Upper School Course Catalogue | 2016-2017

UPPER SCHOOL

CO U R S E C ATA LO G U E

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Woodcut Print by Devin Friedrich ’19

FRIENDS SEMINARY UPPER SCHOOL COURSE CATALOGUE 2016–2017 GENERAL INFORMATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Statement of Mission and Purpose Introduction Graduation Requirements Suggested Programs by Grade General Notes on Program Planning The Ninth and Tenth Grade Year The Eleventh and Twelfth Grade Year Other Opportunities Miscellaneous Information

DEPARTMENTAL COURSES, OBJECTIVES, REQUIREMENTS Community Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Computer Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 English. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Experiential Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Guidance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 History and Social Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Performing Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Physical Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Visual Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 World Languages: Ancient and Modern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Online Course Electives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 An Overview of the College Counseling Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

n STATEMENT OF MISSION AND PURPOSE Friends Seminary educates students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, adhering to the values of the Religious Society of Friends. We strive to build a diverse school where students exercise their curiosity and imagination as they develop as scholars, artists and athletes. In a community that cultivates the practices of keen observation, unhurried reflection, critical thinking, and coherent expre ssion, we listen for the single voice as we seek unity. The disciplines of silence, study, and service provide the matrix for growth: silence opens us to change; study helps us to know the world; service challenges us to put our values into practice. At F riends Seminary, education is rooted in the Quaker belief in the Inner Light—that of God in every person. Guided by the testimonies of integrity, peace, equality, and simplicity, we prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be.

Adopted December 2015

n GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS The minimum number of course credits required for graduation from Friends Seminary is 95. Distribution requirements by department are: English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 credits History (U.S. required) and Social Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 credits World Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 credits *Mathematics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 credits **Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 credits Computer Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits Performing Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits Health and Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credits Physical/Experiential Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 credits Community Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 hours (at least 27 hours/year) Additional Electives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 credits All students must register for a minimum of 5 full credit courses per semester or a total of 20 credits per year, and a physical education class or team sport. Any student wishing to take 6 or more academic courses must obtain written permission from the Head of the Upper School. Any qualified student wishing to take more than two AP courses must also obtain approval from the Advisor and the Head of the Upper School. * Students must complete Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. Students must complete three years of math courses during grades 9–12. * * This requirement includes two years of a laboratory science; see departmental course descriptions for further information and appropriate placement However, most students take a minimum of three years of science.

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n SUGGESTED PROGRAMS BY GRADE (FOR COURSE REGISTRATION) Ninth Grade Year: English English 9 History and Social Science World History I World Languages Continue language from Middle School; or begin another language; second language by permission only Mathematics Algebra I: Part II, Geometry, or Algebra II Science Physics Visual and Performing Arts Department electives Physical Education Choice between P.E. elective or interscholastic team Study Skills Placement if deemed appropriate Community Service Service Day and 15 hours of out-of-school service by the students’ design; an additional 7 hours (10 periods) of in-school service Computer Science Programming and Computing Tenth Grade Year: English English 10: British Literature History and Social Science World History II World Languages Continue one or more languages Mathematics Geometry, Algebra II, or Precalculus Science Chemistry Visual and Performing Arts Department electives Physical Education Choice between P.E. elective or interscholastic team; required Experiential Education Experiential Education One semester placement Health and Wellness One semester placement Study Skills Placement if deemed appropriate Community Service Service Day and 15 hours of out-of-school service by the students’ design; an additional 7 hours (10 periods) of in-school service Computer Science Department electives Eleventh Grade Year: English English 11: American Literature History and Social Science U.S. History or AP U.S. History World Languages Elective if requirement completed Mathematics Choice of suitable course to fulfill matriculation requirement Science Biology recommended or appropriate elective Visual and Performing Arts Department electives Physical Education Choice of P.E. elective, interscholastic team, or Wilderness elective Junior Seminar Spring semester placement Study Skills Placement if deemed appropriate Community Service Service Day and 15 hours of out-of-school service by the students’ design; an additional 7 hours (10 periods) of in-school service Computer Science Department electives Twelfth Grade Year: English Required selection from any of the department’s electives History Department electives World Languages Elective if requirement completed one or more languages Mathematics Department electives Science Department electives Visual and Performing Arts Department electives Senior Seminar Fall semester placement Physical Education Choice of P.E. elective, interscholastic team, or Wilderness elective Community Service Service Day and 15 hours of out-of-school service by the students’ design; an additional 7 hours (10 periods) of in-school service Computer Science Department electives 3

n SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES Senior Project This opportunity allows a senior to finish course requirements in early May in order to work full-time in an internship or supervised independent project. Examples of past projects have included: student teaching, work as a nutrition assistant at Manhattan Center for Living, independent art projects, research assistants, political internships and community service.

NYU Coursework Beginning in the fall of 1993, New York University established an academic relationship with Friends Seminary. Under the terms of this relationship, eleventh and twelfth grade Friends students, recommended by the School and deemed qualified

by NYU administrators, may enroll free of charge in courses at NYU’s College of Arts and Sciences. Students enrolled in NYU courses will not receive college credit for the course at the conclusion of the class. They will, however, receive a grade from their professor for inclusion in Friends Seminary records. Under no circumstances may an NYU course be substituted for a required course for graduation. On the other hand, this unique opportunity permits an already rich curriculum to be augmented by the offerings of a great university. It also allows students a chance to pursue coursework not available under the auspices of the Upper School program. Students interested in enrolling in an NYU course should obtain an application from the Academic Dean. Application Deadlines are: Oct. 15 – Spring semester courses Apr. 5 – Summer term courses May 1 – Fall semester courses

Independent Study Friends Seminary offers 11th and 12 Grade students an opportunity to participate in creating a course of study in a particular area of interest. This opportunity is offered at the discretion of the department. Students are eligible if they can demonstrate a strong level of interest in the topic to be studied and have successfully completed the courses the department offers in the area they wish to pursue. Interested students must also be in good standing in the Upper School, both academically and behaviorally, and have demonstrated that they can conscientiously meet responsibilities on a sustained basis. Further information is available in the Office of the Academic Dean and in the Upper School Office.

Application deadline for the fall is May 15, while that for the spring is November 1.

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n MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Program or Schedule Change The information cited within this course catalogue represents the projected curricular plans for the 2016 - 2017 school year.

Changes in staffing may necessitate changes in teacher assignments and, on occasion, course offerings. A specific course may have to be canceled for under-enrollment or closed for over-subscription. In such circumstances, all efforts will be made to provide students with alternative selections which accommodate their interests and skill levels.

Students will have two weeks in which to add or drop a course in their program. To do so they must receive the permission of the respective teacher’s class, their Advisor, the Chair of the department sponsoring the course, and the Upper School Head.

Course Withdrawal Withdrawing from a course at any time after the initial two-week “add-drop” period will be noted on a student’s transcript as “WF” (withdraw – failing) or “WP” (withdraw – passing) according to his academic performance to date.

Seniors should be aware that they will need to report course of study for both first and second semesters on their college applications. Any course added or dropped after filing an application will need to be communicated in writing to each college. If a student has already enrolled, the student will have to contact the college before finalizing any changes.

Accelerated Matriculation/Early Graduation Status On occasion and under certain special circumstances, students may apply for and receive approval to accelerate their course of study in order to graduate before the end of their twelfth grade year. Students working to pursue this option must do so through a formal application process beginning no later than the spring of their sophomore year. Criteria for officially approving such requests consist of the following: an acceptable record of citizenship within the Upper School; a minimum grade point average of at least a “B+” or better; a punctual attendance record; and personal and academic maturity confirmed by the faculty. Students considering such an option should do so with the understanding that approval is predicated on the willingness of the student to use it to advance in a purposeful fashion his or her own academic development beyond Friends Seminary.

Incomplete Students unable to complete coursework due to compelling reasons and prior to the commencement of the next semester may request that a grade of “Incomplete” be entered on their end-of-semester report. Generally, students will have as a maximum no more than a month to fulfill the expectations in a given course in order to have the “Incomplete” grade replaced by a letter grade. Otherwise, the grade of “Inc.” will be replaced by an “F” grade for transcript notation.

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n COMMUNITY SERVICE Mission Statement Service is integral to Friends Seminary’s educational mission, along with the disciplines of study and silence. Our Community Service Program strives to instill a sense of stewardship of the School community and respect for and responsibility to our urban neighborhood and beyond. By providing opportunities within the curriculum and in other relevant activities for students to witness and understand the needs of others, we hope to prepare them for a life that includes service. Our goal is to integrate knowledge and understanding with compassion and social responsibility. Only through reflection and understanding the need to put our values into practice will students be able to grasp the importance to ourselves of the gift of caring for each other, for all humanity, and for the natural world.

Program Overview Service is a deeply held value at Friends Seminary and has been since the school’s inception. Friends Seminary encourages ongoing service and reflection throughout a student’s time at the school because through such experiences, students develop lifelong habits and connections to the larger community that help establish their sense of public purpose and social responsibility. Therefore, students are expected to fulfill an annual community service requirement. This expectation incorporates in-school and out-of-school service experiences, guided student reflection, as well as formal opportunities for learning about pressing social and environmental issues. Online resources are available on the Community Service Moodle site to help students meet these requirements. The Dean of Co-Curricular Programs will also work individually with students to match their interests with community organizations both locally and globally.

Service Requirement Upper School students are required to complete 27 hours of community service each year: 20 hours of out-of-school service and 7 hours (or 10 periods) of in-school service. Students are also expected to complete a minimum of one guided service reflection posted to the school’s service blog each year. Each posted reflection earns one hour toward either in-school or outof-school service (according to the experience students choose to write about).

Out-Of-School Service Out-of-school service includes any volunteer work that benefits the community beyond Friends Seminary. While out-ofschool service will typically occur off-campus, there are occasions when the service will take place at school, such as the HELP dinners or a school-hosted event that directly benefits a community off-campus. If a student has a question about whether a service opportunity qualifies for out-of-school credit, they should contact the Dean of Co-Curricular Programs before they participate in the service activity. In addition to these opportunities to act, Friends Seminary recognizes the importance to learn before doing. Therefore, opportunities for students to explore pressing social issues in depth are includ ed in the out-of-school service program. Both the learning and doing components of the service program foster a sense of altruism, compassion, and social responsibility through direct contact with those in need and exposure to the organizations working to improve the human condition. Students can earn up to four hours toward out-of-school service each year attending lectures, conferences, rallies and other events related to social or environmental issues.

Breakdown of Out-of-School Service Hours Five hours are earned through the Upper School Day of Service. Students who miss the school-sponsored service day are required to make these hours up independently. Fifteen hours completed independently or through service learning course projects and monthly opportunities offered through the Student Service Committee. Hours are earned annually by a combination of the following: • Service Experiences (hours accrued volunteering) • Attending Formal Educational Opportunities on Social or Environmental Issues (up to 4 hours of credit) • Posted Reflections to the Friends Service Blog (each post earns one hour) Note: All students are required to complete a minimum of one guided reflection through the Friends Service blog. Instructions on how to post can be found on the Community Service Moodle site.

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Guidelines for Out-of-School Service • Students are responsible for coordinating their out-of-school service work (not including all-school service day).

• Students are responsible for recording their out-of-school service hours using the online form found on the Community Service Moodle site.

• Completion of the out-of-school service requirement must occur prior to the end of academic year. A student’s failure to meet the service requirement deadline will require that he/she make up the uncompleted hours the following academic year. These hours are in addition to the required service hours for the following year. An “INC” service grade will be noted on the student’s record until the service hours are made up. Once the hours are completed, the INC will change to a Pass.

• Seniors must complete the out-of-school service requirement to graduate. Seniors planning to participate in Senior Projects must complete their service requirement prior to being released for their project.

Student-Created Group Service Initiative Students can also develop out-of-school group service initiatives. This is a great way for students to give of their time and talents to a cause that fits their personal interests. Credit for the time spent in designing and bringing these student service initiatives to fruition may be received under the approval and guidance of the Dean of Co-Curricular Programs. Please take note of the following guidelines: • All projects must be pre-approved by the Dean of Co-Curricular Programs and have received the recommendation of the Service Committee.

• Students interested in creating a Student Service Initiative should schedule a meeting with the Dean of Co-Curricular Programs to discuss ways to connect their peers and academic curriculum to their project.

• Any fundraising efforts must be focused on raising awareness and support direct contact for students with those in need and or a particular social cause or nonprofit organization. Any fundraising efforts must be in keeping with the mission and spirit of the school and be pre-approved by the Dean of Co-Curricular Programs.

Summer Service Students can complete the out-of-school requirement during summer vacation. Working with non-profit organizations or participating in a volunteer program over the summer is truly a wonderful way to create a sustained, meaningful relationship with the population you are serving. In many cases, service performed over the summer leads to a relationship that continues into the school year and beyond. Please take note of the following guideline: • Students must post a reflection that includes photos from their experience to the Friends service blog by the end of September. Instructions on how to post can be found on the Community Service Moodle site.

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n IN-SCHOOL SERVICE In-school service includes any volunteer work that benefits the community at Friends Seminary by fulfilling a need within the school community. Typically, the work performed supports and enhances the day-to-day functioning of the school. In-School Service includes assisting teachers, staff, administrators, and coaches. In-School Service would also include helping with any special activities that the school sponsors, such as the annual Friends Auction, God’s Love We Deliver Bag Decorating event, or the Chinese New Year Celebration.

Breakdown of In-School Service Hours • 7 hours or 10 class periods

Guidelines for In-School Service • Students are responsible for coordinating their in-school service work. The Dean of Co-Curricular Programs will post openings and/or needs as they arise on the Community Service Moodle site.

• In-school service opportunities are also occasionally announced during Monday Meeting by faculty and staff.

• Students are responsible for recording their hours using the online form found on the Community Service Moodle site.

• Completion of the in-school service requirement must occur prior to the end of academic year. A student’s failure to meet the service requirement deadline will require that he/she make up the uncompleted hours the following academic year. These hours are in addition to the required service hours for the following year. An “INC” service grade will be noted on the student’s record until the service hours are made up. Once the hours are completed, the INC will change to a Pass.

• Seniors MUST complete the in-school service requirement to graduate. Seniors planning to participate in Senior Projects must complete their service requirement prior to being released for their project.

Through the following courses, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement: Outdoor Leadership Seminar (Experiental Education) World History I (History and Social Science) U.S. History (History and Social Science) Religion and Social Justice (History and Social Science) Poverty in the United States (History and Social Science) Ethnic New York (History and Social Science) Epidemiology (Mathematics) Statistics for Sociology and Political Science (Mathematics) Chamber Singers + Concert Choir (Performing Arts) Theater for Social Change (Performing Arts) Choreo Lab (Physical Education)

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n COMPUTER SCIENCE Basic Information and Requirements The Computer Science curriculum is designed to give all students a foundation in computer programming concepts and to allow students to expand upon their learning through a variety of electives. In a required ninth grade class, students begin by exploring concepts in data types, conditional statements, loops, and arrays before turning their attention to object-oriented programming. In semester-long electives, students practice the iterative design process to develop, test, and revise their work in a variety of programming environments. Students who meet prerequisites can continue their study at the Advanced Placement level.

Faculty in the department also provides support to students and teachers in their integration of technologies into their academic work. Upper School students each have an iPad for use in class and at home, as well as access to laptops throughout the school. In using these tools, members of the community strive to be mindful of the Quaker values of simplicity and stewardship: technology is meant to support our teaching and learning, not complicate it; and we care not only for the devices that we use, but the way our use of them impacts those around us.

890 Grade 9 Programming and Computing Students will explore the fundamentals of computer science using the object-oriented programming language, Processing.

Students will begin by incorporating their knowledge of geometry and algebra to create graphic animations on the coordinate plane using conditional statements, loops and functions. They will then move on to topics in data structures, classes, and inheritance. Students will have regular homework assignments in addition to projects, on which student will spend time both in and outside of class.

One Semester Course (Fall and Spring) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle

Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Grade Electives 877 Game Design Students use the programming language Processing to study the fundamentals of object-oriented programming and to build on topics from 9th grade Programming and Computing course, including: class structure, data types, inheritance, loops, array, and conditional statements. Game formats will include both text- and graphic-based formats, and students will use the iterative design process to outline, design, test, and troubleshoot their programs.

Fall and Spring Semesters One Semester Course (Fall and Spring) – 1 credit; 2 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Grade 9 Programming and Computing, Introduction to Programming, or permission 878 Robotics and Design Robotics is a project-based course that applies the fundamental concepts of analog and digital circuitry to a variety of devices and robotics platforms ranging from simple to complex. Students will write and debug code for microprocessors, and design interactive electronics while gaining hands-on experience with various design software, programming languages, 3D printing techniques, soldering, etc. Collaboration, creative design, prototyping, and strategic evaluation are all skills emphasized in this course. Participation in outside robotics forums and competitions is a component of this class.

Full year course – 2 credits; 2 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): 9th Grade Programming and Computing

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899 Advanced Placement Computer Science A Equivalent to a first-semester college-level course in computer science, AP Computer Science A emphasizes object- oriented programming methodology using the language Java. Topics include problem solving, design strategies and methodologies, organization of data, approaches to processing data (algorithms), analysis of potential solutions, and the ethical and social implications of computing. Students will practice problem solving and techniques, which represent proven approaches for developing solutions that can scale up from small, simple problems to large, complex problems.

This class is offered strictly as an online course by an instructor outside of Friends Seminary. Students should be aware that all academic support will come from that instructor.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): permission of the department 876 IOS Programming Students use the Swift programming language within the XCode IDE to prototype their ideas, develop programs, and build apps for iOS, including games, productivity tools, data visualizations, and interactive animations. Students will continue to explore topics in procedural programming as well as class structure and inheritance, such as data types, loops, arrays, and conditional statements.

One Semester Course (Fall) – 1 credit; 2 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Grade 9 Programming and Computing, Introduction to Programming, or permission 875 Physical Computing Students will use Arduino programming environment to control microprocessor boards and to create a variety of interactive digital objects. Starting with the control of LED lights and ending with products to solve real-world needs, students will build on the programming concepts covered in 9th Programming and Computing, such as data types, conditional statements, arrays, and loops, while engaging with input devices such as switches and sensors to build their own computing devices.

One Semester Course (Spring) – 1 credit; 2 periods/cycle

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n ENGLISH The English Department of Friends Seminary teaches our students to read with accuracy, insight, breadth, and, we hope, pleasure. We teach students to write in various modes, emphasizing clarity and elegance. To facilitate understanding and appreciation of fine writing, we introduce some of the principles of literary criticism. As a faculty we look for excellent books to teach from different cultures and periods. Although we teach some literature in translation, we emphasize texts written in English. We see the value both of traditional literary curricula and of great literature that has been ignored up until now.

Recent canonical revolutions and trends in literary criticism have improved our own readings of more traditional works.

By the time students reach the Upper School, they should have learned basic grammar and moved toward control of mechanics, usage, syntax and rhetoric. Nevertheless, instruction in grammar is ongoing. Vocabulary study, too, facilitates precise writing, as well as thorough, accurate reading. Mastery of the art of writing is a particularly important means of student empowerment. Our students learn that it takes effort to produce (and, often, to read) fine writing: they write and rewrite. The quest for coherence is balanced with attention to feeling and style. Students write fiction and poetry, as well as essays. We believe that all writing, including expository writing, should be creative writing.

Quakerism offers values and beliefs that we try to apply to our teaching. In Meeting for Worship, we find a model for listening, cooperative learning, and effective use of silence. The moral, amoral, and immoral behavior of literary characters and the moral stances of authors and narrators are grist for classroom discussion. We often choose texts for the acuteness with which they address moral and social issues. Informed, respectful disagreement allows students to learn about literature, ideas, other people, and themselves.

Ninth Grade 309 English 9 Of signal importance to literature in English, the Bible is the centerpiece of the ninth-grade curriculum. Many of our texts have biblical allusions, themes, and analogs that allow students to begin to understand how writers can be in conversation with each other across centuries and continents. With an emphasis on how accurate observations of a text lead to the most imaginative interpretations, we continue to develop literary-critical skills. Through vocabulary building, instruction in grammar, and regular, varied writing assignments, we give students a foundation for the upper-school English program.

Common Texts: Readings from the Bible and William Shakespeare’s Macbeth Other texts may include: Sophocles’ Antigone, James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle

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Tenth Grade 310 English 10: Introduction to British Literature Tenth graders begin their study of British literature with a brief introduction to the origins of the English language. Students learn the formal qualities of poetry, including scansion, figures of sound and speech, and poetic form as they read a variety of British poems. Students are thereby prepared for the serious study of British literature as various as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare’s Othello or The Tempest, and a nineteenth-century British novel. In the spring, tenth graders expand their study of British literature to include colonial and post-colonial texts that demonstrate further how wide-reaching and complicated the field of British literature has become over the last thousand years.

Common Texts: Selections from Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, William Shakespeare’s Othello or The Tempest, and Camille Guthrie’s A British Poetry Handbook. Students also will read a nineteenth-century novel and a selection of colonial and postcolonial literature.

Other texts may include: Beowulf, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, James Joyce’s Dubliners, André Brink’s A Dry White Season, Athol Fugard’s Master Harold and Boys, Aimé Césaire’s A Tempest, Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, and essays by Jamaica Kincaid, George Orwell, and Jonathan Swift.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle

Eleventh Grade 311 English 11: Introduction to American Literature Beginning with selections from Emerson, Thoreau, and Martin Luther King, Jr., this introduction to American Literature focuses on the question of self-reliance within community. We emphasize reading accurately at the sentence level— whether reading nineteenth-century essays or twentieth-century fiction. The more closely students read, the better they are able to recognize the variety of American experiences beyond their own. Such careful reading also prepares students to craft their own sentences and essays. Our grammar study emphasizes rules for writing with clarity and precision. By studying independently, working collaboratively, and occasionally leading a lesson, students learn to balance self-reliance and collaborative work as a community of scholars.

Common Texts: Selections from Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Martin Luther King, Jr.; Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter; Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, The Scrivener”; Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; and poetry of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman.

Other readings may include works by Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglass, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams, Elizabeth Bishop, Zora Neale Hurston, Nella Larsen, Willa Cather, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Baldwin, Flannery O’Connor, Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, and Leslie Marmon Silko.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle

Twelfth Grade Twelfth grade elective offerings vary from year to year. Selections are decided based on staffing at the end of the previous school year. The following listings describe courses that have been offered recently by teachers currently in the English department. Next year’s offerings may include any or all of the following in addition to other new courses.

313 Fictions of Inheritance And Violence in American Literature Inherited stories—stories from and about parents and ancestors, ghostly voices from the past—can powerfully affect a person’s choices and self-perception. In this section of English 12, students will begin with an investigation of two classic tragedies, Oedipus Rex and Hamlet, in which such spectral voices wield powerful influence. The class will consider the problems the title characters face navigating their relationships with parents and consider the ways in which characters’ fates and identities are affected by the legacies of their families.

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The class will then jump to a twentieth-century American context and focus on three novels that investigate the way that family histories affect protagonists on the cusp of adulthood. In Philip Roth’s The Ghost Writer, Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus, and Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, characters wrestle with the competing legacies represented by their families, their deeper ancestry as Jews or Africans, the violent interruptions of those legacies by the Holocaust and slavery, and the protagonists’ identities as Americans.

Finally, the class will turn from its study of fictions in which inherited stories wield influence to an investigation of a group of American texts in which the reactions to those inherited stories all somehow involve violence or the threat of violence. The unit begins with a series of short American texts, fiction and non-fiction, that consider violence and nonviolent resistance.

Students will then study Herman Melville’s late nineteenth century novel of maritime justice Billy Budd, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, fiction by George Saunders, Nathan Englander and Julie Otsuka, and poetry by Claudia Rankine.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 314 Home and Exile This course will consider the values given to home and homeland and the ways that those values are brought into relief or question by moments of crisis. We will begin by reading two tragedies about royal families whose family drama is inseparable from a crisis in the state as investigations into the late king’s death make clear: Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Shakespeare’s Hamlet. We will then take a closer look at the forms and consequences of various kinds of domestic tensions in a modern play, Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, and a contemporary one, August Wilson’s Fences.

In the second semester, we will read two mid-twentieth-century novels, Nabokov’s Bend Sinister and Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, that explore the effect of social upheavals on prominent men and their families. Bend Sinister’s Adam Krug comes to be an exile in his own country as it is overtaken by a totalitarian regime, while the central tragedy of Things Fall Apart arises from one man’s fierce resistance to change, at home or in exile.

Lastly, we will read two contemporary novels that treat the experiences of emigrants in America: Teju Cole’s Open City follows a solitary Nigerian-born psychiatrist and walker of the New York streets while Julie Otsuka’s Buddha in the Attic recounts the collective experiences of a group of Japanese immigrant brides.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 315 Literature of Despair And Redemption In the very first lines of Dante’s Inferno, Dante describes the plight of his pilgrim: “Midway on our life’s journey, I found myself/ in dark woods, the right road lost” (1-3). Dante imagines his pilgrim lost in a literal and figurative forest searching for the “right road” that will allow him to emerge from the “sleep” that led him “to blunder/ off the true path” (9-10).

In Dante’s three-part long narrative poem, The Divine Comedy, that quest for the “true path” will take the pilgrim through hell, into purgatory, and finally to paradise. Although he will experience the Light at the end of Paradiso, the journey there is fraught with confusion, doubt, loss, and failure.

In the fall, we will focus on how three protagonists, Oedipus in Sophocles’ classic Greek Tragedy Oedipus Rex, Hamlet in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, and Dante the pilgrim in The Divine Comedy, experience despair and fumble towards redemption. If we have time, we may read a selection of the following texts: Joyce’s Dubliners, Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych, Euripides’ Medea, and Andrew Solomon’s The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression.

In the spring, despair and the possibility of redemption, for both the individual and society, will shape our discussion of four pieces of twentieth-century literature. One Hundred Years of Solitude is often considered a postmodern masterpiece for, in the words of the critic John Barth, its masterful “synthesis of straightforwardness and artifice, realism and magic and myth, political passion non-political artistry, characterization and caricature, and humor and terror.” We will conclude our year by reading three modernist texts that García Márquez identifies as influencing the messy, mesmerizing, chaotic world of Macondo and the Buendia family: Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Virginia Woolf ’s To the Lighthouse, and William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 13

316 The Purposes of Playing Prince Hamlet famously asserts that the “purpose of playing” is to hold “the mirror up to nature” and also that a play can “catch the conscience” of a guilty creature in the audience. In this course we will explore the purposes of plays and other literature and wonder whether literature has a special role in catching the conscience of individuals, communities, and nations. Does literature have the power to reflect elements of our world that otherwise remain obscure? Can it surprise us into acknowledging truths? Can literature shape and reshape the histories we tell about ourselves, our communities, and our states? We will consider the limits and powers of language and literature in tragedy, nonfiction, and epic.

First, we will read two great tragedies, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and try to understand how language both conceals and reveals unspeakable crimes. If time permits, we will consider how tragic elements emerge in more recent works, such as Neil Jordan’s film The Crying Game and J. M. Coetzee’s novel Disgrace. Essays by philosophers ranging from Plato to Nietzsche to D. W. Winnicott will help us to grapple with the nature of language and art. Second, we will consider how recent works of nonfiction and documentary film explore how speaking the truth about unspeakable crimes can lead to reconciliation.

Works focus on the aftermaths of individual crimes (Hank Rogerson’s Shakespeare Behind Bars) and on government-sponsored atrocities ranging from apartheid in South Africa (Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela’s A Human Being Died That Night) to slavery in the United States (Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy) to massacre in Indonesia (Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Act of Killing).

Finally, we will consider the purposes of poets who make their troubled homelands the subject of epic song. The notion of home, already complicated in the Ithaca of Homer’s Odyssey, becomes more vexed in modernist works set on islands inhabited by people whose ancestors arrived as settlers, conquerors, slaves, migrants, and refugees—the Ireland of James Joyce’s Ulysses and the St. Lucia of Derek Walcott’s Omeros. Can an epic work with Homeric plots and conventions do anything for a longcolonized homeland? Inspired by Alice Oswald’s twenty-first-century “excavations” of Homer, Memorial and Tithonus, and Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel Fun Home, students will conclude the year by writing their own place into a literary tradition.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle

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n EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION Experiential Education is a theory that supports preparation, direct experience, and meaningful reflection as part of the teaching and learning process. Simply stated, Experiential Education is “learning by doing.” The purpose of the program is to provide direct experiences for students in a non-traditional setting, for example the wilderness or a community gardening project. The faculty of the Department of Experiential Education recognizes that experience-based learning is happening throughout the school and across a variety of curricula. Within this department, experiential learning occurs with the Community Service Program and the Outdoor Program. A unique significance is assumed as an integrated component of an education at Friends Seminary. Furthermore, the department’s varied activities and programs reflect the overall Quaker philosophy of education.

Tenth Grade Requirement 800 Experiential Education Physical Education credit is given for this required semester-long 10th Grade course. Time is spent learning skills, doing small group problem-solving activities, and reflecting on trips. Students must participate in one two-night overnight trip. Techniques on traveling safely and on making a minimum impact to the natural environment are stressed. Outdoor equipment is provided. Students must provide personal clothing. Proposed trip dates for 2016–2017: 1st Semester Trip Options:

2nd Semester Trip Options:

Sea kayak camping dates: October 20 - 22 and October 23–25 Telemark ski trip date: January 8–10 Telemark ski camping date: March 2 –4 Backpacking date: April 27 –29 Sea kayak camping dates: May 4 –6

One semester course – 1 credit; 2 periods/cycle

Eleventh And Twelfth Grade Electives 802 Wilderness Program The Wilderness Program is an elective for juniors and seniors who are interested in a variety of outdoor experiences. The focus is on the mastery of a number of outdoor and group leadership skills. The course is offered 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th quarters. Students may take the course for one or more quarters: 1st quarter - Sea Kayaking 2nd quarter - Hiking/Backpacking 3rd quarter - Backcountry/Telemark Skiing 4th quarter - Rock Climbing Students receive Physical Education credit while in Wilderness. The class meets twice a week to prepare for trips, to discuss issues related to current events in wilderness studies, to participate in urban adventures, and to reflect on trip experiences.

Participation on all trips is required. Due to the time required to participate on trips, commitments to sports teams or in a drama productions or other activities may create time conflicts.

One quarter course – .50 credit; 2 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department

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835 Outdoor Leadership Seminar The Outdoor Leadership Seminar is a year-long elective for seniors who want to pursue their interest in the area of outdoor leadership/program facilitation. This class promotes the concept of peer leadership and gives students an opportunity to develop and practice their own style. It provides hands-on experiences of the logistics and preparation involved in planning safe and effective outdoor experiences. Other topics covered in class include: judgment/decision making, environmental ethics, and expedition behavior. Students also participate on a 10th grade Ex Ed trip as assistant leaders.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

Full year course – 1 credit; 1 period/cycle Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of the 10th grade Experiential Education course and one quarter of the Wilderness Program course or an equivalent experience.

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n GUIDANCE Basic Information And Requirements Guidance Mission Statement The Guidance Program is designed to develop students’ confidence and growing relationship with themselves, with others and with the environment. It encompasses issues relating to values, health, safety, sexuality, communication, spirituality and community. We are concerned with exploring values, making decisions, increasing self-awareness, building self-esteem, learning to listen, cultivating the capacity for empathy and instilling respect for one another across race, gender, abilities, age, religion, sexual orientation and ethnicity. These goals reflect the values of our Quaker heritage and form the basis for the Kindergarten-12 Grade curriculum.

Tenth Grade 810 Health and Wellness 10 This semester-long course focuses on the following topics: self-esteem/identity development, street smarts, relationships and dating, sexual activity and reproductive health, substances, stress and coping, mental health, and healthy bodies. The objective is not only to educate students about these topics, but also for students to develop a strong sense of self while establishing open and healthy ways of communicating. Hopefully students leave having had a comfortable space in which to talk candidly about some complex issues. Through discussion, videos, demonstrations, and creative projects, students should finish this semester with the knowledge and confidence to make healthy choices in potentially difficult situations in the coming years.

One semester course – 1 credit; 2 periods/cycle

Eleventh Grade 811 Junior Seminar At Friends we think of the college process in three stages—self-evaluation, research, and application. The Junior Seminar course focuses on the first two stages—self-evaluation and research. These small classes allow us to break the college process into manageable pieces, addressing a different topic each week. Topics include: Dispelling Myths, Research Methods and Resources, Interview Tips, Essay Writing Workshops, Making the most of Campus Visits. Our text is College Match: A Blueprint for choosing the Best School for You. One semester course – 0 credit; 1 period/cycle

Twelfth Grade 812 Senior Seminar In the Senior Seminar, our work focuses on the application aspect of the college process. In most classes we use computers so that students can actually work on parts of their own applications. Topics include: The Common Application, Resumes and Essays, Financial Aid Workshop, Balancing the College List, and Recommendations.

One semester course – 0 credit; 1 period/cycle

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n HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE Basic Information and Requirements The History and Social Science curriculum is designed to help students become both effective and knowledgeable citizens of their communities – local, national, and international – and to use the discipline of historical thinking to interpret the world in which they live. The curriculum helps students to place current problems and situations in a larger context that provides fuller understanding and, thus, the basis for wise action and altruism. In addition, the curriculum reflects a commitment to Quaker values such as the worth of every individual, peaceful resolution of conflicts, and the quest for social justice. Students are encouraged to value diversity. There is a required two-year sequence in World History that introduces ninth and tenth grade students to the development of culture throughout the world and to the interactions of civilizations. In the eleventh grade, students get a complex and critical view of United States History in its diversity.

The required courses in combination with electives provide opportunities for students to tailor their history studies to their individual preferences. For students who wish to sit for AP exams, the program offers a designated course, i.e. A.P. United States History. Students wanting to engage in substantial experiential learning beyond that offered in their courses may do so through the Model United Nations team participating in regional and National MUN conferences and advised by the History Faculty. Electives allow students to study in greater depth regions and topics introduced in the required courses. All of the classes emphasize class discussions, essay writing, research and analytical skills, geography, and close examination of all manner of evidence.

History Department’s ‘Statement on Teaching Controversial Issues’ ‘The goal of history as a discipline is to approximate and communicate historical truth by providing a framework for engagement in constructive discussion on a range of topics. Therefore, in teaching our students the process of historical inquiry, we provide them with the intellectual tools to equitably tackle issues that are always complex and often emotional and controversial. We are committed through our teaching to foster open and inclusive environments in which every student feels comfortable in taking intellectual risks. This approach allows our students to express diverse perspectives on the basis of historical evidence and logical thought. Thus we necessarily include as part of the History Curriculum issues such as, but not limited to, race relations, migration, religious conflicts, and social justice. Discussing such issues allows our students to employ sound historical reasoning in line with Quaker practices of listening. In a world in which discourse about vital issues is becoming increasingly polarized, students’ ability to discern inflammatory rhetoric from meaningful analysis will equip them to be productive agents in bringing about “a world that ought to be”.’

FULL YEAR COURSES

Ninth Grade 409 World History I Freshman World History I provides a global perspective on human events from the Agricultural Revolution to the “Mongol Moment.” Surveying select historical processes and contacts among peoples from the emergence of human species through 1450, the course emphasizes themes of comparison, connection and change. As the first in the two-year World History sequence at Friends, topics of study include transition from Paleolithic societies to Neolithic cultures, First Wave civilizations and Classical Empires, Comparative Religions, and the growth of trans-regional interaction in the postclassical era.

Students practice methods of historical inquiry and develop analytical skills by examining a wide range of primary and secondary documents. Learning progress is assessed using a variety of measures, including collaborative projects, content testing, reading quizzes, online discussion boards, and class participation. Research and writing skills are given especial focus, while a Service Learning component through the Youth Philanthropic Initiative (YPI) offers the opportunity to address timeless human needs within a local, contemporary context. Throughout the course, students are guided to think and write critically, urged to consider multiple points of view, and encouraged to discover how understanding the past is essential both to making sense of the present and informing the future.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 18

Tenth Grade 410 World History II: The Origins of the Modern World This course begins with a brief review of the content from World History I, then continues the sequence by surveying world history from 1400 to the present. The main goal of the course is to investigate from a global perspective the process by which the modern world came into existence. Some of the themes that students will look at include the development of the worldsystem, patterns of global expansion and interaction, the global silver trade, the political revolutions of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, industrialization, nationalism, the development of the nation-state, imperialism, modernization, the development of capitalist democracy, communism and fascism, and decolonization. The course emphasizes the interaction among different societies and the identification of global patterns of development, and the way in which the natural environment affects human history. Students will read and examine both primary and secondary sources, and engage in historical research. The course is writing intensive so that students continuously practice thinking well through writing well.

The narrative structure of the course parallels that of the World History Advanced Placement course although it omits significant portions of the AP content in favor of both in-depth examination of some topics and our emphasis on writing.

However, the Department has developed an online World History AP resource for any students who wish to sit for the AP World History Exam in May in order to help guide their individual preparation. Additionally, Faculty will offer four review sessions outside of class to help interested students in preparing themselves for the AP exam.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle

Eleventh Grade 411 United States History The goal of this course is to examine the history of the United States by questioning the two ideas central to the two documents – the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution – that together provide the foundation for the U.S. as a political entity: namely, by questioning, 1) what it means to say that ‘all men are created equal?’ and 2) who is intended by ‘We the People’. The course is inquiry based, compelling students to take responsibility for their own learning via immersion in and conversation about historical ‘texts’. Although the course does not provide a detailed survey of U.S. History, it nevertheless uses Eric Foner’s Give Me Liberty! To provide students with a basic narrative of the United States over its roughly five-hundred-year history since the first encounters of Europeans with Native Americans c. 1500 augmented with primary documents and secondary monographs in order to enrich the fabric of U.S. History by weaving together several of its critical themes – European Foundations of the U.S. 1492–1791; Americans and Their Land; Slavery, African-Americans, and Race, 1617–1914; and the U.S. as Global Presence, 1898–2005. Thus the course approach may be considered as largely thematic, yet with strong chronological grounding.

The course includes an in-depth research component with students’ presenting their work in the district (New York City) division of National History Day in early March. Students also earn their out-of-school service credit by designing and leading hour-long historical walking tours of New York City.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle

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414 Advanced Placement United States History This course will provide a chronological survey of United States history from the interaction of Native American, European, and African peoples in the pre-colonial era to the present, with particular attention to the period from the Great Depression of the 1930s to the modern era. Among the topics that will be emphasized are movements for social change and reform, war/peace issues especially in the context of the Cold War and the Nuclear Age, and the role of marginalized groups in American history. The course will focus on the analysis of documentary material in order to foster complex historical interpretations, coupled with extensive reading from the textbook. Students will have the opportunity to explore the rich history of the United States in some depth while simultaneously preparing for the AP Exam in May. The course concludes with a formal research paper in lieu of a final exam.

Full year course – 4 credits; 5 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department; a minimum final grade of B+ in World History II

Eleventh and Twelfth Grade Fall Electives In light of the U.S. Presidential elections in early November 2016, each Fall elective will address relevant issues and/or the political process to the extent appropriate to the course.

422 Religion and Social Justice What is religion, what is justice, and what do the two have to do with each other? What do religious visions of justice and just religions look like? Religious people and institutions have been at the forefront of social justice struggles— creating ideas, incubating activism, and purifying ranks. The reverse is also true: religious ideas, organizations, and people have perpetuated inequality. Throughout the 20th-century, movements against and for injustice based on racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, ableism, and militarism enjoyed support from religious ideas, organizations, and people. In this course, students will evaluate and compare the ideas, strategies, and contexts of different 20th-century thinkers and movements, primarily of Judeo-Christian orientation, that linked justice and religion. In so doing, students will cultivate an appreciation for competing definitions of religion and of justice and for the historical and political dynamics that shaped them. By exploring the worldviews of selected religious thinkers, students will be equipped to consider with renewed vigor their own moral lives and ethical positions and will develop an invaluable religious literacy. Through ethnographic research, students will encounter contemporary religious communities striving for justice, and through service learning, students will be empowered to apply their knowledge in true change-maker fashion.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department; 11th or 12th grade status 427 Feminism and Gender Ethics in Contemporary Social Issues “Imagine living in a world where there is no domination, where females and males are not alike or even always equal, but where a vision of mutuality is the ethos shaping our interaction,” wrote bell hooks (Gloria Jean Watkins) in Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics in 2000. In the same year, Anne Fausto-Sterling wrote in Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality that ‘[a] body’s sex is simply too complex. There is no either/or. Rather, there are shades of difference’. In a seminar setting, and based on their critical reading of largely 20th and 21st-century texts, students will first come to understand the historical development of the term ‘feminism’ then examine the more recently emerging understanding of ‘gender’ both on its own and in relation to feminism. With these constructs in mind, students will probe feminist and gendered response to some of the complex political, social, economic, and intellectual issues prevalent in the U.S. today. Students will first read Aeschylus’ The Medea, Euripedes’ Agamemnon, and excerpts from Ovid’s The Metamorphosis and the Bible in order to consider the influence of Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian traditions on the development of the ideas of ‘woman’, ‘the feminine’, and eventually ‘gender’, then work through some 20th-century staples in the history of both Women’s and Gender Studies. For the second half of the course, students explore how the feminist and/or gendered perspective alter the approach to prevalent social issues as poverty, religion, sexuality, race, the environment, and educational equity. Students will further develop their critical thinking with respect to these issues by writing frequent short essays, producing an Annotated Bibliography, and individually inquiring into a single issue from late October to the end of the course, writing a culminating essay then presenting their work in a community forum in early January.

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Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours Toward Their Annual Service Requirement.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department; 11th or 12th grade status 428 History of the Middle East This course is designed to introduce students to the emergence of the Middle East as a region of study, and as such, it encourages students to question the very meaning of the “Middle East” as a category of analysis and a geopolitical reality. In order to make sense of the range of political, social, economic, and cultural realities that have set the region apart from the rest of the world over the last few centuries, we explore a variety of themes related to both global history and Middle Eastern history, including antiquity, modernity, nationalism, secularism, radicalism, class, gender, culture, and revolution. Using a variety of readings, including James Gelvin’s The Modern Middle East and other secondary material, as well as maps, images, and a series of primary source documents, students are encouraged to grasp the history of the Middle East in a more nuanced and integrated manner in order to better contextualize and appreciate the myriad complexities that characterize the region and its peoples to this day. This is a reading intensive course that expects students to be regularly engaged with the material and prepared for class discussions. It also includes four essay submissions, a map quiz, two tests, and a final research paper project for which the students select their topics independently.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department; 11th or 12th grade status 429 Politics, Power, and Citizenship The course will focus on examining political theories and government structure. Students will consider the role of political parties, pressure groups, individuals, and the media. The class will analyze issues of sovereignty, the state, authority, accountability and citizenship. We will compare various political ideologies and organization by investigating different forms of government and their structures. This will include the role and accountability of the executive, legislative and judicial branches and the issues of federal and unitary systems. Additionally, the course will analyze global political organizations and their role today. This course will also focus on the 2016 presidential campaign. To be successful in this course, students will need to read widely and stay abreast of current political issues and events. There will be a strong focus on contributing to classroom discussion. Students will also be assessed via topic essays and a final research paper.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department; 11th or 12th grade status

Eleventh and Twelfth Grade Spring Electives 421 Poverty in the U.S. The lower rungs of the socioeconomic hierarchy in the United States are expanding. Pundits and politicians endlessly debate strategies for job creation and the merits of the welfare state. Prisons are rapidly growing, drug use ever increasing, health disparities intensifying, and educational inequality solidifying. Behind these realities are human faces and stories. In this course, students will explore the personal and structural dimensions of poverty in the United States. Through course readings, they will encounter 1) the 20th-century history of U.S. poverty, 2) different theories of class, 3) everyday lived experiences of the working poor, and 4) recent critiques of poverty and of the economic structure advanced by U.S. thinkers and activists. Students will ask the following questions: What is poverty? What does it look like in different regions of the country? Does it have a gender? A race? A sexual orientation? A psychology? A culture? How should we understand wealth? How might we end poverty and inequity? How might I understand my place in this matrix? Furthermore, students will learn how to evaluate representations of “the poor” that pervade political discourse and popular culture and that undoubtedly shape public policy. The course’s combination of intensive study and service learning will enable students to make informed interventions, however modest, in economic inequality in their communities. By encountering the world that is, students will be prepared to bring about a world that ought to be. Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department; 11th or 12th grade status 21

426 Speaking Truth to Power In this course students will explore the Quaker phrase “Speaking Truth to Power” both in its development and social application. The course begins by reading the original “Speak Truth to Power” pamphlet published in 1954 searching for a nonviolent resolution to the Cold War, and a discussion of the Quaker testimony of peace. After exploring the Quaker conception of peace, students will look at other writings pertaining to social justice. In addition to our exploration of these concepts in the abstract, students will also participate in a service-learning project over the course of the semester. Groups of students will select one conflict in the world and design a video-based project to educate the greater community about the conflict and what can be done to help end the conflict peacefully.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department; 11th or 12th grade status 430 History of Latin America This course is designed to introduce students to Latin America as a unique geographic, historical, political, economic, and cultural space. Starting with the colonial conquests of the Spanish and Portuguese, we examine the early modern period paying close attention to different styles of European colonial settlement and the subsequent effects of this period on the social, political, and economic makeup of Latin American societies. Specifically, we investigate race politics and miscegenation as they pertain to different Latin American contexts. Moving into the modern period and the age of decolonization, we examine the rise of revolutionary trends, contending loyalties, and national independence movements. Finally, we explore the 20th century and the consolidation of Latin American political movements into ideological nation-states vis-a-vis US foreign policy, Free Trade, and socialist revolutions. Our main secondary reading is John Charles Chasteen’s Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America, but we supplement it routinely with primary sources, novels, films, and documentaries.

This is a reading intensive course that expects students to be regularly engaged with the material and prepared for class discussions. It includes two essay submissions, one presentation, and a final project and paper where the students select their topics independently and present their research to the class during the final weeks of the semester.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department; 11th or 12th grade status 436 Ethnic New York: Where Marginal Meets Mainstream In this course students will explore New York City through its ethnic growth, movement, and integration that has resulted in the city that today is among the demographically most diverse, not to mention more intriguing and inspiring in all the world.

Through reading of New York histories and relevant urban and social theory, daily discussion, frequent field exploration, and select service opportunities, students will learn not just how the ethnic composition of the city has changed over time, but more importantly how and why the interactions of various ethnic groups affect the politics and culture of the city today.

Students’ written work will include regular reflections, short ‘spot’ histories, a short research essay on a topic of their choosing, and their own ethnic walking tour as a final project.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department; 11th or 12th grade status

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n MATHEMATICS Basic Information and Requirements Mathematics is a universal language whose symbolic logic and precision of thought is shared by all cultures. Mathematics allows us to measure, quantify, organize, analyze and visualize relationships in the natural world, in the sciences and among abstract concepts. From the fundamentals of counting to the study of rates of change in calculus, we strive to teach our students not only to calculate, but also to appreciate the inherent beauty and elegance of mathematical patterns and processes.

Mathematical truth can be seen as reflecting the Quaker values of simplicity and integrity. The discipline of mathematics fosters academic focus and concentration that can be applied to all a student’s studies.

While in the Upper School, each student is required to take the equivalent of three years of math courses. We attempt to strike a balance between ability grouping and open-ended placement, evaluating each student’s performance, goals and readiness each year. The usual program sequence is Algebra I, Geometry and then Algebra II, all of which are required courses.

After Algebra II, students place into a Precalculus course and may qualify to take AP Statistics concurrently. Following the Precalculus level, students take an AP Calculus course (AB or BC) and/or a Statistics course (Statistics Electives or AP Statistics).

Multivariable Calculus is offered to students who take AP Calculus prior to their senior year.

FULL YEAR COURSES 618 Algebra I The main goals of this course are technical skills and conceptual understanding of elementary algebra. Topics studied include the following: properties of the integers, the rational and irrational numbers, simplifying polynomials, exponent rules, rational and irrational expressions, polynomial products and their factors, solving linear equations and inequalities in one variable, solving systems in two variables, solving quadratics in one variable, and graphing linear functions.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department and Prealgebra (or the equivalent) 641 Proof-Based Geometry This course has two basic goals: to explore the nature of spatial relationships and the properties of certain geometric figures and to understand the nature of an axiomatic deductive system. Students study the role of postulates, definitions, and theorems and analyze classical proofs. Students learn how to write original proofs. Geometric topics studied include: triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, circles, basic three dimensional shapes, parallel and perpendicular lines, congruence and similarity, area and volume, the Pythagorean Theorem, and an introduction to right triangle trigonometry. Continued algebra review is integrated into various geometric concepts. “The Geometer’s Sketchpad” computer program provides dynamic experimentation with constructions and relationships. Applications to the physical world are included where appropriate.

The geometry studied is Euclidean, but students are made aware of the existences and validity of non- Euclidean geometries.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department and B+ or higher in Algebra I (or the equivalent) 643 Geometry with Algebra Applications This course introduces the theorems of geometry through an inductive approach, observing examples and drawing conclusions. Concepts are presented visually and inductively, and may be further investigated analytically or deductively.

Students formulate definitions and conjectures about triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, circles, basic three dimensional shapes, parallel and perpendicular lines, congruence and similarity, area and volume, the Pythagorean Theorem, coordinate geometry and an introduction to right triangle trigonometry. Continued algebra review will be integrated into various geometric concepts. Use of technology provides dynamic experimentation with constructions and relationships. Applications to the physical world are included where appropriate.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department and C or above in Algebra I (or the equivalent) 23

651 Algebra II/Trigonometry A This course applies algebra skills to an increasingly integrated abstract level. Topics include linear and quadratic functions, absolute value functions, logarithmic and exponential functions, rational and radical functions, conic sections, trigonometric functions and probability. For each function type, students simplify expressions, solve equations and graph functions.

Connections between algebraic and graphical representations of functions are emphasized, and graphing calculators are used throughout the course. Students in this course cover the same topics as in Algebra II/Trigonometry (653) but in increased depth, and are challenged with more complex problems in class and on assessments.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department and completion of Algebra I and a B+ or higher in Proof-Based Geometry –or– an A in Geometry with Algebra Applications 653 Algebra II/Trigonometry This course applies algebra skills to an increasingly integrated abstract level. Topics include linear and quadratic functions, absolute value functions, logarithmic and exponential functions, rational and radical functions, trigonometric functions and probability. Connections between algebraic and graphical representations of functions are emphasized. For each function type, students simplify expressions, solve equations and graph functions. In addition, students use graphing calculators to investigate behavior of graphs.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Algebra I (or the equivalent) 665 Introduction to Precalculus This full-year course covers much of the same material as in Precalculus, but does so in less depth. Topics include solving equations, using the graphing calculator to investigate graphs and solve equations, functions and their graphs with transformations, matrices, exponential and logarithmic functions, regression modeling, and probability. Students are exposed to applications such as cryptography, finance, and 3D printing. [Note: This course does not prepare students to take Calculus in the following year. Students who do strong work in this course may be permitted to take AP Statistics in the following year.]

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department and Algebra II/Trigonometry 661 Precalculus BC Precalculus BC is a rigorous course designed to prepare students for AP Calculus BC. After reviewing algebra and polynomial functions, students study rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometric functions, trigonometric equations, and applications of trigonometry, polar coordinates and graphs of polar functions, vectors, parametric equations, matrices, partial fraction decomposition, sequences, series, the binomial theorem, probability, limits, and an introduction to calculus. Graphing calculators are used extensively to explore and investigate functions.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department and A or higher in Algebra II –or– a B+ or higher in Algebra II/Trigonometry A 663 Precalculus This course prepares students for a rigorous approach to calculus. Various functions are introduced and the properties of their graphs are explored. Some of the topics studied in depth are: trigonometric and circular functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, complex numbers, polynomial and rational functions, matrices, and continuity. Discrete topics such as permutations, combinations and the binomial theorem are also taught. Graphing calculators are used extensively to investigate functions and perform regression modeling.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department and B+ or higher in Algebra II –or– a C- or higher in Algebra II/Trigonometry A 24

671 Advanced Placement Statistics This course covers the entire Advanced Placement Statistics curriculum. Students will be prepared for, and are expected to take, the AP examination in May. There are four themes emphasized in the course: exploratory data analysis, planning surveys and experiments, a study of probability, and statistical inference. Throughout the year, students use statistical software and applets, write reaction papers, and complete summative projects. Students use their graphing calculators to perform regression analyses and simulations. In addition to completing regular homework, students should expect to spend the equivalent of one additional period per week watching content videos or testing outside of class time.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department; B or higher in Precalculus –or– a B+ or higher in Algebra II/Trigonometry A or Intro to Precalculus –or– an A- or higher in Algebra II/Trigonometry

The following two courses can be taken independently or in sequence. Both courses will introduce the use of statistical software, R and data management. Both sections will have service learning activities.

674 Epidemiology This course will cover will introduce students to the quantitative methods of scientific inquiry. Epidemiology is the study of health conditions in a population - every citizen should know how to interpret its results. Students will learn the history of the science of epidemiology and they will learn how to conduct and analyze observational studies. Students will also learn how to design randomized clinical trials. Students will learn about diseases, transmission rates and ways that diseases are controlled. Students will explore case studies and consider important ethical issues such as: genetic testing, animal experimentation and use of placebo treatments. Probability and its applications to understanding tests of statistical significance will be explored.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits each; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Algebra II/Trigonometry 675 Statistics For Sociology and Political Science This course will develop the statistic skills needed to explore important social problems quantitatively. Students will learn how to perform exploratory data analysis to detect patterns in data sets. They will learn how sampling distributions work in order to conduct and analyze surveys. Students will gain an understanding of confidence intervals as they learn to ways to reduce the margin of error. Students will research the impact of the Great Migration of Americans from the south to the north during the 20th Century by working with census microdata. Linear regression models will be utilized to explore numerical relationships that describe social concerns such as prison reform, environmental climate change and military spending.

Students will learn how to use statistics to prepare position statements for political lobbying.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits each; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Algebra II/Trigonometry

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681 Advanced Placement Calculus BC The course covers the entire Advanced Placement Calculus BC curriculum. Students will be prepared for, and are expected to take, the AP examination in May. The material is the equivalent of that covered in the first and second semesters of college calculus.

Topics include: limits, local linearity, differentiation, applications of the derivative, antiderivatives, slope fields and applications of the definite integral as well as series, Euler’s Method, and the calculus of polar, parametric and vector-valued functions. Concepts will be presented from graphical, numerical, and symbolic points of view. In addition to completing regular homework, students should expect to spend the equivalent of one additional period per week watching content videos or testing outside of class time.

Full year course – 4 credits; 5 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of department and A- or higher in Precalc BC –or– an A or higher in Precalculus

Students who want to take AP Calculus BC after Precalculus will be asked to complete summer work and pass a test in early September in order to do so.

683 Advanced Placement Calculus AB This course covers the entire Advanced Placement Calculus AB curriculum. Students will be prepared for, and are expected to take, the AP examination in May. The material is the equivalent of that covered in a first-semester college calculus course. A review of trigonometry and analytic geometry will be blended into the topics studied. Subject matter includes: functions and their graphs, limits, local linearity, differentiation, applications of the derivative, antiderivatives, slope fields and applications of the definite integral. Concepts will be presented from graphical, numerical, and symbolic points of view. In addition to completing regular homework, students should expect to spend the equivalent of one additional period per week watching content videos or testing outside of class time.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department and B+ or higher in Precalculus –or–a C or higher in Precalculus BC 691 Multivariable Calculus The course begins by revisiting and extending topics from the BC Calculus curriculum including numerical integration, techniques of antidifferentiation, differential equations, polar and parametric functions, and Taylor series. Students learn about vector geometry and cylindrical and spherical coordinates, as well as the calculus of multivariable functions, including partial derivatives, the gradient, double and triple integrals, line and surface integrals, Green’s Theorem and Stokes’ Theorem. The syllabus covers the topics in a standard multivariable course. If time permits, linear algebra topics will be introduced at the end of the course.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department and B+ or higher in AP BC Calculus

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n PERFORMING ARTS Basic Information and Requirements The Performing Arts Department is comprised of both the Music and Drama programs. Participation in classes in the Performing Arts is an avenue that can enable students to experience and explore areas for self-expression, and the technical skills and perceptions necessary to do so in these two art forms. Cultural and historical study in these areas, as well as: experiential, practical, and theoretical background, help set a context for study and performance. Performance experiences are available and encouraged in both areas. There are Winter and Spring evening concerts, an evening devoted to jazz, as well as student recitals in the evening and also during the school day. Additionally, there is an Upper School Drama production (Fall) and an Upper/Middle School musical production (Spring) that feature Upper School students. Students have the opportunity to attend professional performances such as concerts, operas and theatre productions that are a part of the vibrant performing arts community of New York City.

Music Program The Music Program is a developmental program which seeks to balance the experiential and theoretical aspects of music.

Aural skills and perceptions are developed in all courses. Students are encouraged to explore many aspects and styles of music making, as well as gain insight from the music of others, drawing from both historical and multicultural contexts.

Practical aspects of performance are presented in various formats. Connections are made with other aesthetic areas as well.

Above all, students are encouraged to develop music as an area for self-expression, to learn how to work collaboratively as a member of an ensemble, and to develop respect for the many and varied elements that comprise performances.

Music Electives *Students who register for this course must have the approval of the department.

118 History of Jazz This course will focus on the history and development of jazz styles in the 20th century placing special emphasis on listening to the major instrumental and vocal stylists, learning their biographies and understanding them in their socio- historical context. Other cultural trends of the 20th century to be discussed will include the ongoing European classical tradition and its relationship to jazz music as well as the development of the popular song and the emergence of rock and roll, rhythm and blues and hip-hop. All musicians and vocalists in performing ensembles will develop a more meaningful understanding and appreciation of jazz through this course of study.

Full year course – 2 credits; 2 periods/cycle 115 Jazz Ensemble* Any musician is welcome to join any one of three jazz ensembles, each matching one’s instrumental and musical ability. The ensembles study and perform music from the American jazz tradition with an emphasis on the development of individual and group improvisation. The ensembles participate annually in jazz competitions in the Northeast. Past ensembles have won awards for their musicianship and proficiency and have performed at numerous functions throughout the NYC area.

Study culminates with a prominent jazz artist rehearsing and teaching the ensembles and then performing with them at our annual “Jazz Night.”

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

Full year course – 4 credits (Jazz Ensemble I) or 3 credits (Jazz Ensemble II and III); 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): An audition

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124 Chamber Players* Chamber Players is a class for instrumentalists who enjoy playing with an ensemble. The repertoire ranges from classical works and familiar movie themes to rock and pop arrangements. In recent years, Chamber Players has performed Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite, “Eleanor Rigby” by the Beatles, and music from the Harry Potter soundtracks by John Williams. The orchestra periodically performs larger-scale masterworks in conjunction with the Upper School Chorus. Representative compositions have included Gloria by Vivaldi and Schubert’s Mass in G. The students perform together as a chamber orchestra and also rehearse and perform in smaller groups drawn from the larger ensemble.

There are two concerts per year, one in December and one in May. In addition, the students perform at an annual “Recital Night” in February, which showcases the smaller ensembles and solo presentations by each musician. Other performance opportunities often arise throughout the year. Chamber Players has included strings, woodwinds, brass, piano, guitar, and mandolin. Instrumentalists Grades 9–12 are welcome.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): An audition 101 Concert Choir Concert Choir is open to all students in Grades 9 – 12. It is a traditional choral vocal ensemble that rehearses and performs music from throughout the broad choral spectrum. Repertoire includes works from many cultures, languages, eras, and genres, including but not limited to folk and traditional songs, Spirituals, jazz, musical theatre, pop, madrigals, and classical.

Special attention is paid to learning and maintaining a healthy vocal technique, sight-singing and ear- training, part-singing, and other musicianship skills. Works may be sung a cappella or with instrumental accompaniment. There is no audition requirement. Concert Choir typically performs in two concerts throughout the year with other opportunities as available.

Full year course – 2 credits; 2x/cycle Students in this course will meet concurrently with students in the course below.

102 Chamber Singers + Concert Choir This course is designed for students wanting to sing 4 times per cycle. Twice per cycle, students sing in Concert Choir (see description above). The other 2 times per cycle, they meet as a separate ensemble called Chamber Singers. Chamber Singers is an advanced group that explores close harmony, different time feels, improvisation, and vocal independence (holding one’s own part against simultaneous harmony). Members of the ensemble further develop their awareness of score reading, scale and chordal theory, and healthy use of the voice within multiple stylistic contexts. The ensemble performs a wide variety of repertoire, including but not limited to folk and traditional songs, Spirituals, jazz, musical theatre, pop, madrigals, and classical. Chamber Singers involves higher levels of commitment and vocal independence than Concert Choir due to the more demanding song repertoire and travel component. There is no audition requirement. Chamber Singers travel every school year, whether to the Berklee High School Jazz Festival in Boston or on a service-learning trip within the country or abroad.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4x/cycle Prerequisite(s): Grades 10-12 only, or with permission from instructor

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n DRAMA PROGRAM The Drama Program strives to encourage growth in students’ understanding about human behavior, themselves, and the world in which they live. Drama offers a synthesis of language, feeling, and thought, which can enrich both the individual’s inner world and increase awareness and understanding of the outer world. Drama also fosters competence and confidence for the participant. Often working thematically, students develop skills in mime, improvisation, characterization, fluency of expression, working both with text and harmoniously with others. Through class work and participation in productions, these skills and attitudes are coupled with the development of performance skills to provide both personal growth and enjoyment.

Credit for Drama Performances Students will receive Performing Arts credit for performing in the Fall Play or the Spring Musical. Credit is granted upon the successful completion of the production including rehearsals, tech weeks, and performances. Participation in the Fall Play or Spring Musical will satisfy half of the Performing Arts Requirement. Students must receive their other credit from one of the Performing Arts electives.

Drama Electives 140 Acting: Introduction and Public Speaking This course is designed as an introduction to public speaking and acting. This class will develop the student’s own creativity and critical thinking as we strive to strengthen both performance and communication skills. Students will present their work throughout the semester and focus will be given to breath, enunciation, volume, and articulation. The course will help prepare students for a variety of situations where formal presentations are required. Topics will include public speaking, demonstrative presentations, persuasive speeches, impromptu and debate.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle 143 Theater for Social Change This course is open to any students, actors and non-actors, interested in community arts and social issues. Through practical techniques, the course will demonstrate how performance structures can address community issues. This course is designed to lead students through a process of creating social change around issues pertinent in their own lives using theater techniques.

Through classroom and community presentations we may address such issues as power, privilege, social identity, oppression.

As a class we will choose an issue and devise and create a play exploring ways for creative and non-violent action for social change, community building, and oppression awareness. There will be outside work including reading, journaling, and presenting of work.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

One semester course (Spring) - 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle One semester course (Spring) - 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Students earn 15 out-of-school service hours for the year 141 Acting: Comedy Improv and Character Development This class is for students looking to learn and improve upon their comedy improvisation skills as well as tools needed to create and develop characters. Students in this class develop and strengthen skills through improvisation, observation, characterization and mime, leading to class devising and scene work. Pursuing an objective, creating a status for your character, and taking acting risks so you can extend your range are taught through theater games and exercises. There will be culminating in-class presentations of improvisation, devising, physical comedy, melodrama, and contemporary comedic scenes.

One semester course (Fall) – 1 credit; 2 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Grades 10-12 only, or with permission from instructor

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146 Playwriting Students will learn the tools involved in creating a one-act play. Through reading published plays as well as in class writing assignments, students will write several short plays over the course of the semester. Students will experiment with monologues and scenes in different styles of playwriting. Students will explore conflict, given circumstances, obstacles and character as they write and edit their work. This course culminates with a reading of the students work performed by professional actors.

One semester course (Fall) – 1 credit; 2 periods/cycle 142 Acting: Scene Study, Shakespeare and Stage Combat In this class students will study character objectives, obstacles, and tactics by looking at scenes from many different plays.

Students will analyze contemporary, classical, and Shakespeare scenes as they continue to hone their acting skills. There will be a focus on text analysis as students explore some of the more iconic roles in both American and Shakespearean theater.

Student will also dive into the basics of stage combat as they learn some hand-to-hand moves and simple combinations. There will be culminating in-class presentations of contemporary scenes, Shakespeare, and stage combat scenes One semester course (Spring) – 1 credit; 2 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Grades 10-12 only, or with permission from instructor 147 Directing Students will work in a variety of ways, using improvisations, scenes, and original work, to learn how to be the creative force behind what the audience sees on the stage. Students will explore the use of space, character, color, music, and tempo to discover the intricacies of directing a scene. Directing a ten-minute play, one-act contemporary play for a workshop production or directing a short film is the culmination of the course.

One semester course (Spring) – 1 credit; 2 periods/cycle

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n PHYSICAL EDUCATION • Physical education (P.E.) works on a semester system. Students must fulfill their P.E. requirement in both the first and second semester to get credit for P.E. • Students not taking any sports must be enrolled in and attend a P.E. class for the entirety of both semesters.

• Fall sports count toward the first semester; winter—with a few noted exceptions—and spring sports count toward the second semester.

• All students taking a fall sport receive credit for the entire first semester of P.E. and do not need to enroll in a P.E. class for first semester.

• Students taking a winter sport, but not a fall sport, must enroll in and attend a P.E. class for the entirety of the first semester, including the overlapping time at the end of the first semester and the beginning of the winter sport season. At the completion of the winter sport season, students will have completed their P.E. requirement.

• However, if a student taking a winter sport (but not a fall sport) so chooses, he/she may fill out the appropriate form and defer his/her second quarter physical education class to fourth quarter; the deferred second quarter P.E. class may be substituted with a spring sport.

• All students who have previously played on the spring sport team on which they intend to play may be exempted from third quarter P.E. (assuming they are not taking a fall sport, in which case they must fulfill their team obligations).

• Students taking both a winter and spring sport may be exempted from their first semester P.E. class if they have previously played on the winter sport team on which they intend to play and may be exempted from their second semester P.E. class if they have previously played on the spring sport team on which they intend to play.

• Students taking Experiential Education (10th Grade Ex-Ed or Wilderness ) must sign up for a P.E. class for the semester in which they take Ex-Ed; when Ex-Ed begins, they should leave their P.E. class and when Ex-Ed ends, they should immediately return to their P.E. class.

Fall Course Offerings

Spring Course Offerings

925F- Fitness 927F- Sports/Fitness 921F- Yoga 922F- Yoga (After School) 923F- Tap dance 924F- Modern dance 926F- Choreography Lab 928F- Chi Gong 929F- Capoeira

925S- Fitness 927S- Sports/Fitness 921S- Yoga 922S- Yoga (After School) 923S- Tap dance 924S- Modern dance 926S- Choreography Lab 928S- Chi Gong 929S- Capoeira

Teams

Teams

931VB- Varsity Boys’ Soccer 931VG- Varsity Girls’ Soccer 931JVB- Junior Varsity Boys’ Soccer 931JVG- Varsity Girls’ Soccer 932- Varsity Volleyball 936- Cross Country 937- Swimming

934VB- Varsity Boys’ Basketball 934VG- Varsity Girls’ Basketball 934JVB- Junior Varsity Boys’ Basketball 934JVG- Junior Varsity Girls’ Basketball 936VB- Varsity Boys’ Squash 936VG- Varsity Girls’ Squash

933- Varsity Baseball 935- Varsity Softball 938VB- Varsity Boys’ Tennis 938VG- Varsity Girls’ Tennis 939- Track

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Course Descriptions 925 Fitness The Upper School fitness class focuses on teaching students the importance of staying healthy and physically fit. The students are taught how to use the exercise equipment properly for technique and for which muscle group the exercise is working.

Students will also learn how to take their heart rate, set goals, and strive for an optimum level of fitness.

927 Sports/Fitness This hybrid class will meet one time each week in the fitness center and one time in the gym. Please see the 905 description for information regarding the meeting time in the fitness center. The “gym� period will allow the students to unwind while participating in games such as: soccer, basketball, volleyball, badminton, ultimate frisbee and more.

921 Yoga Students will learn the basics of meditation and relaxation skills, breathing techniques and basic hatha yoga postures such as sun-salutations, headstands and back bends.

922 Yoga (After School) Please see the 921 description for information regarding the goals for yoga. This class meets once a week for an hour and fifteen minutes. This course is not available to students that are involved in and committed to after school extracurricular activities that may cause a conflict.

923 Tap Dance Students will be introduced to the art of tap dance, including its history, artists and technique. Students will develop a working tap dance vocabulary of steps and sequences as well as the rudiments of tap dance improvisation. Tap shoes are required. This course also counts toward the Performing Arts graduation requirement.

924 Modern Dance Students will be introduced to the art form of modern dance, including its history, artists and technique. Students will learn to perform the choreography of the teacher as well as the techniques of modern dance. This course also counts toward the Performing Arts graduation requirement.

926 Choreography Lab Choreo Lab is a choreography and composition class in which students will learn the craft of creating dances. By finding inspiration in improvisation, poetry, photography, visual art and their daily lives, students will learn the art of dance making, as well as know how to lead a rehearsal, design costumes and research music. This course also counts toward the Performing Arts graduation requirement.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

928 Chi Gong Chi Gong will be rooted in the five element philosophy of Kung Fu and will focus on the connections between mental, physical, and spiritual training. Topics for the course will include form, breathing/meditation, stance, striking, philosophy, and history. Sessions will combine individual and group practice, cardio work, and self defense situations.

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929 Capoeira Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian movement form that originally began as a martial art developed by slaves in Brazil to protect themselves. Training involves both general body conditioning as well as practicing the various movements that include kicks, sweeps and some gymnastics. The skills are put to use in the roda (pronounced “hoda”), where the group forms a circle and various pairs of capoeiristas “play” capoeira as the rest of the group sings and plays music.

Students in this class will learn the movement vocabulary of capoeira and how to put the moves together to play capoeira with their classmates. Students will also learn how to play some of the instruments used in capoeira, as well as sing capoeira songs in Portuguese. Each class will end with a roda, where the students come together to have fun and engage each other with the skills they have acquired in the class.

Junior Varsity and Varsity Teams – The student / athlete must be in good academic standing to be eligible for a team.

Students will need to make a full commitment to the team after school during their sports season. All teams practice at least 4 days per week. Attendance at all practices and games is mandatory. If a student’s academic performance falls below acceptable levels, he/she may be removed from the team.

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n SCIENCE Basic Information and Requirements Science is the study of Nature; it probes the mysteries of life and the secrets of the Cosmos. Science represents truths common to all peoples, a shared wealth of knowledge and possibilities for all humanity. In its rejection of dogma and insistence on investigation and discovery, the scientific method has great affinity with fundamental Quaker values. Indeed, as every individual bears the “light within,” so does Nature herself bear the Lumen Naturalis, the objective truth of Nature which scientists have sought through the ages.

In the context of an increasingly technological world, the science curriculum at Friends Seminary helps to empower students.

Beyond particular skills and ideas, students should develop a sense of what is at stake in the process of science as such, as well as what validity to attribute to the truths that emerge from this process. Only with this perspective will students be able to take their place both as responsible citizens in a technological society, as well as citizens of the Earth and of the Cosmos.

The Science Department at Friends is committed to making science accessible to all students. To this end, the curriculum is designed to instill a sense of competency by building a firm foundation in all the sciences and by addressing the need for students with different learning styles. Each student is required to complete at least two years of laboratory science. For students entering the ninth the sequence is: Physics in the ninth grade, Chemistry in the tenth grade, and Biology (recommended) in the eleventh grade. In addition, students are invited to choose from a number of science electives that are offered. Placement of students and admission to AP and advanced level courses is determined by the Science Department and is based upon the student’s prior performance in science courses and preferred learning style as indicated by previous teachers or the students themselves. In all cases, students are placed where they will have the greatest opportunity to experience challenge and success.

Ninth Grade Offerings 754 Physics IA Physics, just like art, literature and music, attempts to portray and explain our world. No single discipline can completely describe reality; however, the artistic contributions of the likes of Newton and Einstein are just as important to our understanding of the world as those of Beethoven and Shakespeare. In Physics we will investigate the physical world utilizing an experiential approach in which data will be collected and analyzed. Mathematics and problem-solving will be an integral part of the course, allowing students to develop a more quantitative understanding of concepts discussed. Activities will include: measuring reaction time; determining the power a student can produce, dropping eggs to explore momentum, and using water, a graduated cylinder and a tuning fork to find the same speed of sound that Newton found through experiment 400 years ago in the corridors of Cambridge University.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 756 Physics I Physics, just like art, literature and music, attempts to portray and explain our world. No single discipline can completely describe reality; however, the artistic contributions of the likes of Newton and Einstein are just as important to our understanding of the world as those of Beethoven and Shakespeare. In Physics we will investigate the physical world utilizing an experiential approach in which data will be collected and analyzed. Although mathematics and problem- solving will be an integral part of the course, its purpose will be as a tool for understanding. Activities will include: measuring reaction time; determining the power a student can produce, dropping eggs to explore momentum, and using water, a graduated cylinder and a tuning fork to find the same speed of sound that Newton found through experiment 400 years ago in the corridors of Cambridge University. This course will parallel the 754 Physics course in topics presented but not in depth of coverage. The text used is the same as the 754 course; however, less emphasis will be placed on mathematical approaches to concepts and more emphasis will be placed on conceptual understanding of topics keeping the discussion more in line with the text.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle

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Tenth Grade Offerings 732 Chemistry I Chemistry is the study of the composition of matter and the changes that matter endures. This course introduces basic chemistry with an emphasis on the applications of chemical concepts to the “real world.” The students will encounter traditional chemical concepts and laboratory skills through student-centered activities. While the course is conceptual in nature, there is a mathematical component. Major topics include: metrics, states of matter, mixtures, atomic structure, chemical periodicity, chemical bonding, solubility, acids and bases, stoichiometry, gas laws, reaction kinetics, and organic chemistry.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle (including two 60 minute periods for labs) Prerequisite(s): Completion of Algebra Iwith a grade of B or better and permission of department 735 Chemistry IA This course introduces basic chemistry with an emphasis on the atomic and molecular theories. The focus will be on the understanding of what matter is and how it behaves. This course requires students to have strong analytical skills and the ability to comprehend abstract concepts. The students will also participate in many traditional laboratory activities.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle (including two 60 minute periods for labs) Prerequisite(s): Completion of Algebra I with a grade of B or better and permission of department

Eleventh and Twelfth Grade Offerings 715 Biology IA Biology is the study of life, and life is all around us –- millions of species of organisms inhabit the Earth. Beginning with ecology, we will explore the complexity of life on earth from the microscopic cellular level to the larger biosphere. We will examine evolution, cell structures, biochemistry, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, genetics, and anatomy and physiology of plants and animals (with the emphasis on human systems). Major themes include: biotechnology; the structure and function relationships in a wide variety of life forms and the influence of variation on evolutionary trends. Experiments, lectures, discussions, and research will be integrated so that students will be able to recognize the fundamental biological concepts in their immediate world as well as understand the methods and significance of current research in the field.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Chemistry 723 Biology II: Advanced Placement Biology The AP Biology course is equivalent to a two-semester college introductory biology course and is designed to enable students to develop advanced inquiry and reasoning skills, such as designing a plan for collecting and analyzing data, applying mathematical models, and connecting concepts across disciplines. The result will be readiness for the study of advanced topics in subsequent college courses. Because inquiry and reasoning are essential tools, they will be used to foster student understanding of the content. Major subjects that will be explored in this course are: biochemistry, the cell, energy regulation, cellular communication, Mendelian and molecular genetics, biotechnology, evolution, biodiversity, and ecology. A substantial amount of work will have to be done outside of class time.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): B+ in Biology IA and permission of department

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758 Physics II: Advanced Placement Physics B This is a full year course covering the material presented in a first year college physics course. It will prepare students for the Advanced Placement Physics Examination. Subject matter includes: Newton’s laws of motion, conservation principles in physics, rotational motion, fluids, vibrations and periodic motion, gravitational interaction, thermodynamics, electricity, optics, and modern physics. A substantial amount of work will have to be done outside of class time.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): enrollment in or completion of Precalculus and permission of department 738 Chemistry II: Advanced Placement Chemistry This is a full year course covering the material presented in a first year college chemistry course. It will prepare students for the AP Examination. Subject matter includes: structure of matter, states of matter, reactions, and descriptive chemistry. A substantial amount of work will have to be done outside of class time.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): completion of Chemistry IA, Algebra II and permission of department 790 History Of Science and Origin of Knowledge This distance learning course traces peaks in human kind’s achievements with an emphasis on the history of scientific and technical knowledge. Students videoconference with the instructor at least twice a week. Students will also participate in discussions based on readings, write papers, take exams and give classroom presentations. The main goal of the course is to awaken in the student some sense of the vast sweep of change involved in the emergence of man from modest prehistoric beginnings to today’s complex technological world.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 785 Research Seminar in Science One semester course meeting once a week for 1 credit (or ½); may be offered twice a year. This semester-long course is designed to guide students interested in Science/Biology, in the field of scientific research. It is open to all Upper School students (Grades 9 – 12) who are interested in Science research. Eligible students should be simultaneously enrolled in a lab science course.

Students will be expected to work independently on a topic of their choice, preapproved by the instructor. They will also be required to read some seminal papers in science. Students will learn to conduct literature surveys, identify experts in their field of interest and write research papers as well as present their findings to their peers. All students will be expected to present their findings in poster format at the Friends Seminary Science Night. Students who wish to pursue their investigations will be encouraged to take the seminar course again the following semester, if they are able to find suitable mentors (in school or out of school) to help them with their research.

One semester course (Fall and Spring) – 1 credit; 1 period/cycle 775 Environmental Science The Environmental Science course, formerly known as Environmental Studies, is redesigned to provide students with both the science background knowledge and practices needed to understand the interconnectedness of the biotic and abiotic world, to identify and analyze environmental issues and to examine solutions for resolving or preventing these problems.

Although students will learn about environmental issues from geological, political, and geographical perspectives, the class will be grounded in principles of laboratory investigations. Major topics of study in this course include: Earth systems and resources, ecosystem dynamics, population dynamics, land and water use, energy dynamics and consumption, pollution, and changes in climate and biodiversity.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): 11th or 12th grade status; completion of Chemistry I or Chemistry IA 36

779 Biology II: Physiology Anatomy and physiology is a semester-long course, which will focus on the inner workings of the mammalian body, primarily the human. Numerous applications and everyday examples will show how the body responds to disease, injuries, as well as what conditions help to optimize health. Quantitative methodology will also be used to study physiological processes. Systems studied will include the skeletal system, digestive, circulatory, immune, respiratory, reproductive and urinary systems.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Biology and permission of department 777 Biology II: Biotechnology Biotechnology or Bioengineering is the use of biological systems or organisms to make useful products. This brand new course will investigate the current processes and technologies that scientists use to solve problems. Current topics and issues in biotechnology will be explored in depth such as genetic engineering, cloning, DNA amplification and fingerprinting, molecular forensics, transgenic organisms and bioremediation. The moral implications of these technologies will also be discussed. Students on the DNA barcoding team are encouraged to sign up for this course and may have prerequisites waived.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Biology and permission of department 778 Biology II: Evolution Evolution is the framework, which unites all disciplines and fundamental understandings in biology. Because evolutional theory was learned in the previous year, we will focus on the practical application of how scientists use evolution to investigate their hypotheses. The course will be divided into two parts: 1) reading and discussing an account by a well- respected paleontologist as he explains his experiences in the field and lab (It shows his path to using evolution as a predictive tools as well as how his work adds to the substantial body of evidence, which supports this reputable theory.), and 2) students will critique and conduct experiments based on current scientific studies relating to evolution. Because this class strives to provide students with an experience of authentic science, students will often be expected to lead class discussions and to participate in peer review sessions. Due to limited time, some research activities will have to occur outside of class. This semester-long class will culminate in a poster presentation of student research outcomes. Poster sessions represent one way in which scientists disseminate their findings to the larger scientific community. Inherent in all units, we will continue to discuss the relevance of evolution in today’s world.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Biology and permission of department

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n VISUAL ARTS Basic Information and Requirements The Visual Arts Program at Friends Seminary provides a place for all students to explore and share their creative potential.

Throughout the program, kindergarten through twelfth grade, the Visual Arts curriculum celebrates this inner creativity by encouraging students to observe the visual world around them and by teaching them to express their vision with greater skill and discipline.

Friends Seminary is committed to providing a rich program in traditional studio arts, art history and curation as well as in the wonderful new media the twenty-first century brings. All students are encouraged to take advantage of our offerings in a diversity of media as they discover their own inner voices and their craft as thinkers and makers.

The Visual Arts faculty is pleased to offer a program for the serious art student. As an Art Concentrator, a student can become engaged in a rigorous four-year art program with access to all courses, flexible scheduling, individual attention, and portfolio development. All graduating art majors will be expected to exhibit a deeply considered body of work in the Senior Art Show.

Any interested student should speak to the Chair of the Visual Arts Department.

In order to offer the most complete range of electives, some courses will be offered in alternating years. A helpful chart is included below the course descriptions. All classes open to grades 9-12 unless otherwise noted.

223 2D Art: Introduction to 2D Design This course is for students of all skill levels who would like to learn new approaches or further their work with a variety of materials and methods. Students will explore perspective, drawing and painting techniques, work with mixed media and complete a non-traditional ‘drawing’ assignment. Students will be encouraged to think conceptually about the materials they use, and how they use them. The final project of the class will culminate in a group exhibition. This class is for any student who wants to explore challenging and fun projects. Students will be expected to go to at least one selected gallery/museum during the semester.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 225 2D Art Personal Narrative: The Visual Voice This course is for students of all skill levels who are interested in furthering their personal voice as young artists. Assignments will explore new and old media and will include a variety of methods including: printmaking, digital photography, sewing, drawing, painting, bookmaking and collage. Students will be encouraged to make connections to their own ‘voice’ through the materials they choose and the manner in which their work is viewed/installed. Students will be expected to go to at least one selected gallery/museum during the semester.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 233 Fiber As Fine Art / Wearable Art This class explores various sewing and textile traditions from a fine art perspective. Students will explore surface design through the Japanese shibori tye-dye tradition, embellishment with embroidery, beading and contemporary quilt design.

Students will learn to use the sewing machine, draft patterns of their ideas and to use these textile traditions as another means to express themselves in a visual manner. This is a great course for any student who is interested in exploring painting and sculpture through another set of materials and techniques. Students who rather design and sew unique clothes are given the opportunity in this class. Students will learn to follow and alter commercial patterns to achieve their individual designs.

Machine and hand sewing skills will be taught as well as embellishment techniques such as embroidery and beading. Students are responsible for the cost of basic fabrics and patterns.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle

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236 Printmaking This course is an introduction to printmaking methods, history and concepts. We will explore traditional tools, processes and materials as well as non-traditional and contemporary approaches to printmaking. Students are instructed in many techniques such as relief, collograph, and monotype. In depth experience will ensure that practical application is competent.

We will create editions and multi-color prints. Personal invention is carefully explored and developed. Student work will be exhibited throughout the school.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 241 Digital Photography I In Digital Photography students will be introduced to the tricks, techniques and overall foundation of the art form. We will explore the medium as art practice and work both inside/ outside of the conventions of digital photography. Students will learn of artists who have mastered the art form as well as simulate some of the well-established techniques of the profession, and demonstrate their ability to frame an image. This Digital Photography course will allow students to repurpose the glossy pages of fashion magazines and the still frames of film noir classics as a means of art production. Over the course of the semester we will look back at influential artists, cinematographers and collaborators in photography from Gilbert and George to Man Ray, Christopher Doyle to Cindy Sherman and many others.

One semester course (Fall) – 1 credit; 2x/cycle 242 Digital Photography II Digital Photography II will explore the photographic series. Through in-class workshops we will develop our understanding of the technical process behind a well-constructed photograph. Students will experiment with various camera techniques as well as build their proficiency for the printing process. We will learn more about photographic narrative from the writing and works of Hans Bellmer, Moriko Mori and Wolfgang Tillman. In this class students will submit proposals for a final project that will demonstrate narrative continuity within still photography.

One semester course (Spring) – 1 credit; 2x/cycle 250 Graphic Design I In Graphic Design, students will be introduced to the tools, techniques and practical skills of the profession. We will explore graphic design as both an art form and its commercial applications. In this class students will employ the use of the Adobe Creative Suite to execute their projects. We will investigate graphic designs’ rich history as a medium for politics, propaganda, pop culture and advertising. Over the course of the semester we will look back at influential movements and designers of graphic design from Bauhaus to Pop Art, Rem Koolhaas to Goodby Silverstein and Partners and many others.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 252 Graphic Design II This graphic design II class has been created to provide students with a continuation of the core foundation of graphic design principles. Students will express their own understanding and interpretation of the design foundations through line, color, composition, and type. This class will present aspects of the design process through an exploration of tactility.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle

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263 Ceramics This is a ceramics foundation course that focuses on process, history and principles of clay design. Students will produce functional and nonfunctional three-dimensional art forms constructed from clay using hand building (pinch, coil, slab) the potter’s wheel, and various other techniques. Developing critical visual thinking and literacy will be emphasized. Personal invention is carefully explored and developed. Students will be exposed to a wide range of ceramic traditions. For advanced students they will deepen their practice and understanding through independent work and research.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 268 Ceramics This class is a foundational ceramics class (please see Ceramics I course description). Students who have taken Ceramics I will be expected to propose and develop independent projects in ceramics. Creative development of clay objects examining culture, historical and personal modes of expression will be explored more deeply. Emphasis will be on individual expression through creative problem solving. There is an expectation that the student will use the class as open studio.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 265 Sculpture: Materials and Process This sculpture course exposes students to an overview of processes, tools, and three dimensional materials. These may include: paper, chipboard, wire, plaster, clay, wood and other mixed media. Students will explore the relationship between ideas and materials and construction techniques. Students will also consider sculpture across a great expanse of time and cultures. Emphasis will be placed on distinctions and similarities between western and non-western traditions.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 266 3D Sculpture and 3D Design This class will focus on sculptural works, both public and private commissions, which deal with site specificity. Over the course of the semester, we will be in search of context for a tumultuous, yet triumphant history of public works, from Maya Lin’s Vietnam Memorial to Richard Serra’s Tilted Arc, to the recently commissioned 911 Museum/ Memorial. We will also explore the use of new media and interactivity as it relates to the medium, studying works that incorporate performance, installation, and community participation. Students will also learn how to build basic programmable electronics, incorporating 3D modeling and 3D printing as a means of developing the iterative process for art making. In this semester long course we will work with a vast collection of new media tools and devices. From photocells and proximity sensors that can trigger a desired effect, to microphones and video recording equipment to produce motion pictures and audio for installations. We will study the criterion of site-specific art, examining the works of our contemporaries, remaining critical of the process, purpose and function of such projects along the way.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 271 Graphic Design: Print and Type Basics This course is created to take students on an adventure that will explore the rich history of print and type design. We will review the influences that cinema, urban planning and architecture have had on the medium. From the bright lights and decorative street signs along the Dotonbori River to Time Square, from Shanghai’s Bund district to the graffiti claimed surfaces throughout Berlin; we will study the patterns of Japanese tattoo artists and Arab graffiti writers. Students will learn to complete their designs through print processes in both 2D and 3D productions. Over the course of the semester students will plan, layout and execute their designs, filtering in influences of technology, bio-mimicry and the everyday asymmetrical experience of life.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle

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The following offerings are for students in 10th—12th Grade with the exception of 9th grade students who may enroll if they have completed a full semester of a Visual Arts offering.

217 Art History: The Art of the Renaissance This class will begin by examining the art of the Early Renaissance in Northern Europe then spend the majority of the semester exploring the art and culture of the Italian Renaissance. The study of the Northern Renaissance will include a look at how some artists expressed their love of nature while others revealed their intensely spiritual beliefs. The artists we will look at in the north include Jan van Eyck, Hieronymous Bosch, Albrecht Durer, Hans Holbein, Pieter Breugel, and Jean Foquet among others. The students will then study the artists and culture of the Italian Renaissance focusing on the unfolding narratives (economic, political, and artistic) coming out of Florence beginning in 1400. We will be exploring the role of patronage in the revival of the arts as well as the various rivalries among artists of the time. The artists we will study in the south include Giotto, Fra Angelico, Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Ghiberti, Donatello, Michelangelo, Mantegna, Da Vinci, Raphael, Bramante, Botticelli, and Titian among others. Students will be expected to make the occasional trip to see various Renaissance works housed in museum collections in the city.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 218 Painting In this class students will concentrate on painting from life as well as complete work that explores personal imagery and use of multiple materials. Acrylic, Watercolor, Egg tempera and mixed media will be some of the mediums used. Each student is expected to keep an ongoing journal of drawing and painting studies. Weekly critiques offer the students the opportunity to practice speaking about their work and discussing relevant topics.

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle Prerequisite(s): LCD or permission of the teacher 226 Architecture This course introduces students to the questions, concepts, theories, and practices of the discipline of architecture. The projects in the course will encourage students to deeply observe the “built” and natural worlds as well as make new architectural and design models. Students will translate their ideas and drawings into three dimensional models, deepen their understanding of form and space, the elements of design, and engage in critique for all major works. Major projects will include Skyscraper concept drawings with scale model, sustainable building project (house/shop), Alternative work space design and a “student choice” design project. Students will design for specific criteria, including spaces that function in specific or multiple ways including- sustainable “green” architecture, work spaces, public vs. private, sacred spaces or specific climactic or cultural or topographical concerns.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4x/cycle 228 Art History: The Sacred in Art This course will explore art from ancient times through the present. The lens that we will examine such a wide swath of art will be through how various cultures explore life’s most essential questions. We will learn about many world views and myths from around the world by examining the art of these cultures. Students will explore the connections that unite the stories of humankind. Topics covered include creation, paradise, the apocalypse, gods and goddesses, the afterlife, and the hero’s journey. We will also explore how these ancient tales affect or relate to modern civilization. Students will be encouraged to find evidence of these stories in contemporary works of art. In addition to the ongoing study of these works, students will be encouraged to reflect upon their own lives as being both mythic and heroic. Students will be expected to visit museums and galleries and write for publication on the class blog.

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits; 4x/cycle 41

260 Light, Color, and Design This course is designed to give all 10th, 11th and 12th grade students the opportunity to explore and to develop their visual ideas through drawing and painting. Strong emphasis is placed on observation, personal perception, and interpretation within the various media and materials presented. Assignments include large-scale observation pencil studies, charcoal, after school life drawing, linoleum cut printmaking, bookmaking, collage and mixed-media. In the second semester, students explore color perception using pastels, egg tempera and acrylic paints. Students of all levels are engaged in the class together, creating an atmosphere conducive to greater dialogue and learning from one another. Although all students are involved in the same materials and media, students are encouraged to proceed with their work according to individual needs and level of development.

This class is a yearlong studio course that gives the student the opportunity to build a solid portfolio.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4x/cycle 291 Figure Drawing / Senior Seminar/ Advanced Studies Students will meet once weekly alternating between a figure drawing class and a senior seminar. Students will be given support in portfolio development, engage in supportive critique, visit artist studios, attend guest lectures, and look at relevant contemporary art and criticism. Students will identify a concentration (even if they are working with multiple media) and will co-construct a plan of study with one of the visual arts faculty. Students will receive consistent guidance and critique but are expected to work independently in the new flexible scheduling system (Students may work in the studios during their frees). Students are also expected to utilize May Project as a final preparation for their exhibition in the Senior Art Show.

Full year course – 2 credits; 1x/cycle + flexible scheduling The following tables will help you see what you can take NEXT year (2016-17) and then the FOLLOWING year (2017–18).

Offerings 2016–2017 2D- Intro to 2D Design

Offerings 2017–2018 2D- Intro to 2D Design

2D- Personal Narrative Visual Voice

2D- Personal Narrative Visual Voice

Sculpture: Materials and Process

Sculpture: Materials and Process

3D- Sculpture and 3D Design

3D- Sculpture and 3D Design

Graphic Design: Print and Type Basics

Animation

Printmaking Printmaking Fiber as Fine Art/Wearable Art

Fiber as Fine Art/Wearable Art

Painting

Painting

Ceramics (Fall)

Ceramics Fall

Ceramics (Spring)

Ceramics Spring

Graphic Design I

Graphic Design I

Graphic Design II

Graphic Design II

Art History: The Sacred in Art

Art History: Modernism

Art History: The Renaissance

Art History: Pop To Present

LCD (Light Color Design)

LCD (Light Color Design)

Architecture

Curation in Action

Digital Photography I

Filmmaking

Digital Photography II

Senior Advanced Studio Program

Senior Advanced Studio Program 42

n WORLD LANGUAGES: ANCIENT AND MODERN Basic Information and Requirements The World Languages Department views the acquisition of a second language as the ultimate gesture of friendship to the world. For today’s students the ability to speak another language with proficiency is not a recommendation, but a need.

To relate in a meaningful way to another human being one must be able to communicate in a culture of openness. Broadly speaking, one might consider the goal of communication in a second language that of knowing how, when, and why to say what to whom. The languages of Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish are spoken by hundreds of millions of people globally, and the study of these languages gives our students the ability to understand and to be understood in languages of the worldwide neighborhood. Additionally, as the study of spoken languages shrinks the world geographically, so the study of Latin shrinks the world temporally – giving us direct access to the rich seedbed of language, history, and cultures.

The World Languages Department offers five languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, Latin, and Spanish. Students are required to take three years of either a modern or an ancient language. Students to wishing to take two languages must receive approval from the Chair of the World Language Department.

Modern Languages With the goal of proficiency in mind, the aims of the courses in modern languages are: the acquisition of listening and reading comprehension, the ability to express oneself orally, and to write accurately. To this end we use a textbook, videos, films, writing projects, oral presentations, texts for reading, and interactive activities that provide opportunities for studentto- student exchanges of information. All classes are conducted primarily in the target language.

519 Arabic I This course will be an introduction to the language emphasizing assimilation of the new alphabet as well as mastering basic oral and written skills, including present tense conjugation, subject pronouns and possessive pronouns, plural forms, and nominative sentences. Arabic I introduces students to both formal written Arabic (otherwise known as Modern Standard Arabic or MSA) as well as Levantine and Egyptian dialects. This course is modeled on a college course and uses a college textbook.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 529 Arabic II This course will build on the vocabulary and grammatical structures introduced in Level I. During this course, students will continue in the college textbook Al-Kitaab Part One begun in Level I, covering the basics of grammar: negation, past, subjunctive and conditional construction, ordinal numbers and an introduction to the root and pattern system. The course will also continue to incorporate elements of Egyptian and Syrian dialects in addition to Modern Standard Arabic.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Arabic Level I or equivalent 539 Arabic III This course is a continuation of Arabic II. Students will complete the college textbook begun in Arabic I and II, al- Kitaab, building increasingly substantial vocabulary and grammatical concepts including relative pronouns, future, and past perfect verb tenses, and the verbal pattern system. In the fall we will move into the second book in the series, which introduces longer reading segments on historical topics. Students will give increasingly independent oral presentations and work up to two page compositions, as well as develop Arabic typing skills.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Arabic Level II or equivalent

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549 Arabic IV This course is a continuation of Arabic III, and the second book in the al-Kitaab series. Students will master greater quantities of vocabulary and read texts of increasing length and difficulty, including selections from various media and literature. The grammar content of the course focuses on two key areas: the root and pattern morphological system and complex sentence structure. Students will develop more sophisticated writing skills through the increasing use of connectors, and more sophisticated speaking skills as they improve their mastery of the various registers of Arabic.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Arabic Level III or equivalent 513 Chinese I Chinese I is a course in Chinese language and culture. It emphasizes all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking – through a variety of classroom activities. Students will acquire vocabulary and grammatical structures including words, expressions, idioms, and language to hold basic conversations including but not limited to themselves and their identity, their family, friends school, pastimes, and the world around them. Students will learn and practice using the standard Romanized transcription system known as Pinyin and become proficient at reading and writing a basic set of simplified Chinese characters. Using TPRS, Project based and Self Discovery as the main approaches, the course focuses on fostering students’ interpersonal and presentational speaking, interpretive listening skills as well as beginning to develop interpretive reading skills and presentational writing skills in Chinese. There is also focus on developing a deep appreciation, understanding, and respect for diversity and culture. Frequent assessment activities will allow students and teachers to measure progress, to understand strengths and weakness, and to ensure that students progress with a sense of confidence and accomplishment.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 523 Chinese II In this course, students expand their vocabulary for basic conversation and knowledge of characters that correspond to new vocabulary. Students also become familiar with conversational topics relevant to everyday life and more complex grammatical structures that will permit expression of more intricate ideas, both in speech and in writing. Students are exposed to authentic Chinese sources in the form of advertisements, popular music, and TV shows, and will be expected to be competent in the use and recognition of some newly introduced characters.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Chinese I or equivalent 533 Chinese III This course is designed to broaden the student’s understanding of grammatical concepts in Chinese and integrate what he/ she already knows into more coherent conversational skills utilizing a wide range of verbs and vocabulary. Additionally, the student will be exposed to the cultures of Chinese-speaking communities through the use of films, poetry, newspaper articles, etc. Some films will be shown, which are an important part of the curriculum. Preparation for class and participation in class are absolutely essential.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Chinese II or equivalent

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534 Chinese IV This course is a continuation of Chinese III. Emphasis is placed on oral and aural ability for daily communication situations, reading and writing skills for functional literacy, and foundational grammar for more complex sentence structures. Students will also continue the study of cheng yu, or idiomatic phrases. Materials will include both a textbook and a collection of modern short stories. In addition, students will use their Chinese to complete an individual project related to a cultural practice of their choice, such as Chinese music, visual art, Chinese medicine, or Taichi.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Chinese III or equivalent 556 Advanced Chinese: Contemporary China through Music and Film Contemporary China through Music and Film is a course designed for advanced students of Chinese who have completed the first four years of the upper school Chinese curriculum. The focus of the course is on popular culture and contemporary social issues in China. Students will experience these primarily through the study of films and music lyrics, but will also be exposed to current events through journalism and to popular literature through short stories and poetry. Students will continue to study vocabulary and grammar through these materials, and the curriculum will be supplemented by some content from textbooks, including Integrated Chinese, Level 2. Work in the course will be assessed through presentations, compositions, group projects, and traditional tests.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Chinese IV or equivalent 512 French I Note: French I is not a true-beginner course. Those students new to the Friends Upper School who have not previously studied French, or current students who wish to begin French, should contact the chair of the World Languages Department prior to the beginning of school to receive information about enrollment in a summer online course in order to complete necessary coursework to begin French I. This course is offered to students with no prior knowledge of French who have completed a summer introductory online course. The course is also offered for rising ninth grade students whose past performance suggests a need for review. This course is the first of a four-year sequence that uses the textbook series D’Accord. Corresponding films, videos, and audio files that expand cultural and linguistic awareness reinforce textbook lessons. By the end of this first year of study, students can speak and write in French about topics that deal with real life situations. Students are expected to assimilate vocabulary and master the necessary grammatical elements needed to communicate effectively.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 521 French II This course capitalizes on the vocabulary and syntax used in French I and expands them. Students learn to discuss topics that pertain to everyday life, including shopping, sports and health, dates, parties and cities. Grammar points include the passé composé as well as the correct usage of articles and pronouns. Assessments evaluate both writing and speaking abilities as the emphasis is on developing active skills in French. Journal writing helps students apply new structures and vocabulary regularly. Corresponding films, videos, and audio files that expand cultural and linguistic awareness reinforce textbook lessons.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): French I or equivalent

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531 French III This course continues to develop the mastery of vocabulary and idioms pertaining to everyday life so that students are able to negotiate real-life situations. At the same time, compound verb tenses and complex sentence structures become a central focus to allow the students to express themselves in more sophisticated and meaningful ways. Compositions are assigned to strengthen writing skills, and oral presentations help students to develop their speaking ability. During the second semester, students are introduced to French literature by reading a short story.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): French II or equivalent 541 French IV The work in this course is designed to pull together and refine the material studied in the previous years through intensive grammar review and an expansion of active vocabulary. In addition, students being study of works by various French or francophone authors. Assessments include grammar quizzes and tests, vocabulary quizzes, and take home and in-class essays.

Corresponding films, videos, and audio files that expand cultural and linguistic awareness reinforce lessons.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): French III or equivalent 550 Advanced French: Le Theatre Francais Moderne The end of the Second World War, even while a victory for democracies, created a new fragility in the world. Survivors of the Holocaust searched for a homeland. Two Japanese cities had been reduced to dust. A Cold War divided Europe and threatened to destroy all humanity. France, as a former colonial power, tried to reinsert itself in Africa and Asia. The Left criticized the occupation of Vietnam and Algeria, while the Right tried to recover past glory and wealth. The occupied in those countries resisted. These playwrights responded to the abyss between humanity’s actions and the noble principles of government by staging the tragic and comic elements of this human disorientation. In this course we will be studying plays that question the purpose of society and call for resistance. This course will be taught exclusively in French. Students are expected to actively participate in all aspects of the course. These will include focused viewing and commentary of videos, assimilation of basic theatrical exercises and terminology, dramatic presentations of selected parts of the plays, the mastery of vocabulary from the plays that is essential for their understanding, and written exercises that explore a variety of related topics. More specifically, we will be reading: “En attendant Godot” by Samuel Beckett, “Une tempête by Aimé Césaire, and “Rhinocéros” and “ La cantatrice chauve” by Eugène Ionesco Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): French IV or equivalent 551 Advanced Placement French Language and Culture The work of this course will help students of French prepare for the AP Language and Culture exam where they will demonstrate university-level cognitive, analytical, and communication skills in authentic French. Through examinations of francophone culture in both contemporary and historical contexts, students will develop their comprehension of both informal and formal French from a variety of authentic media. Students will also develop their ability to express themselves in both informal and formal French in various formats, including stories, letters, essays, conversations, and oral presentations.

In order to facilitate their communicative ability, AP students will also study vocabulary and intricate grammar topics.

Full year course – 4 credits; 5 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): French IV and permission of Chair 518 Spanish I Note: Spanish I is not a true-beginner course. Those students new to the Friends Upper School who have not previously studied Spanish, or current students who wish to begin Spanish, should contact the chair of the World Languages Department prior to the beginning of school to receive information about enrollment in a summer online course in order to complete necessary coursework to begin Spanish I. 46

This course is offered to students with no prior knowledge of Spanish who have completed a summer introductory online course. The course is also offered for rising ninth grade students whose past performance suggests a need for review. The textbook includes material on Hispanic cultures in order to present the language more effectively. The audio-visual materials and web-based content that accompany the text and workbooks also enrich this program. By the end of this first year of study, students can speak and write in Spanish about topics that deal with real life situations. Students are expected to assimilate vocabulary and master the necessary grammatical elements needed to communicate effectively.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 524 Spanish II This course presents the more complex structures of basic Spanish and expands the themes of the first level. By the completion of this course, the students will have acquired a command of everyday vocabulary that will help them negotiate the ordinary activities of daily living and structures necessary for personal communication. It will also have assisted them in developing an appreciation of the breadth and variety of cultures found in the Spanish-speaking world. Students listen to audio materials and watch videos reinforcing the material presented in class.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Spanish I or equivalent 534 Spanish III This course maintains a heavy emphasis on vocabulary acquisition and its direct application to everyday life. Students learn to communicate about such topics as personal description; daily activities and routines; personal grooming; chores around the house; asking for, accepting and thanking others for assistance; getting around town; asking and giving direction; engaging in and talking about cultural and leisure activities; inviting, accepting, refusing invitations; arranging where and when to meet; and speaking about accidents and mishaps (where? when? under what conditions?).

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Spanish II or equivalent 544 Spanish IV This course reviews, refines and expands the four skills of: aural comprehension, speaking, reading and writing, and continues its emphasis on vocabulary acquisition. The intended linguistic goals include the learning of several new tenses in the indicative and a greater expansion of the subjunctive. Reading selections are longer and more difficult. By year’s end, students are able to take the Spanish SAT II. Their ability to communicate has also increased, allowing for greater subtlety of expression. Students will write compositions, give oral presentations, participate in conversations, and continuously hone their listening skills.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Spanish III or equivalent 555 Advanced Spanish: Short Stories and Short Films of the Spanish-Speaking World This course explores the modern-day Spanish and Latin American societies through the lens of short stories and short films. Various authors’ and directors’ works are explored in their complexity to see how historical development and culture transform and affect people’s lives. The readings and short films are also discussed in relation to other cultural contexts (arts, music, and food). The body of works is organized around five different themes: Tradition and Politics, Science and Technology, Personal and Public Identities, Families and Communities, and Beauty and Aesthetics. Because the nature of this course stimulates heavy discussion, students will be asked to participate vigorously in class. As a final project, students will need to write a short story to be produced later as a short film.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Spanish IV or equivalent

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554 Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture The AP Spanish Language Course is designed for highly motivated students who have a solid foundation in listening, reading, writing and speaking. The AP course is deemed, in terms of difficulty as well as breadth of material covered, a university-level course in Spanish. Students are challenged to think critically and communicate complex ideas using different registers in various formats, including short stories, letters, essays, conversations, and oral presentations. Classes are conducted almost exclusively in Spanish, allowing students to interact as much as possible in the target language. In order to further their own communication skills, students are expected to communicate with their peers in Spanish. AP students will also study vocabulary thematically and intricate grammar topics to express themselves more accurately.

Full year course – 4 credits; 5 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Spanish IV and permission of Chair

Classical Language The study of Classical Languages at Friends Seminary draws connections between the literature of the late Republican and early Empirical periods of Roman history and world literature, art, and political trends. Students engage original texts, build a strong vocabulary, and enrich their grammar skills through individual and group study. The study of Latin and Greek literature helps students to build bridges between their unique experiences and those of the past. Students practice translation and interpretation of texts, proper research methods, integrated methods of information sharing, and public speaking. The curriculum builds toward proficiency by introducing unaltered, original text early in the course of study.

517 Latin I Latin I students solidify their study of the five noun declensions, all adjective declensions, personal pronouns, reflexive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns and the Present System (active and passive voice) of regular and irregular verbs. Students deepen their syntax skills by reading selections from Ovid.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle 527 Latin II Latin II continues to build upon the foundation laid in Latin I as students master the remaining grammar charts and begin the formal introduction of complex syntax. Readings consist of selections from Ovid, various prose, and modern news blogs.

Students complete their study of verb conjugation and begin to learn ways to use the Subjunctive. The study of syntax also includes Ablative Absolute, all special uses of the Dative and Genitive. In addition to the study of complex grammar, students at this level have units on the repetition of Classical myth and its themes in non-Latin literature and art. Creative projects such as dramatic reenactments, music videos, and creative writing allow students freedom to explore ways in which the elements of Classical mythology may be incorporated into their own work.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Latin I or equivalent 537 Latin III Latin III begins the introduction of original, unedited texts into the curriculum. Proper usage of commentary and rudimentary research methods are introduced. Liteature read varies annually. Most recently students have read excerpts from Cicero, Pliny, Ovid, and Horace. The morphology and syntax segment concentrates on mastery of the Subjunctive Mood, all of its usage, and composition of basic texts. In addition to rigorous readings, students complete creative projects such as story boards, blogs, and skits. These projects encourage each student to examine one’s personal relationship to the modern world and ways the study of Classical languages influences our view of the world.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Latin II or equivalent

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547 Latin IV Latin IV marks the end of formal prose study. The central texts for this level are selections from the Roman Erotic Elegists: Catullus, Propertius, Tibullus, Sulpicia, and Ovid. Some of the most challenging texts of antiquity, these poems were the precursors of the Italian and English sonnet, and influenced the matrix of western literature. Mastery of research methods, and formal explication of texts culminates in the preparation of a final paper. Each student must present his research to an audience of peers and teachers at the close of the final term. In preparation for the final course of study, students read Virgil’s Aeneid in translation.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Latin III or equivalent 557 Latin V: Latin Poetry This course will continue the study of Virgil’s Aeneid started in Latin IV and include Caesars De Bello Gallico. Students will meet with the Latin Advanced Placement students and use the continued study of the text to expand their vocabulary and grammatical awareness. They will also continue their exposure to Latin poetry, meter and scansion, as well as rhetorical devises. The class will read the text closely, recite the verse aloud, and write literary essays about the texts.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Level IV grade of C+ or better; permission of instructor and Department Chair 558 Advanced Placement Latin This course will continue the study of Virgil’s Aeneid started in Latin IV and include Caesars De Bello Gallico. Students will read and analyze the selections from these texts that are part of the Advanced Placement curriculum. They will expand their vocabulary, grammatical awareness, and continue their exposure to Latin poetry, meter, and scansion, as well as rhetorical devises. The class will read the text closely, recite the verse aloud, and write literary essays about the texts. Special attention will be paid to preparation for the Advanced Placement Examination.

Full year course – 4 credits; 4 periods/cycle Prerequisite(s): Level IV grade of B+ or better; permission of instructor and Department Chair

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n ONLINE COURSE ELECTIVES During the 2016-17 School year we will offer a pilot program consisting of three online elective courses through the Hybrid Learning Consortium, a partnership of Independent Schools around the country and world. Students interested in enrolling in an online course will be expected to join the teacher and other students in an online ‘meeting’ approximately two times per week. Other course elements such as assignments and online discussions are done independently.

The following guidelines apply: 1. Online courses are available on a limited basis for students in grades 11 and 12.

2. The Head of Upper School and the student’s advisor will need to approve all online course registrations. Approval will depend on students’ demonstrated ability to self manage the demands of an online course.

3. Credit for online courses counts towards the the required credits for graduation and towards the minimum of five academic courses required each semester. However, online courses do not count towards department specific graduation credit requirements (see page 2).

4. Online courses will assign letter grades that will appear on student’s transcript, for example, HLC Online Course: AP Psychology B051 Essentials of Entrepreneurship This course will introduce students to the basics of starting one’s own business. In this culture of innovation, young inventors and thinkers will need business skills to support launching the concepts and products they envision. This semester long course will provide basic skills in economics in order to understand the current environment for production and consumption. Also, an accounting foundation will be covered, helping students understand the fiscal portion of running their business, as well as finance skills to understand investment and an introduction to informational technology to enhance students abilities to be successful. The culmination project in this course will provide students the opportunity to create a forecasting model of a “proposed business” they desire to launch.

Spring Semester – 2 credits 052 Introduction to Engineering This course gives a broad introduction to the engineering discipline, as well as to provide a foundation for further study in engineering. Topics discussed include: an introduction to engineering, careers in engineering, vectors, optimization, static and engineering design. The course concludes with a major design project.

Spring Semester – 2 credits 053 AP Pyschology The purpose of the AP course in Psychology is to introduce the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Included is a consideration of the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. Students also learn about the ethics and methods Fall or Spring Semesters – 2 credits

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n AN OVERVIEW OF THE COLLEGE COUNSELING PROGRAM The college counseling program at Friends Seminary is designed to empower and support students as they make the transition to higher education or other post-graduate pursuits. Applying to college is a process of discovery, of pondering who you are and who you want to become, of contemplating what role you want to play in the larger world. The college search is, in essence, an extended research project, which requires students to look within themselves for many of the answers. Students learn to identify and assess themselves, to set priorities, and to make major decisions. How students navigate through this process is just as important as where they end up. Students are discouraged from viewing high school as simply a means to an end, that end being admission to a brand name college. Instead we advise students and their families to focus on finding the best college match; the environment in which that particular student will thrive intellectually, personally and socially. Though college counseling at Friends Seminary is intended to be as individualized as possible, there are a number of group activities for students and parents.

Freshman and Sophomore Years As freshmen you have the opportunity to write the script for your experience in the Upper School. Our advice to students is to use this time wisely, to make the most of the opportunities available here at Friends and outside of school. Seek out courses that will stimulate and challenge you. Get involved in activities which interest you. For the next year or two, you don’t need to think too much about the details of the college admission process. Instead work hard, get involved, discover your passions, and have some fun.

College-related activities include: • College Financial Aid Seminar in November: open to all Upper School families.

• Coffee for parents on FAQ about the SAT, Subject Tests, AP and ACT in December.

• The PSAT 10 exam will be administered in February; required for all sophomores.

• An optional practice ACT exam for sophomores.

• A 9th Grade Parent Coffee in April; an optional 10th Grade College Evening in February.

• SAT Subject Tests are available but should only be taken at the recommendation of the appropriate teacher.

Junior and Senior Years Junior year, students need to begin the college process in earnest. As your College Counselors, we are here to help you and excited to start our work together! Though college counseling at Friends Seminary is intended to be as individualized as possible, there are also a number of group activities for students and parents.

Beginning in the second semester of the junior year, students meet with the College Counselors once an 8-day cycle in small groups. This is the Seminar class and it will continue through the first semester of senior year. This small group format allows us to break the college process into bite-size pieces… each week discussing a different topic such as “Choosing a College Major,” “Developing Interview Skills,” or “Do’s and Don’ts of the College Essay.”

In addition, students will begin meeting with their assigned College Counselor individually. These one-on-one meetings allow us to focus on the student’s particular interests, issues, and choices. These meetings are also an important way for us to get to know the young men and women for whom we will be writing letters of recommendation and serving as their advocate to admission committees in other ways.

Other college-related activities include: • Senior College Night for parents in September.

• Case Studies Event for seniors and their parents in September.

• The Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT) is administered in October; required for all juniors.

• College Admission Representative visits at Friends throughout the fall: open to seniors and juniors.

• College Coffees for parents are hosted in October (senior) and March (junior).

• College Financial Aid Seminar in November: open to all Upper School families.

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• Junior College Night for students and parents in November; an additional College Night for junior parents in January.

• SAT and Subject Tests are taken in the spring of the junior year and the fall of the senior year.

• Transition to College Talks in March (parents) and May (seniors).

• An annual College Fair is held every April at UNIS for juniors.

Standardized Testing SAT (formerly known as SAT I): As of March 2016, the SAT consists of two major sections, each worth 800 points for a total maximum score of 1600: Evidence Based-Reading and Writing and Mathematics. There also is an optional Essay section. The length of the exam is 3 hours and 50 minutes (including the Essay).

SAT Subject Tests (formerly known as SAT IIs): SAT Subject Tests measure a student’s knowledge of a particular subject, and therefore require suitable coursework and study. Exams are available in a range of subjects including Literature, US History, World History, Biology, Chemistry, Math Level I and Level II, French, Spanish, and Latin. Each exam is one hour in length and students may take up to three exams in one day.

Score Choice Reporting Policy: Many colleges allow students to choose which scores (by test date for the SAT, by test and date for the Subject Tests) they send for consideration.

Advanced Placement (AP): Students enrolled in AP classes are required to take the exam in May. Advanced Placement courses measure achievement at a college level while SAT Subject Tests measure achievement at a high school level. Students enrolled in AP courses are wise to take both AP and SAT Subject Test exams in that subject; their course work will prepare them well for both.

AP English Literature and AP English Language Given the strength of our English program, juniors earning a B+ or higher in their current English class should consider sitting for the AP English Language or Literature exam in May. Independent preparation will be necessary and students should weigh the value of taking this exam against their other commitments at this busy time. Interested students should speak with their college counselor before Spring Break.

AP World History Sophomores interested in pursuing the AP World History exam will have to do some level of independent preparation. More information will be forthcoming.

Testing Accommodations If a student has received testing accommodations in the past and will be requesting these for the College Board tests in the future, such as the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, ACT or Advanced Placement Examinations, a current (less than five years old) psycho-educational evaluation will be required, along with a special application requesting the accommodations. On the College Board application Friends will need to verify that the student has been receiving the same accommodations in school for at least four months. Since the SAT includes an essay, there has been greater interest in receiving computer usage as an accommodation. Please be aware that the criteria for this particular request are quite narrow.

The ACT application requires that the full psycho-educational evaluation be submitted as well. It is not unusual for a student who has qualified for accommodations from the College Board to not qualify for the ACT. For more information, please see the Applying for Accommodations on Standardized Tests handout on the College Counseling Web Board. If you have specific questions, please feel free to contact Samantha Meltzer at smeltzer@friendsseminary.org or call extension 5130. You can also obtain more information by consulting the College Board’s website at www.collegeboard. com/ssd or the ACT’s website at www.actstudent.org/regist/disab/

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Recommendations for Subject Tests SAT Subject Tests measure a student’s knowledge of a particular subject, and therefore require suitable coursework and study. Exams are available in a range of subjects including: World History

US History

French Listening

French Language

Latin Language

Spanish Listening

Spanish Language

Math Level I

Biology

Math Level II

Chemistry Physics Literature Each exam is one hour in length and students may take up to three exams in one day. Students are strongly encouraged to seek the recommendation of their current teacher when selecting SAT Subject Tests.

English: The Writing SAT II exam no longer exists; it has in effect been incorporated into the writing section of the SAT. An exam in Literature is still available. This exam tests students’ ability to read critically and interpret poetry and prose from the Renaissance to present. The best time to take this exam is in the fall of the senior year. Interested students should try a practice test before deciding to sit for the exam.

History: Subject tests in both World History and US History are available. Our courses in these subjects do not teach to the exam, so any interested students would need to undergo preparation on their own with a practice book. Students in the AP sections of US History or who are preparing for the AP World History Exam are encouraged to sit for these tests; students in the non-AP sections should seek the recommendation of their current teacher. June is the ideal time for students to test in these subjects.

Foreign Language: Subject tests are offered in a variety of foreign languages including French, Latin and Spanish. Students in Advanced or AP language classes at Friends are encouraged to test in June of their junior year or the fall of their senior year.

Students in Level IV should seek the recommendation of their current teacher. In addition, exams with listening are offered in November and may be the best option for certain students, particularly native speakers.

Mathematics: Math Level I tests knowledge of mathematics through Algebra II and Level II tests knowledge through Precalculus. Students in Algebra II in 10th or 11th grades are encouraged to take Math Level I in June. Students in Introduction to Precalculus in 11th grade may take Math Level I in June; students in the same course as seniors may take Level I in the fall.

Students in Precalculus in 10th or 11th grades may take Math Level II in June. Students in Calculus in 11th grade may take Math Level II in the fall, though ideally they would have taken it the June before after finishing Precalculus.

Science: Subject tests are available in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and students should test in June of the year the appropriate course is taken. Generally, freshmen are not encouraged to sit for the Physics exam as it does not correspond well with the coursework here. However, students who may be interested in studying engineering in college would be wise to consider taking the Chemistry exam at the end of their sophomore year or Physics after taking AP Physics. Juniors in Biology may consider taking that exam in June. Before deciding to sit for an exam, students should try a practice test and consult their current teacher for advice. For each of these exams, interested students would need to undergo a fair amount of preparation on their own with a practice book.

NOTE: For more information on Standardized Testing and Test Prep, please consult the handouts on the College Counseling Web Board of the Friends Seminary site.

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