(IB)
INTRODUCTION
With guidance from their advisors, students are encouraged to take a comprehensive program of courses. In most cases, students are required to be enrolled in at least four major courses at all times; most students enroll in five. Any junior or senior who wants to take a sixth major course, for credit or as an audited class, in one or more of the semesters must petition and receive approval from the relevant department, then the grade team, and finally from the full upper school faculty before the beginning of the year or semester. Students in 9th and 10th grade may not take a sixth major for credit as they are focusing on all the graduation requirements and participating in clubs, sports and other extracurricular activities. Except for enrollment in the School Year Abroad program, recipients of the WFS diploma must be full-time students at Wilmington Friends in their senior year of high school. Advanced work is available either through specifically designed courses or through individually prescribed work in a regular class. Modified course work is available on a limited basis. Independent study is available for those students who have exhausted the limits of course work in a particular discipline or when special need (e.g. scheduling) or interest dictates. Arrangements for independent study are made on an individual basis, require a faculty sponsor, and must be approved by the academic department and the upper school faculty. Students with five majors may apply for an additional MSON semester course; those with six majors may not. The Wilmington Friends transcript is the official record of a student’s academic coursework while in upper school. All course changes made after the “add/drop” period early in the year (or semester for a half-year class) will be recorded on the school transcript. No course can be added after the add/drop deadline without the approval of the department and the division head. Students may not withdraw from a full year course in the second semester.
General Planning Advice
Since a good education provides a broad foundation and opportunities for exploration, we require students to include in their four-year plan courses from all departments as well as participation in sports. We advise students to join committees, activities, and clubs, and to take advantage of volunteer and other school and community opportunities. For most students, a balanced program will leave some school time for work in study halls.
Grade Scale:
DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS
Area Credit Required
English 4
World Language 3 Through level 3 of one language (WFS level 3 or pass the equivalent on a WFS challenge test), and at least two years of one language.
History 3
Including one credit in American History and one credit in Global Peace and Justice
Mathematics 3
Science 3 Including two laboratory science courses
Performing Arts 1 1/2 Including 1/2 credit in performing arts; Visual Arts 1/2 credit in visual arts; 1/2 credit to be distributed as the student desires (from performing arts, visual arts). The required 1/2 credit in the performing arts must be obtained through participation in an ensemble or elective class. The 1/2 credit in the visual arts will be obtained through the required Visual Arts Foundation course in either ninth or tenth grade.
Computer 1/2
Quakerism 1/4
Service
Sports
Human 1/2
Each student is required to complete 50 hours of service in an approved program.
One sport each year (minimum).
Ninth and tenth graders are required Dynamics to take one semester of Human Dynamics and Development each year.
Individual requests to modify or waive requirements will be considered by the department and the upper school faculty. Recommendations will be given to the Head of Upper School.
Please note that only WFS courses are included in the GPA calculation (i.e., English, World Language, Math, Science, History/Social Science, Music Major, Art Major, IB Theory of Knowledge, etc.). Electives and MSON courses are not included in the calculation.
SCALE:
59 and below E
The following courses are weighted (given more point value because of their workload and college-level approach). **Please note this list is subject to change each academic year.**
.5 weighting:
Advanced 20th Century History
IB/SL Chinese, year 1
IB/SL Computer Science
IB/SL English
IB/SL French
IB/SL Spanish
IB/SL History (co-seated with Advanced 20th Century and HL History Europe year 2)
IB/TOK
Music Major
Visual Arts Major
1.0 weighting
Advanced Biology 2
Advanced Chemistry 2
Advanced Physics 2
Advanced Placement (AP) courses
All IB/HL courses
IB Chinese SL, year 2
IB/SL Biology
IB/SL Physics
IB/SL Chemistry
IB/SL Music
FOR INTERNATIONAL
BACCALAUREATE (IB) DIPLOMA CANDIDATES:
Beyond the Wilmington Friends School diploma, students interested in obtaining an IB diploma have additional requirements. One additional course that all IB Diploma candidates must take is Theory of Knowledge, both in the junior and senior year. They also complete a Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) requirement of engaging ongoing co-curricular experiences. IB diploma candidates must complete an extended essay that contains about 4,000 words. Students must sit for their final IB exams for course completion and IB credit; not taking an IB exam will be noted on the WFS transcript. Students decide in their sophomore year if they wish to pursue an IB diploma and work closely with their families and advisors as well as the IB Coordinator to determine whether or not the program is a good match. IB exams and external assessments are scored on a 1-7 point scale (7 being the highest) by IB examiners around the world. WFS grades are determined independently of the IB external grading process.
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR WFS STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD
Wilmington Friends School recognizes the meaningful educational benefits gained by students engaged in full-year living/ studying abroad programs. The school also recognizes that the courses offered in study abroad programs are not the same as those offered by WFS. In determining whether a study abroad course receives WFS credit, the following factors will be considered:
School Year Abroad: As a School Year Abroad consortium school, WFS grants credits for successful completion of any SYA course. Because individual SYA schools vary in the courses they offer and some may not offer courses required by WFS, certain WFS requirements may be waived for students enrolled in the SYA program.
AFS Intercultural Programs (formerly the American Field Service), Rotary, and other similar programs which include a student’s enrollment in a local school in the host country: A student considering a year abroad in one of these programs must meet with the upper school head in advance in order to make necessary and appropriate course plans in accord with requirements for the WFS diploma.
ENGLISH
We recognize that the development of skills in language, composition, and literature is a spiraling process in which certain core skills are introduced and then continually strengthened and refined through the use of progressively more rigorous texts and assignments. We also recognize that the life-long love
Our aim is to help each student set challenging yet attainable personal goals for the study and analysis of literature and to achieve these goals within an atmosphere of shared excitement and intellectual curiosity.
of literature and writing we seek to encourage can take root most effectively when students are encouraged to feel confident in their mastery of skills through appropriately challenging work and appropriately rigorous expectations. Finally, we know that this process is a developmental one; that is, students will make progress at a rate commensurate with their own aptitudes and experiences, rather than at a particular chronological age or grade level. Our aim is to help each student set challenging yet attainable personal goals for the study and analysis of literature and to achieve these goals within an atmosphere of shared excitement and intellectual curiosity.
409 English 9
1 credit, full year
The major emphasis of this course is the sharpening and refinement of language skills, including critical reading and literary analysis as well as experiential and imaginative writing. Grammar and usage review will be incorporated into the writing component of the course, with a focus on errors arising in student compositions. At the conclusion of the course, a student should be able to write a clearly-organized, multi-paragraph essay developing and supporting a thesis. Literature study explores the themes of storytelling and how people communicate through literature. Texts may include: The Book of Unknown Americans, Almost American Girl, Homegoing, Station Eleven, Romeo and Juliet, The Glass Castle, selected poetry, and shorter pieces of fiction and nonfiction. A film study and public speaking projects are also special features of this course. The culminating project requires students to consider storytelling from their own perspective and apply what they have learned over the course of the year to produce a formal analytical or creative piece. This project requires the application of associative and critical thinking skills, creative skills, strong written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to work and plan independently.
410 English 10
1 credit, full year
English 10 explores the theme of conformity and rebellion, and the power of literature to endorse or question societal norms, to reflect and shape personal and cultural identity, and to pursue social justice. Students consider the ways in which literature can help us to understand and challenge power and privilege. The course explores different literary genres, including fiction (novels and short fiction), drama, poetry, and literary nonfiction. Students build on literary understandings and writing skills developed in English 9. Varied writing assignments offer students the opportunity to hone their expressive skills through analytical, creative, personal, and persuasive writing tasks. A public speaking unit, regular class discussions, and collaborative presentations will challenge students to fine tune their oral communication skills. Texts may include: Lorraine Hansberry’s
A Raisin in the Sun, Lan Samantha Chang’s Hunger, Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime, Shakespeare’s Othello, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and additional plays, short stories, poems, and works of nonfiction.
418 English: Power and Performance (11, 12, no IB credit)
418SL IB English SL: Power and Performance (11,12)
418SL IB English HL: Power and Performance (11, 12)
1 credit, full year
This year of the International Baccalaureate (IB) English course is focused on the theme of power and performance, with a particular emphasis on public speaking and oral assessments. Students encounter a wide variety of global literature, and they consider the historical and cultural context of each work. Students will engage in the task of literary analysis, sifting through the granular details of a work to understand how it operates on the individual reader or viewer. Power and performance (IB HL/SL) is an inquiry-based course: students will construct understandings of different genres based on their original thinking, questions, and initiative. By exploring genres and literary techniques in depth, students will understand the distinguishing traits of each genre. In preparation for the oral IB assessment, there will be a particular emphasis on creating and delivering presentations that explicate literary and persuasive techniques within each work. Students will also continue to hone their written skills, as they craft arguable thesis statements and use persuasive techniques to influence an audience. Though the analytical verbal response is a significant focus of the year, students will also do some creative and personal writing. Students will be required to maintain a Learner’s Portfolio, a compilation of formative writing responses, creative and analytical, throughout the year.
419 English: Journeys (11, 12, no IB credit)
419SL IB English SL: Journeys (11/12)
419HL IB English HL: Journeys (11,12)
1 credit, full year
This year of the International Baccalaureate (IB) English course is focused on the theme of journeys and the archetypal hero’s quest, with a particular emphasis on written expression and the analytical essay. Illustrating the ubiquitous nature of this archetype, students will read a wide variety of world literature starting with Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey as summer reading. Texts to be studied over the course of the year may include Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, poetry of Pablo Neruda, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie, Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, and short stories by Nadine Gordimer. Students build on their speaking skills with both formal and informal oral presentations and also write both formal and informal responses to the literature to develop their analytical abilities. Throughout both semesters, daily preparation for class, reading quizzes, creative writing exercises, and discussion will give students the
opportunity to practice their critical thinking skills in a variety of ways. Though the analytical written response is a significant focus of the year, students will also do some creative and personal writing. Students will be required to maintain a Learner’s Portfolio, a compilation of formative writing responses, creative and analytical, throughout the year.
413 Independent Study: IB Self-Taught Literature SL, Year 1
414 Independent Study: IB Self-Taught Literature SL, Year 2
Where a student’s mother tongue cannot be supported through a traditionally taught literature class, the school supported self-taught (SSST) option is available for language A: literature SL. The SSST option is for motivated students who are seeking a bilingual IB diploma through completion of two literature courses: 1) IB Literature: HL or SL English, and 2) SSST Literature: SL mother tongue. The designation “IB Self-Taught Literature SL” will appear on a student’s WFS transcript, but will not be accompanied by a grade (NG) or credit. Students will complete all IB assessment components and will receive an IB certificate upon successful completion of the requirements.
WORLD LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND CULTURES
The study of world languages is an increasingly important way to nurture the globally conscious student.
The ultimate goal of the world language department is a high degree of communicative competence. All pedagogical activities point toward this end. We teach the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. All upper school classes are taught in the total immersion method. Using only the target language, we reinforce the study of grammar and vocabulary through open-ended scenarios, skits, and dialogues, which might include such real-life situations as travel plans, negotiating purchases, and college interviews. We discuss and debate contemporary issues, read target-language newspapers and magazines, view films, and study the literature and culture of many countries in which our target languages are spoken. We enrich the experience with field trips, images, recordings, video clips, documentaries, and video filming.
The study of world languages is an increasingly important way to nurture the globally conscious student. Every year, the presence of AFS students at Friends encourages awareness of other cultures. In addition, we actively educate our students about available exchange and home-stay programs, such as Friends School summer study and service-learning trips to France, Spain or Central America/Caribbean, and China. As a member of the School Year Abroad (SYA) program, a national consortium of schools committed to international education, WFS is
eager to have our students spend one school year in France, Spain, or Italy.
For a Wilmington Friends diploma, upper school students must complete world language study through level three of one language, which must include at least two years of study in the same language. New students entering the upper school with prior world language experience will be asked to take a placement exam to determine the appropriate course assignment. All students considering the full IB Diploma Programme, especially those beginning upper school at level I of a language, will be advised on how to plan for HL or SL language study. In some cases, IB Diploma candidates may have to obtain permission to enroll in six majors in order to fulfill the language requirement (or enroll in independent study during the school year, or undertake independent summer study and pass a challenge exam to advance to the necessary level of language study). In some special circumstances we can offer the ab initio version of a language for IB Diploma candidates. Please note that some high-level languages classes (such as HL year 3) will be offered only when there are qualifying students. The department will make every effort to work with students to maximize their options and opportunities.
510 French 1 (9, 10, 11, 12)
1 credit, full year
In this immersion course, we pay particular attention to developing fundamental, everyday skills in listening, reading, writing, and speaking French by using grammar and vocabulary in context. Students move rapidly from mechanical understanding to creative use of the language. In addition, the cultures, traditions, and geography of France and the Francophone world are introduced.This course will be offered depending on enrollment numbers.
511 French 2 (9,10,11,12)
1 credit, full year
In this course, the main focus is on strengthening communicative skills by expanding the repertoire of verbs, tenses, and vocabulary. There is special emphasis on improving extemporaneous communication. We begin to study the cultures and geography of the Francophone world, and also study Paris in depth. Activities may include listening exercises, paired or small-group work, films, video clips, video filming, readings, authentic advertisements, songs, slideshows, student-created skits, photograph analysis, cultural projects, or cooking.
512 French 3
(10,11,12)
1 credit, full year
In this course, students continue to strengthen oral skills and to increase their working vocabulary with an emphasis on idioms and extemporaneous speech. We continue the study of complex grammar and focus on writing skills through various readings, songs, films, video clips, and poems related to the themes. Students continue to study the geography of the French-speaking world and focus on the regions of France. Activities may include oral presentations, skits, video filming, cultural presentations and response to visual or audio stimuli.
513 French 4 (11,12, no IB credit)
513SL IB French Standard Level (11,12)
513HL IB French Higher Level, Year 1 (11)
1 credit, full year
In this course, we strengthen and develop communication skills. Emphasis is placed on spontaneous and studied oral expression (such as role playing and debate), excellence in writing, and refinement of grammar. We study the Francophone world through various global topics, including cultural diversity, interpersonal relationships, science and technology, media and advertising, social change, world migrations, and sustainable development.
Many different sources (newspaper articles, magazines, short stories, graphic novels, films, songs, and websites) are used to reflect the diversity of the French language spoken and written in the Francophone world. Social change, for example, might be studied through an examination of popular demonstrations and how they are reported in related news items, followed by the film Potiche.
514 French 5 (12, no IB credit)
514HL IB French Higher Level, Year 2 (12)
514SL2 IB French SL2
1 credit, full year
The aim of this course is to continue working toward the goal of true fluency in all four skill areas. We continue to examine French literature, culture, and contemporary language and society through the study of authentic materials, which include poetry, plays, films, and Francophone news media sources. The study of grammar is pursued at the advanced level. Literature may include Camus’ L’Étranger, Guène’s Kiffe Kiffe Demain, or Schmitt’s Oscar et la Dame Rose, each of which would be used to reflect upon an element of contemporary civilization.
516HL3 IB French Higher Level, Year 3 (12)
1 credit, full year
This course is designed for advanced students who have successfully completed all previous course offerings in French. The aim of the course is to refine students’ writing even further, focusing particularly on complex tenses, idiomatic expressions, and rhetorical devices. In addition, students watch films and read two novels and a variety of articles addressing global issues in preparation for the IB HL French exam. An emphasis is placed on advanced conversation.
Prerequisite: IB French Higher Level, Year 2.
517 Spanish 1 (9,10,11,12)
1 credit, full year
In this course, we pay particular attention to developing basic, everyday skills in listening, reading, writing, and speaking Spanish by using grammar and vocabulary in context. Students are introduced to the cultures and traditions of Spain and to the geography of the Spanish-speaking world.
518 Spanish 2 (9,10,11,12)
1 credit, full year
In this course, students continue to develop the communication skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) begun in Spanish I or in middle school Spanish 7 and 8. We expand the study of basic vocabulary and grammar. We study the culture of Hispanic countries through short readings, songs, and films.
519 Spanish 3 (10,11,12)
1 credit, full year
In this course, we place particular emphasis on the development of conversational skills, the acquisition of a variety of verb tenses and moods, and the expansion of vocabulary. Students also begin to develop composition skills. Through readings, short videos and/or films, songs, and special presentations, students begin to address cross-cultural issues directly, as they relate to Latin American and Spanish cultural traditions and values, as well as students’ own experiences.
520 Spanish 4 (11,12, no IB credit)
520SL IB Spanish Standard Level (11,12)
520HL IB Spanish Higher Level, Year 1 (11)
1 credit, full year
Through works of contemporary Hispanic writers, movies, and newspaper articles, the highest-order grammatical skills are employed as students explore topics such as, but not limited to, Hispanic immigration in the U.S., environmental problems, and the lives and concerns of young people. Students will make comparisons to and connections between their own culture and the different cultures related to Spanish language, and will examine the relationships among Spanish and Latin-American short stories, legends, poetry, art, and film making. For example, students might study the Spanish Civil War through the works of Federico García Lorca, “Guernica” by Picasso, and the movie Butterfly.
521 Spanish 5 (12, no IB credit)
521HL IB Spanish Higher Level, Year 2 (12)
521SL2 IB Spanish Standard Level, Year 2
1 credit, full year
Toward the goal of true fluency, this course emphasizes extensive authentic conversation. Readings focus on the conversation process and help the students to understand their role in it. A study of Latin-American and Spanish culture is continued through original readings, lectures, and audio-visuals. In addition, the students are expected to read one major work, as well as selected short stories written by Spanish and Latin-American writers. The study of grammar is pursued at the advanced level.
522HL3 IB Spanish Higher Level, Year 3 (12)
1 credit, full year
This course is designed for advanced students who have successfully completed all previous course offerings in Spanish. The aim of the course is to refine students’ writing and speech even further, focusing particularly on complex tenses, idiomatic expressions, and rhetorical devices. In addition, students
read at least one novel and/or significant play, and a variety of articles addressing global issues in preparation for the IB HL Spanish exam. An emphasis is placed on advanced conversation.
Prerequisite: IB Spanish Higher Level, Year 2.
524 Chinese 1 (9)
1 credit, full year
This course introduces students to the Mandarin Chinese language and to the geography, culture, history, and traditions of China. Particular emphasis is placed on learning pronunciation and tonality, as well as simplified characters (with their Romanized Pinyin forms) and their radicals. Basic grammatical structures are learned through exercises involving listening, speaking, reading, and writing in everyday situations. This course will be offered depending on enrollment numbers.
525 Chinese 2 (9,10)
1 credit, full year
Chinese 2 is a continuation of level one and the Middle School program. Students refine their pronunciation, intonation, and character recognition of Mandarin Chinese. More than 200 essential new characters are introduced through Pinyin Romanization, and through written form (character) and meaning together. Structures are learned through exercises involving listening, speaking, reading, and writing in everyday situations. Communication skills focus on authentic and meaningful interaction in various social and cultural contexts. Cultural topics will include health and well-being, interpersonal relationships, food, celebrations, and travel and finding one’s way in unfamiliar situations.
526 Chinese 3 (10,11,12)
1 credit, full year
In this Mandarin Chinese course, students continue to be exposed to oral sounds and tonality through Pinyin Romanization, as well as characters and meaning together. Complex grammatical structures and new essential vocabulary words are systematically introduced and learned through various classroom activities and homework. Students continue to add supplementary topic-based vocabulary to their daily practice. Students also start to comprehend adapted authentic reading materials and will produce theme-based longer writing pieces. Intermediate-level communication in various social and cultural contexts is emphasized.
500 Chinese 4 (11,12)
500SL1 IB Chinese Standard Level Year 1 (11)
1 credit, full year
In this Chinese IV course, students continue to be exposed to oral sounds and tonality through Pinyin Romanization, characters and meaning together. Complex grammatical structures and new essential vocabulary words are systematically introduced and learned through various classroom activities and homework. Students continue to add supplementary vocabulary according to the topics in the IB Language B (SL) guide
including: communication and media, global issues, social relationships, health, science and technology, among others. Students also continue to comprehend authentic reading materials and are required to produce longer, topic-based writing pieces of 200-400 characters. We focus on increasingly authentic communication in various social and cultural contexts at the middle-intermediate level. Placement is at the recommendation of the teacher.
501
Chinese 5
500SL2 IB Chinese Standard Level Year 2 (12) 1 credit, full year
In this Chinese V course, students continue to learn vocabulary and grammatical structures at and beyond the textbook scope to express the essential IB Language B SL topics, including communication and media, global issues, social relationships, health, and science and technology. Reading, interpreting, and writing different texts such as blogs, interviews, news reports, brochures, instructions, guidelines, and advertisements are the main focus of this course. Students who take this course as a second-year language B SL course will be ready to take the IB Language B Mandarin SL exam in their senior year. Students who take this course as a one-year SL course will need to do some summer work and take the IB Language B Mandarin SL exam in their junior year. Placement is at the recommendation of the teacher.
HISTORY
The upper school history curriculum seeks to develop a lifelong learner and catalyst for social improvement who has the ability to question events that transform our world. Students will learn about the inspiration that drives major faiths, trace patterns of competition and cooperation among and within world civilizations, examine the development of the modern nation-state, understand what it means to be “American,” and explore what it takes to be a peacemaker in the 21st century. Students will analyze how past generations confronted and solved questions of political, social, economic, and cultural significance. Through work with stimulating primary sources as well as authoritative secondary sources, students will learn to analyze, interpret, and evaluate such documents. These experiences will enable the learner to make informed decisions about political, social, and civic affairs in a climate that stimulates students to respond to the human condition in the world today. All ninth graders take Global Peace and Justice and all tenth graders take American History.
The upper school history curriculum seeks to develop a lifelong learner and catalyst for social improvement who has the ability to question events that transform our world.
553 Global Peace and Justice (9)
1 credit, full year
In this course, students realize the power of individuals, governments, private enterprises, and NGOs to initiate change and to create solutions. After grasping the realities and interconnectedness of global issues, students learn how to live a culture of peace and nonviolence by studying successes in the United States as well as around the world. Using social scientists’ tools we study topics including nonviolent direct action, human rights, immigration, climate change, globalization, terrorism, and the costs of war. Central features of the course are simulations or policy evaluations in each unit that require students to articulate both challenges and solutions to conflict and injustice. Students learn how to present solutions, engage with stakeholders, and recognize the tensions and challenges of working in a global society. Throughout the course, students make connections between the major challenges in each unit, nonviolence, and Quaker values. By the end of the course, students will have a strong understanding of their own values and the impact those values have on decision-making. They can then apply this thinking as they work to analyze decisions made by individuals, governments, private enterprises, and NGOs in pursuit of solving major global challenges.
554 American History (10)
1 credit, full year
American History emphasizes research and critical thinking skills. Starting with early colonization and reaching the 21st century, the curriculum addresses the breadth and depth of historical events. Students will use a mixture of sources, from primary to film, in order to better understand themes and perspectives on events through analysis of documents, oral presentations, essay projects, and web-based creative assessments. In teaching the skills of historical study and comprehension of American History, our goal is for students also to develop habits of mind including active listening and thoughtful speaking; careful reading and incisive writing; empathy and cooperative group skills; intellectual curiosity and creative thinking; integrity and honesty. This course satisfies the American History graduation requirement.
IB History Studies
Students wishing to take IB History at the Higher Level must take IB History Europe HL1 during their junior year and IB History Europe HL2 during their senior year. Students not doing IB Higher Level History need not follow this sequence.
560 European & Mediterranean History (11,12 no IB credit)
560HL IB History Europe Higher Level year 1 (11) 1 credit, full year
This course focuses on the formative historical experiences of the most influential societies in 19th and early 20th century affairs. It first briskly reviews European and Mediterranean historical development from the Roman Empire to 1750, then focuses on the 19th century development of modern United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia. The course
centers on social and political history, and leads students to assess issues that remain central to moral and political debates going on today: democratization, industrialization, liberalism, nationalism, imperialism, socialism and dictatorship. Every unit is constructed around a major historical development with important modern-day reverberations; students are introduced to clashing theoretical and interpretive approaches; and numerous debates are held. In each unit, the moral example of at least one pivotal leader is subjected to critical questioning and analysis. This course may be taken as part of the International Baccalaureate program at the discretion of the student and the department. Students who opt to do a full two-year iB History sequence are required to take this course first, as it provides the historical background to many of the events in the core, 20th century, course.
556 Advanced 20th Century World History (11,12, no IB credit)
556SL IB History Standard Level (11,12)
556HL IB History Europe Higher Level year 2 (12) 1 credit, full year
This course engages students in the study of the major events that have shaped the modern world. The primary focus of this course is political and social history, with special emphasis on the causes, practices, and effects of war, rise and rule of single-party states, and the post-World War II era. Students are encouraged to analyze the historical roots of current issues and to compare the common experiences of people across the globe. Students read primary and secondary historical works to prepare them to participate in seminar discussions, debates, and role-playing simulations. Students also complete analytical research assignments, document-based questions, and conceptbased tests and quizzes to assess their understanding of major ideas. At the discretion of student and teacher, this course may be taken as part of the International Baccalaureate history program.
559 World Religions (11,12 no IB credit)
559SL IB World Religions Standard Level (11,12) 1 credit, full year
The World Religions course is a systematic, analytical study of the variety of beliefs and practices encountered in nine religions, and seeks to promote an awareness of issues in the contemporary world. This course consists of an introductory unit, which explores six of the nine living world religions, and an in-depth unit which studies two of these living world religions. The course is guided by themes, key concepts, and key questions. There is also an investigative study which provides opportunities for individual research of an aspect of the religious experience, practice, or belief of a group and/or individual adherents.
562 Global Politics (11, 12, no IB credit)
562SL Global Politics Standard Level (11,12)
The global politics course explores fundamental political concepts such as power, equality, sustainability, and peace in a
range of contexts and at a variety of levels. It allows students to develop an understanding of the local, national, international and global dimensions of political activity, as well as allowing them the opportunity to explore political issues affecting their own lives. Global politics draws on a variety of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. It helps students to understand abstract political concepts by grounding them in realworld examples and case studies. Developing international mindedness and an awareness of multiple perspectives is at the heart of this course and builds on the skills students began in Global Peace & Justice class in 9th grade. It encourages dialogue and debate. All students complete material under a unifying theme of “people, power and politics.” This consists of four core units: 1) Power, sovereignty and international relations; 2) Human rights; 3) Development; and 4) Peace and conflict. All students also undertake an engagement activity through which they study a political issue of interest experientially. In this vein, students are exploring the Quaker values of stewardship and community and bringing service learning to the forefront.
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics is intended to be a dialogue, and as such, students are required to explain their ideas to others, to interpret their results, and to demonstrate their thinking.
The mathematics program in upper school continues the integrated approach begun in lower school and expanded in middle school. Algebra, geometry, trigonometry, probability, statistics, graph theory, and logic are all studied but not in isolation. All students continue to learn to read and write mathematics and, in addition, to edit their own work. Mathematics is intended to be a dialogue, and as such, students are required to explain their ideas to others, to interpret their results, and to demonstrate their thinking. Pictorial representations are as important as their written counterparts. Students are responsible for the learning of their classmates as well as their own; in other words, collaboration and individual accomplishment are both valued. There is a balance between theory and application. In some instances, it is theory that precedes the applications while in other cases it is an examination of data that precedes a statement of a theorem. Project-based instruction is incorporated in most courses.
Students are required to take three full years of mathematics in upper school. The graphing calculator is a fundamental tool in all upper school mathematics courses. The TI-84, or TI-84+ is used in all classes.
Based on performance in eighth grade math and the middle school teachers’ assessment of demonstrated ability, rising ninth grade students may be placed in Integrated Math 2 or Advanced Integrated Math 2. For students new to Friends, results of a challenge test given in the spring or summer are also considered in their placement.
Students must earn a grade of C or better in Advanced IM2, to move into Advanced IM3. In order to move from IM2 in 9th grade to Advanced IM3 in 10th grade, students must maintain a grade of A in IM2, independently complete additional coursework throughout the spring of the ninth grade year, as well as earn the math department’s recommendation.
In the last two years of our math program, students have a lot more options to choose from. Each student will be advised by their teacher on the best option for what they want to pursue. These choices depend on whether they choose to pursue the IB diploma program, their past classes as well as their interests.
Upon completing Integrated Math 3, students who enter the International Baccalaureate program will be placed in IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Standard Level two year course sequence.
For those students completing Advanced Integrated Math 3, who enter the International Baccalaureate program there are three options.
• IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Standard Level (two-year sequence). with 1st year options:
-IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Standard Level - Precalculus
-IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Standard Level - Statistics (AP Statistics)
• IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Higher Level (two-year sequence),
• IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Standard Level (one-year sequence).
For those 11th and 12th students not opting for an IB experience, they may select from the following courses, given that the requirements are met: Integrated Math 4, Discrete Mathematics, Math Analysis, Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus BC. The last three options listed may be taken for Advanced Placement credit.
532 Integrated Math 2 (9,10)
1 credit, full year
Continuing the integrated approach, students investigate patterns of association between two variables, the properties of plane figures, coordinate geometry, and quadratic functions. This course integrates algebra with geometry and emphasizes applications and problem-solving. Students gain experience with both informal and formal proof. Interdisciplinary connections with physics and computer science are an important feature of the course. There is also focus on mathematical language and expression. Lab activities using manipulatives, graphing calculators, and other data analysis software reinforce and clarify concepts.
532A Advanced Integrated Math 2 (9,10)
1 credit, full year
This course continues our integrated curriculum with topics from algebra, geometry, and statistics. The curriculum builds
upon the theme of mathematical sense making. Investigations of real-life contexts lead to discovery of important mathematics that make sense to students and, in turn, enable them to make sense of new situations and problems. Communication, reasoning, and making connections are integral parts of each lesson of every unit. Students investigate bivariate statistics, matrices, transformations, trigonometry, and quadratic relations to bring theory into concrete terms.
533 Integrated Math 3 (10,11)
1 credit, full year
As the culmination of the integrated math sequence, this course builds on the algebraic skills needed for advanced study. There is a strong emphasis on the concept of function, data/graph interpretation, and modeling data in lab settings. Linear, rational, quadratic, absolute value, inverse, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions are explored. Students also study sets and Venn diagrams, univariate data analysis, probability and the factor label method for conversions. Students gain experience reading mathematics and acquire additional problemsolving skills.
Prerequisite: Integrated Math 2.
533A Advanced Integrated Math 3 (10,11)
1 credit, full year
Students in this course are challenged to focus on the underlying concepts of each unit, to hypothesize, and to draw conclusions based on their findings. Students investigate linear, rational, quadratic, absolute value, inverse, and logarithmic and exponential functions with a strong emphasis on problem solving, communication of mathematical reasoning, and data/graph interpretation. The course includes units on multiple-variable models, statistics, symbolic reasoning, geometric reasoning, standard deviation and families of functions, as well as on furthering the understanding of matrices, solutions of quadratic equations over complex numbers, sequences and series, and trigonometry. The graphing calculator is used daily to model mathematics and to encourage graphical analysis.
Prerequisite: C or better in Advanced Integrated Math 2.
538 Discrete Mathematics (11,12)
1 credit, full year
In today’s ever-changing world, relevance encompasses transferable skills in understanding how math is applied in realworld situations. That is the emphasis of this course: problem solving and relevant application. Through individual (standalone) units, students explore a range of topics selected from graph theory, probability, statistics, logic, matrices, sequences and series, binomial expansion techniques, counting techniques, vectors, and financial math. Working in collaboration, students make observations and pose questions in response to new concepts and thus gain independent learning skills. Students collect data, analyze results, and draw conclusions based on the
mathematics studied. Students use technology regularly in class and on exams.
Prerequisite: Integrated Math 3.
534 Integrated Math 4 (11,12, no IB credit)
1 credit, full year
This integrated math course is an introductory course in advanced mathematics for students who intend to take college mathematics. This course will prepare a student to sit for the IB Mathematical Studies Standard Level exam. The emphasis is on the decision-making aspect of mathematics, and students are expected to explain the concepts behind the algorithms that they use. This is a fast-paced course with major emphasis on the study of functions (quadratic, trigonometric, polynomial, rational, logarithmic, and exponential). The course also includes units on complex numbers, sequences and series, statistical analysis, probability, and an introduction to limits and the derivative. There is a three-pronged emphasis throughout the course on graphic, numeric, and algebraic solutions. An extensive research project is an important feature of this course.
Prerequisite: Integrated Math 3 .
539 Math Analysis (11,12)
763SL1 IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches
Standard Level - Precalculus (IB Math SL1- Pre calc), Year 1 (11)
1 credit, full year
This course is primarily intended for students who expect to need a sound mathematical background in future studies. It is an advanced course, which prepares students for both of our Advanced Placement math course offerings, AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics. IB students will need to take IB Math AA Standard Level Year 2 in their senior year, which is cross-listed with Calculus. Advanced mathematical topics including polynomial, exponential and logarithmic functions, transformations, trigonometry, sequences, series, probability and statistics will be covered at a fast pace and rigorous level. This is a demanding course and should be taken by students who have an interest in mathematics and a strong background in mathematical techniques.
Prerequisite: Integrated Math 3 or Advanced Integrated Math 3.
761SL2 IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches
Standard Level (IB Math AA SL2), Year 2 (12)
761SL IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches
Standard Level (IB Math AA SL) (11)
762 Calculus (12)
1 credit, full year
This is a one-year course in calculus that includes a review of elementary functions and covers the topics normally found in one semester of college-level calculus. The primary emphasis is on an intuitive understanding of limits, continuity, and the concepts of differential and integral calculus with exploration
of basic techniques and applications. IB students taking this class will be expected to take the IB Standard Level Examination at the end of the year, which covers materials from Year 1 and Year 2 of Mathematical Analysis and Approaches. An IB internal assessment which is referred to as the math exploration or math paper is a required part of the course for IB students. Students may obtain credit toward an International Baccalaureate diploma or certificate.
Prerequisite: Math Analysis/IB Math AA SL Year 1 or AIM3.
760HL1 IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches
Higher Level (IB Math AA HL), Year 1 (11)
536AP Advanced Placement Calculus AB (12) 1 credit, full year
This course is the first year of the two-year IB Higher Level Math AA sequence. This course is designed for the most successful mathematics students who either have a genuine interest in mathematics and enjoy meeting its challenges and problems, or need such mathematics for related subjects such as physics, engineering, and technology at the university level. The primary emphasis is on an intuitive understanding of limits, continuity, and the concepts of differential and integral calculus with exploration of basic techniques and applications. Successful completion of the course will prepare students to take the Advanced Placement Calculus AB Exam in May.
Prerequisite: Math Analysis or Advanced Integrated Math 3.
760HL2 IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches
Higher Level (IB Math AA HL), Year 2 (12)
537AP Advanced Placement Calculus BC (12)
1 credit, full year
This course is intended as final preparation for the Higher Level IB Examination in mathematics. It is an intensive, higher-level calculus course that also includes linear algebra, vector geometry, and higher trigonometry. The course is designed for students whose level of mathematical sophistication is high, since it covers a variety of college-level mathematics topics with independent work required outside of class. Because it is primarily an IB course, students taking this class will be expected to complete the IB internal assessment, an independent written work exploring an area of mathematics, and take the IB Higher Level Examination as their final examination. Students may obtain credit toward an International Baccalaureate diploma or certificate if they desire. If a student does not wish to take this course for IB credit and he or she received at least a 4 on the AP Calculus AB exam, then he or she may instead take the AP Calculus BC option and, consequently, the AP BC exam at the end of the year.
Prerequisite: IB Mathematics Higher Level, Year 1 or AP Calculus AB.
538AP Advanced Placement Statistics (11,12)
764SL1 IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches
Standard Level - Statistics (IB Math SL1Stats), Year 1 (11)
1 credit, full year
The AP Statistics course acquaints students with the major concepts and tools for collecting, organizing, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students will work on projects involving hands-on gathering and analysis of real-world data. Ideas and computations presented in this course will have immediate connections with actual events. Computers and calculators will allow students to focus deeply on the concepts involved. Successful completion of the course will prepare students to take the Advanced Placement Exam in May. Those enrolled in the IB course will additionally study precalculus topics after the AP exam to prepare for learning calculus in the second year of the IB SL program.
Prerequisite for Advanced Placement Statistics: IM4, IB Math AA SL1, IB Math AA HL1, Advanced Integrated Math 3 or Math Analysis. Teacher recommendation is also required.
Prerequisite for IB Math AA-Stats SL1: Advanced Integrated Math 3. Teacher recommendation is also required.
SCIENCE
Experimental design, the STEM approach, and scientific writing are progressively emphasized through laboratory investigations in all courses as well as oral communication skills via class presentations.
The variety of science offerings in the upper school is designed to prepare students for further study in college science courses. Students in the 9th and 10th grade years learn how to apply the scientific method, develop critical analyses of data, and use fundamental problem-solving techniques with the goal of preparing students for the IB and Advanced classes in the core subjects of biology, physics, and chemistry available in 11th and 12th grade. Environmental science is also offered in 11th and 12th grade as an applied laboratory science course utilizing the backgrounds established in the core courses. Experimental design, the STEM approach, and scientific writing are progressively emphasized through laboratory investigations in all courses as well as oral communication skills via class presentations. Opportunities to explore science and STEM outside of the classroom are also available through such activities as Science Olympiad, FIRST Tech Challenge (and other robotics competitions), conferences, and field trips to higher education and other institutions. Opportunities to engage in connections to the nature and philosophy of science (a major thread of the IB Programme) are also available through the Bioethics Team and MSON Ethics (or other advanced science) courses.
Students are required to successfully complete a minimum of three years of science, although most students take four years. Students begin upper school with the 9th grade Physics 1 courses and take the Chemistry 1 courses in 10th grade. It is recommended that students take at least 1 course in each of the core areas (chemistry, biology, and physics) in 9th-12th grades, although individual interests can take students in a variety of directions during the 11th and 12th grade years. Also, many junior and senior students “double” in a single year and take two science courses. Students discuss course choices with advisors, teachers, and the department chair. Final placement decisions, however, are made by the department based on the student’s demonstrated ability and on course availability.
In addition to the courses listed below, the department is interested in helping students to arrange independent study courses when appropriate. Proposals for independent study must be arranged and approved by the faculty in advance of the year (for full-year independent studies) or semester (for one-semester independent studies). An independent study could involve a continuation of a course listed below or study of a science topic or area not investigated by these courses. Interested students should speak with their teacher and the department chair. Independent study and MSON courses may not be used to meet the requirement of 3 years of science instruction needed for graduation.
550
Physics 1 (9)
1 credit, full year
Physics 1 is a one-year course that focuses on using experimental evidence and class discussion/consensus to develop understanding of core physics topics. These topics include static and current electricity, motion, forces, gravitation, and waves. The learning cycle in this course starts with an anchoring phenomenon to elicit initial ideas about the topic from the students. Students conduct experiments and simulations, then use the data collected as evidence to make general claims and inferences about the observations. When appropriate, the class also works through the reasoning that connects the claims to the evidence. The class then engages in discussions to revise and fine-tune their claims and come to a consensus on the scientific principles that explain the data. It is at this point that the students read about the formalized scientific principles and terminology. Each unit ends with mathematical model-building activities associated with the topic. This course prepares students for Chemistry 1 or Chemistry 1 Accelerated with the department’s approval.
541 Chemistry 1 (10)
1 credit, full year
Chemistry 1 deals with the composition, structure, and reactions of matter. It develops the atomic model and connects it to large-scale, real-world applications and phenomena. Key units include measurement, matter and energy, the atom and atomic theory, the periodic table and trends, ionic and molecular compounds and bonding, molar relationships, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, gas laws, solutions, acids and bases, and equilibrium. Through both laboratory and classroom exercises,
the course emphasizes quantitative problem solving, analytical precision in measurement, the analysis of experimental error, and the development of concepts to help students progress from concrete to abstract thinking. Technical science writing is also stressed as part of the laboratory work. This course prepares students for subsequent science courses by providing a solid foundation in problem-solving and in the collection and analysis of scientific data.
This course is not weighted. Upon successful completion and with the recommendation of the department, students taking this Chemistry 1 course are eligible to take the Advanced/IB Chemistry course or other Advanced/IB science courses offered in the upper school.
Note: This course, or Chemistry 1 Accelerated, is a prerequisite for the other science courses taken in the 11th and 12th grade years.
541A Chemistry 1 Accelerated (10)
1 credit, full year
Chemistry 1 Accelerated is based on a similar curriculum to that used in Chemistry 1, which deals with the composition, structure, and reactions of matter. However, Chemistry 1 Accelerated extends beyond that curriculum by including additional topics, units and lab skills designed to prepare students more thoroughly for the IB/Advanced Chemistry taken in Junior or Senior years. Chemistry 1 Accelerated also moves at an accelerated pace to be able to cover the additional material. Similar to Chemistry 1, it develops the atomic model and connects it to large-scale, “real world” applications and phenomena. Key concepts include measurement, matter and energy, the atom and atomic theory, the periodic table and trends, ionic and molecular compounds and bonding, molar relationships, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, gas laws, solutions, acids and bases, and equilibrium. Additional units may also include thermal chemistry, kinetics, oxidation-reduction, and electrochemistry. Through both laboratory and classroom exercises, the course emphasizes quantitative problem solving, analytical precision in measurement, and the analysis of experimental error. Experimental design will also be emphasized in the laboratory setting. This college-preparatory level course prepares students for subsequent science courses, especially the IB courses, by providing a solid foundation in problem-solving, the collection and analysis of scientific data, and familiarization with the terminology and procedures inherent in the IB program. This course is not weighted.
Note: This course, or Chemistry 1, is a prerequisite for the other science courses taken in the 11th and 12th grade years.
542 Biology 2 (11,12, no IB credit)
542SL
IB Biology Standard Level (11,12)
1 credit, full year
Biology 2/IB Biology SL is a one-year course in biology that utilizes a molecular approach to the study of life. The core concepts include cell structure and energetics, classical and molecular genetics, micro and macro evolution, basic ecology,
organismal structure, and physiology. The course is investigation-oriented to engage students in the process of science, and students learn to design, implement, and analyze their own experiments. An emphasis is placed on the communication skills necessary for effective technical writing. As scientific knowledge and technology grow more diverse, it becomes increasingly important for students to have a clear understanding of these advances in order to become effective decision makers. Students learn to access scientific information through textbooks, scientific journals, and online resources. Using this information, they develop the skills to critically analyze current issues relating to science and technology. Standard Level students, both diploma and certificate candidates, complete the SL curriculum in one year.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Chemistry 1 or Chemistry 1 Accelerated.
543A Advanced Biology 2 (11,12)
543HL IB Biology Higher Level (Advanced), Year 1 (11)
1 credit, full year
Advanced Biology 2/IB Biology HL Year 1 is the first year of a two-year sequence in biology and utilizes a molecular approach to the study of life. The core concepts include cell structure and energetics, classical and molecular genetics, micro and macro evolution, basic ecology, organismal structure, and physiology. This higher-level course goes to further depth in all topics in molecular, cellular, and organismal biology and in genetics than covered in Biology 2/SL. The laboratory and classroom activities are varied in nature and in content but generally are designed in order to maximize the student involvement in planning, implementation, and interpretation of their own experiments. Students learn to access scientific information through textbooks, as well as online and print educational and researchoriented resources. Using this information, they develop the skills to critically analyze current issues relating to science and technology, as well as to critically evaluate their own experimental data. An emphasis is placed on the communication skills necessary for effective technical writing. Students participating in the Higher Level International Baccalaureate program, either as diploma candidates or as certificate candidates, must complete both years of the two-year program in Biology. (See the description of “Advanced Biology 3/IB-HL, Year 2” below.)
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Chemistry 1 or Chemistry 1 Accelerated. Permission of the science department and signature of the department chair.
544A Advanced Biology 3 (12, no IB credit)
544HL IB Biology Higher Level (Advanced), Year 2 (12)
1 credit, full year
Advanced Biology 3/IB Biology Higher Level Year 2 is the second year of the two-year sequence in biology. It is a course designed to provide students with experiences and exposure that extend beyond concepts involved in previous biology
courses. Although comprehensive in nature of topics (principles of evolution, cellular basis of life, structure and function, principles of genetics, and ecology), particular emphasis is placed on special topics in human physiology. The focus of the course is on an integrated understanding and application of these content areas, emphasizing connections and extensions that help explain fundamental observations in the biological world. The laboratory and classroom activities are varied in nature and in content but generally are designed in order to maximize the student involvement in planning, implementation, and interpretation of their own experiments.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of HL Biology Year 1, or Advanced Biology 2. Permission of the science department and signature of the department chair.
545A Advanced Chemistry 2 (11,12, no IB credit)
545SL IB Chemistry Standard Level (Advanced) (11,12)
1 credit, full year
Advanced Chemistry 2/IB Chemistry SL is a second year chemistry course designed to provide interested students with more depth and additional concepts that are not covered in the 10th grade Chemistry 1 course. Topic areas, aligned with the Standard Level IB Chemistry curriculum, include atomic theory, periodicity, bonding, states of matter, energetics, kinetics, equilibrium, acids and bases, oxidation and reduction, and organic chemistry, plus an alternate options topic. This course is designed to develop scientific reasoning skills and to provide practice in designing experiments in order to gain direct experience with the process and inquiry of science. Students interested in the IB program, either as diploma or certificate candidates, must complete both Chemistry 1 and IB/SL Chemistry 2. A consecutive two-year program is recommended.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Chemistry 1, or Chemistry 1 Accelerated, permission of the science department and signature of the department chair. Concurrent enrollment in either IB Math AA HL1, IB Math AA SL1 / IM5 or Calculus (or their equivalent) is strongly recommended.
547A
Advanced Physics 2 (11,12, no IB credit)
547SL IB Physics Standard Level (Advanced) (11,12)
1 credit, full year
Advanced Physics 2 and IB Physics SL continue the search for order and patterns in the physical universe. Students are introduced to such topics as Newtonian mechanics; conservation of mass, energy, and momentum; rotational motion, electricity, and magnetism; sound and light wave theory; and astrophysics. More fundamentally, the course illustrates the process by which physics is developed and applied; the observation of physical phenomena and the generalization of those observations into basic principles; the expression of those principles in abstract terms and the use of those abstractions to analyze new situations and suggest further experimentation. IB students, both diploma and certificate candidates, complete the
SL curriculum in one year.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Chemistry 1 (or Chemistry 1 Accelerated) and Physics 1 (or its equivalent). Permission of the science department and signature of the department chair. Concurrent enrollment in either IB Math AA HL1, IB Math AA SL1 / IM5 or Calculus (or their equivalent) is strongly recommended.
548 Environmental Science (11,12)
1 credit, full year
In this course, students are introduced to the idea of the Earth as an interrelated system in a way that highlights the diverse options and complexity of solving our current environmental problems. The course is also designed to help students consider and clarify their own environmental value system. Major topics include ecosystem functioning, population growth, resource availability and exploitation, energy use (both conventional and alternative), global climate change, biodiversity, and the effects of environmental pollution. In addition, each topic and issue studied is examined from a historical and global perspective to note changes in scientific understanding, attitudes, and the impact of human activity. A significant proportion of the material covered is researched by the students, either through scientific inquiry, literature searches, reading about current events, or through other interactive, web-based activities. Laboratory exercises involve the design and implementation of conventional labs as well as field work in several local environments. Critically analyzing, critiquing, and discussing the topics are fundamental goals of this course so that students learn to address complicated and controversial issues by examining all sides objectively before forming their own value system and opinions and taking action.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chemistry 1 or Chemistry 1 Accelerated.
CRISPR in a Box Summer Intensive
$900
A summer intensive course offering hands-on lab experience with cutting-edge CRISPR-cas9 technology using the methodology developed by the ChristianaCare Gene Editing Institute for gene editing protocols. We will be using a mammalian cellfree extract to edit bacterial plasmid DNA, use of DECODR software to analyze products of the editing protocol. Also included is a supporting curriculum on genetic diseases and the status of CRISPR-based therapies, ethics and regulation, consideration of access to and trust in breakthrough technologies, career paths and stories (including guest experts and site visits to GEI facilities), as well as activities studying biochemical modeling of the nucleosome and the Cas9 enzyme. Timing would be 10 half-days, during two weeks in July. This course would not provide graduation credit but would appear on the transcript as pass/fail.
Introduction to Climate Science
1/2 credit
$850
9-12 pm daily, with 45 minutes of asynchronous work
This course focuses on understanding the science of climate, how climate changes, and the implications of a changing climate. The importance of understanding Earth’s climate is exceedingly important because it has a huge effect on our livelihoods, our health, and our future. The course is divided into the following three major themes which will be examined one week at a time:
• Earth’s climate as a dynamical system
• Scientific evaluation of our current changing climate
• Climate Implications: Consensus; Policy; Social Impacts; Mitigation and Adaptation
This compact course runs over a three week period for a total of 45 class time hours which is comparable to a semester long elective. Students will be involved in a variety of engaging activities that are intended to generate real and deep interest and insight into our natural world. These will include special demonstrations, hands-on lab work, simple mathematical models, video clips, and the review of scientific papers. A major feature of the course will be a deep-dive student investigation into a specific climate-related topic of their choice. By the completion of the course, students will have the ability to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the subject through presentations and discussions. Successful students will be those who have a curiosity about the physical world and enjoy active learning. The course is open to rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders who have taken at least one upper school level science course.
Course will be offered summer 2025.
Science Fellows
The Science Department offers the opportunity for 11th and 12th-grade students to further their laboratory skills by assisting in the science classrooms. During their frees, students report to their designated science faculty advisor 2-3 times a week. Lab assistants receive training including how to take inventory, make solutions, prepare labs, and care for living things. Responsibilities include laboratory and demonstration preparation, garden work, lab and classroom cleanup, filing, and other minor clerical work.
PERFORMING ARTS AND VISUAL ARTS
Each student in the upper school must accumulate a total of 1.5 credits in the disciplines of music, theater arts, and visual arts combined. (Students who enter after the 9th grade will be required to accumulate credits on a prorated basis, depending on the number of years they attend). Students will accumulate a minimum of 1/2 credit in the performing arts and 1/2 credit in visual arts.
The required 1/2 credit in the performing arts must be obtained through participation in an ensemble or elective
An education in the Performing Arts fosters the ability to problem-solve, take risks, and communicate through the act of creation.
class. Credit earned in theater productions does not count towards the 1/2 credit required in Performing Arts.
The 1/2 credit in the visual arts is obtained through the required course Visual Arts Foundations in 9th grade.
The remaining 1/2 credit (to complete a total of 1.5 credits in the combined disciplines) may be distributed between music, theater arts, and visual arts.
Performing Arts Introduction
An education in the Performing Arts fosters the ability to problem-solve, take risks, and communicate through the act of creation. It is our belief that through such study, students will come to a more complete understanding of themselves and their environment. The skills, curiosity, and passions nurtured in students of the arts will influence their life-long development as thinkers, citizens, and people.
The goal of the music program is to facilitate discovery and understanding of music as a discipline and as a means of selfexpression. Music students hone their perceptive listening skills through analysis of music representing various world traditions and historic eras. Involvement through performance also teaches teamwork, success through hard work, poise, stage presence, and self-confidence. Participation in music courses instills a love of music and helps students to develop confidence in their ability to perform well.
The theater program aims to help students understand the inspiration for, the methods of, and the end result of theater: to define and elucidate the human experience. Theater courses explore a variety of techniques, traditions, theories, and practices; and students are encouraged to learn not only through study but also through experience, making important connections between theory and practice.
Specific elective offerings may depend on adequate enrollment for each semester.
PERFORMING ARTS: MUSIC ELECTIVES
607 Music in the Media (9,10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester
3x per 7 days
This course offers students an in-depth look at music in movies, videos, and television. The cultural, sociological, political, and/ or environmental influences on music will be examined as well as the actual process of how it is composed and/or created. Research projects, presentations, and creative projects enable students to apply concepts studied throughout the semester. This course will be offered in the 2025-26 school year.
608
Music and the Theater (9,10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester
3x per 7 days
This course examines the various types of music that have played a significant role in theatrical production–from the ancient Greek amphitheater to the current Broadway arena. By studying music written for the stage, especially opera and musical theater, we will examine various ways in which these genres reflect the human condition. In addition to an historical survey, the relationship of music to text will be analyzed in detail. Attendance at live performances both on and off campus may be required during the semester. This course will be offered in the 2025-26 school year.
609 World Music (9,10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester
3x per 7 days
This course covers the development of musical traditions in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, as well as other non-Western settings. It provides a general overview of some of the most significant characteristics of music that have evolved over many centuries on different continents. The role that music plays in each society, as an expression of sociological values, will be examined. Students will develop active listening and analytical skills, enabling them to make connections between the music of distinct cultures. They will also undertake individual and group research projects throughout the semester. This course is strongly recommended for students who plan to pursue Music Major/IB SL. World Music, and Music and the Theater above, are offered in alternating years. This course will be offered in the 2024-25 school year.
611 Music Major (11,12, no IB credit)
611SL IB Music Standard Level (11,12)
611HL IB Music Higher Level, Year 1 (11)
612HL IB Music Higher Level, Year 2 (12)
1 credit, full year
This course affords an opportunity to study music in a thorough and comprehensive approach. It is intended for students who demonstrate a strong aptitude along with a keen interest in music as a serious avocation. It combines an intensive study of music history and literature with music theory, and enhances the literacy and musicianship skills of any performer or student of music theory and/or composition. All students are expected to be musically literate before undertaking this course of study. This course is a central component of the IB Music program. Students pursuing music within the IB curriculum must be actively involved in some performance discipline, and it is strongly recommended that they participate in a performing ensemble at WFS. Students who cannot be scheduled into an ensemble at WFS will need to perform as soloists or participate in creative projects in order to fulfill the performance portion of the IB requirement at the Standard Level. IB Higher Level students must perform as soloists as well as participate in creative projects.
649 Algo-Rhythms (10, 11, 12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days
How can we use computing to learn more about music? How can we use music to learn more about computing? This course provides students hands-on practice in the field of music technology. Students will explore topics such as digital composition, algorithmic music, sound analysis and manipulation, and relevant historical and cultural context. This one-semester course will satisfy 1/4 credit in either Computer Science OR Performing Arts.
ENSEMBLES
Placement in Chorale, Chamber Singers, and Jazz Band is based on auditions held mid-May through June, as determined by the director of the ensemble. Enrollment in performing ensembles is a year-long commitment (with the exception of the semester option, if scheduling does not allow for full-year participation, in Symphonic Band) since both the ensemble’s success and the student’s progress depend on consistent involvement.
601 Chorale (9,10,11,12)
1/2 credit, full year 3x per 7 days
Membership in Chorale is open by audition to students in grades 9-12. Students in this choir will perform in both accompanied and a cappella settings while honing musicianship skills and sight-reading. This choir is an ideal choice for the motivated singer with prior musical experience who plans to continue singing throughout his/her WFS upper school career. Participation in performances at WFS and in the community is required.
602 Chamber Singers (10,11,12) (Advanced)
1/2 credit, full year
3x per 7 days
Membership in Chamber Singers is open by audition to students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades who have participated in an upper school choral ensemble prior to auditioning. This choir concentrates primarily on challenging, unaccompanied works from all eras of choral literature. Students in this small group of approximately 20 students must demonstrate a serious interest in choral singing, good sight-reading skills, and a strong commitment to building a top-level performing ensemble. The choir serves as an ambassador for the school and frequently sings off campus as the schedule allows. Participation in performances at WFS and the community is required.
603 Symphonic Band (9,10,11,12)
1/2 credit full year
3x per 7 days
Symphonic Band is composed of wind, string, percussion, and brass musicians in grades 9-12. Students must be proficient on their instruments at a high-school level (grade 3 music or higher). The repertoire includes technical studies, chorales, sight-reading, and music composed for band and orchestra. Participation in performances at WFS are required.
604 Jazz Band (9,10,11,12) (Advanced)
1/2 credit, full year 3x per 7 days
Membership in Jazz Band is open by audition to students in 9th-12th grades. The program is designed to allow students the opportunity to experience and perform a wide range of American musical styles stemming from the jazz idiom. There is a lot of focus on the techniques of improvisation. Participation in performances at WFS and in the community are required.
PERFORMING ARTS: THEATER ARTS
641 Acting & Improv (9, 10, 11, 12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester
3x per 7 days
This course engages students in the basic elements of movement and voice technique in acting and improvisational theater. Through individual as well as collaborative work, students explore the elements of characterization, physicality, and movement in portraying a scene. We explore acting tradition and practice, as well as the basics of directing and stage etiquette. Students also gain historical perspective on the development of improvisational theater and how to recognize elements and characters in current drama and comedy performances. Through improvisational exercises and games, students explore, develop, and refine stage skill. Students work toward a final project, which involves memorizing and presenting a scene to an audience, and developing an in-school improv performance.
634 Upper School Musical (9,10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester
635 Upper School Dramatic Production (9,10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester
637LS & 638LS Upper School Light & Sound (9,10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 2 semesters
637TS & 638TS Upper School Tech Support (9,10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 2 semesters
Please note that placement in dramatic productions is dependent upon successful completion of an audition and/or interview. Placement in the cast or crew is not guaranteed, and the earning of credit is dependent upon full and successful participation in the rehearsal and production processes.
The fall and spring musical or dramatic events include all aspects of stage production: acting, set building, costume coordination, program design, prop coordination, lighting and sound design, pit band participation, etc. Rehearsals take place during evening and/or weekend hours, two to three times per week, as specified by the directors. The final result is a full-scale staged production in which participation is required. Cast members, stage managers, and pit band members receive 1⁄4 credit per show. The running crew, lighting and sound team, property manager, costume
assistants, and front of house staff receive 1⁄4 credit when they participate in two shows over the course of their four years in the upper school (there is no partial credit for one show). Credit earned in these productions does not count toward the 1⁄2 credit required in Performing Arts, although it does count towards the overall 1.5 credits required in Performing Arts/Visual Arts combined.
VISUAL ARTS
INTRODUCTION
The upper school visual arts program is committed to providing all of its students with learning experiences that nurture visual literacy and responsible creativity. Each course is designed to give students tools, methods, and techniques to express their ideas. Students will develop a vocabulary to decode and read the visual language around them. Building skills, exploring visual concepts, and applying critical analysis are emphasized through studio work and investigation. Interdisciplinary themes of identity, storytelling, community, and stewardship give conceptual direction to student work. Specific elective offerings may depend on enrollment and may be offered in alternating years.
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The upper school visual arts program is committed to providing all of its students with learning experiences that nurture visual literacy and responsible creativity.
Visual Arts Foundations
(9, 10) 1/4 credit, 1 semester
This required foundational course emphasizes the development of visual literacy skills, self-expression, and analytical and innovative thinking. Two and three-dimensional explorations are designed to investigate and apply the elements of visual art and the principles of design. Students create work through a variety of media and techniques as they explore projects that address themes of identity, story-telling, community, and stewardship. Students create and maintain a sketchbook to organize, document, assess, plan, reflect, and review visual works and concepts. Regular discussions encourage students to express their ideas through both visual means and language. Both individual and collaborative projects are part of the course curriculum.
This course is the prerequisite for the other visual arts electives.
591 3D
Design
(10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days
This second level elective course focuses on the study and application of three-dimensional design principles and processes. A wide range of project and research experiences will expand the student’s understanding of space, volume, mass, scale, form, structure, function, and purpose. Various techniques and media concentrations will be explored, which may include but are not limited to: ceramics, sculpting, structural design, assemblage, and digital fabrication. Students will continue to explore
communication through visual means and the creative process as they exercise their understanding of 3-dimensional objects in the spatial world. A research-based museum trip may be a part of this course experience. This course will be offered in the 2024-25 school year.
Prerequisite: Visual Arts Foundations.
592 2D Design (10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days
This second level elective course builds on concepts introduced in Visual Arts Foundations, concentrating on two-dimensional design principles and processes. A wide range of project and visual research experiences aim to exercise the student’s understanding of the elements of visual art and the principles of design. Students will explore various media and techniques which may include, but are not limited to: drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, digital graphics, photography, and pen and ink. Description, interpretation, and communication through images are emphasized as well as the application of the creative thinking process. A research-based museum trip may be a part of this course experience. This course will be offered in the 2024-25 school year.
Prerequisite: Visual Arts Foundations.
596 Drawing (9, 10, 11, 12),
1/4 credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days
This second level elective course uses the practice of drawing to build on concepts introduced in Visual Arts Foundations. Students will work from both observation and imagination as they explore the act of drawing as a tool for invention, expression, conceptualization, and idea development. Perceiving and depicting visual relationships, organizing successful compositions, and illustrating the illusion of form and space will be a focus/concentration of the work created in this course. A range of drawing media will be used which may include, but is not limited to: pencil, charcoal, conté crayon, pastels, and pen and ink. Interdisciplinary themes of identity, story-telling, community, and stewardship will help give conceptual direction to student work. A research-based museum trip may be a part of this course experience. This course will be offered in the 202425 school year.
Prerequisite: Visual Arts Foundations.
582 Digital Design (10,11,12) 1/4 credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days
This second level art course offers the opportunity to work with technology as a visual communication medium. Students will experiment with digital and lens-based methods of making work to produce both still and moving images that focus on communicating ideas. Various techniques and media will be explored, including photography, animation, video, and com-
puter graphics. Individual, collaborative, and interdisciplinary projects encourage students to find meaning and connections as they express themselves through their visual solutions.
Specific elective offerings may depend on schedule and adequate enrollment for each year. This course will be offered in the 2025-26 school year.
Prerequisite: Visual Arts Foundations.
588(1) Visual Arts Major 1 (11,12)
1 credit, full year
In this course students create and organize a body of work through visual investigation, studio practice, and exhibition. Students explore composition skills, media, techniques, the study of art history in connection to studio work, visual analysis, and the use of themes. Various media and techniques are available to each student based on their interests, and students can create works in analog or digital formats. Field trips are an integral part of course, and special attention is given to portfolio development. Summer work in the form of research, writing, and visual explorations are requirements of this course in preparation for the school year.
This is a non-IB (neither certificate or diploma) course for students interested in a visual arts experience as a major. If the student’s schedule allows, this course can be taken as the first part of a two-year commitment: Visual Arts Major 1 followed Visual Arts Major 2.
Prerequisite: Visual Arts Foundations and Drawing.
588(2) Visual Arts Major 2 (12)
1 credit, full year
This course complements the Visual Arts Major 1 course by adding greater depth of study in terms of technique, media, and self-direction. Special attention can be given to designing and creating college application portfolios. Summer work in the form of research, writing, and visual explorations are requirements of this course in preparation for the school year. Research-based museum trips are an integral part of this course experience.
This is a non-IB (neither certificate or diploma) course for students interested in a visual arts experience as a major for a second year of exploration.
Prerequisite: Visual Arts Major 1.
International Baccalaureate Visual Arts Area 6
The following description is taken from the International Baccalaureate Organization HL Published IB Visual Arts Curriculum for Exam:
The visual arts course at both SL and HL requires no previous experience. The course is designed to enable students to experience visual arts on a personal level, and achievement in this subject is reflected in how students demonstrate the
knowledge they have gained as well as the skills and attitudes they have developed that are necessary for studying visual arts. This course provides a relevant learning opportunity for a diverse range of students as it lays an appropriate foundation for further study in visual arts, performing arts and other related subjects. In addition, it instills discipline and refines creative communication and collaborative skills.
The curriculum core syllabus for this exam are based on the following:
• External Assessment: Part 1 Comparative Study 20%; Part 2 Process Portfolio 40%
• Internal Assessment: Part 3 Exhibition 40%
• This is a two-year course. The student is enrolled in grade 11 for 1 credit and in grade 12 for 1 credit. The exam is taken in 12th grade. Enrollment in both Higher Level (1) grade 11 and Higher Level (2) grade 12 is required.
572HL IB HL (Higher Level) Visual Arts, Year 1 (11)
1 credit, full year
This Visual Arts HL course is intended for highly motivated students who are seriously interested in the study of visual art. First year students are introduced to a variety of techniques and media and begin the process of developing independent study and research habits including maintaining a visual arts journal. Students investigate the IB core syllabus areas: visual arts in context, methods of art making and communication of visual arts. Summer work in the form of research, writing, and visual explorations are requirements of this course. Researchbased museum trips are an integral part of this course experience.
573HL IB HL (Higher Level) Visual Arts, Year 2 (12)
1 credit, full year
The HL year 2 course continues the curriculum core syllabus outlined above. This course encourages individually directed studio work and requires independent research of artists, art making practices, and the cultural contexts in which they exist. Student’s theoretical, art-making, and curatorial practices culminate in the completion of the IB exam components during this year. Summer work in the form of research, writing, and visual explorations are requirements of this course in preparation for the school year. Research-based museum trips are an integral part of this course experience.
COMPUTER SCIENCE
The upper school computer science curriculum is intended to continue students’ development as algorithmic thinkers with the ability to translate ideas into a formal structure. Upon completion of our program, students will understand how to define and solve problems from all disciplines in terms that can be implemented by a computational device. In addition, students will have a firm understanding of a number of surrounding technologies that they interact with on a daily basis, from Internet protocols to basic hardware. Problem-solving and self-reliance are an essential part of the overall curriculum, as
students become more confident in their abilities to use computers to devise and apply real-world solutions.
Students must take ½ credit of computer science in order to fulfill their graduation requirements. The upper school program of study is designed to have various “tracks” to fully engage and challenge every student. In rare situations, students may seek departmental approval to be placed in higher-level courses. Approval is contingent upon fluency in programming, which can be demonstrated through a series of problem sets. Some courses are taught concurrently.
Upon completion of our program, students will understand how to define and solve problems from all disciplines in terms that can be implemented by a computational device.
649 Algo-Rhythms (9, 10, 11, 12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days
How can we use computing to learn more about music? How can we use music to learn more about computing? This course provides students hands-on practice in the field of music technology. Students will explore topics such as digital composition, algorithmic music, sound analysis and manipulation, and relevant historical and cultural context. This one-semester course will satisfy 1/4 credit in either Computer Science OR Performing Arts.
663 Web Media 1 (9,10,11,12)
664 Web Media 2 (Prerequisite: Web Media 1)
1/4 credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days
This course focuses on the web browser as a creative medium. The course is broken down into two main parts. In the first part, students learn about the history and cultural impacts of the internet. They look at the fundamentals of interface design and then use this theory in conjunction with HTML and CSS to create a professional-looking website. In the second half of the course, students learn about other technologies available to developers wishing to create a more dynamic interactive experience online. Topics include cryptography, javascript APIs, and animation. Motivated students may take this course a second time. Level two allows students to build on their previous knowledge and incorporate these concepts into more realized projects. This course will be offered in the 2024-25 school year.
665 Interactive Systems 1 (9,10,11,12)
672 Interactive Systems 2 (Prerequisite: Interactive Systems 1)
1/4 credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days
This course expands upon topics covered in the introductory course through the creation and design of many different types of video games, simulations, and interactive experiences.
Throughout the semester, students are continually exposed to both abstraction and problem decomposition. An emphasis is placed on solving a wide variety of problems applicable to instances outside the realm of just video games. Topics include arrays, functions, objects, and APIs. By integrating these topics into a wide variety of projects, students are exposed to the many ways programming is useful. Motivated students may take this course a second time. Level two allows students to build out an immersive interactive experience for either a mobile or browserbased device. This course will be offered in the 2024-25 school year.
666
Programming Concepts 1 (9,10,11,12)
667 Programming Concepts 2 (Prerequisite: Programming Concepts 1)
1/4 credit, 1 semester
3x per 7 days
This course explores various techniques of programmatic problem-solving. Projects and problem sets will focus on issues found most often within the field. At all times, emphasis will also be placed on code that is readable, testable, and fast rather than simply yielding the correct answer. Topics covered include algorithmic art, user interaction, image processing, and audio manipulation. Motivated students may take this course a second time. Level two includes a deeper exploration into the possibilities of code and allows for a more fully realized project in one of many fields, including physical computing, generative art, and data visualization. This course will be offered in the 2025-2026 school year.
671 Smart Machines 1 (10,11,12)
673 Smart Machines 2 (Prerequisite: Smart Machines 1)
1/4 credit, 1 semester
3x per 7 days
This course, utilizing the school’s purpose-built Design Lab, introduces students to the programming and engineering concepts related to interactive robots. Through the integration of mathematics, physics, technology, engineering, and programming, students learn how to design and build “smart” robots that are able to do tasks and make decisions based on data input by sensors. This is the technology that makes our phones, cars, and homes “smart” and that is being put into more devices every day. While there is a core curriculum, there are endless opportunities for a student to explore areas of interest ranging from advanced computing, to mechanical and electrical engineering, to design. Motivated students may take this course a second time. Level two allows students to further explore the possibilities of robotics, 3D printing, physical computing, and electronics. This course will be offered in the 2024-25 school year.
674 Computer Science Major
674SL Computer Science Major/IB SL
1 credit, full Year
This full-year major course will cover everything from hardware/software design and implementation to computer program-
ming. How is software developed? How do computers work? What does it mean to distribute a system across a network? In addition to these topics students will learn the fundamentals of computer programming and Object-Oriented design through the use of Processing and Java.
Prerequisite: At least one previous Computer Science course and the approval of the department.
HUMAN DYNAMICS AND DEVELOPMENT
709/710 Human Dynamics and Development (9,10)
1/2 credit, 2 semesters
3x per 7 days
This course is required for all ninth and tenth graders. Each student is scheduled for one semester in each of the two years. The upper school wellness program is designed to create an awareness of the benefits of physical fitness, including the need for active attention to personal health and emotional well-being. Classroom concepts are geared toward enhancing the decisionmaking process for each student.
RELIGION
706 Quakerism and Thee (10,11,12)
1/4 credit, 1 semester 3x per 7 days
In this required course, students explore the Quaker Testimonies and consider how they might apply to their own lives. Original writings by Quakers and the student’s own explorations of the Quaker philosophy form the core of this course. Early Quaker history is also studied, providing students with an understanding of the religion’s roots. Each student will complete his or her own “Quaker Quest,” doing something that will have a positive effect on the community involving at least one of the Quaker Testimonies (Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, Stewardship).
THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
711IB/712IB IB Theory of Knowledge (11,12)
1 credit over two years 3x per 7 days
The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course is central to the educational philosophy of the International Baccalaureate. It challenges students and their teachers to reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and areas of knowledge, and to consider the role that knowledge plays in a global society. It encourages students to become aware of themselves as thinkers, to become aware of the complexity of knowledge, and to recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected world.
Questions are the very essence of TOK, both ageless questions on which thinkers have been reflecting for centuries and new ones, often challenging to accepted belief, which are posed by
contemporary life. The course is designed to develop in students an appreciation of the quest for knowledge–in particular its importance, its complexities, and its human implications–by engaging them in a critical examination of knowledge. Having completed this course, students will be prepared to gain and apply their own knowledge with greater awareness and responsibility.
Readings in the course include a variety of sources, such as excerpts from works of fiction and nonfiction, and newspaper and magazine articles. The most significant source of thought and reflection, though, will be the students’ own experiences. We will focus on their past history as knowers, within and beyond the classroom, as a jumping-off point for further study and exploration. As part of this approach, students will be challenged to generate the questions that fuel their investigations into the subject, and also to thoughtfully and probingly respond to others’ questions on these issues. In order to facilitate the development of a personally relevant and intellectually sound conception of the theory of knowledge, students will be required to provide examples of “ways of knowing” from the other classes they are pursuing as primary matter for consideration by the group. Students will lead sessions for the class on various aspects of the concepts under consideration.
SUMMER COURSE OFFERINGS
CRISPR in a Box Summer Intensive
$850
A summer intensive course offering hands-on lab experience with cutting-edge CRISPR-cas9 technology using the methodology developed by the ChristianaCare Gene Editing Institute for gene editing protocols. We will be using a mammalian cellfree extract to edit bacterial plasmid DNA, use of DECODR software to analyze products of the editing protocol. Also included is a supporting curriculum on genetic diseases and the status of CRISPR-based therapies, ethics and regulation, consideration of access to and trust in breakthrough technologies, career paths and stories (including guest experts and site visits to GEI facilities), as well as activities studying biochemical modeling of the nucleosome and the Cas9 enzyme. Timing would be 10 half-days, during two weeks in July. This course would not provide graduation credit but would appear on the transcript as pass/fail.
Introduction to Climate Science
1/2 credit
$850
9-12 pm daily, with 45 minutes of asynchronous work This course focuses on understanding the science of climate, how climate changes, and the implications of a changing climate. The importance of understanding Earth’s climate is exceedingly important because it has a huge effect on our livelihoods, our health, and our future. The course is divided into the following three major themes which will be examined one week at a time:
• Earth’s climate as a dynamical system
• Scientific evaluation of our current changing climate
• Climate Implications: Consensus; Policy; Social Impacts; Mitigation and Adaptation
This compact course runs over a three week period for a total of 45 class time hours which is comparable to a semester long elective. Students will be involved in a variety of engaging activities that are intended to generate real and deep interest and insight into our natural world. These will include special demonstrations, hands-on lab work, simple mathematical models, video clips, and the review of scientific papers. A major feature of the course will be a deep-dive student investigation into a specific climate-related topic of their choice. By the completion of the course, students will have the ability to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the subject through presentations and discussions. Successful students will be those who have a curiosity about the physical world and enjoy active learning. The course is open to rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders who have taken at least one upper school level science course.
MALONE SCHOOLS ONLINE NETWORK (MSON)
Friends is a member of the Malone Schools Online Consortium. As one of the schools recognized for academic excellence and commitment to diversity, and endowed with financial aid resources by the Malone Family Foundation, we partner to provide enrichment courses to juniors and seniors.
“MSON provides upper level students (generally juniors and seniors) at participating Malone Schools with a variety of superior online courses that enhance each member school’s existing curriculum. These courses are taught by experts in their fields. MSON teachers have experience with independent school education and share a commitment to excellence, small class sizes, and personal relationships. Course offerings target the most talented high school students at member schools. MSON students demonstrate sufficient independence and commitment to succeed in a virtual discussion seminar setting.
“Each MSON course takes a blended approach, combining synchronous instruction—real-time video conferencing seminars—with asynchronous instruction—recorded lectures and exercises students complete outside of the class. Each course has a minimum of 6 students and a maximum of 16 students. The result is a virtual discussion seminar that is delivered in high definition classroom set-ups.”
MSON courses are part of a student’s five-major course load at WFS. Classes will meet twice synchronously each week, supplemented with several hours of asynchronous study. Those who wish to take a MSON course as a sixth major need to follow the established process for sixth-major approval. Eligible students should be juniors or seniors with a passion for the course work, and who have completed graduation requirements in related fields of study. Some semester courses are available, and sophomores can apply for those also. WFS students should receive the approval of the department chair, and list other
course choices in case scheduling problems arise. Students with six majors are not eligible for additional MSON semester classes in the year of their sixth major. The school has about fourteen MSON semester course spots available so not all who are approved may get a spot. Priorities for approval include: 1 MSON class per person; seniority; those taking a language as a fifth major. If there are open spaces after the registration deadline, then course approvals will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested students should see the Head of Upper School. The application is available on the website under “resources.” MSON courses are not included in the GPA. Letter grades, however, are included on the WFS transcript.
ATHLETICS
A minimum of one athletic credit is required each year for all upper school students. In order to earn credit, students must be an active participant in a school-sponsored athletic program and meet the expectations of that program.
Fall Field Hockey
Football
Soccer (Boys’)
Volleyball
Cross Country*
Winter Basketball*
Wrestling
Swimming*
Physical Fitness (Co-Ed)
Winter Track*
Spring
Baseball
Lacrosse*
Soccer (Girls’)
Tennis*
Track and Field*
Golf (coed)
*Boys’ teams and girls’ teams are offered.
A junior or senior student who would like to apply to earn an athletic credit by serving as a team manager must have the approval of the coach/athletic trainer and Athletic Director prior to the start of the season as well as approved written expectations/responsibilities.
Sports Waiver/Independent Study:
If a student has a medical condition that prohibits successful fulfillment of the WFS sports requirement of one team sport (or participation in the winter fitness program) a year, he/she may petition the Athletic Director for a waiver of the requirement. If a student is a competitive athlete in a sport not offered at WFS or a dancer involving significant year-long time commitments
outside of school, he/she may petition the Athletic Director for a waiver of the requirement. Petitions must be proposed in time to be considered fully before the start of the school year. The Athletic Director may consult the division head and the Program Committee before making a decision.
NON-DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMS
700 Service Project
Students must do 50 hours of community service some time during their upper school years as a requirement for graduation. The WFS service requirement lies rooted in the history and practice of Quaker humanitarian service. It is an opportunity for students to implement personal values through service to others. This service may be performed during unscheduled periods of the school day, after school, on weekends, during school vacations, or in the summer.
Service projects must...
• be performed outside of the Wilmington Friends School community.
• be a steady involvement in one activity with one sponsor agency.
• be a minimum of 50 hours during a 12-month period up to 10 hours of which may be training and preparation.
• be performed any time during the student’s years in the upper school beginning with the summer before ninth grade and ending before the start of the Senior Exploration.
• be completed by all new students entering after ninth grade who have not previously met the requirement at another school.
• be performed for any organization (or person) whose purpose is that of service to the community and for which (whom) volunteers are used to perform an essential service. This does not include working for groups whose programs are inconsistent with the testimonies of the Religious Society of Friends.
The WFS service requirement lies rooted in the history and practice of Quaker humanitarian service. It is an opportunity for students to implement personal values through service to others.
• be an experience involving direct service either to the participating community agency or the clients served by that agency. •be approved in all cases by the service program coordinator, advisor, and the service program committee (during the school year) prior to student involvement.
• include a completed proposal form, a satisfactory agency evaluation of the student’s performance, a final self-evaluation, and a product which is designed to pass the service experience onto others. This could be a poster, a journal (at least five hundred words), a student-designed Web site, or a formal presentation before a group such as a lower and upper school classes and advisories, a committee of the Board of Trustees, a collection program, or an outside community group. See below for more details.
Seniors are expected to have a plan for their required service hours by the start of senior year and are strongly encouraged to have the hours completed by the end of first semester.
Service and the Full IB Diploma
Candidates for the full IB diploma must demonstrate that they are involved with creativity, activity and service on an ongoing basis during their junior and senior years. This means that students may want to wait to fulfill the 50-hour Wilmington Friends service requirement until they enter the full IB diploma program. They can, however, still meet the “CAS” expectations by doing service activities at school in the junior and senior year, if they have previously met the requirement. The essay or presentation required for completion of the WFS service fulfills the CAS reflections for service, and vice versa. Please see the CAS coordinator if you have questions.
850 Senior Exploration
In May, the Senior Exploration provides seniors with a chance to integrate and apply skills and knowledge in an authentic, in-depth experience. Using a personal question as a guide, students are encouraged to find an experience that will require them to reflect on their own growth while at WFS. Students may explore any of the following: career options, service, immersion in a different culture, an old passion, or a new interest. Students work with a mentor/expert, document the experience through guided journals and photographic evidence, and present to family, peers, and faculty.
QUEST Scholars Program
The QUEST Scholars program provides Wilmington Friends School students with significant service learning opportunities that combine academic studies with experiential learning. Students design a question and service learning that explores answers to that question. The program starts in the spring of 9th grade.
QUEST Scholar requirements:
• A journal of reflections on all activities
• At least 150 hours of service, starting with at least 30 hours the summer before tenth grade (50 hours minimum per year)
• A presentation on the experience in the senior year
All WFS upper school students in ninth grade are eligible for participation in the QUEST Scholars program. In applying for participation, each potential QUEST Scholar completes an interest form and then develops a program proposal. In doing so, the student works with the appropriate adults (in school and in the broader community) to develop a plan to meet the requirements of the particular QUEST Scholar program. The proposal is reviewed and approved by the members of the Upper School Service Committee.
With the completion of the proposed program, the Scholar provides the Service Committee with evidence of engagement in the elements of the Scholar’s chosen plan. Scholars who have completed the program are recognized during Final Assembly.
QUEST Term Service/Leadership Experience
The Quaker Center for Understanding, Engagement and Stewardship (QUEST) supports programs that express and build upon the distinctive strengths of Quaker education: teaching students to develop a global understanding of problems and questions they encounter; giving them the skills, motivation and sense of responsibility to engage those questions in thought and in action; and helping them to grow as stewards and leaders, capable and willing to work toward positive change. Toward that end, the center’s QUEST Term Service/Leadership Experience engages students in an experiential learning model to increase their understanding of global issues as well as strategies to mitigate the impact of these challenges. During the summers preceding their 10th, 11th, and 12th grade years, students may elect to travel to domestic or international destinations to engage in global issues and leadership.
Previous service learning trips have included travel to the Dominican Republic, Acadia National Park, El Paso, TX and South Africa.
815 Whittier Miscellany (9,10,11,12)
½ credit, full year; does not fulfill English requirement
The goal of this course is the production of the student newspaper (including an online edition). While any student in the upper school may become a member of the Whittier staff, enrollment is limited so that each student has the opportunity to contribute. In addition to the regularly scheduled meeting times, Whittier staff members are also required to participate at least once per semester in layout sessions that take place during the evenings in the weeks leading up to publication.
Students may participate in various ways—as writers, photographers, columnists, or editors. All students who wish to take on the role of editor, including editor-in-chief, must submit an application to the faculty advisor. The application process and the selection of editors are in the spring for the following academic year.
654 Yearbook (9,10,11,12)
Full year
Students in this course work together throughout the year to create the Continuum yearbook. They work with the Adobe PhotoShop and Acrobat programs and use online publishing software. They are involved with all facets of production, including layout, folio design, caption writing, photo cropping and manipulation, scanning, digital photography, sales, and requirements for submission for production.
Independent Study
When a student has a particular passion for a subject that is not available in our curriculum, he/she may design an independent study with a willing faculty member to guide his/her learning. The proposal is to be written by the student, not the teacher, and group independent studies may have no more than four students. Independent studies must be approved in the following order: by the academic department, by the Program com-
mittee, and, finally, by the full faculty. For full-year, one-credit or half-credit independent studies, the approval process must be completed in May of the prior school year. Quarter-credit proposals must be finalized before the end of the add/drop period for electives of the fall or spring semester. Full-credit courses are included in the student’s grade point average; they may only be considered as replacing a graduation requirement with permission of the full faculty. Dropping an independent study after the add/drop period will result in a notation of withdrawal on the transcript. Students interested in designing an independent study should speak with the appropriate department head. The application is available under “resources” on the website.
Mastery Program
The mastery program is a vehicle to stimulate Friends School students to develop their talents, to explore deeply felt interests, to challenge themselves in ways they might not otherwise attempt, and to produce an achievement of which they can be justifiably proud. The aim of this program is to meet all of these goals, not one or two of them. In short, the final outcomes of students’ mastery projects should be intrinsically-motivated and extraordinary.
The scope of the program is broad. Any upper school student at Friends School may undertake a mastery project, and, in fact, may wish to undertake more than one during his or her Friends School career. Participation in the program is not limited to the strongest students; the School encourages any interested student to undertake a mastery project. However, the student will have to demonstrate initiative, rigor of approach, persistence, intensity, and follow-through to meet the requirements of a successful project.
Projects should be planned with specific time limitations in mind. Although some projects will necessarily take longer than others, students should generally plan to complete them within one semester. Interested students should speak with the clerk of the mastery program committee. The application is available under “resources” on the school website.
School Year Abroad
In 2007, Wilmington Friends School became a member of School Year Abroad (SYA), a consortium of independent schools across the country with a commitment to global education. SYA was founded in 1964 “to help young Americans become full-fledged citizens of the world,” and currently enrolls students in China, France, Italy, and Spain. The goal of the program is to give American students-high school juniors and seniors-the benefits of living in another country, with an emphasis on cultural understanding, language fluency, and consistent high-level preparation for university study. Students live with host families, and study at SYA schools both in English and in the language of the host country. Member schools have additional opportunities for students to participate in summer programs and for faculty members to teach and learn abroad. Students interested in participating in SYA programs should consult first with their families and faculty advisors. (Other
international learning and hosting opportunities are also available.)
Science Fellows
The Science Department offers the opportunity for 11th and 12th-grade students to further their laboratory skills by assisting in the science classrooms. During their frees, students report to their designated science faculty advisor 2-3 times a week. Lab assistants receive training including how to take inventory, make solutions, prepare labs, and care for living things. Responsibilities include laboratory and demonstration preparation, garden work, lab and classroom cleanup, filing and other minor clerical work.
AppleCore (9,10,11,12)
1 semester
3x per 7 days
A distinctive feature of the Friends technology program-and, in particular, the 1:1 laptop program-is the student-led tech support group, AppleCore. Maintaining 650+ laptops along with 100+ desktops would be a monumental task without the student leaders involved in the program; and the students gain valuable, practical technology training and experience. Students in AppleCore provide tech support for students, faculty, and staff. No prior tech support experience is necessary. Students are taught troubleshooting techniques and are given access to AppleCore support documentation.
INCLUSIVE PRACTICE POLICY
Wilmington Friends School is a selective independent school with an academically rigorous program of studies. In gaining admission to the school, students must demonstrate the potential for successful completion of the academic program. As an inclusive school, Wilmington Friends makes the IB Diploma Programme available to every student, either as a Diploma student or a Course student. The school also recognizes the benefits derived from differentiation of the program for all students and is attentive to the individual academic needs of all students. The school understands that some students may have special educational needs that require specific accommodations. In order to best serve those students, the following practices are followed:
• The school requests documentation for any learning need in the form of a psycho-educational evaluation. Conducted by a licensed psychologist, this battery of tests assesses a student’s cognitive abilities, learning skills, processing and memory functions, and sometimes, emotional factors that may affect a student’s academic performance. Testing must demonstrate significant deficit in functioning and must be updated every four years. Screening assessments or a letter providing only a diagnosis are not sufficient to receive accommodations.
• The learning resources coordinator receives and reviews, in partnership with the consulting psychologist, the written report of the evaluation. This report is kept in a separate, confiden-
tial file and does not become a part of the student’s permanent record.
• The learning resources coordinator and consulting psychologist prepare a Learning Profile (LP) for the student, based on the information of the report. The LP outlines the student’s learning profile and provides instructional actions for learning needs, as well as, accommodations to support the student at the school. These suggestions are based on test results that identify a documented learning need.
• The learning resources coordinator shares the LP with the student and parent(s) to review its general recommendations, answer questions about the assessment, and receive approval from the parents.
• The learning resources coordinator distributes the LP to the student’s teachers and advisor. Each teacher then meets with the student individually to discuss how instructional actions and accommodations will be implemented in each class setting.
•The school provides feedback on the student’s progress to both the student and parent(s) through regularly scheduled student reports and advisor meetings. In addition, any teacher is available to meet with the student and parent(s) at any time such a meeting may be helpful.
• The IB coordinator, in partnership with the learning resources coordinator, makes requests for special assessment arrangements for students sitting for IB exams, using the appropriate forms and providing the necessary information to IB.
On an annual basis, the school reviews these practices and makes revisions to them as are appropriate.
Through this process, the school seeks to provide students with useful insights into how they learn best as it supports their success in the academic program. In this way, the school prepares its students for success at the university level and beyond.
This policy is published in the Upper School Program of Studies and is reviewed every five years.
