Upper School Curriculum Guide 2014-15 by The Northwest School

TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………………….…………………..1-3 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND CURRICULUM OVERVIEW ......................................................... 4 CURRICULUM OVERVIEW FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ........................................................................................ 5 9TH GRADE CURRICULUM ....................................................................................................................................... 6 10TH GRADE CURRICULUM ..................................................................................................................................... 8 11TH GRADE CURRICULUM ________ ..................................................................................................... 10 12TH GRADE CURRICULUM ................................................................................................................................... 12

9TH – 11TH GRADE HUMANITIES ........................................................................................................... 15 HUMANITIES 9 ................................................................................................................................................... 15 HUMANITIES 10 ................................................................................................................................................. 15 HUMANITIES 11 ................................................................................................................................................. 16

12TH GRADE HUMANITIES (TWO SINGLE-CREDIT COURSES) ............................................................. 16 HUMANITIES 12 (MEETS STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR HISTORY & U.S. GOVERNMENT) ................................................ 16 Humanities 12: Asian Studies – Daniel Sparler ..................................................................................................................... 16 Humanities 12: Contemporary Issues – To Be Announced.............................................................................................. 16 Humanities 12: Law and Society – Scott Davis ..................................................................................................................... 17 Humanities 12: Media Studies – Calvin Shaw ....................................................................................................................... 17 Humanities 12: Reading Environments – Andy Meyer ...................................................................................................... 17 Humanities 12: Religion and Society – Adina Meyer ......................................................................................................... 17 HUMANITIES ELECTIVES (MEETS STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGLISH) ..................................................................... 18 Comparative Literature: Poiesis – Andy Meyer .................................................................................................................... 18 Comparative Literature: Visions of America – Adina Meyer ............................................................................................ 18 Comparative Literature – Françoise Canter........................................................................................................................... 18 Philosophy – Glen Sterr ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 Writing Seminar – Suzanne Bottelli .......................................................................................................................................... 19 Writing Seminar: Creative Reader as Creative Writer – Harumi LaDuke ..................................................................... 19

ADDITIONAL ENGLISH ELECTIVES ...................................................................................................... 19 Advanced English Composition – Sarah Porter ................................................................................................................... 19 Journalism – Calvin Shaw ............................................................................................................................................................ 20

MATHEMATICS ..................................................................................................................................... 20 9TH GRADE ......................................................................................................................................................... 20 Algebra I with Geometry .............................................................................................................................................................. 20 Geometry ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Algebra II ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 20 10TH GRADE ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 Algebra II ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 Pre-Calculus ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 11TH GRADE ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 Math Analysis ................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Pre-Calculus ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Calculus .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 12TH GRADE ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 Statistics ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Pre-Calculus ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Calculus .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Advanced Calculus ......................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Math Teacher Assistant (TA)........................................................................................................................................................ 23

SCIENCE ................................................................................................................................................. 23 9TH GRADE ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 Physical Science – Jeremy DeWitt & Emma Wolf-Saxon ................................................................................................... 23 10TH GRADE ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 Biology – Mark Terry & Kathryn Wallace ................................................................................................................................. 23 11TH GRADE ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 Chemistry – Renee Fredrickson & Emma Wolf-Saxon........................................................................................................ 23 12TH GRADE ....................................................................................................................................................... 24 Advanced Chemistry – Renee Fredrickson ............................................................................................................................ 24 Physics – Cecilia Tung.................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Primate Biology – Mark Terry...................................................................................................................................................... 24 Lab Assistant – Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry ........................................................................................................ 24

MODERN LANGUAGES ......................................................................................................................... 25 CHINESE............................................................................................................................................................ 25 Chinese I – Tina Chang .................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Chinese II – Tina Chang................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Chinese III – Tina Chang ............................................................................................................................................................... 25 Chinese IV – Tina Chang ............................................................................................................................................................... 25 ENGLISH (AS A SECOND LANGUAGE) .................................................................................................................... 26 Beginning Grammar/Writing-ESL – Melody Haff................................................................................................................. 26 Intermediate Grammar/Writing-ESL – Melody Haff ........................................................................................................... 26 English Composition & Advanced Grammar-ESL – Melody Haff ................................................................................... 26 Advanced English Composition – Sarah Porter ................................................................................................................... 26 French I – Françoise Canter ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 French II – Marina de McVittie .................................................................................................................................................... 27 French III – Françoise Canter ....................................................................................................................................................... 27 French IV – Françoise Canter ...................................................................................................................................................... 27 SPANISH ........................................................................................................................................................... 28 Spanish I – Marina de McVittie ................................................................................................................................................... 28 Spanish III (9th Grade) – Lisa Blodgett & Michelle Kowals ................................................................................................. 28 Spanish III (11th Grade) – Marina de McVittie ........................................................................................................................ 28 Spanish IV – Lisa Blodgett & David Montero ......................................................................................................................... 28 Spanish V – Lisa Blodgett ............................................................................................................................................................. 29 Advanced Spanish – Marina de McVittie ................................................................................................................................ 29 Advanced Spanish – Daniel Sparler ......................................................................................................................................... 29

PHYSICAL EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................ 30 9TH GRADE PHYSICAL EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................ 30 INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC TEAMS .................................................................................................................... 30 FITNESS ............................................................................................................................................................ 31 OUTDOOR EDUCATION ....................................................................................................................................... 32

ADDITIONAL ELECTIVES ..................................................................................................................... 32 JOURNALISM – CALVIN SHAW ............................................................................................................................. 32 PEER MENTORING – MEGAN REIBEL & AMY BERNER-HAYS .................................................................................... 32

ARTS CURRICULUM .............................................................................................................................. 34 DANCE.............................................................................................................................................................. 36 Creative Dance and Movement – Amber Wolfe Wollam .................................................................................................. 36 Performing Dance Ensemble (a.k.a. “Dance Team”) – Ellie Sandstrom ....................................................................... 36

Social Dance – Maya Soto (9-12) or Ellie Sandstrom (11-12) .......................................................................................... 36 MUSIC .............................................................................................................................................................. 36 A Cappella Select Choir – Dana Sewall.................................................................................................................................... 36 Chamber Orchestra – Gretchen Yanover ............................................................................................................................... 37 Choir 9-10 – Dana Sewall ............................................................................................................................................................. 37 Choir 11-12 – Dana Sewall ........................................................................................................................................................... 37 Jazz Ensemble – Michael Van Bebber ...................................................................................................................................... 37 Music Studio – Harumi LaDuke .................................................................................................................................................. 38 THEATRE ARTS .................................................................................................................................................. 38 Act Out! – Ellen Graham & Solomon Davis ............................................................................................................................ 38 Mask, Mime, and Improvisation – Scott Davis ...................................................................................................................... 39 Musical Theatre/Play Production Ensemble – Laura Ferri, Ellen Graham, Dana Sewall ........................................ 39 Spoken Word – Steven Wilbur ................................................................................................................................................... 39 Stagecraft – Dave Baldwin ........................................................................................................................................................... 40 Theatre as Communication (ESL 9) – Ellen Graham ........................................................................................................... 40 VISUAL ARTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 40 Advanced Photography – Lyn McCracken ............................................................................................................................ 40 Beginning Drawing – Lisa Beemster ........................................................................................................................................ 41 Beginning Drawing – Curtis Erlinger........................................................................................................................................ 41 Beginning Photography – Lyn McCracken ............................................................................................................................ 41 Ceramics 9-10 – Randy Silver ...................................................................................................................................................... 41 Ceramics 9-12 – Randy Silver ...................................................................................................................................................... 42 Design/Maker Studio: from Process to Product – Wyn Pottinger-Levy...................................................................... 42 Graphic Design – Wyn Pottinger-Levy .................................................................................................................................... 42 Mixed Media – Lisa Beemster ..................................................................................................................................................... 42 Paper, Print and Fiber Design – Sandy Nelson ..................................................................................................................... 43 Public Art – Curtis Erlinger ........................................................................................................................................................... 43 Sculpture and Materials Exploration– Jeanne Ferraro ...................................................................................................... 43 Watercolor and Related Media – Lisa Beemster .................................................................................................................. 43 Yearbook – Wyn Pottinger-Levy ................................................................................................................................................ 44 NOTES ............................................................................................................................................................ 45

Graduation Requirements and Curriculum Overview The Northwest School requires the following minimum course of study in the Upper School:

Humanities Mathematics Science Modern Languages Visual & Performing Arts Physical Education

4 years (English & History) 3 or 4 years* 3 or 4 years* 3 or 4 years* 4 years 2 years

*Most seniors take a fourth year of study in Language, Math and Science. All seniors must take a fourth year of study in two of the three: Modern Languages, Math or Science.

9th

Humanities

10th

11th

12th

Humanities 9

Humanities 10

Humanities 11

Humanities 12

Humanities 9-ESL

Humanities 10-ESL

Humanities 11Transitional

Comparative Literature Philosophy Writing Seminar

Math

Algebra I w/Geometry

Algebra II

Math Analysis

Statistics

Algebra II

Pre-Calculus

Calculus

Geometry

Advanced Calculus Physical Science

Biology

Chemistry

Science

Advanced Chemistry Physics Primate Biology

Modern Languages

Chinese II

Chinese III

Chinese IV

French I

French II

French III

French IV

Spanish I/III

Spanish II/IV

Spanish III/V

Advanced Spanish

Beg. Grammar/WritingESL

Interm. Grammar/ Writing-ESL

Eng. Comp & Adv. Grammar-ESL

Advanced English Composition

Arts

Two full-year arts courses are taken each year. A minimum of six arts courses must be taken to graduate. To fulfill the arts distribution requirement, students must take at least one course in each of the four departments: Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Students who choose a non-arts elective (e.g., Peer Mentoring, Journalism) for a given year must take at least one art course in that year.

Physical Education

The two-year physical education requirement may be fulfilled by P.E. classes, outdoor education, dance or team sports. It is recommended that students fulfill the requirement through participation in a variety of these activities. Partial fulfillment of the P.E. requirement will be accomplished in the 9th grade year.

Environment

Chinese I

Four years of satisfactory work in the Environment Program are required.

Curriculum Overview for International Students International students who receive ESL support are gradually integrated into more courses with domestic students each year. Physical Education, arts courses, sports teams, class trips, the Environment Program, and the Outdoor Program offer additional chances for interaction.

9th Grade Humanities 9 – ESL Physical Science Beginning Grammar/Writing – ESL Theatre as Communication – ESL *9th grade students share Math, P.E. and an art course with domestic students.

10th Grade Humanities 10 – ESL Intermediate Grammar/Writing – ESL *10th grade students share Math, Biology and two arts courses with domestic students.

11th Grade Humanities 11 – Transitional English Composition and Advanced Grammar – ESL *11th grade students share Math, Chemistry and two arts courses with domestic students.

12th Grade International students follow the full 12th grade curriculum. In addition, they take Advanced English Composition further to strengthen their English language and writing skills.

Protocol for Early Transition from Humanities ESL to Domestic Humanities: All students who enter the school receiving ESL support must join the full domestic curriculum by 12th grade. An earlier transition into the domestic Humanities program is possible under specific, limited circumstances. When space allows, ESL students in good standing with an iBT score of 90, a cumulative GPA of 3.33, and Humanities grades of A- or higher during the two immediately prior quints, may petition to enroll in a domestic Humanities section before senior year. An institutional, paper-based TOEFL score of 600 may substitute for an iBT score of 90. Additional information about this process is available from the Upper School Director.

9th Grade Curriculum The Northwest Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 9th grade program consists of a minimum of eight courses plus Environment:

Humanities 9 Humanities 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ESL

Double credit course combining English and History

Math

Algebra I with Geometry Algebra II Geometry

Science

Physical Science

Modern Languages

Chinese I French I Spanish I Spanish III Beginning Grammar/Writing - ESL

Arts

Students take two arts courses at all times. Most arts are full-year courses.

Physical Education

Full-year course. Includes one quint of health.

Environment

Three times each week, cross-graded teams, led by seniors, work as stewards of our buildings and grounds.

Physical Education Requirements: All students in the 9th grade will be enrolled in a required Physical Education class and will complete half of the two-year P.E. requirement through this class. Additional P.E. credit can be earned through enrollment in Dance courses, outdoor education or participation on an interscholastic sports team. See Physical Education description. Arts Distribution Requirements: To fulfill the arts distribution requirement, students must take at least one course in each of the four art departments: Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. A minimum of six arts courses must be taken to graduate. Students are encouraged to complete three of the four arts distribution requirements by the end of the sophomore year. By the end of junior year, students should plan to complete all four of the arts distribution requirements, thus allowing seniors to take the additional arts of their choice. Please select arts courses with this in mind. For example, do not request courses all from the same department for 9th grade. 6

9th Grade Curriculum

Arts courses available for 9th grade students: Ninth grade students are enrolled in two arts courses, one in the 9-10th grade Art Block and one in the 9-12th grade Art Block. Art courses available to 9th graders are listed here arranged by art block. For course descriptions, see the Arts Curriculum portion of this packet. Beginning Photography is not open to 9th grade students. Arts courses available for 9th grade ESL students: ESL students take an art class in the 9-10th grade Art Block as well as a theatre class called Theatre as Communication-ESL. For course description, see Theatre Arts in the Arts Curriculum section. 9 - 10th Art Block (M & W periods 8 - 9) Act Out!

Ellen Graham & Solomon Davis

Beginning Drawing

Lisa Beemster

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Ceramics 9-10

Randy Silver

Choir 9-10

Dana Sewall

Creative Dance and Movement

Amber Wolfe Wollam

Graphic Design

Wyn Pottinger-Levy

Public Art

Curtis Erlinger

Sculpture and Materials Exploration

Jeanne Ferraro

9 - 12th Art Block (T & Th periods 8 - 9) A Cappella Select Choir (Quints 4-5 only)

Dana Sewall

Beginning Drawing

Curtis Erlinger

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Chamber Orchestra

Gretchen Yanover

Ceramics 9-12

Randy Silver

Jazz Ensemble

Michael Van Bebber

Journalism

Calvin Shaw

Mask, Mime, and Improvisation

Scott Davis

Music Studio

Harumi LaDuke

Musical Theatre/Play Production

Laura Ferri/Ellen Graham/Dana Sewell

Paper, Print and Fiber Design

Sandy Nelson

Performing Dance Ensemble

Ellie Sandstrom

Social Dance

Maya Soto

Spoken Word

Steven Wilbur

Stagecraft

Dave Baldwin

Watercolor and Related Media

Lisa Beemster

Yearbook

Wyn Pottinger-Levy

10th Grade Curriculum The Northwest School’s 10th grade program consists of a minimum of seven courses plus Environment: Humanities 10 Humanities 10–ESL

Double credit course combining English and History

Math

Algebra II Pre-Calculus

Science

Biology

Modern Languages

Chinese II French II Spanish II Spanish IV Intermediate Grammar/Writing – ESL

Arts

Students are required to take two arts courses at all times. Most arts are full year courses.

Environment

Three times each week, cross-graded teams, led by seniors, work as stewards of our buildings and grounds.

Physical Education Requirements: To work towards completion of the two-year physical education requirement, 10th graders should register for a course that earns Physical Education credit. P.E. credit can be earned through enrollment in Dance courses, outdoor education or participation on an interscholastic sports team. See Physical Education description. Arts Distribution Requirements: A minimum of one course from each of the four art departments (Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts) is required for graduation. It is recommended that 10th graders sign up for arts courses that will allow them to complete all four of the arts distribution requirements by the end of the junior year, allowing them to take the additional arts of their choice during senior year. Students should attempt to meet at least three of the arts distributions by the end of the 10th grade year. Study abroad opportunity during Quint 5 of 10th grade: The Northwest School has agreements for reciprocal short-term student exchanges with four of our overseas partner schools: • Affiliated High School to National ChengChi University, Taipei, Taiwan • Centro Docente María, Seville, Spain • DaJing High School, Shanghai, China • Lycée Emmanuel Mounier, Angers, France There is an application process for this program as there are a limited number of spots at each partner school. The Northwest School offers credit for the study abroad experience and accepts this for completion of 10th grade requirements. For more information about this program, contact the Upper School Director. 8

Arts Courses Available for 10th Graders: See Arts Curriculum section for course descriptions.

10th Grade Curriculum

9 - 10th Art Block (M & W periods 8 - 9) Act Out!

Ellen Graham & Solomon Davis

Beginning Drawing

Lisa Beemster

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Ceramics 9-10

Randy Silver

Choir 9-10

Dana Sewall

Creative Dance and Movement

Amber Wolfe Wollam

Graphic Design

Wyn Pottinger-Levy

Public Art

Curtis Erlinger

Sculpture and Materials Exploration

Jeanne Ferraro

9 - 12th Art Block (T & Th periods 8 - 9) A Cappella Select Choir (Quints 4-5 only)

Dana Sewall

Beginning Drawing

Curtis Erlinger

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Ceramics 9-12

Randy Silver

Chamber Orchestra

Gretchen Yanover

Jazz Ensemble

Michael Van Bebber

Journalism

Calvin Shaw

Mask, Mime, and Improvisation

Scott Davis

Music Studio

Harumi LaDuke

Musical Theatre/Play Production

Laura Ferri/Ellen Graham/Dana Sewall

Paper, Print and Fiber Design

Sandy Nelson

Performing Dance Ensemble

Ellie Sandstrom

Social Dance

Maya Soto

Spoken Word

Steven Wilbur

Stagecraft

Dave Baldwin

Watercolor and Related Media

Lisa Beemster

Yearbook

Wyn Pottinger-Levy After School Art Block 10-12th grade (M & W 3:35-5:00 PM)

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

11th Grade Curriculum

________

The Northwest Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 11th grade program consists of a minimum of seven courses plus Environment:

Humanities 11 Humanities 11-Transitional

Double credit course combining English and History

Math

Math Analysis Pre-Calculus Calculus

Science

Chemistry

Modern Languages

Chinese III French III Spanish III Spanish V English Composition & Advanced Grammar-ESL

Arts

Students are required to take two arts courses at all times. Most arts courses are a full year.

Environment

Three times each week, cross-graded teams, led by seniors, work as stewards of our buildings and grounds.

Physical Education Requirements: All 11th graders who have not yet completed the two-year physical education requirement should register for a course that earns Physical Education credit. P.E. credit can be earned through enrollment in Dance courses, outdoor education or participation on an interscholastic sports team. See Physical Education description. Arts Distribution Requirements: A minimum of one course from each of the four art departments (Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts) is required for graduation. Juniors should complete the four arts distribution requirements by the end of 11th grade. This allows students to take additional arts of their choice during the senior year.

Arts courses available to 11th graders: See Arts Curriculum section for course descriptions.

11th Grade Curriculum

11 - 12th Art Block (M & W periods 6 - 7) Advanced Drawing

Lisa Beemster

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Choir 11-12

Dana Sewall

Design/Maker Studio

Wyn Pottinger-Levy

Film

Laura Ferri

Peer Mentoring

Megan Reibel & Amy Berner-Hays

Social Dance

Ellie Sandstrom

9 - 12th Art Block (T & Th periods 8 - 9) A Cappella Select Choir (Quints 4-5 only)

Dana Sewall

Beginning Drawing

Curtis Erlinger

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Ceramics 9-12

Randy Silver

Chamber Orchestra

Gretchen Yanover

Jazz Ensemble

Michael Van Bebber

Journalism

Calvin Shaw

Mask, Mime, and Improvisation

Scott Davis

Music Studio

Harumi LaDuke

Musical Theatre / Play Production

Laura Ferri/Ellen Graham/Dana Sewall

Paper, Print and Fiber Design

Sandy Nelson

Performing Dance Ensemble

Ellie Sandstrom

Social Dance

Maya Soto

Spoken Word

Steven Wilbur

Stagecraft

Dave Baldwin

Watercolor and Related Media

Lisa Beemster

Yearbook

Wyn Pottinger-Levy

After School Art Block 10 - 12th grade (M & W 3:35-5:00 PM) Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

12th Grade Curriculum The Northwest Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 12th grade program consists of a minimum of six courses plus Environment:

Full-year course. Meets state requirements for U.S. government and History elective. Students will choose from:

Humanities 12

Humanities 12: Humanities 12: Humanities 12: Humanities 12: Humanities 12: Humanities 12:

Asian Studies Contemporary Issues Law & Society Media Studies Reading Environments Religion & Society

Full-year course. Meets state requirements for English. Students will choose from: Humanities Electives

Comparative Literature (3 courses) Philosophy Writing Seminar (2 courses)

Math

Statistics Pre-Calculus Calculus Advanced Calculus

Science

Advanced Chemistry Physics Primate Biology

Modern Languages

Advanced Spanish Chinese IV French IV Advanced English Composition

Arts

Two arts courses is the normal expectation. By graduation, students need to have completed at least one course in each of the four art departments: Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts. If the arts distribution requirement has been met, it is possible for seniors to elect to take only one art and five academic classes.

Environment

Full-year satisfactory participation, in a leadership position, is required.

12th Grade Requirements:

Humanities: One course from Humanities 12 and one course from Humanities Electives. Math, Science, and Modern Languages: At least two courses, and no more than three, from the Math, Science, and Modern Languages departments, if all 9-11th grade requirements have been met. In individual cases, specific courses may be required. International students must be enrolled in Advanced English Composition, which is considered one of their academic courses.

12th Grade Curriculum

Course Load: Enrollment in a minimum of six courses is required. This can be four academics and two arts or five academics and one art if all arts distribution requirements will be met. Enrollment in six academic courses is not allowed. Typically, seniors take five academic courses and two arts.

Arts: Students must be enrolled in at least one art course during the senior year. Journalism and Peer Mentoring are electives offered during art blocks, but are not art courses. Students enrolled in either of these two electives must still enroll in at least one art course. Students electing to take only one art must have completed the arts distribution requirement (one course in Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts) and be enrolled in five academic courses. Seniors have three art blocks available in their schedules, including a senior only art block. See Arts Courses tables. Environment: Seniors are responsible to lead and evaluate cross-graded groups of students, with faculty assistance, that act as stewards of our buildings and grounds. Senior Meeting: Attendance is required at this weekly planning meeting. Topics include: planning the MLK day celebration, leadership and social opportunities within the school, environment program updates and information and college counseling information. Physical Education: If the two-year P.E. requirement has not been met in 9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;11th grades, courses must be selected to meet this requirement. P.E. credit can be earned through enrollment in Dance courses, outdoor education or participation on an interscholastic sports team. See Physical Education description. Washington State History: For Washington state residents only. If the Washington State History requirement has not been met, arrangements to complete the requirement will be made during the senior year. Students who know they have not completed this requirement should contact the Registrarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office.

Art courses available to seniors: 11 - 12th Art Block (M & W periods 6 - 7) Advanced Drawing

Lisa Beemster

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Choir 11-12

Dana Sewall

Design/Maker Studio

Wyn Pottinger-Levy

Film

Laura Ferri

Peer Mentoring

Megan Reibel & Amy Berner-Hays

Social Dance

Ellie Sandstrom 9 - 12th Art Block (T & Th periods 8 - 9)

A Cappella Select Choir (Quints 4-5 only)

Dana Sewall

Beginning Drawing

Curtis Erlinger

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Ceramics 9-12

Randy Silver

Chamber Orchestra

Gretchen Yanover

Jazz Ensemble

Michael Van Bebber

Journalism

Calvin Shaw

Mask, Mime, and Improvisation

Scott Davis

Music Studio

Harumi LaDuke

Musical Theatre/Play Production

Laura Ferri/Ellen Graham/Dana Sewall

Paper, Print, and Fiber Design

Sandy Nelson

Performing Dance Ensemble

Ellie Sandstrom

Social Dance

Maya Soto

Spoken Word

Steven Wilbur

Stagecraft

Dave Baldwin

Watercolor and Related Media

Lisa Beemster

Yearbook

Wyn Pottinger-Levy Senior Art Block (T & Th periods 6 - 7)

Advanced Photography

Lyn McCracken

Mixed Media

Lisa Beemster After School Art Block 10 - 12th grade (M & W 3:35-5:00 PM)

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

9th – 11th Grade Humanities Humanities

The Humanities program in grades 9-11 combines the study of literature, history, philosophy, culture, and art history in a three-year, chronological sequence. These double-credit courses meet state requirements in both English and history. Classes meet nine times each week in lectures, small-group discussions and writing conferences. The courses are reading and writing intensive. Readings for each topic are taken from primary sources, historical scholarship and from the great literature of or about the period under study. The Humanities program develops higher-order thinking skills by asking students to synthesize concepts and facts from history and to apply them to current situations. The main tool for this exercise is writing—expository and creative—which is a component of each unit of study. Personal responses and oral presentations are also a part of these courses.

Humanities 9 Humanities 9 launches the department’s three-year core class sequence. The first Quint lays the foundation for the study of cultural history by examining the basic elements of society (political, economic, social, religious, and artistic/intellectual) and studying mythological archetypes from a variety of cultures. Quints 2-5 begin the chronological study of world history and culture that will continue through the 11th grade. Ninth graders study world history from ancient civilizations through the early 16th century and survey the word’s major religions. Literary texts from and about these periods include: Lord of the Flies, Gilgamesh, Antigone, Oedipus Rex, selections from the Bible, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, Tao Te Ching, selections from The Canterbury Tales, The Inferno, The Tang Poets, Othello, and Secret History of the Mongols. ESL students are enrolled in Humanities 9-ESL, which parallels Humanities 9. They join Humanities 9 students for presentations and projects when appropriate.

Humanities 10 Using the framework of the basic elements of society, Humanities 10 continues the study of cultural history with a focus on the 18th and 19th Centuries. Major topics include the Enlightenment, Independence and Industrial Revolutions, Romanticism, the U.S. Constitution, Civil War and slavery, Darwin, Marx, Freud, 19th Century Arts, Westward Expansion and Imperialism. Literary studies from and about these periods include: The Crucible, Romantic poetry, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Beloved, Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, The Communist Manifesto, A Doll’s House, Heart of Darkness, and A Small Place. ESL students are enrolled in Humanities 10-ESL. Students in this sheltered section are mixed regularly with students from other sections of Humanities 10 for presentations, projects, and discussions.

Humanities 11 Humanities 11 continues the study of the basic elements of society with a focus on the 20th Century. Major topics include World War I, the Depression, Totalitarianism, the Holocaust, World War II, the Cold War, Post Colonialism, the Fall of the Wall, Globalization, and Liberation Movements. This course has both a strong U.S. and a strong global focus. Literary texts from and about these periods include: Their Eyes Were Watching God, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Great Gatsby, Darkness at Noon, Night, The Catcher in the Rye, Jump, The Bridegroom, and Ten Little Indians. A substantial research paper on a Cold War leader is a mid-year focus of the course and the course, concludes with debates about contemporary global issues. Eleventh grade International students may be enrolled in a sheltered section of this course (designated Humanities 11-Transitional).

12th Grade Humanities (two single-credit courses) Humanities 12 (Meets state requirements for History & U.S. Government) Beginning in the first Quint, and through the November elections, students will participate in political campaigns and will study the election process and the United States Constitution. Each course involves the researching, planning and writing of one or more substantial research projects; the subject of the research will fall under the subject category of the class.

Humanities 12: Asian Studies – Daniel Sparler How does Tehran’s alternative music scene survive rigid censorship? What is being done to save the rainforests of Sumatra? Will Taiwan’s become the first government in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage? What’s it like inside a North Korean gulag? These and other such questions will be explored in our broad-based examination of cultures in major portions of the world’s most populous continent. Focus will be on the 21st Century reality of nations in East, Southeast and South Asia with deeper explorations of Iran, India and China. Much of the course will be presented seminar-style, with students researching topics of interest and exchanging results in formal and informal presentations and discussions. Topics may include the following: the arts, the environment, education, economic and institutional reform, health policy, human rights, indigenous movements, global market integration and U.S.-Asian relations. Film, music and literature will be used extensively throughout the course. Readings may include Rob Gifford’s China Road, Gita Mehta’s Snakes and Ladders, and Hooman Majd’s The Ayatollah Begs to Differ, among others.

Humanities 12: Contemporary Issues – To Be Announced This seminar course is a survey of current affairs of the 21st Century. Topics of study will be drawn from issues in the news and under current public debate. Each quint may focus on a new topic, ranging from human rights challenges and the economics of international trade and globalization to internet privacy and Wikileaks. Particular attention will be given to the actions of major powers such as the U.S., China, Russia, and the E.U. Course readings and exercises will be drawn from current nonfiction and fiction books as well as the international media and publications from international organizations and agencies. Short reading, writing, and research assignments will fuel seminar discussions and contribute to the writing of the major thesis project. 16

Humanities 12: Law and Society – Scott Davis How does the law intersect with our daily lives? How does it reflect our collective values and aspirations? How might law be used in our efforts to build a more just and peaceful world? The Law and Society course combines a practical study of the judicial system with an investigation of contemporary issues of social justice and human rights. The units of study include law and the environment, law and equality, law and criminal justice (the annual mock trial), and human rights law. Senior papers written late in the year have examined a broad range of topics, including detainee rights, environmental law, immigration, Chinese labor practices, Korean free trade, and the legality of the Iraq War. By the end of the year, students will have a broad sense of how the U.S. legal system works and how law can be used to protect rights and advance social justice.

Humanities 12: Media Studies – Calvin Shaw Media Studies will explore the effects of media consumption on our society. As a group, we will take an active role in critiquing the objectivity of various media products, including print, advertising, music, television, film, internet and social media. This class will cover the various rhetorical techniques used by mass media in the coverage of recent and current events. Through a series of discussions, debates, and formal presentations, this seminar-style class will examine the local and global ramifications of the mass media.

Humanities 12: Reading Environments – Andy Meyer In this seminar, students will examine the history and current state of environmentalism throughout the globe. They will confront issues concerning the ways human communities and societies interact with and talk about the physical environments in which they live, from the generation of the very idea of nature to the establishment of ethical codes and policies governing the treatment of the earth. Our inquiry will occur at local, national, regional, and global levels as students study the history and contemporary developments of environmentalism, including conservation, ecology, and environmental justice. In the process, we will examine various contraries like nature vs. culture, wilderness vs. civilization, indigenous vs. invasive, and modern vs. primitive, as well as the complex relationships between the global North and the global South, Western and indigenous peoples, and skeptics and scientists in a world redefined by climate change. Students will engage these topics in a major research essay late in the year. Materials will include news, essays, visual media, and literature.

Humanities 12: Religion and Society – Adina Meyer This course will explore the way in which the religious element of society permeates the other elements. In Quints 2 and 3, students learn about the major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, and other Asian religions in Quint 2; Judaism, Christianity and Islam in Quint 3) and then spend the second part of those quints working in teams to research and present contemporary issues surrounding those religions (gender, politics, popular culture, art, etc.). The fourth Quint is spent researching and writing a major paper on a topic of the student’s choice, related to religion and society. Past topics have included brain research on prayer, the secret life of the Amish, the pagan roots of the Virgin of Guadalupe and Yiddish theater, just to name a few. In Quint 5, we study about, and welcome, members of contemporary religious movements such as the Baha’i faith, the Mormons, and Scientology. Students read both a textbook guide and holy scriptures from the different religions, and are required to visit places of worship, both as individuals and as a class.

Humanities Electives (Meets state requirements for English) Comparative Literature: Poiesis – Andy Meyer “Unreal things have a reality of their own,” says American poet Wallace Stevens. He is arguably describing a process that the Ancient Greeks called poiesis, which means “making,” but the term also implies something deeper: the transformation of ideas into realities. (You can see the roots of our modern word “poetry" in it.) In this year-long intensive study of literature, we’ll deeply engage two kinds of poiesis: poetry and science fiction. Wait, what?! How are these two things related? By the idea of world-making, making unreal things real, transforming possibilities into actualities. We will read and discuss poems from throughout history, asking questions about what they “make.” We’ll pay close attention to the sound and appearance of words, to various forms poets use to make poems, and to the complex relationship between words and things. After building a foundation of poiesis, we’ll turn toward science fiction and ask related questions about narrative: how do science fiction writers make unreal worlds out of current realities? How are science fiction’s “unreal” worlds related to the “real” ones we inhabit? You’ll study literary criticism and write analytical essays. You’ll write poems—little poems, long poems, poems on objects, poems in public. You’ll write for the Internet. You’ll write newspaper articles from the future. You’ll write film reviews. And you’ll communicate (hopefully) your ideas to students throughout the world.

Comparative Literature: Visions of America – Adina Meyer The story of the United States is an epic, populated by archetypal characters like the Cowboy and the Immigrant, the Preacher, the Outlaw and the Prairie Woman. It takes place in mythic locations such as the Shining City, the Small Town and the Wild West. We hear our own stories reflected in tales of the “American Dream.” In this course, we will approach the literature and history of this great land of ours in terms of such mythology. Units will include the Founding Fathers, the Migrant/Immigrant, American Holidays, Prison and the West. We will read and write poetry, plays, narratives, stories, and songs. We will attend performances, watch films, do research, give presentations and performances, and ponder the compelling nature of this rich and ever-changing epic. Whether you grew up in the United States, or came to study here from another country, this course will help you deepen your understanding of the stories that are told—and retold—here every day.

Comparative Literature – Françoise Canter The first two quints, we will study The Myth of the Golden Age and Utopia. We will first read the original myth as it appears in Hesiod’s 8th BCE text The Works and the Days, the oldest text on the myth in western civilization. The longevity of this myth is combined with its capacity to transform itself throughout history in literature, philosophy, geography, politics, travel journals, and, since the 19th century, in popular media. We will explore the transformations of the myth in selected texts and films and try to understand how and why this myth continues to offer new dimensions to the original. We will devote the last three quints to The Narrative of the Expatriates and Exiles. In this second part of the seminar, we will explore, through the narrative of expatriates and exiles (first and second generations), the rich interplay that shapes the feeling of being separated from one’s self and correlatively the constant building and aggregation of the self.

Philosophy – Glen Sterr The Philosophy seminar is a year-long study of the history of philosophy with a focus on the central and abiding questions which have stimulated that great dialogue. Those questions are very much with us today and provide the foundations for science and mathematics, religion and ethics, politics and theories of education, literature and the arts. We all “do” philosophy without necessarily recognizing it as such. This course will help you to study, evaluate and develop critical thinking. Our study is based entirely on the reading of original sources and daily discussion – and frequent writing about – the ideas and issues raised by philosophers from the early Greeks down to the present, concluding with a careful reading and appreciation of Robert Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Writing Seminar – Suzanne Bottelli This course will focus on the craft of writing in various genres. We will read lots of great poetry and short stories, various forms of narrative non-fiction, a small selection of plays and screenplays, and a few novels – all with an eye (and an ear) for how good writing works. The primary emphasis in this course will be the writing that the students do. Discussions of craft will inform in-class writing exercises, take-home assignments, writing workshops, and a portfolio of revised pieces for each quint. Students in this course will become conversant in the dialogue that every writer takes up with the forms of the past – whether in bumping up against them, elaborating upon them, or negotiating a charged space outside of them. They will also experience the lively, supportive atmosphere of the writing workshop.

Writing Seminar: Creative Reader as Creative Writer – Harumi LaDuke This is a reading and writing intensive course designed for students who wish to become better writers and readers. Good writing proceeds from close reading, just as good reading stems from attentive writing. As such, you will encounter a variety of writing styles and genres—fiction, creative nonfiction, humor, poetry, screenwriting, blogs, and plays, among others—in the process of becoming a better writer and critic. As we study each genre, you will write your own creative pieces in that genre, workshop your writing with your peers, and develop skills to constructively critique the work of others. Through careful reading, writing, and critique, you will learn how to make choices in diction, syntax, and tone in order to produce your own distinctive voice on the page.

Additional English Electives Advanced English Composition – Sarah Porter The purpose of this course is to prepare students to be successful writers in college and beyond. Students will gain practice with all steps of the writing process: pre-writing, drafting, revising and editing. Written work will include the personal essay, the analytic essay, persuasive and creative writing. Readings will include a variety of genres: fiction, creative non-fiction, editorials and articles. Through reading and writing, peer-editing and revision, students will develop fluency in both oral and written expression. This course is required for international students; it meets college admissions and entrance requirements in English.

Journalism â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Calvin Shaw The medium of print is a powerful means of communication. If you are passionate about the writing, photography, and creativity it takes to produce a school publication, Journalism is the class for you. In this class, you will be part of a team that thoughtfully produces a quintly publication to be read and revered by the NWS community and beyond. In order to create a publication that is informative and visually pleasing, you will be asked to master a variety of skills that will stretch your limits as writers and artists. As a student in Journalism, you will be involved in each step of the publication process. Some of the journalistic forms we will study include the following: news writing, feature stories, arts reviews, sports reporting, editorials, and more. As a team, we will decide the most effective ways to bring this information to our audience, and we will go through the creating, designing, editing, and producing that it takes to make our ideas a reality of newspaper bliss.

Mathematics 9th Grade Algebra I with Geometry This course is designed for 9th graders who have not completed an Algebra I course. Students will develop their skills and understanding of linear equations and functions and their graphs, and begin the study of a variety of basic functions including quadratics. Students will develop skills in working with polynomials, exponents, radicals, and rational expressions in algebraic terms. Basic ideas of geometry will also be part of the course.

Geometry Geometry focuses on visual and spatial skills while working with geometric shapes in two and three dimensions. We study geometric principles including congruence, proofs, similarity, the Pythagorean Theorem, and trigonometry with an emphasis on developing logical problem-solving skills and reasoning. This course will combine the study of the theoretical ideas of geometry along with their applications.

Algebra II Algebra II extends the work from previous courses in using mathematics to model and understand the world. The course explores linear functions through finding a line of best fit and learning to model and solve a situation with systems of equations. Students have the opportunity to become fluent in operations with polynomials, complex numbers, rational expressions, exponential expressions, and logarithms. Functions of all types are explored through tables, graphs, equations, and their connections to situations in the world. An introduction to probability is also part of the course. This class is designed for domestic students who have already completed Algebra I and Geometry and for international students who are ready for Algebra II. Enrollment in this course will be determined by a placement exam.

10th Grade Algebra II

Mathematics

Algebra II extends the work from previous courses in using mathematics to model and understand the world. The course explores linear functions through finding a line of best fit and learning to model and solve a situation with systems of equations. Students have the opportunity to become fluent in operations with polynomials, complex numbers, rational expressions, exponential expressions, and logarithms. Functions of all types are explored through tables, graphs, equations, and their connections to situations in the world. An introduction to probability is also part of the course.

Pre-Calculus Pre-Calculus is an in-depth study of functions with an emphasis on thinking about change in preparation for calculus. We study linear, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, polynomial and rational functions – in each case we learn to move fluently between verbal, numeric, graphic and formulaic representations, and we learn the sorts of real-world phenomena that each kind of function models. We study compositions of functions, inverses and transformations, in each case considering what the changes mean in terms of the function’s graph and the sorts of situations it models. In the course of these investigations, we work in new ways with topics students are familiar with (e.g., the family of quadratic functions) and we use algebraic skills the students will need in calculus. The course includes a significant amount of trigonometry and an introduction to the concept of limits.

11th Grade Math Analysis This course is for students who want to work at their own pace and/or fill in gaps from prior learning experiences in math. Students propose their own topics of study in algebra and geometry, working with the teacher and their peers and using textbooks and online resources to study their topics of focus. One day per week, the class applies their knowledge to collaboratively analyze data from the news and other sources. As a part of each quint, the class engages in alternative forms of visually representing mathematical thinking. In addition, once per week, students pose questions to each other in an open forum of math conversation. This course is not designed to prepare students for calculus, but rather to develop a strong basic understanding of advanced algebra and geometry.

Pre-Calculus Pre-calculus is an in-depth study of functions with an emphasis on thinking about change in preparation for calculus. We study linear, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, polynomial and rational functions – in each case we learn to move fluently between verbal, numeric, graphic and formulaic representations, and we learn the sorts of real-world phenomena that each kind of function models. We study compositions of functions, inverses and transformations, in each case considering what the changes mean in terms of the function’s graph and the sorts of situations it models. In the course of these investigations, we work in new ways with topics students are familiar with (e.g., the family of quadratic functions) and we use algebraic skills the students will need in calculus. The course includes a significant amount of trigonometry and an introduction to the concept of limits.

Calculus Calculus, the mathematics of motion and change, includes the study of the major concepts of limits, derivatives, and integrals. Understanding of the concepts and their connections with each other is emphasized. Students will develop facility with calculating limits, derivatives, and integrals and will work with using these ideas in a variety of applications. Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus or instructor’s permission.

12th Grade Statistics It is often noted that we live in a data-driven society. A more accurate description is that we live in an “interpretation of data”-driven society. This course is all about how we interpret, process, and visualize the data we confront in our daily lives. You will read, discuss, and write about the use and misuse of statistics in media and politics. You will also design and conduct observational studies and experiments to answer questions of interest to you. A wide variety of disciplines – the social sciences (i.e., psychology or sociology), biostatistics, criminology, political science, business, economics, and law, to name only a few – require an understanding of statistics. All seniors are welcome to take this course. There is no prerequisite math course needed to qualify.

Calculus Calculus, the mathematics of motion and change, includes the study of the major concepts of limits, derivatives, and integrals. Understanding of the concepts and their connections with each other is emphasized. Students will develop facility with calculating limits, derivatives, and integrals and will work with using these ideas in a variety of applications. One section will move at a slower pace than the others. Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus or instructor’s permission.

Advanced Calculus This is a second-year calculus course. We begin with an in-depth study of Taylor polynomial approximations of transcendental functions. We study the origins and the many practical uses of polynomial expansions, and we learn the convergence tests for infinite series. We go into further depth with techniques and applications of integrals, including partial fractions and improper integrals. We spend roughly half the year studying multivariable calculus, beginning with partial fractions and their applications and working through double integrals in both rectangular and polar coordinates and triple integrals. We use these skills to explore applications in physics that involve

functions of multiple variables. Only students who have successfully completed a first-year calculus class may enroll in this class.

Math Teacher Assistant (TA) The student will work with a math teacher helping answer student questions in class as well as other similar duties as worked out by the teacher. The student will attend at least two periods in class per week. Other meeting times will be arranged with the supervising faculty to help prepare for those classes. Thus, the student must be able to commit at least three total periods per week. There will be opportunities to work as a TA with any level of math, from 6th grade through Calculus. Intended for interested seniors, permission of faculty is required. If you are interested, contact David Matlock.

Science 9th Grade Science

Physical Science â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jeremy DeWitt & Emma Wolf-Saxon During the 9th grade year in science, students rely on their own observations and questions to develop a methodical process for investigating the physical world around them. Project-based laboratory experiences on topics such as optics, kinematics, and Newton's Laws provide opportunities to focus on practical laboratory methods, modeling, scientific writing, and collaborative group work strategies. Through these investigations, students build a community of scientists.

10th Grade Biology â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mark Terry & Kathryn Wallace A laboratory course in the processes of life. Special emphasis is placed on cell biology, human physiology, embryology, sex and reproduction. Evolution is studied intensively in a combined unit with the 10th grade Humanities program. Genetics and ecology close out the year. Expectations are high for independent studying and thinking on the part of all students, including opportunities to design labs and to summarize current research from the professional literature. The art of asking good, researchable questions is central to the course.

11th Grade Chemistry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Renee Fredrickson & Emma Wolf-Saxon The chemistry curriculum focuses on four primary goals: 1) enabling students to be chemically literate in a highly chemical world, giving them tools with which they can tackle issues without intimidation; 2) preparing students for any college-level chemistry course they may choose to take; 3) providing students a solid basis in critical thinking and problem solving skills done from a chemistry perspective but useful in all disciplines; 4) giving students the opportunity to learn to function in the laboratory to solve problems and answer questions.

12th Grade Advanced Chemistry – Renee Fredrickson The Advanced Chemistry course is an opportunity to explore topics in chemistry not introduced in the first-year course; for example, electrochemistry (how do they make that gold-plated jewelry?) and oxidation reduction reactions (why do those ceramic glazes turn colors in the kiln?). We study the energy of reaction extensively, but what does that tell us about how fast the reactions happen (kinetics)? We discuss equilibrium, but what happens when equilibrium is upset by altering the conditions of the reaction? Building upon a year of laboratory skills, the advanced course will involve more student-initiated lab work and some experience with chemical instrumentation. (May not be taken concurrently with Primate Biology, but may be taken concurrently with Physics.)

Physics – Cecilia Tung Physics in 12th grade is a lab-based course in which students learn about the underlying physical principles of the world: motion, forces, energy, sound, light, electricity, and magnetism. The format of the class includes lecture/discussion, experimentation and mathematical problem solving. Students will learn how real physicists work through laboratory investigations, trial-and-error model building and reasoning with mathematical equations. A range of math levels is accommodated through differentiated course work depending on aptitude, background, interest and commitment. (3 sections) The new blended section of Physics is lab-based and will cover the same topics (motion, forces, energy, sound, light, electricity, and magnetism) as the fully face-to-face sections but will employ a different format with an emphasis on technology as one tool of exploration. Introduction of physics concepts will happen through videos, simulations and other online resources mostly outside of classtime. Time spent in the classroom will involve further explanation of complex topics, application to real world problems through hands-on lab activities, and mathematical problem solving. This format requires students to be independent learners who are able to pace themselves through long-term, open-ended projects. Students in this section of physics must have an interest in and aptitude for learning through technology and a willingness to be part of this first experimental cohort, assisting in the exploration of appropriate online materials and resources. A range of math levels will be accommodated through differentiated course work depending on aptitude, background, interest and commitment. (1 section)

Primate Biology – Mark Terry The anatomy, evolution, ecology and behavior of the monkeys, apes and prosimians, with a look at our own relationship to our closest biological relatives. Will include weekly laboratory, visits to the primate collections at Woodland Park Zoo, Oregon Zoo in Portland, and the Oregon Regional Primate Center, as well as a trip to the John Day Fossil Beds in Eastern Oregon. (May not be taken concurrently with Advanced Chemistry, but may be taken concurrently with Physics.)

Lab Assistant – Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry The student will work with Jeremy DeWitt (Physical Science), Renee Fredrickson (Chemistry), Mark Terry (Biology), Kathryn Wallace (Biology) or Emma Wolf-Saxon (Physical Science or Chemistry). Schedule permitting, the student will attend at least one discussion section and one lab section of the relevant course per week. Other meeting times will be arranged with the supervising faculty to help prepare materials for labs, clean materials used in labs and, occasionally prepare presentations

for the classes. Intended primarily for interested seniors, permission of faculty required. If you are interested, contact the appropriate faculty member.

Modern Languages Modern Languages

Chinese Chinese I – Tina Chang This course is an introduction to standard Chinese (Mandarin). Students will learn the Pinyin Romanization system and Mandarin which is the official spoken language of China. Students will also learn how to write Chinese characters; both simplified and traditional versions will be introduced. This course will be based on the standard known as “5C”: communication; communities; culture; comparison, and connection. We will incorporate listening, speaking, writing and reading into the teaching materials and activities. We will also explore Chinese history, literature, customs, holidays and current events.

Chinese II – Tina Chang This class will build on the foundation of skills formed in Chinese I. Students will increase their usage of Chinese (Mandarin) by adding topics that teach more vocabulary, sentences, and grammar. Students are encouraged to use listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in practical ways.

Chinese III – Tina Chang This class will review many previous topics, and at the same time expand students’ knowledge and abilities in Chinese language and culture. There will be many activities and exercises to increase student’s abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will also be encouraged to communicate with others who already know Chinese.

Chinese IV – Tina Chang This class will continue to build on the foundation of skills formed in the first three years of Chinese study. The course will expand student’s knowledge and abilities in Chinese language and culture. Students will be encouraged to use listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in practical ways. Students will also be encouraged to communicate with others who already know Chinese. (A minimum enrollment of four students is required for course to be offered.)

English (as a Second Language) Beginning Grammar/Writing-ESL – Melody Haff This class helps students begin to develop strong academic writing and grammar skills. They learn about sentence structure, grammar, mechanics, and the writing process. They are introduced to standard organizational patterns of the paragraph and the basic concepts of essay writing. Throughout the year, students practice using the rules of English grammar in both speaking and writing activities, which include playing grammar games, working on individual and group projects, and giving presentations to the class.

Intermediate Grammar/Writing-ESL – Melody Haff This class presents a more in-depth study of English grammar and helps students use different grammatical structures to express ideas through paragraphs and essays. Students learn and practice standard academic patterns of essay organization and work to develop a mature writing style. Several grammar-based projects, writing assignments, and presentations are required.

English Composition & Advanced Grammar-ESL – Melody Haff This advanced course in English language is designed to help international students improve their language skills in all areas: grammar, listening, reading, writing and speaking. In this class, students use a variety of academic and technical discourse in English to work on activities such as reading comprehension, paraphrasing and summarizing. Vocabulary development using the Academic Word List (AWL) and learning strategies for taking the Internet-based TOEFL test (iBT) are also introduced and practiced throughout the year.

Advanced English Composition – Sarah Porter The purpose of this course is to prepare students to be successful writers in college and beyond. Students will gain practice with all steps of the writing process: pre-writing, drafting, revising and editing. Written work will include the personal essay, the analytic essay, persuasive and creative writing. Readings will include a variety of genres: fiction, creative non-fiction, editorials and articles. Through reading and writing, peer-editing and revision, students will develop fluency in both oral and written expression. This course is required for international students; it meets college admissions and entrance requirements in English.

French French I – Françoise Canter This course is designed for complete beginners. The course is entirely taught in French. Students learn to understand a good deal of spoken French and get to know their classmates. The listening skills they develop, hearing only French, enhance their ability to understand and gradually speak French. Students learn vocabulary to describe themselves and their environment, including the names of classes and classroom objects, the days of the week, and telling time. They expand listening and speaking vocabulary to include family members, numbers and expressions for giving personal data. They begin to talk about the weather, what they like or don’t like to do, their daily routine and recreational activities, and their abilities and wishes. They learn the names for transportation and places in the city, the names of stores and expressions useful for shopping, how to ask for and give directions, and how to say where places are located.

French II – Marina de McVittie This course is taught entirely in French and starts with a review and expansion of the material covered in French I. We review the major verb groups; we develop grammar and vocabulary skills through units on homes and neighborhoods, food, including restaurants and cooking, and speaking about events that occurred in the past. Students learn about French culture and society as well as the broader francophone world (such places as Martinique, Senegal, and Québec). We include reading and memorization of poems, other short texts (often complementing topics studied in Humanities), the regular reading (followed by discussions) and French-language films. We strongly emphasize the development of listening and speaking skills. The primary goals of the year are developing a solid foundation for continuing the study of French and encouraging oral and written expression.

French III – Françoise Canter The course is entirely taught in French. We review and extend the learning of the past tenses. We learn the future, the conditional and we study the pronouns. Students expand their oral skills through class discussions and group presentations. Films and projects are directly linked to grammar and the Humanities 11 curriculum. In relation to Humanities, some class projects include study of World War II and the Holocaust.

French IV – Françoise Canter At this advanced level we approach the language mostly as an art. We study literary texts (several short stories and one larger piece), and we do some translation, discuss current events, and write a daily journal. We review grammar according to the needs of the students. We study the relative prepositions and the subjunctive. Paralleling the Humanities election campaign study, the students prepare a fictional campaign for the election of the student president of The Northwest School. They establish a profile, write a program, create a pamphlet and present their candidate to the French III class. During “Election Day”, French III students vote for the “best candidate.” Each week a student is responsible to lead a debate on current events. The last Quint is entirely devoted to personal projects, presentations and the creation of a sitcom.

Spanish Spanish I – Marina de McVittie This course is designed for students with little or no background in Spanish. Spanish is the primary language of instruction. The students learn vocabulary, grammar, and communicative structures, while slowly building their listening comprehension and ability to produce spoken Spanish. All four language skills are emphasized as we read, write, listen and speak in Spanish. The material covered in this class begins with a focus on the students themselves, expands to talking about family, friends, and school and eventually the greater community. At the end of the year the students will possess basic communicative skills and will be ready to move on to the second level of Spanish study.

Spanish II – Michelle Kowals Spanish II further develops basic communicative proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The program follows the basic principles of communicative language teaching. The students focus on the message and task at hand, as they participate in communicative activities moving gradually from comprehension to oral production of the target language. The course is taught in Spanish starting on the first day of class. At the end of the second year of Spanish study, students should be able to use vocabulary and grammar to describe activities in the present and preterit tenses including regular, irregular, and reflexive verbs.

Spanish III (9th Grade) – Lisa Blodgett & Michelle Kowals This class serves students coming out of Spanish II from our Middle School Spanish program, and will incorporate incoming 9th graders with two middle school years of previous Spanish language study. Each unit of study is based on a cultural or communicative theme, while incorporating the use of grammatical structures and vocabulary development. We study several past tenses, the future tense, reflexive verbs, object pronouns and the subjunctive mood. Throughout the year students will have the opportunity to become more confident and proficient communicators in both spoken and written Spanish. Classes are conducted in Spanish only, encouraging the students to express themselves exclusively in the target language.

Spanish III (11th Grade) – Marina de McVittie This course completes the three-year language requirement for students who started Spanish I in 9th grade. The emphasis is on review and more in-depth coverage of Spanish grammar. We will emphasize reading comprehension and oral expression. This class prepares students to continue Spanish in their senior year should they decide to join the 12th grade Advanced Spanish classes.

Spanish IV – Lisa Blodgett & David Montero This course is a continuation of the three-year Spanish language requirement in the upper school, serving primarily students from 9th grade Spanish III, or incoming 10th graders who can demonstrate an appropriate level of Spanish proficiency. We will work in the Gente Joven III text with more advanced grammar structures, including present and past subjunctive, compound tenses, future, and conditional. This course begins to emphasize content and thematic units, sometimes complementary topics studied in 10th grade Humanities.

Spanish V – Lisa Blodgett This course completes the three-year upper school language requirement for students who began Spanish in middle school. It presents a thorough grammar review while continuing with a themebased curriculum often paralleling 11th grade Humanities. The goal is for students to process historical and cultural information in their second language. Units have included Hispanic Americans, the Spanish Civil War, current issues in Latin America, a Guatemala curriculum unit, social justice issues in El Salvador, and poetry by García Lorca. The Spanish SAT II is taken informally.

Advanced Spanish – Marina de McVittie Advanced Spanish is the culmination of our Spanish program. Students continue to develop a method of textual analysis and expand their written and oral skills. The course, taught in Spanish, is arranged around three revolving objectives: to use Spanish for immediate and real communication and for personal and artistic expression; to use Spanish for higher-level critical thinking; and to continue the formal study of Spanish, that is to say, to study grammar, morphology and syntax. Our materials include a rich variety of literary and grammatical texts, music, films, newspapers and electronic publications. Some theme-based projects for this level might be: - Self-portraits in the style of the authors whose works we read. - Presentations of famous Latin American artists, their masterpieces, lives and historical periods. - Writing and producing children’s books. - Creating presentations about Latin American flora and fauna. - Studying current ecological undertakings of a particular Latin American region.

Advanced Spanish – Daniel Sparler The focus of this course will be Spanish and Latin American culture and civilization in the modern world, punctuated by short bursts of grammar review when necessary. Taught entirely in Spanish, the course will alternate close reading of 20th and 21st century poetry and short stories (by authors including Antonio Machado, Gabriela Mistral, Pablo Neruda, Nicanor Parra, Roberto Bolaño, Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Mario Vargas Llosa, Manuel Vilas and Manuel Rivas) with deep reflection on the power of music and film in shaping culture and history. From time to time we will explore current world events as reported in El País, Spain’s newspaper of record. We will end the year with an intensive, month-long unit immersing ourselves in the linguistic “kissing-cousin” of Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese.

Physical Education Physical Education Requirement: Students must fulfill the two-year Physical Education requirement in order to graduate. One year of P.E. credit is earned through 9th grade P.E. Additional credit toward the two-year physical education requirement can be met through enrollment in dance, outdoor education or by participation on an interscholastic sports team (see table). It is recommended that students fulfill the P.E. requirement through participation in a variety of these activities. If, for some reason, none of these options works for a given student, the physical education requirement may be partially fulfilled through participation in an organized, off-campus activity or program. This option should be requested in writing by the student and must be approved by the Upper School Director, Athletic Director, and Registrar. Contact the Registrar’s office for further information.

9th Grade Physical Education All 9th graders will be enrolled in a full-year physical education course. One quint will be a health unit which will address topics in the areas of physical, social, emotional and mental health, and wellness. The other four quints will include fitness and other activities as determined by the Physical Education Department.

Interscholastic Athletic Teams Boys

Girls

Fall NOTE: Fall sports begin August 25th

Ultimate Frisbee Cross Country

Soccer Cross Country Volleyball

Winter

Basketball Fit Club

Spring

Track & Field Soccer Fit Club

Track & Field Ultimate Frisbee Fit Club

Upper School athletics typically involve 4-6 days a week for practices and games, though this varies somewhat from sport to sport. Make plans NOT to do Driver’s Education, after-school classes (theatre, photography, etc.), SAT-prep courses, or other after-school endeavors during an athletic season – it’s usually too difficult to do any of these as well as play on a high school team. Contact Britt Atack, Athletic Director, or the coach if you have questions. Two Quint’s credit (0.8) toward the two-year physical education requirement is awarded for each season of athletic participation. Please note: Fall sports (Cross Country, Girls’ Soccer, Boys’ Ultimate and Volleyball) begin August 25, 2014. Students must have an athletics physical form updated every 24 months, an

annual athletics waiver form, and an annual concussion information form on file before participation. No student may participate in a practice/contest until all three forms are in.

Physical Education

Forms are available in the Athletic office or on our website at: http://www.northwestschool.org/athletics/index.shtml How to Sign up for a Sport Sign up for a sport through student registration in May or afterward by contacting the Athletics Office. We will email sport-specific information to prospective fall athletes and their parents in late May. Students may opt in or out afterward, but registration gives us a good idea of student interest. For more details about the Upper School athletics program, including: - team selection - time commitment - playing time - participation fee - practices/contests during school breaks - eligibility rules - communication between coaches, players, and parents - transfer and international students please see The Northwest School website at: http://www.northwestschool.org/athletics/index.shtml

Fitness Fit Club is a conditioning team that meets in the Fitness Room on M/W/F from 3:45-4:45. Winter Fit Club spans Quints II/III. Spring Fit Club spans Quints IV/V. The goal of Fit Club is to build strength, stamina, and all-around fitness in a fun environment, producing “sweat and smiles.” Students will learn proper techniques and timing to do a wide range of strength and cardiovascular exercises safely, instructed by a certified personal trainer/fitness class instructor. Full attendance is certainly encouraged but not required. Students will receive P.E. credit if they attend roughly half or more of the workouts. Full-time attendance yields two quints (0.8) of credit; half-time attendance yields one quint (0.4) of credit. Eligibility forms – sports physical, athletics waiver, and concussion form – are required to participate.

Outdoor Education This course provides students with opportunities to develop a wide variety of outdoor recreational skills and interests. The course will expose students to many of the following kinds of activities and skills: hiking, bicycling, camping, rock climbing, alpine (downhill) skiing, nordic (cross-country) skiing, snowshoeing, sea-kayaking, snow cave and igloo building, camp cooking, and outdoor safety. Because we will be visiting wilderness areas that are highly susceptible to human impact, we will be stressing and practicing environmental ethics and minimum impact camping. The course does not meet during the week, but rather involves day-long or overnight trips on weekends. Students are enrolled in this "class" only in those quints in which they take part in outdoor offerings. Amount of credit (half or full) is based on level of participation in the outings offered each quint. To earn full credit, a student needs to complete at least three days of outdoor experience in that quint. Occasional training/planning sessions will be scheduled as needed, usually at lunch or after school. The course counts for physical education credit.

These two courses are offered during art blocks, but are not arts courses and do not satisfy arts distribution requirements. Students must be enrolled in at least one arts course at all times, so no student may take two of these additional electives simultaneously. These courses are offered for credit, however, and students interested in Journalism or Peer Mentoring should have no difficulty meeting their arts distribution requirements.

Peer Mentoring â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Megan Reibel & Amy Berner-Hays The Peer Mentoring Class is intended to offer students the opportunity to develop leadership skills. Peer Mentors serve as informed, thoughtful, and sensitive resources for students at The Northwest School. The most significant element of being a Peer Mentor is active participation and engagement. The class will focus on learning new skills such that Peer Mentors can serve as advocates, peer counselors and leaders in the school. In class and out of class, the role of Peer

Additional Elevtices

Additional Electives

Mentor involves taking responsibility for working to understand the needs of the student body. Peer Mentors, as individuals and as a group, will learn how to support and guide students who may need a helping hand. It is also a great way for juniors and seniors to get to know each other better. Class activities typically include: discussion, outside readings, field trips to local clinics and health agencies, exploration of community resources, mediation training, leadership of school community meetings, creating and maintaining student resource bulletin boards, teaching opportunities in the Middle School, Health classes and Parent Forums and even Faculty meetings. On occasion, Mentors will be asked to miss one of their other classes to work with students in other grades. All Peer Mentors are expected to attend the fall retreat which is scheduled to allow us to work directly with the 8th grade fall trip. Mentors may also lead some aspects of student orientations and other programming throughout the year. This is a full-year class and students are expected to be Peer Mentors for all five quints. An application is required for admission to this class. Information about the application process and deadline is distributed at grade level meetings during Quint 4. Selections are made before registration.

Arts Curriculum

Upper School arts courses are offered in Art Blocks scheduled for access by particular grade levels: 9-10th Art Block; 11-12th Art Block; 9-12th Art Block; 12th only Art Block. Since all courses in an art block meet at the same time, students may not enroll in more than one course in a block. Students may not enroll in an art block not offered to their grade level since it will conflict with their academic courses.

2014-2015 Courses Arranged by Art Block 9 - 10th Art Block (M & W periods 8 - 9) Act Out!

Ellen Graham & Solomon Davis

Beginning Drawing

Lisa Beemster

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Ceramics 9-10

Randy Silver

Choir 9-10

Dana Sewall

Creative Dance and Movement

Amber Wolfe Wollam

Graphic Design

Wyn Pottinger-Levy

Public Art

Curtis Erlinger

Sculpture and Materials Exploration

Jeanne Ferraro

11 - 12th Art Block (M & W periods 6 - 7)

Advanced Drawing

Lisa Beemster

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Choir 11-12

Dana Sewall

Design/Maker Studio

Wyn Pottinger-Levy

Film

Laura Ferri

Peer Mentoring

Megan Reibel & Amy Berner-Hays

Social Dance

Ellie Sandstrom

Arts Curriculum

Two full-year arts courses are taken each year. A minimum of six arts courses must be taken to graduate. To fulfill the arts distribution requirement, students must take at least one course in each of the four departments: Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Students who choose a non-arts elective (e.g., Peer Mentoring or Journalism) for a given year must take at least one art course in that year.

9 - 12th Art Block (T & Th periods 8 - 9) A Cappella Select Choir (Quints 4-5 only)

Dana Sewall

Beginning Drawing

Curtis Erlinger

Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Ceramics 9-12

Randy Silver

Chamber Orchestra

Gretchen Yanover

Jazz Ensemble

Michael Van Bebber

Journalism

Calvin Shaw

Mask, Mime and Improvisation

Scott Davis

Music Studio

Harumi LaDuke

Musical Theatre/Play Production

Laura Ferri/Ellen Graham/Dana Sewall

Paper, Print and Fiber Design

Sandy Nelson

Performing Dance Ensemble

Ellie Sandstrom

Social Dance

Maya Soto

Spoken Word

Steven Wilbur

Stagecraft

Dave Baldwin

Watercolor and Related Media

Lisa Beemster

Yearbook

Wyn Pottinger-Levy

Senior Art Block (T & Th periods 6 - 7) Advanced Photography

Lyn McCracken

Mixed Media

Lisa Beemster

After School Art Block 10 - 12th grade (M & W 3:35-5:00 PM) Beginning Photography

Lyn McCracken

Dance Creative Dance and Movement – Amber Wolfe Wollam This class is focused on exploring and creating movement. The class will start with the basic physical skills of observation, awareness, and control of your body in space. Along the way, you will pick up some skills and styles from other dance genres and incorporate them into our experiments. For this class, inspiration comes from artists that combine performance genres, especially dance, theatre and circus arts. (Look up Aurélia and James Thiérrée!) On any given day you may be breakdancing, belly dancing, balancing your partner on your back, swing dancing, swashbuckling or just moving strangely. You will often say "What happens if we…?" No prerequisites. Beginners are welcome.

Performing Dance Ensemble (a.k.a. “Dance Team”) – Ellie Sandstrom This class is for those who love to create dance and those who love to perform. This class will explore improvisational exercises and choreographic devices and will perform often, in front of the NWS community and beyond. This class will help you discover how to build skills in collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication, through dance. Students in this class must be prepared with a movement background (in any style), a strong sense of motivation and a curiosity to explore new challenges among a large group. If you have not taken a dance class with Ellie before, you must email her a note of interest and intent through her teacher page.

Social Dance – Maya Soto (9-12) or Ellie Sandstrom (11-12) Walk to the beautiful Century Ballroom in the historic Odd Fellows Hall and learn both Swing and Salsa in depth, from master teachers in these forms. Learn basic steps, flashy turns, and how to be a great lead and follow—all you need for a lifetime of dancing. Be prepared to have fun, while working hard in this class. No prerequisites. Beginners are welcome.

Music A Cappella Select Choir – Dana Sewall This performance ensemble is designed for experienced singers, who love to sing, and who are ready to take choral singing to the next level! Mixed voices (both genders) will prepare a wide range of challenging, fun, and often A Cappella literature from a variety of styles, cultures, eras, and languages in 4-8 part harmony. Vocal technique will be honed, and music literacy, ear training, and expressiveness expanded. Opportunities for solo and small ensemble work, group song arrangement, and choreography may be offered at the interest and direction of the choir members. We will have the opportunity to perform at least 3-4 times throughout the school year. A Cappella Select Choir is offered as a full-year course in alternate years (not offered for a full year in 2014-15). Students enrolled in Musical Theatre, who wish to continue to sing following the musical, will have the opportunity to audition for A Cappella Select Choir for Quints 4-5.

Chamber Orchestra – Gretchen Yanover This ensemble is designed to develop advanced string ensemble performance abilities, and is a place to have fun with fellow string players! Pianists and non-transposing woodwind instrumentalists (flute, oboe, and bassoon) are also welcome to speak with the instructor about auditioning to join the ensemble. We play a variety of music that students help choose, from Baroque to Modern. Members actively develop and refine proficiency in tone production, technique, listening skills, and performance practice. Regular preparation is essential, private instruction is recommended, and members are required to participate in all performances in which the group is involved. This usually includes evening performances for Open House, Winter Concert, ArtsFest, and Spring Concert. Audition required: musicians must prepare one piece to play at an appointment time. This is necessary to determine the skill levels of ensemble members and to help choose appropriate literature. Information about audition appointments for new members will be available at registration.

Choir 9-10 – Dana Sewall This performance ensemble is great for anyone who enjoys singing! Mixed voices (both genders) prepare literature from a variety of styles, cultures, eras, and languages in 3-4 part harmony. Vocal techniques will include breathing, phrasing, vowel shape, range expansion, solo opportunities, and expressiveness. Music literacy, ear training, and performance experience for each singer will be enhanced. The choir will have the opportunity to perform 2-3 times throughout the year. This is an entry level course and everyone is welcome. No audition required.

Choir 11-12 – Dana Sewall Enjoy singing? Have not fulfilled your music requirement yet? Want to take your singing voice to the next level? Interested in singing awesome music with other people who like to sing? If you answered “yes” (or even “maybe”) to any of those questions, this choir may be the right art choice for you. Mixed voices (both genders) prepare literature from a variety of styles. Students will choose much of the music based on the interests of the choir members. This choir will be very flexible, provide solo opportunities, and enhance the abilities of the students. The choir will have 34 opportunities to perform throughout the year. Although it is an advanced choir, no audition is required for this course. Students who have taken choir in 9-10th grade or have sung in A Cappella are welcome to continue advancing their vocal skills in this class. Everyone is welcome! No prerequisites.

Jazz Ensemble – Michael Van Bebber The Jazz Ensemble class is designed to acquaint the young instrumentalist with the basics and the unique joy of understanding and performing jazz literature. A variety of styles and concepts are explored, including traditional and modern jazz, improvisation, the blues, and Latin jazz. The student is expected to be able to play and read music at an intermediate level and to practice and prepare concepts and music outside of class. Attendance at all scheduled performances is mandatory. Audition or permission of instructor required: Please be prepared to perform the following: a prepared piece of 1-2 minutes in length. Prepared pieces can include excerpts from previously 37

learned band or orchestra pieces, jazz standards, or any solo piece for your instrument; 12 major scales; and sight reading. (Drums and amps are provided.) Information about audition dates and times will be available at registration.

Music Studio â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Harumi LaDuke In this course, we dive into the world of digital and other music with a hands-on approach. We will explore the basics of tracking, editing and mixing, and you can create your own music by using FL Studio, a digital audio workstation program. We will analyze music in television commercials and internet media from all over the world, and, by the end of the year, you will also be familiar with musical notation, have learned basic composition skills, developed a working knowledge of acoustic instruments, and you might also know how to play a few tunes on the piano! No experience is necessary.

Theatre Arts The Northwest School believes that theatre training and performance are essential components to adolescent education. We strive to create meaningful classroom experiences in drama for all students and stimulating, inspired performance pieces that enrich the larger community. Recognizing that students have a wide range of interests and experience, we offer a diversity of rigorous classes for all abilities, which foster appreciation for the discipline as well as a love for the technical support and performance of theatrical productions. We encourage incoming freshmen and sophomores and any students new to the discipline of theatre to take one of our fundamental core classes such as Act Out! or Stagecraft but invite any interested actor to audition for Musical Theatre/Play Production, our performing ensemble. The Theatre Faculty will then place students in the appropriate class.

Act Out! â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ellen Graham & Solomon Davis This course is a fun, hands-on way to learn more about all things theater! The course is designed for students new to theater and as well as for those who want to hone their dramatic skills. The first quint the entire class meets and works together to build ensemble through theater games, improvisation and acting exercises. Quints 2-5, the group is split with each half doing a 2 quint rotation tackling more in-depth improvisation and scene study, drawing from comedic and dramatic plays. The class will also attend productions both at NWS and in the vibrant Seattle community, exploring how to take a character from page to stage.

Film â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Laura Ferri An exploration of the art of film through scene work, screenwriting, production and film analysis. Students will have the opportunity to explore different areas of the medium according to their interests. Possible projects include music videos, commercials, video shorts, and documentaries. Class time will be spent performing and viewing class work and videos, and designing and shooting film projects. No prerequisites.

Mask, Mime, and Improvisation – Scott Davis This class is designed for experienced actors and dancers who want to enrich their physical theatre skills. It can also be an appropriate course for dedicated beginners who are comfortable taking risks and want to try their hand at mask theatre, mime illusion, and advanced improvisation. After introductory units in the three main disciplines, the ensemble spends the last two quints of the year creating new work, which it then performs in a variety of venues, including a full production at the end of the year. Some years the ensemble has built a traveling show to take into the broader community. This class is great for those who enjoy the intellectual challenges of spontaneous theatre and appreciate the physical challenges of mask, theatre, and mime.

Musical Theatre/Play Production Ensemble – Laura Ferri, Ellen Graham, Dana Sewall This is an intensive year-long performance class for the serious theatre student. Actors will rehearse and perform several productions during the year for the general public. After school and some week-end rehearsals will be required. After school rehearsals may be scheduled Monday through Friday 3:30–5:30 p.m., with longer rehearsals in Quint 3. We will produce three full-length productions (including the Musical) and the One-Act Play Festival. Singers may have the opportunity to audition for A Cappella Select Choir during Quints 4 & 5. Casting for each play will be done according to the demands of each production and the schedule conflicts of the ensemble members. We are able to work with some sports conflicts. Also, if you are interested in being a stage manager or costume designer for the Musical, sign up for this class and contact Laura Ferri to let her know of your interest. Theatre Productions 2014-2015 December 2014: Full-length play directed by Ellen Graham February 2015: Musical directed by Laura Ferri, with music direction by Dana Sewall May/June 2015: Full-length play; One-Act Play Festival Audition Required: Audition information, dates and times will be available at registration.

Spoken Word – Steven Wilbur A journey through performance poetry. Students will write and read to find the voice inherent in their words, and bring them to light in performance. We will also collaborate with other artistic disciplines, including music and dance, and view current cultural issues through a critical lens. Performances and limited outside-class writing/reading are required. Sports conflicts will be accommodated. Students will work on skills in writing and editing poetry, public speaking, improvisation, collaborative writing, hip hop lyricism, and personal reflection. Writers and performers alike can expect to leave the class articulating their thoughts with more clarity and deeper confidence as they engage their world.

Stagecraft – Dave Baldwin This course will introduce students to a basic understanding of principles of scenic design, lighting design, sound design, costume design, stage management, and other technical aspects of the theatre. The course offers individualized opportunities for study and immersion in different aspects of technical theatre. All students will learn how to build a set with power tools, hang lights, wire the theatre electrics, build sound cues, and make costumes. Select students will learn stage management, costume construction, and programming lightboards. The students in this class will act as the technical staff for the Upper School play productions where they will put their skills to use. The play productions throughout the year will provide a real-world environment to practice our skills. Students are required to attend all theatre productions, and work backstage on at least one crew. The weeks leading up to the productions will require students to stay after school and attend weekend work parties and rehearsals. The schedule will accommodate sport conflicts. This course fulfills the theatre requirement and requires no onstage performance.

Theatre as Communication (ESL 9) – Ellen Graham This course is required for international students who are enrolled in the 9th grade ESL program. Students in this class develop their English pronunciation skills, learn to work together as a community, and strengthen their English speaking skills through in-class creative drama, improvisation, scene study and by making short films about their lives at NWS.

Visual Arts Advanced Drawing – Lisa Beemster Experienced drawing students can extend their skills and work with new media. After a review of basic terms and skills, subjects covered in this class will include “shading”, a self-portrait drawn initially without looking at the paper, life drawing, and taking “visual notes” at the zoo in preparation the creation of a finished work in class, among others. Students will also participate in an “Extended” project in which each student will create a single circular drawing through the 1st four quints. Students interested in this class must have completed Beginning Drawing or must present two or three drawings for a brief, friendly review with Lisa during the registration period.

Advanced Photography – Lyn McCracken This course is for serious students wanting to pursue the creative and conceptual aspects of photography. Quint I will be entirely devoted to ‘making images’ in the camera with five shooting assignments: including a review, still life, conceptual, and color photography. Some class time will be granted for shooting assignments. During Quints 2 and 3 we will explore archival printing, alternative processes (toning methods and lith printing), and color inkjet printing. Quints 4 and 5 will offer students time to synthesize ideas and work on group projects. Class discussions and lectures will include photographic history, contemporary concerns, social responsibility, and alternative presentations. Several field trips will introduce students to museum and gallery settings. Individual and class critiques throughout each quint will support the student’s vision. $150 lab fee. Prerequisite: Beginning Photography.

Beginning Drawing – Lisa Beemster So you think you can't draw? This is the perfect class for you! Students of all skill levels will find this class to be helpful and interesting. We will begin with the basics: line, negative space and proportion. Later in the year we will work with value (black, white, and grays), “shading” to create a sense of depth in our work, and finally, color. Projects include still life drawing, work with scratchboard paper (in which white lines are created by scratching a black, inked, surface), and a color “portrait” of a bell pepper or an apple using colored pencils, among others. All students in this class will participate in an extended series of four in-class self-portraits, the first and last of which will be displayed in Artsfest. By year's end, you will be convinced that you, too, can draw!

Beginning Drawing – Curtis Erlinger This course is based on the act of making and recording marks as well as developing “ways of seeing”—an awareness of what we are looking at and how we see it. Using representation as our foundation, we will translate our “ways of seeing” on paper with various materials and techniques. Drawing from both still life and photographic representations, we will focus on expression, portraiture, landscape, and thematic ideas as subjects. Students will sharpen their ability to construct more effective compositions, record proportion and scale, and replicate the effects of light on form. Assignments encourage students to develop a personal vision, explore limitations, solve problems, and find creative solutions. As this course is rooted in visual communication, you will be encouraged to articulate the ways in which your drawing speaks. In the process of speaking constructively about your work and the work of your peers, you will develop a personal voice, utilizing the language of drawing.

Beginning Photography – Lyn McCracken This class is for beginning photographers wishing to practice both traditional and alternative methods. We will begin by exploring the basic materials, techniques, and processes of darkroom photography. Creative assignments will be given to increase your skills in light metering, depth of field, shutter speeds, exposure, composition, and development. There will be a three-part lecture series on the history of photography. Students will need a manual 35mm camera with interchangeable lens. There are cameras available for use through the photo class. No automatic cameras. $150 lab fee (covers paper and film through the year). There is an opportunity to be a teaching assistant for this class; see Lyn for details. Beginning Photography is not open to 9th grade students.

Ceramics 9-10 – Randy Silver Everything you dream can be made in clay. This exciting ceramics course introduces 9th and 10th grade students to a variety of basic, simple ceramic sculpting and pottery techniques. Each quint, our class will be divided in half, and each section will alternate making functional pottery on the potter’s wheel with sculpting and handbuilding on the tables. Possibilities are endless, ranging from creating simple functional cups, bowls, and vases to fabulous hand-built decorative boxes, beginning figure sculpting, realistic and abstract sculptural forms, and the unknown! As a bonus, we’ll fire some work in the smoky and unpredictable raku kiln which often yields beautiful metallic results (or your piece gets destroyed). You'll stay mostly clean (our clay doesn’t stain and easily washes off of clothes), you keep what you make, and Randy will provide tea during class (provided that you drink it from a teacup that you have made yourself). Choose ceramics and make your artistic dreams come true.

Ceramics 9-12 – Randy Silver Yes! You are welcome in Ceramics 9-12, regardless of your experience in clay. While it’s beneficial to have had some experience on the potter’s wheel and some clay experience, we’ll get you up to speed and introduce you to many new, useful and powerful ceramics techniques. If you already have experience with ceramics, this is the class for you! Each quint, our class will be divided in half, and each section will alternate making functional pottery on the potter’s wheel with sculpting and handbuilding on the tables. After four quints, you’ll be invited to focus on either discipline, or combine them if you dare! In this class you'll learn about wheel throwing, including making simple bowls, cups, mugs. You will also have the opportunity to try more complex forms like vases, cookie-jars, pitchers, lidded vessels and perhaps even teapots. While not on the potter's wheel, you will build on your handbuilding and sculpting experience. We often explore working on natural forms, animals, realistic sculpture, surrealism and sculpting the human face and head. Assignments will become increasingly free and student-driven. As a bonus, we’ll fire some work in the smoky and unpredictable raku kiln which often yields beautiful metallic results (or your artwork gets destroyed). Randy will provide tea during class provided that you drink it from a teacup that you have made yourself.

Design/Maker Studio: from Process to Product – Wyn Pottinger-Levy Would you like to create and ideate? Want to learn to sketch and make things? Think DIY is BIG? Design-thinking is a buzz word of 21st Century education. We are surrounded everyday by the work of designers. Someone, somewhere, designed the fork you eat with, the chair you’re sitting on, and essentially every “man-made” object that surrounds you. In this vast world of stuff that we use in our day-to-day lives, designers identify and interpret our needs and desires and work to fulfill them by using creative problem-solving processes to develop new products. In this class, you will create new 2-D and 3-D works of art and design. By working on a variety of projects, you will learn how to analyze the world of products to find new design problems and needs, how to develop and share your ideas through sketching and model making, and how to work with a variety of materials and tools (including the computer) to build prototypes and final products. At the end of the course, you will leave with new ways of seeing both the hand-built and manufactured world, new ways to share your ideas and solve problems, and lots of cool things that you have created yourself.

Graphic Design – Wyn Pottinger-Levy In this class, you will learn the basics of graphic design, including how to use the robust Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign). These three programs have become the industry standard in image creation, manipulation and production. This class is a basic introduction to design principles, typography and the technological tools of communication that will greatly support and enhance your ability to share your ideas, and allow you to create high quality information, products and presentations. In addition to this, these Adobe programs will allow you to create and manipulate imagery in ways you never imagined, bringing a whole new level to your creative expression in art and design. We will create materials for the benefit of other classes and departments at NWS, so get ready to design and show-off your skills!

Mixed Media – Lisa Beemster In this Senior Art Block class we will explore creating visual images using a variety of unusual, sometimes very old, media. Because the focus of this class is on technique, even students who believe they are “not artsy” will find this class fascinating, fun and non-threatening. Projects include drawing with bleach and watercolor dyes, creating a shadowbox self-portrait (don't worry, your actual image is not required), and making and working with egg tempera paint. This project will also include metal leafing. Finally, we will work with melted, pigmented wax, a medium known as “encaustic”. Students 42

will make encaustic paints and then use them to draw, layer, collage, leaf, scrape, print and drip. Those enrolled in this class should expect protracted, several-step projects throughout the year.

Paper, Print and Fiber Design – Sandy Nelson This class will explore a wide variety of paper, print and fiber art concepts, including color relationships, negative and positive space, shape construction, and texture. Students will create architectural sculpture, wool felting, multicolored block printmaking, silk screen print making on fabric and paper, handmade book construction, paper making, paper lantern cutting, collage, and tie dye printing projects. Paper, Print and Fiber Design students will also learn techniques for working with lots of different art materials, including colored printing inks, E Z Cut printing blocks, acrylic paint, paper pulp, fabric dyes, wire, and colored wool fleece. There are no prerequisites for this class.

Public Art – Curtis Erlinger Using the space around you as a site for discussion and potential projects, Public Art is about making art in the social sphere. We will engage the debate on what is public art, investigate both traditional and non-traditional forms, take field trips to view art, and install our own projects. Students experiment with several ways of creating and displaying art while collaborating and interacting with an audience. Painting murals, designing and stenciling posters, yarn-bombing fences, and creating cast body sculptures are examples of potential ways we will work together in public space. Site-specificity is introduced through ongoing exercises in observing space. Installations are created using both permanent and temporary materials. As this course is rooted in visual communication, you will be encouraged to articulate the ways in which your artwork speaks. In the process of speaking constructively about your work and the work of your peers, you will develop a personal and public voice.

Sculpture and Materials Exploration– Jeanne Ferraro In this class we will explore a variety of materials used in the making of sculpture. We will cast, carve, cut, create, investigate, relate, and concentrate on the making of sculpture. Projects will include: casting paper, casting glass, and stone carving. Other possible materials are bronze and wood. Students will learn to form objects of their own design with hand tools. Each student will be encouraged to make work that interests them. You do not need to know anything about sculpture to take this course—it is open to all! You are also welcome to repeat this class, as projects will vary from year to year and will be differentiated according to experience.

Watercolor and Related Media – Lisa Beemster This class is entirely suitable for beginners as well as more experienced artists. It focuses exclusively on water soluble media including watercolor, gouache (opaque watercolor) and aquarelle pencils. Over the course of the year we will create both non-representational as well as carefully observed “realistic” works. Possible projects include: creation of an abstract watercolor collage as an introduction to pigments and techniques, an extended still-life painting, and a gouache work done in the style of Aboriginal Dot Painting. Included as well will be a number of shorter projects including “The White Project” (painting a white object without using black or white paint), gesture paintings of denizens of the school's hallways and Commons, and a possible new project: the very small painting. Students should be prepared for at least one very protracted, carefully painted work. There are no prerequisites for this class.

Yearbook – Wyn Pottinger-Levy Become one of the elite team members of a class that's in a class by itself. The 2015 Yearbook is waiting to meet you—the artists and designers, photographers and writers, editors and business leaders (okay, even you provocateurs and rabble-rousers) of The Northwest School. You will work hard (yes, most teams and performers practice after school and we’re no exception), but together we will create a collaborative, fun, studio environment and a creative document that will be celebrated and referenced for years to come. (How often do you get to sell your school work, legitimately, to other students?) For decades to come, when you think back about your experiences at The Northwest School, you’ll probably pull out this special book. It will bring back lots of fantastic memories – long after Facebook is old news. Pictures of friends, favorite teachers, trips you took, sports you played, art and events that capture the spirit of your school years will make you smile. No other class creates a year-long project that involves more insight, focus, planning, collaboration and entrepreneurial skills than Yearbook. Colleges know this…and NWS students and faculty love receiving it every spring. Get credit for making 2015 a memorable year.

NOTES