Middle and Upper School Course Guide 2022-2023

Middle and Upper School Course

Guide 2022-2023

Welcome to Trinity School’s 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide!

Trinity School’s Mission Statement establishes both the means and the ends of our K-12 curriculum: namely, to “challenge the minds, fire the imaginations, and train the bodies of the young people who have been entrusted to us; to enlarge their spiritual lives; and to increase their capacity for mutual and self respect.” Every curricular decision we make seeks to live up to this language and reminds us of the vital importance of teaching our students how to approach problems creatively, patiently, collaboratively and honorably. To that end, we work towards a curriculum that balances practical necessities (what do our children need to know in order to thrive in this world?) with metacognitive awareness (how do we develop growth mindsets in our students?) with a determination to make learning at Trinity School be the most fun it can possibly be.

The catalog of courses in the following pages is the product of the creative tension described above. Trinity School may be commonly understood as an academic powerhouse, but we hope our curriculum tells a far more enticing and dynamic story. To be at Trinity is to be in community with people who love school deep down in their bones -- who love to read and debate and research and learn, and who love doing so together. Our courses and classrooms are designed to challenge our students -- no question about it -- but our mission pushes us far beyond mere academic challenge and into the realm of inspiration, imagination, and innovation.

To that end, our courses are designed to build on the past and to extend toward the future. Middle school students are exposed to a wide variety of classes throughout their four years so that they have an opportunity to discover new interests and learn the skills and habits of mind that will enable them to cultivate a love of lifelong learning. In the upper school, foundational required courses (largely taken in 9th and 10th grades) are designed to provide solid bases of fundamental knowledge. As our students move up through the grades they are able to exercise more direction over their education through our impressive array of elective offerings. Every 9th grader reads The Odyssey, for instance, but by the time our students are seniors they are able to choose between courses like Jimmy (Baldwin) and Friends and Literature from Hell and War and Peace and Shakespeare’s Comedies. Every 10th grader studies Chemistry, but by junior year there are eight different science courses and electives to choose from. As you read through these courses, we hope you imagine them as a window into our world. Above all else we hope you are able to get a sense of the thrilling possibilities at Trinity School: they are practically endless, and they happen every single day.

Table of Contents

Mission Statement

Fifth Grade Courses

Sixth Grade Courses

Seventh Grade Courses

Eighth Grade Courses

English Courses

History Courses

Math Courses

Science Courses

Modern Language Courses

Classics Department Courses

Computer Science Courses

Performing Arts Courses

Visual Arts Courses

Religion, Philosophy, & Ethics Courses

MISSION STATEMENT

Our Idea of Excellence

Our Vocation

The conversation between student and teacher is the heart of our school; all that we do must be born of and nourish that relationship. We are called to challenge the minds, fire the imaginations, and train the bodies of the young people who have been entrusted to us; to enlarge their spiritual lives; and to increase their capacity for mutual and self-respect. We intend to prepare them to learn confidently for the rest of their lives and to give generously and joyfully to others. We can accomplish these things only if we keep our students safe and well while they are in our charge.

Our Obligation

We must ask our young people what they believe in so they can know themselves in the world. We must give them the tools of rigorous and passionate intellectual inquiry and self-expression so they can grow. In our commitment to diversity, we must show our students how to be colleagues and friends so they can act out of respect and love. We must lead them to distinguish right from wrong and then do what is right so they can be persuasive and courageous citizens.

Our Promise

As a school community with these purposes and responsibilities, we will engage the larger communities of city, nation, and world of which we are a part. We will serve our neighbors. We will live fully in our city—exploring its byways and playing over its terrain. We will learn its history and traditions, and what it can teach us of the arts and sciences. We will embody and celebrate its diversity.

Our Means

Labore et virtute. The terms of our motto, hard work and moral excellence, are meant to strengthen us as we pursue the promise and joy of Trinity School. We ask Trinity families, alumni, and friends to join us in taking on this high calling.

The Middle School

Grade 5 Course Descriptions

Ceramics 5

Students work in clay, focusing on various methods of hand building. The goal is to advance beyond the skill level achieved in the Lower School and to deal with interactive imagery and subject matter. The work of professional artists is studied and incorporated into projects. Students look at the pottery of other cultures and include these influences in their work. For students who are experiencing ceramics for the first time, the basic step-by-step process is an important ingredient.

Chorus 5

Students focus on learning the difference between their head-voice and chest-voice. Students spend the majority of time learning how to match pitch through the use of solfege. Part-singing is introduced. In addition to performing during Middle School special events, the ensembles perform at the winter and spring concerts. The repertoire that the ensemble prepares is diverse, focusing on both western and multicultural themes.

English 5

The grade 5 English curriculum seeks to build literacy and writing skills through close reading of literature and development of both creative and analytical writing. Students start the year composing logical paragraphs in response to what they read. Proficiency in writing coherent paragraphs leads to comprehension of how a complex claim can anchor not just one paragraph, but multiple, interconnecting paragraphs that form an essay. Students have numerous opportunities in the fifth-grade year to practice crafting thesis statements and to explore essay-

writing. Throughout the course, students read a variety of literary genres and focus much attention on character development and appreciation of the language and style elements in a text. For homework, students answer guiding questions, and in class, they write informally to increase their comfort with written expression. The mechanics of writing and grammar are taught both contextually and directly and include a review of topics covered in grade four. Special attention is paid to parts of speech (verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs in particular), sentence construction, and punctuation such as commas, colons, and apostrophes.

French 5

The goal of 5th grade French is to allow students to build upon their growing vocabulary and increase their fluency. Students study vocabulary and grammatical structures that enable them to talk and write about daily life in the present tense, as well as interact with their peers, using mainly the target language. They learn to identify and use common sentence components, such as articles, adjectives, verbs and nouns, and practice combining these elements to create accurate sentences. They learn to talk about themselves and their family, school environment, their likes and dislikes, months, numbers, clothing, body parts and sports. They are introduced to the diversity of the Francophone world and cultures, to develop an appreciation for their similarities and differences.

Students use the textbook and workbook from Adomania 1 (Etapes 0 to 4). Videos, songs, games, and interactive websites are used to further the students’ understanding and foster their interest in the language and culture.

Health 5

Students meet in homeroom groups to discuss issues related to pre-adolescence. The first unit, “Mirrors & Windows,” examines the way we perceive ourselves and others. This unit focuses on issues related to diversity, identity, stereotypes, social relationships and awareness of self and others. The first unit is taught by the MS Health Curriculum Coordinator, Middle School Psychologist, Director of Diversity and faculty. The second unit centers around alcohol and other drug use prevention (including tobacco), and the third unit reviews and introduces topics related to puberty and reproduction. The second and third units are taught by the MS Health Curriculum Coordinator and Middle School Psychologist.

History 5

The Grade 5 History course introduces students to the methods of historical study through an investigation of ancient world history and geography. Students begin to learn how to read a textbook, how to take class and reading notes, and how to prepare for in-class assessments. Students in Grade 5 History will learn about the civilization of Ancient India and the growth of Hinduism and Buddhism and the civilization of Ancient China, its founding dynasties, and the development of Confucianism and Taoism. Students will also investigate the history and culture of the important trade regions in East and West Africa and will learn the history of South Africa through the twentieth century. In addition to the textbook, students will read primary and secondary sources. Frequent engagement with these sources enables the students to become discerning and thoughtful readers. Students will also use art, architecture, and literature to help them deepen their

understanding of the civilizations being studied. Over the course of the year, students will have the opportunity to conduct independent research. Grade 5 History enables students to think about how the past informs the world in which they live. Students will think about how historical actors responded to the events they experienced and consider how those experiences might mirror events in their own lives. Grade 5 History provides students with the tools to think, write, and speak with confidence, accuracy, and compassion.

Math 5

The fifth grade course reinforces the study of whole numbers and concentrates in depth on fractions, decimals, and number theory. The focus is on understanding concepts as well as developing a facility with computation, including estimation and mental math. In addition, the course stresses problem- solving, logical reasoning, basic probability, measurement, and geometry, including perimeter and area.

Orchestra 5

Students in the fifth grade orchestra continue to build musical and technical skill on violin, viola, cello or bass. In strings class we use scales, exercises and carefully chosen repertoire that facilitates work on sound production, intonation and reading. Larger ensemble rehearsals encourage students to learn how to listen to others, follow the cues of the conductor and pay attention to all nuances of group playing. At the end of this year, students will be able to play music that is level II according to New York State Music Association guidelines. Students take part in two concerts a year.

Physical Education & Fitness 5

The physical education & fitness program emphasizes the refinement of motor skills and their application to team and individual sports. Fitness is integrated throughout the general curriculum and is a major focus of all sports units. The curriculum provides students with opportunities through sequential instruction and game experiences. Basic sports skills and game rules are introduced and reinforced. Concepts such as cooperation, team effort and good sportsmanship are integrated into daily lessons.

The students rotate through the following sport activity units: badminton, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, track & field, volleyball and wrestling. A personal best fitness test is administered three times each school year. The fitness challenges include a mile run (cardiovascular endurance), sit and reach (flexibility), sit-ups (abdominal strength) and pull-ups or the flexed arm hang (upper body strength).

Religion 5

Introduction to World Religions is a course designed to help students develop religious literacy; an important skill in this diverse city and school. It introduces students to five major world religious traditions: Hinduism, Buddhism Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Students learn to look for the sacred in each one through the study of text, traditions, stories, exemplars, and space. From the simplicity of a Buddhist monastery to the splendor of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, students virtually visit important sites in each tradition all over the world!

Science 5

Integrated Science: Through highly relevant natural, familiar, and accessible contexts, students explore within the framework of structured inquiry to develop and use key concepts of both physical and biological science. Units such as Forces and Motion, Properties of Matter, Human Body Systems are the focus of the curriculum, allowing students to grapple with foundational concepts and building their grasp of the processes of and habits of a scientist. Expanding on themes introduced in lower school, students examine interactions between energy and matter. Students develop their understanding of the scientific process through experimentation and exploration-based activities that allow them to investigate, hypothesize, work cooperatively, analyze and compare results, reach conclusions, and use their natural curiosity. Students also explore how central concepts such as phase change, density, energy, force, motion, and the connection between structure and function apply to everyday situations as they learn to appreciate the connections between science and the world around them.

Sculpture 5

In this class, students will develop a sculpture that incorporates a part of their bodies. How this will be done is completely open. As a result, this course builds on skills learned in previous art classes. In addition, students will be expected to consider and plan how to develop the project, to experiment with materials, and to be flexible in resolving unforeseen problems. Planning and basic engineering are important parts of this project. In this class, it is hoped that students will work with greater independence than in previous years. Students are encouraged to share their expertise with each other and to cooperate using tools and materials.

Spanish 5

The goal of 5th grade Spanish is to allow students to build upon their growing vocabulary and increase their fluency. They improve their listening and speaking skills,while approaching readings and creating conversations that gradually increase in length and complexity. Students are encouraged to communicate as much as possible in the target language; they study vocabulary and grammar that allow them to interact with each other and talk about their life at home and at school. They learn to describe friends, family, and classes. Students study the present tense of regular and some irregular verbs. They are exposed to the numerous cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, and develop a better understanding of the unique differences that exist between them.

Video clips, songs, poems, games, and interactive websites are used to further students’ understanding and interest in the language and culture. Students use the textbook and workbook from Difusión; Gente Joven 1.

Studio Art 5

Exploring new techniques in drawing, painting, printmaking and collage, students will create projects that allow them to express themselves and experiment with new skills and ideas. Foundations of the course include building confidence in taking risks and solving problems, further development of color mixing skills and the honing of techniques to depict form and shadows while drawing. Together, we will explore a variety of artists and their works to inspire projects and to develop our visual senses and our art vocabulary to enable keener observation and analysis of images. The emphasis for these studies will be placed on 20th century artists and contemporary artists from a wide diversity of race and gender. As artists explore many new approaches to art making, they will build an understanding of the power of art as a healing and communication tool in our world.

Study and Technology Skills

In collaboration with the fifth grade team, lessons are designed to enable students to gain the skills that they will need to succeed in the middle school. The goals of the course are to equip students with a range of strategies that they can employ as they complete academic tasks and for students to learn to independently apply these strategies consistently and confidently. The following skills will be addressed during the course: executive functioning (planning, time management, organization, and prioritizing), utilizing the available technology resources, test-taking strategies, decision-making, and self-advocacy.

Woodwind and Brass Instrument 5

Students in the fifth grade band play trumpet, trombone, saxophone and clarinet, and build on their musical experience in fourth grade band. Band class uses exercises and repertoire that facilitate work on sound production, intonation and reading. Larger ensemble rehearsals allow students to learn how to listen to others, follow the cues of the conductor and pay attention to all nuances of group playing. At the end of this year, students will be able to play music that is level II according to New York State Music Association guidelines. Students take part in two concerts a year.

Grade 6 Course Descriptions

Ceramics 6

Students work in clay, focusing on various methods of hand building. The goal is to advance beyond the skill level achieved in the Lower School and to deal with interactive imagery and subject matter. The work of professional artists is studied and incorporated into projects. Students look at the pottery of other cultures and include these influences in their work. For students who are experiencing ceramics for the first time, the basic step-by-step process is an important ingredient.

Chorus 6

Part-singing and sight reading are taught at a more advanced level. The ensemble performs at the winter and spring concerts, as well as special events such as the Interschool Festival in the spring, schedule permitting. Repertoire is diverse, focusing on both western and multicultural themes.

Digital and Research Skills

In Digital Research and Skills, students will learn to access and consume information through the use of technology and a critical, research-based lens. This course merges the technological topics of digital identity/citizenship, Google Drive, and internet functionality with information literacy topics such as researching with credible sources, creating citations, and utilizing the library/online resources. Students will become well-rounded digital citizens, developing a relationship with research and the internet which builds the confidence they need to approach current and future learning both in and out of the classroom.

English 6

The grade 6 English curriculum seeks to build writing skills, an appreciation of literature, and an increased understanding and awareness of the scope and structure of spoken and written language. Students write a variety of stories, expository paragraphs and essays, personal essays, and poetry based on the mythology, novels, short stories and poetry read in class. Grammar study and writing

workshops are integral aspects of grade 6 English; we review the topics covered in grade 5 and focus especially on sentence elements, phrases and clauses (including a study of transitive and intransitive verbs and direct and indirect objects). The literature used in English 6 becomes increasingly sophisticated throughout the year, and students learn to address such concepts as setting, conflict, theme, character development and tone. Students are also required to complete reading assignments beyond course reading, which provides them with the opportunity to apply the academic skills they have acquired.

French 6

In 6th grade French, students continue to work on building their vocabulary and improving their listening and speaking skills. They are encouraged to communicate even more frequently in French during class by engaging in conversations, dialogues, skits, group activities and presentations. There is growing emphasis placed on writing at this stage, and students learn to write in more detail and with greater accuracy. They also learn to use online dictionaries to support their writing and reading. New 6th grade topics include school life, weather, food, free time, leisure activities and shopping. Students are exposed to different customs and traditions that permeate the French-speaking world, with a focus on the northwestern region of France and Senegal. One of the highlights of 6th grade French is the celebration of the feast of Mardi Gras which gives students the opportunity to explore a cultural tradition and compare how this particular event is celebrated around the world in various French-speaking regions. It culminates in a goûter where students prepare and eat crêpes.

Students use the Adomania 1 (Etapes 5 to 8) textbook and accompanying workbook. Students correspond with French pen pals from Lyon, France, through letters, videos, and a small gift exchange. Toward the end of the year, they read a short story set in Giverny. Videos, songs, poems, games, and interactive websites are also used to further the students’ understanding and foster their interest in the language and culture.

Health 6

Students meet in homeroom groups to discuss issues related to pre-adolescence. The first unit, “Awareness to Action,” focuses on issues related to diversity, identity, social justice and activism. The first unit is taught by the MS Health Curriculum Coordinator, Middle School Psychologist, Director of Diversity and faculty. The second unit reviews and introduces topics related to alcohol and other drug use prevention (including tobacco) and the third unit centers around puberty and reproduction. The second and third units are taught by the MS Health Curriculum Coordinator and Middle School Psychologist.

History 6

The Grade 6 History course continues the introduction to historical study that started in the Grade 5 history course. Through a study of the history of the Ancient West, students continue to develop their ability to read a textbook, to take reading and class notes, and to prepare for and complete in-class assessments. Students in Grade 6 History will investigate the roots of Western Civilization through the study of Mesopotamia, the Early Hebrews, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome. Students will investigate art, literature, architecture, and religion to deepen their understanding of the areas and people being studied. Students will develop their critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills by completing expository and creative works and by preparing for debates and presentations. Over the course of the year, students will also have the opportunity to conduct independent research. Grade 6 History introduces students to the political, social, economic, cultural, and religious foundations of the world in which they live.

Learning Center 6

The Learning Center is designed to assist students as they work to develop reading skills, a more sophisticated vocabulary, writing skills, study skills, and/or a deeper understanding of mathematics, in order to help them reach their academic potential. Students are taught learning strategies that promote the acquisition, organization, retention, and communication of what they are studying in their core academic courses. They learn how to apply these skills to homework, class discussions, writing assignments, and tests. The learning specialists meet with students in small groups, usually of five or fewer. The learning specialists also serve as the coordinators and liaisons with teachers, parents, and outside support services.

Math 6

The sixth grade course emphasizes logical reasoning, problem solving, and facility with computation. Topics covered include integers, number theory, fractions, decimals, ratios, percent, equations, and coordinate graphing. The concepts of perimeter, area, circumference, and angle relationships are also extended. Students are encouraged to develop an awareness of the nature and structure of mathematics in a broad context and to enrich their critical thinking skills through real world applications.

Orchestra 6

Students in the sixth grade orchestra continue to build musical and technical skill on violin, viola, cello or bass. In strings class we use scales, exercises and carefully chosen repertoire that facilitates work on sound production, intonation and reading. Larger ensemble rehearsals encourage students to learn how to listen to others, follow the cues of the conductor and pay attention to all nuances of group playing. At the end of this year, students will be able to play music that is level II-III according to New York State Music Association guidelines. Students take part in two concerts a year.

Physical Education & Fitness 6

The Physical Education & Fitness program emphasizes the refinement of motor skills and their application to team and individual sports. Fitness is integrated throughout the general curriculum and is a major focus of all sports units. The curriculum provides students with opportunities through sequential instruction and game experiences. Basic sports skills and game rules are introduced and reinforced. Concepts such as cooperation, team effort and good sportsmanship are integrated into daily lessons.

The students rotate through the following sport activity units: baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, track & field, volleyball and wrestling. Students can choose sports in the spring semester to get them playing more in the sports they are most interested in as preparation for their Middle School teams.

A personal best fitness test is administered three times each school year. Students participate in four challenges; students’ progress is monitored and discussed as overall fitness is critical to growth as a healthy, fitness conscious young adult. The fitness challenges include; mile run (cardiovascular endurance), sit and reach (flexibility), sit ups (abdominal strength) and pull ups/flexed arm hang (upper body strength).

Religion 6

Religion 6 is an introduction to the ethics of world religions building on the general introduction of the fifth grade curriculum. Each unit focuses on one ethic in one of the religious traditions such as ahimsa (nonviolence) in Hinduism or covenant in Judaism. Students learn to use many different sources to approach ethical questions: sacred text, traditional practice, the example of notable people within the tradition as well as elders and friends. Each unit also includes an experiment where the students “try on” a particular ethic and write up their results. Through readings, writing assignments and class discussions, students learn to articulate the ethics that guide their own lives and the effect of those ethics on our school, our city and our world.

Science 6

Earth and Space Science: The sixth grade year of science explores what makes our home – Earth – unique in our solar system. Through critical reading, writing, and hands-on manipulation of models, students explore the earth’s energy, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere against the backdrop of other planetary bodies. Building upon fifth grade physical science concepts, students work collaboratively to develop hypotheses, identify and select variables, gather data, analyze patterns, and support their conclusions about concepts of force, motion, and density on Earth and in space. During the annual capstone trip to Buehler Space and Science Center, sixth grade students take a simulated mission trip to the moon which delves into questions of life in space and bridges/ lays the foundations into the seventh grade year of life sciences. Finally, students develop their ability to construct meaningful arguments with real world high stakes applications based on the work of the Earthquake Retrofit Technologies Project.

Sculpture 6

In this class, students will develop a sculpture that incorporates a part of their bodies. How this will be done is completely open. As a result, this course builds on skills learned in previous art classes. In addition, students will be expected to consider and plan how to develop the project, to experiment with materials, and to be flexible in resolving unforeseen problems. Planning and basic engineering are important parts of this project. In this class, it is hoped that students will work with greater independence than in previous years. They are encouraged to share their expertise with each other and to cooperate using tools and materials.

Spanish 6

In 6th grade Spanish, students continue to work on building their vocabulary and improving their listening and speaking skills. They are encouraged to communicate even more frequently in Spanish during class by engaging in conversations, dialogues, skits, group activities and presentations. There is more emphasis placed on writing at this stage, as students learn to write in more detail, paragraphs, letters, journal entries, etc. New 6th grade topics include talking about hobbies and daily routine, clothes and shopping as well as vacations. In addition, students learn to conjugate regular and some irregular verbs in the present tense. They are exposed to different customs and traditions that permeate the Spanishspeaking world, and learn to appreciate their differences.

Video clips, songs, poems, games, and interactive websites are used to further students’ understanding and interest in the language and culture. Students use the textbook and workbook from Difusión; Gente Joven 1 as well as the reader Haciendo Camino.

Studio Art 6

Exploring new techniques in drawing, painting, printmaking and collage, students will create projects that allow them to express themselves and experiment with new skills and ideas. Foundations of the course include building confidence in taking risks and solving problems, further development of color mixing skills and the honing of techniques to depict form and shadows while drawing. Students will develop skills in drawing the human face and figure. Together, we will explore a variety of artists and their works to inspire projects and to develop our visual senses and our art vocabulary to enable keener observation and analysis of images. The emphasis for these studies will be placed on 20th century artists and contemporary artists from a wide diversity of race and gender. As artists explore many new approaches to art making, they will build an understanding of the power of art as a healing and communication tool in our world.

Woodwind and Brass Instrument 6

Students in the sixth grade band play trumpet, trombone, saxophone, clarinet and other instruments as approved by the instructor. Sixth graders will build on their experience in fifth grade band, and continue to develop musical and technical skills. Band class uses exercises and repertoire that facilitate work on sound production, intonation and reading. Larger ensemble rehearsals allow students to learn how to listen to others, follow the cues of the conductor and pay attention to all nuances of group playing. At the end of this year, students will be able to play music that is level II-III according to New York State Music Association guidelines. Students take part in two concerts a year.

Grade 7 Course Descriptions

Ceramics 7/8

Students in Grades 7/8 Ceramics classes will be developing their skills and experimenting with various forming methods including slab-building, coiling and the use of molds to create both functional and non- functional pieces. The class is open to students who have no experience working with clay as well as more advanced students. We will be working with both stoneware and porcelain clay bodies and the pieces will be fired to a high firing temperature. We will explore a number of surface decorating techniques such as sgraffito, slip trailing, incising and faceting as well as glazing methods. A look at ceramics from a variety of cultures and artists around the world will influence many of the projects.

Chorus 7/8

The seventh and eighth grade chorus is a co-educational group that performs in the Middle School concerts and occasional chapels or assemblies. The focus is on developing vocal techniques and performance skills. Students learn a broad variety of age-appropriate repertoire.

Dance, Theatre and Media

In this class the focus will begin with learning the basics of dance technique. Over the course of the semester we’ll work with multiple styles of dance including Jazz, Musical Theatre, Rhythm, Latin & Hip-Hop. Within these styles we’ll explore the influence of dance on theatrical performance, popular culture and our social narrative. The final project will involve incorporating student choreography into a theatrical or media-based project presentation.

Digital Animation 7/8

Students will be introduced to the basic techniques of digital animation through a series of assignments and hands-on classroom experience. These projects will include individual projects as well as collaborative work.

By studying the work of historical and contemporary animations, as well as the work of their fellow classmates, students will better understand the expressive possibilities of animation in the digital age and develop their own unique vision. The class will consist of demonstrations, hands-on experimentation, and critique. Projects and instruction will further student’s exploration of animation approaches and techniques. With greater control and understanding of the language of this unique medium, students will create animations expressing their personal ideas and interests for all to share.

Digital Photography 7/8

Students are introduced to the basic techniques of digital photography and Adobe Photoshop through a series of photographic assignments and hands-on classroom experience. Students are encouraged to examine and explore the world around them and develop a greater understanding of how we all fit in it. By documenting their personal lives and their surroundings, students will create their own visual histories while discovering new ideas and the power of self-expression. By studying the work of historical and contemporary photographers, as well as their fellow classmates, students will better understand the expressive possibilities of photography in the digital age and develop their own unique vision. With greater control and understanding of the photographic language, students will create images expressing their personal ideas and interests for all to share.

Drawing & Mixed Media 7/8

The first half of the semester will be devoted to learning drawing techniques with an emphasis on describing objects from observation. Students will be introduced to the theory of “drawing from the right side of the brain” to access new ways to “see” and divide space and objects into parts so that they can be drawn more easily. Through a process of practice and discovery, students will explore modeling light and shade with values, contour drawing, and perspective drawing. Through various studies and

exercises, students will learn the basic proportions of the human face and body, and how to use a grid to build the framework for a drawing or to enlarge an image. Artists will have the opportunity to explore varied media including pencil, pen, graphite stick, charcoal, Conte crayons, pastels, tonal paper, blending stumps, and various erasers.

In the mixed-media unit, students will be encouraged to use their own drawings as well as any other visual materials that inspire them to create layered artwork in many forms. Students will assemble multi-layered creations, mixing traditional media (such as paint, pastel, pencil) with found objects and images (paper, fabric, text, photos, ribbon, metal, plastic). Texture, shape, color, positive and negative space, and composition will be touchstones of our discussions as students construct their unique mixed media artworks. In addition, the works of masterful mixedmedia artists will be discussed and studied throughout the second part of the semester. Everyone will be urged to experiment and discover the unlimited possibilities that arise during the process of making layered artwork.

Drawing & Painting 7/8

The first half of the semester will be devoted to learning drawing techniques with an emphasis on describing objects from observation. Students will be introduced to the theory of “drawing from the right side of the brain” to access new ways to “see” and divide space and objects into parts so that they can be drawn more easily. Through a process of practice and discovery, students will explore modeling light and shade with values, contour drawing, and perspective drawing. Through various studies and exercises, students will learn the basic proportions of the human face and body, and how to use a grid to build the framework for a drawing or to enlarge an image. Artists will have the opportunity to explore varied media including pencil, pen, graphite stick, charcoal, Conte crayons, pastels, tonal paper, blending stumps, and various erasers.

The painting unit will begin with an introduction to basic techniques in watercolor and acrylic painting. Students will learn to blend color values and will create extensive color scales to prepare them for larger painting projects. They will learn techniques for depicting form and volume and for creating texture. In addition, the class will include studies in art history and students will work on pieces inspired by a renowned artist. Through other varied projects, artists will learn how to develop solid under paintings from their drawings or from observation. Progressive assignments will help develop each student’s confidence and skills. Discussions will enhance artists’ knowledge and visual perception while developing their abilities to verbalize ideas about images and artistic processes.

English 7

This course continues to develop critical thinking and writing skills while nurturing students’ passion for engaging texts and the world around them. Students read a wide range of literature, including poetry, short stories, and novels; they are also introduced to Shakespeare through a study of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Students are encouraged to read closely, interpret nuances in literature, and pursue their insights through discussion and through various projects. Writing exercises include a range of creative prompts and genres along with reflections on personal experience, quote analyses, and analytical essays. When responding to literature, students learn to craft, support, and explore their own theses. In addition, dramatic performances and presentations enhance their experience of literature and self- expression. Vocabulary and grammar study are integral and ongoing components of the curriculum as well. The seventh grade grammar curriculum builds on the work of previous years and consists mainly of recognizing and correcting usage errors (such as run-on sentences and sentence fragments) and identifying sentence components (subjects, predicates and their various parts). Fostering important skills through these various forms of study, English 7 aims to inspire students to reflect on literature and lived experience and to express their ideas with confidence.

French 7

In 7th grade French, oral communication remains important, and speaking and listening skills are practiced daily. However, more time is spent on reading and writing than in Grades 5 and 6. Students build on their existing vocabulary and are encouraged to use previously learned and newly acquired grammatical structures to produce more detailed and complex writing. Students practice their writing skills through a pen pal exchange with students from Lyon, France. Continued emphasis is placed on the understanding and celebration of the French-speaking world and its many cultures. Topics of discussion include the city, transportation and how to ask for directions, food, grocery shopping and cooking, feelings, friendship and health, press and the media, and the environment. We review the present tense, including regular -ir and -re verbs as well as common irregular verbs like prendre, devoir and partir, and study the imperative and the passé composé with avoir and être.

Video clips, songs, poems, games, and interactive websites are used to further students’ understanding and interest in the language and culture. Students use the workbook and textbook from Adomania 2, as well as the reader Une Étrange Disparition.

French 7 Foundations

7th grade French foundations is an introductory level course in which students study basic grammatical concepts and learn to express themselves using the present and future tense. Emphasis is placed on accurate pronunciation, communication for everyday situations, and on the understanding and celebration of Francophone countries and their cultures. We study and compare various aspects of life in the French speaking world, such as families, professions, daily activities, food, health, clothing, and housing. We study the present tense of verbs including common irregular verbs such as être, aller, venir, faire, devoir and vouloir, voir and partir. We also learn

how to ask and answer questions, and describe things and people in detail. Students use the workbooks and textbook from #LaClasse A1. Video clips, songs, poems, games, and interactive websites are also used to further students’ understanding and interest in the language and culture.

Guitar 1/Beginner Level

This course is open to students who are interested in learning to play the guitar at the beginner level. The class will study a variety of guitar styles and develop a small repertoire of folk, blues and rock songs. Students will learn essential chord forms and basic techniques, including strumming with a pick and introductory finger style playing, as well as rudimentary scale study and beginning soloing skills. In addition, the class will include an introduction to the basic elements of music theory and reading standard music notation.

Guitar 2/Intermediate Level

This course is a continuation of Guitar 1. The course combines technical guitar playing instruction and participation in a performance ensemble. Students are expected to have successfully completed Guitar 1/Beginner Level or pass a skills equivalency exam. Some home practice is required for preparation of performance pieces.

Health 7

The goal of the health program is to provide information and foster discussions around the many issues that arise during adolescence. In seventh grade, students learn about and review topics such as anatomy, internet safety, stress management and the media. Gender and gender identity are also discussed in the context of equal rights. In addition, we discuss decision making as it relates to human sexuality, intimacy, healthy relationships, and substance use prevention. The classes are taught in small discussion groups led by the MS Health Curriculum Coordinator.

History 7

Seventh grade history focuses on the history of the Americas from the pre-Columbian era to the Civil War. Students will learn about America’s pre-contact indigenous populations and then learn about the effects of contact. The course will also focus on the history of the Native Americans before the arrival of the colonists. The course will continue with a study of the colonial period, the American Revolution, the Constitution and the development of the American political system. The course will end with a study of the Civil War. In addition to working with a textbook, students will develop skills in essay writing and analytical thinking through the study and discussion of primary documents, political cartoons, images of America in paintings and photographs, documentary films, and other media. Students will visit sites relevant to the history they are studying during a grade trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students will be encouraged to draw connections between the past and the present through the examination of current events.

Jazz Band 7/8

The seventh and eighth grade jazz band course is open to students who play saxophone, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, drums, piano, bass and guitar. Students who have successfully participated in the sixthgrade band do not need to audition unless they intend to play piano, bass, drums or guitar. Students learn the basics of jazz theory and improvisation technique. The ensemble performs at Middle School concerts and at the Evening of Jazz in May.

Latin 7

In Latin 7, we introduce the basics of Latin: nouns, verbs, adjectives, and core vocabulary. Students explore Latin readings and learn how to use inflection rather than word order to figure out what a sentence says. These readings weave together grammar lessons with introductions to Roman literature, culture, and mythology, and we highlight aspects of the curriculum that tie in with other academic disciplines.

Learning Center 7

The Learning Center is designed to assist students as they work to develop reading skills, a more sophisticated vocabulary, writing skills, study skills, and/or a deeper understanding of mathematics, in order to help them reach their academic potential. Students are taught learning strategies that promote the acquisition, organization, retention, and communication of what they are studying in their core academic courses. They learn how to apply these skills to homework, class discussions, writing assignments, and tests. The learning specialists meet with students in small groups, usually of five or fewer. The learning specialists also serve as the coordinators and liaisons with teachers, parents, and outside support services.

Math 7

The seventh grade course serves as a bridge between arithmetic and algebra. Arithmetic skills with fractions, decimals (including scientific notation), ratio, proportions and percent are reinforced in the study of abstract expressions with variables, as well as through the analysis of real-life problems. Students use their computational skills and number sense to discover patterns and to explore algebraic representations of these patterns. Scientific calculators are introduced as needed. Algebra becomes a tool in the solution of equation and word problems. In addition, topics from geometry, including volume and surface area, are extended. The concept of probability is explored using varied examples.

Math 7 Honors

In addition to the topics covered in Math 7, Math 7 Honors explores operating with radicals, 3D geometry with Pythagorean Theorem, and more advanced probability. Students are expected to deduce many of the concepts throughout the year and are exposed to abstract geometric proofs.

Physical Education & Fitness 7/8

Students who do not participate in Middle School interscholastic athletics are enrolled in Physical Education & Fitness class. Various sports, group games and fitness concepts are taught, practiced and routinely benchmarked. Students are given opportunities to focus on aspects of their overall fitness through fitness routines, cardiovascular fitness, strength building & training, and flexibility. Along with the fitness emphasis, students have the opportunity to play a variety of games and activities, work with a team and have fun with friends as they remain active.

Science 7

In the 7th grade Students will begin a two-year study of the living world. Over two years students will be exploring five major themes in Biology: Chemistry of Life, Cell Structure and Function, Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology. In the 7th grade students will move through the Chemistry of Life Unit, Cell Structure and Function unit and be introduced to Genetics. To learn key course concepts students will participate in citizen science projects, lab experiments, study and analyze data collected in the field and lab, project-based learning, collaboration, written reflections, and discussions.

Spanish 7

In 7th grade Spanish, oral communication remains important, and speaking and listening skills are practiced daily. However, more time is spent on reading and writing than in Grades 5 and 6. Students build on their existing vocabulary and are encouraged to use previously learned and newly acquired grammatical structures to produce more detailed and complex writing. Continued emphasis is

placed on the understanding and celebration of Hispanic countries and their respective cultures. We study Hispanic Heritage Month, air travel in South America, camping in the Spanish-speaking world, Hispanic celebrations and foods, identity and social interactions. We learn the vocabulary to describe personality traits, emotions, seasonal activities, daily routines. We study the present and present progressive tenses, the preterite tenses of regular and irregular verbs, reflexives and stem-changing verbs, as well as impersonal verbs such as gustar.

Video clips, songs, poems, games, and interactive websites are used to further students’ understanding and interest in the language and culture. Students use the textbook and workbook, ¡Así se dice! Level II, as well as the reader Un dia en La Habana.

Spanish 7 Foundations

7th grade Spanish foundation is an introductory level course in which students study basic grammatical concepts to express themselves focusing on accurate pronunciation and communication for everyday situations. They are exposed to different customs and traditions of the Spanish-speaking world, and learn to appreciate their differences. Students explore topics such as family, description, school and daily activities, food, health and celebrations. We study the present tense of verbs including common irregular verbs, impersonal verbs like gustar as well as the preterite of regular verbs.

Students use the workbook and textbook from ¡Así se dice! Level 1 as well as the reader Haciendo Camino. Video clips, songs, games, and interactive websites are also used to further students’ understanding and interest in the language and culture.

String Orchestra 7/8

The seventh and eighth grade string orchestra furthers the technical training for reading and ensemble performance by string players: violin, viola, cello, and bass. The students are expected to play their instruments at an intermediate level. The study of melody and counterpoint is added to the students’ performance skills. The orchestra performs at Middle School evening concerts and other school events.

Theater Lab 7/8

“I regard the theater as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”

Thornton Wilder

This class will introduce you to various aspects of Theater Arts while engaging your imagination and harnessing your curiosity. We will examine theater through the lens of social activism and inclusivity. The curriculum will include explorations of various types of theater spaces, their histories and related plays, acting techniques, monologue and scene work, improvisation, script analysis, essential elements of stagecraft and an in-depth look at the nuts and bolts of how a production is put together. Special attention is given to the many people of the theater, past and present, who continue to inspire us.

Grade 8 Course Descriptions

Algebra I

In Algebra I, the traditional topics of algebra are studied, including number systems, quadratic equations, polynomials, rational and radical expressions, factoring, linear equations and inequalities in one and two variables, and systems of equations and inequalities. Emphasis is placed on the solution of word problems and the development of problem-solving skills.

Algebra I Honors

In addition to the topics of Algebra I, this course covers complex numbers, higher degree radicals and solutions and graphs of quadratic equations.

Ceramics 7/8

Students in Grades 7/8 Ceramics classes will be developing their skills and experimenting with various forming methods including slab-building, coiling and the use of molds to create both functional and non- functional pieces. The class is open to students who have no experience working with clay as well as more advanced students. We will be working with both stoneware and porcelain clay bodies and the pieces will be fired to a high firing temperature. We will explore a number of surface decorating techniques such as sgraffito, slip trailing, incising and faceting as well as glazing methods. A look at ceramics from a variety of cultures and artists around the world will influence many of the projects.

Chorus 7/8

The seventh and eighth grade chorus is a co-educational group that performs in the Middle School concerts and occasional chapels or assemblies. The focus is on developing vocal techniques and performance skills. Students learn a broad variety of age-appropriate repertoire.

Dance, Theatre and Media

In this class the focus will begin with learning the basics of dance technique. Over the course of the semester we’ll work with multiple styles of dance including Jazz, Musical Theatre, Rhythm, Latin & Hip-Hop. Within these styles we’ll explore the influence of dance on theatrical performance, popular culture and our social narrative. The final project will involve incorporating student choreography into a theatrical or media-based project presentation.

Digital Animation 7/8

Students will be introduced to the basic techniques of digital animation through a series of assignments and hands-on classroom experience. These projects will include individual projects as well as collaborative work. By studying the work of historical and contemporary animations, as well as the work of their fellow classmates, students will better understand the expressive possibilities of animation in the digital age and develop their own unique vision. The class will consist of demonstrations, hands-on experimentation, and critique. Projects and instruction will further student’s exploration of animation approaches and techniques. With greater control and understanding of the language of this unique medium, students will create animations expressing their personal ideas and interests for all to share.

Digital Photography 7/8

Students are introduced to the basic techniques of digital photography and Adobe Photoshop through a series of photographic assignments and hands-on classroom experience. Students are encouraged to examine and explore the world around them and develop a greater understanding of how we all fit in it. By documenting their personal lives and their surroundings, students will create

their own visual histories while discovering new ideas and the power of self-expression. By studying the work of historical and contemporary photographers, as well as their fellow classmates, students will better understand the expressive possibilities of photography in the digital age and develop their own unique vision. With greater control and understanding of the photographic language, students will create images expressing their personal ideas and interests for all to share.

Drawing & Mixed Media 7/8

The first half of the semester will be devoted to learning drawing techniques with an emphasis on describing objects from observation. Students will be introduced to the theory of “drawing from the right side of the brain” to access new ways to “see” and divide space and objects into parts so that they can be drawn more easily. Through a process of practice and discovery, students will explore modeling light and shade with values, contour drawing, and perspective drawing. Through various studies and exercises, students will learn the basic proportions of the human face and body, and how to use a grid to build the framework for a drawing or to enlarge an image. Artists will have the opportunity to explore varied media including pencil, pen, graphite stick, charcoal, Conte crayons, pastels, tonal paper, blending stumps, and various erasers.

In the mixed-media unit, students will be encouraged to use their own drawings as well as any other visual materials that inspire them to create layered artwork in many forms. Students will assemble multi-layered creations, mixing traditional media (such as paint, pastel, pencil) with found objects and images (paper, fabric, text, photos, ribbon, metal, plastic). Texture, shape, color, positive and negative space, and composition will be touchstones of our discussions as students construct their unique mixed media artworks. In addition, the works of masterful mixed-

media artists will be discussed and studied throughout the second part of the semester. Everyone will be urged to experiment and discover the unlimited possibilities that arise during the process of making layered artwork.

Drawing & Painting 7/8

The first half of the semester will be devoted to learning drawing techniques with an emphasis on describing objects from observation. Students will be introduced to the theory of “drawing from the right side of the brain” to access new ways to “see” and divide space and objects into parts so that they can be drawn more easily. Through a process of practice and discovery, students will explore modeling light and shade with values, contour drawing, and perspective drawing. Through various studies and exercises, students will learn the basic proportions of the human face and body, and how to use a grid to build the framework for a drawing or to enlarge an image. Artists will have the opportunity to explore varied media including pencil, pen, graphite stick, charcoal, Conte crayons, pastels, tonal paper, blending stumps, and various erasers.

The painting unit will begin with an introduction to basic techniques in watercolor and acrylic painting. Students will learn to blend color values and will create extensive color scales to prepare them for larger painting projects. They will learn techniques for depicting form and volume and for creating texture. In addition, the class will include studies in art history and students will work on pieces inspired by a renowned artist. Through other varied projects, artists will learn how to develop solid under paintings from their drawings or from observation. Progressive assignments will help develop each student’s confidence and skills. Discussions will enhance artists’ knowledge and visual perception while developing their abilities to verbalize ideas about images and artistic processes.

English 8

This course seeks to build on the foundations laid in previous years through continued development of students’ reading, analytical thinking and writing skills. Students read a wide range of literature, including novels, short stories, plays, poems and memoirs, addressing them with increased attention to the subtlety of language and the use of themes and imagery. Student assessments likewise come in a variety of forms, including homework assignments, quizzes, tests, performances, presentations and essays. While an emphasis is placed on the analytical essay, students also regularly engage in creative and personal writing exercises. In addition, grammar and vocabulary study are integral parts of the eighth grade curriculum. The English 8 grammar curriculum reviews concepts covered in 7th grade and earlier and focuses mainly on sentence elements, with a particular emphasis on understanding the nuances of phrases (verb phrases and verbals, gerunds and gerund phrases, infinitives and infinitive phrases and participial phrases). Ultimately, as the culmination of the MS English program, this course is intended to foster a continuing love of both reading and writing while pushing students to achieve a greater depth of understanding about the nature of literature, as well as their own ability to effectively express their ideas and insights.

French 8

8th grade French builds on the skills and competences developed in French 5, 6 and 7. While speaking and listening remain paramount, wider vocabulary and more advanced grammatical concepts allow students to engage in more demanding readings and more elaborate writing assignments. Great emphasis continues to be placed on the exploration and understanding of the socio-cultural makeup of France (mainland and overseas), and of the French speaking world. Topics of discussion include aspects of identity (family, place of living, likes and dislikes), travel, food, pastimes, plans and projects, media, and professions. Students review the present tense of irregular and regular verbs, and study the perfect and imperfect tenses, as well as the imperative.

Students use the workbook and textbook from #LaClasse A2 as well as the reader (short story) Des Voisins Mystérieux and a Caribbean fairy tale in French and Creole (Ti Pocame). Video clips, songs, poems, games, and interactive websites are used to further students’ understanding and interest in the language and culture.

Guitar 1/Beginner Level

This course is open to students who are interested in learning to play the guitar at the beginner level. The class will study a variety of guitar styles and develop a small repertoire of folk, blues and rock songs. Students will learn essential chord forms and basic techniques, including strumming with a pick and introductory finger style playing, as well as rudimentary scale study and beginning soloing skills. In addition, the class will include an introduction to the basic elements of music theory and reading standard music notation.

Guitar 2/Intermediate Level

This course is a continuation of Guitar 1. The course combines technical guitar playing instruction and participation in a performance ensemble. Students are expected to have successfully completed Guitar 1/Beginner Level or pass a skills equivalency exam. Some home practice is required for preparation of performance pieces.

Health 8

The goal of the health program is to provide information and foster discussions around the many issues that arise during adolescence. In eighth grade, students learn about and review topics such as anatomy, sexually transmitted infections and contraception. Sexual orientation is also discussed in the context of equal rights. In addition, we discuss decision making as it relates to intimacy, healthy relationships, substance use prevention and the transition to 9th grade. The classes are taught in small discussion groups led by the MS Health Curriculum Coordinator, Middle School Psychologist, School Nurse and faculty.

History 8

This course continues the study of American History that started in the seventh grade course. Students study the history of the United States from Reconstruction to the twentieth century. Students investigate the political, social, and economic developments that took place from the mid-nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. The course also explores the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction on race relations in the United States; students will connect that history to the Civil Rights Movement in the twentieth century. Students will conduct independent research on a topic of their choosing. In addition to working with a textbook, students will develop skills in essay writing and analytical thinking through the study and discussion of primary documents, political cartoons, images of America in paintings and photographs, documentary films, and other media. Students will visit sites related to the history they are studying during a grade trip to Washington, D.C.

Jazz Band 7/8

The seventh and eighth grade jazz band course is open to students who play saxophone, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, drums, piano, bass and guitar. Students who have successfully participated in the sixthgrade band do not need to audition unless they intend to play piano, bass, drums or guitar. Students learn the basics of jazz theory and improvisation technique. The ensemble performs at Middle School concerts and at the Evening of Jazz in May.

Latin 8

Latin 8 completes the introduction to the basics of Latin and students begin to read small selections of Roman literature. Much of the focus is on the formation and use of the subjunctive mood and more complex grammatical constructions, such as indirect statement. Upon conclusion of the textbook sequence, students engage with works of prose and poetry by important ancient authors.

Learning Center 8

The Learning Center is designed to assist students as they work to develop reading skills, a more sophisticated vocabulary, writing skills, study skills, and/or a deeper understanding of mathematics, in order to help them reach their academic potential. Students are taught learning strategies that promote the acquisition, organization, retention, and communication of what they are studying in their core academic courses. They learn how to apply these skills to homework, class discussions, writing assignments, and tests. The learning specialists meet with students in small groups, usually of five or fewer. The learning specialists also serve as the coordinators and liaisons with teachers, parents, and outside support services.

Physical Education & Fitness 7/8

Students who do not participate in Middle School interscholastic athletics are enrolled in Physical Education & Fitness class. Various sports, group games and fitness concepts are taught, practiced and routinely benchmarked. Students are given opportunities to focus on aspects of their overall fitness through fitness routines, cardiovascular fitness, strength building & training, and flexibility. Along with the fitness emphasis, students have the opportunity to play a variety of games and activities, work with a team and have fun with friends as they remain active.

Science 8

In the 8th grade students will complete their two-year study of the living world by exploring units on Modern Genetics, Evolution and Ecology. To learn key course concepts students will participate in citizen science projects, lab experiments, study and analyze data collected in the field and lab, project-based learning, collaboration, written reflections and discussions.

Spanish 8

In 8th grade Spanish, students learn to express themselves in greater detail as they acquire a more sophisticated vocabulary and have a greater understanding of advanced grammatical concepts. While speaking and listening remain paramount, students engage in more elaborate writing assignments and more demanding readings. Great emphasis is placed on the understanding and celebration of Hispanic countries and their cultures. We learn about the Camino de Santiago in Spain, the Hispanic influence in Miami, authentic foods from the Spanish-speaking world, and learn about traveling, shopping, driving, traffic and telephone use in the Spanish-speaking world. Some of the grammatical and vocabulary themes covered include: hobbies, weather, family, time, clothing, sports, health, the present and preterite tenses of regular and irregular verbs, the present progressive, the present perfect and imperfect, the future and conditional tenses, and the subjunctive mood.

Video clips, songs, poems, games, and interactive websites are used to further students’ understanding and interest in the language and culture. Students use the textbook and workbook ¡Así se dice! Level II, as well as the reader Un dia en Buenos Aires.

String Orchestra 7/8

The seventh and eighth grade string orchestra furthers the technical training for reading and ensemble performance by string players: violin, viola, cello, and bass. The students are expected to play their instruments at an intermediate level. The study of melody and counterpoint is added to the students’ performance skills. The orchestra performs at Middle School evening concerts and other school events.

Theater Lab 7/8

“I regard the theater as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”

Thornton Wilder

This class will introduce you to various aspects of Theater Arts while engaging your imagination and harnessing your curiosity. We will examine theater through the lens of social activism and inclusivity. The curriculum will include explorations of various types of theater spaces, their histories and related plays, acting techniques, monologue and scene work, improvisation, script analysis, essential elements of stagecraft and an in-depth look at the nuts and bolts of how a production is put together. Special attention is given to the many people of the theater, past and present, who continue to inspire us.

The Upper School

English Department Course Descriptions

The English Department of Trinity School believes that reading and writing are the core enterprises that make possible all intellectual growth and exploration. With that belief in mind, we employ a relatively simple pedagogical model: we ask our students to read important literature of gradually increasing complexity and depth; we discuss these texts together in a way that teaches our charges how to dig for understanding and interpretive meaning; and we ask our students to practice various modes of writing in order to learn to express themselves clearly and thoughtfully. In this way we provide our students the tools they need to explore the creative and intellectual possibilities of their world and to know themselves in it.

So we read, we discuss, we write, we read some more...and so we go. Every grade level makes its way through the year in the same manner. Every child in every class is challenged by what she is asked to read, nurtured by the collective conversation about it, and pushed to expand her particular writing capacities. Every year introduces and then reintroduces and then expands the same fundamental skills of reading and writing, reaching backward to years past and forward toward lessons to come. We teach in these dynamic loops of new idea anchored in familiar lesson because our students grow not linearly but exponentially. They grow like trees, deepening their solid foundational roots even as they grow sturdy trunks and learn to send out wild shoots that will blossom.

English 9

Students in Grade 9 are introduced to the art of close reading, the pains and pleasures of careful writing, the foundations of literature and the fundamentals of grammar. All ninth graders read Homer’s Odyssey, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, and Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God as well as additional texts chosen by individual teachers.

English 10

10th grade English refines and develops students’ skill in reading and writing through continued extensive study of various literary forms and genres. Core texts include either Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre or Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.

English 11

English 11 students continue to develop the reading and writing skills practiced in previous years. Core texts include James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Toni Morrison’s Beloved and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby. Many English 11 classes spend part of the year looking in-depth at the art of the personal essay.

ENGLISH ELECTIVE (OPEN TO GRADE 11 AND 12)

Introduction to Film History

This course will provide an overview of film history organized by cinematic movements, genres, and directors.

GRADE 12: FALL ELECTIVES

American Literature of the 1950s

In this course we will pursue a deeper understanding of the social, cultural, and political issues of the 1950s, while tracking the formal experimentations in which its authors were increasingly engaged. Topics to be discussed include the constraints of suburban life, anticommunist hysteria, racial discrimination and the burgeoning civil rights movement, the construction and dismantling of gender and sexual norms, counter-culturalism, and the emergence of “identity” as a locus of authorial concern.

Conspiracy and Meaning

This course will consider the literature of conspiracy in all its forms, from fiction about conspiracy by Thomas Pynchon, Ishmael Reed, and Muriel Spark to actual conspiracy theorists, both past and present. At its core, this class will ask you to think about how we produce narratives about the world from what we see.

Gothic Transgressions

The late British writer Angela Carter famously observed, “We live in Gothic times.” To be sure, in these strange and unsettling days of pandemic, we’re all too familiar with the sense of creeping terror the Gothic evokes. Indeed, at its heart, the Gothic has always been about contagion, from shape-shifting vampires prowling the alleys of London to arabesques metastasizing in ancient wallpaper. In the Gothic we confront our most basic and pervasive fears.

Jimmy and Friends

We will closely read and robustly discuss the word-world of James Baldwin and other bold writer-friends who share his love of words and the courage to use them. Through the particular lens Jimmy offers us—a deeply analytical perspective rooted in the African-American prophetic tradition—we will confront this central question: how, why and at what costs does an individual wrest a personal identity and voice out of the sometimes heavy burden of legacy?

Modern Literature from Asia and Asian America

East Asia’s one hundred and fifty-year experience of political disintegration, revolution, forced modernization, cultural dislocation, fascism, communism, war, migration and, finally, a kind of provisional and uneasy prosperity has fostered rich literary traditions in China, Japan, Korea and the United States. Questions include the following: What is the role of the writer in a post-Confucian society? How does the modern Asian writer draw on indigenous and western traditions to create compelling modern works? How is the self-configured and how is gender performed in modern Asian and Asian American texts? And is there such a thing as a transnational Asian modernity?

Shakespeare: Comedy and Tragedy

In this course, we will read Twelfth Night, The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, Othello and The Tempest. All semester long, we will return to basic questions of Shakespearean genre. What do we mean by “comedy” and “tragedy,” and when do these genres overlap? Our discussions will cover intellectual contexts, Shakespeare’s language, Shakespeare’s theatrical practice and Shakespeare’s everrenewed spirit of artistic innovation.

The Literature of New York

In this course, we will survey the techniques that various writers have devised to conjure up the sublime barrage of sorrows and ecstasies that comprise a day in the life of our city. With help from poets, novelists, urban theorists, and architects, we will explore questions such as: How have the cadences of city living influenced literature’s formal and thematic techniques? How useful is it to think of literature as its own kind of “map” of urban space? What new questions does New York’s literary archive make askable?

War and Peace

In this course, we will journey together through Tolstoy’s epic War and Peace and experience for ourselves the book that so many critics have called the greatest novel ever written.

GRADE 12: SPRING ELECTIVES

How to Live Safely in a Science

Fictional Universe: Contemporary Science Fiction for Readers and Writers

Science fiction allows us to think about our world in radically new ways by dislocating, displacing, and altering it. In this course, you will explore this process of “dysrecognition” as both a reader and as a writer. As a reader, you will read some of the most important recent science fiction, moving through the strange and urgent visions offered by these authors.

New York in the Movies

New York has served as a backdrop for and the subject of movies for more than a century. In this class, we will consider how filmmakers, from the silent era to today, have depicted the constantly changing city. Just as importantly, we will study the language and grammar of film, the techniques with which directors use a camera to tell a story.

Poetic Justice

This interdisciplinary course hopes to cultivate students’ ethical and analytical imaginations and to empower them with the skills necessary to become world-repairing agents of change. We will root our semester in philosopher Martha Nussbaum’s idea that deep study of fiction can teach us how to become “finely aware of and richly responsible” for human beings and the world we share.

Poetry Workshop

Want a structured environment in which to develop your poetry writing skills? Whether you’re an experienced creative writer or you’ve never written a poem in your life, this class will provide you with a space in which to learn about poetic techniques, to write, and, most importantly, to share and receive feedback on your work.

Shakespeare Festival

In this course, we will read three Shakespeare plays: As You Like It (a comedy), Henry IV, Part 1 (a history) and The Tempest (a romance or tragi-comedy). Our discussions will focus on defining these genres as we celebrate the remarkable talents of Shakespeare, the eclectic master of all dramatic genres.

The Arabian Nights

In this seminar, we will sample Shahrazad’s seductive stories and, through a semester-long creative-writing project, fashion philosophical fables of our own, doing our part to keep this rich tradition of storytelling alive.

The Painted Word

According to the ancient maxim, “Painting is silent poetry; poetry is painting with the gift of speech.” In this course, we’ll explore the (not always congenial) relationship between poetry and the visual arts through an exploration of a single masterpiece: “Songs of Innocence and of Experience”, by William Blake.

The Short Story in America

Together we will apply our rigorous close-reading skills and trace the history of the short story in American letters, beginning with its 19th-century origins, then moving on to explore modernist approaches to narration, the form’s association with national and personal identity, and the radical transformation of the short story since 1945.

History Department Course Descriptions

The history program helps our students better understand the relationship of the past to the world in which they live by introducing them to a variety of historical narratives. In our history classes, students consider how the larger social, political, and economic significance of historical events affected the lives of the people about whom they are learning. Our students deepen their skills of analysis, inquiry, and verbal and written expression by reading primary sources and scholarly works, by writing analytical and response papers, and by participating in frequent seminar-style discussions. By connecting the past to the present, our students grasp the commonality of experience between themselves and the history they are studying. The students are therefore better able to strengthen their capacity for understanding the views of others and for fostering greater compassion for each other and those they may encounter.

Graduation requirement: three years of history (three credits): Global History I, Global History II, American History

History 9

Global History I is a full-year discussion-based course that investigates the history of Afro- Eurasia from the eleventh through the seventeenth centuries. The course will trace regions in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East and their contact with the Americas. The course will focus on the economic, social, cultural, and political developments of these regions individually and through their interactions with each other.

History 10

Global History II (Nicknamed “MoGlo”) is a full-year survey that considers political, economic, and cultural exchanges in regions in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Islamic Empires from the seventeenth through the twentieth century. Over the course of the year, we will investigate the meaning and impact of these interactions on the regions under study.

History 11

This is a discussion-oriented seminar on the history of the United States from roughly the seventeenth century through the mid-twentieth century. We will focus a great deal on what is called social history, an approach that focuses on how people from various racial, ethnic, religious, gender and class backgrounds experienced urbanization, civil rights movements, political and social revolutions, wars, and more.

ELECTIVES

Advanced Art History

This is a college-level course designed to introduce you to the major themes, issues, and approaches to art history. The emphasis will be on western art from antiquity to the Renaissance; selected non-western cultures will also be explored. Major goals of the course include recognizing and analyzing individual works, major styles and artistic movements from a variety of periods throughout history, thinking critically about artistic meaning, and understanding art’s role within a broader historical context.

China Today

China is one of the fastest growing, most dynamic countries in the world. In this class we will try to get a handle on the most salient issues facing China today - environmentalism, political freedom, censorship, urbanization - and many more. The class will begin with a brief historical background of China since WWII and an overview of the major issues facing China today. Students will then break up into working groups based on their interests and lead classes based on these topics. The class will culminate in individual student projects drawn from the research done over the course of the semester.

Cuba: Race, Revolution, Renewal

Students will investigate multiple perspectives, and question their own assumptions alongside the opinions of others. While the course will take a chronological approach, beginning with a study of Spanish exploration and early colonization, broader themes will also be addressed. Ample time will be spent addressing issues of race, gender, and equity, from the impact of the African slave trade and the importance of its ethnic, cultural and religious influence to the Revolution and its consequences over the past half century. Students will discuss Cuba’s relationship with the United States, from America’s involvement in the late nineteenth century to the ever evolving domestic and foreign policies. Throughout the semester, students will also explore the vibrant culture of Cuba, viewing its art, reading its literature, and hearing its music.

Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Popular Cultures

Media, including film, music and advertising, is a powerful force in shaping, reflecting and reproducing ideas of gender and sexuality. Immersed in technology, we are bombarded with messages, both overt and subtle, about what constitutes ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine,’ ‘straight’ and ‘queer.’ In this interdisciplinary course, we will spend a good deal of time viewing and interrogating media towards the goal of deconstructing the messages they contain, and the impact such messages have on social dynamics, power, privilege and our own identities.

Global Bodies: Gender & Sexuality in a Global Context

In this seminar, we will take a transnational and intersectional approach to the study of gender and sexuality. We will examine issues faced by heterosexuals and queers, cisgender and transgender men and women, in relation to the body, the state, rights, labor, love, sex, and more.

Globalization & Its Discontents

The ultimate goal of Globalization & Its Discontents is to provide a more precise understanding of globalization, its character and historical development, and the potential responses to the multitude of contemporary global challenges, which we, as citizens of the 21st century, face— especially in light of the devastating global SARS-CoV2 pandemic, the perils of climate change, the continuing growth of ethno-nationalist, and movements and increasing popularity of authoritarianism. In investigating these global challenges, we will take a number of approaches.

Mass Incarceration Crisis in America

The United States has one of the largest prison populations in the world, with over two million people currently incarcerated. African Americans and Latinos comprise a disproportionate number of these prisoners, and youth incarceration is at the highest rate in the world. This course will be an in-depth study of how policing and the carceral state emerged from slavery and have grown to become, what Angela Davis has called, the “prison industrial complex.”

Modern Media

This course will examine how we communicate within the public sphere. We will evaluate the current state of media, focusing on print journalism but also touching on broadcast journalism and social media, beginning with a discussion of the history and the purpose of the press in the United States. Among the issues we address are what “journalism” means today and how our understanding of news information has evolved over time.

Understanding Gotham

This course will examine the interaction between people, place, and architecture using New York City as a “case study” for experiencing and understanding the impact of the built environment in an urban context. The goals of the course are to help students evaluate and respond to the qualities that define a city and to those that are unique to the character of New York. Among the major themes that will be covered are historical transformation, livability, economic viability, and aesthetic quality. Our starting point will be experiencing the city’s man-made environment, thus on-site visits to New York’s buildings, parks, and infrastructure form an integral component of the class.

Visual Politics

Visual Politics: Culture and Conflict will trace movements, dissension, and crisis through the visual arts. Discussion will include topics such as function versus aesthetic, and artist’s intention versus public perception. Art can reveal and magnify one’s understanding of the world; yet unveiling this truth is difficult when museums largely exhibit artists of European heritage. Artists of color and female artists are dramatically underrepresented and undervalued. The course will explore artists of various backgrounds who use different mediums to tell a story, express their identity, or vocalize an often-silenced opinion.

Math Department Course Descriptions

The goal of the mathematics department at Trinity School is for our students to become effective problem solvers. Through our program, we develop habits of mind for life-long learning. As such, we strive to provide a classroom environment in which students are expected to participate actively, think creatively, communicate effectively, learn from mistakes, take risks, and embrace challenges. Students become better mathematicians, more creative and confident learners, successful collaborators, and flexible thinkers.

Our curriculum is designed to help students explore and master mathematical concepts. Through our program, students will discover and strengthen these qualities within mathematics and themselves:

BEAUTY: Students experience joy in learning and grow to appreciate the beauty of mathematics as they explore problems with enthusiasm and excitement.

WONDER: Students approach math problems with curiosity and creativity.

COMMUNICATION: Students share, listen, and reflect as they collaborate with their learning community. They articulate their thoughts and use appropriate mathematical language.

PERSEVERANCE: Students approach problems with tenacity, resilience, and patience. They persevere through unfamiliar problems and learn to feel comfortable making mistakes as they grapple with uncertainty.

FLEXIBILITY: Students become skilled problem solvers by exploring multiple approaches.

FLUENCY: Students master the mathematical skills needed to support their analysis of problems. They use the problems and solutions as pieces in a puzzle to make connections between concepts and see a bigger picture.

IM1

Students study coordinate geometry, properties of polygons, similarity, and right triangle trigonometry. Learning how to write formal proofs is an important component of the course. Students will improve their fluency in solving systems of equations, simplifying radicals, and solving quadratic equations.

IM1H

Students consider more challenging problems throughout the course, often with a greater level of abstraction and at an accelerated pace.

IM2

Students review, solidify, and expand on their knowledge of absolute value and quadratic functions while developing both geometric and algebraic approaches to solving problems through the study of circles and three-dimensional geometry. Students continue to view functions through graphs and develop their algebraic understanding of transformations while incorporating select principles of statistics and their use in analyzing real-world data.

IM2H

The honors sections include the addition of topics including equations of planes and matrices. Students consider more challenging problems throughout the course, often with a greater level of abstraction and at an accelerated pace.

IM3

The focus of the course is the study of functions through their graphs, properties and applications. Students explore functions including trigonometric, exponential, logarithmic, polynomial, and rational functions. Other topics include conic sections, complex numbers, probability, sequences, series, and statistics

IM3H

Students consider more challenging problems throughout the course, often with a greater level of abstraction and at an accelerated pace. They will begin their study of limits, continuity, and derivatives.

IM4

This course allows students to explore differential and integral Calculus conceptually by introducing them to the picturesque intentions and building blocks of Calculus, while equipping them with relevant problem solving techniques. Students will develop and understand the fundamental concept of rates of change and use this foundational principle to analyze applications through the lens of Calculus.

IM4-AB

This course is an introduction to both differential and integral calculus. Throughout the course, students consider graphical, algebraic, and numeric solutions to problems while the derivatives and anti-derivatives of the elementary functions are fully developed, using the concept of limits. Applications including curve analysis, rectilinear motion, extreme value problems, related rates of change, obtaining the area between curves, volumes of solids of revolution, and separable differential equations are foundational to this course.

IM4-BC

As a continuation of IM3H, this course covers integral calculus, and includes the study of series. Students consider challenging problems throughout the course, often with a high level of abstraction and at an accelerated pace. Applications of the derivative include curve analysis, rectilinear motion, extreme value problems, and related rates of change. Applications of the integral include obtaining the area between curves, volumes of solids of revolution, and separable differential equations. Functions are considered in rectangular, parametric, and polar form. Further topics include arc length, improper integrals, and numeric solutions of differential equations using Euler’s method. As the final course in the integrated mathematics sequence, students will further develop and explore a range of topics, problem solving strategies, and analytical methods.

Statistics

Statistics is about understanding the world through data; so this course uses real-world examples from a wide variety of disciplines and current events. Students study data gathering methods, presentation, probability, and statistical inference methods through simulation and theoretical techniques. Students complete projects in which they design and carry out data collection then use statistical tools to make conclusions based on the data.

Advanced Senior Seminar

The Advanced Senior Seminar in Mathematics will focus on topics that lie outside of the traditional math course and vary by year. This course demands that the student be especially curious; motivated; enjoy applying complex mathematical solutions to real-world problems; and be interested in the elegance of more abstract mathematics. In addition to solving problems, students should expect to write proofs throughout the course. Recent topics have included enumeration, graph theory, number theory, set theory, linear algebra, machine learning, and python programming.

Science Department Course Descriptions

The Science Department works to ensure that all students understand how science influences their lives and to enable them to use their knowledge of science and its methods in future problemsolving and decision-making. Through formal instruction, class discussion, and laboratory investigation, we seek to cultivate a lifelong curiosity about the world.

Throughout the courses, we stress observation, critical analysis, and experimental design. We employ and advance our students skills extensively in mathematics, writing, and computer use. For students with special interest and ability in science, the department offers a challenging and diverse selection of advanced courses.

Grade 9 Science: Physics

Students study the fundamentals of physics across a wide range of topics, including mechanics, heat, waves, sound, light, electricity, and magnetism. The course encourages the development of creative and logical thought, and problem solving.

Principles of Chemistry

Students study the core principles of chemistry across a range of topics, including scientific method, phase changes, properties of gases, atomic structure, periodic properties, Lewis structures, intermolecular forces, chemical reactions and reactivity, properties of solutions, equilibrium, and acids/bases. The course will focus on the ideas of chemistry to build a solid foundation for work in 11th grade molecular biology

Chemistry

Students study the fundamentals of chemistry across a wide range of topics, including scientific method, phase changes, properties of gases, kinetic molecular theory, mass spectrometry, atomic structure, periodic properties, Lewis structures, intermolecular forces, chemical reactions and reactivity, properties of solutions, thermochemistry, equilibrium, and acids/bases. Where possible, experimental evidence is used to construct models of chemical behavior. Complex experiments require independent work and thought.

Principles of Biology

This course is designed to give students a broader understanding of the life sciences, encompassing essential concepts in cell structure and function, some aspects of animal and plant physiology in addition to basic ecology. Evolution and environmental sustainability will play key roles in this course, allowing students to make connections between the cellular and the larger macroscopic world.

Biology

This course focuses on a mechanistic, molecular-level understanding of biological systems. Coursework will draw strongly upon students’ previous work in 10th grade Chemistry. Topics may include biochemical interactions, structure-function relationships, cell signaling, metabolic processes, molecular genetics and evolution, and microand macro-scale ecology. These topics may be incorporated into broader teaching modules on physiological systems, health and disease, biotechnology, and more.

Advanced Biology

This accelerated course in molecular biology will move at a faster pace than Biology. Coursework will draw strongly upon students’ previous work in 10th grade Chemistry. Topics may include biochemical interactions, structurefunction relationships, cell signaling, metabolic processes, molecular genetics and evolution, and micro- and macro-scale ecology, and more. A strong emphasis on scientific logic, statistical data analysis and communication, and self-directed inquiry will also prepare passionate students for more advanced or independent work in science as 12th graders.

Advanced Chemistry

This course is taught at a college level and units of study include reactivity and chemical reactions, atomic and molecular structure including molecular orbital theory and the structure of solids, states of matter, properties of solutions, equilibrium, acids, bases, buffers, and titrations, thermodynamics, kinetics, nuclear chemistry, and the nature on transition metal complexes. Laboratory work is extensive and detailed and involves scientific inquiry. Although this course is not specifically designed to cover the AP Examination, problem solving is of that level and content.

Advanced Physics

Motion, force, energy, momentum, gravity, and orbits will be examined in greater detail than they were in Physics, and their rotational analogues will be introduced. Problem solving, conceptual reasoning, and the connections between the various topics will be emphasized. Depending on the time available and the preferences of the class we will study select topics in relativity, electricity, circuits, or magnetism.

Advanced Biology Research: Entomology

This course is designed to immerse students in a collaborative scientific environment and expose them to the many facets of research. Students will be expected to be an active and productive member of the research team by fully participating in lab research, lab meetings, journal club meetings and presentations. Students will carry out a research project that will be presented in multiple public forums. Scientific communication skills will be strengthened through written assignments, discussion and presentations of peer-reviewed scientific literature and presentation of student research. The course is embedded in Entomology and students will gain a broad understanding of insect biology and taxonomy.

Psychology

Psychology will introduce students to the foundational concepts within the broad field of Psychology. The course, Psychology, is based on an integrated social science course model, which incorporates elements of Sociology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Political Science, and Behavioral Economics into the study of Psychology. The curricular and pedagogical focus of Psychology is to expose students to the foundational approaches to understanding the human mind’s manifestations of cognition and behavior.

Engineering Principles

Students explore the wide variety of work engineers do and the principles they employ through engineering projects such as: the design and construction of bridges, airplanes, and electronic circuits. Tools and skills range across soldering, woodworking, drafting, computer-aided design, laser-cutting, data analysis, problem-solving, and design optimization.

Forensics

This semester long course will be a study about a select group of types of forensic evidence that can be used to help solve a crime. Topics of study may include: evidence collection, hair and fiber analysis, toxicology, fingerprint analysis, serology, DNA analysis, pathology, entomology, and forensic anthropology. Additionally, the course will be taught with a social justice lens as we analyze the impact of evidence collection and analysis on the criminal justice system.

Astronomy

This course explores the intellectual feats of the ancients, such as determining the distance to the moon and the size of the earth, as well as contemporary investigations of exoplanets, dark matter, and cosmology. Foundational concepts will include solar system dynamics, orbits, gravity, nuclear fusion, spectroscopy, star cycles, stellar nucleosynthesis, black holes, special relativity, general relativity, and the evolution of the universe. Students will have opportunities for naked- eye astronomy and telescopic observations in conjunction with the Columbia University stargazing and lecture series.

Environmental Sustainability

Through a science and engineering lens, the course investigates principles of sustainability in the contexts of Population, Atmosphere and Climate, Energy, Radiation, Waste, Water, and Food. As we consider the problems we face we will also look for solutions through policy, science, and technology. Field trips to better understand the systems that sustain NYC are integral to the course.

Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Biomechanics

This semester-long course will use projects, hands-on lab experiences, media, and original research to dive into the fascinating intricacies of the human body. Students will gain an overall understanding of the structures and functions allowing us to move, breathe, and digest. Themes of homeostasis and “form fits function” will be revisited and reinforced. We will gradually investigate mechanisms of diseases, injuries, and their treatments. Significant time will be spent doing lab experiments.

Modern Languages Department Course Descriptions

With the knowledge that language and communication are at the heart of the human experience, teachers of the Trinity Modern Languages Department are deeply committed to helping students develop the skills they need for engagement in a diverse global community. Linguistic, cultural, and literary tools aid students in building bridges to other peoples and cultures.

We instill enthusiasm for language study by designing joyful and meaningful learning experiences. Language acquisition is both challenging and rewarding; we ask our students to lean into their discomfort, be vulnerable, take risks, and embrace mistakes, all while reflecting on their growth and understanding of others along the way.

Pivotal to our work are safe and inclusive learning spaces for all students in our Modern Language classes. Teachers and students bring multiple aspects of their identities to the classroom, and we acknowledge and celebrate these intersectionalities openly. We strive to establish a community where all voices are equally valued and worthy of representation and respect. At all levels of study, students engage in comparative analysis of themes common across humanity, such as self, family, education, and housing. Students learn to deconstruct and

challenge stereotypes and biases and explore individual and unique identities. Our core courses and electives delve into ethnicity, gender, class, and other social identifiers. Authentic materials such as pictures, music, literature, films, plays, and articles are designed and chosen to offer diverse imagery and representation and promote engaging discussions, research, and a celebration of the diversity of the cultures studied in our classrooms.

Working closely with the Global Engagement Department and Public Service Office at Trinity, we provide our students with opportunities to use their modern language skills to actively “engage with the larger communities of the city, nation, and world we are a part of.” We also encourage our students to reflect on their roles locally, nationally, and globally. Through the study of language, we aim to prepare students to become global citizens who are knowledgeable, responsible, empathetic, curious, confident, and internationally-minded.

Graduation requirement: three years of Latin or a Modern Language (three credits) or two years completing level IV; typical sequence in Modern Language is level II, III, and IV; typical sequence in Classics is Prose, Vergil, and Poetry.

French I

French I is an introductory level course in which students are introduced to foundational grammatical concepts and vocabulary that relates to the self and familiar world. Significant focus is placed on accurate pronunciation and communication for everyday situations, and on the understanding and celebration of Francophone countries and their cultures. Students learn to talk about themselves, their family and friends, school, personal preferences, shopping, pastimes and travel. We study the present tense of regular and irregular verbs, the near future and the perfect tense. Students learn to express themselves orally and in writing through in-class communication activities, skits, paragraph compositions and presentations.

French II/Review

This course builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in the introductory level. Students increase their oral and written proficiency while developing their reading skills, studying French grammar including all tenses of the indicative. Students learn to express themselves creatively through paragraph writings, presentations and skits. They are exposed to Francophone cultures through authentic documents such as video clips, articles and films.

French II Honors

This course is similar in content and methodology to French II/Review, but it treats the study of grammar and vocabulary with more depth and has greater expectations for complex usage. Emphasis is placed on oral participation, mastery of grammatical concepts, and the development of strong writing skills. Short stories, articles, poems, movies and other authentic materials serve as the basis for class discussion and for the exploration of the Francophone world. For the first time, students are also given the opportunity to engage with a literary text as they read and discuss Le Petit Prince, which they also use as a basis for analytical and creative writing.

French III

Students further develop their oral and written proficiency in this intermediate course. Major topics of French grammar and vocabulary are reinforced through frequent exercises and writing. Students develop their oral skills through presentations, skits and discussions of authentic documents, video clips and films. Various aspects of French history and Francophone cultures provide the context for class discussions. Readings include poems, magazines and newspaper articles, as well as a short novel by Gisèle Pineau, Caraïbes sur Seine.

French III Honors

French III Honors transitions students from an intermediate to an advanced level of French. The course is designed to help students attain a virtually errorfree command of French grammar, and to simultaneously broaden students’ knowledge of the language and culture of French speaking countries. Students review main grammar topics and reinforce their understanding and use of all modes and tenses. Through presentations and discussions of news videos, music clips and films, students further develop their reading and speaking skills. Readings include short stories, poems, and one major literary work.

French IV

The goal of French IV is for students to improve their language skills and increase their proficiency as they are exposed to a wide variety of materials and media and explore themes of particular interest to them. Students review main grammar topics and reinforce their understanding and use of more complex language concepts. Readings include poems, plays, short stories, magazines and newspaper articles, as well as Eric Emmanuel Schmitt’s Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran.

Advanced French IV

This advanced course is built around four main units: the environment and health issues, science and technology, the family, community and the building of individual identity, and finally, the arts and aesthetics. These topics are examined through two different lenses: the Frenchspeaking world, and the students’ individual experiences. The class includes individual and collective examination of newspaper articles and literary texts, as well as general discussions of videos and other media. The examination of many issues discussed over the year, such as the family, community, and identity culminates in the reading of Eric Emmanuel Schmitt’s Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran. The course further develops students’ advanced reading,listening, speaking and expository writing skills while reviewing major points of French grammar.

French Advanced Conversation

The objective of this advanced year-long course is to increase and improve students’ conversational and presentational techniques in French, through the exploration of France and the French-speaking world. While the development of oral skills is the main focus of the course, students are given plenty of opportunities to hone all their language skills. Fall semester topics include a historical, political and cultural exploration of the regions of France and of the French- speaking world; an exploration of French cinema from 1934 to today, and discussions around current events. In the second semester, students explore Surrealism and its expression through visual arts, cinema, and literature, as well as topics of identity, immigration and integration, with a focus on the lives of African American artists in France in the 20th century. Throughout the year, students choose additional topics of discussions that focus on personal, moral, societal and social issues. Students’ oral presentations are based on authentic texts and documents, as well as artistic works (movies, etc.).

Francophone Literature

In the first semester, Molière at 400, Timeless and True, we explore Molière’s place and influence in French theater and Francophone cultures as he writes about the foibles of his time. We study the historical and social context of the 17th century and focus on the universal aspects of his plays through the social and religious criticism in his works. We also discuss his depiction of the changing role of women in French society. We include the interplay of music, dance and theater in his works through the interludes woven into some of the plays. Finally, we look at how his works have been adapted in Francophone cultures in the 21st century. In the second semester, students explore how known texts have inspired films and B.D.’s (comic strips), two major forms of artistic expressions in French culture. Camus’s L’Étranger is re-examined through an alternative literary text in Kamel Daoud’s Meursault, Contre-enquête. We explore Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel Persepolis and its later animated version. Finally, in Petit Pays, Gaël Faye’s semi-autobiographical novel and its cinematographic adaptation, we explore a child’s perception of ethnic strife and how it affects family and country. Students discuss the contemporary world, postcolonialism and the consequences of decolonization. The chosen works foster conversations on issues of gender, relationships between socio-economic classes, racial and religious identity, as well as tolerance.

Spanish I

This is an introductory level course in which students are introduced to basic grammatical concepts and learn to express themselves in the present, past, and near future tenses. Emphasis is placed on communication for everyday situations and on correct pronunciation. Students work on writing through the production of short personal compositions and stories and are introduced to Hispanic cultures through films, stories, and songs.

Spanish II/Review

This course builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in the introductory level. Students increase their oral and written proficiency while developing reading skills, studying Spanish grammar, and learning all tenses of the indicative. Students are also introduced to the subjunctive. Students are exposed to the cultures of the Spanishspeaking world through authentic documents such as video clips, articles and films. Students also learn to write short reflections and do short presentations in Spanish.

Spanish II Honors

This course is similar in content and methodology to Spanish II/Review, but it treats the study of grammar and vocabulary with more depth and has greater expectations for complex usage. Texts include more authentic short stories and fewer edited materials; these materials serve as a basis for class discussion and writing on cultural topics. Emphasis is placed on oral participation, mastery of basic grammatical concepts, and accurate written work. Students continue to learn about Hispanic cultures through authentic sources such as films, stories, and songs.

Spanish III

Students further develop their oral, reading and written proficiency in this high intermediate topics of grammar (including the past subjunctives) are reinforced through extensive conversational work. The focus of this course is to attain an intermediate level of linguistic competence that allows the students to communicate their ideas clearly and with confidence. Students experience different aspects of Hispanic culture through films, music, podcasts and written articles and study literary texts such as Lazarillo de Tormes.

Spanish III Honors

Spanish III Honors transitions students from an intermediate to an advanced level of Spanish. The course is designed to help students attain a more sophisticated command of Spanish grammar, and to simultaneously broaden their knowledge of the language and culture of the Spanish-speaking world. Students review prior grammar with a focus on irregularities, strengthen their use of the subjunctive, and learn the future, conditional and perfect tenses. They also increase their vocabulary with the use of authentic texts and videos from Spain, Latin America and the United States. Articles on cultural topics and current events are also read and discussed. Students learn to speak knowledgeably about the historic, literary, social and artistic contexts studied in class and deepen their formal writing and formal presentation skills in this fast-paced course.

Spanish IV

This advanced course is built around four main units: family and communities, science and technology, arts and beauty, and finally, individual and community identities. These topics are studied through three different lenses: the world, the Spanish-speaking world, and the student’s individual experience. Through literary texts, newspaper articles, videos and other media, students are introduced to these topics. Students develop advanced listening, speaking, and expository writing skills while thoroughly reviewing Spanish grammar. Assessments focus on original and creative work - produced individually or in groups - such as projects and presentations that promote class discussion.

Advanced Spanish IV Language

This advanced course is built around four main units: family and communities, science and technology, arts and beauty, and finally, individual and community identities. These topics are studied through three different lenses: the world, the Spanish-speaking world, and the student’s individual experience. Through literary texts, newspaper articles, videos and other media, students are introduced to these topics. Students develop advanced listening, speaking, and expository writing skills while thoroughly reviewing Spanish grammar. Assessments focus on original and creative work - produced individually or in groups - such as projects and presentations that promote class discussion.

Advanced Spanish Culture and Cinema

The objective of this course is to increase and improve students’ conversational and presentational techniques in Spanish, through the exploration of culture in the Spanish speaking world. While the development of oral skills is the main focus of the course, students are given plenty of opportunities to hone other language skills: we read, write and present. We discuss social justice topics such as immigration and dictatorships in Latin America and Spain in the 20th century. We also examine notions of identity and stereotypes. Other topics include the exploration and comparison of social media and art, music, food, relationships and lifestyles in Spanish-speaking countries and the students’ own cultures. Each unit concludes with the viewing of a film, which is followed by a class discussion. Students also read Spanish newspapers online and prepare presentations and debates on current news. Whenever possible, they practice the language in real life communication settings, either in the form of field trips around the city or through interactions with native speakers of Spanish both within and outside our own community.

Advanced Spanish Literature

This advanced course introduces students to major works of different genres in Peninsular and Latino American Literature. Students are expected to read, analyze, discuss, and write essays about contemporary and earlier texts. Although grammar is no longer studied as a formal topic, relevant points are reviewed in connection with reading and writing assignments. Students examine the work of literary writers of all ages, women writers, as well as writers from diverse ethnic backgrounds such as: Pablo Neruda, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Julio Cortazar, Carlos Fuentes, Juan Rulfo, Isabel Allende, Emilia Pardo y Bazan, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz and Federico García Lorca. Through readings and discussions, students gain a better understanding of literary genres and techniques, as well as of the interaction of literature with political, social and cultural context within a specific historical period.

Women Write the Americas

This advanced course introduces students to key Latin American and Latinx women writers and artists,with a particular focus on the last hundred years. Despite reshaping disciplines traditionally dominated by their more visible and famous male contemporaries, many of these writers were overshadowed or ‘forgotten’ by history. The course is intersectional as it reflects on the writers that comprise it: it looks at gender as well as race, sexual orientation, socio-economic class, and family structure in terms of identity. All these identities are circumscribed by their respective geography, history, and politics. This course seeks to foster independent inquiry, critical thought, a developing passion for themes that resonate, and an advanced-high level of Spanish mastery that allows the sophisticated analysis and precise articulation of all of the above.Genres studied may include extracts of novels, short stories, essays, plays, testimonios, prison writings, ethnographies, songs, and short films. The works (all in Spanish) encompass writers, poets, activists and artists from Spain, the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The course includes class discussions, presentations, mini ensayos, a longer biographical essay, short personal projects, and a Culminating Project at the end of each semester. Students who excel in this course may continue in Advanced Spanish Culture and Cinema of the Spanish Speaking World, or Advanced Spanish Literature.

Understanding Race in the Americas

This course is an advanced study of how the categories of race and ethnicity have been (and are) constructed and lived in the Americas, with a comparative analysis including the United States and Spain. This year-long course fosters greater multicultural knowledge, awareness, and understanding, and helps students to deepen their language expression and cultural competency skills as emerging world citizens. Students build an awareness that is historically situated, culturally informed, and politically equitable. They become better informed as they face a world that is increasingly complex and interconnected, both within the hemisphere and intercontinentally. Students learn where these categories come from and how the pursuit of greater economic development has created unequal advantages in power and wealth for some. alongside the greater marginalization of others Students also study how ongoing civil conflicts, power struggles, government corruption, and destruction of the environment have led many to flee as refugees, while those that remain have mobilized and sought to tackle social justice issues collectively and in solidarity.

Mandarin I

In this introductory course, students learn basic conversational Mandarin and learn how to read and write Chinese characters. Since Mandarin is a tonal language, tones and pronunciation are emphasized while the building blocks for written Chinese are introduced. Students are also exposed to various aspects of Chinese culture.

Mandarin II

Conversational skills are emphasized as students acquire more vocabulary and are taught more complex grammatical structures in Chinese. Knowledge of written characters continues in tandem with increased vocabulary and expanded grammatical skills. Students continue to explore different aspects of Chinese history and culture through Chinese songs, movies, and stories.

Mandarin III

This course is taught in Chinese to support the development of students’ listening and speaking skills. Popular Chinese idioms (Cheng yu) and important Chinese festivals are also introduced to improve students’ fluency, increase their exposure to the Chinese language and culture, and reinforce their learning.

Mandarin IV

This course is taught in Chinese to provide students with increased opportunities to develop fluency in spoken and written Chinese. Previously learned grammar concepts and vocabulary are reinforced through conversational work and practice before more advanced vocabulary and grammatical structures are introduced. To provide students with a better understanding and a deeper appreciation for the Chinese language and culture, students are frequently exposed to proverbs, idioms, songs and poems.

Advanced Mandarin V

The main objective of this year-long advanced course is to develop students’ fluency in both spoken and written Chinese, through the continued exploration of Chinese traditional culture and modern society, students broaden their vocabulary and study complex grammatical constructions. Students examine Chinese poetry, idioms and festivals to enrich their understanding of traditional Chinese culture and further develop their awareness and appreciation of Chinese culture, ancient philosophy and values, social practices, as well as modern day global perspectives. Topics of discussion include the last emperor, reform and open door policy, one-child policy, ways of life in China, minority ethnic groups. Emphasis is placed on advanced communication through the further development of interpersonal, interpretive and presentational skills in real-life situations.

Classics Department Course Descriptions

The study of classics, history, and language combine into a uniquely powerful force as one understands the importance that Roman and Greek cultures have on shaping the heritage of Western civilization. These studies have an intrinsic value as the expression of the minds and spirits of great peoples. As such, classical studies are not presented as an abstract linguistic system, and not simply as an exercise for developing mental discipline, but as a medium of great culture and literature.

Three years of Latin or completing the Poetry course can fulfill the language requirement. Greek is an elective that does not fulfill the language requirement. Students who have previously studied Latin will be placed in the appropriate level class. For others, ample opportunities exist for an accelerated sequence in Latin.

Graduation requirement: three years of Latin or a Modern Language (three credits) or two years completing level IV; typical sequence in Classics is Prose, Vergil, and Poetry; typical sequence in Modern Language is level II, III, and IV.

Latin Essentials

This course serves as a rapid introduction to Latin for high school students who have never studied the language. Students learn the basics of Latin in a year, and then they are prepared to join more advanced courses in subsequent years. Latin Essentials will introduce the student to the fundamentals of classical Latin. Students will be taught the elements of Latin grammar: morphology (forms of words), syntax (how words relate to each other in a sentence) as well as basic vocabulary (meaning). Through classroom drills and exercises, the course focuses on building recognition of the elements of grammar by reading short, simple sentences, eventually moving on toward reading more complex sentences and lengthier passages.

Latin Prose

This course serves two purposes. During the first semester, students review the essentials of Latin and develop a shared vocabulary for analyzing Latin grammar and literature. Later in the year, students begin to read extended passages of Julius Caesar.

Latin: Vergil

This course offers an introduction to Vergil’s Aeneid, focusing on readings from the first half of the epic. Now that students are more familiar with Latin prose, they learn about poetic aspects of Latin including meter, rhetorical figures of speech, poetic vocabulary and syntax. Students also begin to interpret Latin texts as literature, both in class and in writing.

Advanced Latin: Latin Poetry

In this course, students read, discuss, and write about several genres of Latin poetry, in particular lyric, satire, elegy, and didactic poetry. Students also write longer analytical essays about these texts.

Advanced Latin: Latin Philosophy

In this senior elective, students read a variety of philosophical texts in Latin. Topics vary from year to year, but examples are Lucretius, Cicero, Seneca, Augustine, and Descartes. Students also apply some of the tools of contemporary logic to the study of these texts. (Not currently offered, but in regular rotation.)

Advanced Latin: Latin Historiography

In this senior elective, students explore the history of the Roman Republic by reading Roman writers on their own politics and history. Particular authors of focus are Sallust, Augustus, and Tacitus.

Advanced Latin: Latin Epic

In this senior elective, students return to Vergil’s Aeneid. The course focuses on the second half of the poem, and it also offers students a deeper review of the Homeric background to Vergil’s Iliadic narrative. This elective culminates in a capstone experience where students discuss their final essays without external examiners.

Greek 1

This course begins the study of ancient Greek with a focus on basic forms, vocabulary, and syntax. Students also read selections of real Greek literature, and these readings provide glimpses of ancient Greek culture and history.

Greek 2

In this course, students finish learning the basics of ancient Greek, and they begin to read longer selections of Greek literature. Readings vary, but Plato, Homer, and Herodotus are common.

Greek 3

In this course, students dive more deeply into a few Greek authors and genres. The selections are usually made based on the interest of the group, but examples from the recent past include Euripides, the Greek New Testament, Homer, and Plato.

Classics in Translation: Mythology

This elective offers students who have not studied Latin or ancient Greek languages the opportunity to read ancient literature in English. The focus of the course is on ancient mythological narratives. Particular authors include Homer, Hesiod, Aeschylus, Euripides, and Plato. (This course is not offered every year. It alternates with Classics in Translation: Philosophy.)

Classics in Translation: Philosophy

This elective offers students who have not studied Latin or ancient Greek languages the opportunity to read ancient literature in English. The focus of the course is on ancient answers to the question: “What is a good life?” Particular authors include Aristotle, Epicurus, Pyrrho, and Augustine. (This course is not offered every year. It alternates with Classics in Translation: Mythology.)

Computer Science Department Course Descriptions

Computer Science students learn how to connect the virtual world with the physical world as they interact with a wide variety of software applications, programming languages, and hardware platforms. The creative application of computing/ coding is emphasized, as well as the in-depth study of important concepts in computational thinking and problem solving. Computer Science courses value computing as a powerful interdisciplinary toolset, one that should be used to benefit the human condition in a responsible and ethical manner. Students learn sophisticated techniques for building larger and larger projects, with planning, prototyping, documentation, and testing as essential design requirements. Our Computer Science department takes a humanistic approach to engineering, placing a profound emphasis on both interpersonal communication and the use of an introspective lens in feedback-driven iterative development.

Students begin their study of Computer Science by interacting with a wide variety of software applications and programming languages. They model important patterns in computational thinking by creating interdisciplinary projects in a wide variety of media. Students learn to progressively “color outside of the lines” with technology by creating their own version of an existing digital tool, eventually designing their own tools from concept to completion. Students leave the Computer Science program being fully capable independent learners able to competently engage with technologies of the now, navigate unknown technologies of the future, and skillfully craft bespoke digital tools of their own design.

Our Computer Science department is committed to delivering a curriculum that:

• Encourages fluency in multiple programming languages and most standard application formats

• Highlights the interaction between software and hardware, and the interplay of theory and application

• Embeds concepts within an interdisciplinary framework, with engaging projects that are both immediately relevant and forward-thinking

• Strives for the timely integration of newly robust technologies

• Offers a range of learning activities, including pair, group, and independent projects and presentations

• Endeavors to be inclusive and accessible, so that a diverse student population might explore computing at their individual experience level

Design Thinking/Fa

A relaxed STEM-focused introduction to Computer Science and Computational Thinking. Students learn about coding, 3D design, 3D printing, 2D vector graphics, and data analysis by building a collection of user-focused projects. Students focus on prototyping, storyboarding, iterative design, and the social context of design solutions as they are introduced to a wide variety of software tools, hardware tools, and coding languages.

Digital Storytelling/Sp

A relaxed, arts-focused introduction to Computer Science and Computational Thinking. Students are introduced to digital storytelling, digital imaging, animation, and media computation skills as they investigate ways in which technology has allowed artists to easily integrate interactivity, non-linear narrative structures, repetition, automation, special effects, and randomness into their creative output. Students create a portfolio of dynamic digital art projects involving a wide variety of software tools, coding languages and digital media.

Computer Science I/Fa

An accessible and engaging intermediate course in coding which asks students to think programmatically to create colorful and interactive portfolio-style programming projects. Computer Science I introduces Control Structures, Arrays, String Processing, File Input/Output, Methods, and Classes as essential coding constructs. Students build three or four projects, each combining Computer Science with a different discipline.

Computer Science II/Sp

Computer Science II reinforces programming fundamentals by asking students to design, prototype, and build two large projects involving concepts from Computer Science I. One of the two projects combines coding with the hands-on design of hardware devices through the use of the Arduino microcontroller, electronics, and soldering.

Advanced Computer Science I/Fa

Students explore sophisticated, university-level topics in Computer Science. Fall semester introduces computing as a system of hierarchical layers of abstraction. Topics include Digital Logic, Data Types, Compilation, Algorithms, and an introduction to Algorithm Analysis.

Advanced Computer Science II/Sp

Students explore sophisticated, university-level topics in Computer Science. Spring semester focuses on the design and engineering of large projects, including ObjectOriented Programming and an introduction to Advanced Data Types. The course culminates with a significant independent investigation which requires students to demonstrate a capacity to independently learn and apply a new technology of their choosing.

Advanced Topics in Computer Science I/Fa

A university-level course in Computer Science teaching how to design and build Client-Server web applications. Students explore inner workings of the internet as they employ a collection of design heuristics to evaluate the user-facing side of applications. This course focuses on current patterns in software development--the skills beyond fluency in a particular language that are necessary for developing and maintaining large, reliable, and scalable software applications.

Advanced Topics in Computer Science II/Sp

A university-level in Computer Science that teaches students to design and build distributed software applications as information systems. Students use a variety of cloud applications, third- party API’s, databases, and mobile development frameworks to follow multiple iterations of the design cycle. Students work in groups and employ the use of version control software to collaborate as a team as they develop two significant software applications.

Independent Research in Computer Science/Fa & Sp

Provides students an opportunity to conduct independent investigations in the Computer Science area of their choosing. Depending on student interest, the format of the investigation might be project-based, data-based, or theory-based. May be repeated for credit. Department Head permission required. 1 class meeting per cycle.

Engineering Principles/Fa & Sp

A relaxed, Pass/Fail introduction to principles of Engineering in a hands-on, project-based context. Students follow the design process to build a series of progressively more complicated maker-oriented projects using hand tools and various rapid prototyping equipment. Students explore topics from several different fields of engineering, depending on the interests and background of the instructor.

Computational Systems

Computers and computational systems can take many forms. Generally, computers are machines that can be programmed to perform differently. Software runs on machines, so it is important for students of Computer Science to understand and interact with a variety of hardware and peripherals. Computer Science deals mostly with designing software, so students should be fluent in common software domains. Networked communication and the Internet are fundamentally computational systems; understanding how the Internet works is also important.

In addition to desktops and laptops, examples of computational systems include robotics, 3D printers, microcontrollers, the Internet, mobile phones, or any device with 1 or more microprocessors.

Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking is the intersection of abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, and algorithms. Abstraction allows us to filter out characteristics of a problem we don’t need, so that we can build conceptual models of the information that we do need. Decomposition is the practice of breaking something complex into a collection of less complex pieces. Pattern recognition facilitates the automation of routine tasks. Algorithms should be computationally efficient and endowed with some form of intelligence; they prescribe a set of steps to solve a specific problem. Programming translates algorithms into a language that a machine can understand. This requires precision, creativity, and careful reasoning.

Computational Thinking can be explored through text-based coding, visual drag-and-drop coding, flow charts, writing instructions in a variety of media, or any other activity that asks students to explore abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, or algorithms.

Data and Information

Computer Science is devoted to the modeling, manipulation, transfer, storage, and presentation of information. The process of encoding and decoding data is necessary to convert between “machine readable” and “human readable” data formats. When presented for human consumption, data should be well-displayed, placed in context, accurately summarized, and adequately examined for potential bias. Data analysis allows humans to discover useful information, and ultimately make decisions based on that information. Stewardship of data should be paramount.

Example topics include encoding activities such as Morse code, databases, binary base conversions, exploring and creating file types, spreadsheets, infographic design, and data exchange formats like JSON.

Design and Engineering

Anticipating how a user will interact with your proposed solution is a necessary step in the problem solving process. Comments, documentation, and iconography help others understand how to interact with what you’ve designed. Feedback helps evolve a design solution. Well-defined testing scenarios should anticipate how problem solutions might “break”; this includes the detailing of specifications and an in-depth analysis of the original problem. The design of a problem solution that functions as desired, has satisfactory performance, and is reliable and maintainable is the ultimate goal of engineering. Collaboration is a key component of the engineering design process. Teamwork and communication skills are vital tools for this work.

Example topics include wireframing, needfinding, prototyping, design thinking, writing documentation, giving and receiving peer feedback, version control systems like Github, and designing projects.

Impacts of Computing

Computing generally, and the Internet specifically, provide the individual a great power to affect other people; the social, cultural, and ethical implications of computing are fundamental components of a Computer Science education. The Internet has necessitated a global perspective on software development; well-designed hardware and software creations should be accessible to, and anticipate the needs of, a diverse community of users. A firm understanding of other disciplines is necessary in order to meaningfully apply the concepts and techniques of computation, algorithms, and engineering to improve the human condition.

Example topics include accessibility, digital literacy, algorithmic bias, environmental impacts of data centers, interdisciplinary projects involving important elements of Computer Science.

Performing Arts Department Course Descriptions

Jazz Ensemble 1

This is the introductory class in the US jazz ensemble sequence. Students are acquainted with the basics of jazz improvisation, rhythm section skills, and horn section skills.

Jazz Ensemble 2

This is a performance group that focuses on the development of a number of musical skill sets: Improvisation technique and conception, ensemble playing, music theory, ear training and jazz history. The band performs at a variety of school events including concerts, community time, and other school and out of school events.

Jazz Ensemble 3

The Performing Arts Department seeks to provide opportunities for students to explore their potential for personal expression and growth through music, theater, and dance. While these three disciplines each have their own techniques and concepts, they share a common set of educational values:

We aim to achieve these ends by creating a safe environment for risk-taking, promoting understanding of commitment and responsibility to the group, setting high standards for performance, allowing creativity to grow both from imitation and from within, and instilling a sense of fun and play.

This is an advanced group open by audition only. The class seeks to teach students how harmony and rhythm intersect to create sophisticated improvisations. The ensemble material focuses on advanced level material from the Jazz cannon.

Upper School Guitar Ensemble

The Guitar Ensemble performs a variety of styles of music. Students perform using both electric and acoustic guitars and electric bass and are exposed to a variety of musical styles such as: classical, folk, pop, country, rock, jazz and Brazilian. The ensemble performs at various school and community venues including chapel, community time, evening concerts and community service performances.

Upper School Chorus

The Upper School Chorus is a vocal ensemble that will prepare and perform choral music spanning various genres, cultures, languages, and time periods. Students will sing music in multiple vocal parts, both accompanied and unaccompanied, and focus on basic concepts of good vocal production.

Madrigals

•Craft and discipline

•Teamwork and mutual support

•Individuality and self-discovery

In the Performing Arts we consider it our mission to help students to:

•Take responsibility for and become engaged with their work

•Develop a sense of trust in themselves and each other

•Learn from their mistakes

•Learn the importance of preparation and repetition

•Learn to concentrate in performance

60

Graduation requirements: 1.5 credits or three semesters in either the visual or performing arts. Only 1/3 of the requirement may be fulfilled by art history.

Upper School Orchestra

In US Orchestra, students have regular opportunities to perform as an orchestra, while learning the distinct stylistic elements of a broad range of repertoire from the baroque era to newly-written pieces. Students practice leadership and teamwork.

Philharmonica

An auditioned group which, in addition to participation in US Orchestra, includes frequent Chapel performances for the school community, at a high level and sometimes with very limited rehearsals. Its members take private lessons outside school and may also participate in selective conservatory pre-college programs.

The Madrigals ensemble is an advanced, select/ auditioned group that will prepare and perform technically demanding choral music spanning various genres, cultures, languages, and time periods. Students will sing music in multiple vocal parts, often times unaccompanied. There will also be a heavy emphasis placed on expressive details in singing and phrasing, choral blend, and stage presence.

Technical Theatre

In this course, students will be introduced to the basic concepts of design and technical operation in the theatre. They will work in class and hands-on to gain an understanding of the concepts and safe working practices of stagecraft, lighting, sound, costumes, and stage management. The objective of this class is to provide a foundation of technical production knowledge and experience to help students appreciate the theatrical medium, whether as a member of the production or a member of the audience.

Advanced Theater Portfolio

Continuing on skills learned in Technical Theatre this course is open to students looking to develop and focus their interests in technical theatre and design into specific fields. This course will allow students to partake in the design process of Trinity productions from a leadership standpoint and will aide in the building of a portfolio suitable for presentation purposes.

Intro to Acting

This course is an introduction to acting technique for the stage. This class is designed to teach the basic skills, concepts and methods of contemporary acting technique. Coursework includes individual and group exercises and improvisations that explore relaxation, focus, observation, the senses, voice and emotional and physical life.

Intermediate Acting

A practical experience with the art of acting, in which students learn basic techniques for achieving comfort, truth and richer character on stage. The course will include vocal, physical, textual and technical acting exercises. Students will work collaboratively and independently learning various approaches to the craft of acting.

Advanced Acting

Building on the foundational skills taught in Intro and Intermediate Acting students will learn about the many additional facets required to put on a theatre production. Each class then chooses to produce an existing play, devise and create a piece from scratch, or deep dive into directing and self-direct one-act plays that will be presented at the end of the semester.

Upper School - Musical Theatre: Dance, Song and Scene

The class, with its incorporation of both dance and song/ scene work, approaches the teaching of musical theatre repertoire from multiple angles. While the focus stems from a strong movement-based perspective, including both choreography and stage physicality, it allows the students toput what they learn to use immediately within the musical theatre framework

Songwriting

In this course students will study songwriting and all its components, focusing especially on lyric writing and thematic content, point of view, song form, melody and harmonic structure. They will work together and individually to apply these concepts, coupled with their own creative voice, to songs they create.

Music Production

This course is designed for students in grades 9-12 interested in recording and producing music on computer. The course provides an overview of the wide range of tools available to the modern musician/songwriter. Through hands-on exercises and projects, students will experience the process of developing the original musical idea through distributing a final mix. Students will learn how to set up audio interfaces, microphones, MIDI sequencers, synthesizers, drum machines and more, to effectively create and produce music ideas.

Visual Arts Department Course Descriptions

Trinity’s mission statement calls us to “challenge the minds, fire the imaginations and train the bodies of the young people who have been entrusted to us; to enlarge their spiritual lives; and to increase their capacity for mutual and self-respect.”

Through our offerings in ceramics, photography, art & design and art history, the Visual Arts Department hopes to achieve these goals for all our students. Assignments that invite individual responses inspire students’ imaginations. Immersing students in a creative studio practice develops their confidence in taking risks and challenges their problem-solving skills. Discussions, maintaining sketchbooks & daily practice nurtures critical thinking and meta-cognitive abilities as students reflect on their own work as well as the work of others.

Many assignments encourage the investigation of personal narrative or the investigation of others, allowing students to make their own voices heard and giving them opportunities to hear and value the varied voices of their peers.

The Fine Arts requirement for graduation is 1.5 credits or three semesters in either Visual or Performing Arts. Only 1/3 of the requirement may be fulfilled by art history. Notably, students typically engage in many arts courses beyond the requirement during their time at Trinity.

US Ceramics

Basic, intermediate and advanced ceramics provide instruction in a wide range of techniques in the ceramic arts, including hand-building, wheel -throwing and glazing. Classes are designed to accommodate the skill level of each student. The ceramics studio in the Brass Arts Pavilion is fully equipped with electric wheels and two kilns for firing. Students are encouraged to visit museums and galleries and to display their work in exhibitions at school.

Intro to Art and Design

This course provides students with exposure to the basic elements of visual language. It is designed to give students a solid foundation in art-making, visual literacy and critical thinking in regards to two-dimensional and threedimensional art and design, leading the way to more advanced art & design courses. Drawing, painting, watercolor, pastel, collage, carving, assemblage and printmaking are among the methods this course may cover. Concepts such as composition, contrast, perspective, principles of design, and the basics of color theory will be explored. Students will be encouraged to develop their own unique visual voice as their skills develop. Projects are augmented with trips to museums both virtually and in person as well as critiques and discussions.

Intermediate Art and Design

Students will build on the foundation of art & design that they have begun in their previous experiences. Class projects will focus on continuing to learn ways to shape space through printmaking, painting, drawing, modelling, carving, assemblage and other media. Assignments are sustained over a greater period of time than in the introductory course. Students are encouraged to pursue

innovative paths and explore relationships between concept, material, and context in unexpected ways, developing a body of work that demonstrates creative risktaking and an informed relationship with the materials they work with. Studio time will be augmented with trips to area galleries, museums both in person and virtually as well as critique and class discussions.

Advanced Art and Design

Students will be working through a series of themes but will have choices when it comes to the media and process to complete these artistic challenges. Projects may include any media, including but not limited to traditional twodimensional media. Critical thinking, self-initiated research, and active participation in group discussions and critiques are encourage in this class. Lectures, trips to museums and galleries, and research into past and current artists, designers, critics, and art historians will allow students to place their ideas within an historical context, deepening their understanding of their own work.

Intro to Photography

This is a one-semester course that provides students with a general exposure to the mechanics of the camera and the aesthetics of photography. No previous experience is necessary. Students are introduced to both camera and darkroom work. Assignments involve the creative use of vision as it translates into making fine pictures.

Intermediate Photography

This is a yearlong sequence that begins each fall. Assignments are sustained over a greater period of time than in the introductory course. Students work in both digital color and black-and-white silver print formats.

Advanced Photography

This is a yearlong sequence that begins in the fall. In this course, students move toward a personal vision that involves working in series. Students employ either digital or darkroom pathways to creating portfolios. Seniors may elect to create websites for their pictures in support of their college applications.

Art History

This course introduces students to the major themes, issues, and approaches to art history. Although the primary focus will be on western art, non-western cultures will be explored as well. The full range of artistic expression will be considered, including painting, architecture, sculpture, prints, photography, and the decorative arts. Major goals of the course include recognizing and analyzing major styles and artistic movements from a variety of periods throughout history, thinking critically about artistic meaning, and understanding art’s role within a broader historical context. Museum and gallery visits—looking at original works of art—are an essential component of the class.

Digital Storytelling

A relaxed, arts-focused introduction to Computer Science and Computational Thinking. Students are introduced to digital storytelling, digital imaging, animation, and media computation skills as they investigate ways in which technology has allowed artists to easily integrate interactivity, non-linear narrative structures, repetition, automation, special effects, and randomness into their creative output. Students create a portfolio of dynamic digital art projects involving a wide variety of software tools, coding languages and digital media.

Advanced Portfolio

This course is open to students who are committed to developing a focused body of artwork in collaboration with a member of the Visual Arts Department faculty. Projects may include any media, including but not limited to traditional media—i.e., digital, photography, ceramics, two dimensional or sculptural. Ultimately, students will develop a unique body of work, an artist’s statement, and a portfolio suitable for presentation purposes. Students will be urged to explore the city’s abundant array of arts institutions, learn how to engage in active field research, and to establish meaningful contact between artist and gallery. Lectures, trips to museums and galleries, and research into past and current artists, designers, critics, and art historians will allow students to place their ideas within an historical context, deepening their understanding of their own work.

Sophomore Symposium

Sophomore Symposium will encourage sophomores to think critically and reflectively about personal identity, psychosocial health, our school, and about what it means to live in the world as virtuous citizens. In the specific context of Trinity School, the symposium seeks to engage and enact the commitments of our Mission Statement. Sophomore year is a key developmental moment for students to engage the virtue half of the school’s motto: Labore et Virtute.

Religion, Philosophy & Ethics Department Course Descriptions

The study of Religion, Philosophy & Ethics at Trinity School assists students in developing literacy in cultural, philosophical, and religious worldviews, in addition to helping them formulate their own personal ethical positions and existential identities. Seminar-style classes allow for a safe and stimulating environment in which students are challenged to share their perspectives on the human condition.

Upper School students enroll into at least one Religion, Philosophy & Ethics seminar as a requirement for graduation. Taken in either the junior or senior year, these college-level courses offer students an opportunity to study world religions or ethics. Recent religion seminars have included Religious Phenomenology, Literature in Asian Religions, and Sin & Redemption. Some of these seminars approach religion as a lived experience, and others follow historical or comparative theological models. The department’s ethics seminars encourage a deep critical engagement with a host of socially relevant ethical issues from violence to bioethics.

The unifying mission of the department is to examine how individuals and groups construct and experience meaningful worldviews. Whether the topic is animal research, religious conversion, or mystical experience, students explore an array of questions and themes by entering into conversations with classic and contemporary texts. These conversations span traditional disciplinary boundaries and draw upon knowledge from other courses and disciplines.

An Upper School student will leave a Religion, Philosophy & Ethics Seminar with an exposure to at least two world religions and familiarity with a specific methodological approach. Students leave the department’s seminars with much more than an introduction to the disciplines of Religion and Philosophy. They leave with an interdisciplinary language for thinking about what it means to be a questioning person in a pluralistic world.

Practical Bioethics

This Religion, Philosophy & Ethics seminar will introduce students to contemporary issues in bioethics. The seminar will explore a range of ethical theories and apply these theories to topics and case studies pertinent to environmental and medical ethics. Issues of particular relevance to our contemporary world will be emphasized (e.g., global warming, poverty, race, and healthcare). In the spirit of philosopher Paul Taylor’s “biocentric” approach, the seminar will spend time thinking about the complex relationships between human and non-human life within larger intricately-linked ecosystems. Students will be asked to share their evolving perspectives regularly. The ultimate goal of the seminar is to equip students with conceptual and practical tools so that they can live the vita activa (active life) with sensitivity, purpose, and virtue.

Dreams: A Symposium

Dreaming is a curious phenomenon because while dreams are a universal human experience, there’s little theoretical consensus as to what dreams are or why we have them. In them, though, we find the imprints of the cultural, social, religious, and personal forces that make us who we are on the deepest levels. This Religion, Philosophy & Ethics seminar will explore multiple theories of dreams. The first half of the semester will be spent examining a range

of theoretical writings on the significance of dreams, including texts by Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and the Dali Lama. Equal time will be spent exploring scientific, psychological, and theological perspectives. The second half of the semester will focus on the interpretation of literary works and films in which dreams play a central role, including Ismail Kadare’s The Palace of Dreams, Patti Smith’s Year of the Monkey, and the films Inception and Laurie Anderson’s Heart of a Dog. In addition to regular readings, class discussions, and writing assignments, you’ll keep a dream journal that will serve as the foundation for a creative final project.

The American Philosopher

What, if anything, can be considered distinctly American philosophical thought? As students seek to answer this question, they explore the richness and diversity of the American intellectual tradition. Beginning with the works of Jonathan Edwards, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, they study the earliest giants of this heritage alongside the American Enlightenment thinkers Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Significant attention is given to what revivalists call classical American philosophy, the pragmatism of Charles Sanders Peirce, William James and Columbia’s own John Dewey (Faculty 1905-1930, Emeritus 1939). Concluding this journey, students survey 20th-century American moral philosophy by reviewing works on W.E.B. Du Bois, C. Wright Mills (Faculty 1945-1962), Reinhold Niebuhr (Faulty, Union Theological Seminary, 1928-60), John Rawls, and another Columbia giant Lionel Trilling (Columbia College 1925, PhD 1938, Faculty 1927–74.) These thinkers, scholars, and cultural critics were engaged public intellectuals, significant figures of the last century who have often been referred to as respondents to pragmatism. Students analyze the impact their work had in the tradition of American philosophical discourse.

Religion in the United States

This course will be an exploration of the religious experience in the United States, and the role that religion has played in shaping our culture and society. It will focus on religious pluralism and diversity and the specific complexities of the American approach to religion, in which we maintain a secular society and government and a freedom of religious expression. It will be interdisciplinary in that it will incorporate historical perspectives and methodology, and materials and methodologies from Religious Studies. There will be three units: Religious Pluralism, Community and Identity, and Religion in the Public Sphere.

Environmental Ethics

This course is an overview of the many issues that inform our current understanding of the environment and our place in it. It is broadly interdisciplinary; our readings present the ways in which the earth and environment is conceptualized within several major worldviews and philosophies. In addition to the readings from the required texts, we will be looking at works by contemporary economists, social and natural scientists, activists, writers, and artists, with which we will explore the current material, political, and social dimensions of our relationship to the Environment.

Religion & Ecology

This course will introduce students to the field of religion and ecology and will explore our relationship with the natural world through the symbols and texts of the world’s religious traditions. Students will study the ways in which scholars, faith practitioners, artists, and activists have rediscovered and reinterpreted these religious traditions in light of our current ecological crises. Together we will seek to identify ways of interacting with nature that reimagine our relationship with the natural world, emphasizing respect, protection, and interconnectedness. Ultimately in this course, students will be asked to consider the

possibility that the ways of valuing nature found in religious traditions are as essential as the ways of utilizing nature expressed in scientific traditions, and that we will need both perspectives in order to understand and respond appropriately to the ecological challenges we face.

The Bible as Literature

Beginning with a close reading of Genesis, we will approach The Bible as a thematically consistent extended narrative that rewards the kind of attention other literary masterpieces traditionally attract. While we will touch on archaeological, literary historical and religious contexts for our readings, our concern will be primarily with the words on the page. We will develop reading strategies unique to the Bible (analysis of repetition, sensitivity to textual lacunae, “type scenes,” etc.) even as we build on our already formidable array of close reading skills.

Spiritual Healing

This seminar will focus on healing practices in a number of ancient and living faith communities where people go in search of psycho-spiritual (and occasionally physiological) health and healing. In addition to being a study in comparative religion, the course will explore methods for spiritual healing (e.g., mindfulness practices/meditation, dream incubation traditions, etc.) that can be utilized by the members of the class over the semester and through life. The course will begin with a brief unit dedicated to the presuppositions of Freud and Breuer’s psychoanalytic model of mental health and therapeutic healing (1895) followed by an examination of the biomedical model of mental health that dominates contemporary Psychiatry. The focus will then shift to an exploration of several religious/spiritual models for what mental health looks like and how individuals and communities achieve it. Attention will be given to Catholic Christian, Christian Science, Theravada Buddhist, and Crow Indian approaches to therapeutic healing.

LABORE ET VIRTUTE