Materials Science: Metals and Ceramics Course Standards

1. Students can classify materials as metals and nonmetals based on chemical, physical, and mechanical properties.

2. Students can identify an appropriate mechanical testing method to quantitatively study a specified mechanical property of a material.

3. Students can describe in words or diagrams the structure of crystals and methods for forming crystals.

4. Students can identify classes of materials defects and make inferences about the bulk properties of a material from information about defect structures, including physical, chemical, and mechanical properties.

5. Students are fluent in and can elaborate on the cultural and historical significance of a number of metal and ceramic materials, including (but not limited to) copper, gold, bronze, steel, silicon oxide, and raku.

6. Students can describe the chemical processes involved in corrosion in terms of balanced chemical equations. They can predict when a corrosion reaction will occur and what the products of the reaction will be. They can connect this process to mechanical properties of metals, applications of sacrificials and non-reactive coatings, and design of rechargeable batteries.

7. Students can identify materials as crystalline or amorphous based on their physical or mechanical properties.

8. Students can identify the component materials in ceramics or glass, describe the structures using words or pictures, and elaborate on how the percent composition of each ingredient will impact the mechanical properties of the resulting material.

9. Students can read and interpret the information in an alloy phase diagram. They can construct a phase diagram from experimental data collected.

10. Students can identify a semiconductor from the chemical structure. They can identify appropriate dopants used in the semiconductor industry and describe the chemical properties of a good dopant for a specific semiconducting material.

MATERIALS SCIENCE: POLYMERS AND BIOMATERIALS (spring)

This course in materials science focuses on ‘soft’ materials – polymers and biomaterials. Synthetic polymers and their chemistry are introduced, from the bulk properties of materials down to the use of nanomaterials in engineering applications. The classification of polymers is included along with how they are altered chemically or with additives. Students will also study the properties of composite materials, looking specifically at the properties of fiber-reinforced composites, including graphite and Kevlar fibers. Students will examine a broad array of materials found in nature that may be manipulated of mimicked to better meet the needs of consumers. There is a significant laboratory component with each unit supported by embedded labs and projects, including synthesis of cross-linked polymers, using a polyurethane resin cast, making and testing concrete, observing compression and tension in a bending composite beam, constructing a solar cell using nanoparticles, and designing a drug-delivery capsule for delivery of medication to a simulated patient.

This course is open to juniors and seniors who have completed a chemistry course. Enrollment in the fall semester course, Materials Science: Metals and Ceramics, is suggested, but not required.

Materials Science: Polymers and Biomaterials

Course Standards

1. Students can describe the difference between organic and inorganic materials in terms of their chemical structure. They are fluent in the historical context of the first synthetic organic molecules and polymers.

2. Students can identify, name, and draw alkane, alkene, and alkyne molecules. They can identify, name, and draw a specified set of organic functional groups.

3. Students can relate the functional groups present on an organic molecule or polymer to its chemical and physical properties.

4. Students are fluent in and can elaborate on the cultural and historical significance of a number of polymeric and composite materials, including (but not limited to) Bakelite, nylon, Kevlar, polyurethane, polystyrene, and polyethylene.

5. Students can identify plastics as recyclable based on their thermal properties. They can describe the steps involved in a recycling process and the challenges inherent in this process. Students can develop their own recycling sorting process based on physical and chemical properties of recyclable polymers.

6. Students can differentiate between recyclable materials, biodegradable materials, and biomaterials. They can describe the structures, properties, and advantages of each. They can synthesize their own biomaterials and quantitatively test the mechanical properties of their products.

7. Students can describe the structures and classify the structures of composite materials. Students can design mechanical testing systems of quantitatively investigate the mechanical properties of composites. They can compare the strength-to-weight ratio for a varied range of composite materials.

8. Students can describe the composition of concrete and the chemical processes that determine its mechanical properties.

9. Students can describe in general terms how materials usage has changed throughout human history and geography. They can identify how the introduction of novel materials and processing techniques changed the types of materials typically used. Students can relate the availability of natural resources (renewable and nonrenewable) to the materials choices made by humans.

10. Students can utilize principles of composite materials to meet technical challenges including (but not limited to) water filter design, windmill design, thermal insulation design, etc. Students can describe using words or pictures their design choices.

FORENSIC SCIENCE: BIOLOGICAL FORENSICS (fall)

In this semester, we will explore the aspects of evidence analysis from a biological standpoint. Topics may include: fingerprints, hair, blood, DNA, entomology, and human remains. Students will participate in evidence collection and analysis for each of the topics. They will end the semester with a crime scene that will test the skills they have acquired in class to deduce the most likely perpetrator.

Honors Requirements

Students will be required to read a book about forensic science and give a presentation about the book. They will also be assigned two research papers about methods studied during the course of the semester. Enrollment is based upon department recommendation.

Students may take one or both semesters of Forensic Science. These courses require significant lab work.

Forensic Science: Biological Forensics Course Standards

1. Students can identify what a forensic scientist does and does not do.

2. Students can correctly diagram a crime scene.

3. Students can collect and analyze fingerprints, hair, and blood.

4. Students can collect and identify different life stages of insects and relate them to time since death.

5. Students can use the conditions of a corpse to determine the time of death.

6. Students can discuss the benefits of DNA fingerprinting as well as discuss how it is done.

7. Students can put the full semester together to analyze a crime scene, including a report to a district attorney.

FORENSIC SCIENCE: PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL FORENSICS (spring)

In this semester, we will explore the aspects of evidence analysis from a physical or chemical standpoint. Topics may include: fibers, drugs, toxins/alcohol, soil and glass, firearms, tool marks and impressions, documents and handwriting analysis, and cybercrime. Students will participate in evidence collection and analysis for each of the topics. They will end the semester with a crime scene that will test the skills they have acquired in class to deduce the most likely perpetrator.

Enrollment in Biological Forensics (fall semester) is suggested but not required.

Honors Requirements

Students will be required to read a book about forensic science and give a presentation about the book. They will also be assigned two research papers about methods studied during the course of the semester. Enrollment is based upon department recommendation.

Forensic Science: Physical and Chemical Forensics Course Standards

1. Students can identify what a forensic scientist does and does not do.

2. Students can correctly diagram a crime scene.

3. Students can understand and discuss the different drugs and poisons that we can test for, and their effects on the human body.

4. Students can analyze the amount of alcohol in a blood sample and what the level of alcohol means to the body and with regard to the law.

5. Students can analyze blood spatter and bullet trajectory to analyze what happened at a crime scene. They can accurately measure and apply equations based off of the laws of physics.

6. Students can discuss, collect, and analyze the different types of impressions made by tools, shoes, and teeth.

7. Students can analyze handwriting samples to accurately determine if the document is a forgery, based off the writing, type print, and paper. This will include letters, historical documents, and currency.

8. Students will be able to discuss what the different forms of cybercrime are, as well as their impact on individuals, government, and society.

9. Students can put the whole semester together to analyze a crime scene, including a report to the district attorney.

INVENTION AND INNOVATION: PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING

This is a fast-paced, hands-on STEM course designed to engage students in authentic engineering practices in a project-based environment. Students will demonstrate their mastery of material verbally, in writing, and through improving the performance of devices. Students will work in design teams to solve challenges related to disciplines such as mechanical, software, electrical, systems, biomedical, and environmental engineering. The course will require the purposeful application of design principles, along with relevant science, technology, and mathematics concepts. Topics will include labspace safety, teamwork and organization, engineering process, mechanical design, computer-aided design, mechanical fabrication, electronics, programming, and project management. Students will have opportunities to research, design, develop, build, test, and evaluate solutions to real-life problems. It will consist of direct instruction, hands-on learning, and extensive lab period work sessions. Basic building principles and computer programming will be included.

Honors Requirements

The Honors track for this course will include enhanced extension projects embedded within the course materials. Students will have additional responsibilities in project management and the opportunities for student-led investigations.

Invention and Innovation: Principles of Engineering Course Standards

1. Students demonstrate knowledge of forces, mechanical work, and energy through applications involving hands-on, project-based activities as well as oral presentation.

2. Students can utilize basic programming and logic structures in pseudocode or various programming languages. Students can write programs to run in simulations and on a physical robot.

3. Students can describe the role of life-cycle engineering as part of a design process.

4. Students can apply a structured problem-solving process consisting of several steps. They can iterate and improve upon designs using quantitative testing and qualitative feedback mechanisms.

5. Students utilize economic considerations in the engineering design cycle and will be able to apply basic economic relationships in making decisions.

6. Students apply the basic language of technical design as they design, sketch, and make technical drawings, illustrations, models, or prototypes of real design problems.

7. Students can use engineering design software, such as CAD, to design 2-D and 3-D structures. They can manufacture 2-D and 3-D structures based upon design constructions.

8. Students evaluate solutions to a complex, real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

9. Students demonstrate effective communication skills through oral and written reports presented to their instructors, their peers, and selected industry professionals.

10. Students solve open-ended problems working in teams and organize their collective tasks using industry-standard agile management techniques.

ROBOTICS ENGINEERING (fall)

The objective of this course is to introduce basic programming, engineering, and problem-solving strategies. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they build fully functioning robots, use motors and sensors to control them, and program them using National Instruments Engineeringbased icon language that’s easy to learn and used widely in industry. Students will apply basic principles of algebra and geometry while learning about energy, force, speed, power, simple machines, complex mechanisms, coordinate systems, measuring, and more. There is a significant laboratory component, with student-led project management and engineering design principles central to the course. Using the flexible building systems and other available materials, students learn the basics of building a robot and then stretch their imaginations to design remote-controlled robots for a series of escalating classroom game challenges. In addition, students learn to design and program basic autonomous robots using program loops, logic gates, decision-making, and timing sequences. They will learn how to use sensors and adjust the speed, turning radius, and travel distance of the robots.

Honors Requirements

The Honors track for this course will include enhanced extension projects embedded within the course materials. Students will have additional responsibilities in project management and the opportunities for student-led investigations.

Robotics Engineering Course Standards

1. Students will learn about gear ratios, mechanical advantage, fluid mechanics, and energy transfer through hands-on applications involving robotics.

2. Students are introduced to basic programming and logic structures. They can write programs to accom plish tasks on a physical robot using control loops, decision trees, timing sequences, and sensor feedback.

3. Students can use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed technical solutions with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.

4. Students can apply mathematical and scientific concepts to robotics applications, including mechanics, electrical-circuit theory, and electronic control systems.

5. Students will learn how to apply a structured engineering problem-solving and design process consisting of several steps.

6. Students design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

7. Students will learn to use several engineering software tools useful in problem solving, including OnShape, MatLab, LabVIEW, and MeshCAM.

8. Students will be able to identify and describe selected mechanical systems and subsystems, and apply the appropriate fundamentals and unifying concepts to solve problems.

9. Students communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.

10. As a final course assessment, students solve an open-ended problem, working in teams to address a clearly defined and researched critical societal need.

QUANTUM COMPUTING (spring)

This is a cutting-edge course designed to introduce students to the exciting world of Quantum Computing. Quantum is the next frontier of computing technology, and will impact fields such as healthcare, finance, biochemistry, cybersecurity, just to name a few. Students will learn concepts necessary to write their own quantum algorithms and perform relevant, real-world experiments. From basic linear algebra to probability to Python coding, students will build the technical toolset necessary to write their own quantum computer code. We will explore the “weird” physics properties of quantum mechanics that make quantum computers so powerful. Students will code quantum gates and circuits, understand quantum algorithms, and write their own code to run on a real quantum computer. This course will be an empowering, exciting opportunity to learn about a technology that will impact the world. There will be graded weekly homework assignments and lab activities supporting and reinforcing course topics.

This course has both Honors and College-Prep options. Honors level involves additional out-of-class assignments.

PreferenCe will be given to seniors for enrollment in this class; this course cannot count as a Science graduation requirement. College Prep Quantum Computing

Corequisite: Geometry; Quantum Computing Honors

Prerequisite: Completion of Geometry

Quantum Computing Course Standards

1. Students compare and contrast classical and quantum computing, and identify the ideal applications and limitations of each computational approach. Students will be able to identify current and future applications of quantum computing in various fields.

2. Students learn and apply vector, matrix, probability, and complex number concepts to problems relevant to quantum computing.

3. Students develop beginning Python programming skills, can utilize the appropriate Python libraries, can assess basic functions in Qiskit, and can write and run their own Python programs.

4. Students can explain the concept of a qubit and use the Bloch Sphere as a representation of a qubit’s state. Students can describe the evolution of a qubit’s state when simple gates are applied and measurements taken of a system.

5. Students utilize Dirac Notation to represent quantum states.

6. Students use gates and measurements to build quantum circuits using Python.

7. Students apply some specific quantum protocols, including quantum key distribution, superdense coding, and quantum teleportation.

8. Students program and use several classical and quantum algorithms, including the Deutch-Jozsa Algorithm, Grover’s Algorithm, Simon’s Algorithm, and Shor’s Algorithm.

9. Students apply advanced algorithms utilized in quantum information, including Quantum Approximate Optimiza tion Algorithms, Variational Quantum Eigensolvers, Quantum Fourier Transform, and Quantum Phase Estimation.

10. Students identify the types of quantum hardware currently available, and describe the technical advantages and disadvantages of a system.

Applied Molecular Biology

This advanced science course will explore cutting-edge applications of molecular tools and the research that elucidates their utility and promise in a complex world. Students will gain hands-on experience with the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system, ELISA, PCR-based DNA barcoding, gene cloning and transformation, gel electrophoresis, gel purification of PCR products, DNA sequencing, and the use of bioinformatic tools to evaluate molecular data. We will also critically examine timely research papers that evaluate the efficacy of novel, yet controversial biotech tools such as mRNA vaccines, gene therapy, agricultural genetic engineering, and stem cells. Due to the advanced nature of the lab work and class discussions, students must have taken or be currently enrolled in AP Biology or Research Methods. Students will receive Honors credit for this course; departmental approval is required.

Applied Molecular Biology Course Standards

1. Students can navigate the scientific literature to distinguish confirmation bias from scientific consensus.

2. Students can use argumentation and scientific reasoning to justify claims about complex molecular processes, identify pseudoscience, and eliminate false claims.

3. Students can select and justify the most appropriate molecular technique for the intended application.

4. Students can confidently and carefully utilize micropipettes for the accurate transfer of microliter-scale volumes.

5. Students can estimate DNA quantity and assess DNA quality using gel electrophoresis prior to downstream molecular applications.

6. Students can effectively design negative and positive controls to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve the most common problems encountered in a molecular biology laboratory.

7. Students can utilize bioinformatic tools for the purposes of molecular cloning, protein and nucleic acid alignments, nucleic acid sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis.

8. Students can evaluate and explain quantitative and qualitative molecular data. They can apply and interpret appropriate statistical methods for molecular analyses.

Social Studies

The social studies department seeks to provide opportunities for critical thinking, analytical research and writing, thoughtful reflection, meaningful connections from the past to the present, and an understanding of our multicultural heritage. The department also integrates literature, art, and music into the larger economic, political, social, religious, and philosophical themes. We utilize technology in primary-document research, class activities, and class presentation strategies. A student completes his or her graduation requirement by successfully passing three years of Social Studies, including Ancient World History, Modern World History (or AP Modern European History/AP Modern World History), and U.S. History. The sequence of courses is shown on the next page.

A first quarter grade of C- or below can result in student removal from an Honors or AP course.

Social StudiesRequired Courses

ANCIENT WORLD HISTORY: A STUDY OF POLITICS, CULTURE, RELIGION, AND SOCIETY

This course is a required yearlong class that examines world history from the first humans to 1300 CE. Students examine the development of politics, culture, religion, and society within human communities and civilizations throughout the world in this time period. Throughout their exploration students will develop their critical thinking, geography, critical reading, research, presentation, writing, discussion, and collaborative skills. Finally, students are encouraged to analyze connections between current events in the regions they study and the story of that region’s development in the ancient world. Students will use information literacy skills to gather credible information about current and ancient events, peoples, religions, and ideas; and produce keynotes, essays, research papers, posters, debate speeches, and in-class discussions.

Ancient World History Course Standards

1. Students can trace societal, cultural, environmental, economic, & political developments throughout time.

2. Students can identify and explain cause and effect using chronological reasoning skills and will develop an understanding of change over time, comparison, and contextualization.

3. Students can evaluate and analyze primary sources.

4. Students can evaluate and utilize online and library resources, including books and databases, for research papers and projects.

5. Students develop and master the skill of writing an analytical essay that includes an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs with evidence, and a conclusion.

6. Students can use reading strategies to help with retention and comprehension of nightly reading assignments.

7. Students develop skills of engaging in civil discourse, presenting opposing ideas, and listening carefully to thoughts that may be different from their own.

8. Students can collaborate with classmates on a variety of activities and projects.

ANCIENT WORLD HISTORY HONORS: A STUDY OF POLITICS, CULTURE, RELIGION, AND SOCIETY

This course is a required yearlong class that examines world history from the first humans to 1300 CE. Students examine the development of politics, culture, religion, and society within human communities and civilizations throughout the world in this time period. Throughout their exploration, students will build on established critical thinking, geography, critical reading, research, presentation, writing, discussion, and collaborative skills. Finally, students are encouraged to analyze connections between current events in the regions they study and the story of that region’s development in the ancient world. Students will use mature information literacy skills to gather credible information about current and ancient events, peoples, religions, and ideas; and produce keynotes, essays, research papers, posters, debate speeches, and in-class discussions. This course is for students of history who love research, want to delve deeply into many areas of the past, and long to discuss ideas in daily round-table conversations.

Honors enrollment is based on a teacher’s recommendation and at least a B+ average in Webb’s Middle School social studies courses.

College Preparatory Honors And Ap

• Ancient World History Honors 9

12

• Ancient World History

• Modern World History Honors

• AP Modern European History

• AP Modern World History

• Modern World History

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking Honors *

• Entrepreneurship Honors: Theory & Practice *

• United States History

• African Studies * **

• Civil War & Reconstruction * **

• Colonial & Revolutionary America * **

• Conflict in Vietnam: A Global Perspective* **

• From a Journalistic Lens to Historical Study: Develop Your News Literacy * **

• Global Sports History * **

• Judgment, Justice, and Legacy* **

• Personal Finance * **

• Topics in Women’s History * **

• United States History Since 1945 * **

• United States History Honors

• AP United States History

• AP Modern European History

• AP World History

• AP Macroeconomics * **

• AP Microeconomics * **

• AP U.S. Government & Politics * **

• Civil War & Reconstruction Honors * **

• Conflict in Vietnam Honors: A Global Perspective* **

• From a Journalistic Lens to Historical Study: Develop Your News Literacy Honors * **

• Global Sports History Honors * **

• Introduction to Philosophy Honors * **

• Judgment, Justice, and Legacy Honors* **

• Research Scholars: Advanced Research in Humanities * ** (AP credit)

• Topics in Women’s History Honors * **

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking Honors *

• Entrepreneurship Honors: Theory & Practice *

• Entrepreneurship Honors: The Capstone Experience *

Semester electives offered during junior year are also available to seniors.

Semester electives offered during junior year are also available to seniors.

* Semester course ** These courses are offered based on student interest and faculty availability.

Ancient World History Honors Course Standards

1. Students can trace societal, cultural, environmental, economic, & political developments throughout time.

2. Students can identify cause and effect, as well as change over time using chronological reasoning skills. Students work on developing skills required to make comparisons and understand contextualization.

3. Students can evaluate and analyze primary sources and scholarly writing in World History, as well as write about this analysis.

4. Students can evaluate and utilize online and library resources, including books and databases, for research papers and projects.

5. Students build on the skill of writing an analytical essay that includes an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs with evidence, and a conclusion.

6. Students can use reading strategies to help with retention and comprehension of nightly reading assignments.

7. Students develop skills of engaging in civil discourse, presenting opposing ideas, and listening carefully to thoughts that may be different from their own.

8. Students can collaborate with classmates on a variety of activities and projects.

MODERN WORLD HISTORY: A STUDY OF POLITICS, CULTURE, RELIGION, AND SOCIETY

This course is a required yearlong class that examines world history from 1200 CE to the present. Students examine the development of politics, culture, religion, and society within civilizations throughout the world in this time period. Throughout their exploration, students will develop their critical thinking, geography, critical reading, research, presentation, writing, discussion, and collaborative skills. Finally, students are encouraged to analyze connections between current events in the regions they study and the story of that region’s development since 1200 CE. Students will use information literacy skills to gather credible information about current and past events, peoples, religions, and ideas; and produce keynotes, essays, research papers, posters, debate speeches, and in-class discussions.

Modern World History Course Standards

1. Students can trace societal, cultural, environmental, economic, and political developments from 1300 CE to the present.

2. Students can identify and explain cause and effect using chronological reasoning skills and will develop an understanding of change over time, comparison, and contextualization.

3. Students can evaluate and analyze primary sources.

4. Students can think, write, and speak about the major issues, events, groups, and individuals that have impacted human populations around the globe.

5. Students can evaluate and utilize online and library resources, including books and databases, for research papers and projects.

6. Students can develop an argument and support his/her claims with appropriate evidence in short answers and essays. They will learn to develop an argument throughout a paper.

7. Students learn about and master skills of civil discourse.

8. Students learn to connect their knowledge of world history to other areas of the world in ways that demonstrate global literacy as well as a working knowledge of current events as they connect to the past.

MODERN WORLD HISTORY HONORS: A STUDY OF POLITICS, CULTURE, RELIGION, AND SOCIETY

This course is a required yearlong class that examines world history from 1200 CE to the present. Students examine the development of politics, culture, religion, and society within civilizations throughout the world in this time period. Throughout their exploration, students will build on their critical thinking, geography, critical reading, research, presentation, writing, discussion, and collaborative skills. Finally, students will analyze connections between current events in the regions they study and the story of that region’s development since 1200 CE. Students use mature information literacy skills to gather credible information about current and past events, peoples, religions, and ideas; and produce keynotes, essays, research papers, posters, debate speeches, and in-class discussions.

Modern World History Honors Course Standards

1. Students can trace societal, cultural, environmental, economic, and political developments from 1300 CE to the present.

2. Students can identify cause and effect, as well as change over time using chronological reasoning skills. Students build on the skills required to make comparisons and understand contextualization.

3. Students can evaluate and analyze primary sources and scholarly writing in world history as well as write about this analysis.

4. Students can think, write, and speak about the major issues, events, groups, and individuals that have impacted human populations around the globe.

5. Students can evaluate and utilize online and library resources, including books and databases, for research papers and projects.

6. Students can develop an argument and support his/ her claims with appropriate evidence in short answers, essays, and papers.

7. Students master skills of civil discourse.

8. Students can connect their knowledge of world history to other areas of the world in ways that demonstrate global literacy, as well as a working knowledge of current events as they connect to the past.

Honors enrollment is based on a teacher’s recommendation and at least a B+ average in Webb’s Ancient World History Honors course or an A- in Webb’s Ancient World History course.

United States History

This course offers juniors a chance to explore United States history while at the same time improving each student’s basic skills in critical reading, writing, and discussion. Students will examine primary and secondary sources written and created by people with different economic, social, and ethnic perspectives while seeking to understand and analyze different time periods in the story of the U.S. Students will learn to develop questions that lead them to think and write like a historian about a variety of topics, from the meaning of freedom to the role of the U.S. in the world. Finally, students will have the opportunity to research a topic of interest and write a research paper.

United States History Course Standards

1. Students can think, write, and speak about history in North America from 1491 to the present.

2. Students can think, write, and speak about the themes of political, economic, and social history.

3. Students can write short answers and analytical essays.

4. Students will develop research skills and analyze different genres of documents in U.S. history.

5. Students will develop the skills of making an argument and support his/her claims with appropriate evidence in discussion.

6. Students can research in credible sources a topic in American history and write a four- to five-page research paper using Chicago-style footnotes and bibliography.

7. Students can utilize the skills of civil discourse.

United States History Honors

United States History Honors for juniors offers students the opportunity to explore the story of the United States through a variety of perspectives using a wide range of materials. The perspectives cross social, ethnic, and economic boundaries while reading and analyzing primary sources of many types and secondary sources of different genres. The teacher and students will generate questions used to spur the exploration of major issues in American life, including what it means to be an American, the role of the U.S. in the world, and the many ways citizens have defined freedom. This course is for students of history who love research, want to delve deeply into many areas of the past, and long to discuss ideas in daily round-table conversations.

Enrollment is based on a teacher’s recommendation and at least an A- average in a previous Webb nonHonors course.

United States History Honors Course Standards

1. Students can think, write, and speak about history in North America from 1491 to the present.

2. Students can think, write, and speak about the themes of political, economic, and social history.

3. Students can write short answers, analytical essays, and document-based essays.

4. Students can critically analyze different genres of documents and scholarly writing in U.S. history, as well as write about his/her analysis.

5. Students can develop an argument and support his/her claims with appropriate evidence in discussion and in written essays and papers.

6. Students can research in credible sources a topic in American history and write a five-to-seven-page research paper using Chicago-style footnotes and bibliography.

7. Students can utilize the skills of civil discourse.

Ap United States History

AP United States History offers juniors the opportunity to survey the story of the United States from the era of Native Americans to the present. The course focuses on seven themes and four historical thinking skills (comparison, analyzing change over time, contextualization, and causation) chosen by the College Board. Students develop the skills of critical reading and master writing essays and short answers in the formats used for the AP exam. The AP exam is required to complete the course. Students apply for this course and may be accepted after a consideration of past performance in social studies courses, interest in U.S. History, writing skills, and work ethic.

Enrollment is based on a teacher’s recommendation and at least a B+ average in a previous Webb AP or Honors Social Studies course, or an A- in a Webb non-Honors course.

AP United States History Course Standards

1. Students can think, write, and speak about history in North America from 1491 to the present.

2. Students can think, write, and speak using the historical thinking skills of contextualization, causation, comparison, and continuity and change over time.

3. Students can write short answers, long essays, and document-based essays according to the College Board rubric for the AP U.S. History exam.

4. Students can think, write, and speak about the following seven themes: American and National Identity; Politics and Power; Work, Exchange, and Technology; Culture and Society; Migration and Settlement; Geography and the Environment; and America in the World.

5. Students can critically analyze different genres of documents and scholarly writing in U.S. history.

6. Students can develop an argument and support their claims with appropriate evidence in discussion and in written essays and papers.

7. Students can utilize the skills of civil discourse.

8. Students can research in credible sources a topic in American history and write an eight-page research paper using Chicago-style footnotes and bibliography.

Social Studies ElectivesFull-Year Courses

Ap Modern European History

Taken in the 10th or 12th grade, students study the history of Europe from the Middle Ages to the present using various tools of research and analysis. Several themes are emphasized that act as reference points, two of which are the rise of individualism and nationalism. Students apply for this course and are accepted by the Social Studies faculty after a consideration of grades from previous Upper School Social Studies and English classes, interest in the subject matter, writing ability, and work ethic.

Enrollment is based on a teacher’s recommendation and at least a B+ average in a previous Webb AP or Honors Social Studies course, or an A- in a Webb non-Honors course.

AP Modern European History Course Standards

1. Students can think, write, and speak about history in Europe from 1400 to the present.

2. Students can think, write, and speak using the historical thinking skills of contextualization, causation, comparison, and continuity and change over time.

3. Students can write short answers, long essays, and document-based essays according to the College Board rubric for the AP European History exam.

4. Students can think, write, and speak about the following six themes: Interaction of Europe and the World; Poverty and Prosperity; Objective Knowledge and Subjective Visions; States and Other Institutions of Power; Individual and Society; National and European Identity

5. Students can critically analyze different genres of documents and scholarly writing in European history.

6. Students can develop an argument and support their claims with appropriate evidence orally in discussion and written in essays and papers.

7. Students learn about and master the skills of civil discourse.

8. Students can connect their knowledge of European history to other areas of the world in ways that demonstrate global literacy.

Ap Modern World History

Taken in the 10th or 12th grade, this course takes a thematic approach to world history from the first technological advancements to the modern period of globalization. Throughout the year, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes across historical periods, from the foundations of human history to the present.

We lay the foundations with early human history, but the focus of the class is primarily from 1200 CE to present day. Throughout the course, students develop the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians; they learn to analyze primary and secondary sources, develop historical arguments, make historical comparisons, and reason about contextualization, causation, and continuity and change over time. Equally important, students will learn how to see the larger interconnected human story as they study the details of the particulars of peoples, nations, and groups around the world.

Enrollment is based on a teacher’s recommendation and at least a B+ average in a previous Webb AP or Honors Social Studies course, or an A- in a Webb non-Honors course.

AP Modern World History Course Standards

1. Students can contextualize world historical developments, recognize and identify the cause and effect of world historical developments, and identify and explain the continuities and changes over time that influenced world history.

2. Students can communicate their understanding of world history in long essay and short answer formats consistent with the requirements set by College Board for the AP test.

3. Students can compare historical developments and recognize continuities and changes across the globe based on the five established College Board themes: Interaction between Humans and the Environment; Development and Interaction of Cultures; State Building, Expansion, and Conflict; Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems; and Development and Transformation of Social Structures.

4. Students can analyze primary and secondary source materials within historical context.

5. Students can establish a thesis and a historical argument that is effectively supported by appropriate historical evidence.

6. Students can make historical connections within and among societies, and across time and space.

7. Through their study of world history, students develop a sensitivity and respect for the world’s cultural, societal, and religious differences, and recognize the influence of that history on today’s global world.

8. Students develop historical thinking skills that can be applied to their understanding of contemporary world developments.

9. Students can research subjects on a global level and apply their research to a historical research paper, complete with Chicago Manual-style notes and bibliography.

Social Studies ElectivesOne-Semester Courses

Ap United States Government And Politics

This course for juniors and seniors gives students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. The course includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. politics and the analysis of specific examples. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. politics. Students apply for this course and are accepted by the social studies faculty after a consideration of grades from previous Upper School social studies and English classes, interest in the subject matter, writing ability, and work ethic.

Enrollment is based upon departmental consent. Students enrolled in an AP course are expected to take the AP exam.

AP United States Government and Politics Course Standards

1. Students develop an understanding of the philosophical origins of government.

2. Students develop an understanding of the arguments and positions of the framers in constructing and ratifying the United States Constitution.

3. Students develop an understanding of the concept of federalism, and how it is implemented in the policies of the Federal and state governments.

4. Students develop an understanding of the role of civil liberties and civil rights in U.S. political history, and its current implementation in U.S. legal policy.

5. Students can make historical connections between the sources of American political culture, and its comparison with other nations.

6. Students can analyze the types of political participation in the American political system.

7. Students develop an understanding of the role of non-governmental institutions and organizations in the political landscape (media, political parties, campaigns, interest groups).

8. Students can compare the structure, powers, and role of the institutions of the federal government (legislative, executive, and judicial branches).

9. Students develop an understanding of the role of the federal bureaucracy in policy making

Ap Macroeconomics

This course for juniors and seniors gives students a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole. Students will be introduced to such macroeconomic concepts as comparative advantage, inflation, price indexes, and monetary and fiscal policy, as well as many other concepts that deal with national and world economies. A particular emphasis is on the study of national income and price determination; this also develops students’ familiarity with economic performance measures, economic growth, and international economics.

This course can serve as a complement to the AP Microeconomics course that is offered in the fall semester, or be taken as a stand-alone course to introduce students to economics from a macro perspective. Students apply for this course and are accepted by the Social Studies faculty after a consideration of grades from previous Upper School Social Studies and English classes, interest in the subject matter, writing ability, and work ethic. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent. Students enrolled in an AP course are expected to take the AP exam.

AP Macroeconomics Course Standards

1. Students can analyze economic data, interpret the data and construct economic models and graphs.

2. Students develop an understanding of basic economic concepts – PPC, supply and demand, opportunity costs, elasticity, types of goods and services, effects on goods and services.

3. Students can measure the economic performance of macroeconomies through understanding of real and nominal GDP, rates of unemployment, inflation, deflation, and dis-inflation.

4. Students know the determinants of supply and demand and short and long-run equilibrium.

5. Students develop an understanding of saving, investment, the roles and measurement of money, and the financial system.

6. Students develop an understanding of the concept of the money multiplier and money creation, and the fractional banking system.

7. Students develop an understanding of the details and processes of fiscal and monetary policy, and the role of government and central banks in the economic system.

8. Students develop an understanding of the role of capital flows and balance of payments, the foreign exchange market, and exchange rate policy.

Ap Microeconomics

This course for juniors and seniors gives students a thorough understanding of the basic principles of economics and their impact on individual economic decision-making. As applied to both the consumer and producers, students will be introduced to basic economic principles as well as to specific microeconomic concepts such as the product and factor markets, consumer choice, elasticity, supply and demand, production and costs, and a host of other concepts that help to explain our economic world.

This course can serve as a complement to the AP Macroeconomics course that is offered every other year or be taken as a stand-alone course to introduce students to economics from a micro perspective.

Students are required to take the AP exam in Microeconomics in May. Enrollment is based on a teacher’s recommendation and at least a B+ average in a previous Webb AP or Honors Social Studies course, or an A- in a Webb non-Honors course.

AP Microeconomics Course Standards

1. Students can analyze economic data, interpret the data and construct economic models and graphs.

2. Students understand the basic economic concepts – PPC, supply and demand, opportunity costs, elasticity, types of goods and services, effects on goods and services.

3. Students understand marginal thinking, and apply it to consumption, production, profit maximization, resource use determination, and externalities.

4. Students understand the nature and function of product markets in the economy.

5. Students can differentiate between the different types of product markets.

6. Students develop an understanding of the nature and function of the factor market in the economy.

7. Students develop an understanding of the causes of market failures, and the role of government in the micro-economy.

Personal Finance

This semester class will present the foundations of civic engagement in the American political and economic system. Students will learn the basics of the American political system (both institutions and processes), as well as the basics of our economic system with an emphasis on personal finance. The purpose of this course is to teach students not only how our government and economic systems function, but also how to engage in those systems in ways that benefit students as citizens and benefit the communities where they live. Instead of a textbook, the course will draw on primary source material from current news and magazine sources along with our library databases. There will also be secondary sources from authorities and scholars on both government and economics. Traditional and alternative modes of assessing student progress will be used with more emphasis on non-traditional or alternative modes. Alternative modes of assessment could include research projects and papers, as well as debates and hands-on simulations.

Seniors will receive first priority for class enrollment.

Personal Finance Course Standards

1. Students develop an understanding of the structure and form of the United States government, state government, and local government.

2. Students develop an understanding of the institutions and powers of the United States government, state government, and local government.

3. Students develop an understanding of the role of non-governmental institutions such as media, political parties, and interest groups.

4. Students develop an understanding of the importance of personal saving and budgeting.

5. Students develop an understanding of the impact of debt on one’s personal finance.

6. Students develop an understanding of the importance and impact of investing for retirement.

7. Students develop an understanding of the types of and the role of insurance (property and casualty, life, and health).

8. Students develop an understanding of the role of taxes in society.

9. Students develop an understanding of the importance of giving in one’s personal financial strategy.

Civil War And Reconstruction

Open to juniors and seniors, this course will study the causes, events, and effects of the American Civil War and Reconstruction. Students will use primary and secondary sources to examine the political and military components of this critical time period in American history; the course will also examine the social experiences of women, slaves, and free blacks as well. Participants will complete research on various topics, write analytical essays, discuss critical issues with classmates, prepare and present projects, analyze film and literature, and create their own documentary films.

Civil War and Reconstruction Course Standards

1. Students can identify and explain sectional differences emerging in the first half of the 19th century and analyze how those differences led to the Civil War.

2. Students can trace the chronology of the Civil War, identifying key battles and influential leaders.

3. Students can explain the effect of the war on individual people, including civilians.

4. Students can explain and analyze the struggle of Reconstruction and understand expansion of power at the state and federal levels.

5. Students can recognize the lasting impact of the Civil War on American memory and in the 21st century.

6. Students can construct a well-thought essay that includes an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs with evidence, and a conclusion.

7. Students can evaluate and utilize online and library resources, including books and databases, for large-scale research papers and projects.

8. Students can engage in civil discourse, presenting opposing ideas and listening carefully to thoughts that may be different from their own.

9. Students can evaluate and analyze primary sources.

COLONIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY AMERICA: FACT & FICTION

The goal of this elective is to gather through a variety of methods the “mythology” of this period in United States history. Then students will set about gaining a truer portrait of the issues, events, and experiences of Native Americans and immigrants from Europe in British North America. Students will use research skills to find the reality of various events and issues. Once students have the information, they will discuss it in formal and informal settings, write response papers, and share their ideas in various presentation formats. Open primarily to juniors and seniors, sophomores are welcome if space allows.

Colonial and Revolutionary America: Fact & Fiction

Course Standards

1. Students can think, write, and speak about the history of British North America during the colonial and revolutionary periods.

2. Students develop historical thinking skills, including contextualization, causation, comparison, synthesis, argumentation, interpretation, and an examination of continuity and change over time.

3. Students can write one-page response papers to questions, documents, videos, or to summarize a reading.

4. Students can write an essay that provides a thesis statement, several interpretive points, and a conclusion.

5. Students can critically analyze different genres of writing, including secondary sources and a variety of primary sources.

6. Students can evaluate and utilize online and library resources, including books and databases, for short research papers and projects.

7. Students can engage in civil discourse, presenting opposing ideas and listening carefully to thoughts that may be different from their own.

8. Students can present research to the class using a variety of methods.

9. Students can cite research sources using Chicago-style footnotes and a bibliography.

CONFLICT IN VIETNAM: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

Conflict in Vietnam is designed to explore the background, execution, and legacy of war in Vietnam through careful study of historical sources, military strategy, soldier and civilian experiences, and primary and secondary sources, including film and literature. The scope of the course will extend beyond American intervention to study the global history of Vietnam and the issues colonialism and postcolonialism have brought to the country. Designed for juniors and seniors with preference given to seniors, Conflict in Vietnam will continue to sharpen students’ critical thinking, reading, writing, and discussion skills.

Honors Requirements

The Honors section of Conflict in Vietnam is designed to allow students more opportunities to discuss and write about the significance of history in the development of current issues and to explore more deeply how issues transcend time and location. Assessments, including in-class essays, projects, graded discussions, and daily checks, will focus more on analysis and synthesis rather than simple recall and identification. Students will be expected to read and comprehend more rigorous selections and participate fully in all classroom activities.

Conflict in Vietnam Course Standards

1. Students can identify and explain the causes of the various wars fought over Vietnam in a larger global history.

2. Students can trace the chronology of conflict in Vietnam, identifying key turning points, strategies, influential leaders, and the process and impacts of colonization.

3. Students can explain the effects of the American war in the United States and in Vietnam on many different groups of people, including soldiers and civilians.

4. Students can construct a well-organized and insightful essay that includes an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs with evidence, and a conclusion.

5. Students can evaluate and utilize online and library resources, including books and databases, for largescale research papers and projects.

6. Students can engage in civil discourse, presenting opposing ideas and listening carefully to thoughts that may be different from their own.

7. Students can evaluate and analyze primary sources.

JUDGMENT, JUSTICE, AND LEGACY: HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND MAJOR HISTORICAL EVENTS

In this course, students will endeavor to gain an understanding of human behavior from multiple perspectives through the historical analysis of major criminal acts against humanity. Using the Holocaust as a first case study and materials from the nationally celebrated “Facing History and Ourselves” curriculum, students will consider the role of the individual, the group dynamics of society, and universal themes of human behavior. Students will be challenged to think about the choices available to individuals in a time of crisis and the factors that influence their decision-making. Following the case study, students will dive deeply into one historical case study of their choosing to either consider a criminal act against humanity or the inverse of that – a movement for humanity. Throughout the research portion of the course, students will work individually with the instructor to develop a thesis; find primary and secondary sources; explore the perspectives of victims, witnesses, collaborators, rescuers, perpetrators, and bystanders; and evaluate the impact of individuals and events on history and the quality of life in our world.

This elective can be taken for Honors or regular credit.

Judgment, Justice, and Legacy Course Standards:

1. Students can identify and explain the role that the individual and society play in the development of historical events, along with the dynamic created by the intersection of those roles.

2. Students can understand and differentiate between multiple perspectives.

3. Students can identify bias in the source material and factor that bias into their overall analysis.

4. Students can engage in civil discourse, presenting opposing ideas and listening carefully to perspectives that differ from their own.

5. Students can expand their research skills as they identify and analyze primary and secondary sources, utilizing online and library resources.

6. Students can construct a narrative that connects with universal themes of human behavior.

7. Students can understand the impact and consequences that individual and collective action has on history.

FROM A JOURNALISTIC LENS TO HISTORICAL STUDY: DEVELOP YOUR NEWS LITERACY

Both journalists and historians inform the public about the world we live in. The challenge we face is how to navigate today’s information highway. Students in this elective will learn news literacy skills which will empower them to differentiate between credible news and misinformation. Students will learn how to decipher objectivity versus bias in both news coverage and historical study. Then they will learn how to interpret what they find. We will explore how our understanding of events change as we journey from the eyewitness account of events provided by journalists to the intellectual study of events provided by historians.

This elective has both a College-Prep and an Honors tract (with more rigorous standards), and is open to both juniors and seniors.

From a Journalistic Lens to Historical Study: Develop Your News Literacy Course Standards:

1. Students can identify and explain the causes, course, and outcomes of the historical events and important contemporary topics.

2. Students can trace the development of journalistic coverage of the events/ topics and analyze the different perspectives and biases of historical and journalistic coverage.

3. Students can identify the primary purpose of a piece of information, and through that identification, he/she can determine how best to use or interpret it when forming their perspective on an event.

4. Students explore First Amendment rights and can deepen their understanding of the role that free press has in democracy.

5. Students can engage in civil discourse, presenting opposing ideas and listening carefully to thoughts that may be different from their own.

6. Students can identify and analyze primary and second ary sources, utilizing online and library resources.

7. Students can expand their research skills as they examine events and construct a narrative based on credible information. The narratives constructed can be in the form of essays and contemporary media formats such as video packages, social media posts, photojournalism, and graphic displays.

Global Sports History

Few activities better suit global histories of the modern world than sports. Since the 19th century, organized games have been integral to mass culture and everyday life around the world, reflecting and shaping wider political and socio-economic processes. Covering key themes in the history of the modern world – such as race, empire, gender, and nationalism – this course critically analyzes the development of modern sports from a global perspective. This course will emphasize the “global game” of football (soccer), the Olympics, organizations like FIFA and the Olympic Committee, and will include material from a wide range of sports and countries. Those sports and countries could include: cricket on the Indian subcontinent, baseball in the United States, and winter Olympic sports. Designed for juniors and seniors with preference given to seniors, Global Sports History will continue to sharpen students’ critical thinking, reading, writing, and discussion skills.

This elective can be taken for either Honors or regular credit.

Global Sports History Course Standards:

1. Students can identify and explain the causes, course, and outcomes of the historical events and important contemporary topics.

2. Students can engage in civil discourse, presenting opposing ideas and listening carefully to thoughts that may be different from their own.

3. Students can identify and analyze primary and secondary sources, utilizing online and library resources.

4. Students can construct a well-organized and insightful essay that includes an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs with evidence, and a conclusion.

5. Students can present research to the class using a variety of different methods.

6. Students can draw connections from past events to current trends, both in the United States and abroad, so as to better understand the significance of the past and its influence on the future.

Introduction To Philosophy Honors

This course is intended to be an introduction to philosophical thinking in general and, as such, will survey some of the major fields of philosophy, including social and political philosophy, ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, and aesthetics. Using primary sources, we will focus on some important examples of how classical and modern philosophers have both posed and struggled with questions in ways that are quite different to the methodology of theological or scientific inquiry. We will ask questions such as: What is liberty? What gives life meaning? What is the value of philosophy? Are humans always selfish? Why is there something rather than nothing? Are humans free? What is beauty? In the final weeks, we will examine several ways in which philosophy and the philosophical ways of thinking have been applied to contemporary issues.

Enrollment is based upon departmental consent, and seniors have first priority.

Introduction to Philosophy Honors Course Standards

1. Students foster the habits of active listening, respect, mindful speech, creative thinking, self-correction, and teamwork.

2. Students can think, write, and speak about various fields of philosophy, including Political Philosophy, Ethics, Epistemology, Metaphysics, Aesthetics, and contemporary philosophical issues.

3. Students can write essays that define philosophical problems, as well as compare various philosophical viewpoints and provide a personal reflection.

4. Students can critically analyze different genres of documents and scholarly writing in philosophy.

5. Students can develop an argument and support their claims with appropriate evidence orally in discussion, class discussion, and written in essays.

6. Students can connect their knowledge of philosophy to other fields of study at Webb, including psychology, government, English, and social studies courses.

7. Students can construct a thought problem in collaboration with others and then present that problem to the class.

8. Students can connect their growing understanding of philosophy to global issues such as borders, terror, gender, race, war, and peace so that they demonstrate global literacy.

TOPICS IN WOMEN’S HISTORY

Open to juniors and seniors, this course will focus on issues of importance to the lives of women throughout the world between 1800 and the present. Students will have the opportunity to choose some of the topics and to explore the experience of women through primary sources, documentaries, and scholarly articles. Each student will also do research on topics of his/her choice and share their insights in class discussions, the presentation of projects, dramatic performances, and leading class sessions. Some of the topics covered in the course could include: the worldwide movement for women’s suffrage, women in the workplace, women and politics, women’s experiences as immigrants, and women and the arts – to name only a few.

This elective can be taken for either Honors or regular credit.

Topics in Women’s History Course Standards

1. Students can think, write, and speak about women’s history worldwide between the 1800s and 2000s.

2. Students develop historical thinking skills including contextualization, causation, comparison, synthesis, argumentation, interpretation, and an examination of continuity and change over time.

3. Students can write one-page response papers to questions, documents, videos, or to summarize readings.

4. Students can write an essay that provides a thesis statement, several interpretive points and a conclusion.

5. Students can critically analyze different genres of writing, including secondary sources and a variety of primary sources.

6. Students can research the lives of individuals or the contributions of a group of people using primary and secondary sources in the Webb library and databases.

7. Students can present research to the class using a variety of methods from mini-lectures to skits to keynote presentations or posters.

8. Students can cite research sources using Chicagostyle in footnotes and a bibliography.

9. Students can utilize the skills of civil discourse.

United States History Since 1945

This course for seniors is designed to help students better understand events that their grandparents and parents experienced. Students consider how these developments have, in turn, influenced our present era in history. The course builds on foundations set in the required survey courses in World and United States History to provide an in-depth understanding of major political, economic, diplomatic, social, and cultural developments since World War II. The course concludes with a unit on challenges of the 21st century and engages students in a discussion of both the benefits and potential pitfalls of applying lessons from the past to present and future concerns.

United States History Since 1945 Course Standards

1. Students can think, write, and speak about history in the United States of America from 1945 to the present.

2. Students can think, write, and speak using the historical thinking skills of contextualization, comparison, and continuity and change over time.

3. Students can write short answers and long essays.

4. Students can develop an argument and support their claims with appropriate evidence in discussion and in written essays and papers.

5. Students can develop an appreciation for following current news from both the United States and the rest of the world.

6. Students can draw connections from past events to current trends, both in the United States and abroad, so as to better understand the significance of the past and its influence on the future.

7. Students can utilize the skills of civil discourse.

Introduction To Entrepreneurship And Design Thinking Honors

In this course, students will be introduced to the entrepreneurial world in order to learn what it means to be a solution-based worker, thinker, and problem-solver. Students will work with and learn from thriving entrepreneurs and businesses, collaborate with peers and experienced business owners, and apply innovative thinking and imagination to solve real-world problems.

Students in grades 10-12 are eligible for enrollment. Enrollment is based on a teacher’s recommendation and departmental approval.

Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking Honors Course Standards

1. Students develop the ability to effectively express thoughts and ideas to a variety of audiences, including classmates, instructors, business professionals, and interview subjects.

2. Students develop the ability to see the value of perspectives and ideas different from one’s own, and build upon them.

3. Students develop the ability to think freely and “outside of the box” to create unconstrained solutions to various scenarios.

4. Students develop the ability to assess the world as constructed, while developing a mindset of viewing problems as opportunities to create solutions.

5. Students develop the ability to remain unbiased in moving through a project; to accept and integrate feedback and, if necessary, pivot and adjust accordingly.

6. Students develop the ability to empathize with others and develop solutions with the user at the center of innovation.

7. Students develop the ability to find and access relevant information using a multitude of sources, and synthesize it into useful content.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP HONORS: THEORY AND PRACTICE

In this Honors class, students will utilize Harvard Business School case studies to focus on the concepts of entrepreneurship and the practical tools and technologies which propel them. The course will spend two days a week using a case-based discussion of a particular aspect of entrepreneurial activity. The remaining three days of each week will look at ways to realize the principles suggested in the case studies. The course is meant to be a rigorous exploration through the topics that equip entrepreneurs to make decisions and act upon ideas. This exposure to higher-level materials and problem-solving techniques will prepare interested students for the “Capstone Experience” in the fall of 2022, which will allow students to complete a business plan for a for-profit or social enterprise idea.

Prerequisite: Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking Honors. Students in grades 10-12 are eligible for enrollment. Departmental approval required.

Entrepreneurship Honors: Theory and Practice Course Standards

1. Students develop the ability to effectively express thoughts and ideas to a variety of audiences, including classmates, instructors, business professionals, and interview subjects.

2. Students develop the ability to see the value of perspectives and ideas different from one’s own, and build upon them.

3. Students develop the ability to think freely and “outside of the box” to create unconstrained solutions to various scenarios.

4. Students develop the ability to assess the world as constructed, while developing a mindset of viewing problems as opportunities to create solutions.

5. Students develop the ability to remain unbiased in moving through a project; to accept and integrate feedback and, if necessary, pivot and adjust accordingly.

6. Students develop the ability to empathize with others and develop solutions with the user at the center of innovation.

7. Students develop the ability to find and access relevant information using a multitude of sources and synthesize it into useful content.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP HONORS: THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE

Following their successful completion of Entrepreneurship Honors: Theory and Practice, students will work individually and in teams in this Honors course to start up new companies and social enterprises. They will practice ideation, customer discovery, rapid prototyping, website design, go-to-market strategy, project management, and sales. Students will also develop a Business Model Canvas, a pitch deck, and pro forma financial projections.

Prerequisite: Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking Honors and Entrepreneurship Honors: Theory and Practice. Students in grades 11-12 are eligible for enrollment. Departmental approval required.

RESEARCH SCHOLARS: ADVANCED RESEARCH IN HUMANITIES

This course is for seniors and is taken in the fall semester. Students apply by submitting a research paper done in a previous Social Studies course. Once accepted, students will expand the previous research project with deeper analysis of primary and secondary sources, reformat it for publication, and submit it to The Concord Review by December of that year. Students will learn how to produce a computer-generated poster summarizing the research, write a poster session talk, and also develop a formal presentation of the research for an evening presentation to the Webb community and the public.

Students will receive AP credit for this course.

Research Scholars: Advanced Research in Humanities Course Standards

1. Students will revise and expand a research paper written in an earlier Social Studies course by doing more research in both the primary and secondary sources related to the topic.

2. Students will learn about the formatting and footnotes requirements for a submission to The Concord Review. Students will then submit the paper for possible publication to The Concord Review

3. Students will learn how to summarize and organize the major findings from the research project on a poster. Each student will also create a computergenerated poster.

4. Students will write and present a poster session talk for other students and teachers at Webb.

5. Students will write and provide a formal conference presentation at an evening forum for other students, faculty, and members of the Knoxville community.

World Languages

The goals for students in the World Language department include:

• develop proficiency appropriate to each level of instruction;

• be aware of and understand other cultures;

• gain new insights into their own history and culture;

• improve their ability to compete in a global market.

Students at Webb School are required to take a minimum of two years of a language AND complete through Level III in that language. They are encouraged to continue well beyond this minimum in order to achieve a usable level of proficiency.

Criteria for World Language Department Honors and AP Courses

A grade of B+ or higher in the preceding language course is generally expected of students entering an Honors or AP foreign language course. Nevertheless, final determinations as to enrollment will be at the discretion of the department chair and will be based on departmental teacher recommendations.

Placement in an honors or AP course will be systematically evaluated to determine whether the student continues to demonstrate the ability, skills, work habits, and motivation that justified the original placement. Generally, students must maintain a B average or higher. However, final determinations as to continued enrollment will be at the discretion of the department chair and will be based on the departmental teacher recommendations. At any time, adjustments to a student’s schedule might be made.

A first quarter grade of C- or below will result in student removal from an Honors or AP course.

French Courses

The French program uses a proficiency-based, integrative approach in which students use the language creatively from the outset. Classroom interaction is based on tasks that simulate real-world situations. Teaching techniques are student-centered and grammar is presented to promote effective communication. The four skills – reading, writing, listening, and speaking – and culture reinforce one another. The goal of the program is to make students independent users of French through the development of language and critical thinking skills. Classes are conducted primarily in French. Every student enrolled in a French course takes the written national French exam.

• French I

• French II

• French III

• French IV

French I

This class is a proficiency-oriented course that helps students attain a Novice-High Level* of proficiency through integrative, student-centered activities that simulate real-world scenarios. Grammar is presented to promote effective communication. Students learn basic conversational skills such as greeting people, introducing themselves and others, talking about the weather, describing personality traits, talking about schedules and daily activities, and giving opinions. To support these tasks, students learn grammatical structures and concepts such as subject-verb agreement, gender, the present tense (what they regularly do or are doing), the near future (what they are going to do), and one past verb tense (what they did). Students increase confidence and competence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing, while acquiring an awareness of cultural differences and concepts of French-speaking countries through readings, videos, projects, and other oral and written activities. Instructors will work to meet the ACTFL recommendation of using 90 percent-plus of the target language in class.

* (Proficiency standards are defined by the American Council for Teaching Foreign Language Proficiency Performance Descriptors; 2012)

• French II Honors

• French III Honors

• French IV Honors

• AP French: Language & Culture

French I Course Standards

1. Students can recognize key words and detect the main ideas in authentic texts from familiar and/or highly contextualized sources such as schedules, menus, bills, signs, and announcements, especially when supported with visual cues, prior knowledge, and cognates.

2. Students can recognize key words and determine the main ideas in sentence-length speech from familiar and highly contextualized sources such as ads, announcements, and individual utterances.

3. Students can use a variety of high-frequency words, rote phrases, and practiced sentences to negotiate simple communicative tasks and straightforward social situations related to family, origin, school, sports, weekend activities, and clothing in culturally appropriate ways.

4. Students can ask rote and formulaic questions related to familiar and practiced topics such as weekend activities, school, family, food, sports, and clothing.

5. Students can respond to simple, direct questions and/or requests related to familiar topics such as weekend activities, school, family, food, sports, and clothing.

6. Students can greet and introduce themselves and say good-bye in the target language using culturally appropriate greetings, gestures and behaviors in various social situations.

7. Students can produce lists, short notes, and post cards, as well as provide basic information such as name, age, birthday, origin, telephone number, etc. on forms, surveys and/or other documents in the present tense.

8. Students can present information about themselves and familiar topics through lists of words, rote phrases, and simple practiced sentences related to weekend activities, school, family, food, sports, and clothing in the present tense.

9. Students can begin to recognize and appreciate the differences that exist in cultural behaviors and perspectives from around the world.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

French Ii

This class is a proficiency-oriented course that helps students attain an Intermediate-Low Level* of proficiency through integrative, student centered activities that simulate real-world scenarios. Grammar is presented to promote effective communication. After a review of grammatical concepts and basic themes from French I, students expand vocabulary to include such topics as family and friends, health, sports, entertainment, vacation, daily routine, technology, and personal likes and dislikes. They learn to express what they are doing, have done, used to do, are going to do, will do, and would do. They develop greater ease in communicating their needs and opinions. Students increase confidence and competence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing, while acquiring an awareness of cultural differences and concepts of French-speaking countries through readings, videos, projects, and other oral and written activities. Instructors will work to meet the ACTFL recommendation of using 90%+ of the target language during class.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed 8th-grade French, the departmental placement exam, or French I.

* (Proficiency standards are defined by the American Council for Teaching Foreign Language Proficiency Performance Descriptors; 2012)

French II Course Standards

1. Students can recognize key words and phrases and comprehend the main ideas as well as some supporting details in paragraph length texts related to familiar and/or contextualized sources such as schedules, labels, recipes, bills, flyers, advertisements, forms, and catalogs, especially when supported with visual cues, prior knowledge and cognates.

2. Students recognize key words and phrases and determine the main ideas in paragraph-length speech related to familiar and contextualized sources such as ads, announcements, and individual utterances.

3. Students can convey meaning through a variety of high-frequency words, rote phrases, and original simple sentences when responding to uncomplicated communicative tasks and straightforward social situations related to family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, diet, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

4. Students can ask and respond to simple questions and requests for information in familiar and straightforward social situations related to familiar topics such as family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, diet, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

5. Students can produce simple messages, letters, requests for information, descriptions, and notes through strings of simple sentences when writing or speaking about family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, diet, celebrations, and basic medical needs in the present, near future, and simple past.

6. Students can begin to provide short practiced descriptions about past events related to family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, diet, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

7. Students can recognize and appreciate the differences that exist in cultural behaviors and perspectives from around the world.

8. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

French Ii Honors

This class is a proficiency-oriented course that helps students attain an Intermediate-Low Level* of proficiency through integrative, student centered activities that simulate real-world scenarios. Grammar is presented to promote effective communication. French II Honors works with the same material as regular French II, but moves at a faster pace and delves more deeply into the material. The classroom activities, homework assignments, and proficiency assessments reflect the more intense and more in-depth nature of the honors class environment and expectations. Instructors will work to meet the ACTFL recommendation of using 90%+ of the target language in class.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed French II or the departmental placement exam. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent.

*(Proficiency standards are defined by the American Council for Teaching Foreign Language Proficiency Performance Descriptors; 2012)

French II Honors Course Standards

1. Students can recognize key words and phrases and comprehend the main ideas as well as some supporting details in paragraph length texts related to familiar and/or contextualized sources such as schedules, labels, recipes, bills, flyers, advertisements, forms, and catalogs, especially when supported with visual cues, prior knowledge and cognates.

2. Students recognize key words and phrases and determine the main ideas in paragraph-length speech related to familiar and contextualized sources such as ads, announcements, and individual utterances.

3. Students can convey meaning through a variety of high-frequency words, rote phrases, and original simple sentences when responding to uncomplicated communicative tasks and straightforward social situations related to family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, diet, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

4. Students can ask and respond to simple questions and requests for information in familiar and straightforward social situations related to familiar topics such as family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, diet, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

5. Students can produce simple messages, letters, requests for information, descriptions, and notes through strings of simple sentences when writing or speaking about family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, diet, celebrations, and basic medical needs in the present, near future, and simple past.

6. Students can begin to provide short practiced descriptions about a past events related to family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, diet, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

7. Students can recognize and appreciate the differences that exist in cultural behaviors and perspectives from around the world.

8. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

French Iii

This class is a proficiency-oriented course that helps students attain an Intermediate-Low Level* of proficiency through integrative, student centered activities that simulate real-world scenarios. Grammar is presented to promote effective communication.

Beginning with a review of major elements of Level II, this course helps students continue to build vocabulary and deepen their understanding of French grammar. They learn to talk about themes that include professions, technology, Francophone history, life events/emotions, the press/news, politics/ government, environmental issues, travel, and the arts. They continue to develop their ability to express emotions, opinions, needs, and wishes in French. Grammatical structures help students express what they did, used to do, will do, would do, will have done, would have done, etc. Students increase confidence and competence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing, while acquiring an awareness of cultural differences and concepts of French-speaking countries through readings, videos, projects, and other oral and written activities. Instructors will work to meet the ACTFL recommendation of using 90 percent-plus of the target language during class.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed French II or the departmental placement exam.

* (Proficiency standards are defined by the American Council for Teaching Foreign Language Proficiency Performance Descriptors; 2012)

French III Course Standards

1. Students can recognize key words and understand the main ideas and relevant supporting details, as well as infer some meaning in short authentic paragraph-length discourse.

2. Students understand and interpret authentic written and oral texts such as short descriptions, ads, articles, announcements, correspondence, stories, and websites, especially when supported with visual cues, prior knowledge and cognates.

3. Students can begin to analyze texts to derive meaning.

4. Students can respond to direct questions or requests for information related to family, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, and food.

5. Students are able to ask simple questions and make simple requests in familiar and practiced social situations related weekend plans, childhood, travel, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, food, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

6. Students can convey meaning through recombining a variety of vocabulary words and rote phases to create original sentences related to personal information, family, home, daily activities, interests and personal preferences, as well as physical and social needs, such as food, shopping, and lodging.

7. Students can present information through strings of simple but cohesive sentences when writing or speaking about family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, food, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

8. Students can report a simple event or actions in the past using a variety of past aspects.

9. Students can begin to use the authentic sources critically and make some basic comparisons/contrasts between cultures.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

French Iii Honors

This class is a proficiency-oriented course that helps students attain an Intermediate-Mid Level* of proficiency through integrative, student centered activities that simulate real-world scenarios. Grammar is presented to promote effective communication. French III Honors works with the same material as regular French III, but moves at a faster pace and delves more deeply into the material. The classroom activities, homework assignments, and proficiency assessments reflect the more intense and more in-depth nature of the honors class environment and expectations. Instructors will work to meet the ACTFL recommendation of using 90 percent-plus of the target language in class.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed French II or the departmental placement exam. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent.

* (Proficiency standards are defined by the American Council for Teaching Foreign Language Proficiency Performance Descriptors; 2012)

French III Honors Course Standards

1. Students can recognize key words and understand the main ideas and relevant supporting details, as well as infer some meaning in short authentic paragraph-length discourse.

2. Students understand and interpret authentic written and oral texts such as short descriptions, ads, articles, announcements, correspondence, stories, and websites, especially when supported with visual cues, prior knowledge and cognates.

3. Students can begin to analyze texts to derive meaning.

4 Students can respond to direct questions or requests for information related to family, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, and food.

5. Students are able to ask simple questions and make simple requests in familiar and practiced social situations related weekend plans, childhood, travel, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, food, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

6. Students can convey meaning through recombining a variety of vocabulary words and rote phases to create original sentences related to personal information, family, home, daily activities, interests and personal preferences, as well as physical and social needs, such as food, shopping, and lodging.

7. Students can present information through strings of simple but cohesive sentences when writing or speaking about family, home, daily routines, weekend activities, personal preferences, shopping, food, celebrations, and basic medical needs.

8. Students can begin to use authentic sources critically and make some basic comparisons/contrasts between cultures.

9. Students can report a simple event or actions in the past using a variety of past aspects.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

French Iv

This class is a proficiency-oriented course that helps students attain an Intermediate-Mid to IntermediateHigh Level* of proficiency through integrative, student centered activities that simulate real-world scenarios. Grammar is presented to promote effective communication and is not the sole focus of the course. While applying previous and working knowledge of the language, students are led through daily activities that help develop their ability to better employ the grammatical and lexical features of the language in order to more effectively communicate in French through writing and speaking. Unlike grammar-based programs which tend to focus more on what the student knows about the language, French IV helps students strengthen their ability to respond to real-world situations in spontaneous and non-rehearsed contexts through speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Instructors will work to meet the ACTFL recommendation of using 90 percent-plus+ of the target language in class.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed French III or the departmental placement exam. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent.

* (Proficiency standards are defined by the American Council for Teaching Foreign Language Proficiency Performance Descriptors; 2012)

French IV Course Standards

1. Students can follow the main ideas and identify some supporting details in various time frames in straightforward, and sometimes narrative, paragraph-length discourse, especially when supported with visual cues, prior knowledge, and cognates.

2. Students can understand and interpret authentic written and oral texts such as articles, announcements, websites, and literary passages.

3. Students can begin to analyze written and oral texts in order to derive meaning.

4. Students can respond to direct questions or requests for information related to personal relationships, living spaces, family dynamics, the environment, and future plans.

5. Students are able to ask a variety of questions, elicit information, and make requests in various familiar social situations related personal relationships, living spaces, family dynamics, entertainment, travel, and cultural values.

6. Students can present a variety of information about school, community events, and personal experiences, and relationships with several short paragraphs, sometimes across multiple time frames. Students can state viewpoints on familiar or researched topics and provide some supporting details.

7. Students can state viewpoints on familiar or researched topics and provide some supporting details.

8. Students can begin to adapt to various audiences of listeners, readers, or viewers to present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate on a variety of topics.

9. Students can use authentic sources critically to make comparisons/contrasts between cultures in order to understand different cultural perspectives from around the world.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

French Iv Honors

This class is a proficiency-oriented course that helps students attain an Intermediate-Mid to IntermediateHigh Level* of proficiency through integrative, student centered activities that simulate real-world scenarios. Grammar is presented to promote effective communication and is not the sole focus of the course. French IV Honors works with the same material as regular French IV, but moves at a faster pace and delves more deeply into the material. The classroom activities, homework assignments, and proficiency assessments reflect the more intense and more in-depth nature of the honors class environment and expectations. Furthermore, 1-2 full-length novels are read in French IV Honors during the second semester. Instructors will work to meet the ACTFL recommendation of using 90 percent-plus of the target language in class.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed French III or the departmental placement exam. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent.

* (Proficiency standards are defined by the American Council for Teaching Foreign Language Proficiency Performance Descriptors; 2012)

French IV Honors Course Standards

1. Students can follow the main ideas and identify some supporting details in various time frames in straightforward, and sometimes narrative, paragraph-length discourse, especially when supported with visual cues, prior knowledge, and cognates.

2. Students can understand and interpret authentic written and oral texts such as articles, announcements, websites, and literary passages.

3. Students can begin to analyze written and oral texts in order to derive meaning.

4. Students can respond to direct questions or requests for information related to personal relationships, living spaces, family dynamics, the environment, and future plans.

5. Students are able to ask a variety of questions, elicit information, and make requests in various familiar social situations related personal relationships, living spaces, family dynamics, entertainment, travel, and cultural values.

6. Students can present a variety of information about school, community events, and personal experiences, and relationships with several short paragraphs, sometimes across multiple time frames.

7. Students can state viewpoints on familiar or researched topics and provide some supporting details.

8. Students can begin to adapt to various audiences of listeners, readers, or viewers to present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate on a variety of topics.

9. Students can use authentic sources critically to make comparisons/contrasts between cultures in order to understand different cultural perspectives from around the world.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

AP FRENCH: LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

This course is tailored to prepare students for the AP French Language and Culture exam. Students complete an extensive review of grammar and work with more complex structures than previously encountered in their other courses. Recordings and videos develop listening skills; literature, internet sites, journal and newspaper articles, and other written sources develop reading skills; compositions and other writing activities develop writing skills; and ample conversational activities improve speaking skills. To maximize preparation, students study sections from AP exam preparation books and previous AP exams and are also required to complete a series of recorded exercises modeled after those on the AP exam. Instructors will work to meet the ACTFL recommendation of using 90 percent-plus of the target language in class.

Students enrolled in an AP course are expected to take the AP exam. Students who take this course must have successfully completed French IV. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent.

AP French Language and Culture Course Standards

1. Students can read, summarize, and discuss a variety of authentic materials ranging from literary texts to newspaper, magazine articles, and online publications.

2. Students begin to recognize different rhetorical devices in authentic texts (persuasion, argument, opinion, satire, etc.), and identify the intended audience.

3. Students can comprehend a variety of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions across time frames.

4. Students can appropriately respond to formal emails requesting information, opinions, suggestions etc., on a variety of topics in a variety of time frames.

5. Students can engage in the oral and written exchange of information, opinions, and ideas in a variety of time frames and social situations.

6. Students can state and support opinions.

7. Students can use and understand a variety of vocabulary, idioms, and culturally appropriate expressions related to various topics to initiate, maintain and close a written or spoken exchange with a native speaker.

8. Students can write a persuasive essay on a variety of topics that consists of a thesis, body argument supported by details from authentic written and oral sources, and a conclusion.

9. Students can critically interpret, synthesize, integrate, and cite information from a variety of authentic sources (oral and written) in order to support their arguments, opinions, and/or conclusions.

10. Students develop their awareness and appreciation of products, both tangible (e.g., tools, books) and intangible (e.g., laws, conventions, institutions); practices (patterns of social interactions within a culture); and perspectives (values, attitudes, and assumptions that underlie practices and products).

11. Students build a broader understanding of the cultures in general, incorporate interdisciplinary topics, make comparisons between the native language and the target language, as well as between different cultures, and use the target language in real-life settings.

FRENCH VI: LANGUAGE THROUGH FILM

This course is for students who have successfully completed AP French and who desire to build their language skills at a more advanced level using authentic cultural texts that include films, readings from the media and traditional literature, websites, and popular songs. Writing and conversation will be emphasized. Students will write film critiques, essays, and short research papers. They will also engage in conversational activities that require using their critical thinking and presentation skills, and they will be required to record a viewer’s log for each film studied. Instructors will work to meet the ACTFL recommendation of using 90 percent-plus of the target language in class.

Prerequisite: AP French: Language and Culture

Enrollment is based upon departmental consen t.

The class will be conducted entirely in French. Although this class is not a College Board AP course, students will receive AP credit for this course.

French VI Honors: Language Through Film Course Standards

1. Students can read, summarize, and discuss a variety of authentic materials ranging from scholarly articles and online publications to literary works from the target language.

2. Students can read, summarize, and discuss works from literary canons (short stories, poems, passages).

3. Students can express their opinions, criticism, and exchange of information in an academic setting more akin to an advanced college language course.

4. Students can write an analytical essay on a variety of topics related to the social, political, economic, and historical themes presented in class and provide supporting details from academic sources.

5. Students can critically interpret, synthesize, integrate, and cite information from a variety of authentic academic sources (oral and written) in order to support a thesis, arguments, opinions, and/or conclusions.

6. Students can research an academic topic related to the historical, social, economic, and political themes discussed in class and produce a 7- to 8-page term paper in the target language that incorporates and appropriately cites academic sources.

7. Students garner a general understanding of the political, social and historical contexts of France and French colonization.

8. Students broaden their geographic, historical, artistic, social, and political understanding of the Francophonie.

9. Students build a broader understanding of the cultures in general, incorporating interdisciplinary topics to make comparisons between the native language culture and the target language culture.

Latin Courses LATIN I

Latin I builds and strengthens comprehension of the Latin language through listening, reading, and translating. Using the Cambridge Latin Course Units 1 and 2, students follow the storyline of a historical novel through Pompeii, Roman Britain, and Alexandria, Egypt, as they acquire a working vocabulary, a foundation in syntax, a sense of pronunciation, and an understanding of the culture and the people who spoke Latin.

Latin I Course Standards

1. Students can hear and comprehend simple questions or statements on familiar topics and in context.

2. Students can follow the narrative of a simple story being read aloud.

3. Students can understand familiar words, phrases, and sentences within short and simple authentic texts related to everyday life.

4. Students can understand the main idea of written materials and distinguish grammatical structures to comprehend the message of written simple texts.

5. Students can present information about familiar items in one’s environment orally and in writing.

6. Students can discuss modern daily activities and/or the daily activities of the classical culture.

• Latin I

• Latin II

• Latin III

7. Students can describe familiar items in the immediate environment orally and in writing.

8. Students can observe, discuss, and produce types of artwork, crafts, or graphic representations made within the classical culture.

9. Students can determine words that originate from Latin, as well as recognize loaned words, phrases, mottoes, and abbreviations adopted by the English language.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

Latin Ii

Latin II will stress the fundamentals of Latin translation through the study of a series of selections set in Alexandria, ancient Britain and classical Rome. Continuing with the Cambridge Latin Course Unit 3, two themes alternate: a story of political intrigue involving top ranking government officials, and a story modeled after Roman comedy involving two soldiers of the Second Legion. In addition to a thorough review of grammar and vocabulary from Latin I, students receive instruction in advanced grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, derivatives, history, and myth.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed eighth grade Latin, Latin I, or the departmental placement exam.

• Latin II Honors

• Latin III Honors

• Latin IV Honors

• AP Latin

Latin II Course Standards

1. Students can determine the main idea of a text.

2. Students can follow questions and simple statements on familiar topics when participating in a conversation.

3. Students can understand complex grammatical relationships (e.g., noun-adjective agreement, subject-verb agreement, prepositional phrases, or pronouns) in sentences with straightforward syntax.

4. Students can comprehend more difficult written passages with a variety of high-frequency words and phrases.

5. Students can infer the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary based on knowledge of the target language.

6. Students can describe people, activities, events, or experiences directly related to oneself or to the classical culture/history orally and in writing.

7. Students can examine, analyze, and exchange information on patterns of typical behavior in classical culture.

8. Students can identify, investigate and engage with the tangible products of classical culture.

9. Students can identify and explain the significance contributions of classical life (e.g., the home, a military camp, the baths) and compare them to the [modern] United States.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

Latin Ii Honors

Latin II Honors students will move at a faster pace and will delve more deeply into the material. Classroom activities, homework assignments, and tests reflect the more intense and more in-depth nature of the Honors class environment and expectations.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed eighth grade Latin, Latin I, or the departmental placement exam. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent.

Latin II Honors Course Standards

1. Students can determine the main idea of a text.

2. Students can follow questions and simple statements on familiar topics when participating in a conversation.

3. Students can understand complex grammatical relationships (e.g., noun-adjective agreement, subject-verb agreement, prepositional phrases, or pronouns) in sentences with straightforward syntax.

4. Students can comprehend more difficult written passages with a variety of high-frequency words and phrases.

5. Students can infer the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary, based on knowledge of the target language.

6. Students can describe people, activities, events, or experiences directly related to oneself or to the classical culture/history orally and in writing.

7. Students can examine, analyze, and exchange information on patterns of typical behavior in classical culture.

8. Students can identify, investigate and engage with the tangible products of classical culture.

9. Students can identify and explain the significance contributions of classical life (e.g., the home, a military camp, the baths) and compare them to the [modern] United States.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

Latin Iii

Latin III continues the study of Roman Literature and translation through a variety of reading selections. The course will complete the readings in the Cambridge text, concluding the story line, which began with Pompeii and the eruption of Vesuvius. The first semester will introduce the last concepts of Latin grammar; the second semester will be a comprehensive grammar review. Also included are original and adapted Latin passages from several Roman authors including Martial, Ovid, Pliny the Younger, Catullus, Vergil, and Tacitus. The course will also introduce students to aspects of literary analysis and poetic figures. Other integral components include an examination of the cultural, social, and political contexts of the 1st century A.D.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed Latin II or Latin II Honors, or the departmental placement exam.

Latin III Course Standards

1. Students can identify basic information in stories, dialogues, and other spoken or recorded messages in one’s everyday life.

2. Students can determine the main idea of adapted and unadapted passages in the target language.

3. Students can understand grammatical relationships (e.g. verbals, subjunctives, indirect statements) in sentences with straightforward syntax or occasionally in sentences with complex syntax.

4. Students can articulate the main idea and many details when reading some unadapted passages.

5. Students can talk about and write about their personal and social experiences.

6. Students can research and present oral or written information about a topic related to the classical culture/history.

7. Students can compose a simple paragraph about a learned or researched topic.

8. Students can compare characteristics and attributes of Greek and Roman gods, and contrast them with religious figures and values of other cultures.

9. Students can understand the presence of the classical world in their community and explain its impact.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

Latin Iii Honors

Latin III Honors students will move at a faster pace and will delve more deeply into the material. Classroom activities, homework assignments, and tests reflect the more intense and more in-depth nature of the Honors class environment and expectations.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed Latin II or Latin II Honors, or the departmental placement exam. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent.

Latin III Honors Course Standards

1. Students can identify basic information in stories, dialogues, and other spoken or recorded messages in one’s everyday life.

2. Students can determine the main idea of adapted and unadapted passages in the target language.

3. Students can understand grammatical relationships (e.g. verbals, subjunctives, indirect statements) in sentences with straightforward syntax or occasionally in sentences with complex syntax.

4. Students can articulate the main idea and many details when reading some unadapted passages.

5. Students can talk about and write about their personal and social experiences.

6. Students can research and present oral or written information about a topic related to the classical culture/history.

7. Students can compose a simple paragraph about a learned or researched topic.

8. Students can compare characteristics and attributes of Greek and Roman gods, and contrast them with religious figures and values of other cultures.

9. Students can understand the presence of the classical world in their community and explain its impact.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

Latin Iv Honors

Latin IV Honors offers an extensive reading and analysis of Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Amores. In addition, the course will feature selections from the poems of Catullus. By carefully studying the texts with attention to vocabulary, morphology, and syntax, students will further develop their ability to work with authentic Latin. The course will require students to read, translate, understand, analyze, and interpret the required poems. Students will pursue an intensive study of plot, character, theme, motif, poetic structure, stylistic analysis, literary devices, and meter. Other integral components include an examination of the cultural, social, and political contexts of the literature on the syllabus.

Students who take this course must have successfully completed Latin III or Latin III Honors, or the departmental placement exam. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent.

Latin IV Honors Course Standards

1. Students can comprehend straightforward oral information or conversational interactions.

2. Students can determine the details in stories, dialogues, and other spoken or recorded messages.

3. Students can understand a wide variety of grammatical relationships in written sentences with complex syntax.

4. Students can articulate the main idea and many details when reading unadapted passages.

5. Students can research and present information on more sophisticated academic topics within the content areas.

6. Students can explain events and activities from the classical culture/history both through written and oral texts.

7. Students can present information both orally and through written tests to explain significant historical topics.

8. Students can describe how cultural products form the Classical world have changed, been adapted, or disappeared over time.

9. Students can consult Classical resources above one’s ability in order to increase language proficiency.

10. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.

Ap Latin

AP Latin offers an extensive reading and analysis of Vergil’s Aeneid and Caesar’s de Bello Gallico in preparation for the AP exam. By carefully studying the texts with attention to vocabulary, morphology, and syntax, students will further develop their ability to work with authentic Latin. The course will also introduce students to aspects of literary analysis of the Aeneid as one of the landmark works of Western literature. In addition to translating as literally as possible selections from the reading list of both authors on a daily basis, students will pursue an intensive study of plot and character, literary devices, meter, stylistic analysis, and Vergil’s debt to Homer. Other integral components include an examination of the cultural, social, and political contexts of the Aeneid and Vergil’s literary influence on later works. From the study of Caesar, students develop competency with reading Latin prose and a familiarity with the political and social history of the first century B.C. with particular emphasis on Caesar’s role in those politics. Students are also expected to translate passages from both authors at sight with help from notes and a lexicon. Their ability to translate Latin at sight from the authors on the syllabus as well as other similar authors (see course requirements) is evaluated on each test in preparation for the AP exam. Each day, students discuss the passages just translated, either prepared as homework or given as sight in class, to ensure their comprehension of the syllabus passages. Each student will either: answer comprehension questions, summarize a passage in his/her own words, or compare the passage to other works of art or literature. Familiarity with both works in English and the ability to generate analytical essays based on both works covering a variety of topics are also required for preparation for the AP exam.

Students enrolled in an AP course are expected to take the AP exam. Enrollment is based upon departmental consent.

AP Latin Course Standards

1. Students can comprehend and distinguish descriptions and stories of events in various time frames.

2. Students can determine the main idea and many details of a narrative in the target language from a variety of genres.

3. Students demonstrate a balanced, nuanced understanding of an unadapted passage.

4. Students can read unadapted Latin without the aid of a dictionary.

5. Students can express multiple viewpoints using supporting arguments in various time frames and moods.

6. Students can describe topics of social concern in various time frames and moods.

7. Students can present well-organized information on general topics of the classical culture using technical terminology in a variety of tenses and moods.

8. Students can present and elaborate opinions on a particular point of view.

9. Students can describe how cultural products form the Classical world have changed, been adapted, or disappeared over time.

10. Students can compare and contrast themes from classical literature to modern day literature.

11. Students build, reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines as they use the language to acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and to solve problems creatively.