jesuit education, the social, ethical, and environmental impacts of biological research at a local, as well as a global level.

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FINE ARTS

Physics (1 Credit) In physics, students observe objects and processes and describe them mathematically. The progression of this course follows a traditional, introductory physics course. Topics covered include kinematics, dynamics, energy, electricity and magnetism, and optics.

Laboratory experiments are computer-based and integrate the formal learning process. A facility with numbers is helpful; the ability to use algebra is essential. Co-requisite(s): Algebra 2/Trigonometry

Art 1: Introduction to Art Making (½ credit) This is a one-semester course. This hands-on art class touches on drawing, painting, sculpture, art history, and personal expression through art. Enjoy creating your own art projects as we explore artists, styles, and materials. No experience necessary!

Art History (½ credit)

AP Physics 1 (1 credit) AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based, introductory collegelevel physics course that explores topics such as Newtonian mechanics (including rotational motion); work, energy, and power. Through inquiry-based learning, students will develop scientific critical thinking and reasoning skills. Students who have taken Chemistry Honors are encouraged to take this course.

Why is that big blue square called art? This is a semester course.

For students interested in understanding contemporary art history, this class will study various artists and movements to understand the concepts behind the creation of modern art. Student presentations and simple art-making are included to foster an understanding of artists’ concepts. Inexperienced artists welcome!

AP Physics 2 (1 credit)

Art 2: Drawing and Color (1 credit) This is a full-year studio art course offered ONLY to advanced freshman artists. This is for the student who wants to advance to a technical how-to-draw class. Interested students are expected to be advanced in art, and may test into Drawing and Color thereby bypassing Art 1: Intro to Art Making. Students interested in any career in the visual arts (graphic design, game design, web design, architecture, or industrial design to name just a few!) should follow the four-year sequence to AP Art. This allows the student to focus on creating a scholarship-level college portfolio. There is an emphasis on drawing techniques featuring demonstration, observation, and practice using charcoal and watercolor. Critiques, drawing, painting, and art history are part of the curriculum.

AP Physics 2 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course that explores topics such as fluid statics and dynamics; thermodynamics with kinetic theory; PV diagrams and probability; electrostatics; electrical circuits with capacitors; magnetic fields; electromagnetism; physical and geometric optics; and quantum, atomic, and nuclear physics. Through inquiry-based learning, students will develop scientific critical thinking and reasoning skills.

Anatomy & Physiology (1 credit) Anatomy & Physiology, an introductory college-level course, is a science elective available to juniors and seniors. Students study anatomical terms, cells, tissues, homeostasis, and the human body in health and disease. The course covers the anatomy and physiology of each body system. In addition to laboratory dissection and computerized virtual dissection simulation, class activities include the analysis of case studies and the identification of illustrative anatomy on diagrams.

Art 3: Concept, Composition, and 2D design (1 credit) Learn to think your way through a visual problem and improve your skills. This one-year studio course is based on the art skills and knowledge developed in the preceding years. This course enables the student to explore the development and style through the fine arts. The course is structured to encourage creative exploration and critical thinking: a resource valuable in college and beyond. A portfolio suited to each individual’s style will be developed. A variety of materials will be provided.

An art history component is included. Regular homework, tests, and critiques are used for assessment. Any student who might need to build a college portfolio should take this course.

Astronomy and Astrobiology (1 credit) This is an introductory-level science elective course available to juniors and seniors. This course will explore the universe focusing specifically on celestial bodies (stars, planets, asteroids, and comets), their specific properties, or processes and their interactions.

The first half of this course will focus on habitability in our solar system and the factors that contribute to Earth’s habitability. The second half of this course will apply the principles of habitability to the study of exoplanets. This course will develop analytical thinking and inquiry skills while students explore habitability throughout our universe. Field trips to the Hayden Planetarium and New York Hall of Science will supplement in-class discussions.

Art 4: Experimental Thinking (1 credit) This is the next level studio class after Art 3. Focusing on new materials not covered in Art 3, this course will explore experimentation, mark-making, printmaking, sculpture, and career opportunities. Students will work towards developing a personal style while learning new materials. The course is structured to encourage creative exploration and critical thinking: a resource valuable in college and beyond. A portfolio suited to each individual’s style will be developed. A variety of materials will be provided. An art history component is included. Regular homework, tests, and critiques are used for assessment. Any advanced junior Art student who might need to build a college portfolio should take this course.

Environmental Science (1 credit) The necessity to understand our environment has never been more urgent and the need for environmental scientists to deal with increasingly complex issues is growing. This upper-level, interdisciplinary science elective studies the connections between Earth systems. Investigations will focus on Earth’s past, present, and projected future through the interactions between different ecosystems, species, and human impacts. This will enable students to think critically about our responsibility towards creation through sustainability and conservation strategies.

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Instrumental Music IV: Play, Compose, Record, and Produce (1 credit)

AP Art and Design (1 credit) This Advanced Placement class meets for a full year, and students must be willing to schedule extra time to complete assignments . This is a college-level course that assumes a high degree of proficiency and commitment on the part of the student .

Students are required to take the AP Studio Art test (which is not a written test, but rather a portfolio submission based on stringent requirements) . The course will focus on creating a personal voice for each student by exploring the two areas required by the College Board: quality and a 15-piece developed exploration of a personal theme . Prerequisite(s): Art 2 and 3, departmental approval .

Full-year culminating project. Each student will sharpen their playing skills, record in a group, compose/arrange music and work to produce a CD. The course will emphasize group work, problemsolving, recording techniques, and the completion of individual CD projects featuring composition and recording basics. This course will introduce more advanced music concepts such as advanced music theory, improvisation, and music composition. Students who have not already done so may be invited to audition for the Blue Night Band. Independent practice time will be required. Students will be asked to use a simple recording app. Fake books will be provided.

Foundations of Instrumental Music (1 credit)

Audio Recording (½ credit)

This course is meant for students who do not play an instrument and want to learn . This course uses traditional band methods and allows for health protocols . This full-year course provides initial training on all band instruments (woodwinds, brass, and percussion) . If they do not own an instrument, students will be expected to rent one . As the year progresses, rhythm section instrument opportunities may become available . Course enrollment is limited . Independent practice time will be required . Eventual participation in the Blue Night Band is strongly encouraged .

This semester course will explore recording with popular musicmaking apps. Students will learn how to use the apps and create their own recordings/arrangements. Group and individual project work will be completed. Studio musicians and future sound engineers alike will enjoy this class if they want to learn more about simple engineering, the recording console, and familiarity with terms and equipment.

Survey of Music (½ credit) In this fun, one-semester course, students learn about all types of music via discussion, video, and recordings. Learn about the history of music, musical styles, instruments, notation, and elements of music. Special topics include an overview of music for stage and screen and the significance of music in our culture.

Instrumental Music I (1 credit) This course is meant for experienced students who already play an instrument . Allowing for health protocols, students will deepen their ties to the Xavier music community and strengthen instrumental performance skills through the exploration of various musical genres . Outstanding students will be eligible to audition for the Blue Night Band . Independent practice time will be required .

Advanced Guitar (½ credit) Students receive guidance and direction in solving problems related to playing the guitar on an intermediate to advanced level and will learn many of the different styles, skills, and techniques required to become a successful musician. Areas of concentration include: correct posture, reading standard notation and tablature notation, aural skills, various picking styles, chord study and improvisation. Students also learn scales, arpeggio playing an learn to play the guitar up through fifth position, while working on repertoire from various genres.

Instrumental Music II: Contemporary Songs and Songwriting (1 credit) In this full-year course, learn to play in a group, increase skills, begin improvisation and even touch upon composition . Students will learn new music and play as a group in class . The class will develop ensemble skills via performance opportunities .

Advanced Students may be allowed to audition for the Blue Night Band . Independent practice time will be required .

Students will use a simple recording app to compose .

Vocal Music (1 credit) Vocal Music, which may be elected in all four years, includes the study of vocal repertoire from all periods and styles as well as training in techniques of singing, basic music theory, vocal health issues, and sight reading. Students in this class assist in providing music for all school liturgies and participate in other music performances at Xavier and beyond.

Prior musical experience is welcome but not required.

Instrumental Music III: Play, Compose and Record (1 credit) Continue honing your instrumental skills, learn to compose and improvise, and begin to learn to record . The course will introduce beginning composition and recording basics . Students will be asked to use a simple recording app . Students who have not already done so may be invited to audition for the Blue Night Band . Independent practice time will be required .

Introduction to Acting 9 (½ credit) Introduction to Acting is an introductory course designed to explore the fundamentals of acting by incorporating group acting, improvisation, and creative learning to understand the basics. Students will learn about character motivation, understanding conflict/obstacles, theater vocabulary, stage directions, and more. Rehearsals for the school drama productions are completely separate from class, scheduled after school, require an audition, and are open to all levels.

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Introduction to Acting 10 (½ credit)

Blue Night Band (1 credit)

Introduction to Acting is an introductory course designed to explore the fundamentals of acting by incorporating group acting, improvisation, and creative learning to understand the basics. Students will learn about character motivation, understanding conflict/obstacles, theater vocabulary, stage directions, and more. Rehearsals for the school drama productions are completely separate from class, scheduled after school, require an audition, and are open to all levels.

The Blue Night Band is an award-winning instrumental ensemble made up of advanced music players. The band performs each year in parades (Columbus Day and St. Patrick’s Day Parades), and various Xavier concerts and functions throughout the year. The Band covers a diverse repertoire and requires a high level of proficiency on your instrument. The Band has gone on road trips and performed at many festivals around the country. Students who are accepted in the Blue Night Band must attend rehearsals from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. twice per week, and all the performances scheduled for the year. These include day and evening performances as listed.

Students will also be allowed to apply for a position as a Blue Night Band Officer as well. Independent practice will be required.

Acting for Film (½ credit) This course is designed to explore the practical and artistic elements involved in acting for the camera. Activities include the creation of a commercial, the performance of a monologue/scene from film and television scripts, and more, all to foster an understanding of the discipline and skills needed for an actor to perform on camera.

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Advanced Acting (½ credit) Advanced Acting is a class for those students who have enjoyed and passed Introduction to Acting. It is a semester course designed to build upon experiences and skills learned in the introductory class by reviewing the fundamentals of acting and is designed to allow students to fine-tune their skills and explore more mature content and work. The class will cover ensemble work, movement, voice, scene, and play analysis, scene work including an emphasis on objectives, obstacles, and acting techniques, as well as a unit on improvisational skills.

Coding 1 (½ credit) The Intro to Computer Science class is required of all freshmen at Xavier. It is a semester-long class. The topics covered include effective search strategies, securing domains and hosting, FTP programs, publishing to the Web, HTML, CSS, basic algorithms, and programming in JavaScript. By the end of the course, students will have their own web-based content published online. They will be familiar with how to code websites from scratch and they will know the basics of object-oriented programming using JavaScript.

Stagecraft (½ credit) Stagecraft is an introductory course exploring the technical aspects involved in a theater production. It is a one-semester course that employs a hands-on approach to exploring theater as a collaborative art. Elements of study include facets of theater history, playwriting, directing, script analysis, lighting, sound, costume, prop, set design, stage management, and tech crew. Students will study assigned scenes and create production plans with supporting designs to articulate their unique vision of the play. Students will examine the work of some of the great theater innovators while developing and sharing their designs and research during the semester.

AP Computer Science (1 credit) AP Computer Science is both a college-prep course for potential computer science majors and a foundation course for students planning to study in other technical fields such as engineering, physics, and chemistry. The course emphasizes programming methodology, procedural abstraction, and in-depth study of algorithms, data structures, and data abstractions.

This course is taught using the Java programming language along with program development environments. Instruction includes preparation for the AP Computer Science A Exam.

Photoshop for Designers (1 credit)

Entrepreneurship and Technical Innovation (1 credit)

This is a full-year course. No art or computer experience is necessary! Learn all the basics of Photoshop and more as we explore the fundamentals of design and digital art. This class will offer an introduction to graphic design and photo retouching, as well as “drawing” and “painting” on the computer. This class can dovetail with AP 2D Design to create portfolio-level pieces. A student flash drive will be required. Separating designers from technicians allows this class to assign art projects rather than technical assignments.

This course will allow students to work in small business teams.

Each team will engage in a user-centered design process to create a product that they will fabricate and market to a consumer base.

By using design thinking skills, students will make purposeful use of technology to investigate problems, design solutions, create products, and evaluate their efficacy. Students will work in teams to develop business plans and effective elevator pitches that will appeal to potential investors. Students will learn to use 3D printers, laser cutters, and design software to prototype their products.

Elements of Cinema (1 credit) Are you interested in movies? Do you follow the careers of famous actors and directors? Do you like independent films? Do you watch the Oscars every year? If so, this is the course for you. A study of the art and craft of the history of motion pictures and an exploration of the greatest films ever made. Films will be screened and watched in class. There will also be discussions about the movies we watch, as well as observations of the new trends in cinema like streaming and the rise of Amazon and Netflix.

Game Design with Unity (1 credit) Game Design will build on students’ prior experience with coding, but no prior experience is necessary for success. Students will learn to program in the C# language and use the Unity3D platform to design 2D and 3D games for web and mobile devices. Students will create a 2D platform game and a variety of 3D games including a first-person shooter over the year. Concepts range from game creation for virtual reality to publishing on the Google Play store.

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Moviemaking and Editing with Premiere Pro (1 credit)

assessment test that offers them a chance to earn a Fitness Award.

At the conclusion of their freshman year, cadets may choose to attend the JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC) Course, a three-day rigorous leadership-oriented event held at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts. This course is specifically designed to allow cadets to practice their newly learned skills in a challenging and fun environment. Students attend three classes each cycle in fulfilling their JROTC/Military Science 9 – LET 1 curriculum requirements.

Moviemaking with Premiere Pro is a technology elective for juniors and seniors. Students will learn the basics of preproduction, production, and editing in Adobe Premiere Pro. The course will allow students to plan, shoot and edit their own short films and present them at the end of the year at the Xavier Student Film Festival. Students will form their own production teams and spend most of the year shooting and editing each other’s films.

Sophomore Leadership, Education, and Training (LET II) JROTC/ Military Science 10 (½ credit)

Robotics (1 credit) The Xavier Robotics class, based on MIT’s 6.270 Autonomous Robotics class, combines skills in technology, math, and science.

Robotics allows students to work in teams to design, build, and program autonomous robot vehicles. This engineering class allows students to think about solutions, try them out, and find out what works and what doesn’t. It allows students to share ideas, work in teams, and keep on improving their solutions, continually trying new ideas. Students learn how to program their robots by learning the C programming language. Students will compete with one another in design and programming challenges throughout the year. The year will culminate in an autonomous robotics tournament against other schools.

This is a continuation of the JROTC program from Military Science 9 – LET I. As sophomores, cadets enhance their leadership skills and are taught subjects that are useful throughout their lives.

Land navigation, map reading, the military justice system, and leadership principles are the curriculum-related subjects that are taught as part of the sophomore year. Additionally, lessons in health and nutrition along with first aid, life-saving steps, and cold and heat injuries are emphasized. Citizenship classes include introduction to military justice, natural rights of citizens, developing a republic government, understanding the colonial government, state constitutions, articles of confederation, roles of citizens, and protection of rights within the judicial system. Preparation for leadership positions in the next two years is highly emphasized during the sophomore year. Cadets are urged to perform to the best of their ability to ensure a high-ranking position as a junior.

All sophomores may enroll in JROTC/Military Science 10 – LET II to include those who did not take JROTC/Military Science 9 – LET I. Students who take this course enroll for the entire year.

Architectural Design and 3D Modeling (1 credit) This course teaches students how to use industry-standard CAD tools to design and model structures and objects. The Rhinoceros 3D software will be used to support the course. Students will learn the fundamentals of how to model existing structures in Rhino and how to redesign those structures for future needs. Projects include pedestrian park and residential skyscraper creation in New York City. Students will create video tours of their finished designs.

Students will also learn how to build prototypes by 3D printing and assembling their designs. The final project is designing and 3D printing a rocket car to be raced in the STEAM Lab Grand Prix.

Junior Leadership, Education, and Training (LET III) JROTC/ Military Science 11 (½ credit) This course is a continuation of the JROTC program from Military Science 10 – LET II. Applied leadership principles are emphasized.

Cadets prepare to assume the highest leadership roles during their senior year. The course reinforces drill and ceremonies skills gained in the freshman and sophomore years, including platoon drills, company formations, precision movements, and in-rank inspections.

Leadership tasks include basic command and staff principles, taking charge, knowing your responsibilities as a leader, celebrating differences, cultural and individual diversity, managing anger, conflict resolution, conflict mediation, and violence prevention. Cadets are allowed to create and present individual and group presentations.

All juniors may enroll in JROTC/Military Science 11 – LET III to include those who did not take JROTC/Military Science 9 or 10.

MILITARY SCIENCE Freshman Leadership, Education, and Training (LET I) JROTC/ Military Science 9 (½ credit) The LET 1 curriculum is the foundation upon which all future JROTC leadership training builds. The freshman curriculum prepares cadets for the challenges they will confront as future leaders in the Xavier Regiment, in their communities, and life. As a leadership and citizenship program, the freshman JROTC curriculum covers the fundamentals of military customs and courtesies, rank and structure, and drills and ceremonies. Cadets are academically challenged with classes covering such topics as “leadership theory and applications”, “foundations for success”, “knowing your responsibilities as a leader”, “setting goals”, and “conflict resolution”.

These broad topics provide cadets with opportunities to learn and practice skills that are universally accepted as key skills thought to be indispensable to good leaders and good leadership. Additionally, cadets learn and practice “ethical decision-making”, “problemsolving techniques”, “public speaking,” and “time management.”

Although JROTC/Military Science 9 stresses the need for students to be academically strong, it also stresses the need for them to be physically strong. To this end and throughout their freshman year, cadets practice for and take a five-event physical fitness

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GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT PROGRAM

Senior Leadership, Education, and Training (LET IV) JROTC/ Military Science 12 (½ credit) This course is the culminating course of the JROTC program and embodies the principles of performance-based leadership. Lessons and assessments in this final year are designed to actively engage students’ higher-order thinking and skill performance. Therefore, the JROTC/Military Science LET IV curriculum ensures experiences that allow cadets to put into practice the training received through their previous three years in the program. Successful completion of the senior year curriculum results in the development of a cadet’s broad array of life-long skills that are essential for high achievements in all future endeavors. Under the guidance of the Army Instructors, fourth-year cadets take ownership of the program by assuming the responsibilities commensurate with their elevated positions. Cadets serve as Staff Officers responsible for a broad range of duties including administrative actions (S1), operations and training (S3), supply and logistics (S4), public relations, and communications/ technology. They also serve as Company and Battalion Officers and Commanders. All of these high-ranking leaders of the regiment have subordinate cadets whose success depends largely upon the leader’s ability to demonstrate excellent command and control and concern for their cadet followers.

Additionally, senior cadets act as assistant instructors in selective subject areas for various JROTC classes. Finally, LET IV cadets continue to develop their leadership skills by taking charge of the planning and execution of special Regimental events, such as the Military Ball and the Annual Awards Ceremonies.

Xavier’s guidance program is grounded in Ignatian education and vision, which helps young men become individuals of competence, conscience, and compassion.

In the spirit of cura personalis, guidance counselors are concerned with each student’s total development: academically, emotionally, and socially. The high school years are challenging for every student, especially now, and that is why each Xavier student is assigned a guidance counselor to help him through these four important years.

Our responsibility to prepare learners to live, work, and thrive in a changing society is an integral part of Xavier’s overall educational program.

Students are assigned a guidance counselor at the beginning of freshman year, and that person will remain the student’s counselor for all four years. Freshmen have group guidance once a cycle throughout the year and discuss a number of issues related to transitioning to high school and acclimating to associated academic, co-curricular, social, and emotional changes. Sophomores meet in small groups once every other cycle throughout the year to discuss topics related to healthy decision-making. During junior year, counselors meet with juniors in small groups every other cycle to discuss social and emotional-related topics as well as to begin the college search process. College counselors take over junior groups in the second semester to formally begin the college application process. The guidance curriculum is integrated and articulated throughout grades 9-12 and is developmentally appropriate.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Individual counseling appointments are routinely scheduled throughout the year to check-in with students and scheduled on an as-needed basis as well. Other guidance and counseling services include multi-session support groups, special programs, and prevention education. Additional services include family consultations, crisis intervention, and referrals to outside providers.

Health The maintenance and development of good health are basic to all of our lives. Adolescents need accurate health information to develop healthy attitudes and behavior patterns. Students are beginning to assume responsibility for their health, and as a result, will be making choices and decisions that may affect them throughout their lives. The Health course at Xavier offers knowledge and skills that enable each student to make choices and decisions based on accurate and current information related to decision-making, managing stress, nutrition, tobacco, alcohol, drug abuse, sexually transmitted infections, and first aid/CPR. The goal of this course is to enable the students to assess their lifestyles and risks, so that they may choose behaviors that are healthy and responsible.

Xavier will attempt to ensure that all students with, or the potential for, a diagnosed learning disability or impairment receive appropriate academic support during their tenure at the school. Students with unique learning needs who meet the high level of academic standards necessary for academic success at Xavier will receive appropriate accommodations through the ongoing development of their learning profile and the support of the the Learning Specialist, the Dean of Academics, the students’ guidance counselor, and classroom teachers. Although Xavier does not modify its college preparatory curriculum or offer remedial courses, students with documented learning disabilities or impairments will work closely with the individuals listed above to meet their individual academic needs.

Physical Education In this course, students are introduced to the many ways of keeping physically fit in classes that meet once a cycle. Individual fitness programs and team sports are taught in an atmosphere that fosters communication and teamwork. General and sportspecific weight training programs that focus on strength, power, and balance are part of an overall fitness program taught to help increase core strength and prevent injury.

The following accommodations may be offered by the school: assistive technology, preferential seating in the classroom, alternative note taking, extended time testing, alternative testing and testing in a less distracting environment (e.g. computer use, Scantron assistance, oral testing, use of noise canceling headphones). Other reasonable accommodations may be developed in collaboration between the student, Dean of Academics and classroom teachers.

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MISSION Founded in 1847, Xavier High School is an academically rigorous, Catholic, Jesuit, college preparatory school in New York City that educates intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means. Xavier teaches students to take responsibility for their lives, to lead with integrity, to act justly in service of others, to pursue excellence in every endeavor and to deepen their relationship with God. Ultimately, Xavier forms young men who will go forth to transform the world for God’s greater glory.

30 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011 (212) 924-7900 • www.xavierhs.org 18