ENGLISH 

___  English 7

___  English 8

___  English 9

___  English 10

___  English 11/American Literature

___  English 12/British Literature

___  Creative Writing 

 

HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE 

___  World Geography

___  World Religions

___  World Civilization I

___  World Civilization II

___  US History

___  AP Comparative Politics 

 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE 

___  Latin 1A

___  Latin 1B

___  Latin II

___  Latin III

___  Latin IV/V: AP Latin

___  French I

___  French II

___  French III/IV

___  Spanish I 

 

SCIENCE 

___  Introduction to Chemistry and Physics

___  Earth Science

___  Biology

___  Chemistry

___  Physics

___  AP Chemistry

___  AP Biology 

 

MATHEMATICS 

___  Pre-algebra

___  Algebra I

___  Algebra II

___  Algebra III

___  Geometry

___  Topics in Math

___  Precalculus

___  Calculus

___  AP Calculus AB

___  AP Calculus BC 

 

PHSYICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH 

___  PE

___  Health 

 

FINE ARTS 

___  CHAD Art 7

___  CHAD Art 8

___  Visual Arts

___  Advanced Art

___  CHAD Speech and Drama

___  Introduction to Acting

___  Advanced Theatre

___  Lower School Chorus

___  Upper School Chorus

___  Band / Orchestra 

 

ELECTIVES/OTHER 

___  CHAD Computers

___  Journalism (Newspaper)

___  Ethics

___  Scripture

Curriculum Guide

 

Course Title: English                        

Grade:            8

Texts Used:    Lord of the Flies, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

 Overview 

Critical reading and thinking skills involved in the study of literary works.  Novels and poetry are the focus of English Skills, including grammar and writing.  Textual analysis continues skills developed in grade 7.  Class discussion of texts involves students in analysis of character, conflict, setting, and themes.  Reading comprehension is encouraged on a more sophisticated level than 7^th grade English.  Students develop a more technical literary vocabulary and learn to use these terms appropriately in their writing. 

Topics Covered 

Oral presentation of ideas

Analytic reading of major literary texts

Critical thinking

Grammar:  Verb tense, subj/verb agreement, tense shifts, pronouns ref’s and antecedents

Essay Writing:  Paragraph development, active & passive voice, phrase usage, &                    punctuation.

Poetry & creative expression of ideas 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

Paragraph development within the context of the expository essay focuses on supporting explanations of ideas.  Writing as a process is explored, and students learn to revise with attention to clarity of expression, completeness of thought, as well as correct grammar and syntax.  Comparison and Analysis are taught as forms of writing in themselves.  In addition to writing formal research papers, students will learn to use research and documentation techniques in essay forms as well.  The aim here is to build confidence in using secondary materials and to avoid the pitfalls of plagiarism. 

Goals 

This course centers around competent reading and writing skills.  By the end of this course, students should be able to write in timed and untimed situations.  They should be conversant with research practices and able to implement them in writing for this class.  Students grounded in reading major literary works will be well prepared for work in English at the high school level.

 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: English 9                                 

Grade:            9

Texts Used: Holt Handbook of Writing (Harcourt/Brace, publ.)

                    Joy of Vocabulary (Amsco)

                    Supplemental texts, including: Letters from a Stoic, Trial & Death of

                    Socrates, Sophocles, Odyssey, Julius Caesar, Henry V 

Overview 

The primary focus of this course is on textual analysis, specifically in the examination of Ancient Greek and Roman poetry, drama, and philosophy.  Also, students advance their existing skills in composition, revision, and editing.  In addition to writing traditional essays, students also explore alternative writing methods that aid them in more open and original thought.  In general, the course is an exploration of language and thought and the idea of “the good life.”    

Topics Covered 

The development of language in relation to the origins of civilization

The Homeric epic

Greek tragedy

Conceptual thinking & philosophy

Poetry

Shakespearean drama

Textual analysis

Essay writing & revision

Vocabulary building 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

Class discussion is teacher-guided, with topics presented as a means to arriving at correct understanding of meaning.  Focus is on formal, expository writing: thesis, transitions, conclusions, citations and illustrations.  Writing is explored as a process and a means of developing thought, and the revision process is essential to this process.  Informal writing skills emphasize original thought and personal self-examination.  Vocabulary building is present throughout the year’s readings and also as a focus in the text The Joy of Vocabulary.  In addition to multiple writings thoughout the year, each semester concludes with a final and comprehensive exam.   

Goals 

By the end of the year, students should be able to think on a much more abstract level than in 8^th grade.  They should have basic understanding of a developing history of ideas in the Ancient World.  They should be able to appreciate the impact of philosophical thinking on history, literature, and their personal experience.  Students should be able to distinguish fact from opinion and know how inferences are drawn from evidence.  They should be able to identify a writer’s argument and to create their own persuasive responses, both orally and in writing.

 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: English 10/Sophomore Literature

Grade:            10

Texts Used:    This year, our basic text is Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. In addition to the short pieces found in this basic text, we will read the following books or scripts: 

First Quarter 

Les Miserables

A Man for All Seasons 

Second Quarter 

Cry, the Beloved Country and Shakespeare’s Othello  

Third Quarter 

Jane Eyre and Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew 

Fourth Quarter 

Deep River and Steinbeck’s script for Of Mice and Men. 

Overview 

This course will stress the deep relationship between thinking and writing. You’re required to keep a notebook on ideas shared in class, on ideas you glean from your readings, and ideas you receive from my lectures. This notebook is what will support your thinking and writing during quizzes and exams and while you prepare papers.  

Topics Covered 

Sophomore literature focuses on two major approaches. First, sophomore literature is a genre course. You will encounter and examine several types of literature: novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and essays. We’ll ask questions like What makes something a novel? What are the components of poetry and how does it require reader engagement in a different way than a short story? Why is our experience with a dramatic script different from our experience with a novel? 

The second important piece is that sophomore literature is built around the theme of love—the foundational aspect of human life. Through the year, your readings will introduce you to the many types of love—romantic love, to be sure, but equally important is love of country, of God, of family and friends. What is agape, or Christian love, and how does this differ from Eros, or erotic love? How do people demonstrate their love? What happens to individuals and societies when people experience hate or disregard?  

Important Skills and Major Projects 

You can expect one significant paper a quarter. This paper will focus on an idea that you have encountered in your readings and that you wish to explore in greater depth. These papers will include citation references to your texts, so you can practice supporting your ideas with the literature you have read. 

This year you also will be pushed to take essay tests with questions you have not seen before. Using your notebooks and your memories, you will respond to thinking questions and complete a full answer within the time given. This new testing experience will better prepare you for AP Composition, your SAT essay, and for more advanced writing in the upper grades and college.  

Your final exam for the year will be a paper that reflects a year’s worth of thinking and writing. We will discuss these papers during your final exam period. 

Goals 

It is my hope that your readings, class discussions, and written work will bring you to a deeper understanding of love and of yourselves as loving people. I want this year’s readings and conversations to change your lives.  

Grades: Your success in this class will be directly related to your willingness to think, to gather your thoughts in your notebook, to take good in-class notes, and to keep up with the readings. 

I will place strong grading emphasis on your writing skills, so you’ll need to write thoughtfully for papers and in-class essays. Some papers will come with the option to review all or part of a paper, and students are encouraged to take this option. I will interpret your failure to revise as a sign that you are not concerned about the class or your performance in it. 

I assume that sophomores understand “plagiarism,” and how to avoid it. If you are unclear about how to give credit to another’s words or ideas, ask me. I have zero tolerance for plagiarism; you can expect to fail a paper that represents another’s words or ideas as your own. 

Because this class will challenge you, I offer “generosity” points for anyone who wants to boost his or her grade. Please see me if you would like to collect generosity points.

 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: English 11/American Literature                                            

Grade:            11

Texts Used:    The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Major Authors

                        And supplemental works in paperback

 

Overview 

The purpose of this course is to use the context of American literature from its inception to the present as a means of furthering students’ critical reading and writing skills and to prepare them for future work on the senior level and on the college level.  The reading will include canonical works as well as contemporary voices in order to give students a sense of the historical development of the American identity as expressed through literature.  Students will study works in all genres (nonfiction prose, fiction, poetry, drama) to develop an understanding of the common resources used by all writers and the distinct methods used in each genre.  Students will practice a variety of different writing tasks (analytical essay, creative writing, informal responses, timed writing, writing as a process). 

Topics Covered 

Summer reading assignment: American Themes

Native American Literature in Translation

The Puritan Mindset

Revolutionary Rhetoric

Civil War Rhetoric

Transcendentalism and Dark Romanticism

Definitive American Voices: Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman

Realism

Modernism: Fiction and Poetry

Personal Essay and Autobiography

Contemporary and Multicultural Voices

Shakespeare’s Othello and Macbeth

PSAT Practice 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

Although there will be occasional tests for this class, they will not be objective tests.  The real test of your skills will be in writing; emphasis will be placed on analytical essays, although creative and informal pieces are also very important.  Timed writing will prepare students for standardized testing and other writing-on-demand situations.  Out-of-class essays (and in-class essay revisions) will stress the importance of writing as a process.  Students will write personal essays in order to prepare for college applications.  Students should expect to write three to four essays per quarter.  Vocabulary assignments and quizzes will be given throughout the year.

Goals 

At the end of this course students should be able to write and revise clearly written essays of 500-1000 words.  Students should be able to read and comprehend various literary genres and styles of writing from different historical periods.  They should be able to work seriously in collaborative groups and speak before the class.  Above all, students should be conversant with distinctive aspect of the American literary tradition. 

AP Differentiation 

When there are students capable of working at the AP level in their junior year, additional assignments involving outside reading and writing are added on to their work in this class.  These students also receive additional instruction and guidance in preparation for the AP test and will adhere to an AP contract signed by students and their parents that outlines more precisely the expectations for their work.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: English 12/British Literature                                     

Grade:            12

Texts Used:    Norton Anthology of British Literature: Major Writers

                        And supplemental literary works in paperback 

Overview 

This course continues the same reading and critical analysis demands as in 11^th grade American Literature, with increased demand in terms of deadlines for assignments.  The course begins with examination of distinctions between American and British literature in terms of the experiences, history and cultural influences that gave rise to each tradition.  There is continued application of literary criticism as a means to greater reading comprehension.  By the end of the course, students should be able to: write formal, analytic essays, incorporate critical viewpoints to support personal response to literary works, and engage in class discussions at the college level of discourse. 

Topics Covered 

Differences between American and British Literature

Beowulf and other ancient works

Middle English Literature

Chaucer

16^th Century Literature, including Shakespeare

Sonnet form

17^th Century Metaphysical Poetry & Sermons

18^th Century Satire

Romantic Writers

Victorians

20^th Century Prose & Poetry 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

Summer reading & writing project prepares students for comparison of the American and British literary traditions. Elements of class study are the connection between vocabulary and reading comprehension, which continues from grade 11.  Definitions, connotation, and context of meaning are also examined in detail.  Analytic reading is combined with collaborative group work involving primary texts and text passages.  Class discussion, Power Point presentations, and literary debate encourage students to perform at the college level.  There is a sonnet memorization project in semester one. 

Goals  

At the end of this course students should be able to write and revise clearly written essays of 500-1000 words.  They should also be familiar with literary criticism and to integrate critical commentary into their essays on British literature.  Students should be able to read and comprehend various literary genres and styles of writing from different historical periods.  They should be able to work seriously in collaborative groups and speak before the class.  Above all, students should be conversant with distinctive aspect of the British literary tradition. 

AP Differentiation 

Students capable of working at the AP level receive additional assignments involving outside reading and writing that are added on to their work in this class.  Additionally, AP students are held to higher standards for their reading, critical and interpretive writing.  These students also receive additional instruction and guidance in preparation for the AP test.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: Creative Writing

Grade:            10, 11, 12

Texts Used:    None (writing handouts will be supplied by the instructor, and

students will do Internet and library research on literary texts) 

Overview 

This class involves creative writing and is designed to serve as a complement to (not a substitute for) students’ literature and composition classes. 

Topics Covered 

Students will devote the majority of their time in this class to writing and the creative process.  They will write multiple pieces in each genre: fiction, poetry, drama, nonfiction prose/personal essay.  Because students need to understand literature in order to produce it, we will occasionally read great works by classic and contemporary writers and research writers that students may be interested in. 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

There will be two major projects involved in this class: (1) the production of the school literary magazine, and (2) the production of an individual portfolio of revised and polished work that you have written for this class.   

The portfolio, in particular, will demonstrate the skills that you have learned this semester:

• Your development of a writer’s eye for detail (that is, paying attention to details in the world around you and paying attention to details in the written language).
• Your ability to understand how writer’s use the resources of language (such as figurative language, symbolism, structure, characterization, setting, and so on).

Goals 

The goal for you is to improve your writing skills and to learn new and creative ways of understanding the world we live in and the people, places, and things that are a part of the world that they inhabit – and for students to come to a greater understanding of their place in this world.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title:  World Geography                 

Grade:            7

Texts Used:    World Geography by Richard G. Boehm

                        Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond 

Overview

This course will focus not only on the physical geography of the world but also on the cultural geography and current state of the changing world.  All of the major continents will be covered except North America.  This class aims to empower the student with a geographic and broad historical sense of the world while enriching current reading and writing skills thus enabling the student to become a responsible, respectful member of a world society.   

Topics Covered

General Overview of the World

Latin America

Western and Eastern Europe

Russia

Middle East and North Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa

Asia and Oceania

 

Important Skills and Major Projects

Students will develop a geographic and cultural sense of the world while developing basic essay writing and critical thinking skills.  Students will be expected to participate in an International fair at the end of the year as a culminating project.  Students will be in pair groups to research thoroughly the culture and history of a particular country.  They will then be expected to present their research to their group of peers.   

Goals 

At the end of the year students will be able to locate the major continents and countries located therein, will have a sense of the culture, land, and climate of all the regions studied, will be able to relate current news events to cultural geography, and will have participated in various class projects working alone and with assigned cooperative learning groups. 
 

Curriculum Guide  

Course Title: History of World Religions                        

Grade:            8

Texts Used:    Many Peoples, Many Faiths, ed. Robt. Ellwood, Prentice Hall

                        World Mythology, ed. Donna Rosenburg, NTC Publ.                       

Overview 

Worldviews, what people have believed and how they have expressed those beliefs over the vast course of historical time, is the focus of this humanities course. The course focuses on the quest of the human spirit to connect with something larger than one's individual being.  This course is global in scope and chronological in approach. The impact of geography on religion is a key component, as is the impact of religion on human history.  Students will develop a vocabulary of religious terms, improve their test taking skills, and work together in cooperative learning groups to present information to their peers. 

Topics Covered 

Definition of Spiritual Experience

Prehistoric Animism and Shamanism

India and Hinduism

Asia and Buddhism

Other religions of the East

Judaism

Christianity and the West

Islam 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

Students continue to take notes and engage in class discussions on various world spiritual and philosophical traditions.  They develop a more sophisticated and accurate historical vocabulary through critical reading, ancillary texts, and computer research.  They continue to study geography and its impact on religion. Collaborative group work and class projects continue to engage students in the free exchange of ideas and respecting the philosophical and political differences of other students.  The course introduces student to higher level thinking about abstract ideas. 

Goals 

By the end of the course, students should be conversant with the concepts of the world’s different religions.  Students will better appreciate the impact of religion on history, philosophy, and conflict. They will also become more confident in their public speaking and cooperative learning skills.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: World Civilization I                            

Grade:            9

Texts Used:    World Civilizations, Vol I

                        How the Irish Saved Civilization, by Thomas Cahill

Overview 

This course covers the rise of civilization from prehistoric agrarian communities to the age of urban centers.  Time periods cover the ancient world to the Renaissance.  Students are introduced to the concept of historical cycles and use historical maps to focus on place and time of historical events. Reading comprehension is demanded for a college-level text; students study historical terminology, test-taking skills, and engage in collaborative group work and formal presentations. 

Topics Covered 

Early Civilizations                                  Ancient Rome

Ancient Egypt                                       Fall of Rome

Mesopotamia                                       Medieval World

Ancient Greece                                    14^th Century & Early Renaissance 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

Students take notes and engage in class discussions on the rise and fall of civilizations.  They develop an academic, historical vocabulary through critical reading, ancillary texts, and computer research.  They study geography and its impact on how civilizations arise and how geography and natural events contribute to the fall of civilizations as well.  Collaborative group work and class projects engage students in the free exchange of ideas and respecting the philosophical and political differences of other students.  Frequent quizzes and tests help students build strong test-taking skills.  All students are encouraged to participate in a “History Day” sponsored by the state of Kansas. 

Goals 

By the end of the course, students should be conversant with essential historical concepts and events.  Their exploration of the rise of world civilizations will prepare them  for the next level of study which will take them from the Renaissance to the Modern World.  They will be well-equipped to engage in historical research and research paper-writing.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title:  World Civilization II                       

Grade:            10

Texts Used:    The World’s History 3^rd ed. Combined Volume, by Howard Spodek

                        World Civilizations: Sources, Images, and Interpretations Vol. II 4^th ed,

by Dennis Sherman

                       

Overview 

The purpose of the World History course is to develop a greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts, in interaction with different types of human societies. The course highlights the nature of changes in international frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies. The course builds on an understanding of cultural, institutional, and technological precedents that along with geography, set the human stage.  

Topics Covered 

The course covers the years 1400-2006 and is based on four themes:  

n       GLOBALIZATION: THE SHRINKING WORLD: 1450-2006

n       REVOLUTION: TECHNOLOGICAL, POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND RELIGIOUS

n       DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION STATE: REPRESENTIIVE GOVERNMENT AND AUTORITARIAN REGIMES

n       THE END OF THE NATION STATE: 2006? 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

n       CONTRUCTING/EVALUATING ARGUMENTS

n       USING DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT AN ARGUMENT

n       ASSESSING ISSUES

n       RECOGNIZE GLOBAL/LOCAL PATTERNS

n       COMPARE/CONTRAST SOCIETAL REACTIONS

n       COMMONALITIES/DIFFERENCES AMONG CIVILIZATIONS AND SOCITIES

n       THE STUDENT WILL WRITE ONE HISTORICAL RESEARCH PAPER

n       THE STUDENT WILL WRITE SEVERAL ESSAYS WHICH REINFORCE WRITING SKILLS AND THE SUBJECT MATTER.

n       ADMIT THAT LEARNING HISTORY IS NOT SO BAD!!!!

 Goals 

n       1. TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD'S CULTURES

n       2. LEARN HOW TO USE PRIMARY DOCUMENTS AND VISUAL IMAGES

n       3.  LEARN THE TOOLS OF A HISTORIAN

n       4. LEARN HOW TO WRITE HISTORICAL ESSAYS

n       5. IF SITTING FOR THE AP EXAM IN MAY: TO ACHIEVE A QUALIFYING GRADE

n       6. MOST IMPORTANTLY: ENJOY LEARNING ABOUT HISTORY

 

AP Differentiation

1.      AP students meet with the instructor weekly in a 0 or 8^th hour to discuss issues and problems

2.      AP students have a different set of essays which emphasize the AP exam

3.      Class lectures and discussions are formatted like a college course, thus meetings are for improvement in writing and in interpretation not for lecture.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: United States History                        

Grade:            11

Texts Used:    The Way We Lived, Various authors

                        A People and a Nation, Norton edition                       

Overview 

This course is a two semester survey of American history from the age of exploration and discovery to the present.  Lecture and class discussions include political, economic, and social factors involved in the growth of the United States as a nation.  Emphasis is placed on critical and evaluative thinking skills, essay writing, interpretation of original documents, and historiography.  It is a challenging course that is meant to be the equivalent of a freshman college course.  A research paper focusing on American history will be required. 

Topics Covered 

Europeans colonize North America                               Development of the West

The American Revolution                                              The Machine Age

Forging a National Republic                                          Vitality & Turmoil of Urban Life

Nationalism, Expansion, & Market Economy                The Progressive Era

People & Communities in the North & West                 Americans & The Great War

People & Communities in a Slave Society                     The Great Depression & New Deal

The Civil War & Reconstruction                                   WWII at Home & Abroad

                                                                                    The Cold War/Viet Nam

                                                                                    Prosperity, Power, & Peril

Important Skills and Major Projects 

This course places emphasis on the essay as the primary form of student expression.  Students are required to write many essays per semester and participate in class discussion.  Academic level of discourse is encouraged to better prepare students for college level study and class discussion.  Homework and meeting deadlines demand student initiative and responsibility. 

Goals 

By the end of the course, students should be able to participate in discussions of history in a thoughtful, articulate manner.  Students should be able to think critically about all aspects of U.S. History, including ideas central to our identity as Americans. 

AP Differentiation 

Although some students may opt to take this course as non-AP, they will be expected to participate in discussion of AP test materials and engage in AP test preparation activities.  AP students will have additional writing assignments and modified exams.  AP students will meet with the instructor in the morning on a prescribed day to discuss specific AP test preparations such as essays, readings, and additional source material.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: AP Comparative Politics

Grade:            12

Texts Used:    Introduction to Comparative Politics by Mark Kesselamn

                        Readings in Comparative Politics ed. by Mark Kesselman 

Overview 

The AP course in Comparative Government and Politics, an introductory college level political science course,   introduces students to fundamental concepts used by political scientists to study the processes and outcomes of politics in a variety of country settings. The course aims to illustrate the rich diversity of political life, to show available institutional alternatives, to explain differences in processes and policy outcomes and to communicate to students the importance of global economic and political changes. The course compares and contrasts six different nations: Great Britain, Russia, China, Iran, Nigeria, and Mexico. 

Topics Covered 

►    WORLD OF STATES: WHAT ARE THE POWERS OF THE STATE AND HOW DO THEY DIFFER FROM NATION TO NATION

►    GOVERNING THE ECONOMY: HOW DOES THE STATE AFFECT THE ECONOMY

►    THE DEMOCRATIC IDEA: HOW THE “SPREAD OF DEMOCRACY” HAS AFFECTED EACH NATION-OR IS THIS EVEN A VALID THEME

►    POLITICS OF COLLECTIVE IDENTITY: WHAT POWER DO THE CITIZENS HAVE-HOW DO THEY SEE THEMSELVES POLITICALLY 

The course looks at these themes and compares and contrasts them in the six different nations. 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

Students will learn the language of a political scientist and then learn how to apply that language in a political setting. Students will learn how to compare and contrast the governments of six nations and then draw real conclusions based upon those comparisons. Furthermore, the student will learn to write a comparativist paper using the language they have learned.  

Goals 

1.      Know important facts pertaining to the governments and politics of China, Great Britain, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia.

2.      Understand major comparative political concepts, themes, and generalizations.

3.      Understand typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their consequences

4.      Be able to compare and contrast political institutions and processes across countries to derive generalizations

5.      Be able to analyze and interpret basic data relevant to comparative government and politics.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title:  Latin IV & V

Grades:           11 & 12

Texts Used:    Arnold, B., A. Aronson, & G. Lawall.  Love and Betrayal:  A Catullus Reader.  Glenview: Prentice Hall 2000.

Jestin C.A. & P. Katz.  Ovid: Amores, Metamorphosis Selections.  Wauconda:  Bolchazy-Carducci 1999. 

Ovid.  Metamorphoses.  trans. Rolfe Humphries.  Indiana  UP. 1960. 

Overview 

This course continues Latin III in that the students have completed their formal grammatical training in Latin and are prepared to read Latin poetry.  The primary focus of this course is to read Latin texts and to gain an understanding of Roman society and culture through its poetry.  The course will review grammar, literary devices and metrics within the context of Latin poetry as compared to previous learning with occurred in a grammatical setting.  By the end of the course the students should have read between several hundred to a few thousand lines of Latin poetry.  They should be confident in their translating, annotation, and scanning skills.   

Topics Covered 

We will read selections from Catullus and Ovid’s Amores & Metamorphoses and the selections vary according to the Latin Readings AP syllabus.  

Catullus & Ovid Readings:

• Catullus:  1-4, 5, 7, 8, 11-14, 22, 30, 31, 35, 36, 40, 43-46, 49-51, 60, 64, 65, 68 (lines 1-40), 69, 70, 72, 76, 77, 84-87, 96, 101, 109, 116.
• Ovid Metamorphoses:  Book 1 Daphne and Apollo; Book 4 Pyramus and Thisbe; Book 8 Daedalus and Icarus & Baucis and Philemon; Book 10 Pygmalion
• Ovid Amores:  1.1, 1.3, 1.9, 1.11, 1.12, 3.15.

Important Skills and Major Projects 

The students will do either a literary translation project and poem presentation project during the Fall semester.  The literary translation project involves choosing a poem and creating a literary translation of the poem.  The creation of this translation involves various stages that take the students through a literal translation to a polished literary translation.  The students will then write a paper about the process of transforming Latin poetry into English poetry.  The poem presentation project involves the students choosing a 40 line poem or a section of 40 lines from a poem to present to the class.  For this project the student becomes the Magister/tra to the class and provides all vocabulary and grammatical explanations.  The Spring project will be research paper on word and image in which the students will be asked to explore the connection between a work of art and Ovid poem on which it is based.   

Goals 

By the end of this course the students will have read a sufficient amount of Latin and should consider themselves somewhat proficient translators.  They should be able to sight read Latin i.e. pick up a Latin text and read it with out the aid of vocabulary or grammatical notes.  They should be well prepared for college level Latin on either the 3^rd or 4^th semester level. 
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: French I

Grade:            9

Texts Used:    Schmitt, Conrad and Katia Lutz, Bienvenue, Textbook and Writing

Activities Workbook, Glencoe McGraw-Hill.                       

Overview 

French I is the first course in the 4-year modern foreign language sequence.  This class covers Chapters 1-12 in Bienvenue and introduces students to the four basic skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.  The course also fosters a knowledge of and appreciation for the culture of France and French-speaking countries. 

Topics Covered 

• Greetings
• Numbers
• Description
• School subjects
• Family
• House
• Leisure activities
• Café and restaurant
• Food shopping
• Airplane travel
• Train travel
• Sports and summer activities
• Shops and clothing
• Exercise and staying in shape
• Cars and driving

Important Skills and Major Projects 

French I introduces students to the four basic skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking French and to the acquisition of a basic French vocabulary necessary to talk about the above topics. 

Goals 

At the end of this course students should have mastered French grammar points that include articles, adjectives, the three regular French verb groups and nine irregular verbs, interrogatives and negatives.  They should be able to carry on simple conversations on the above topics, speak in present tense and talk about future plans, read simple selections in French, and understand simple conversations in French.  In addition, they should have a knowledge of the cultural differences between the French and the Americans on the above topics.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: French II

Grade:            10

Texts Used:    Schmitt, Conrad and Katia Lutz, Bienvenue, Textbook and Writing

Activities Workbook, Glencoe McGraw-Hill.

                        Schmitt, Conrad and Katia Lutz, A bord, Textbook and Writing

Activities Workbook, Glencoe McGraw-Hill.

                        Antoine, Marie-Claire and Jean-Paul, Rebecca Valette, Images Deux,

McDougal Littell. 

Overview 

French II is the second course in the 4-year modern foreign language sequence.  This class covers Chapters 12-18 in Bienvenue and Chapters 1-4 in A bord.  After a brief review, students continue their study of French grammar, vocabulary and culture begun in French I.  They increase their reading comprehension through reading selections and exercises in their reader, Images Deux. 

Topics Covered 

• Team sports
• Winter sports
• Health and medicine
• Cinema, theatre, museums
• Hotel
• Money and banking
• Postal services
• Household appliances
• Telephone usage
• Train service in France
• Gestures
• Exotic animals
• Caves of Lascaux
• Virtual museums of Paris
• Doctors without Borders

 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

French II continues to focus on the acquisition of vocabulary related to the above topics and the four modern language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. 

Goals

At the end of this course students should have mastered French grammar points that include past tense actions and descriptions, object pronouns, command forms, five more irregular verbs, and negative and interrogative expressions.  They should be able to carry on simple conversations about present, past and near future actions, understand reading selections on the above topics, and understand the cultural differences between America and French and Francophone countries on the above topics.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: French III/IV

Grades:           11 and 12

Text Used:      Schmitt, Conrad et Brillié Lutz, Katia, Bon voyage! Textbook and Workbook, Glencoe McGraw-Hill. 

Antoine, Marie-Claire et Jean-Paul, Valette, Rebecca, Images Trois, McDougal Littell.

Schmitt, Eric-Emmanuel, Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran (novel).

Photocopies of newspaper and magazine articles, short stories and poetry.

                        Films. 

Overview:

French III/IV is a combined course of third and fourth year French in the modern foreign language sequence.  This class covers chapters 1-8 in Bon voyage!, completes and deepens the study and mastery of the basic elements of French grammar with continuing emphasis on the four basic language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.  Increasingly sophisticated selections in Images Trois focus on reading comprehension skills.  Students read literary and cultural selections as well as contemporary articles in French magazines and newspapers, and work with listening comprehension through French cinema and radio.  Both textbooks continue to emphasize French and Francophone culture through chapter topics and reading selections.  Classes are conducted primarily in French.   

Topics Covered:

• Travel habits of the French and tourism in France
• Everyday life of young French people
• Leisure activities French people of different ages enjoy
• Culture and customs of the North and West African countries
• Social problems, petty crimes, newspapers and other media in France
• Rites of passage and the French customs that accompany them
• How the French stay healthy, keep in shape and eat well
• French heritage, monuments, museums and important achievements

Important Skills and Major Projects:  

French III/IV aims for mastery of the four modern language skills, with increasing emphasis on essay writing and reading comprehension of increasingly sophisticated material.  Equally important are the acquisition of vocabulary, knowledge of grammar and French/Francophone culture.   

Goals:

At the end of this course students will have reviewed in great detail all the major grammar points of French.  They should be able to discuss everyday topics in fluent French, talk about actions in the present, past and future tenses, comprehend French when spoken by a live native speaker or in films, and be familiar with the major differences between their own culture and that of France and Francophone countries.  They should be able to read and comprehend French magazines, newspapers and literary/historical selections.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: Spanish I

Grade:            9

Texts Used:    Glencoe Spanish I Buen viaje!  

Overview 

This is a year-long introductory Spanish course offered to 9^th graders. 

Topics Covered 

Basic grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, conversational skills, culture, geography, history and literature is introduced. 

Important Skills and Major Projects 

The most important skill acquired in this class will be the ability to communicate in Spanish. Correct pronunciation and comprehension will come in the form of daily practice through the use of drills, worksheets, pair and group activities, etc.  Major projects will consist of learning the content of each chapter and testing successfully through written and oral exams. 

Goals 

Obviously the goal of this class is to have students finish the course with a working ability to speak and comprehend Spanish and to have acquired a deeper appreciation for the Spanish speaking cultures throughout the world. The course is to serve as a springboard for students to continue taking more advanced Spanish courses in ensuing years.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: Introduction to Chemistry and Physics                                             

Grade:            7

Texts Used:    Science Insights: Exploring Matter and Energy 

Overview 

This course is introductory in nature and will provide students with the necessary tools and skills to be successful in high school Physics and Chemistry.  Designed with an investigative approach, units of study include:  matter, Periodic Table, atomic structure, heat, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, nuclear chemistry, motion, force, electricity, waves, sound, light and technology. At the end of the course, students should have a basic understanding of major topics that they will face in subsequent courses.   

Topics Covered 

First Semester: IC- Intro to Chemistry

Properties of Matter                            

Atoms/Elements/Compounds               

Periodic Table                                     

Heat                                                    

Chemical Bonding and Reaction           

Solution Chemistry                               

Carbon Compounds                            

Nuclear Chemistry                                                                                    

 

2^nd Semester: IP- Intro to Physics

Motion/Energy 

Forces/Motion                                     

Fluids                                                  

Work/Machines/Energy                       

Electricity                                            

Magnetism                                           

Waves                                                 

Sound                                                 

Light                                                    

                                   

Important Skills and Major Projects

The 7^th grade class will have a significant lab component. Students leaving the course should be comfortable with an array of chemical and physical lab skills applications. They should be energized and knowledgeable for future labs and hands on experiences.

Other skills stressed during this course are teamwork, lab safety, research and lab writing. 

Goals

At the end of this course, students should be able to discuss and explain the basics of Chemistry and Physics, and will have improved their critical thinking capability. They will be well-prepared to be successful in higher level coursework and standardized testing in the sciences. 
 

Curriculum Guide

Course Title:  Earth Science

Grades:           7 and 8

Texts Used:    Earth Science, by Holt Science & Technology 

Overview 

In earth science, students survey the forces affecting our planet. Students will have a basic understanding of maps, geologic events such as earthquakes and volcanoes, and the formation of rocks and minerals.  Factors influencing the weather are explored, as well as ocean tides and the fossil record. 

Topics Covered 

Scientific Method

Maps

Minerals

Rock cycle

Fossils

Erosion

Oceans

Plate tectonics

Volcanoes

Earthquakes

Weather

Climate

Energy

Pollution

 

Important Skills and Major Projects

A great emphasis is placed upon learning organizational skills and communicating data clearly to others.  The class also emphasizes the current events shaping our world that relate to earth science.  The major project includes a team approach to an impending weather or geological disaster, in which the students must prepare the citizens and keep them informed.  A fossil field trip is also planned to give students a hands-on approach to the skills learned in the classroom.

Goals

The student should leave the class with an understanding of the scientific method, and be able to assemble experimental information in a logical manner so as to predict outcomes.  In addition, the student should have developed an understanding for the forces that shape our world, and how those forces affect our society.
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: Biology                                               

Grade:            9

Texts Used:    Modern Biology (HRW) 

Overview

Biology is taught in the 9^th grade year. This course is introductory in nature, and is designed to provide the student with basic knowledge of biological principles and applications. This course will help to prepare students for the rigors of advanced work in biological science. At the end of the course, students should have a basic understanding of the major themes of biology, including cell structure and function, stability and homeostasis, reproduction and inheritance, evolution, interdependence of organisms, and matter, energy and organization.

Topics Covered

Intro; Science of life                 

Chemistry        

Biochemistry    

Cells    

Homeostasis and Transport                  

Biochemical Pathways 

Cell Reproduction                                

Genetics                                              

Nucleic acids and Protein synthesis      

DNA Technology                                

Evolution                                             

Ecology                                               

Plants                                                  

Invertebrates                                       

Vertebrates     

                       

Important Skills and Major Projects

The 9^th grade Biology class will have a significant lab component. Students leaving the course should be comfortable with an array of lab skills and experiences. They should be energized and knowledgeable for future labs and hands on experiences. Other skills emphasized will be teamwork, lab safety, lab procedure, and lab writing.  

Goals

At the end of this course, students should be able to discuss and explain the basics of biology, and will have improved their critical thinking capability. They will be well-prepared to be successful in higher level coursework and standardized testing in the biological sciences. 
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: Chemistry                                           

Grade:            10

Texts Used:    Chemistry (5^th Ed. Prentice Hall) 

Overview

Chemistry is taught in the 10^th grade. This course is designed to provide the student a fundamental knowledge of chemistry. Studies and laboratory experience in an array of fundamental chemistry topics is included. This course will help to prepare students for the rigors of advanced courses in chemistry and other sciences. 

Topics Covered

Introduction to Chemistry                     

Matter and Change                              

Measurement                                       

Converting factors                               

Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table Electrons in Atoms                 

Chemical Periodicity    

Ionic Bonding and Compounds         

Chemical Names and Formulas Chemical Quantities                 

Chemical reactions       

Stiochiometry                                      

Thermochemistry                     

Covalent Bonds                                   

Hydrocarbon Compounds                   

Functional Groups and Organic Rxns.

                       

Important Skills and Major Projects

The 10^th grade Chemistry class will have a significant lab component. Students leaving the course should be comfortable with an array of lab skills and experiences. They should be energized and knowledgeable for future labs and hands on experiences. Other skills emphasized will be teamwork, lab safety, lab procedure, and lab writing.

Goals

At the end of this course, students should be able to discuss and explain the basics of Chemistry, and will have improved their critical thinking capability. They will be well-prepared to be successful in higher level coursework and standardized testing in chemistry. 
 

Curriculum Guide 

Course Title: AP Biology                                         

Grade:            11 or 12

Texts Used:    McGraw Hill Biology by Sylvia Mader 

Overview

AP Biology is offered in the 11^th or 12^th grade year. This course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory biology course usually taken by biology majors during their first year. At the end of the course, students should be well prepared to enter more advanced college level lab science courses with confidence. In addition, the student should be prepared to pass the AP Biology exam.

Topics Covered 

AP Biology covers topics regularly covered in an introductory college biology course for majors. The course is offered only after a student has successfully completed introductory Biology and Chemistry. The AP biology curriculum models a college biology course. The topics of study fall into three general areas. The approximate breakdown of the course is:

Molecules and Cells, 25%

Heredity and Evolution, 25%

Organisms and Populations, 50%