Academic and Extracurricular Program Guide by The Bay School of San Francisco

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Welcome to The Bay School This publication provides an overview of our innovative curriculum and summaries of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extracurricular programs and activities. Please visit www.bayschoolsf.org for more information. We encourage you to contact us at admission@bayschoolsf.org or 415-684-8949.

TABLE OF CONTENTS An Introduction to The Bay School . . . . 02

The Academic Program

Guiding Precepts and Community Values . . . . 02

Trimester Rotating Block Schedule. . . . 12

Technology and One-to-One Laptop Computer Program . . . . 06

Homework. . . . 14

College Counseling . . . . 06 Service Learning . . . . 07 Athletics . . . . 08 Clubs and Activities . . . . 10 Intersession . . . . 11 Senior Signature Projects . . . . 11

Academic Philosophy. . . . 14 Graduation Requirements. . . . 14 Academic Program Overview. . . . 16 The Curriculum. . . . 16 Sample Four-Year Course Schedule. . . . 35 Advanced Study: College-Level Work and the Advanced Placement Question. . . . 36

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 An Introduction to The Bay School In 1995, a group of San Francisco Bay Area educators, community leaders and parents had the dream of founding a new independent high school in San Francisco. They shared high ambitions and a conviction that the Bay Area needed something new and different, something that would take the evolution of independent high school education a step further. They chose as their guiding principle the notion that schools should focus on the future – not only the immediate future of preparation for college and training for adulthood, but also the future in which our graduates will take their places as capable, courageous and ethical leaders in the interconnected, rapidly changing world of the 21st century. After recruiting distinguished educators from across the nation, The Bay School of San Francisco opened in September 2004 with a faculty dedicated to the school’s vision. These pioneers crafted a challenging college preparatory curriculum rooted in the belief that a true education for the 21st century requires knowledge of scientific and technical vocabulary and methods, as well as the ability to question the ethical and societal implications of scientific and technological advances. The Bay School curriculum recognizes the importance of teaching comparative religions in a multicultural society and encourages multicultural understanding as a tool for addressing wideranging issues at home and abroad. Since the school’s founding, the student body has grown from 53 to an enrollment of 321 students in grades 9 through 12, guided by a distinguished faculty of more than 50 full and part-time teachers. And 325 colleges and universities within and outside the United States admitted students from our first six graduating classes. 

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 Guiding Precepts and Community Values We consider the high school years an opportune time for young people to move beyond an understanding of themselves and toward an appreciation of their roles in a broader community. We hope that as students address the fundamental questions of adolescence (Who am I? Where do I belong? What do I value?), they gain maturity and strength in their personal lives as well as in the academic sphere. We also hope that every Bay student graduates with the tools necessary to examine life choices from an ethical perspective, constantly refining his or her choices with each new life experience. The school’s guiding precepts serve as guidelines for approaching personal choices. They direct us in determining who we are, who we will become, our relationships and our place in society. Promoting and modeling these precepts, The Bay School fosters a culture of ethics in which students can develop and clarify their own convictions.

The Bay School Precepts

We aspire to live by these guiding precepts and to build our community life on them  We value living with kindness and honesty; we are careful truth-tellers.  We value the importance of boundaries; we take only what is given.  We value respecting ourselves and our friends in relationships; we don’t misuse sexuality. W e value a clear mind and a healthy, strong body; we don’t intoxicate ourselves with alcohol, drugs, unhealthy food or the misuse of technology.  We value kind speech; we don’t slander or gossip. W e value the richness of difference and diversity; we don’t praise ourselves at the expense of others; we don’t bully or haze.  We value communication; we don’t harbor anger or ill will, especially toward ourselves.  We value generosity; we share, giving and receiving help.  We value patience with ourselves and others; we don’t rush to judge. W e value the earth, our home; we don’t pollute, we recycle and we are careful, conscious consumers. We want our school to be a safe, kind and respectful environment; a place where we can make mistakes, learn from them and grow. We join with the entire Bay community in striving to live according to these precepts in our daily lives, in our choices and in our relationships. The Bay School intentionally recruits students from a broad range of cultural and economic backgrounds. We offer the financial aid grants necessary to enable these motivated and qualified students to attend Bay as valued members of the school community. Students at Bay bring their whole selves to school each day because they feel respected and accepted on campus. This atmosphere of trust supports students’ extraordinary candidness in sharing their own histories, experiences and dreams. Whether they share at daily Morning Meetings or in classroom discussion, students show an appreciation for the differences among them. This spirit of inclusivity distinguishes and unites us as members of our community. 

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Advisors: Guides and Advocates Each student works closely with a member of the faculty or administration who serves as his or her advisor and advocate in academic and personal matters relating to school life. In addition to getting to know each advisee personally, advisors help students with academic scheduling and, in close collaboration with teachers, monitor students’ academic progress. Students meet weekly with their advisor in small groups of six to nine students and are encouraged to schedule private meetings with their advisors as needed. Advisors also serve as an important link between home and school. Parents and guardians are invited to speak with their student’s advisor about any questions or concerns they may have.

Tutorial: Focusing on Academics Tutorial is Bay’s version of office hours – a designated time for students and their teachers to meet. Three afternoons per week, students have the opportunity to sit down with their teachers individually or in small groups for academic support and guidance. During this time, students can also meet with their advisors, work quietly in the library or schedule meetings with counselors, deans or learning specialists. No other school activities are scheduled during this tutorial period, so students can focus on the content and organization of their academic workload.

The Student Counseling Office Our Counseling Office is an important resource for students, parents and guardians. We encourage students, parents and guardians to meet with a counselor if they have questions about any student’s emotional health. The counselor is available for information sessions with parents and guardians and to help manage the emotional impact of a crisis on a family and on the school as a whole. The Bay School counselor works with student advisors, deans and other support staff to ensure that Bay students receive support and referrals to outside resources as needed.

Dean of Students and Class Deans The dean of students and class deans work closely with Bay students, parents, guardians and members of the faculty and staff to establish and promote a productive and comfortable learning, working and social environment for each of our students. The deans support advisors in their work with students and families and are involved in student disciplinary issues. Class deans work closely with the dean of students to welcome and orient students at each grade level. Class deans coordinate orientation programs at the beginning of each school year, organize grade-level social events and help track the rhythm and tenor of each class throughout the school year.

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The Learning Services Program The Learning Services program provides support for diverse learning styles and facilitates appropriate accommodations for individuals with diagnosed learning and attention differences. We believe that students can excel by developing an understanding of their learning style and the skills of appropriate self-advocacy within a supportive and flexible environment of high expectations. Bay’s Learning Services program provides advice, coaching and referrals for students and parents interested in learning more about meta-cognitive skills, effective study and organizational strategies, standardized testing accommodations and the process of evaluating a student for learning differences. Learning specialists also work with teachers, crafting plans to support students with learning differences within the rigorous academic standards of the school’s college preparatory curriculum.

Ethics, Spirituality and Mindfulness A focus on ethics and mindfulness pervades life at Bay. We begin our day at Morning Meeting, where our community gathers to share our diverse experiences and perspectives on the world. Morning Meeting concludes with a few minutes of silence during which we practice being present – centering ourselves and noticing our own emotional and physical state. As students proceed through the day, they address ethical questions purposefully woven into the curriculum. What would Plato, Confucius or Kant say about the way we should live as Bay community members? How should we equitably and thoughtfully approach challenges such as global population growth or sovereign debt? How should we balance economic growth with marine protection in the San Francisco Bay? By examining a variety of philosophical and religious responses to key spiritual, moral and ethical questions, students gain not only a richer understanding of world cultures, but also points of reference from which to develop their own philosophical and spiritual frameworks. The practice of mindfulness – being aware of what is happening both internally and externally – is crucial to students’ academic and extracurricular experience at Bay. We believe that with attentiveness to being present, students are better able to focus, to learn from their triumphs and failures and to forge strong community relationships. One of the most valuable lessons we can teach our students is the importance of a mindful, ethical approach to life. 

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 Technology and the One-to-One Laptop Program From The Bay School’s founding in 2004, technology has played a crucial role in the school’s goal to promote the education of literate, engaged and responsible citizens. Bay uses technology to support learning across all disciplines in the classroom and in extracurricular programs, to foster communication, collaboration and creation. At Bay, technology education is about using the most powerful tools available to allow students to approach problems the way professionals do in the real world. We believe it’s not enough to teach our young adults how to use technology. In the 21st century, students must also understand moral issues surrounding the application of technology and be prepared to consider the social, cultural and political ramifications of its use. Computing technology is an integral part of the academic experience at Bay. As part of our oneto-one laptop program, we issue a laptop to every student and faculty member. We support students and faculty with a campuswide wireless network. Teachers integrate technology to enhance instruction, and students complete class work and homework primarily on laptops. Teachers in each discipline take advantage of advanced technology to make math, science, world languages, humanities and arts classes engaging and productive. Bay students may also choose technology-rich electives such as Digital Imaging, Video Production and Electronic Music Studio (all utilizing the school’s state-of-the-art media lab), Engineering Design, Robotics (both based in the engineering lab of our Project Center), Biotechnology and Computer Science. Technology also enhances extracurricular programs. The school’s several engineering clubs and our variety of technology-related Intersession programs bring math, science and Design Thinking to life, offering multiple opportunities to employ knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to hands-on projects. Students learn to work as a team as they design and build real-world products. In recent years, The Bay School Space Club has designed, built and launched high-altitude space balloons into the stratosphere to measure temperature and air density; the engineering groups have designed and built award-winning underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and VEX-brand robotics; and Intersession groups have created, among other finished products, a distributed-processing supercomputer and a multimedia digital storytelling project. 

 College Counseling: Helping Students Set Their Own Course The college counseling program at Bay empowers students to calmly, thoughtfully and competently navigate the many stages of the college application process preceding one of the first significant life decisions that students will make for themselves. Using state-of-the-art resources, students and their families work with the College Counseling Office to consider their values, interests and needs, research which colleges and universities at home and abroad may fit those criteria and then evaluate how their own credentials position them for admission. In addition to regular individual and small group meetings and traditional print and internet resources, The Bay School utilizes web-based technology from Naviance, the most comprehensive database available for college research, to create an open and transparent link between the College Counseling Office, the student and his or her family.

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In a year-long process beginning in the middle of 11th grade, students learn to take ownership of their search to advocate for their needs, master the myriad details and pieces of the complex application process and place the process in the broader context of their lives. A thoughtful, student-driven process supported by the College Counseling Office and students’ families yields the best outcome for each student. This process also includes weekly small-group standardized test preparation workshops (all free of additional charge) for every student, taught by an expert in test preparation, throughout the 11th-grade year. During the spring of 11th grade, students draft preliminary interest lists. By summer, colleges have received Bay’s curriculum and mission with a great deal of excitement, and Bay’s graduating class enters the fall application process well prepared – not only for applying, but also for succeeding in the most rigorous undergraduate college programs. To date, 325 outstanding colleges and universities have accepted members of our first six graduating classes. 

 Service Learning Bay community members recognize a personal and social responsibility to contribute to a better world. Our service learning program stems from a desire to strengthen the health of our school community by looking outward as well as inward. Service learning at The Bay School occurs in three dimensions: curricular, extracurricular and institutional. For example, all 10th-graders take Research in the Community, a one-trimester course focused on opening students’ eyes to the needs and issues of our region, through field research, community service and in-depth exposure to the challenges facing communities outside the walls of our school. All 12th-graders participate in Senior Signature Projects, a two-trimester graduation requirement in which students pursue an individual project that not only helps students grow, but also serves the needs of a broader constituency. Outside of the classroom, many Bay students identify and respond to local needs through participation in Community Service in Action, Marine Protection, International Aid, Amnesty and Eco clubs, all of which are student-driven with the support of faculty advisors. In addition, the entire school periodically engages in projects designed to enhance and protect the resources of the Presidio. Service learning projects at The Bay School augment the academic curriculum and offer students structured opportunities to learn about and directly experience the realities of important social issues. The process of thinking, talking and writing enables students to process and learn from their experiences. 

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 Athletics Physical development and competitive athletics are a central part of The Bay School’s program – building physical health and awareness, while promoting the important personal skills of effort, self-discipline, leadership, sportsmanship and teamwork. The Bay School offers a large, varied and competitive athletics program and has been recognized for the integrity and discipline of its players, coaches, parents and spectators. As a member of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Bay Counties League–Central Division (BCL-Central), 22 different boys, girls and coed teams compete against independent, parochial and public high schools throughout the Bay Area in 10 different sports. VARSITY ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS 2006-2013 Boys Baseball

Two-time BCL-Central Champions, undefeated BCL-Central regular season, North Coast Section Tournament

Boys Basketball

Two-time BCL-Central Champions, undefeated BCL-Central regular season, North Coast Section Tournament

Girls Basketball

Two-time BCL-Central Champions, North Coast Section Tournament

Boys Cross Country

Top 10 finisher at North Coast Section, qualified and participated in the CIF Championships 2009

Girls Cross Country

Top 20 finisher at North Coast Section Tournament, qualified and participated in the CIF championships 2012

Boys Golf

Bay Area Conference Tournament Champions, BCL-West Champions, North Coast Section Tournament

Girls Golf

BCL-Central Champions, Three-time Bay Area Conference Champions, North Coast Section Tournament

Boys Soccer

BCL-Central semifinals, North Coast Section Tournament

Girls Soccer

Four-time BCL-Central finals, North Coast Section Tournament

Girls Softball

BCL-Central semifinals, North Coast Section Tournament

Boys Tennis

BCL-West Individual Champion, North Coast Section Individual Tournament

Boys Volleyball

BCL Finals, North Coast Section Tournament

Girls Volleyball

Five-time BCL-Central Champions, North Coast Section Tournament

Practices and games generally take place every day after school and occasionally on weekends. Bay teams utilize fields and gym facilities in and around the Presidio. Nearly every student plays at least one sport, and we encourage all students to take pride in Bay teams. We also encourage staff and faculty members to participate in the athletic program on some level. Games, matches and races are occasions of community affirmation and school spirit, regardless of outcome.

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VARSITY TEAMS COMPETE IN THE FOLLOWING SPORTS: Fall

Winter

Spring

Boys Cross-Country*

Boys Basketball*

Boys Baseball

Girls Cross-Country*

Girls Basketball*

Boys Golf

Girls Golf

Boys Lacrosse

Boys and Girls Sailing

Boys & Girls Sailing

Boys Soccer*

Girls Soccer*

Girls Tennis

Girls Softball

Girls Volleyball*

Boys Tennis Boys Volleyball

*Bay also fields junior varsity teams for these sports.

Physical Activities Program The Bay School implements a physical activities program consistent with the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to a healthy and responsible lifestyle. In line with our guiding precepts, which include valuing a healthy, strong body and calm resilient mind, we require that Bay students participate in an activities class after school if they do not play on a competitive sports team. These classes meet on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:45 to 5 p.m. during the fall and spring trimesters and offer a broad range of physical activities including dance, martial arts, rock climbing, group exercise and high performance training. Through these activities, our students experience the benefits of physical activity that inspire adoption of these healthy practices for life. î ł

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 Clubs and Activities Student Clubs Enthusiasm runs high for clubs and extracurricular activities at Bay. A majority of students participate in one or more club organizations, which include school community-focused groups such as Social Events, Community Service in Action, Eco and Unity clubs; arts and music groups, involving instrumental and dance performance; the Outing Club, which sponsors outdoor adventures and wilderness training; and clubs that support student interests such as international affairs, engineering, fantasy gaming and journalism. Club meetings occur during the academic day each week. The groups may also meet in the evenings and on weekends. Each club receives support from a member of the faculty or administration who serves as an advisor and mentor. Students organize and run their own clubs. We encourage students to propose ideas and build support for new clubs – thus the selection of clubs varies from one academic year to the next. Participating in clubs is a great way to pursue a passion and build close relationships with fellow students and teachers. SAMPLE CLUBS Amnesty Club

International Aid Club

Arts and Crafts Club

Literary Magazine

Bay Space Club

Model United Nations

Blues Band

Outing Club

Chess Club

Peer Tutoring

Community Service in Action Club

Queer-Straight Alliance

Cosmic Robotics Club

School Life Committee

Eco Club

Social Events Club

Fantasy Gaming Club

The Marine Protection Club

Hip Hop Club

Unity Club

Bay on Stage: Drama, Dance and Music Groups Each year faculty members produce and direct three full-scale dramatic student performances; students direct and perform their own one-act series every other spring. We encourage all Bay students to audition for roles. Performances in recent years have included the musicals “Footloose” and “Bye Bye Birdie,” and dramatic productions of “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “The Laramie Project” and “Anatomy of Gray.” The Student-Directed One-Acts this past spring took place at Fort Mason Center’s Southside Theatre. The Bay Jazz Club performs regularly at school gatherings and off campus for community groups and schools. Students also comprise the pit band for school musicals, Bay’s after-school choir fills the halls with beautiful music and members of Bay’s dance program perform an inspiring mix of salsa, hip hop and traditional dances at all-school gatherings and special events on campus. 

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 Intersession Week Each spring during Intersession, Bay students and their teachers venture out of the classroom and into the exciting world that surrounds them. Five full days of experiential learning await students as they choose from more than 20 courses offering a broad range of hands-on learning opportunities throughout the Bay Area and beyond. It’s a special time for students and teachers to share their passions together in small groups – whether mastering the art of darkroom photography or rock climbing, trekking through wilderness landscapes in Death Valley or the coastal mountains, exploring San Francisco’s neighborhoods, learning more about poetry or dance, sailing on a tall ship in the Channel Islands, building and launching a near-space balloon, volunteering in a community garden or a retirement community, or amassing their culinary and historical knowledge of locally produced foods such as cheese, chocolate and organic vegetables. Teachers and students work together to propose courses, varying the selection of offerings from year to year. It’s a time to work collaboratively, a time for students and teachers alike to expand their horizons.

 Senior Signature Projects A highlight of each student’s 12th-grade year, the Senior Signature Projects program is designed to be the culminating experience of a Bay education. In this program, students embark on a journey of personal investigation and discovery. Significantly different from senior programs at many high schools, The Bay School’s program is a requirement for graduation and involves extensive field work for which students earn full academic credit for a two-trimester elective course. The program offers a meaningful opportunity for each 12th-grader to investigate a question in depth, in a manner that connects the student to the world outside the school and serves the greater good. Each student works with an adult mentor, usually at a Bay Area company or nonprofit organization, who provides expertise and guidance. Projects in recent years have included clinical trials at UCSF, creation of a marketing website for a local nonprofit, writing a screenplay about competition in the lives of teens, teaching sustainable agriculture at a community garden, building

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drone aircraft for aerial photography, creating a documentary film, participating in marine mammal research, building a confocal microscope and more. Guided by Bayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senior Signature Projects instructors, students organize and plan their projects, reach out to potential mentors, track and document their progress and work through projectspecific challenges as they arise. In the end, each student creates a deliverable and makes a formal presentation to the school community. Through these projects, students explore possible areas of study for college and careers, develop project-planning and professional skills and connect deeply with the community beyond the walls of the school.

The Academic Program î&#x201A;&#x2021;

The Bay School Curriculum Trimester Rotating Block Schedule At Bay we value intentional use of academic time, which is why we emphasize sustained attention in the design of our academic schedule. Students take fewer classes each term, with more minutes spent in each class. The school year at Bay is divided into trimesters, each 12 weeks long; students take four classes per term. Each class meets for 80 minutes, four times per week. Over the course of a year, each student completes 12 trimester-long courses. The long-block trimester schedule affords a number of distinct advantages over a more traditional 50-minute period, seven periods per day, two semesters per year model. During the length of one two-trimester course at Bay, students convene more than 80 times each for 80-minute periods, surpassing the total instruction time offered in most year-long course schedules. Longer blocks allow for easy incorporation of in-depth lessons and activities such as lab work, field trips, studentinitiated projects, in-class writing and research and extended discussions.

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Fewer but longer classes mean less time lost in transition between one class and the next. Teachers work with fewer students per day, thus enabling them to work comprehensively with students on an individual basis. Students can better concentrate their intellectual efforts on fewer subjects at a time, affording greater depth of thought in each course. Bay’s block schedule also dedicates time to conferences between students and their advisors, club meetings, monitored study hall, free social time and tutorials with individual teachers. Bay’s schedule also includes time for independent work. Several times per week, students have a block of time during which they are expected to focus on their homework assignments. For 9thand 10th-grade students, this period is called “flex” and occurs primarily in a monitored setting. As students get older, they have increasing autonomy during these periods; 11th- and 12th-graders have free periods in the place of flex.

THE BAY SCHOOL WEEKLY SCHEDULE MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

8:05 Attendance

8:10-8:30 Morning Mtg

8:10-8:30 Advisory

8:10-8:30 Morning Mtg

8:35-9:55 A Block

8:35-9:55 E Block

8:35-9:55 D Block

8:35-9:55 C Block

8:35-9:55 B Block

9:55-10:05 Break

10:05-11:25 B Block

10:05-11:25 A Block

10:05-11:25 E Block

10:05-11:25 D Block

10:05-11:25 C Block

11:2512:05 Lunch —— 12:0512:35 Clubs Grade Level Mtg

11:30-12 Clubs Grade Level Mtg —— 12-12:40 Lunch

11:3012:10 Lunch —— 12:101:30 B Block

11:3012:10 B Block —— 12:1012:50 Lunch —— 12:501:30 B Block

11:3012:10 Lunch —— 12:101:30 A Block

11:3012:10 A Block —— 12:1012:50 Lunch —— 12:501:30 A Block

11:3012:10 Lunch —— 12:101:30 E Block

11:3012:10 E Block —— 12:1012:50 Lunch —— 12:501:30 E Block

11:2512:05 Lunch —— 12:0512:35 Clubs

11:30-12 Clubs —— 12-12:40 Lunch

12:40-2 C Block

1:35-2:55 C Block 2:55-3 Clean up

1:35-2:55 B Block 2:55-3 Clean up

1:35-2:55 A Block 2:55-3 Clean up

12:40-2 D Block

2:05-3:25 D Block 3:25-3:30 Clean up

3-3:30 Tutorial

2:05-3:25 E Block 3:25-3:30 Clean up

3:45-5 Activities Classes 3:45-TBD Team Sports

3:45-TBD Team Sports Faculty and Staff Meeting

3:45-5 Activities Classes 3:45-TBD Team Sports

3:45-TBD Team Sports

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Homework Policy The Bay School defines the rigor of our academic program by the depth and sophistication of the thinking we ask of students and the ways in which we ask them to express that thinking. Rigor is not defined by the amount of homework assigned; indeed, there is little evidence that the amount of work assigned equates to the amount learned. There is substantial evidence, however, of the deleterious effects of too much work (not enough sleep, reduced retention levels, avoidance behaviors, etc.). Our rotating block schedule and our trimester calendar are specifically designed so that our students spend more time and accomplish more work inside the classroom. Therefore, Bay teachers are especially careful to assign outside work that is meaningful, purposeful and never superfluous. A typical 9th-grader is assigned two hours of homework per week in most classes; a typical 10thgrader is assigned approximately three hours per week in most classes. The 9th- and 10th-grade humanities courses assign slightly more homework, due to the types of skills developed in these courses. The 11th- and 12th-grade electives are considerably more reading-intensive and demanding of sustained time investment. Upperclassmen can expect approximately four hours of homework per class per week.

Academic Philosophy Our academic philosophy reflects our commitment to thoughtful inquiry, impassioned creativity, elegant communication, skilled collaboration, deliberate skill practice and the consideration of real-world questions. These priorities suggest an emphasis on depth rather than breadth, require resilience and patience, and bring students face-to-face with difficult questions that often have no simple answers. Bayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s curriculum grows from a largely skills-based, integrated approach in the 9th- and 10th-grade years to an increasing interplay between the requirements for college admission and the specific talents and enthusiasms of each student in grades 11 and 12. Courses taken in studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first two years at Bay provide a solid foundation for the vast array of electives taken in their 11th- and 12thgrade years.

Graduation Requirements Visual and Performing Arts Students must complete one credit (two trimesters) of a connected arts sequence. Students fulfill this requirement by completing the 1A and 1B courses in a single genre (for example, Drama 1A and Drama 1B) or by completing the combination of Drawing 1A and Painting 1A. Literature In addition to the core humanities courses that include literature and writing components (Humanities 1, Humanities 2, Writing Workshop, Research in the Community and American Literature), students must complete one and a half credits (three trimesters) in advanced literature electives. Math Students must complete three credits (six trimesters) in mathematics. Students complete this requirement in their first three years at Bay. We encourage students to continue their studies in math beyond this requirement.

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Religion and Philosophy In addition to the core humanities courses that include religion and philosophy components (Humanities 1 and Humanities 2), students must complete half a credit (one trimester) in an advanced religion and philosophy course at some point during their 11th- and 12th-grade years. Science Students must complete four credits (eight trimesters) in the sciences. Students entering Bay in 9th grade (as well as most transfer students) fulfill three credits of this requirement by completing Bay’s core science sequence: Conceptual Physics, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1. Students must, therefore, complete one additional credit (two trimesters) of science electives at some point during their 11th- and 12th-grade years. Senior Signature Projects Students must complete the one-credit (two-trimester) Senior Signature Projects course during their 12th-grade year. Social Studies Students fulfill Bay’s social studies requirements upon completion of the core humanities courses that include social studies components (Humanities 1, Humanities 2, Research in the Community and U.S. History). We encourage students to continue their work in social studies beyond these basic requirements. World Languages Students must complete three credits (six trimesters) in a single language. Students who place into Level 4 in their first year fulfill the requirement by taking Level 4 and 5 during their career at Bay. Most students complete the language requirement within their first three years at Bay. We encourage students to continue their studies in world languages beyond this requirement. In addition to the above course credit requirements, students must complete the following noncredit graduation requirements each year: S tudents must satisfy a physical activities requirement by playing on a school sports team or participating in a non-competitive physical activity during the fall and spring terms. S tudents must participate in Intersession Week each year. S tudents must participate in the life skills curriculum for their grade. This involves work done during selected advisories and gatherings spread throughout the year, as well as the 9th-Grade Seminar program, which meets one period per week for the 9th-grade year, and the Choices program, which meets one period per week for one trimester of the 10th-grade year. All students are required to take four courses each trimester unless the academic dean gives them special permission to take a reduced course load. In the name of stewardship of time and to honor our belief in depth-over-breadth learning, we do not permit students to take more than four courses in a single trimester. A total of at least 23 credits is required to graduate. The Bay School’s graduation requirements allow students to meet or exceed the admission requirements for the University of California, California State University systems and virtually all other colleges and universities they might consider.

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Academic Program Overview Our curriculum for the 9th- and 10th-grade years seeks to build a broad foundation of basic skills, emphasizing the relationships among traditional academic disciplines. As students advance to their 11th- and 12th-grade years, their individual interests and talents increasingly drive the academic program. Curricular focus on the relationship between science, technology, ethics and world cultures and religions prepares our students to meet the challenges of the 21st-century world. Through mentorship and dedication, teachers encourage students to master important skills of critical thinking, interpretation and communication across many mediums. Specific course offerings each year at The Bay School ultimately reflect the expertise and interests of our distinguished faculty. Therefore, this document serves merely as an overview of the curriculum.

The Curriculum SCIENCE SCIENCE   

The primary goal of The Bay School’s science program is the achievement of scientific literacy by our students. Scientific and technological advancements of the 20th century invite a new approach to the structure of high school science programs that emphasizes the connections among traditional areas of scientific study. The conceptualization and understanding of modern, molecular-based biology depends upon a working knowledge of chemistry, which in turn depends upon concepts of atomic structure, mass and energy. We find these fundamental principles of science, the natural laws of the universe, in physics. Therefore, the study of science at The Bay School begins with conceptual physics, continues with chemistry and culminates with a sophisticated, in-depth study of biology. Students must take a science course during each trimester of 9th and 12th grades, thereby completing conceptual physics, chemistry and biology at the end of the 10th-grade year. In 11th and 12th grades, students choose from wide-ranging elective courses in the sciences.

CORE SCIENCE COURSES Conceptual Physics 1A/1B In this two-trimester course, students begin to develop the skills they will need to succeed in subsequent science courses, including using proportional reasoning; reading carefully; writing precisely; estimating numerical answers without a calculator; designing and performing simple experiments; using electronic spreadsheets to organize, graph and interpret experimental data; using simple algebraic relationships to solve problems; keeping track of units and the level of precision in numerical answers; working in groups; and getting help when needed. The vehicle for the development of these and other skills in the first trimester is a deep inquiry into the conservation of energy in systems undergoing changes in speed, shape and temperature. In the second trimester, the focus widens to include electrical phenomena and the propagation of waves. Chemistry 1A/1B In the first trimester of this two-trimester course, students learn about atomic structure, the periodic table, nuclear reactions, chemical bonding, chemical reactions and basic chemical reaction types. In the second trimester, students deepen their study of chemical reactions, focus on measurement of products and reactants in reactions (stoichiometry), investigate energy of reactions and study molecular structure and function. Throughout, students consider the societal impact of chemistry in the context of current events. Students engage in lab activities, class discussions, group and individual work; they utilize digital tools such as an online chemistry text, computer simulations and the online homework system WebAssign in order to study, practice and ultimately show a deep understanding of chemistry, its applications and its implications. Prerequisite: Conceptual Physics.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Biology 1A/1B Biology is the culminating course in The Bay Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two-year introduction to the core scientific disciplines. The course builds on the scientific foundations of conceptual physics and chemistry and applies those concepts and investigative skills to living systems, with particular emphasis on three major questions: What cellular or molecular mechanisms underlie the biological phenomena we observe? What experimental or observational evidence supports our current models of how living systems behave and how is evidence transformed into conceptual models? How do we create connections between formal scientific understanding and our own communities and daily choices? This course employs a variety of investigative techniques including open-ended laboratory experiments, critical reading of published scientific and popular literature, manipulation of computer models, individual and group research projects, debates and discussions to help students build a solid understanding of the core concepts of biology. Major topics include animal and plant physiology, genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, ecology and evolution. Prerequisite: Chemistry 1.

ELECTIVE SCIENCE COURSES Astrophysics: Stellar This one-trimester course is one of the two Astrophysics courses offered at Bay in alternate years. (The other is Astrophysics: Cosmos.) Students in this course study the cosmological occurrences seen from Earth to discover the wonders of our star system and beyond. Students integrate their studies in physics and chemistry to study the development of mankindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exploration of outer space through the use of telescopes. Hands-on laboratory assignments include overnight field trips to local observatories and observational field locations. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics 1, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1. Bioethics Is cloning a human being morally acceptable? Are genetically engineered salmon a good idea? Should insurance companies have access to the results of your genetic tests? This one-trimester course is a philosophical and scientific approach to understanding current ethical issues affecting society. Students begin with an introduction to a variety of ethical frameworks as applied to difficult decision-making moments and apply these frameworks to specific cases drawn from ethics textbooks, journal articles, the internet and our own experience. Thereafter, students delve into four current and relevant bioethical issues. For each issue, students learn the underlying scientific principles as they practice applying ethical criteria and developing personal positions. Students are tested on their mastery of the scientific details. They prepare papers and participate in debates exploring the ethical dimensions of each new topic. The class culminates in each student choosing a bioethical issue to study in detail, writing a research paper on the topic and presenting the issue to their classmates in a case study format. Students should be advised that this is a not a lab science but a reading, discussion and writing-intensive course. Note: This course may be applied toward fulfilling either the Religion and Philosophy or the Science graduation requirement, but not both. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1. Biology 2A/2B Biology 2 is a two-trimester advanced-level laboratory course for students who have an expressed interest in pursuing biology at the college level. The course captures most (but not all) of the breadth of a typical college-level biology course while allowing for greater opportunity to explore a few topics of special interest in greater depth. These topics are selected on the basis of their suitability in providing appropriate review and extension of topics and lab skills taught in Biology 1, the anticipated needs and interests of 11th- and 12th-graders focused on science majors and science careers and the opportunities to create explicit links to social and ethical issues. Each of these units includes a formal test and several laboratory exercises. The core units of Biology 2 are biochemistry, metabolism, cellular biology; the biology of disease; molecular genetics and biotechnology; physiological adaptations of plants and animals; evolution and behavior. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1. Biotechnology Biotechnology comes in many forms: pharmaceuticals, DNA fingerprinting, individualized medicine, cloning, gene therapy, genetically modified crops and made-to-order glow-in-the-dark fish. One common definition to all these cases of biotechnology is that they are an application of knowledge from the biological sciences towards the creation of tools to solve problems. Discoveries about DNA and the life instructions therein, open up a vast possibility of biological tools. In this one-trimester course, students survey these technologies and discuss their potential, possible pitfalls and the significant ethical issues that arise from the application of biotechnology. Students work in groups to learn how to amplify, subclone and sequence portions of their own DNA. The course involves field trips as well as guest speakers from local biotech companies and research institutions. The course includes a variety of lab work as well as group projects. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1.

T H E B AY S C H O O L O F S A N F R A N C I S C O

Chemistry 2A/2B This two-trimester second-year chemistry course advances students’ understanding of the concepts covered in Chemistry 1 and introduces key new principles and sophistication. Major topic areas in this course include the structure and interactions of matter, stoichiometry, states of matter, chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, redox chemistry, kinetics and thermodynamics, gas laws, electrochemistry and reduction/oxidation chemistry. Coursework focuses upon the laboratory – experiments serve both as an introduction to new ideas as well as a tool to model real-world situations. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1. Climate Change This one-trimester course provides an example of Bay’s ongoing innovation in terms of curricular development. In addition to focusing on a crucial, interdisciplinary topic, this course will be team taught by two teachers, one with expertise in science and one with expertise in social studies. The course will be a project-based one, where students build skills and content knowledge in large part through two authentic, flexible, student-directed projects. This one-trimester course gives students an integrated overview of the science of climate change and the implications of this change for patterns of daily life in their own circumstance and around the world. This course has four principal objectives.  T o introduce students to the science of climate change, drawing attention to the pattern of scientific data that has emerged in recent years.  T o focus on the social changes and adaptations that human communities have made and those they will likely have to make as the Earth’s climate continues to change.  T o highlight the diplomatic efforts that have been launched since the creation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) during the first Earth Summit in 1992.  T o investigate the ethical challenges raised by climate change and explore questions of justice and personal responsibility as they apply to climate change. During the latter half of the course, students conduct in-depth research on a topic of their choice, undertaking individual activism projects to educate the school community about the problems associated with climate change and about how personal actions and awareness contribute to both the problem and solution. Note: This course may be counted as either a science credit or a social studies credit, but not both. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics 1, Chemistry 1, Biology 1 and Humanities 2. Environmental Chemistry The study of chemistry is useful in finding causes of environmental problems as well as offering a powerful tool to solve these problems. This one-trimester course gives students an opportunity to deepen their understanding of chemistry by applying basic chemical principles to the study of the environment. The course is divided into three main segments: chemistry of the atmosphere (air environment), chemistry of the hydrosphere (water environment) and independent research on an environmental problem. Across the trimester, topics will range from acid rain to the chemical composition of the atmosphere. The course assumes familiarity with basic chemistry but concepts studied in general chemistry will be reviewed as students study the chemistry of our environment. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics 1, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1. Environmental Science: Principles of Biodiversity This one-trimester course is one of the two environmental science courses offered at Bay in alternate years. (The other is Environmental Science: Human Impacts.) Using the Presidio and surrounding region as a living laboratory, students in Environmental Science will explore the interconnectedness of the Earth, nature and society. In this course, students explore the importance of biodiversity: What is it? How do we measure it? How does it change through time? Why is it important to us? Are we in the midst of a sixth mass extinction? To answer these questions the course investigates modern environmental problems through the lenses of both evolution and ecology. Students look to the history of life on Earth to inform themselves regarding current trends in species extinction rates, discuss modern threats to biodiversity and consider scientific approaches to maintaining biodiversity in an ever-changing world. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics 1, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1. Human Anatomy and Physiology: Metabolism This one-trimester course is one of the two human anatomy and physiology courses offered at Bay in alternate years. (The other is Human Anatomy and Physiology: Neuromuscular.) In the Metabolism course students focus on the exploration of digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory and endocrine systems. Students gain an understanding of how diseases affect the human body. A variety of projects, guest speakers, lab work and field trips allow students to apply the information they learn from lectures and texts. Lab work includes dissection of representative vertebrates. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics 1, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Physics 2A/2B This two-trimester course covers the fundamentals of mechanics, electromagnetism and quantum mechanics. It is a calculus-based course designed to prepare students who are interested in advanced physical inquiry. Laboratory investigations and analytical problem-solving skills are required throughout the course. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics 1, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1; students signing up for Physics 2 should either be co-enrolled in Calculus or have already completed Calculus. SF Bay: Earth Science This one-trimester course is one of the two SF Bay courses offered at Bay in alternate years. (The other is SF Bay: Marine Biology.) During this trimester-long course, students investigate the natural forces that formed and continue to shape and influence the San Francisco Bay area. Students apply many of the concepts learned in physics and chemistry while learning fundamental principles about physical oceanography, geology and atmospheric science. Initial investigations focus on the geology of the Bay area. The second unit of study focuses on the weather of the Bay Area and look at the dominant conditions that influence the weather. The final unit of study focuses on the water of the San Francisco Bay. Students investigate the human impact on the region and begin to assess potential long-term effects of human activity. In addition to weekly laboratory work, students undertake several ongoing term-long projects. These projects include collecting and analyzing atmospheric weather data, observing tidal variations and gathering water samples. The primary resources for this class are “Understanding Earth” by Grotzinger, Jordan, Press and Silver, as well as “Weather of the San Francisco Bay Region” by Gilliam. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics 1, Chemistry 1 and Biology 1.

MATHEMATICS MATHEMATICS   

The Bay School mathematics program has the three following key goals: first, to present challenging mathematical content to develop quantitative literacy; second, to provide a solid mathematical foundation for students who may wish to study math and science-related fields in college and beyond; and third, to train students to think like mathematicians. Thinking like a mathematician includes working collaboratively with one’s peers; looking at the world through a mathematical lens to find interesting mathematics in a variety of situations; persevering on challenging problems; choosing mathematical representations that apply to a given problem; recognizing what mathematical tools might be appropriate for a given problem and using those tools in a meaningful way; and communicating mathematical ideas elegantly in a variety of forms and media. The Bay School’s integrated core mathematics courses replace sequential courses in Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2. Students who complete Analysis of Functions will be prepared for Calculus. In addition to these two standard high school electives, Bay offers advanced elective courses that expose students to a range of mathematical fields.

CORE MATHEMATICS COURSES Math 1A/1B This two-trimester course is the first course in a three-year sequence of integrated courses (Math 1, Math 2 and Math 3) that form the core math curriculum at The Bay School. Math 1 introduces students to tabular, graphical, recursive and algebraic approaches to problem solving. The course focuses on the use of these tools in dealing with linear models and scenarios. Math 1 also deals extensively with quantitative examinations of two- and three-dimensional geometric figures as well as focusing on building students’ fluency in basic algebraic manipulations and techniques. No prerequisite. Math 2A/2B This two-trimester course is the second course in a three-year sequence of integrated courses (Math 1, Math 2 and Math 3) that form the core math curriculum at The Bay School. In Math 2, students extend their study of algebra and geometry. The course focuses on the study and classification of exponential and power models, including introductory work with quadratic equations and multiple approaches to solving systems of linear equations. Students identify different models based on the patterns and structures in various representations and then use these different representations to analyze scenarios and make predictions based on extrapolation. Further topics include the study of twodimensional shapes and their transformations from a coordinate geometry perspective, as well as a unit on descriptive statistics and statistical reasoning. Prerequisite: Math 1 or placement test.

T H E B AY S C H O O L O F S A N F R A N C I S C O

Math 3A/3B This two-trimester course is the third course in a three-year sequence of integrated courses (Math 1, Math 2 and Math 3) that form the core math curriculum at The Bay School. Math 3 covers a variety of topics drawn from advanced algebra, plane geometry and trigonometry. Within the context of these topics, students are also introduced to the idea of formal deductive proof. Another major theme running throughout the course is the use of mathematics to create models of real-world phenomena and the analysis and interpretation of the predictions made by those models. Prerequisite: Math 2 or placement test.

ELECTIVE MATHEMATICS COURSES Analysis of Functions A/B Analysis of Functions is a two-trimester course in which students make the transition from the conceptually-oriented inductive reasoning approach used in much of Math 1, Math 2 and Math 3 to the more rigorous deductive approach often seen in higher-level mathematics and science courses. Students who think they may have any desire to study a math- or science-related field in college should take this course, as it prepares students for the study of calculus and other advanced mathematical studies. Topics covered include function transformations, the theory of inverse functions, logarithms, polynomial and rational functions, analytic trigonometry and advanced algebraic manipulations. Prerequisite: Math 3. Calculus A/B This is a two-trimester course in single-variable differential and integral calculus with an emphasis on applications to the physical, life and social sciences. Major concepts are developed through the investigation of practical, real-world scenarios. Topics covered include applications of the derivative as a rate of change and a slope, symbolic formulas for computing derivatives, applications of the definite integral as an accumulation function and an area, creation of mathematical models using Riemann sums, symbolic techniques of anti-differentiation and the creation of mathematical models using differential equations. Time-permitting, students may also study Taylor series and their applications. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisite: Analysis of Functions. Cryptography How do we build and break codes? How have people encoded and decoded information in the past? Why is it so difficult to crack someone else’s code? This one-trimester course takes an in-depth look at the art and science of secret writing. Students explore cryptography through its history and in practice, giving attention to both the military and social dimensions of cryptology and the public-policy questions surrounding encrypted information transmitted over the internet. The focus throughout the course is on the use of mathematics to create and analyze encryption algorithms using a variety of mathematical tools, such as frequency analysis, modular arithmetic, number theory and one- and two-way functions. The course will follow “The Code Book,” by Simon Singh. Prerequisite: Math 3B. Statistics 1A/1B This two-trimester course has two guiding questions. First, How can one collect meaningful data about a population without examining every single member of the population? Second, How can one analyze this data quantitatively to reach statistically valid conclusions about a population? In both trimesters, students look at a wide variety of examples and case studies that illustrate how statistical concepts are applied in the life sciences, social sciences and physical sciences. Students also spend a significant amount of time designing their own statistical studies, collecting data and analyzing the results. Students may enroll in Statistics as a one-trimester course (Statistics 1A only), focused on sampling and descriptive statistics, or as a two-trimester course, which also covers more advanced statistical techniques. Prerequisite: Math 3 or instructor permission. Topology Topology is the mathematical study of shapes and spaces. Bowls and plates, for example, share the same topological categorization, but a coffee mug is different because of the hole made by the handle. In fact, in topology, squares, rectangles, parallelograms, trapezoids and circles are all considered to be the same. Topology is the branch of mathematics created by ignoring things like size and angle. But here’s the tricky question: if one ignores these ways of measuring, how can one tell when two shapes are different? Students enrolled in this one-trimester course examine questions like this. They also explore shapes like the Mobius strip, the Klein bottle, the torus and ideas about gluing, orientability and dimension, including ways to represent the fourth dimension. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisite: Math 3.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

TECHNOLOGY: COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY   

COMPUTER SCIENCE Computer science, physics and mathematics share the common thread of problem-solving. Computer science, however, formalizes problem-solving strategies more explicitly than physics or mathematics do. Awareness of specific problem-solving techniques and terminology enables students to reach a higher level of sophistication in all science and engineering pursuits. These techniques include abstraction, generalization, recursion, scope, iteration, value vs. reference, accuracy and precision, specification vs. requirement, version control and debugging.

COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES Computer Science 1 This course introduces students to the basic tools and concepts of programming and computer science. This is a project-based course with an emphasis on problem-solving. Students use the Python programming language to learn conditionals, loops and functions as well as computer science topics such as logic and recursion. This course uses a freely available textbook supplemented with online resources. Open to 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders only. No prerequisite. Computer Science 2 This course builds on material learned in Computer Science 1, primarily using the Python programming language with a look at some C-like languages. Students learn how to use larger development environments to complete more complex projects. This course also covers discrete math topics such as combinatorics as well as a more formal approach to logic including an introduction to proofs. Prerequisite: Computer Science 1 or instructor permission.

ENGINEERING Design separates elegant from cumbersome, sustainable from wasteful, intuitive from confusing. Students find design interwoven into every Bay class, but nowhere more so than in our engineering program. A truly interdisciplinary study, engineering at Bay incorporates arts and science, requires collaboration and communication and depends upon a reasoned understanding of the world in which we live. The 9th-graders in 9th-Grade Seminar and 12th-graders in an advanced engineering course alike learn the process of understanding a problem, testing possible responses, crafting a solution and honing that solution through iterative testing and improvement. Working in Bay’s unique Project Center, students use industrial tools and processes as well as technological resources to build real devices. By empowering our students to dream, investigate and engineer their way out of a problem, we prepare them to think about the world’s problems in a new way. Note: Engineering courses will be listed as science courses for transcript purposes. Engineering Design 1 This course empowers students in one of the most human endeavors: making something to add beauty to this world. This course is an introduction to the various methods and skills involved in design and engineering, from methodology, basic modeling and drawing skills, to material shaping in metal, plastic and wood using both machine and hand tools. This is a project-based class in which students learn the skills needed to transform the raw materials of wood, metal and plastic into sculpture, architecture, machinery and gizmos. Students undertake a series of projects during the course, increasing the complexity of their design and building methods along the way. Open to 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders only. No prerequisite. Advanced Mechanism Design Are you curious about how things work? Mechanical engineers use their knowledge of how things move to accomplish a variety of tasks. In this course students explore multiple projects in order to deeper their understanding of how mechanisms work and how to design them. Drawing on a Design Thinking methodology, students design and build assigned and student-devised projects using basic drawing and schematic creation, fabrication in Bay’s machine shop and CAD software. In this course, students harness their creativity to solve complex and interesting problems. Prerequisite: Engineering Design 1.

T H E B AY S C H O O L O F S A N F R A N C I S C O

Advanced Product Design How are consumer products designed? What process goes into creating the next hot product? This is a project-based course that focuses on the design and development of new products for consumer use. Undertaking a series of projects, students work on identification of customer needs, concept generation, product architecture, industrial design and design for manufacturing. Using a variety of media, students use the resources of our fabrication lab to construct prototypes, utilizing Design Thinking methodology as well as manual drawing, CAD software and 3D modeling methods. Prerequisite: Engineering Design 1. Robotics Using design methodology to solve problems, students in this course use the Vex Robotics System to make working robots to accomplish specific game-related tasks. Students use mechanical solutions, fabrication methods and programming skills, integrating multiple projects into a working, automated and human-controlled robot. This one-trimester course is a challenging and rewarding exploration of what it takes to make devices that work. Open to 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders only. No prerequisite.

HUMANITIES 1 AND 2 HUMANITIES 1 AND 2   

Humanities 1 and 2, taken in 9th and 10th grades, constitute an interdisciplinary program that integrates the study of literature, history, world religions and belief systems, ethics and the arts. The two-year course examines the human condition in a historical context, asking essential questions aimed at understanding our core experiences as human beings. For example, how do different peoples and cultures perceive their worlds? Where do they find importance and place value? How do differing world views affect their behavior? Humanities 1A/1B/1C In Humanities 1, students examine the variables of nature and nurture as they relate to the development of societies. Particular emphasis is given to the roles of geography and human nature and the manner in which they shape both people’s world views and cultures’ belief systems. The students focus on early civilizations, examining their origins and what these civilizations look like in today’s society. Through learning about the geography, history, literature, politics, religion and cultural norms of a range of global regions, students will also understand and broaden their own views. Humanities 2A/2B/2C Humanities 2 continues students’ exploration of the religious, cultural and philosophical values that have shaped the world’s civilizations as depicted in art, literature, philosophy and historical documents. During the first trimester, students investigate the history and cultures of the Middle East and the belief systems underlying contemporary conflicts. During the second trimester, students engage in a comparative study of political and social systems in early modern Europe and East Asia. In the third trimester, students focus on the upheavals of the 20th century, beginning with the Russian Revolution and ending with the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

WRITING AND RESEARCH COURSES WRITING AND RESEARCH   

Research in the Community Research in the Community is a required one-trimester course for all 10thgraders. The course builds a foundation of research skills while allowing each student to choose and explore an issue that is both interesting to her/him as well as significant to her/his own community. Students define a meaningful question and use text-based and field research techniques to gather information as they seek to develop an answer, which they ultimately present to the community. Some Research sections have a thematic focus, allowing common background readings and opportunities for collaboration among students working on related topics. Students who know ahead of time the general subject they would like to investigate may express a preference for a particular theme; others may opt for a general section with students studying a wider variety of topics. Themed sections include:  health, food, medicine and sports issues  energy, environment and agriculture issues  rights and equality issues (including animal rights as well as human rights) Writing Workshop In this one-trimester course, students begin to refine the basic thinking and writing skills that they will need throughout their high school years and beyond. Regular practice in generating ideas, then organizing, drafting, editing, revising and proofreading a variety of assignments comprises the core of the course. These assignments include personal narratives, personal essays, original short stories and poems, as well as speeches, abstracts, letters and literary analyses. In their pursuit of thoughtful and rich writing, students continue to expand both vocabulary and knowledge of grammar as they move beyond summary and observation to interpretation and analysis.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

LITERATURE LITERATURE   

The literature curriculum builds students a foundation in intensive reading, writing, speaking, listening and critical thinking. Students read a range of fiction and nonfiction, including works of literary integrity that reflect historical dimensions and diverse cultures. Continuing emphasis is placed on the students’ ability to express themselves in a variety of presentation forms.

REQUIRED LITERATURE COURSE American Literature This course focuses on the roots and evolution of American literature. Students explore the idea of America through novels, poetry and drama from different eras and by authors from a variety of backgrounds. The themes of immigration, race, gender and class – all in relation to power – guide the course; the works students read often deal with more than one theme. Students revisit the definition of America throughout the course as they ask the following: Who has power? What is the role of money in attaining power? How did we get here? How do we identify and define ourselves? How do others identify us? As students read works of literature that address these questions, they respond in thought pieces and formal analytical essays. Major projects include literary analyses (including comparison and contrast essays), poetry explication and imaginative writing and/or performance synthesizing course themes. Required of all 11th-graders.

ELECTIVE LITERATURE COURSES 19th-Century Russian Literature The 19th-Century Russian Literature class focuses primarily on the writings of Dostoevsky, with the principal text of “Crime and Punishment.” Students explore the historical and philosophical context for Dostoevsky’s work and 19th-century Russia in general, engaging in analytical as well as creative writing. Historically, students examine the 18th and 19th centuries from Alexander I to Dostoevsky; philosophically, the influences of European ontology, ethics and epistemology on Russia at the time and the complexities such ideas brought to a nation seeking its own identity. In addition to reading Dostoevsky’s text, students explore a variety of secondary literature as they form their own interpretations of the novel through presentations and analytical writing. In order to understand Dostoevsky’s style, students write short creative essays of their own adopting specific rhetorical techniques used in the novel. Advanced Composition This course focuses on the genres of memoir, journalistic nonfiction and short story. During the term, students read samples of these genres and, applying what they have learned, compose works of their own. Students also learn how to employ grammar as style so they are able to hone their writing voices in different genres. By the end of the term, students have composed three to four major pieces of writing. Possible authors include James McBride, Anne Lamott, Annie Dillard, Rebecca Skloot, David Sedaris, Jonathan Safran Foer, Alice Walker, Joyce Carol Oates and Nick Hornby. African American Women’s Literature Through the lenses of race, class, gender, sexuality and power, students receive a historical and multi-genre overview of African American women’s writing in the United States. Beginning with slave narratives in the 19th century through the poetry, novels, television and film of the 20th century, students explore the historical, political, social and artistic forces that have shaped these women’s works. Students also engage in group study and presentation of an era of their choice in order to understand how historical circumstance shapes the writing and thinking of a time period. Possible authors include Phillis Wheatley, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Jacobs, Pauline Hopkins, Zora Neale Hurston, Ann Petry, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Gloria Naylor, Nikki Giovanni, Audre Lorde and bell hooks. Dramatic Literature In this course, students study several plays in which characters face enormous problems. Sometimes the problems crush the characters; sometimes characters transcend the difficulties. Always their struggles are gripping. Students read both contemporary plays and at least one play by Shakespeare. Through wide-ranging reading, the course explores the nature of the genre of dramatic literature. Course activities include lively discussion, acting out sections of plays and frequent writing assignments. Myth and Literature in Ancient Greece The mythic narratives of the ancient Greeks retain extraordinary richness, power and relevance. This course pursues two objectives: familiarity with the fundamentals of Greek mythology (cosmology, pantheon, world view) and understanding how this mythic vision is revealed and explored in works of enduring literary value. These works include selections from the great dramatic trilogies of Sophocles (“Oedipus Rex,” “Oedipus at Colonus,” “Antigone”) and/or Aeschylus (“Agamemnon,” “The Libation Bearers,” “The Eumenides”) and “The Odyssey” of Homer.

T H E B AY S C H O O L O F S A N F R A N C I S C O

Native American Literature This course examines American Indian/Native American literature and cultures across North America and illustrates the dynamic and durable cultures about which authors of different backgrounds, tribal affiliations and experiences write. While this course focuses on novels, poetry, short stories, film and visuals, students also examine the historical factors that gave rise to the oral and written traditions from a range of indigenous groups. Throughout the term, students explore issues central to American Indian literature, such as what constitutes Indian literature; who has intellectual property rights over texts; how literature can aid in forms of resistance; how one can read, write about and critically examine these works from a non-western perspective; and how these works serve to mediate numerous points of view. Shakespeare In this course, students begin with sonnets and then read some of Shakespeare’s best-known and most complex plays – plays whose concerns make them seem as if they were written just yesterday. “Othello” deals with issues of race and jealousy that seem to make a tragic end inevitable. “Much Ado About Nothing” pokes fun, sometimes uncomfortably, at the differences between the sexes. In “Twelfth Night,” students discover themselves (in spite of Bay values!) laughing at the misfortunes of others. Whenever possible, the course examines, through live and video performance, how different productions and casting (for example, the race of the actor who plays Othello) affect one’s interpretations of the plays. Students should expect daily reading assignments and a variety of writing opportunities. Short Fiction In this course, students share the pleasure of reading short stories and short novels from different eras and locations, stories that range from those already deemed great to those which may well be on their way into that category. Beginning with some of Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales,” students may read Franz Kafka’s novella “Metamorphosis” and/or Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness.” Students also read contemporary flash fiction. Students should expect daily reading assignments and a variety of writing opportunities, including the writing of a short story. Utopia/Dystopia During this course, students explore both utopias (ideal societies, real or imagined, meant to be seen as better than the society in which readers live) and dystopias (negative utopias – societies that were meant to be seen as worse than the society in which readers live). As students read and discuss, they discover that philosophers, literary authors, authors of political documents like constitutions, among others, all grapple with notions of what would make the most ideal society or, by contrast, the least ideal society. Students discover that fashions in utopias have changed over the millennia, centuries, even decades. Texts may include “1984” by George Orwell, “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood and “Ecotopia” by Ernest Callenbach.

SOCIAL STUDIES SOCIAL STUDIES   

The history and social science curriculum provides students with the necessary skills to understand our cultural and historical roots. Courses build student understanding and appreciation of social, cultural, religious and intellectual experiences that make up the global, interconnected world of the 21st century.

REQUIRED SOCIAL STUDIES COURSE U.S. History A/B This two-trimester course explores the overarching and interrelated themes of identity and power. Students investigate these in depth during several key periods: Contact and Colonization, the Constitutional Era, the Civil War and Reconstruction, the Progressive Era and the Civil Rights Movement. Examining the relationship between identity and power inherently involves exploring race, gender, socioeconomic class, political participation and social movements. Students delve deeply into these topics by analyzing a wide variety of primary and secondary sources and making frequent connections between the past and present. Throughout, the course examines the interplay of national and local history, as students investigate Presidio inhabitants’ experiences during each historical period. In the second trimester of the course, students have the opportunity to investigate, in depth, a topic of their choice. In this project, students put into practice many of the historians’ skills they have learned, such as the formation of a hypothesis, gathering of information, evaluation of sources and the construction of arguments and analysis supported by evidence. Required of all 11th-graders.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

ELECTIVE SOCIAL STUDIES COURSES Climate Change This one-trimester course provides an example of Bay’s ongoing innovation in terms of curricular development. In addition to focusing on a crucial, interdisciplinary topic, this course will be team taught by two teachers, one with expertise in science and one with expertise in social studies. The course will be a project-based one, where students build skills and content knowledge in large part through two authentic, flexible, student-directed projects. This one-trimester course gives students an integrated overview of the science of climate change and the implications of this change for patterns of daily life in their own circumstance and around the world. This course has four principal objectives.  T o introduce students to the science of climate change, drawing attention to the pattern of scientific data that has emerged in recent years.  T o focus on the social changes and adaptations that human communities have made and those they will likely have to make as the Earth’s climate continues to change.  T o highlight the diplomatic efforts that have been launched since the creation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) during the first Earth Summit in 1992.  T o investigate the ethical challenges raised by climate change and explore questions of justice and personal responsibility as they apply to climate change. During the latter half of the course, students conduct in-depth research on a topic of their choice, undertaking individual activism projects to educate the school community about the problems associated with climate change and about how personal actions and awareness contribute to both the problem and solution. Note: This course may be counted as either a science credit or a social studies credit, but not both. Prerequisites: Conceptual Physics 1, Chemistry 1, Biology 1 and Humanities 2. Comparative Government and Politics This one-trimester course familiarizes students with various types of political systems and cultures; helps them think, read and write critically; and prepares them for responsible global citizenship. Students explore four different political systems (France, Germany, Mexico and China) and simultaneously conduct independent research projects (country-specific case studies). U nit 1: Introduction to comparative politics and conceptual framework. U nit 2: Comparative democracies: France, Germany and Mexico. What aspects do all democratic regimes and ideologies share in common? What are some variations in the institutional structures and practices of different democratic systems? In what ways do these systems fail to live up to democratic criteria? What can the U.S. learn from other systems? Vice versa? U nit 3: Authoritarian regimes. Are economic reform and political reform necessarily linked? Does economic growth promote democracy? U nit 4: Student case studies. Note: Students who are specifically interested in exploring the United States’ political system should enroll in the Power and Participation course. Comparative Government and Politics is considered an Honors course. Prerequisite: U.S. History. Hinduism This one-trimester course is a thorough grounding in the religions of India based on the Vedas and, to some extent, on the Dravidian religions that preceded them. The course focuses more on textual and mythical analysis and worship rather than on Hindu philosophy and spirituality. The course also examines some of the ways Hinduism has been represented and misrepresented to outsiders. This course investigates the differences between the various strands of Hindu devotion (Saivism, Vaisnavism and Goddess-worship). Students write a historical analysis of Hinduism’s history and its contact with outsiders. Students undertake study of several Hindu texts, write one research paper on the topic of their choice and present their findings to the class. The class will also visit a Hindu temple. Note: This course may be counted as either a religion and philosophy credit or a social studies credit, but not both. Islam Islam, both a faith and a geopolitical force, is the religion of over 20 percent of the world’s population. In this one-trimester course, students work toward developing themselves as informed global citizens by examining the religious, historical, social and geo-political aspects of Islam. Beginning with a look at “the time of ignorance” (jahaliya), the era before Muhammad’s revelations, the class first focuses on Muhammad – the “Perfect Man” – as prophet. Next, students study excerpts from the sacred texts of Islam, al-Quran and al-Hadith, to learn the key concepts and lessons of the faith. As part of the examination of al-Quran and al-Hadith, the course also places Islam’s major tenets within a monotheistic context, seeking to

T H E B AY S C H O O L O F S A N F R A N C I S C O

understand Islam’s relationship to Judaism and Christianity. The course then turns its attention to Muhammad as lawgiver and statesman to explore the beginnings of the Islamic state. By investigating how scripture is understood and transformed into cultural, social and legal (shari’a) norms in different parts of the Islamic world, students come to understand the growth and diversity of the Islamic world. Finally, students look at the modern Islamic state and consider the impact of Islamic theocracies and extranational groups such as al-Qaeda on our world today. Note: This course may be counted as either a religion and philosophy credit or a social studies credit, but not both. Jewish Studies What is the Jewish tradition? Whereas some refer to Judaism as “simply” a religion, others view it as much more: an ethnicity, a nationality, a way of life. In this one-trimester course, students receive an introduction to Judaism and investigate the problems inherent in describing, analyzing and interpreting the complexities of this ever-evolving tradition. Students learn that Judaism has remained dynamic across centuries and that each new era has provided challenges and possibilities for what it means to be Jewish. Students gain valuable critical thinking skills as they study and discuss sources such as The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), the Talmud, Jewish philosophy and literature by and about Jews. Possible topics include Ancient Israel and the Prophets; the Second Temple and the aftermath of its destruction; Rabbinic Judaism, The Talmud and Midrash; Rabbinic Philosophy and Jewish Mysticism; Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Judaism; The Holocaust and Reconstructionist Judaism. By the end of this course, students will be able to articulate a nuanced definition and gain an in-depth understanding of the Jewish tradition. Note: This course may be counted as either a religion and philosophy credit or a social studies credit, but not both. Power and Participation This one-trimester course prepares students for civic engagement and political participation by helping them understand our political system and government’s role in American life. The overarching goal is to teach students to make informed political decisions, to help them articulate their positions and to foster their civic engagement. Students explore fundamental issues such as what role government ought to play in our lives, what our rights and responsibilities are as citizens, how we should make informed decisions and how people organize themselves to express their interests. To this end, the course consists of three parts. First, students explore institutional and non-institutional actors in the political system (especially the media and interest groups). Next, students examine a contemporary issue, such as abortion rights or gay marriage, as a case study of participation by political actors. Finally, students conduct an in-depth exploration of a current issue of political interest to them. Potential issues are as varied as students’ passions; from social to scientific, from economic to environmental. Students produce several deliverables, including a lesson on their issue and its political implications (which they prepare and teach), a concrete act of participation concerning the issue and based at The Bay School and an action plan for their ongoing participation regarding the issue. Religion and U.S. Politics This one-trimester course explores the country’s foundations as a Christian nation in spite of the formal separation of church and state. The course begins with the founders’ religious views and how they envisioned the relationship between church and state. From there, the course takes a historical approach, exploring 19th-century religious revival movements (beginning with the first Great Awakening) through the culture wars that ensued in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. Students spend the second half of the course exploring contemporary tensions between religion and politics. The course considers the following central questions: W hat is the proper role of religion in public life? W hy does America, in contradistinction to other advanced industrial democracies, allow religion to play such a prominent role in public life?  T o what extent does religion inform and shape American political culture and institutions? W hat role do religious beliefs have in shaping the formation of public policy? Note: This course may be counted as either a religion and philosophy credit or a social studies credit, but not both. U.S. Foreign Policy This one-trimester course explores the development of U.S. foreign policy over time, with a focus on the present. The course begins by establishing a conceptual framework for the study of U.S. policy toward other nations. Students examine their own attitudes and ideologies about foreign policy and learn different typologies by which foreign policy views are categorized. Next, they explore the major developments in U.S. foreign policy over the course of our history, with particular emphasis on the 20th and 21st centuries. Throughout, students examine the policy making process, key domestic and international influences, policy consistencies and inconsistencies and historical and contemporary effects of U.S. policy on particular regions. The course culminates in the United States’ recent search for a policy appropriate to a world changed by the Cold War’s end and the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY   

The religion and philosophy curriculum focuses on major world religions and cultures. The program includes study of cultural thought and belief systems, historical events and philosophical movements. Through the religion and philosophy curriculum, students explore principles of decision-making, inquire into the spiritual dimensions of life and examine a variety of religious traditions. Students build an individual understanding of the meaning of interconnections with self, others, their own spirituality and the universe. The study of world religions also permeates Humanities 1 and 2 in the 9th and 10th grades.

ELECTIVE COURSES Bioethics Is cloning a human being morally acceptable? Are genetically engineered salmon a good idea? Should insurance companies have access to the results of your genetic tests? This one-trimester course is a philosophical and scientific approach to understanding current ethical issues affecting society. Students begin with an introduction to a variety of ethical frameworks as applied to difficult decision-making moments and apply these frameworks to specific cases drawn from ethics textbooks, journal articles, the internet and our own experience. Thereafter, students delve into four case studies on relevant issues. For each case study, students learn the underlying scientific principles and techniques as well as applying philosophical concepts and ethical criteria to the bioethical issues. Students are tested on their mastery of the scientific details; they prepare papers and participate in debates exploring the ethical dimensions of each new topic. The class culminates in each student choosing a bioethical issue to study in detail, writing a position paper on the topic and giving a presentation of their analysis to the class. Students should be advised that this is a not a lab science but a reading, discussion and writing-intensive course. Note: This course may be counted as either a religion and philosophy credit or a science credit, but not both. Comparative Religion Comparative Religion examines how several faith traditions – Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam – answer key existential questions and offer prescriptions for living a meaningful life. In addition to looking at key scripture from each tradition, students also read and hear personal reflections from those who are adherents of each faith. As a means of introducing students to each religion’s core beliefs and common practices/rituals, the course also exposes students to the artistic traditions – visual, decorative, theater and/or music – that have developed to celebrate the faith and join community. Ethics: The Search for the Good Life This course examines what it means to live consciously and ethically, exploring our responsibilities both to ourselves and to our society. Students grapple with themes of freedom and obligation, individuality versus the collective and the validity of fixed moral codes as presented through philosophy, film and literature. Through this class, students are asked to critically reflect on their own moral codes and standards in light of the ethical frameworks and dilemmas studied. Possible topics include the ethics of globalization and the free market, affirmative action and historical consciousness. The goal of this course is to make ethics accessible and applicable to real-world contexts, meaning that all students – regardless of their interest in philosophy – can find something of value both in the questions this class poses and the problems it considers. While this course does not necessarily provide answers, it helps students reflect on the ways they want to move in the world and how they hope to influence others. Possible thinkers include Kant, Mill, Nietzsche, Orwell, Zinn, Arendt, Mencius and Xunzi. Hinduism This course is a thorough grounding in the religions of India based on the Vedas and, to some extent, on the Dravidian religions that preceded them. The course focuses more on textual and mythical analysis and worship rather than on Hindu philosophy and spirituality. The course also examines some of the ways Hinduism has been represented and misrepresented to outsiders. This course investigates the differences between the various strands of Hindu devotion (Saivism, Vaisnavism and Goddess-worship). Students write a historical analysis of Hinduism’s history and its contact with outsiders. Students undertake study of several Hindu texts, write one research paper on the topic of their choice and present their findings to the class. The class will also visit a Hindu temple. Note: This course may be counted as either a religion/philosophy credit or a social studies credit, but not both.

T H E B AY S C H O O L O F S A N F R A N C I S C O

Islam Islam, both a faith and a geopolitical force, is the religion of over 20 percent of the world’s population. In this one-trimester course, students work toward developing themselves as informed global citizens by examining the religious, historical, social and geo-political aspects of Islam. Beginning with a look at “the time of ignorance” (jahaliya), the era before Muhammad’s revelations, the class first focuses on Muhammad – the “Perfect Man” – as prophet. Next, students study excerpts from the sacred texts of Islam, al-Quran and al-Hadith, to learn the key concepts and lessons of the faith. As part of the examination of al-Quran and al-Hadith, the course also places Islam’s major tenets within a monotheistic context, seeking to understand Islam’s relationship to Judaism and Christianity. The course then turns its attention to Muhammad as lawgiver and statesman to explore the beginnings of the Islamic state. By investigating how scripture is understood and transformed into cultural, social and legal (shari’a) norms in different parts of the Islamic world, students come to understand the growth and diversity of the Islamic world. Finally, students look at the modern Islamic state and consider the impact of Islamic theocracies and extranational groups such as al-Qaeda on our world today. Note: This course may be counted as either a religion and philosophy credit or a social studies credit, but not both. Jewish Studies What is the Jewish tradition? Whereas some refer to Judaism as “simply” a religion, others view it as much more: an ethnicity, a nationality, a way of life. In this one-trimester course, students receive an introduction to Judaism and investigate the problems inherent in describing, analyzing and interpreting the complexities of this ever-evolving tradition. Students learn that Judaism has remained dynamic across centuries and that each new era has provided challenges and possibilities for what it means to be Jewish. Students gain valuable critical thinking skills as they study and discuss sources such as The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), the Talmud, Jewish philosophy and literature by and about Jews. Possible topics include Ancient Israel and the Prophets; the Second Temple and the aftermath of its destruction; Rabbinic Judaism, The Talmud and Midrash; Rabbinic Philosophy and Jewish Mysticism; Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Judaism; The Holocaust and Reconstructionist Judaism. By the end of this course, students will be able to articulate a nuanced definition and gain an in-depth understanding of the Jewish tradition. Note: This course may be counted as either a religion and philosophy credit or a social studies credit, but not both. Religion and U.S. Politics This one-trimester course explores the country’s foundations as a Christian nation in spite of the formal separation of church and state. The course begins with the founders’ religious views and how they envisioned the relationship between church and state. From there, the course takes a historical approach, exploring 19th-century religious revival movements (beginning with the first Great Awakening) through the culture wars that ensued in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. Students spend the second half of the course exploring contemporary tensions between religion and politics. The course considers the following central questions: W hat is the proper role of religion in public life? W hy does America, in contradistinction to other advanced industrial democracies, allow religion to play such a prominent role in public life?  T o what extent does religion inform and shape American political culture and institutions? W hat role do religious beliefs have in shaping the formation of public policy? Note: This course may be counted as either a religion and philosophy credit or a social studies credit, but not both.

WORLD LANGUAGES WORLD LANGUAGES   

We consider the study of another language and its associated culture essential to a Bay education and a successful global community. The overall goals of the program include development of oral and written language skills and a cultural objective such as an acquaintance with and appreciation for a different people, their history and customs.

MANDARIN Mandarin 1A/1B This is a two-trimester introductory language course in Modern Standard Chinese (Putonghua). This course develops speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Students learn the tonal system, pronunciation, basic grammar and the fundamentals of the Chinese writing system. Additionally, in view of the intimate relationship between language and culture, students learn about Chinese culture, recent history and geography. During this first-year course students develop the ability to carry out simple conversations in Chinese on a limited range of topics. No prerequisite.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Mandarin 2A/2B In this two-trimester course, students review and continue working with the concepts and skills introduced in Mandarin 1, simultaneously building new vocabulary and increasingly complex sentence patterns. There is further focus on the Chinese tonal system and character acquisition. Students increase their ability to acquire pertinent information through listening, to express themselves with more confidence and to read and write characters with greater fluency and ease. Prerequisite: Mandarin 1 or placement exam. Mandarin 3A/3B This two-trimester course further develops studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; communicative abilities in listening, speaking, reading and writing modern Chinese. Students largely focus on strengthening their listening and reading comprehension skills through increased exposure to authentic material. Upon completion of this course, students are able to handle most daily conversation with relative fluency and are comfortable speaking and interacting in the target language. Prerequisite: Mandarin 2 or placement exam. Mandarin 4A/4B This two-trimester course enhances studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; abilities to communicate fluently, precisely and elegantly in modern Chinese. This course incorporates both Chinese literature and history, exploring current events and youth culture in Greater China. This course utilizes an advanced-level textbook, yet relies primarily on authentic materials to broaden studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vocabulary, idiomatic expressions and cultural knowledge. Students learn to master more complex sentence patterns for the purpose of sustaining longer, more in-depth conversations. Students apply their knowledge of complex sentence structures and advanced grammar patterns to various forms of written expression. Finally, students express their opinions and creativity through various modes of presentation. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisite: Mandarin 3 or placement exam. Mandarin 5A/5B Conducted entirely in Mandarin, this course explores the enduring influence of traditional martial arts cultural heroes (real and imagined). It explores how the wuxia concept has historically evolved to its present form, as seen in film, comics and pop culture. Potential topics include chivalrous bandit heroes in Ming and Qing fiction, the Boxer Rebellion in Late Imperial China and anti-dynastic sectarian movements in Ming and Qing history. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisite: Mandarin 4. Advanced Topics in Mandarin This course is for the advanced Mandarin Chinese language student who wishes to develop her/his language and critical thinking skills. In this course, students evaluate essays, short stories, films and editorials in Mandarin Chinese that reflect current concerns in contemporary society. These may be concerns specific to China, Taiwan or the Chinese diaspora, or they may be global concerns addressed by Chinese journalists, politicians, film-makers or authors. The course will focus upon a different topic each year; possible topics include population growth and resource management, intraAsia foreign policy, status of women, trade relations, technology and censorship. The goal of the course is to enable students to understand current issues facing Chinese citizens and to develop and express their opinions on these issues clearly and eloquently in Mandarin Chinese. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisite: Mandarin 4; may be taken concurrently with Mandarin 5. May be repeated for credit.

SPANISH Spanish 1A/1B This two-trimester course is an introductory course for students who want to learn Spanish. Students learn the fundamental grammar and vocabulary necessary for basic communication in Spanish. Students develop partial capability in the four major communication skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. By the end of this course, students are able to express themselves at a rudimentary level in both the present and past tenses. Focus is placed on gaining the confidence necessary to speak fluently. In addition, students learn an appreciation for the various cultures associated with the Spanish language. No prerequisite. Spanish 2A/2B This two-trimester course teaches students how to communicate effectively in Spanish. Students develop the facility to communicate in the present, past and future tenses and are exposed to other tenses. Students increase their facility in the four major communication skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Additional focus is placed on writing as well as reading for the purpose of gathering information, learning and to understand how communities and cultures help to shape our world. Prerequisite: Spanish 1 or placement exam.

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Spanish 3A/3B Spanish 3 is a two-trimester intermediate language course that focuses on the following objectives: first, to review all of the basic skills and vocabulary learned during the first two years of study; second, to increase the student’s core vocabulary base and to expand his or her understanding and working knowledge of the more complex grammatical points; third, to connect the student’s language skills with other academic disciplines; fourth, to increase the student’s level of fluency, both written and oral, so that he or she can communicate effectively and elegantly in Spanish; fifth, to make students aware of the richness of diversity in the Spanish-speaking communities both in and outside of the United States. Prerequisite: Spanish 2 or placement exam. Spanish 4A/4B Spanish 4 is a two-trimester advanced-intermediate course that integrates language and culture while studying topics that reflect global issues of interest and concern to today’s youth. The course uses music, current events, film and literature from the Spanish-speaking world to synthesize the development of all aspects of language skills and cultural awareness. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisite: Spanish 3 or placement exam. Spanish 5A/5B Spanish 5 is a two-trimester advanced course that explores social issues and advanced grammar topics through films, literature, music and other media in the target language. Students demonstrate their knowledge through conversation, oral presentations, essay writing and the completion of an independent research project on a topic of the student’s choosing. This course is considered an Honors course. Prerequisite: Spanish 4.

ARTS ARTS   

Bay offers a range of arts classes, including courses in drawing, painting, sculpture, music, drama, dance and digital arts. Introductory and advanced courses in each field challenge students to find value in the aesthetic nature of all art forms and to become life-long learners of the skills unique to creating art.Through the process of understanding and appreciating historical and contemporary works of art, students expand their own creative repertoire and gain confidence in their ability to express themselves beyond the studio or stage. 3-Dimensional Foundations 1A This course utilizes the concepts of visual design to explore physical space. Sculpture is studied through the use of art history, criticism, aesthetics and art production. Students work with their understanding of the elements and principles of design by transforming personal sketches into sculpture via materials such as paper, wood, wire, plastics, clay, plaster of Paris, cardboard and found objects. The types of sculpture studied include relief sculpture, mobiles, assemblage, construction and sculpture in the round. Students learn about the different properties and characteristics of sculptural materials, all the while thinking about practicing, collaborating, creating and critiquing. Each student in this class has a sketchbook for brainstorming, reflecting and rendering ideas. Through looking at how other artists have thought three-dimensionally, students develop their own approaches to considering how forms exist in space. Research is an important part of this class; students investigate artists who have worked with sculptural forms as a way of learning about the range of artistic possibilities. No prerequisite. 3-Dimensional Foundations 1B This is the second half of a two-trimester course sequence that gives students the chance to advance their skills working with three-dimensional art forms. Building on the fundamentals learned in 3-Dimensional Foundations 1A, students focus on the use of hand tools to create sculptures, with a specific emphasis on their media of choice. This course provides students with the opportunity to create their own designs and learn about the challenges of implementing their design over an extended period of time. In addition, students study how their designs and art forms relate to the threedimensional world around them, as well as to those works created by artists of the past and present. With consideration of space and presentation, students also explore how best to exhibit their work to create a forum for discussion. Prerequisite: 3-Dimensional Foundations 1A.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Dance 1A: Hip Hop Dance in Cultural Context This course examines the cultural aesthetics and modes of expression in hip hop – one of the most influential art movements of the late 20th and early 21st centuries – through the lens and specificities of hip hop dance. Through movement technique, choreography, workshops, readings and written reflection, students study hip hop both as a community culture and as a vehicle for self-expression. This course explores hip hop’s historical evolution from a local youth subculture to an expanding global arts movement. Students focus on a variety of dance styles including foundations, break dancing, funk styles (popping, locking, struttin’), house dance, contemporary street styles and trends and new style/choreography. In addition to the emphasis on dance, students explore four major elements that encompass this art form: B-boy/B-girling, creative verbal expression (MCing, rapping, spoken word), music composition (mixing and sampling, DJing) and visual arts (graffiti). Utilizing these four elements as a framework, students collaborate to create a culminating dance project that assesses and expresses hip hop aesthetics and culture. No prerequisite. Dance 1B: Dances of the African Diaspora This course delves into the history, dance and cultural richness that resulted from the migration of Africans and people of African descent throughout the Americas. Through movement technique, choreography, workshops, readings and written reflection, students explore the ways the African Diaspora impacted art in the Americas as expressed by folkloric, social and concert dance. Students engage in this complex history primarily through movement training, learning techniques in jazz/lindy hop, Modern (especially Horton/Dunham technique), Afro-Caribbean (especially Salsa, Merengue) and Afro-Brazilian dance forms. Students are introduced to pivotal artists and artistic communities who impacted the development of diasporic dance and who utilized their dance practice as expressions of rebellion, resistance and resilience. Students collaborate to create a culminating performance that interprets the history and aesthetics of African diasporic dance. Prerequisite: Dance 1A. Digital Imaging 1A Through a series of demonstrations and projects, students learn how to operate a digital camera, manipulate images in Adobe Photoshop using a variety of techniques and organize and display their images using a variety of outputs. A fundamental introduction to composition using the elements and principles of design helps students create images that are harmonious and unified. Assignments incorporate a variety of approaches and themes. Students become familiar with different subjects of photography, including abstract, portraiture, landscape and time-lapse. No prerequisite. Digital Imaging 1B Students continue their study of digital photography, learning how to operate a digital SLR camera, manipulate imagery in Adobe Photoshop using a variety of techniques, print images and display their images for presentation. Projects incorporate a series of approaches and themes, such as shooting for publications, portraiture, panorama and studio photography. Other topics include Adobe Camera Raw digital darkroom processing. The course themes present students with a wide range of subject possibilities to draw from in their projects and portfolios. Prerequisite: Digital Imaging 1A. Drama 1A This course introduces the forms and elements of drama and addresses key questions: How has drama been a cultural expression in history? How can one communicate authentically through drama? Students discover the functions of drama and theater throughout history and cultures, focusing on early civilizations (Mayan, Aztec, Hindu, Buddhist, Greek and Roman) as well as the European Middle Ages. Students explore movement theories (LaBan, Alexander, Grotowski and Suzuki) and vocal training, incorporating these into daily practice. Students study and utilize improvisation as both an outlet for creative energies and a forum for experimentation in character and scene development. Performances include (at least) one speech or poem and two scenes (one original); informal class work is used to hone performance and presentation techniques. Students develop the skills necessary to critique and evaluate the success of performances by classmates, professionals and themselves. No prerequisite. Drama 1B This course deepens students’ knowledge of dramatic forms through further study of theatrical history and elements. The emphasis on authenticity in performance is stronger than in Drama 1A; students begin developing technical theater skills. Students discover the functions of drama and theater throughout history and cultures, focusing on the Renaissance, Commedia Del Arte, 19th-century Romanticism and Realism, and 20th-century movements. Students explore movement theories (LaBan, Alexander, Grotowski and Suzuki) and vocal training, incorporating these into daily practice and leading each other in warm-ups, movement and vocal practice. Students deepen and broaden improvisation skills; long-form improvisation is introduced. Students interpret and research dramatic texts, formally presenting their findings. Performances include at least two monologues (one original) and two scenes. Students also direct one another in one scene. Students develop the skills necessary to critique and evaluate the success of performances by classmates, professionals and themselves both formally and informally. Prerequisite: Drama 1A.

T H E B AY S C H O O L O F S A N F R A N C I S C O

Electronic Music Studio 1A Electronic Music Studio 1A is an introductory course on the production of electronic music. Students learn and practice the use of various digital audio workstation software, such as Pro Tools and Logic, as well as music production software such as Reason. Throughout the production process, students explore a variety of genres of electronic music and produce structurally-integrated songs, featuring authentic instrumentation, hooks/choruses, breaks/bridges and melody. As students complete songs, they are aired for the school community through own podcasts. No prerequisite. Electronic Music Studio 1B Electronic Music Studio 1B involves the continuation of electronic music production, recording, mixing and editing with Reason, Pro Tools and Logic. In addition to continuing to hone students’ mixing skills, this course further explores signal routing; ReWire; advanced sampling, inclusive of key and velocity mapping; mastering, with an emphasis upon EQ, compression and limiting; building customized drum kits; time-based effects, such as delay and reverb; and stereo effects, such as panning. As in the Electronic Music Studio 1A course, students air their work to the school community. Prerequisite: Electronic Music Studio 1A. Intensive Performance Workshop This advanced drama course begins with intensive scene study and directing theory. Delving in turn into Stanislavski, Meisner and Viewpoints theory, students develop and perform three assigned scenes. Focus then shifts to improvisational work in acting, dance and music as students begin to study the origins and mechanics of entertainment. Through these explorations, students develop a program of original material. Students integrate their knowledge and collaborate in the writing, editing, design and production of their own culminating cabaret. Texts include “The Physical Comedy Handbook” (David Rider Robinson), “Impro” (Keith Johnstone) and various scripts and excerpts. Prerequisite: Drama 1B or permission of instructor. Jazz 1A Students are exposed to basic jazz repertoire, learning to play some of the standard tunes used at jazz sessions throughout the world. Students listen to great recordings and analyze them with classmates. The course covers a selection of the harmonic and melodic devices used in all of Western music, as well as the vocabulary that musicians use to communicate with one another. Additionally, students participate in a field trip to a jazz club. This is an ensemble class; participation in a final performance is required. No prerequisite; no prior experience is necessary to take this class. Jazz 1B This course is a thorough grounding in advanced jazz concepts. Students learn at least five standard tunes and explore the beginnings of bebop phrasing. Students become familiar with a wide range of recordings and styles. Each Jazz 1B student receives two private lessons during class time with an instructor specializing in the student’s instrument. Course requirements include students’ exploration of the San Francisco jazz scene. Jazz 1B is an ensemble class; participation in a final performance is required. Prerequisite: Jazz 1A. Jazz 2 This is a performing ensemble class for students who are familiar with the basics of jazz improvisation

and have completed the Jazz 1A/1B sequence. Students increase their repertoire of standards, hone their rhythmic and harmonic vocabulary, improve their performance skills and develop their knowledge of jazz history. Students also hear live music at a jazz club at least once in the trimester. Prerequisite: Jazz 1B or instructor permission.

Publication Arts: Yearbook The main objective of this course is to produce The Bay School Yearbook during the course of the spring trimester. Students focus on design fundamentals, aesthetics and typography, learning to work skillfully with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop, the companion programs that account for the majority of the contemporary printing industry. Prerequisite: Digital Imaging 1A. May be repeated for credit. Studio Art 1A: Drawing In Drawing 1A, students hone their observational and accuracy skills. Through looking at how other artists have captured the world around them and exploring the many ways drawing materials can express form, emotion, space and time, students develop their own approaches to depicting images on two-dimensional surfaces. Projects include a self portrait silhouette, detailed study of natural objects, work with light and shadow in capturing a still life, a “Secret Spaces Project” (composing landscape studies inspired by the landscape of the Presidio) and a self-portrait printmaking project. Students develop compositional understanding by applying the elements and principles of design to their sketches and drawings. Experimentation, critique, reflection and a consistent practice are essential qualities of the artistic process; students build upon each project until they master their own personal aesthetic. Students use charcoal, china marker, ink pens, graphite pencil, colored pencils, Sumi ink and pastel on a variety of different papers. No prerequisite.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Studio Art 1A: Painting In Painting 1A, students are introduced to the fundamental skills of this art form. After gaining confidence with working from a still life and with capturing various forms, light and shadow on paper, students move into identity projects, working on canvas and wood panel, investigating who they are and how they want to portray themselves. Through looking at how other artists have worked with the materiality of paint, students develop their own approaches to mixing colors, applying layers and developing compositions using acrylic paint. Color theory is reviewed and emphasized in all aspects of this course so that students continue to reflect upon how various colors are made and how they relate to one another in a visual composition. The sketchbook practice is a large part of this class; readings and painting projects will be assigned for homework. Students use Sumi ink, charcoal, graphite pencil, watercolor, gouache and acrylic paint as their primary mediums. At the end of the term, students will be introduced to relief printmaking, as this technique bridges drawing and painting. No prerequisite. Studio Art 1B: Advanced Drawing Students further explore drawing technique, observational skills and personal style development. Mediums used vary from pencil to pen and ink, charcoal, pastels and paints. In this class, students are challenged to create large-scale works, supported when pushing outside their comfort zone and asked to make individual choices about mediums and surfaces used to complete the classroom assignments. Portraiture, still lifes and landscapes are among the many subjects explored. After each project, students engage in reflections and critiques to gain feedback and support. Students are encouraged to expand on their individual style and creative problem-solving skills. Historical and contemporary artists are explored to further enhance the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowledge and approach to creating works of art. Throughout the course, students also capture ideas and images in their sketchbooks with a range of materials. At the end of the term each student participates in Portfolio Conversations. These 20-minute conversations are like a portfolio review; each student invites another teacher to the studio to look at the work created during the term. Prerequisite: Drawing 1A. Studio Art 1B: Advanced Painting In this course, students expand and extend their skills as painters and artists. Using their knowledge of color theory, compositional development and their desire to develop a personal style, students create works that vary on a personal level from abstraction to realistic pieces. Working with gouache, watercolor, ink and acrylic paint, students develop a portfolio that exhibits skills in observation, perspective, visual interpretation, sensitivity to light and form and the ability to translate ideas to a surface using a variety of materials. Students construct and stretch canvas for acrylic and oil painting and learn how to prep and prime paper and wood panel. Students in this course work independently and experimentally. The class looks at a range of historical and contemporary artists to examine individual development, style, technique and problem-solving approaches. Throughout the class, students reflect upon and critique their work and processes as artists. Students also explore printmaking techniques (such as reduction linoleum cuts, wood cuts and stencils) that will further encourage awareness of craft and the different ways they can generate artwork. Prerequisite: Painting 1A. Video Production 1A This course, for the beginning video-maker, is an introduction to the basics of camera movement, image composition and storytelling using digital media. This course teaches the skills necessary to accomplish basic pre-production, production and post-production processes. In the span of the course students go through mini-production planning, shooting and editing phases for both group and individual projects. No prerequisite. Video Production 1B This course, for the intermediate video maker, is an expanded opportunity to apply all phases of the video production process. This course develops student skills in pre-production, production and post-production processes. In the span of the class students build on the skills developed in Video Production 1A, working as members of a production crew. Students cycle through a variety of responsibilities including director, camera operator, lighting, sound and production assistant. Prerequisite: Video Production 1A.

T H E B AY S C H O O L O F S A N F R A N C I S C O

SENIOR SIGNATURE PROJECTS PROGRAM SENIOR SIGNATURE PROJECTS PROGRAM   

The Senior Signature Projects program provides all 12th-graders with the opportunity to design and complete a project in a field about which they are passionate. Students work on their projects during two of three trimesters of their 12th-grade year. The program emphasizes depth of study and mastery in a field, independent problem solving and risk-taking. Successful completion of the Senior Signature Projects requirement is necessary for graduation. In this program, each 12thgrader works closely with the co-directors to research and develop a project idea, outline a detailed work plan and collaborate with a mentor to complete his or her project. Successful completion of the program includes a final portfolio and deliverable that represent the results of the work. Students also present their work to the school community at the annual Senior Signature Projects Exhibition.

LIFE SKILLS COURSES   

At Bay, our commitment to educating students for lives of engagement and leadership as citizens of the 21st century includes supporting their personal growth. Our life skills curriculum spans all four years and asks students to examine a number of educational, technological, personal, interpersonal and societal issues affecting their daily lives in and outside of school.

LIFE SKILLS COURSES

All students participate in elements of the life skills curriculum during advisory periods and selected all-school and grade-level school gatherings. In addition, all 9th-graders take 9th-Grade Seminar, a non-credit course which meets once per week for the entire year.

2013-2014 ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Our 9th-Grade Seminar The 9th-Grade Seminar orients incoming students to the technological, social, cultural and academic contexts of life at Bay. A diverse team of faculty, staff and administrators teach the course, which focuses on the following guiding questions: H ow do we broaden our definitions of community membership while continuing to honor our individual identities? H ow can I approach new challenges and situations effectively? H ow can I be fully present, engaged and connected to my community? Students investigate these questions in a number of contexts. In the first trimester, we introduce students to Bay and high school scholarship. Topics include our laptop and academic technology programs, the latest research in brain science and effective study skills, our school’s values and cultural norms, the importance of mindfulness and an overview of Design Thinking. In the second term, students consider questions of identity, stereotype and group membership through lenses such as race, class and gender. The third trimester includes an introduction to the digital media lab and digital design, as well as research skills and information literacy. Through the 9th-Grade Seminar, Bay students start to become effective self-advocates, savvy consumers, producers of digital-age information, self-aware individuals and conscientious contributors to the rich cultural and academic life of The Bay School.

SAMPLE FOUR-YEAR COURSE SCHEDULE 9th Grade

10th Grade

11th Grade

12th Grade

Trimester 1

Trimester 2

Trimester 3

Humanities 1

Conceptual Physics

Chemistry

Math 2

Video Production 1A*

Writing Workshop

Mandarin 1

Humanities 2

Chemistry

Biology

Mandarin 2

Research in the Community

Mandarin 2

Video Production 1B*

Math 3

US History

U.S. Foreign Policy*

Chemistry 2*

Chemistry 2

Engineering Design 1*

Advanced Composition*

Mandarin 3

Analysis of Functions (Math) American Literature

Analysis of Functions (Math)

Anatomy*

Historical Fiction*

Hinduism*

Calculus*

Climate Change*

Shakespeare*

Comparative Government*

Computer Science 1*

Electronic Music Studio 1A*

Senior Signature Project

Note: All students are required to take four courses each trimester, each worth 0.5 credits. We require 23 academic credits for graduation. *Denotes elective course

T H E B AY S C H O O L O F S A N F R A N C I S C O

ADVANCED STUDY: COLLEGE-LEVEL WORK AND THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT QUESTION The Bay School challenges students by offering advanced elective courses in all disciplines. As an expression of Bayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s depth-over-breadth approach, these courses promote rigor and discipline in mastering detail, cultivate depth of synthesis and analysis, demand authentic inquiry and emphasize examination of the most salient global issues of the 21st century. Advanced Placement curricula typically prescribe a course of study that prevents the depth of exploration and creative inquiry that serves as a hallmark of a Bay education. Bay does not offer Advanced Placement courses and is proud to be a leader in a rapidly-growing national movement away from the Advanced Placement system. Our definition of college-level rigor focuses upon profound and critical thought; authentic creation, innovation, synthesis and analysis; and application of knowledge in complex, real-world contexts. As the College Board rewrites several AP courses to allow greater depth of inquiry, Bay faculty members continue to track these developments to determine whether or not the revised AP curricula meet our high standards for in-depth, 21st-century learning. Bay 11th- and 12th-grade electives are similar to college-level courses in their content, depth and complexity. Colleges and universities throughout the U.S., including the University of California, consider our upper-level electives remarkable in their sophistication and commonly give many of these courses the same weight as AP courses in the application process. Each year, a number of Bay students successfully prepare for and take AP exams, committing themselves to additional study and preparation outside the normal school day. Bay students who earn high marks on the AP exams earn course credit at those colleges and universities that participate in the AP system. î ł