Coure of Studies 2011-12

O F

S T U D I E S

2011-2012

C O U R S E

The Williston Northampton

School

Academics at Williston

The academic program at The Williston Northampton School is designed to create a rigorous academic environment that stimulates students to develop a wide range of intellectual interests and pursuits. Our core diploma requirements are enhanced by a rich and diverse elective program, enabling students with varied interests and strengths to find challenge and inspiration in their academic and artistic work.

The crucial relationship between the dedicated and talented teacher and the eager and interested student forms the heart of our academic program. This relationship informs what happens in our classes, which are designed to

emphasize collaboration and discussion. In the classroom, ideas are scrutinized and opinions shared in an atmosphere that promotes an open exchange among students and faculty and emphasizes the value and the beauty of thinking and creating. Our most immediate goal is to prepare our students well for their college careers, but we recognize that our broader and more important responsibility is to establish in our students an appreciation for the joys and complexities of learning that we hope will continue throughout their adult lives.

Greg Tuleja Academic Dean

Above: World Civilizations teachers led students in discussion after they attended a performance of Three Cups of Tea at UMass and participated in workshops with the performers back on campus.

Below: In a continuing collaboration with ThisWorldMusic/UMass Amherst Drum and Dance Cultural Field Study, students learned African drumming and dance during the annual Diversity Conference.

Williston music lovers attended chamber music concerts at Smith College featuring internationally renowned performers such as Chiara String Quartet in the Music in Deerfield series.

Contents Williston+

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General Requirements

3

Academic Policies

4

Academic Honor and Academic Support

6

The Middle School

7

The Upper School

10

English

10

Writers’ Workshop Series

12

Mathematics

14

Science

17

Language

20

School Year Abroad

24

History and Global Studies

25

Fine and Performing Arts

30

Photographers’ Lecture Series

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This spring, each member of the junior class visited one of the Five Colleges for campus tours and information sessions with admission officers.

Williston Scholars The Williston Scholar program encourages students to pur-

Williston+ enriches the educational experience of our students by bringing the extraordinary artistic, intellectual, and cultural resources of the Five Colleges that share the Pioneer Valley with Williston— Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst—into our curriculum. As part of the Williston+ program, Williston students have had the opportunity to study memory and the brain with Dr. James Chambers from UMass, to do orchestra session work with graduate students from UMass, and to experience African drumming with Faith Conant from Mount Holyoke, to name just a few recent collaborations. In addition to the resources of the Five Colleges, the exceptional array of resources and opportunities that exist in the Pioneer Valley fuels our students’ passions and provides a rich backdrop to the education that students receive here. Directed engagement with the college environment, both the physical environment and the environment of the mind, gained through interactions with faculty and students, helps prepare Williston students for success at the next step on their intellectual journey.

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sue their academic and creative passions and to apply their talents to a specific area of study. Each course offering within the Williston Scholar program provides a group of students the opportunity to engage in rigorous study in an interdisciplinary topic for one trimester, followed by a second trimester of independent project work. The course component of the program is taught by a Williston faculty member in close collaboration with professors, graduate students, researchers, and professionals from the surrounding community. This winter trimester course is graded, and its expectations are high, as students prepare for the individual research they will use to complete a comprehensive project in the spring trimester. Projects are assessed at the end of the spring trimester by a faculty committee including the supervising teacher, collaborating community members, and the academic dean. Students who successfully complete projects will receive a second academic credit and the designation of Williston Scholar. Exceptional projects will receive special recognition.

The Williston Scholar courses offered this year are The 18th Century in the Connecticut River Valley (6900) and Contemporary Art and Culture (7900).

General Requirements In order to receive a Williston diploma, a student must complete 57 academic credits in courses offered at the 9th through 12th grade level. A full year course receives 3 credits and a trimester course 1 credit. The 57 credits must include: English

12 credits

Each student must be enrolled in an English course during every trimester of attendance. ELL courses are considered to be part of the English department.

Mathematics 9 credits This must include Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II; most students go beyond these requirements.

Science 6 credits Chemistry or Biology is required; 3 credits must be taken at the 11th or 12th grade level; most students go beyond these requirements.

Language 6 sequential credits Each student must complete at least 6 credits in the same language during grades 9–12; most students take at least a third year. Students for whom English is not a first language need not fulfill credits in this department.

Diploma requirements also include: 1. a passing grade in all courses taken in the senior year; 2. third trimester senior year, enrollment in five courses, each worth 1 credit; 3. enrollment at Williston throughout the senior year and through graduation ceremonies; 4. positive citizenship; 5. regular participation in the athletic program; 6. satisfactory completion of the Senior Project, for those who choose to do one.

Diplomas are granted on the voted recommendation of the faculty just prior to graduation, confirmed by the vote of the Board of Trustees. Waiver of any diploma requirement may be granted only by the faculty upon a recommendation made by a committee that includes the head of school or his designated representative, the academic dean, the college counselor, and, when waiver of a specific course is involved, the department head.

Seniors, including post-graduates, who are in jeopardy of failing a yearlong course, or who have failed a first trimester course, may be required to withdraw from the school at the end of the fall trimester.

History and Global Studies 8 credits Three credits must be taken in U. S. History; many colleges require a third year. Three- and four-year students must take World Civilizations in the 9th or 10th grade. At least one credit must be selected from among the religion and philosophy courses (6700 level).

Fine and Performing Arts 3 credits Two-, three-, and four-year students must complete three credits. Students are urged to select from offerings both in the studio/performance courses and in the humanities courses.

N.B. Students, parents, and faculty advisors should check the distribution requirements of particular colleges in which students may be interested as requirements and recommended course programs vary.

Senior Spring Projects During the winter trimester, seniors may apply to the head of the appropriate academic department and to the academic dean for permission to pursue independent study in place of one of their academic courses, if they have satisfied all of their departmental requirements, and if they are passing all courses at the conclusion of the second trimester. Seniors may apply for this on-campus program under the guidance of a knowledgeable faculty member. Once embarked upon, a senior project must merit a “pass” awarded by the department in order to qualify for the diploma. “Pass” is the equivalent of “B” work by the academic standards of the school.

A senior project is intended to be the culmination of a study or interest already acquired and not a pursuit of a new discipline. Truly superior performance on a project will result in the grade: “Pass with Distinction” which is considered one of the highest honors that the school awards.

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Academic Policies Course Load Students in grades 9 through 12 are expected to take five

courses each trimester, but four is an absolute minimum.

Students should expect to be assigned at least 40 minutes of homework in each class every day.

Academic Advising and Course Placement When students enter Williston at the Upper School level, their academic program is designed by the academic dean after review of the student’s records and any notes made by an admission officer during the student’s interview.

For returning students in both the Middle and Upper Schools, the academic program is drawn up initially by the student and the student’s faculty advisor. Students are advised to talk with their teachers about course choices and placement, and parents are urged to participate early in the process through consultation with the faculty advisor in April and May. In June, the academic departments and the Middle School faculty provide the academic dean with the names of those students who are recommended for placement in honors and/or Advanced Placement (AP) sections. While every effort is made to respond to legitimate requests for specific courses and to keep students and parents informed about the status of requests for honors and AP courses, placement in these courses is ultimately made by the academic dean in consultation with the academic departments. All AP courses follow approved syllabi, which prepare students for the AP exam in May. Students who enroll in an AP course should expect to take the AP exam.

In the Upper School, there are sometimes more courses offered in a trimester than will actually be taught. For most courses, it is necessary to have a minimum enrollment.

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Add/Drop Upper School At the beginning of the fall trimester (for yearlong courses) and at the beginning of each trimester (for trimester electives), an Upper School student may use the established course change procedure to withdraw from a course. No record of the course will appear on the transcript if the withdrawal occurs before interim comments are recorded. With the exception of these time periods, all withdrawals are recorded Withdrawn/Passing or Withdrawn/Failing. No requests for withdrawal from a course may be considered or approved more than seven days after interim comments are recorded.

Except under the most unusual of circumstances, students may not enter a course later than seven class days after the beginning of the course. A change in course level, for example from French III Honors to French III, would be an exception to this policy so long as the established course change procedure is followed.

Grade Reports

Upper School The school year consists of three trimesters with formal numerical grades recorded at the end of each trimester.

Interim comments for some students may also be recorded at the midpoint of a particular trimester. All grades and comments are made available electronically to parents, students, and advisors.

Grade Reports

Middle School The Middle School operates on trimesters and reports academic comments four times a year. The first comments are written for all Middle Schoolers at midterm of the first trimester. Thereafter, midterm comments are written for those students who are in difficulty or have shown remarkable improvement. Each student receives academic comments at the end of each trimester.

Directed Studies

Upper School

Academic Honors

Directed Studies are tutorial courses on special topics not included in the regular curriculum. The student may plan a directed Study with a faculty member but final approval of the proposal is granted by the department head and the academic dean. The Directed Study must be a fifth or sixth course, and is typically evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

The passing and college recommending grade at Williston is 60. Qualifications for Upper School honor roll are as follows:

Promotion Standards

Honors designations are based on weighted trimester grade point averages. All honors and advanced placement courses receive a fivepoint bonus in the grade point average only.

Upper School

For promotion from 9th to 10th grade, a student must have successfully completed 12 credits, including 3 credits in 9th grade English. For promotion from 10th to 11th grade, a student must have successfully accumulated 27 credits, including 3 credits in 10th grade English. For promotion from 11th to 12th grade, a student must have successfully accumulated 42 credits, including 3 credits in 11th grade English.

Academic Probation

Upper School

Any student whose trimester report includes three grades lower than 70 or two grades lower than 60 shall be placed on academic probation. If the student’s grades at the end of the following trimester are not sufficiently improved for removal from academic probation status, the student will be permitted to continue at Williston only by vote of the faculty. Each student who is placed on academic probation will meet with his or her teachers, his or her advisor, and the academic dean, to formulate a plan to assist the student. The student and his or her parents will be notified promptly of the probation, as well as the features of any assistance plan.

Academic Probation

Middle School

Students’ academic and social lives are carefully monitored

by Middle School faculty and the Middle School director. When concerns arise, contact is made between school and home. In such an environment, academic expectations are high. Any student whose trimester report includes two grades lower than 70 shall be placed on academic probation. A student on probation will meet with his or her parents and teachers, and the Middle School director. The goal of that meeting will be to formulate a plan to assist the student. If the student remains on academic probation at the end of the next term, the student will be permitted to continue at Williston only by vote of the faculty.

Honors: minimum grade point average of 87.

High Honors: minimum grade point average of 92.

Special Academic Honors Cum Laude Society: The highest honor for a student is election to the Cum Laude Society, a national organization that recognizes high academic achievement in independent secondary schools. Students eligible for election are those seniors who, in the judgment of the faculty membership, combine academic excellence and achievement with honorable citizenship, sound character, and active participation in school life.

Prizes and Awards: The Upper School awards numerous endowed book prizes for academic achievement at the awards assembly. Also presented at this time are the major class prizes for outstanding achievement in all areas of school life. These major prizes include:

The Bowdoin Book Prize (Grade 9) The Smith Book Award (Grade 9) The Williams Book Prize (Grade 10) The Yale Book Prize (Grade 10) The Harvard Book Prize (Grade 11) The Dartmouth Book Prize (Grade 11) The Holy Cross Book Prize (Grade 11) The Yale/Granniss Book Prize (Grade 11) Twelve senior prizes are awarded at graduation. The top three are The Valedictory Prize for the first scholar of the class, The Archibald V. Galbraith Prize for the outstanding senior boy, and The Sarah B. Whitaker Award (The White Blazer) for the outstanding senior girl.

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Academic Support Academic Honor Plagiarism Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty.

Using someone else’s ideas, words, phrases and/or designs without giving credit is prohibited. All work turned in (be it written, oral, artistic, or programmed for a computer) is to be the student’s own, except where otherwise credited. Students are sometimes encouraged to make references to other works, but these references (including individual ideas, words, phrases, and/or designs) must be credited properly. Material used from Internet sites must be credited in the same way as any other reference source. The use of translation websites is prohibited by the Language Department. Any outside help (sources, proofreading, typing, or copying by another) that a student has used in preparation for a written, oral, or artistic work should be noted as such BEFORE turning it in for a mark. Similarly, any questions that a student might have about plagiarism should be asked BEFORE a particular work is turned in to be graded.

Cheating Cheating is not tolerated. Students who give or receive information or otherwise cheat on quizzes, tests, or exams will be disciplined and are subject to suspension or separation from the school.

Ethics of Computer Use Any student who writes and/or uses a program for deceitful, malicious, or illegitimate intent or effect will be considered to be in violation of a major school rule.

Parent-school communication is a vital part of the educational support for both Middle and Upper School students. In the Middle School, parents are strongly encouraged to meet with teachers and faculty advisors as needed to discuss their child’s progress. The small size of the Middle School enables Middle School teachers to stay in very close contact with parents when a child is not progressing well.

The student’s faculty advisor works with teachers to coordinate appropriate levels of academic support. Some of the supports available include: • individual or group meetings with teacher outside of class • reduced course load for a trimester • progress reports obtained from the teachers on a bi-weekly basis • arranging student/teacher/advisor/parent conferences • tutoring by qualified students who volunteer their services through Areté, a student group that organizes peer tutoring on campus. Areté tutors, most of whom are seniors, are available during the class day, activities periods, and evening study hall hours. Students in need of academic support may email Areté directly to set up an appointment to work one-on-one with a student tutor, or they may drop by the Areté room, located in the basement of the Robert Clapp Library, during an activities period. The faculty advisor to Areté is Karen Ram. All academic support plans are implemented with the ultimate aim of increasing the student’s independence and responsibility for his or her own learning.

The Writing Center The Writing Center, located on the second floor of the Robert Clapp Library, offers one-on-one instruction for students who wish to improve their writing skills. Staffed by several members of the English Department and a dedicated and well-trained group of student tutors, the Writing Center, through a collaborative and supportive process, strives to improve each student as a writer, rather than focusing exclusively on the paper at hand. The staff is experienced in working with a wide variety of writing assignments, from each one of our academic departments. The director of the Writing Center is Sarah Sawyer.

The Math Resource Center The Math Resource Center, located in the Schoolhouse, offers assistance by student tutors selected by the faculty. The center has regularly scheduled hours each school day.

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The Middle School Excellence. Civility.

Respect. Tolerance. he Middle School is a important component of the Williston community. We share resources with the Upper School—the theater, library, sports and arts facilities, and most of the academic buildings—and still maintain a separate identity on campus. The Middle School, which consists of grades seven and eight, has approximately 40 students per grade.

With an average class size of 13, Middle School students know each of their teachers and their peers well.

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Our dedicated and experienced faculty are much more than traditional teachers. They are compassionate and sincere individuals who constantly strive to have their students excel. Faculty are visible and accessible to the students. Most are advisors; all are involved in one way or another with students outside of the classroom.

Teachers are concerned with the cognitive development of their students, but teaching never happens in a vacuum; the faculty are aware that the student’s social, moral, and physical development are crucial as well. This is why community service plays such an important role in the Middle School curriculum and why collaborative learning happens all the time. Civility.

Respect. Tolerance. Concepts like these are constantly reinforced in the Middle School.

Students grew vegetables in the school garden, learned about local and global food concerns, and made hand-crafted symbolic bowls that were auctioned off to benefit people in need.

Middle Schoolers are encouraged to become selfmotivated and dedicated students. Faculty help students succeed by providing them with a foundation of subject-appropriate study skills. Faculty hope that their students appreciate (maybe even love) their particular academic subject. The teacher’s enthusiasm is often infectious. At the very least, students walk away from each course with a solid foundation in the subject and the skills necessary to take the lessons learned in the Middle School and apply them in the future.

Learning, of course, is not limited to the classroom.

Through our relationships with the Five Colleges in our local community, we can provide our students with field trips, community service opportunities, and visiting speakers that enhance and enrich our academic program. These opportunities and experiences help our students truly understand that learning happens everywhere.

Each student is assigned to an advisor who monitors the student’s academic progress and discusses pertinent social issues. Advisory groups meet regularly through the course of the year to plan community service projects, discuss schoolwide issues, and periodically define, review, and redefine academic goals.

The Middle School is a place where adolescents are challenged. The program is demanding, but not overbearing. Students are amazed at what they can accomplish at Williston. They will also find the experience rewarding and fun.

The Middle School’s one-to-one laptop program incorporates technology into learning every day.

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Middle School Program of Instruction Each student’s course of study includes English, global studies or history, language (French, Latin, Spanish), mathematics, science, art, music, and physical education or sports. Brief outlines of each of the required courses follow.

ENGLISH 2000 English 7 This course is an immersion in reading and writing.

By reading, writing, speaking, and listening continually, seventh graders engage all basic skills and discover a love for and an understanding of reading and writing. Basic elements of grammar and the mechanics of reading and writing are introduced formally, and are more fully learned in the context of each young person’s writing.

2005 English 8 This course fosters intellectual and personal growth, academic independence, and personal confidence through a close study of literature, writing, and speaking. Students hone their skills with a detailed study of analytical and creative writing.

In our analyses we focus on how to write an effective thesis statement with sup-

porting points to develop a persuasive critical argument. On creative writing assignments students are responsible for presenting clear and meaningful fiction through dialogue, description, narration, and point of view.

LANGUAGE

Throughout the year there is continued study of vocabulary and grammar, as well as the mechanics of clear and effective writing.

We challenge students to go well beyond their own expectations in the various facets of English.

In both the seventh and eighth grade courses, the emphasis is on vocabularybuilding and speaking. The two-year sequence covers the grammar and general vocabulary of a first-year high school course. The student then takes French II in the Upper School.

Our study of literature includes close readings of short stories, novels, drama, and poetry. The year culminates with each student writing a creative “Humanities Project” (supplemented by audio or visual technology) to demonstrate their intellectual independence and written English skills.

Health and Wellness Program This program exposes students to issues that affect their physical, intellectual, social, and emotional well-being. Topics covered include mental health, social health, nutrition, physical fitness, human sexuality, the human life cycle, substance abuse, infectious diseases, and environmental health. Classes are lecture and discussion based.

The goal of this course is to equip the students to make informed, well thought-out decisions that affect their health in an increasingly complex society.

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French, Latin, and Spanish are each offered as a twoyear sequence. Some new eighth graders take their language course in the Upper School.

5100 French 7 5105 French 8

5700 Latin 7 5705 Latin 8 Latin students pursue the development of both Latin and English vocabulary.

Students also learn some of the fundamentals of Roman culture and history, with a strong emphasis on mythology in the eighth grade. The primary aim of the sequence is to develop strong skills in reading and translating Latin, and grammar is emphasized throughout. Most students are then eligible to take Latin II Honors at the Upper School.

5500 Spanish 7 5505 Spanish 8 This course is designed to establish a foundation in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in both the seventh and eighth grades.

Stress is placed upon mastery of the Spanish sound system, basic vocabulary, and fundamental grammatical concepts. After completion of the two-year

sequence, the student takes Spanish II in the Upper School.

HISTORY AND GLOBAL STUDIES 6000 Geography 7 Students in this course develop a greater awareness and appreciation for the scope of physical and human geography through in-depth investigations of issues affecting different regions of the world.

Throughout the year, students build study and writing skills, work on creative projects, and orally present information related to the topics studied.

6005 Civics 8 The purpose of this course is for students to understand the concept of and responsibilities associated with citizenship in our society. To be informed citizens, students will study the historical roots of our constitutional system and then determine how those constitutional principles are expressed locally and nationally. Students will visit the Hampshire County Court House and the State House, they will correspond with regional and national government officials, and they will be involved in numerous role-playing scenarios.

SCIENCE 4000 Life Science 7 In a life science context, students practice scientific methods of thinking through observation, data collection and interpretation. The school garden acts

as a living laboratory in which students encounter the cycles of life in an array of organisms from every classification group: plants, animals, fungi, protists, and bacteria. Students establish a traditional foundation in life science concepts while learning to conduct their own investigative research and exploring current issues in our world today. The classroom aims to be alive with student interactions as well as with a variety of plants and animals for observation and study. Several field trips are taken throughout the year.

ics courses while providing strategies for reading, learning, and studying mathematics.

4005 Physical Science 8

3100 Algebra 8

This course examines a wide range of topics, including the basic principles of meteorology, geology, chemistry, and physics, all with an emphasis on labbased, hands-on activities designed to be both challenging and fun. These activities include identifying a mystery mineral as part of the geology unit and building an electric motor as part of the unit on electricity and magnetism. Students pursue an in-depth exploration of the scientific method, while building confidence in lab skills and procedures.

All students conclude the year by participating in the 8th grade Science Fair, which affords them the opportunity to investigate a physical science topic of their choice.

The 8th grade Algebra I course seeks to solidify the foundation for students to proceed to more advanced mathematics courses. Topics will include work with integers, writing and solving multi-step equations and inequalities, graphing linear equations and inequalities, proportion and percent equations, graphing and solving systems of equations and inequalities, properties of exponents, and an introduction to quadratics.

Emphasis will be placed on the application of knowledge through problem solving.

MATHEMATICS Pre-Algebra, Algebra Standard and Algebra Honors are offered. Some seventh and eighth graders will take Geometry or Algebra 2 if they have completed the prerequisite courses. The goal of the mathematics program is to prepare students for future mathemat-

3000 Pre-Algebra 7 This course seeks to solidify and extend basic number concepts and to prepare students for Algebra I. Topics will include work with integers, decimals, fractions, equation and inequality solving, ratio, proportion and percent, and graphing on the coordinate plane.

Emphasis will be placed on the application of knowledge through word problems, labs, and projects.

3105 Algebra 8 Honors The 8th grade Algebra I Honors course is offered to students who learn at a faster pace, are better able to handle abstract reasoning, and are ready to take more responsibility and initiative for their own learning.

The content includes all of the standard Algebra 1 topics as well as an in-depth study of quadratics. Emphasis will be placed on the application of knowledge through problem solving.

TRIMESTER COURSES (One trimester each year)

7001 Theater 7 This trimester course offers students an introduction to improvisation, acting, and playwriting. Students learn by doing. They are expected to participate actively in all facets of the class including daily warmup and theater games. The course begins with group-building exercises that allow the class members to gain comfort with each other and with performing onstage. Students then learn to improvise, playing numerous theater games that allow them to work spontaneously from their imaginations, create vivid characters and settings, and gain a firm sense of scene structure. Students apply these skills to two major class projects, the Clown project and Story Theatre. The assignments give students the opportunity to experience the full rehearsal process culminating in a performance.

7011 Theater 8 Eighth grade students will use playwriting, directing, and acting in order to express themselves and to comment on the issues particular to adolescence.

The course begins with group exercises that build trust and cohesion among the students. Once this foundation has been laid, the focus of the course moves on to playwriting, directing, and acting. Learning skills for writing both comedic and dramatic work, students will encounter basic directorial technique including character choices, beats, and objectives. The main goal of the class is to foster the creative spirit in all stu-

dents, giving them a chance to challenge themselves with each assignment. The course also offers the unique opportunity to see theater as more than a vehicle for entertainment, but as a forum to examine issues of importance, current events, and history.

7002 Art 7 7012 Art 8 The primary goal of the art program is to open students to their own creativity by providing an organized, stimulating, and nurturing classroom environment. Assignments call for original work, independent learning, and experimentation with materials and concepts.

Both seventh and eighth grade courses include twodimensional and three-dimensional work. Students also become familiar with the nature of the creative process by looking at slides of the work of prominent artists through the ages at the introduction of each new project. Students are held responsible for terminology and principles of art and, more importantly, they are encouraged to trust their own unique way of expressing themselves.

7003 Music 7 7013 Music 8 Students explore and experience music by singing as a small choral ensemble.

Musical selections are drawn from a wide range of genres and styles. Students also use these selections to study basic elements of music theory, form, and history. The work of the class will be showcased at the end of the term.

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The Upper School English Department

The narrator of an Isaac Babel short story says about the writing of fiction, “No iron can pierce the heart with such force as a period put just at the right place.” Whether our students write through inspiration or through great effort, we teach them to become more attentive to the force and nuance of language. At Williston, when we teach students how to look at a text and break down the meaning of an abstract paragraph, or when we help them to write a compelling story, we are teaching them how to connect more deeply with themselves and other human beings.

Williston’s English Department provides students the skills to handle language effectively; to think analytically; to write with originality, clarity, and depth; and to speak with thought and substance. We design our classrooms as arenas for intellectual risk taking, where a good question can often take the group further than a good answer. In addition, we have the luxury of being able to tap into the resources of the Five Colleges and thereby connect our students with the unparalleled cultural and academic richness that makes our educational community distinct. Whether it is attending a poetry reading at Smith College or viewing a Shakespeare and Company production of Hamlet at the University of Massachusetts, our students appreciate the opportunity to supplement their work in the classroom through the resources of the Five Colleges.

In all of our courses, students develop and hone their skills in reading, writing, speaking, and thinking. The skills taught in each grade work as a cumulative progression, beginning with literature and composition in 10

the ninth and tenth grades. The curriculum in these grades focuses on developing students’ foundations in critical writing while introducing them to short stories, novels, plays, and poetry. Creative writing projects complement the analytical work in both grades. Grammar and vocabulary study are also a regular part of the curriculum.

Juniors and seniors thrive on this strong foundation. During the junior year, students in English focus on American literature, which complements the U.S. history course that most juniors take. Writing assignments during the junior year are largely analytical and culminate with a research paper in the third trimester. The first trimester of the senior year focuses on self-expression, with an emphasis on the personal essay, and culminates in the senior portfolio, a collection of pieces in a variety of forms that showcases students’ writing ability and creativity.

Second and third trimester senior electives offer students an opportunity to study literary topics in detail and include such subjects as Transcendentalism, poetry, Shakespeare, playwriting, and modern fiction.

At each grade level, we seek to instill in our students a love of literature and to challenge them to grow as writers and thinkers. We want them to continue to “pierce the heart,” even after they have left the bricked classrooms of Williston.

functions and possibilities of each of the genres and study the terms that facilitate understanding and discussion.

Central themes of the course are coming of age and identity. While the course emphasizes the structure and composition of critical essays, especially in a three-week project on the writing process, students are also exposed to other kinds of writing. Vocabulary and grammar are reviewed regularly. Texts typically include: Shakespeare’s Othello, Sophocles’ Oedipus, Shelley’s Frankenstein, Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, and Kidd’s Secret Life of Bees.

2400 English 11 YEARLONG COURSES English as a Second Language Students whose native language is not English will be given a placement test when they arrive at Williston. The ELL course is designed to prepare students for standard English classes while focusing on problems inherent to English Language Learners.

2101 Advanced ELL (9, 10, 11) The major components of this course are improving specific reading skills, learning and using a process approach to composition over a variety of rhetorical modes. Students are asked to speak formally and informally and to study grammar with an eye toward success on the TOEFL.

2200 English 9 This introductory level class exposes students to a

broad range of literary genres. We read and discuss diverse poems and plays, short stories and novels, essays, biographies, and nonfiction by writers from a variety of cultures. The ninth grade curriculum moves from the detailed study of the paragraph into a focus on the critical essay. Students write a Paper of Many Parts in conjunction with their reading of Romeo and Juliet. Frequent writing assignments are supported by ongoing concentration on grammar and vocabulary skills.

Texts may include: Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

2300 English 10 English 10 provides a comprehensive study of the major literary genres: short stories, novels, poetry, and drama. Students learn how to discern the different

Junior English provides students with a look into the variety of the American literary scene. The curriculum typically includes works by Bradford, Franklin, Hawthorne, Emerson, Poe, Chopin, Dickinson, Hurston, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and MIller.

Teachers are free to design their own approaches to these works, but all students come away from the course with a greater understanding of the evolution of American literature, a greater appreciation for its range and depth, and a greater awareness of influential social and historical factors.

Central to the course is the cultivation of independent thinking skills through analytical and creative writing assignments, including a major critical research paper. Grammar and vocabulary are reviewed regularly with an eye to the SAT and to increasing students’ reading and writing facility.

2490 AP English Language (11) Application required This is foremost an honors American literature course that offers supplemental practice and preparation for the AP English exam, which all students are required to take in May. In addition to the common American literature texts, AP students will read The Scarlet Letter over the summer and Beloved during the year, as well as three classic American novels of their choice.

Selections in the past have included The Grapes of Wrath, The House of Mirth, The Sound and the Fury, Invisible Man, On the Road, and All the Pretty Horses.

Since this course is reserved for students with advanced reading and writing skills, all students must complete an application process that includes a timed essay, submission of a graded analysis, and the recommendation of the tenth grade teacher.

2590 AP English Literature (12) Application required An AP section is offered for those students whose reading and writing skills are advanced.

Readings are largely drawn from continental and British literature and in the past have included Wuthering Heights, Hamlet, King Lear, Hedda Gabler, Jane Eyre, Dubliners, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and a generous selection of poetry. Having already mastered the basics of composition, senior AP students are expected to write a number of substantial critical essays, and to create a portfolio of autobiographical fiction. The course is conducted as a seminar. Students are expected to take the AP English exam in May.

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Visiting author Debra Monroe speaks with students during the 2010 Writers’ Workshop class. Twice nominated for the National Book Award and winner of the Flannery O’Connor Award, Monroe is the author of short stories and novels, and her recent memoir, On the Outskirts of Normal: Forging a Family Against the Grain (June 2010) about being the white mother of a black daughter in a small, rural Texas town. Monroe teaches in the MFA program at Texas State University.

2510

Writers’ Workshop Series First trimester senior elective Prerequisite: students must apply to enroll in this course.

This course is for student writers who want to gain insight into the writing process. Held in the evening for two hours twice a week, the class requires students to write, share writing, and discuss ways to evaluate constructively their own and each other’s work. Four or five times during the

SENIOR ENGLISH TRIMESTER COURSES All seniors, except those enrolled in AP English Literature (2590), take Senior English (2500) in the first trimester and choose an English elective in the second and third trimesters. A representative sample of courses appears below.

2500 English 12 First trimester Senior English is an intense writing workshop through which students express themselves with personal essays, stories, “snapshots,” and memoirs. The first writing assignment is the college essay, and over the

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course of the trimester, students build portfolios of their work. The best senior portfolios are submitted for prizes, and selected students read from their work at the annual “senior reading.”

The main text, William Smart’s Eight Modern Essayists, is supplemented with other pertinent resources selected by the teacher. Vocabulary building and grammar lessons are used to prepare seniors for the fall SAT.

2603 Irish Literature This course will provide students with an introduction to Irish literature. Students examine the ways that liter-

trimester, a prominent published author reads from his or her work and joins the class for the evening. Students read from and discuss the work of the guest authors—a wonderful opportunity to engage with those who have made the writing craft a career.

Authors who have visited in recent years include Elizabeth Alexander, Augusten Burroughs, Philip Caputo, Wally Lamb, Gregory Maguire, Sue Miller, Jodi Picoult, Richard Russo, Curtis Sittenfeld, and John Edgar Wideman.

ature has been used to create and represent the nation of Ireland, and what stories it tells about history, identity, and the Irish tradition. We will explore selected Irish novels, short stories, poems, and a memoir. Authors include Yeats, Joyce, Becket, Heaney, Doyle, and other contemporary writers.

2604 Contemporary Fiction Students will explore novels and short stories written within the past several decades. They will read, discuss, and write analytical essays about contemporary, primarily American,

fiction. This is not a creative writing course.

2605 Playwriting This course will focus on the creation of a one-act play. Students will explore aspects of playwriting such as dramatic structure, character development, and subtext; the three-act structure (within the one-act play) will receive attention.

Revisions will be made in conjunction with the directors and actors from the Theatre Production class.

Emphasis will be placed on analysis of the work of playwrights such as Miller, Beckett, Pinter, Churchill, and Shepard.

2606 Modern American Poetry The focus of this course will be to provide students the opportunity to explore the origins, context, nature, and achievement of American poetry in the twentieth century. Study will progress chronologically from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century beginning with poets such as Whitman, Dickinson, and T. S. Eliot, who opened the creative doors for their successors. They will be followed by works through World War II from a variety of poets including Robinson, Williams, Frost, Millay, Ransom, H. D., and Jarrell.

There will also be an introduction to numerous contemporary poets.

2608 Shakespeare The goal of this elective is to read, study in depth and watch four of Shakespeare’s plays. The plays will be selected in groups that lend themselves to a common theme, for instance: four problem plays (The Winter’s Tale, Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure, and Cymbeline), four major villains (Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, Macbeth, Richard III), androgynous

ladies of Shakespeare (Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, Twelfth Night).

The plays are carefully chosen to help the class reflect on and understand different perspectives of the Bard in the Elizabethan period and also in our own era. Students are expected to read the plays, to watch the videos in class, to take tests, and to write short papers on the material.

2609 Journey Toward Self People often undergo long and treacherous journeys in order to define and discover their essential natures and personalities.

This course examines these personal journeys as they have been presented in literature. Reading selections will include the short fiction of Updike, D.H. Lawrence, Hesse, and Bradbury.

2610 Madness in Literature This course will examine madness as an extreme form of existence. Selections will be made principally from the following: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Awakening,

The Metamorphosis, A Streetcar Named Desire, short stories, poems, and readings on abnormal psychology.

2611 Transcendentalism The readings in this elective will be selected from the Transcendentalists Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman, as well as several modern authors who share their vision, like Krakauer (Into the Wild), and Hesse (Siddhartha).

Each student will also select one novel that explores some of the questions raised by the transcendentalists, such as, Do the majority of us lead lives of quiet desperation, and what should we do about it? How much can we trust intuition and impulse? Are we morally obligated to resist any laws and social expectations that contradict our inner laws?

In addition to analyzing a novel, students will write several reflective papers articulating their personal belief system, along with a series of self-directed creative pieces culminating in the final portfolio.

Since this course places a strong emphasis on ethics and philosophy, students must be motivated to examine and share their beliefs, as well as to entertain fresh perspectives.

2613 J.D. Salinger

Students visit the Writing Center for one-on-one help with writing projects in all subject areas, including college essays and long-term research papers.

2614 Women and Literature This course will examine women’s perspective on contemporary life.

Through the reading of novels, short stories, and poetry, as well as creative writing projects, the students will explore the unique position of women in today’s society. Reading selections might include the works of Joyce Carol Oates, Barbara Kingsolver, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Amy Tan, and Anne Tyler.

2615 Creative Writing This course is designed for advanced students with a strong interest in the writing of fiction and poetry, and who wish to experiment with a variety of writing styles and genres

Directed Studies on special topics may be arranged with a faculty member, with approval from the department head and the academic dean.

The following courses rotate and will not be offered in the 2011-12 school year: 2602 Native American Literature 2607 Latin American Literature 2612 Modern American Drama

This course will study the collected and uncollected works of Salinger, including the early magazine fiction and his mature longer works such as Franny and Zooey, Raise High the Roofbeams Carpenter, and others, especially those which became the prototypes of Catcher in the Rye.

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Mathematics Department “Neglect of mathematics works injury to all knowledge, since he who is ignorant of it cannot know the other sciences or the things of this world. And what is worse, men [and women] who are thus ignorant are unable to perceive their own ignorance and so do not seek a remedy.”

–Roger Bacon

“Mathematics is the gate and key of the sciences. . . “ Mathematics may be the most misunderstood subject taught in school. Many people learn at an early age to be fearful of mathematics; they believe that math is dry and unappetizing, full of nothing but numbers and arbitrary rules.

People who use mathematics in their life’s work—and even those who simply come to appreciate mathematics—know how false this idea is: it is like thinking that music is nothing but notes, or that writing is nothing but letters. At its core, mathematics is a process of logical reasoning and problem solving. It is true that knowledge of the rules of algebra and geometry is necessary preparation for college, but it is when students learn to think with those mathematical ideas that mathematics becomes transformed into a lifelong problemsolving tool.

The primary goal of Williston’s Math Department is to help prepare students for college mathematics. The course sequence—Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II— teaches the foundations of mathematics that all students need. Once they have mastered the foundations, students can delve more deeply into mathematics through a variety of upper-level courses. While the content of these courses varies, the primary goal of each course is the same: to help students become more successful problem solvers.

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In addition to different course options, students will encounter various tools and learning situations. Sometimes students will use computers to explore mathematics, or calculators to assist with graphing and computation. Students taking Geometry will participate in laboratories designed to provide time for extended work. At other times students will work in small groups to investigate a topic. All of these experiences encourage a flexible approach to mathematics.

Whether students dislike math or enjoy puzzle-thinking, have strong backgrounds or weak ones, they will find teachers dedicated to supporting their efforts to become better problem solvers. Each course offers the opportunity to review basic skills and to master the core knowledge of the subject. Students are challenged to move beyond memorized rules to discover the source of rules, to examine why they work, and to theorize about how they might be used to solve problems.

As Roger Bacon proclaims, mathematics is a gateway. Like most gates it must be unlocked; and one cannot be pushed through it but must enter with one’s own effort.

3110 Algebra I Algebra is the language of mathematics. This course develops the fundamentals of that language and emphasizes applications of algebra to a wide variety of problem situations. An honors section may be offered for students who learn at a faster pace and are better able to handle abstract reasoning.

3200 Geometry Prerequisite: Algebra I The content of a traditional geometry course is covered with strong emphasis placed on personal and group investigations into geometric relationships on the plane and in space. Students use computers to explore and enrich the course.

3300 Essentials of Algebra II Prerequisite: Algebra I This course will provide an opportunity for students to develop a strong foundation in algebra. This second year of algebra emphasizes skill building and problem solving. It is intended for students who learn best at a slower pace, with time to practice new skills and integrate new concepts. Students will complete an extensive study of linear equations, inequalities, systems of equations, polynomials, rational expressions, radicals, and quadratic functions. In addition, the class will provide skills and practice needed on the PSATs and SATs.

3310 Algebra II 3205 Geometry Honors

Prerequisite: Algebra I

Prerequisite: Algebra I

The concepts of algebra begun in Algebra I and Geometry are developed further. Topics include graphing, solving linear systems, quadratic functions, quadratic graphs.

This course is offered for students who learn at a faster pace and are ready to take more responsibility and initiative for their own learning. The content includes all of Geometry 3200 and other topics as well. All are studied in greater depth.

The course covers significantly more material than does standard Algebra II (3310) including additional topics in graphing, conic sections, and solving equations. In general, all topics are covered in greater depth. This course is required for continuation in more advanced honors math classes.

3400 Precalculus Prerequisite: Algebra II (3310) This course begins a careful study of functions. Linear and quadratic functions are reviewed. Students are introduced to power functions, exponential functions, logarithms, trigonometric functions, polynomial functions, and rational functions.

The emphasis throughout is to create a foundation for the study of calculus. The course emphasizes applications and a careful reading and interpretation of mathematical problems. Graphing calculators are used extensively to help visualize mathematical relationships.

3315 Algebra II Honors Prerequisite: Algebra I and permission of the department This honors section is offered for highly motivated and interested students.

Williston faculty members work with students practicing math skills to solve real life problems in workshops led by Smith College’s Women and Financial Independence outreach program.

Students need a strong and solid background in algebra in order to do well in this course.

3405 Precalculus Honors Prerequisites: Algebra II Honors and permission of the department This is an advanced and enriched course for students who plan to continue with AP Calculus. The course covers significantly more material than does standard Precalculus (3400) including graphical analysis, polar coordinates, and complex arithmetic. All topics are covered in much greater depth. Emphasis is placed on understanding mathematical concepts and communicating both verbally and through writing.

3500 Probability and Statistics Prerequisite: Algebra II (3300 or 3310) This course will provide the basis for working with the data that permeates our world, from football statistics to economics, from student grade point averages to global temperature fluctuations. Students will learn how to collect, display, and analyze data through original projects as well as inclass labs.

Students taking Beginning Programming through Robotics see the principles of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at work.

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3510 Topics in Mathematics Prerequisite: Algebra II (3300 or 3310) although Precalculus is preferred Students in this course will explore applications of mathematics to management science, operations research, and the social sciences. Topics may include graph theory, statistics, voting strategies, scheduling optimization, fair division, and coding information. This course is intended for juniors and seniors who have either completed Precalculus and are not prepared to continue with Calculus, or who have completed Algebra II and are not prepared for Precalculus.

3590 AP Statistics Prerequisite: Precalculus and permission of the department This rigorous full-year course acquaints students with the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Four broad conceptual themes are emphasized: exploring data, planning a study, anticipating patterns, and inferring statistical information. Students work on projects involving the hands-on gathering and analysis of real world data.

This course will have applications for students who wish to pursue studies in laboratory science, engineering, psychology, economics, or sociology, among others. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

3600 Calculus Prerequisites: Precalculus and permission of the department This course seeks to develop the fundamental ideas of calculus. The concepts of limits, differentiation, and integration are developed through a careful analysis of the properties of graphs, numerical tables, and algebraic equations.

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3690 AP Calculus AB Prerequisites: Precalculus Honors and permission of the department This college-level course covers the required syllabus for AP Calculus and additional topics at the discretion of the instructor.

This advanced course is intended for students who thrive on mathematical challenge. The core concepts of limit, derivative, and integral are studied through a combination of discovery, lecture, and individual work.Students are expected to participate actively in both the whole class and small groups. Extensive use is made of graphing calculators to help visualize functions and their relationships. Students are expected to take the AP Calculus exam.

3695 BC Multivariable Calculus Prerequisite: AP Calculus AB This class is intended for advanced students who are ready for college level mathematics. The course begins with a study of sequences and series, leading towards the development of the Taylor Series. Students will complete the balance of the BC Calculus curriculum in the fall. The study of such multivariable functions provides the central core of the latter part of this course. These functions cannot be graphed on the plane; rather they form intricate three-dimensional surfaces. We will use advanced computer software to visualize these surfaces.

The course will extend the concepts of limit, derivative, and integral to these multivariable functions and will cover the content of both BC calculus and vector calculus. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

3700 Discrete Mathematics (Honors) Prerequisite: Calculus This college-level math course is for advanced students who love mathematical challenges, and who work well independently.

Discrete Mathematics considers a collection of topics designed to provide the background for college work in computer science, operations research, and other related fields. Topics include combinatorics, graph theory, recurrence relations, and mathematical induction. Additional topics are chosen at the discretion of the instructor.

3801 Beginning Programming through Robotics I First trimester Prerequisites: Geometry or permission of the instructor The fundamentals of engineering and robotics are explored in this introductory course. Students will learn the C++ computer programming language to program robots to move in various situations using motors, servos, encoders, and real-time sensors. Periodic class “challenges� will test each student’s mastery of course topics.

3802 Beginning Programming through Robotics II Second trimester Prerequisite: Robotics I (3801) This course will extend the fundamental programming knowledge gained in Robotics I by introducing techniques for advanced robot control. Students will explore the use of data typed variables, counters, and accumulators while structuring programs to use various control structures including functions with parameters.

Problem research and analysis will be practiced

using program debugging techniques. Finally, students will learn how to programmatically support the use of joysticks for robot control.

3803 Advanced Programming Third trimester Prerequisite: Robotics II or previous computer programming experience This course introduces students to the Java computer language and the world of object oriented programming. The data types, control structures, and analytical skills introduced in Beginning Programming will be brought into a new language environment. Students will learn to plan, design, and construct Java classes and objects. Programs developed during the trimester will utilize simple algorithms and control structures, method calling, arrays and array lists, and other advanced topics.

3890 AP Computer Science Prerequisite: Advanced Programming and permission of the instructor This intensive college level course covers the syllabus for AP Computer Science A. The Java programming language is used to explore advanced topics including classes, pointers, lists, inheritance, recursion, searching/sorting, and complex data structures. Significant work outside of class is required. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

Directed Studies on special topics may be arranged with a faculty member, with approval from the department head and the academic dean.

“We are not here concerned with hopes or fears, only with the truth as far as our reason permits us to discover it.”

–Charles Darwin

The science faculty at Williston strive to instill in their students a passion for science. We encourage inquisitiveness about the natural world and challenge our students to understand what they cannot see.

The core curriculum includes traditional biology, chemistry, and physics courses. Advanced Placement courses in each discipline are available for highly motivated students. Through trimester electives, juniors and seniors can engage in detailed study of specific topics such as animal behavior, genetics, human physiology, ecology, organic chemistry, or astronomy.

The pursuit of science at Williston is not limited to the classrooms of Scott Hall. It’s not unusual to see projectiles flying from windows around campus when physics students study velocity and acceleration.

Videography gives both physics and chemistry students the opportunity to record their experiences and assists faculty when they introduce classes to sophisticated experimental design. From our campus pond and fields, biology students gather samples that are subjected to a wide variety of analyses. Outdoor labs allow our students to study the environment directly and take advantage of open spaces to test theories learned in the classroom. Through indoor laboratory experience, our students gain confidence in using sophisticated equipment and analyzing data. Classes in the Science

Department often blend computer-assisted data collection with established student inquiry and analysis using cutting-edge technology.

Our close proximity to the Five Colleges and their advanced science departments means that our students have unique access to technologies and educational experiences generally available only at the college level, whether it be a biology class’s exploration with electron microscopes at Smith College or the examination of Smith’s aquifer model to enrich the study of environmental science. Through our relationships with the colleges, Williston students gain a deeper understanding of curricular content as well as early glimpses into collegiate-level science.

We instill in students an appreciation of the evolution of scientific principles and the fluidity of scientific “facts.” Through close work with faculty, our students gain insight into the collaborative nature of scientific inquiry and its role in scientific questioning and experimentation.

Students gain a solid foundation from the Science Department’s core courses that they can then sharpen with electives, which strengthen the sophisticated interests of both students and faculty. The science faculty are committed to challenging themselves and their students through ever-changing experimentation and demonstration. As reflected in our curriculum and practiced in our daily lessons, science is an active subject at Williston.

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YEARLONG COURSES 4100 Biology (9, 10) This course is an introduction to the basic biological principles and methods used in science. Homework and lab work are designed to encourage students to interact with the material and to understand how experiments explain the interrelationships between organisms and their environment. Following an opening section on the environment, we focus on the cell and its parts and functions. The rest of the year is spent looking at DNA structure and function, genetics, reproduction, and a closer examination and comparative study of some body systems.

4190 AP Biology (11,12) Prerequisite: Biology and Chemistry This course follows the syllabus approved by the AP program and the expectations for both daily preparation and laboratory work are high. The objectives are to understand the essential principles of modern biology and develop skills necessary for scientific research. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

4200 Chemistry in the Community (11,12) This course uses an approach to the study of chemistry that focuses on the effects of chemistry on our daily lives. It begins with the study of water in the environment. The properties of solutions, the treatment of wastewater, and the environmental impact on water supplies are a few of the topics that are covered. The investigation of petroleum products and the organic chemistry surrounding them is another area of study. The uses and industrial production of chemicals

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is studied in depth. This course uses very little math in its investigation. Its text was designed for and endorsed by the American Chemical Society.

4210 Chemistry (10, 11, 12) Designed to give a basic understanding of the nature of matter and of its relation to energy, the aim of this course is to explain the primary laws, hypotheses, and theories of chemistry.

4290 AP Chemistry (11, 12) This course is for students who have successfully completed a year of chemistry and wish to extend their knowledge beyond the introductory level. The topics and lab exercises of the approved AP curriculum are followed, and students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

4300 Conceptual Physics (11, 12) Prerequisite: Chemistry, enrollment in Algebra II This first-year course will cover mechanics for the majority of the year. Extensive time will be spent on lab experiences that aid in the conceptual development of the basics of mechanics. Computer assisted laboratories will supplement the classic experiments. This course will also include units on waves, light, and sound. The class typically ends with an independent project on a topic in modern physics, optics, or astrophysics.

4320 Physics (11, 12) Prerequisite: Chemistry, enrollment in Algebra II Honors or above; recommendation of previous science teacher required This course concentrates on Newtonian mechanics.

During the first two

trimesters the students learn about motion, forces, energy, momentum, and circular motion. The study of these topics is strongly supported with hands-on activities, computer assisted labs, and simulations. The course is completed by a study of waves and oscillating systems concentrating on sound and light, including the behavior of light with mirrors and lenses. Students develop problem solving skills that require a solid foundation in algebra and learn to use right triangle trigonometry in order to describe two dimensional systems. The course includes multiple construction projects that encourage the students to be creative while demonstrating their understanding of physical principles.

4390 AP Physics B (11, 12) Prerequisites: Physics 4320, enrollment in Precalculus or above, recommendation of first-year physics teacher required This second-year course will cover the topics required by the AP Physics exam. Students will study fluids, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, waves, optics, relativity, quantum physics, nuclear physics, and a review of mechanics. There will be a lab component to the course. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

course for engineers or natural science majors, and reviews all the topics covered in such a course, with greater level of complexity allowed by adding calculus.

The electricity and magnetism component of the course prepares the student for the AP Physics C exam in Electricity and Magnetism. It is equivalent to the second term of college level physics for engineers or natural science majors, and includes electrostatics with Gauss’ Law, complex circuits, magnetism, electromagnetic induction, RC and LR circuits, and Maxwell’s Equations.

Students are expected to take both AP exams in May.

4590 AP Environmental Science (11, 12) Prerequisite: Biology and Chemistry This course follows a syllabus approved by the AP program. The course will provide students with scientific principles, methodology, and concepts necessary to understand the many interrelationships of the natural world. This course is intrinsically interdisciplinary and will include identification and analysis of natural and man made environmental problems, evaluating the risks associated with such problems and examine solutions for the resolution or prevention of them. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

TRIMESTER COURSES 4490 AP Physics C Mechanics, Electricity, and Magnetism (11,12) The mechanics component of this calculus-based course in introductory college physics prepares the student for the AP Physics C exam in Mechanics. It is equivalent to the first term of a college level physics

Students must complete two full-year science courses before enrolling in an 11-12 trimester elective.

4501 Animal Behavior (11, 12) Offered each trimester Prerequisite: Biology The main topics in animal behavior, including the dif-

interested in biology, chemistry, or medicine.

4508 Human Physiology II (11, 12)

4505 Astronomy I

Third trimester Prerequisite: Biology and Chemistry

First or second trimester Prerequisite: Algebra I and Geometry

The Outdoor Ecology class takes a weekly nature hike, where they observe animal tracks and seasonal changes in the local ecosystem.

ferent types of innate and learned behavior are covered in this course. A sustained experimental component includes both laboratory and field studies of different animals. The course concludes with an extensive research project culminating in a seminar presentation.

4502 Outdoor Ecology (11, 12) Second trimester Prerequisites: Biology and either Chemistry or Chemistry in the Community This course connects the greater study of ecology to the local area in which we live. Students will spend a good deal of time outside investigating the various plants, animals, and soil structures that surround our campus and our part of western Massachusetts.

We will study the transition of seasons from fall through winter, and the impact that these seasonal changes have on our local biotic community.

4503 Genetics (11, 12) Offered each trimester Prerequisite: Biology This course investigates the molecular workings of cellular genetics. The specifics behind DNA replication, protein synthesis, and the regulation of gene expres-

sion will be covered in depth. Chromosome mutations and the various genetic disorders that they cause will be studied, as well as genetic engineering, genetic screening, and the ethical and moral issues that arise as a result of new technology. Experiments will be conducted in the laboratory and students will complete an independent research project.

4504 Organic Chemistry (10, 11, 12) First or third trimester Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry Building on the bonding theories and on the shapes and structures of molecules developed in the first year of chemistry, this course will move into organic structures, organic reactions, and the synthesis of organic molecules. There is a significant amount of hands-on learning using molecular models to stimulate threedimensional thinking about molecular structures. This course includes a laboratory component involving the synthesis, purification, and identification of some simple organic compounds. Although this course does not involve any mathematical problem solving, it is a challenging course and is appropriate for any student

4506 Astronomy II

This course explores human physiology based on the maintenance of homeostasis through operations of complex control systems. Study will encompass all levels of the hierarchy of human structure and integrated function with emphasis on the endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems. Lab activities accompany topics and when possible, principles are applied to exercise.

Third trimester Prerequisite: Algebra I and Geometry

4600 Introduction to Psychology (10, 11, 12)

Students will study the development of our modern understanding of the solar system, including the forces that govern the motion of the planets, phenomena including eclipses, and phases of the moon.

We will also survey comets, meteors, asteroids, and the planets of our solar system.

This course will concentrate on the nature of stars and stellar evolution. In order to do this we will study the nature of light and matter including the waveparticle duality of both. We will also discuss the different types of telescopes and how their optics work.

As we look at the life of stars we will consider black holes, supernovas, and pulsars. We will also study the creation and possible fates of the universe.

4507 Human Physiology I (11, 12) Second trimester Prerequisite: Biology and Chemistry This course explores human physiology based on the maintenance of homeostasis through operations of complex control systems. Study will encompass all levels of the hierarchy of human structure and integrated function with emphasis on the integumentary, skeletal, muscle, and nervous systems. Lab activities accompany topics and when possible, principles are applied to exercise.

Offered each trimester Psychology covers the scientific study of behavior and the mind. The course will provide a systematic introduction to the field of social psychology, with a special emphasis placed on how the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of a person are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. The focus will be on both the historical development of these topics as well as current research and application in these areas.

Directed Studies on special topics may be arranged with a faculty member, with approval from the department head and the academic dean.

The following course rotates and will not be offered in the 2011-12 school year: 4690 AP Psychology (11,12)

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Language Department “One language sets you in a corridor for life.

Two languages open every door along the way.”

–Psycholinguist Frank Smith

Williston’s language program strives to develop the linguistic and cultural literacy of our students, allowing them to be active citizens of our increasingly multicultural world. As students learn language through reading, writing, speaking, and listening, they also experience how the study of another language opens doors to a greater understanding of others and of themselves.

We teach language actively and place students in the central role. Our teachers blend traditional and contemporary teaching styles to provide students with a variety of ways to develop and express their oral and written proficiency. Latin students read prose in its historical and cultural context and learn about the multicultural tradition of the Roman world; often this study culminates with students studying the epic poem the Aeneid in AP Latin. Modern language students film videos, write newspapers, and complete research projects entirely in the target language. All modern language courses, whether beginning or advanced, emphasize the students’ oral proficiency in the language.

We encourage our students to examine and understand the ways of thinking that make each culture unique, in addition to learning grammatical forms and vocabulary.

Students implement their language skills through culturally-rooted projects and presentations to foster a broader understanding of the cultures that speak the target language.

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Williston’s location in the Pioneer Valley and our ties with the Five Colleges provide our students with invaluable opportunities. Latin students have attended Classics Day at Mount Holyoke College and participated in workshops that deepened their understanding of Roman culture. Spanish students have attended Spanish cinema classes at the University of Massachusetts to augment cultural studies. Members of the Toumani Diabaté Symmetric Orchestra and Malian musician Rokia Traoré have visited French classes to speak about their music and culture, and students later attended their concerts.

The Language Department also supports and encourages travel abroad. French students attend the Quebec Winter Carnival and excursions to France have provided students with homestay opportunities and travel throughout the country. Spanish students have benefitted from service projects at an orphanage in Honduras, lived and studied in Mexico, and participated in educational tours to Spain. Latin students have taken trips to Greece and Italy to see firsthand the physical monuments of classical culture. Language students can also embrace travel opportunities through School Year Abroad, an interscholastic program that sends students to Spain, France, Italy, or China.

Our broadest goal is to help students communicate with others in our multiethnic world.

FRENCH 5110 French I This introduction to the basic elements of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation emphasizes the development of listening and speaking skills. As the year progresses, increased emphasis is placed upon reading and writing skills as well.

5120 French II This review of the material covered in the first year with additional grammar, vocabulary, and idioms emphasizes strengthening and advancing the four major skills of language study— listening, speaking, reading, and writing—while familiarizing the students with the culture and traditions of French-speaking people.

5125 French II Honors Prerequisite: 90 average in French I and teacher’s recommendation An honors section is offered as an accelerated and enriched version of the standard course with additional reading and conversational demands.

5130 French III In this course, students review and complete the study of French grammar.

Students’ vocabulary as well as their knowledge of French civilization and culture are expanded through conversation and composition. Selected readings serve as an introduction to French literature.

5135 French III Honors Prerequisite: French II Honors or 90 average in French II and

teacher’s recommendation An honors section is offered as an accelerated and enriched version of the standard French III program with increased reading and conversational demands as well as closer attention to the finer points of French grammar.

5140 French IV: Views of Contemporary France First trimester Prerequisite: 70 average for the third trimester of French III In this predominantly oral class, conducted entirely in French, students work to develop existing listening and speaking skills while building vocabulary and reinforcing essential grammar. The class will focus on modern culture, television, and music, paying particular attention to levels of language and familiarity. Class activities such as role play, debates, exposes, and the production and performance of original music promote fluid speaking, confidence, and oral and aural proficiency.

5145 French IV: Contemporary French Cinema Second trimester This class will continue to develop students’ listening and speaking skills. Students will build on vocabulary acquired in the fall trimester and enjoy a glimpse of modern French life through the films of director F. Verber, whose hilarious main character “Francois Pignon” serves to critique many aspects of

The winter trip to Quebec gives students an opportunity to practice their French; the Chinese Lunar New Year festival celebrated the culture of China.

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modern French society.

Class activities may include role play, debates, exposés, and the production of a film trailer, film scenes, or an original film.

5150 French IV: Themes in French Culture Third trimester This course seeks to develop students’ existing skills in spoken and written French through the interactive study of a variety of media, notably film, music, poetry, and short stories.

The trimester’s theme, daily life in France under the German Occupation and post-World War II periods, shapes the vocabulary studied. Grammar will be reviewed as needed.

5160 Advanced French Reading, Honors First trimester Prerequisite: French III Honors or 90 average for the third trimester of French III or IV and teacher’s recommendation.

Students work on continued vocabulary development and reading comprehension skills. Contemporary readings provide greater insight into aspects of Francophone cultures.

5165 Advanced French Composition, Honors Second trimester Students focus on developing fluent written expression through a comprehensive review of French grammar in conjunction with short and long writing assignments, such as letters, journal entries, creative writing,and essays.

This class proves especially helpful to students anticipating the College Board Subject Tests in French, and to students who want a thorough review of grammatical skills prior to college level French or AP courses.

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Latin students participated in workshops and competitions with more than 300 students from area high schools at the 2011 Classics Day at Mount Holyoke College. Williston students regularly participate in this event, which is held annually at one of the Five Colleges. This year, Williston students took first place in three contests and second place in two. Classics Day celebrates the study of Latin and classical culture.

5170 Advanced French Francophone Studies, Honors Third trimester Representative works of prose, film, poetry, and songs in French from the Maghreb, West Africa, the Caribbean, and Quebec form the basis for continued development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in preparation for the AP French Language course and college courses.

5190 AP French Language Prerequisites: Advanced French Honors courses in Reading, Composition and Grammar, and Francophone Studies, and a teacher recommendation Taken as a fifth year of French, this yearlong college-level course focuses on developing a high level of competence in speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Literary and contemporary journalistic texts continue the study of Francophone culture and serve as the basis for a variety of

advanced speaking and listening activities and a thorough review of grammar.

Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

cabularies and grammar structures, and they will read expository writings on a variety of cultural topics.

5330 Chinese III CHINESE 5310 Chinese I Students build a foundation in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Stress is placed upon the mastery of the Mandarin Chinese sound system, basic vocabulary and fundamental character-writing concepts.

Aspects of Chinese culture and history are addressed as well.

5320 Chinese II This course is a continuation of Chinese I with a review of grammar and the further development of reading and writing skills in Mandarin. An introduction to Chinese culture is included in every chapter of the text. Students are required to comprehend and produce paragraph-level Chinese, and they are exposed to formal and written expressions. Students in this course will start to accumulate sophisticated vo-

This course is designed for students who have completed two years of high school-level training in Chinese. They will develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. This course will help students to solidify their abilities to comprehend and produce paragraph-level Chinese. It seeks to enable students to understand face to face conversations on most familiar topics, to give factual accounts, to read materials written in formal Chinese and to write simple essays, reports and letters.

5340 Chinese IV This course will continue to develop Chinese proficiency with emphasis on composition and reading. Students will be introduced to complex sentence structures as they undergo a comprehensive study of Chinese grammar and the practice of formal writing intended

for various uses. Students will also complete readings on broad topics of Chinese literature and history. Classroom learning will incorporate presentation-based research.

5350 Chinese V This advanced course in language, literacy, and culture is designed for students to continue to gain greater proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Chinese. The focus is on extensive reading, listening to authentic contextualized material, writing in different genres, and discussing various topics related to students’ lives. Cultural lessons will provide students with opportunities to further develop their communicative skills in Chinese.

SPANISH 5510 Spanish I Students build a foundation in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the Spanish language. Stress is placed upon mastery of the Spanish sound system, basic vocabulary, and fundamental grammatical concepts.

additional grammar, vocabulary, and idioms. Emphasis is placed upon strengthening and advancing the four major skills of language study—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—while familiarizing the students with the culture and traditions of Spanish speaking peoples.

5525 Spanish II Honors Prerequisite: 90 average in Spanish I and teacher’s recommendation An honors section is offered as an accelerated and enriched version of the standard Spanish II program with increased reading and conversational demands.

5530 Spanish III The third year stresses vocabulary development and reviews and expands the study of Spanish grammar, with intensive practice of the Spanish verb system and tenses, including the indicative, imperative, and subjunctive moods. Readings provide opportunities for conversation and composition, while developing the student’s awareness of and appreciation for cultural differences.

5520 Spanish II Material covered in the first year is reviewed along with

5535 Spanish III Honors Prerequisite: Spanish II Honors or 90 average in Spanish II and teacher’s recommendation An honors section is offered as an accelerated and enriched version of the standard Spanish III program with increased reading and conversational demands, as well as closer attention to the finer points of Spanish grammar.

Latin students participated in the costume competition held during Classics Day at Mount Hollyoke College

5540 Spanish IV: Principles of Conversation First trimester Prerequisite: 70 average for third trimester of Spanish III

This course focuses on developing oral proficiency with a strong emphasis on aural comprehension, reading, and vocabulary development. Part one of the La Catrina video and novel series is used as a stimulus for conversation through oral presentations, aural activities, and cultural lessons. A comprehensive review of basic grammar will augment the course to provide the linguistic tools for conversation.

5545 Spanish IV: Advanced Conversation

5560 Advanced Spanish Readings, Honors First trimester Prerequisite: Spanish III Honors or 90 average for the third trimester of Spanish III or IV and teacher’s recommendation Students continue to develop vocabulary, reading, and comprehension skills.

Contemporary readings provide a greater insight into Hispanic cultural viewpoints, including celebrations, politics, historical perspectives, lifestyle, sense of humor, and values.

Second trimester Prerequisite: Principles of Conversation or permission of the department

5565 Advanced Spanish Composition and Grammar, Honors

This course continues to develop oral proficiency with a strong emphasis on aural comprehension, reading, and vocabulary development. Part two of the La Catrina video and novel series serves as a stimulus for conversation through oral presentation, aural activities, and cultural lessons. A comprehensive review of advanced grammar will augment the course to provide the linguistic tools for conversation.

Students develop fluent written expression in short and long pieces such as letters and essays. The course proves especially helpful to students anticipating the College Board Subject Tests, and to those who want a thorough review of grammatical skills prior to college level Spanish or the AP course.

5550 Spanish IV: Contemporary Spanish Cinema Third trimester Prerequisite: Advanced Conversation or permission of the department This course utilizes films from contemporary Latin America and Spain to strengthen students’ conversational, listening comprehension, and writing skills. Emphasis on the films’ cultural and historical contexts provides a basis from which students review advanced grammar, complete oral presentations, and learn more about the Spanish-speaking world.

Second trimester

5570 Advanced Spanish Hispanic Studies, Honors Third trimester Representative works of prose, film, poetry, and songs in Spanish from Spain, Mexico, and Central and South America form the basis of continued development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in preparation for AP Spanish Language and college courses.

5590 AP Spanish Language Prerequisites: Advanced Spanish Honors courses in Readings, Composition and Grammar, and Hispanic Studies, and teacher’s recommendation Taken as a fifth year of Spanish, this yearlong

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college-level course focuses on developing a high level of competence in speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Literary and journalistic texts continue the study of Hispanic culture and serve as the basis for vocabulary study, class discussions, and compositions. The course includes a variety of advanced speaking and listening activities and a thorough review of grammar. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

5710 Latin I Students are introduced to the elements of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, with special emphasis on the development of reading and comprehension skills. A considerable amount of attention is paid to English vocabulary building through Latin word roots. A capsule course in Roman mythology, culture, and history is also included.

5720 Latin II Students complete the study of Latin grammar, syntax, culture, and history begun in Latin I. Emphasis is placed on reading connected prose in its historical and cultural context.

5725 Latin II Honors Prerequisite: 90 average in Latin I and teacher’s recommendation An honors section is offered as an enriched version of the standard Latin II program in which the demands are dramatically increased.

5730 Latin III Students are introduced to the rich multicultural tradition of the Roman world in this literature survey course. Grammar review and strategies for reading

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comprehension are the focus of the class early in the year. Later, the focus shifts to the study of Western history and culture via Latin primary sources.

Authors include Caesar, Cicero, Pliny, and Eutropius.

5735 Latin III Honors Prerequisite: Latin II Honors or 90 average in Latin II and teacher’s recommendation The honors section of Latin III is offered as a prerequisite to AP Latin. A greater emphasis is placed on close translation and essay writing as required by the AP exam.

5790 AP Latin Vergil Prerequisite: Latin III Honors and permission of the instructor Students study one of the most important works in Latin, and perhaps Western literature, at a level comparable to college work.

Vergil’s Aeneid is studied according to the Advanced Placement curriculum through translation of selected portions of the text, analysis of its grammatical and rhetorical structure, and the reading of essays by modern critics. Students develop a high level of competence in translating Latin and understanding epic poetry, and develop an understanding of the historical and cultural context of the Aeneid. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

Directed Studies on special topics may be arranged with a faculty member, with approval from the department head and the academic dean.

School Year Abroad The Language Department encourages students to consider participation in the School Year Abroad program in China, France, Spain, or Italy. School Year Abroad is a reputable program designed for high school students. At Williston, most participants are juniors, although seniors may also apply.

Intensive language study is an integrated part of an ongoing college preparatory program and credits may be transferred from SYA to The Williston Northampton School upon successful completion of course work.

Sophomores interested in a junior year abroad should speak with the academic dean during the first trimester of the tenth grade. Interested juniors in good academic and social standing may, at the end of the first trimester of the eleventh grade, petition the academic dean for permission to attend SYA during the senior year. These proposals will be reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee. Upon successful completion of the SYA program, the student may expect to receive a diploma from Williston provided the following two conditions are met: 1) the petitioning student must have completed at least two years of study at Williston and 2) the academic diploma requirements of Williston must be met.

Students interested in more information about the program should write directly to School Year Abroad Home Office, 439 South Union St., Lawrence, MA, 01843, call (978) 725-6828, email mail@sya.org, or visit www.sya.org.

History and Global Studies Department We examine life in a global community The history and global studies curriculum provides students with an understanding of the forces which have shaped the past and continue to influence the world today. Our program encourages the development of the critical skills necessary to make educated choices that will determine the future. In short, we prepare students to embrace an ever-changing world.

We examine life in a global community through required courses in World Civilizations and U.S. History, and deepen that understanding through core electives such as European History, Comparative Government, and Economics. In addition, we offer the opportunity to study European, Asian, and African histories. By studying the cultural development of other nations, students learn to appreciate the diversity of our world and recognize the commonality of the human experience. Furthermore, through our religion and philosophy courses, the department hopes to introduce students to the ideas, beliefs, cultures, and spiritual writings of the world’s greatest religions and philosophical traditions.

History and global studies faculty aim to foster their students’ curiosity and help them develop the skills necessary to stimulate and facilitate lifelong learning. Students learn that history is not a static body of dates and facts, but an evolving series of interpretations of the past.

Through the process of reading and writing, as well as problem-solving discussions, students learn to investigate historical questions, analyze sources, and effectively express their ideas. Through the Williston+ program and our

relationships with the Five Colleges, students can take advantage of unique opportunities to participate in special lectures, workshops, and visits to the nearby colleges that are part of Williston’s vibrant academic community.

Recently, for instance, as part of the World Civilizations class, students showcased their work in “The Africa Museum,” where they were able to analyze and discuss each other’s work and then listen to a presentation delivered by James Alic Garang, one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, who was earning his PhD in Economics at UMass Amherst. Also, all United States History students engaged in a study of the 1704 raid on Deerfield, Massachusetts, by the French and their native allies. Professor Kevin Sweeney from Amherst College, whose recently published books on the raid were used as part of the curriculum, visited our campus and delivered a fascinating presentation about the raid. Through this presentation as well as a visit from members of the UMass Archaeological Field School at Deerfield, students recognized the valuable contributions of historians, archaeologists, and anthropologists to our understanding of the past. The rich academic culture of the Five College region provides students with opportunities to enhance their educational experience by connecting to a broader community.

As our students develop a critical understanding of their world, we hope to inspire their self-confidence to become engaged citizens who exercise both independence of thought and respect for individual differences in their search for truth and justice.

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6100 World Civilizations (9, 10) Required for three- and fouryear students World Civilizations is a oneyear survey course that examines major historical themes through an examination of three distinct civilizations: African, Middle Eastern, and Indian. An important goal of the course is to create a familiarity with these regions in an effort to prepare students for citizenship in a global community. Students in this course will learn the impact of geography on the lives of the people in these regions, their cultural traits and values, and an overview of the history of these regions.

An important element of the course is skill building.

Each unit on a major civilization will be linked to the development of a particular skill set. Skills taught in this course include note taking, researching, writing an historical essay, oral presentation skills, and analyzing primary source documents.

6201 European History I (9,10) First trimester Prerequisite: World Civilizations This course presents an overview of the important forces that shaped European history from the Middle Ages to the eve of the French Revolution. Each unit will emphasize the development of important skills, including the use of technology, writing an historical essay, reading primary source documents, analyzing historical literature, oral presentation, and working as a member of a group. The course will trace the origins of modern Europe through the influences of the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, the Scientific Revolution,

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the formation of nationstates, and the commercial revolution.

6202 European History II (9, 10) Second trimester Prerequisite: World Civilizations This course presents an overview of the important forces that shaped European history from the French Revolution in 1789 to the turn of the next century. Each unit will emphasize the development of important skills, including the use of technology, writing an historical essay, reading primary source documents, analyzing historical literature, oral presentation, and working as a member of a group. The course will trace the origins of modern Europe through the influences of the Age of Enlightenment, the French Revolution, Napoleonic Europe, the Industrial Revolution, Imperialism, and late-19th century intellectual history.

6203 European History III (9, 10) Third trimester Prerequisite: World Civilizations This course presents an overview of the important forces shaping European history from World War I to the present. Each unit will emphasize the development of important skills, including the use of technology, writing an historical essay, reading primary source documents, analyzing historical literature, oral presentation, and working as a member of a group. The course will trace the history of modern Europe through the influences of World War I, the Russian Revolution, World War II, the Cold War, and the formation of the European Union. Students will also be

U.S. History students prepared for the state-wide We the People academic competition in Boston by collaborating with students from Easthampton High School in a showcase of their research. Groups of students prepared presentations on three different questions related to the history, philosophy, and contemporary development of US Government. Following their prepared remarks, students responded to a series of questions from judges and defended their ideas without benefit of notes. Local city and state representatives acted as guest judges. Williston students have participated in this event since 1998 and finished in the top three places four times, including winning the honor of representing Massachusetts in the national finals in 2000.

This year marks the first time that Easthampton High School has participated.

responsible for monitoring and analyzing the current issues that confront contemporary European society.

6290 AP European History (10, 11, 12) This is a college level survey course that seeks to develop an understanding of the main themes in modern European history, including political and diplomatic, intellectual and cultural, and social and economic history. Course curriculum, materials, and expectations are designed to prepare students for success on the AP exam, but the broader goal of the course is to challenge students to improve their skills at writing, reading, presentation, and analysis, emphasizing comprehension, comparison, synthesis, and the formulation of general-

izations with sustaining evidence. The course uses a college-level textbook and primary source documents to provide students with an understanding of the chronology of modern European history, beginning with the Renaissance and concluding with the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, the reunification of Germany, and the crisis of global terrorism. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

6300 Introduction to United States History (10,11) Third trimester This course is intended for international students with limited background in American history and government. Students should enroll in this course during the trimester before they

forces responsible for social, economic, and political institutions from colonial times to the present. Students practice exploring historical questions, engaging in critical thinking, and expressing their ideas in diverse ways. These include participating in class discussion, writing essays, and making PowerPoint and PhotoStory presentations.

A main focus of this course is the creation of a major independent research paper.

In that culminating activity, as throughout the course, we encourage students to see themselves not as mere organizers of factual information, but rather as active producers of knowledge who interpret evidence in search of the truth.

take United States History (6310). The course will focus on developing an understanding of the primary themes in the early history of the United States and on developing the necessary skills for success in the existing full-year U.S. History course. The course will begin with the Colonial Period and trace the nation’s development through the American Revolution, the Constitutional Period, and end with a civics-style overview of American government. The major themes associated with these time periods provide exposure to the basic American ideas of government and representation; familiarity with these ideas will provide a valuable grounding for the concepts presented in the following year.

This course seeks to accomplish the mission of standard United States history course, but with a broader range of sources, discussions in greater depth, and the opportunity to submit an independent research project to The Concord Review. In addition to preparation for the AP exam at the end of the spring term, students may also participate in the We the People academic program. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

6310 United States History (11,12)

6400 Native American History (10, 11, 12)

The study of United States history is designed for students to develop a critical appreciation of American society, improved mastery of inquiry and expression skills and, as well, greater intellectual curiosity, persistence, and responsibility.

Students consider the human actions and social

6390 AP United States History (11,12)

First trimester In this course, students will examine the development of American history from the perspective of Native Americans. We will investigate both the development of various eastern woodland Indian nations and the process of interaction between the first set-

tlers and the subsequent European immigrants. The themes of resistance, adaption, and persistence will be considered.

6402 International Relations (11, 12) First trimester Prerequisite: US History In an ever changing post9/11 world, we are forced to examine what comes next for American foreign policy.

The old system of Cold War ideological thinking no longer applies in an era when the traditional nationstate is losing its importance. This course will look at the lessons of the 20th century and explore what the future holds for the United States in an increasingly global society. We will cover important social, cultural, political, economic, and military events of the 20th century including the crisis in the Middle East, economic relations among the major industrial blocs, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

6403 Classical Greece (11, 12) Second trimester The 21st century harks back to the pre-Christian era in Greece for its roots to politics, literature and the arts. The origins of democracy, theater, playwriting, and written history can be found in the traditions and practices of Classical Greece and its Helllenistic successors. An examination of these roots will help guide students toward a better understanding of the present.

6405 Hitler and Nazi Germany (11, 12) First or third trimester This comprehensive study of the personality, deeds, and impact on Europe of Adolf Hitler examines man and World War II, covers

the Holocaust in detail, and considers values and attitudes that are important for the present as well as critical for understanding the past.

6406 Immigration: Past and Present (11, 12) Second trimester This course provides a thorough review of immigration in American history. Students will explore historical trends, movements, and patterns of global immigration. Topics of study will include: motives for immigration; anti-immigration sentiments and activities; the development of laws and standards to govern the flow of immigrants; assimilation, acculturation, and nonconformity; and the economic impact of immigration.

Although the course will touch on the experience of many immigrants, we will focus our study on the following periods of immigration: Irish immigration of the mid-19th century; eastern and southern European immigration of the turn of the 20th century; Asian and Latin American immigration of the post-Vietnam War period.

6408 History of Modern Africa (11, 12) Third trimester This course will help students to understand the currently diverse and complex nature of the African continent by examining the history of the continent in the 20th century. The course will begin with a brief overview of the colonial period, and then delve more deeply into the challenges that came with independence. Students will review the policies and lives of African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, and Gamal Nasser of

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Egypt. Topics will include the Rwandan genocide, apartheid in South African and Zimbabwe, the civil war in Sudan, and the curse of oil in Nigeria. Students will also read a memoir or a work of contemporary fiction.

6409 History of Modern Japan (11, 12) First trimester The goal of this course is to assist the student’s understanding of contemporary Japan by examining the historical foundations of this nation. The course begins with a brief examination of geographic, political, and cultural influences from the feudal period, and then focuses on the themes, events and personalities of the 19th and 20th centuries. Major concepts covered include the rise and fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, the industrial revolution in Japan, Japanese imperialism and World War II, Occupation Japan, and the Japanese economic miracle. The course will include a visit to the Tea Garden at Mount Holyoke College, and will draw from the resources of the Five College Center of East Asian Studies.

6410 History of Modern China (11, 12) Second trimester The goal of this course is to help students gain an understanding of modern Chinese society by examining the historical forces that contributed to its development. The course begins with an overview of the influences from the dynastic period that impacted the course of China’s history.

The course takes a more detailed study of events of the 19th and 20th century including the Opening of China, the collapse of the Qing dynasty, the rise of

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Chinese nationalism, European and Asian imperialism in China, and Mao’s programs including the Great Leap forward and the Cultural Revolution. The course concludes with an examination of contemporary issues. In addition to the text, and Liang Heng’s memoirs, the course will draw from the resources of the Five College Center of East Asian Studies.

6501 Comparative Politics (11,12) Second trimester In this introductory course to political science, the political systems of countries such as Great Britain, Germany, Russia, Iran, Nigeria, and Mexico are examined and compared. In a stepby-step approach, students focus on the impact of the past, key national institutions, political attitudes, patterns of interaction, and current issues of each country. Students will explore such concepts as democracy, sovereignty, nationalism, ideology, globalization, and terrorism.

Students are expected to complete a research paper involving a current political issue.

6591 AP Comparative Government and Politics (11, 12) A two-trimester course taught in the first and third trimesters Students in this course will be introduced to political science while preparing for the AP examination. Six core countries including Great Britain, Russia, China, Iran, Nigeria, and Mexico will be examined and compared. In addition, the course explores general concepts pertaining to political relationships and the constitutional features common to virtually all national governments. As students gain a deeper appreciation

A graduate student discusses her experiences with the UMass Archaeological Field School studying pre- and post-contact Native American lifeways and history in the Pioneer Valley

and understanding of how governments function, we will explore related concepts including regionalism, democracy, sovereignty, pluralism, nationalism, ideology, globalization, and national security. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

6600 Economics (11,12) Second trimester This introductory course focuses on the fundamental principles of an economic way of thinking as well as economic history and philosophy. The course is divided between a study of microeconomics: how a market economy operates and the impact of government intervention, and macroeconomics: how the economy as a whole behaves in the long run and the role of fiscal and monetary policy. Special attention is devoted to international trade and the global economy.

6690 AP Microeconomics (10, 11, 12) A two-trimester course taught in the first and third trimester

The goal of this course is to give the student a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual decision makers, both consumers and producers, within the larger economic system. It places primary emphasis on the nature and functions of product markets, and on the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

6700 Introduction to World Religions (9, 10) Offered each trimester This course introduces the student to the academic study of religion by exploring the major religions of the world through a combination of fiction, film, sacred texts, and secondary sources. Along the way, key concepts in religion, such as myth, ritual, and symbol are discussed in depth, and an effort is made to train students in fundamental skills and terms relevant to the humanities.

quired to complete a multifaceted portfolio of work in the spring trimester.

Directed Studies on special topics may be arranged with a faculty member, with approval from the department head and the academic dean.

The following courses rotate and will not be offered in the 2011-12 school year: 6401 Russian History (11, 12) Amherst College Professor of American Studies and History Kevin Sweeney discussed the different points of view that inhabited the historical events of the 1700s in the Pioneer Valley

6702 Western Religions (11, 12) Second trimester This course offers and indepth look at the sacred traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, with a special focus on their sacred texts. By reading selections from the Bible, the Qur’an, and other primary sources. Students will learn how such writings have been, and continue to be, interpreted by adherents of those traditions. They may also come to appreciate how these sacred texts are relevant and meaningful to their own lives.

6703 Introduction to Philosophy (11, 12) Second trimester This course introduces students to some of the major fields of philosophy, such as logic, epistemology, identity, and ethics. Students begin by learning the elements of critical thinking fundamental to building a cohesive and coherent philosophical argument.

They then progress to the examination of philosophical treatises written by important figures in the history of Western philoso-

phy: RenĂŠ Descartes, David Hume, John Locke, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Much of the reading in this class is drawn from difficult primary texts.

they might apply to moral dilemmas, both ancient and new. Class discussion, film analysis, and thesis defense papers are fundamental to the course.

6704 Eastern Religions (11, 12)

6900 The 18th Century in the Connecticut River Valley (11, 12)

Third trimester As an introduction to Eastern religious and philosophical thought, this offering surveys three families of Asian religious traditions: Hinduism, Buddhism, and the Chinese traditions of Confucianism and Taoism.

Students read some of the more enduring writings of these traditions, including the Bhagavad Gita, and the Tao Te Ching.

6706 Ethics and Society (11, 12) Firsst trimester This course explores several of the ethical theories in the history of Western ethics, including those espoused by Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and Philippa Foot. After grappling with the primary texts of these thinkers, students learn how such ideas have the power to affect everyday lives and how

A two-trimester course beginning in the second trimester.

Prerequisite: application required.

6404 Latin American History (10, 11, 12) 6407 African American History (10, 11, 12) 6502 United States Government (11, 12) 6592 AP US Government and Politics (11, 12) 6701 Islam and the Middle East (10, 11, 12) 6705 The Bible as Literature (10, 11, 12)

With the guidance of faculty drawn from Smith, Amherst, UMass, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire College, this course will explore and compare similar works of several scholars regarding interactions between Natives and Colonists in New England during the 1700s. In addition to secondary readings by the participating historians and other scholars, the course will make use of published primary sources, copies of local primary sources, documentaries, and field trips to museums such as Memorial Hall in Deerfield. The course will also focus on the practice of research and the writing and publishing of scholarly works. Students will be re-

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Fine and Performing Arts Department The Fine and Performing Arts Department at Williston houses the various arts disciplines within a single department. Our faculty, who are practicing artists in their chosen fields, all bring their professional experiences to their teaching. We strive to instill in our students a broad respect for learning; to develop in them a respect for and enduring interest in the arts through knowledge and experience; to stimulate their awareness of their own creative potential, not only in the arts but in other endeavors; and to equip them with the skills and discipline necessary for pursuing one or more of the fine or performing arts.

The arts faculty, while diverse in their own artistic pursuits, share a common concern for developing human expressiveness and a profound commitment to making the arts an integral part of their students’ lives and the life of the entire school community. The arts have historically been a strong thread that binds together all human endeavors and reveals the human response to the world and to the sense of self. Such awareness illuminates and gives depth to our own experience. By engaging in the studio and performing arts—painting, dancing, playing music, and acting—students develop

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intellectual and cognitive operations that are central to all experiences in school or in life. Study of the arts provides a meaningful and constructive connection to other cultures and the history of the world. Through the arts, students discover that there is a unique opportunity to create community and to share with others, while experiencing the excitement of creative realization and self-discovery. It is our mission as well to train the audiences of tomorrow, audiences who through their enlightened perception and understanding of the arts will find their lives enhanced and immeasurably enriched.

The lives of our students are also enriched by our close relationships with the Five Colleges and the many cultural and artistic offerings in the Pioneer Valley that Williston calls home. Our students have the opportunity to attend concerts, dance recitals, and theatrical performances, and to visit the marvelous galleries and museums throughout the area. In addition, students and professors from the nearby colleges and universities have enriched the Fine Arts classroom experience through lectures, workshops, and demonstrations.

All courses in this department are trimester courses with the exception of String and Wind Ensembles (7741, 7742), and AP Music Theory (7790), which are year-long courses.

Note: Studio art and photography courses often do not use textbooks, but they do require a material fee for classroom supplies. For some courses the fees are significant.

7101 Beginning Elements of Design Offered each trimester Studio fee $125 The emphasis of this demanding, foundation-level course is on in-class projects that explore the principles and elements of line, shape, color, texture, composition, unity, contrast, balance, and proportion.

Students will be guided through a sequence of exercises and projects that will sharpen their perception and create unity in all forms of visual expression.

Projects will be two-dimensional compositions using cut paper for progressive rhythms, repetition series, grid alignments, collages, initial designs, logos, ink patterns, and low relief constructions.

7102 Intermediate Design Second trimester Prerequisite: Drawing, Beginning Design, or Photo I Studio fee $125.

The focus of this course is on developing skills acquired in previous studio courses. These principles and essential components of design will be used in a creative plan to develop form and structure in threedimensional and higher level two-dimensional work. This studio class is centered around projects from college level foundation courses. The in-class projects will explore in depth 3-D design, book design, foam core constructions, low relief clay still life, paper mache, and advanced painting composition.

7103 Advanced Design First or third trimester Prerequisite: Beginning and Intermediate Design Studio fee $150 Combining the principles used in Beginning and Intermediate Design, students will create intuitive and layered surface designs with inks, resists, and marbling on receptive surface papers. These textile designs and patterns will be used in rendering

personal collages and designs for topics of choice.

Students will discover how different media work together and then they will determine the best process for finding their own distinct, creative voices. The culminating experience will be to do a portfolio presentation showing how collaged papers would be used in the worlds of fashion, textiles, interior design, or book making.

7201 Beginning Drawing Offered each trimester Studio fee $100 The purpose and objective of this introductory drawing course is not only to acquaint students with a broad range of dry and wet media but also to explore the meaning of art and what drawing can be. Students will develop an understanding of the work of past and contemporary artists, as well as their methods and materials. Appreciation for each student’s own unique capacity for expression grows out of assignments based on careful observation as well as those that are expressionistic or improvisational and tap the students’ imagination and intuition.

7202 Intermediate Drawing Second trimester Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing or permission of the instructor Studio fee $100.

Intermediate drawing is for students interested in continuing to explore a variety of drawing techniques and artistic concepts introduced in Beginning Drawing.

Guided and independent assignments will encourage each student to develop his or her artistic vision while building upon fundamental skills. Projects will be both observational and intuitive, further integrating the internal and external artistic voice.

Students will engage in journaling, visual research, dialogue, and art viewing.

7203 Advanced Drawing First or third trimester Prerequisite: Drawing or permission of the instructor Studio fee $100 In advanced drawing each student will have the opportunity to explore and discover an area of interest, investigating the subject matter through visual research and a variety of drawing methods and materials. Projects will be guided but students will also create independent

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bodies of work. Group critiques and discussions will address individual students’ work as well as the philosophy of aesthetics.

Each student will complete a cohesive portfolio of drawings to be exhibited on campus or within the community at the end of the trimester.

7301 Beginning Painting Offered each trimester Prerequisite: Drawing, Beginning Elements of Design, or permission of the instructor Studio fee $250.

This course starts with overcoming the fear of painting with brushes and palette knives. Through various group and individual projects, students will learn painting techniques in acrylics and some oils.

Students will work from still life and photographs as well as from observation. The course will stress the appropriate use of tools and materials, values, high contrasts, spatial relationships and composition on both canvas and paper.

7302 Intermediate Painting Second trimester Prerequisite: Beginning Painting, Drawing, or Design Studio fee $250

Left to right: Students from drawing and geometry classes joined together to create wall paintings influenced by Sol LeWitt. The abstract paintings were the students' representations of a chosen UN Millennium goal.

Photography students viewed photographs in the archives at Smith College Museum of Art. Sculpture students made the most of New England’s record snowfall.

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For the more advanced student, this course is about painting as seeing.

The course is designed to build confidence in color and paint application. The focus is to develop in the serious student an articulate language in oil and in watercolors to create a more convincing illusion of space. Projects will be more experimental and a variety of surfaces will be used (canvas, paper, panel boards). Techniques covered include: stretching canvases and watercolor papers, as well as integrating collage materials and mixed media.

beginning in the first trimester

7303 Advanced Painting

Offered each trimester Studio fee $100

First or third trimester Prerequisite: Beginning and Intermediate Painting, or Advanced Drawing Studio fee $250 This course is designed to incorporate how sight and feeling are important in all works of art. All mediums are covered: oils, acrylics, watercolors, gouache, egg tempera, and mixed media.

Students will receive individual guidance to develop and discover a deeper familiarity with independent subject matter.

7400 Ceramics Studio fee $150 A two-trimester course

Students will explore various methods of construction in clay, stressing the qualities of design principles and problem solving in art.

Study of historic clay objects will provide stimuli for the development of the students’ personal artistic expression and experience.

Students will explore cultural and historical connections, write about the process, make presentations about their progress at regular intervals, and work individually and in groups.

7411 Beginning Sculpture This course is intended to be an overview of basic skills used to create threedimensional works of art.

With an emphasis on studio production, this course is designed to develop higherlevel thinking, art-related technology, art criticism, art history, and aesthetic skills.

Through assigned projects, students will explore concepts (mass, plane, movement, balance, etc.), and find solutions that are intriguing, have sculptural integrity, and that can be used as a vehicle for personal expression. Throughout the course students will

also analyze the expressive potential of sculpture media, techniques, and processes, examine the functions of sculpture, and interpret three-dimensional art throughout history and across a variety of cultures.

7412 Advanced Sculpture Second or third trimester Prerequisite: Beginning Sculpture Studio fee $100 Students will continue to explore a variety of sculptural techniques and artistic concepts introduced in Beginning Sculpture, including the fundamental concepts (mass, plane, movement, balance, etc.), while further exploring a variety of methods and materials. Through both guided and independent projects, students will complete a body of work while continuing to engage in journaling, visual research, and dialogue.

7501 Photography I (10, 11, 12) Offered each trimester Studio fee $150 In this introductory photography course students will explore the traditional photographic image-making process. The emphasis of this class will be to acquire the skills needed to properly expose black and white

negative film utilizing an SLR camera. Students will be taught how to manually adjust the aperture, shutter, and light meter which will allow them to gain creative control of their images. Enlarged silver gelatin prints will be made in the darkroom utilizing variable contrast papers. Additionally, students will gain an understanding of photography as a visual art form and an understanding of the basic principles of composition and design through presentations and group critiques.

A limited number of cameras are available to rent for the trimester. See instructor for details.

7502 Photography II (10, 11, 12) Offered each trimester Prerequisite: Photography I Studio fee $175 An introduction to color photography and digital imaging, this course explores the new realities of the color photographic process.

Building upon the camera handling techniques of Photography I, students will explore the use of the computer and Adobe Photoshop as the digital ‘darkroom.’ The qualities of light, white balance, file types, file sizes, scanners, printer utilities, calibration, and paper options will be

Visiting photographer Michael Itzkoff critiques student work during an advanced photography class. Itzkoff is founding editor of Daylight Magazine, a photography publication deducted to publishing in-depth photographic essays on important issues. In 2009, Charta Books published Street Portraits, Itkoff’s exploration of the artifice of portraiture. He is the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships and received an MFA from the ICP-Bard program.

Photographers’ Lecture Series Third trimester evening program Visiting photographers will talk about their work as part of an evening lecture series. The series features internationally acclaimed photographers who present their work and discuss it with the school and community. Advanced photography students have

the opportunity to participate in a class taught by the photographers preceding the public lecture. Past visiting photographers have included photojournalist Yunghi Kim, who is known for her coverage of international conflicts; Sean Hemmerle, an architectural and landscape photographer; and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Ed Keating.

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investigated through discussion and demonstration. Assignments utilizing graphic design and advertising concepts will expose students to the use of imaging in the media. A digital SLR camera is suggested for the course, but the use of a film camera with the conversion of images to digital files is possible. A limited number of digital SLRs and film cameras are available to rent for the trimester.

7503 Photography III (10, 11, 12) First or third trimester Prerequisites: Photography I and II or permission of the instructor Studio fee $250 This course expands upon the fundamental techniques learned in Photo I and II. Emphasis is placed upon mastering the skills needed to ‘pre-visualize’ the photograph and to obtain the technical skills needed to make that concept a reality through extensive lab work and technical exercises in studio and outdoor lighting.

Students will learn what it takes to produce the “proper” negative, digital capture, and the archival black and white fiber and inkjet / pigment print. Additional assignments explore aesthetic considerations of alternative camera types such as the Holga, Lensbaby, and pinhole.

7504 Photography IV (10, 11, 12) First trimester Prerequisites: Photo I, II, and III, or permission of the instructor Studio fee $250 This course examines the definition of what constitutes a photograph by exploring beyond both the traditional B&W and color digital processes. Utilizing alternative methods and a variety of camera types we

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investigate various methods for creating a photographic image. Some of the processes that may be utilized are color transparency film and processing, Ink Aid substrates, digital printing on metals and plastics, ‘Purrell’ transfers, the use of studio “flash lighting,” 4x5 view camera techniques, and Cyanotype and Kallitype printing. This class will meet twice a week in the evening to allow maximum lab time for intensive hands-on exploration of these advanced photographic methods and materials.

7505 Photography V (11, 12) Second trimester Prerequisites: Photo I, II, III, and IV, and permission of the instructor Studio fee $200 This course provides an opportunity for the most advanced and dedicated students to create images that illustrate their personal aesthetic and technical control of the medium. Students wishing to refine portfolios for submission to colleges will be given the opportunity to edit, document, publish, and submit their work.

Group and individualized critiques will be utilized to inform the student, of opinions that may help them decipher the complex process of

defining a cohesive body of work. Students that do not wish to work on portfolios will have the option to explore the possibilities for their long term project. All students will be expected to submit a proposal for a specific project of their design and will be required to produce a display of the images in a public space, dedicated website, self-published book / magazine, or other venue to be approved by the instructor, as well as participate in the Photographer’s Lecture Series and associated workshops. Medium and large format cameras will be available for loan to students. A limited number of digital SLRs and film cameras are available to rent for the trimester.

original film. Students will work to gain the fundamental technical skills needed to create an actual film project through group and individual exercises. Lighting, color balance, camera movements, camera angles, sound capture, hardware, editing and software are just some of the areas that will be explored. The second half of the course will be spent conceptualizing, writing, and creating story boards, leading to the creation of individual films. Students will be required to participate in the annual Williston Film Festival and encouraged to submit projects throughout the trimester for consideration.

7601 Introduction to Acting and the Theater First trimester

7511 Introduction to Film Making (10, 11, 12) A two-trimester course beginning in the second trimester Studio fee $250 This is an introductory course in the art and process of film making; an overview of the history, basic principles, and technical skills involved in creating a film. The course will examine a variety of film and video sources and discuss their concepts and structure to help gain an understanding of the complex framework required in the process of creating an

The focus of this course is to introduce students to the pivotal movements in the history of Western theater, and to explore diverse acting techniques used to build a role. The course begins with an introduction to improvisation and theater vocabulary before moving onto scene work. Working from their imaginations, students utilize the techniques of Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, and Sanford Meisner to craft their roles. Scene selection is drawn from the major movements in Western drama,

including works from ancient Greece and the canon of realism, modernism, and post-modernism.

Along with their scene work, students explore the social and historical forces that propelled these artistic movements forward.

7602 Intermediate Acting Second trimester Prerequisite: Theater 7601, 7621, or permission of the instructor This course will expand upon the introductory course by allowing students to dig deeper into monologue work and scene work, while studying more advanced techniques and methods for developing character and collaboration onstage. Students will benefit from more frequent presentations of their material and reading of a diverse catalogue of plays. This course will give students the opportunity to grow in their work and prepare them for Advanced Acting and further study in the future.

7603 Advanced Acting Third trimester Prerequisite: Theater 7601, 7621, or permission of the instructor This course provides students with further technique to hone their craft as

actors. Working with systems inspired by Anne Bogart, Jerzy Grotowski, and Michael Chekhov, students will be exposed to diverse methods for creating a role through the imagination and the physical life of the character.

Scene work is drawn from the Italian comedy (commedia dell’arte), Shakespeare, and the modern and post-modern theatrical canon. The course will be designed to address the needs of individual students. Scene selection will be made by addressing specific areas where students are struggling or need to be challenged.

7612 Introduction to Theater Design: Lighting

7611 Introduction to Theater Design: Scenic

7702 The Body in Motion

First trimester

First trimester

This course introduces the principles of design, the methods of creating a design concept, and the mechanics of scenic drafting.

Students will learn how a design is inspired by text analysis and discover how a design evolves and matures through process and creative discussion. At the conclusion of the trimester, students will have completed a set of portfolioquality drawings of a scenic design for a play of their choosing.

Open to all upper school students, this course teaches understanding of how movement supports all of the body’s systems.

Through the study of the spine, central nervous system, joints, connective tissues, and muscle groups, students will gain a deeper understanding of how to gain strength, increase flexibility, prevent common injuries, and move through space and life with a unified body. Study of breath support, anatomical vocabulary,

Third trimester This course introduces the principles of lighting design, the mechanics of drafting for lighting design, and the practical applications and installation of theatrical lighting instruments. Students will learn how the inspiration for a lighting design concept is born through understanding and creative utilization of technology. At the conclusion of the trimester, students will have completed a set of portfolio-quality drawings of a lighting design for a play of their choosing.

and range of motion will also be stressed.

7713 American Music: History of Rock and Roll Third trimester This course studies the effect of the social, political and historical events of the 1950s - 1970s on the popular music of the time, and conversely, the music’s effect on these events. The course covers the antecedent music of Rhythm and Blues and Gospel, the crossover effects of Elvis Prelley and others in the 1950s, and later, in the 1960s, the combination of the “British invasion” and the emergence of Soul and Motown, both of which became central to our popular culture. The course will also examine the influence of American Roots Music.

7721 History of Classical Music I First trimester In this course students will have the opportunity to learn about and listen to a broad spectrum of Western Art Music, known as "Classical" music. Although historical perspectives and contemporary sociopolitical contexts will be discussed, the emphasis will be on listening to examples of major works within four

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genres: choral, orchestral, operatic and chamber music, and on understanding how each genre evolved. There will be daily listening assignments, tests, a final written and oral presentation, as well as a requirement to attend three live concerts and write concert critiques in response to the concert experience. A class trip to live performances will be planned. This course begins with the Medieval period and moves through the Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical.

7722 History of Classical Music II Second trimester In this course, students will have the opportunity to learn about and listen to a broad spectrum of Western Art Music, known as "Classical" music. Although historical perspectives and contemporary sociopolitical contexts will be discussed, the emphasis will be on listening to examples of major works within four genres: choral, orchestral, operatic and chamber music, and on understanding how each genre evolved. There will be daily listening assignments, tests, a final written and oral presentation, as well as a requirement to attend three live concerts and write concert critiques in response to the concert experience. A class trip to live performances will be planned. This course begins with the Classical period and moves through the Romantic and Modern.

7732 Male Chorus (Caterwaulers) 7733 Female Chorus (Widdigers) Offered each trimester All-female and all-male choral ensembles with an eclectic range of material

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and an emphasis on close harmony and a capella music. These ensembles are trained and educated using professional standards of rehearsal and performance with vocal technique, sight singing, and ear training. They are auditioned (or with permission of the instructor) groups of up to 16 members. All members of the Widdigers and Caterwaulers also perform with the Teller Chorus.

7741 String Ensemble The Chamber Orchestra and the Upper School Chamber Ensemble rehearse and perform a wide variety of pieces from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary repertoire. All participants taking the class for credit must attend both orchestra and chamber ensemble rehearsals. Students are expected to practice their parts outside of class rehearsal time, and to participate in all performances.

development of skills necessary to recognize, understand, and describe the basic materials and processes of music that are heard or presented in a score. Fundamental aural, analytical and compositional skills are used with both listening and written exercises. More creative tasks include harmonization of a melody, composing a musical bass line to provide two voice counterpoint, and the realization of figured bass notation. Students will need to be experienced in some musical discipline, be it choral or instrumental.

Students are expected to take the AP exam in May.

globalization, technology, and diverse social movements and phenomena have had on contemporary art. Students will investigate how historical events and social and political conflicts have informed art from the 1950s through the present, including how various themes in contemporary art have been informed by popular music, theater, and dance. This course will include visits to the Five College art galleries and museums, as well as studio visits to student artists in the Five Colleges. A significant portfolio or research project will be required in the spring trimester.

7802 Art History B

Directed Studies on special topics may be arranged with a faculty member, with approval from the department head and the academic dean.

Second trimester This course will examine the history of art from the Early Renaissance and Dutch Masters to the Baroque and the Enlightenment. We will examine works of art, write comparison essays, read related articles and visit a local art museum.

The following courses rotate and will not be offered in the 2011-12 school year:

7742 Wind Ensemble The Concert Band rehearses and performs a wide variety of pieces from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary repertoire, and the Jazz Band draws on many different styles from the 20th century. All participants taking the class for credit must attend both the Concert Band and Jazz Band rehearsals. Students are expected to practice their parts outside of class rehearsal time, and to participate in all performances.

7803 Art History C

7790 AP Music Theory

This course focuses on contemporary art in the context of social, economic, political, and scientific events since the mid-20th century.

Students will explore the functions of the artist in society, and the effects that

The Advanced Placement (AP) Music Theory course is designed to prepare students to take the AP exam in Music Theory and to receive college credit. Emphasis is placed on the

Third trimester This course will examine the art of the Early Impressionist period through the Modern period. We will examine works of art, write comparison essays, read related articles and visit a local art museum.

7900 Contemporary Art and Culture A two-trimester course beginning in the second trimester Application required Studio fee $150

7621 Introduction to Play Production 7701 Choreography 7711 American Music: History of Jazz A 7712 American Music: History Jazz B 7801 Art History A

EXTRACURRICULAR

Arts Alternative The Arts Alternative exists to provide opportunity and support for the serious musician, visual artist, or theater technician. In instances of demonstrated commitment, a student may opt to spend one term engaged in arts activities, in lieu of after school sports.

Dance Ensemble Students have opportunities to choreograph and perform in a variety of dance styles for two major dance productions each year.

Teller Chorus Teller Chorus is a repertory choral ensemble which rehearses and performs vocal/choral music written for mixed (female and male) voices.

ARTS

PROGRAM

The Williston Theatre Ensemble Opportunities to act or work in a variety of backstage capacities are available. Three major productions a year are mounted for public performance.

Private Instruction Private instruction in voice and instrumental music is available for additional hourly fees. Regular attendance and practice are expected.

The Williston Northampton School 19 Payson Avenue, Easthampton, MA 01027 | 413.529.3000 | www.williston.com