Upper | Grades 9-12

List of 6 items.

• AP World History

  AP World History is a rigorous examination of the breadth of human history from 8000 B.C.E. to the present. Through an examination of the major themes and chronological periods of world history, students gain an understanding of the development of global processes and contacts among and between different human societies. This understanding of world cultures and their pasts improves students’ ability to communicate and contribute in an increasingly global community. Students hone their skills in analysis, critical thinking, and problem-solving through comparisons between major societies and an examination of the changes and continuities in these societies over time.  We also study geography, historiography, and current global issues. This is an in-depth, college-level course for students who are serious about history, have an interest in World History and are capable of reading, analytically processing, and intelligently discussing the topics included.

• Current Middle East Conflicts

  Students today are coming to adulthood during the "Age of Terror," yet possess little understanding of the ideas and events involving the Middle East, and its relationship with the United States.  The questions of national security, culture, religion, and politics emanating from the 9/11 attacks, the longstanding geopolitical relevance of the region in terms of oil and other U.S. interests, and the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, all point to the growing significance of this region.  Using the "Perspectives Method," a published method developed by the instructor to teach contemporary Middle East issues in secondary schools, students are engaged directly at the nexus of Middle East-U.S. relations as we focus entirely on current conflicts — The War on Terror, The Iraq War, and the Arab-Israeli Conflict.  As students take part in "real time" historical study, they learn how to discuss challenging issues with their peers and to navigate these conflicts using media resources from around the world.

• American Literature

  This course examines signifi cant themes in American culture and introduces students to major American authors. Core texts include The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Miller’s Death of a Salesman, and Morrison’s Song of Solomon.  Vocabulary enrichment continues. Students are expected to participate in class discussions and are assessed through quizzes, timed writing, major essays, class presentations, other projects, and examinations.

• Creative Nonfiction

  Creative nonfiction might seem like a contradiction in terms. How creative can a writer be with true events? Writers in this genre of literature use many of the same techniques as fiction writers. They develop characters, advance the plot, define conflicts, and make allusions. The only difference is that the events in their stories really happened. The end result can take many forms: memoir, biography, travelogue, or essay. Creative nonfiction can be deeply personal, carefully researched, or both. Major texts in this course include In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, a true-crime story; Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, which retraces the final months of a troubled young man; Wild by Cheryl Strayed, a memoir about both hiking and young adulthood; and A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, a collection of cerebral and funny essays by David Foster Wallace. We also read selections from the journal Creative Nonfiction.

• Ethics: Philosophy as a Way of Life

  Many people think of philosophy as a set of abstract beliefs. For much of human history, however, philosophy was a way of life that included questions, practices, and living in the world in concrete ways. Philosophers also sought to change the world through philosophical reflection and practice. This course explores how philosophy can be a way of living in our world. Logic and argument evaluation are taught using contemporary news and marketing. Historical examples of how philosophy informed the way people lived are studied, including philosophers such as Pythagoras, Socrates, Marcus Aurelius, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Specific issues in economics, language, politics, and morality are also addressed. Pierre Hadot’s Philosophy as a Way of Life is the textbook.

• Latin IV: Literature

  Students in this fourth-level course use their grammar and vocabulary skills from Latin I through Cicero and Ovid (Level III) to read and analyze new topics in Latin literature.  Readings for the course include prose and poetry by Catullus, Horace, and other authors.  The course helps students strengthen their reading and writing skills in preparation for AP Latin: Caesar and Vergil.