Course Descriptions
Jump to:
Literature & Language Arts
Modernizing Folk Tales
Does our culture hold foundational beliefs? What will future generations look to in order to examine these beliefs? These are the questions we will consider as we look to traditional folktales, myths, and legends to examine past world cultures, and as we examine our own. As the module progresses we will turn our focus to the key elements of folk tales as we consider how to write our own to reflect the beliefs of our times. Students will produce their own modern folk tales in which they seek to examine our current cultural beliefs, and share these stories with the community. This module would be best paired with or taken after Div. II History: Anthropology, but this is not required.
Roots Run Deep
How do family, culture, and place contribute to our worldview and sense of self? To begin to understand and unpack this question we will first explore how others, who have deep roots in ways of life that are being left behind, grapple with that sense of loss and begin to adapt to change. As the module progresses, our thinking will shift to our own roots, be they in visceral ties to place, in ways of life, or in the embrace of family. Students will produce a final project that seeks to examine their roots’ impacts on their present selves. This module would be most vibrant paired with Div II History: Oral History, but this is not required.
This I Believe
Students will examine what it means to believe within a variety of contexts and structures. As we unpack our life experiences and their lessons, we will work to become conscious of our guiding set of beliefs and how they impact our interactions with others and with our life events. Students will complete a culminating “This I Believe” essay to be shared with the community. This module should be taken last in the Division II Humanities sequence of modules.
When The World Burns
Under the best of circumstances it can be challenging to be our best selves, to uphold a moral code and system of beliefs we hold dear. What happens to our beliefs structures when we are faced with catastrophic events and trauma? For generations this question has pervaded literature and film, manifesting in an entire genre of fiction focused on apocalypse and dystopia. In this module we will dive into this world of literature, keeping our eye on that question of belief, and how it can survive these terrible worlds of our broader cultural imagination. For their final projects, students will produce a claim based literary analysis, with options for medium of communication. This module may be taken any time after Writers’ Workshop.
Writing Workshop
This module of Humanities will focus on what makes a piece of writing good. We will examine instructor curated selections of essays and short fiction, paying attention to the elements that make these pieces of writing effective, becoming familiar with writing terminology, and choosing strategies for students to use in their own writing. In the final project for Writers’ Workshop we will task students with writing an essay of their own, about a topic of their choosing, which works to emulate those strategies they identify as effective, and which strives to achieve honesty and authenticity. Important to note is that this module must be the first taken within the Div. II Humanities offerings, and it can be assigned as either History or Literature in a student’s plan to complete either of the two halves of Humanities for the year.
Heart of Darkness & Apocalypse Now
This course is open to any Div III student ready to work with a complex, rewarding literary text and who are eager to examine how literary works connect to historical and current events. Summatives are most likely to be writing based, but may present opportunities for alternative projects. It will include a short course of film study with the accompanying text, Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola.
Images Tell Stories
With a focus on building writing skills and practicing presentation, students will examine how visual art tells stories, and how artists’ choices guide what we see and understand.
Macbeth
Study of this play will exercise reading comprehension and culminate in a written response. We will experience a film of the play. This course will work on any level, either to introduce students to Shakespeare’s craftsmanship, or help those already familiar with the play appreciate the depth and complexity of the text even more.
Othello
Study of this play will exercise reading comprehension and culminate in a written response. We will experience a film of the play. This course will be most rich for students already well acquainted with Shakespearean text, or who are ready to step up to the challenge of a long, intricately devised drama. It is recommended students take the Literature: Macbeth module prior to this one.
Social Studies & History
Advanced World Religion
This module is open to any 10th, 11th, and 12th grader with permission from their current history teacher. interested in an intensive dive into the study of religion. We will examine why humans created religion, as well as what exactly defines religion. We will look into the history of monotheism focusing on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and why these religions developed in the times and places that they did. ​This module will survey the holy texts of the three monotheistic religions and compare their belief structures and literary themes. We will also discuss the basic belief structures of each of the main monotheistic religions and the influence that these beliefs have had on the creation of our modern society.
Borderlands
The borders and walls of our world define us and describe its geography. This module will focus specifically on some of the most divisive walls and borders in an effort to understand how both physical and imagined walls and borders are a product of history and geography AND shape culture, politics, individual people and global relationships. This class will use primary sources, news articles, poetry art, and personal accounts of the borderland experience. As a class we will examine the border between Israel and Palestine, Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the United States and Mexico. The final summative for this module is still in development.
Genocide Studies
Genocides, which are the deliberate killing of a nation, ethnicity or group of people, are both often predictable and preventable. And yet they continue to happen. This module will begin with an examination of the stages of genocide. Students will then be broken into smaller groups that will each explore a different genocide including the Armenian Genocide, the Rwandan Genocide, the Guatemalan Civil War and the removal of the Rohingya Muslims. The course will commence is students teaching each other about their assigned genocide with specific focus given to the healing process post genocide and how we might avoid genocide in the future.
Geopolitics
Geopolitics explores the relationship between geography and international politics, positions of power and relationships. Using current events and case studies from history, the course will explore global alliances and conflict, international trade relationships, access to resources. This course will focus heavily on the relationship between geography and their impact on global relationships. Projects might include creating maps, solving real life problems through and writing blog posts.
Global Issues and Events
The goal of this course is to expose students to the issues that are currently happening globally. We will ultimately combine the skills of source analysis and research to create our own news broadcast. This course will begin by exploring the different ways global issues are discussed and portrayed by the media. Ultimately the class will select a few current events to focus on and learn about for the duration of the module. The course will end in students applying their skills of media literacy and knowledge about the selected topics to create and film their own news broadcast.
Migration and the Movement of People
Migration is an integral part of the human story. In this module we will examine the reasons for migration through history and into the present. Students will understand the differences between migrants and refugees and the various ways that countries respond to an influx of these individuals . The module will end with students working collaboratively to develop a problem related to migration that needs to be solved. Students will then represent different countries that need to respond and react to that situation.
Propaganda: Then and Now
Critical thinking about propaganda and understanding propaganda’s intent are crucial responsibilities of citizenship. This module will provide students with the skills to recognize and respond to propaganda. Though this course will focus mostly on primary sources from WWI and WWII, students will also examine different definitions of propaganda and explore how to find propaganda in news, advertising, public relations, entertainment, advocacy and education. We will also explore the importance of context in critically analyzing contemporary propaganda and examine the ethics of propaganda. The module will end in students compiling a collection of propaganda that they find in their own community.
Communism versus Capitalism
This module will focus on the history of US international politics from the end of WWII and to the beginning of the War in Iraq. During the history survey, we will look primarily at the differences between capitalism, communism, and what conflicts between these two ideologies have created. We will examine the rise of the Cold War and the after effects it had on US international policy leading to the world we live in today.
Introduction to Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of human societies and cultures and their development. This module will focus on how to accurately and respectfully learn about other cultures. We will explore various different cultures looking at the similarities and differences when compared with our own. We will then turn this examination on our modern American culture and look at what assumptions we make given where we are coming from. The module will culminate in a research project into a foreign culture or an American sub culture, their traditions, and unwritten rules.
Oral History
This module will look at your own family history, tracing your roots back to your early ancestors. We will explore what it means to be a part of your family and what traditions you all hold. Some traditions are based on culture and where people are from and others are newer and based on modern experiences. By examining your personal experiences with tradition, culture, and family you will gain a deeper understanding of why we as humans desire these things. This module will culminate in you doing an oral history project with a member of your own family or cultural background and sharing your experiences of being the interviewer with the school.
Poverty & Prosperity in France
This unit will center around an excerpt from Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo and what it means to be rich or poor in historical and modern France. The final project will incorporate photojournalism as students learn to express concepts of equality and justice.
Science
METHODS IN SCIENCE
Methods: Investigations & Essential Experimental Skills
This 9th grade offering coaches fundamental skills for experimental science which include: measurement and data collection, spreadsheet and graphing software use, and planning/executing experiments. Students will be assessed on their timeliness for completing the practice assignments and also on their ability to apply the skills they practiced through two experiments.
Methods: Investigations & Statistics for Scientists
Building upon the concepts of Investigations 1, this course introduces students to more standard and rigorous methods for analyzing experimental data that students will continue to use in science courses and potentially beyond. This will include a basic knowledge of how and when to apply common statistical measures (primarily the mean, standard deviation, and standard error) and also how errors are propagated in calculations for the purposes of testing models and making predictions. Students will be assessed on their timeliness for completing the practice assignments and also on their ability to apply the skills they practiced through two experiments. Some of the data analysis skills taught in this course require students to apply ratios, decimals, percents, and utilize algebraic operations (addition/subtraction, multiplication/division, powers/roots) for multi step calculations. Students who have not yet developed these skills may require additional practice during the course.
Methods: Modeling in Science
An introduction to modeling in science for 9th grade students. The modeling will focus on important concepts of chemistry that are central to the study of this subject in high school. Students in this class will look at phenomena important in understanding temperature and pressure.
Methods: Science Communication
In this Methods module, students will practice extracting information from secondary source documents and communicating complex scientific concepts to a broader audience. The content of the course will focus on the human brain and how current brain science relates to our everyday lives. The module will conclude by having students construct an argument related to a societal rule or norm to answer the question: Should this societal rule change to reflect what we know about adolescent brain science? This module will cover introductory content, focused heavily on research and communicating skills, and is geared toward Division 2 students.
BIOLOGY
Bio 1: Body Systems
In Biology 1, students will examine how body systems within complex organisms interact to maintain homeostasis. Students will investigate the structures and functions of the human body, analyze similarities and differences of body systems among different organisms, and model systems interactions for functions such as muscle movement, reflex and voluntary action, and respiration. This module includes introductory content in biology and is geared toward Division 2 students.
Bio 2: Biomolecules
Biology 2 provides students the opportunity to explore the macromolecules that make up all living organisms. In this module, students will take a deep dive into the chemical structure and primary functions of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. They will also learn how these biomolecules connect to the food we eat. The module will conclude with students investigating a nutrition related topic of their choice and communicating their findings to their peers. This module includes introductory content in biology and is geared toward Division 2 students.
Bio 3: Cells and Energy
In Biology 3, students explore the two biochemical processes that are essential to life on Earth: photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Students will conduct investigations, analyze data and create models to learn about how organisms get the energy they need to grow and survive. This module includes introductory content in biology and is available to students who have completed Biology 1 and Biology 2.
Bio 4: Modern Biology: DNA
During Biology 4, students will learn about DNA in the context of COVID 19. The first part of the module will focus on molecular structure and function, protein synthesis and different types of DNA mutations. Students will then apply that knowledge to SARS CoV 2 (the virus that causes COVID 19) by answering questions such as: How does a mRNA vaccine work? and, what are variants of SARS CoV 2? This module is designed to transition students from introductory content in Biology to more advanced concepts and is open to students who have taken Biology 1, 2 and 3.
Bio 5: Modern Biology: Genetics
Biology 5 explores the question: How do organisms get their traits? To find the answer, students will begin by reviewing DNA functioning, meiosis, and Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance. They will then learn about more complex ways that traits are passed from parent to offspring and how to predict traits through multiple generations. Students will conclude their inquiry by researching genetic disorders that affect human populations. This module covers advanced content in biology and is geared toward Division 3 students who have completed Biology modules 1 4.
Bio 6: Modern Biology: Evolution
Biology 6 focuses on the processes of evolution and the patterns generated by these processes. The goal of this course is to foster a scientific way of thinking about biological diversity rather than attempting to memorize the history of living things. Students will explore concepts such as natural selection, fitness and adaptation, modes of speciation, and systematic biology to help them create logical explanations for questions such as: How can we account for the extinction of dinosaurs and the existence of mites that crawl around our eyelids? How did some insects come to look so much like sticks? And, why are there so many different types of birds? This module covers advanced content in biology and is geared toward Division 3 students who have completed Biology modules 1 4.
CHEMISTRY
Chem: Combustion
This class looks at the important chemical reaction combustion and the role it’s products play in Earth’s changing climate. The main topics in this class are molar mass, balancing chemical equations and stoichiometry, all major topics that are needed to study advanced concepts in chemistry. This class is best suited for students who plan to go to college and study a science and students who are interested in climate change.
Chem: Fundamental Forces of Nature
Electricity is central to human’s every day existence. The central theme of this class is what is electricity? The forces in an atom are central to electricity generation in more ways than one and one of the particles in an atom are central to this form of energy. Students in this class will explore the atom, how it is organized and ordered in the periodic table. This class will build on the modeling skills from Methods: Modeling in Science.
Chem: Science and Photography
In this class students will use the science of photography to explore concepts of chemical bonding. The major topic is to produce black and white pictures using a pin hole camera. Students build the camera and process the images in order to investigate how light and chemical compounds form images. The class is best suited for any student.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Environmental Science : Carbon
The carbon cycle is central to understanding climate change and the impacts of human contributions to carbon in the atmosphere. This class is split between developing a students understanding of the carbon cycle using a simple game and measuring the biomass of storage of carbon in trees. The latter can be estimated with calculations from measurement of a tree’s diameter. The class is best suited for students who like to work independently in the woods and who are interested in humans’ impact on natural environments.
Environmental Science: Forest
Healthy forests provide many products and services that are important to all organisms. Using TSA property students will learn the skills needed to quickly assess forest health using a series of benchmarks provided by Vermont Family Farms. This class takes place in the woods adjacent to the High School and provides students with the opportunity to develop technical writing skills, collect and analyze data. This class is best suited for students who like to work outside and think about the impacts that humans have on the planet.
Environmental Science: Stream
Rivers and streams provide many functions in the natural world. This course focuses on how to evaluate a stream in terms of its land and water quality. This class is best suited to students who like to understanding and think about the natural world and the impacts that humans have on it.
PHYSICS
Physics I: Kinematics
Kinematics is the study of motion and, in particular, the study of the interrelationship between position, velocity, and acceleration. It is typically the first topic covered in physics courses because the concepts of kinematics are needed for more advanced topics about motion. In this course students will learn the mathematics of how to describe motion with uniform acceleration with the end goal of understanding and applying Galileo’s model of projectile motion. The course is experimentally focused with an end of term project in which students will build tennis ball launchers that will be used as part of a simulation of global armed aggression. Students enrolling in this course should be competent with their algebra skills. Students will frequently need to manipulate and solve linear and quadratic equations, including applying the quadratic formula.
Physics I: Origins of Physics
In this course students will learn about how problems in astronomy led to the development of physics. We will cover ancient theories of the cosmos and how these theories came to be challenged and replaced starting in the 17th century. This information provides the context and motivation behind topics covered in the other physics courses. Students enrolling in this module should be confident readers and competent with the algebraic skills of manipulating and solving linear equations and ratios.
Physics II: Geometrical Optics
Geometrical Optics utilizes the ray model of light to explain, predict, and design optical systems for which the wave nature of light has negligible effects. In this module students will learn how to apply the ray model of light to situations that involve refraction at planar surfaces, a simple analysis of rainbow formation, refraction at spherical surfaces, and an analysis of lenses and lens systems. This is a lab based course. Students enrolling in this module should be familiar with the basic trigonometric functions and their inverses and also be skilled at manipulating and solving rational algebraic equations.
Physics II: Newton’s Laws of Motion
Newton’s laws of motion are the foundation of classical physics (all physics up to about the 20th century). This module provides detailed instruction on both the concepts and mathematics needed to apply these laws. Depending on the available time and student interest we may also be able to cover Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation which would tie together kinematics and astronomy from Physics I modules, or the basics of using calculus to apply Newton’s laws which would allows us to tackle more interesting situations like rocket motion and drag forces. Students interested in pursuing any type of science (including medicine) or math after high school are encouraged to take this module because physics is a requirement for a wide variety of college majors.
Math
Algebra
Pre-Alg: Concrete Math
Topics include: rational numbers, fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions, and percents. This course is meant for students who need to develop fluency in operations on rational numbers in order to prepare for Algebra 1.
Alg 1: Abstract Thinking
Topics Include : Variables, Expressions, Linear Equations, Inverse Operations, Inequalities, Systems of Equations. Students will learn to abstract and solve equations with precision.
Alg 1: Linear and Exponential Functions
Topics include : Lines, Rate of Change, Graphing, Linear Regressions, exponents, exponential growth, function notation. In this module students will start applying math to model real world behavior.
Alg 2: Conics Sections
Topics include: the distance formula, locus, cts, transformations. Students will model orbits, and other instances of conic sections.
Alg 2: Linear Algebra
In this course student will learn to use Matrices to analyze real world problems, and examine other applications of linear algebra such as computer graphic processing.
Alg 2: Quadratic Functions
Topics include : Quadratics factoring, cts, QF, irrational numbers. Students will take their algebraic manipulations skills to the next level. Focus will include abstracting and solving real world problems, as well as developing more precise communication.
GEOMETRY
Discovering Geometry Part 1
This is the first module in a three part series for a full high school course in geometry. This introductory module introduces students to the fundamentals required to complete the remainder of the course. We’ll cover properties of lines and angles, how to use the tools of geometry to make constructions, then use this knowledge to discover properties of triangles. The Discovering Geometry curriculum is interactive and hands on. Students will be able to work individually and in small groups to investigate topical questions to build their intuition before being asked to apply their knowledge. This module will also build up the skills needed to construct mathematical proofs which will be expanded upon in subsequent modules. Students entering this module should be comfortable with Algebra I skills.
Discovering Geometry Part II
This is the second module of a three module sequence for a full course in high school geometry. In this module we will apply the tools and knowledge from the first module to discover and prove polygon properties, similarity and proportion, areas of planar and solid figures, and, time permitting, transformations and tessellations.
Discovering Geometry Part III
This module wraps up the full course in high school geometry. Topics covered in this final module include discovering and proving properties of circles, the Pythagorean Theorem, volume, and geometry as a mathematical system.
CALCULUS
Pre Calc: Functions & Models II
Working with exponents, logarithms, and logistic functions, we will model population, Starbucks, COVID, forensics and more. This course requires Algebra 2 skills.
Pre Calc: Rational Expressions and Limits
Division by zero was illegal, until now. But, what is zero divided by zero? Well, it depends on what’s making those zeros. We will work with variables in rational expressions and develop a sense of the limit to be able to examine zero and infinity. Algebra 2 skills are required.
Pre Calc: Trigonometry
How should you angle a stationary solar panel to maximize the energy generated throughout the year? What angle should a projectile be fired from a complicated mechanism like a trebuchet? We will work from right triangle trigonometry “SOH CAH TOA” to sophisticated models and trigonometric identities. Algebra 2 skills are required.
Pre Calc: Trigonometry & Astronomical Applications
This module explores trigonometry through its original application: astronomy. We will learn about the problems that early astronomers were trying to solve and then tackle them with the tools of modern trigonometry. These problems will include question like: How big is the earth? How far away is the sun? If time permits we may have the opportunity to cover some spherical trigonometry which, when combined with an orbital model would allow us to answer more complex questions like: where will the sun rise on X date? Students entering this module should have facility with ratios, solving equations, and properties of triangles.
Calc: Limits and Intro to Derivatives
What do instantaneous velocity and roller coasters have in common? Slope of course. We will introduce the concept of the derivative through designing roller coasters on Desmos. Precalculus skills are required.
INTRO TO STATISTICS
Stats: Data Visualization
Want to convince someone with a single glance? Data visualizations that convey meaning in a moment can be powerful and persuasive. We will learn to work with a powerful industry standard tool: Tableau, to build data visualizations that convey meaning. Requires Intro to Stats previous modules.
Stats: Is there a Difference? Describing Data
How sexually active are teenagers? Are teenage girls better drivers than teenage boys? Has the change in “Stop and Frisk” policing in NYC reduced racial targeting? You will develop an important question and work through how to make the data you gather (or find) meaningful. Algebra 2 skills or at least Algebra 1:Quadratics skills required.
Stats: Probability and Statistics
Probability ties into predictions: Do you want to build a better March Madness bracket? How can we predict the outcome for two teams who have not played each other? Probability and statistics also tie into making inferences: How can polls predict elections? How many people do you have to ask to have your results matter? We will work through probability and statistics skills for addressing these real world applications and see if we can improve our brackets on the way. Algebra 2 skills required.
Stats / Methods: Investigations & Statistics for Scientists
Building upon the concepts of Investigations 1, this course introduces students to more standard and rigorous methods for analyzing experimental data that students will continue to use in science courses and potentially beyond. This will include a basic knowledge of how and when to apply common statistical measures (primarily the mean, standard deviation, and standard error) and also how errors are propagated in calculations for the purposes of testing models and making predictions. Students will be assessed on their timeliness for completing the practice assignments and also on their ability to apply the skills they practiced through two experiments. Some of the data analysis skills taught in this course require students to apply ratios, decimals, percents, and utilize algebraic operations (addition/subtraction, multiplication/division, powers/roots) for multi step calculations. Students who have not yet developed these skills may require additional practice during the course.
STEM MATH
Computer Science
An introduction to coding for beginners, focused on learning basic programming skills with an emphasis on using code as a tool for problem solving.
Intro to Engineering Design
Students will learn prototyping, revision process and failure, evaluation of design, and independent problem solving. Each student will have the opportunity to design their own project from the ground up.
Spanish
Spanish: Novice
Environmental Issues in Central America
This course is best suited for high novice or low intermediate level students. Students will be reading “Robo en la Noche” a novel about bird thieves in Costa Rica. Students will also be focusing on intermediate level grammatical concepts such as the preterite and imperfect tenses. For their final project, students will research an environmental issue in Latin America and create a poster and presentation about that issue.
March Music Madness!
Description coming soon
Intro to Spanish A
This is an introductory course designed for students who have never taken Spanish before. This is also appropriate for students who have struggled with Spanish and would like a fresh start.
Intro to Spanish B
This is appropriate for beginning Spanish students who have taken their first module.
Intro to Spanish D
This is a course for Spanish Novice 2 students. Students will be learning high Novice level grammar and vocabulary in a project based format. Students should sign up for this course if they successfully completed Spanish Novice this year.
Intro to Spanish E
This is appropriate for beginning Spanish students who have taken their first module.
The Immigrant’s Journey
This module is best suited for high novice and low intermediate Spanish students. In this module, students will learn about immigration, from the factors that cause immigration to the day to day aspects of an immigrant’s journey from Guatemala to Los Angeles. The class will read a novel based on the true story of a family of immigrants. The students will also focus on high novice and low intermediate grammar skills, such as object pronouns and the preterite and imperfect tenses. The final product from this course will be a creative writing piece and a role play immigration interview.
Spanish: Intermediate
Environmental Issues in Latin America
This course is best suited for high novice or low intermediate level students. Students will be reading “Robo en la Noche” a novel about bird thieves in Costa Rica. Students will also be focusing on intermediate level grammatical concepts such as the preterite and imperfect tenses. For their final project, students will research an environmental issue in Latin America and create a poster and presentation about that issue.
Art, Identity, and the Chicano experience
This course is appropriate for high intermediate level Spanish students. In this module, we will explore how art and identity interact, especially through the lens of the Chicano experience. We will read either La Calaca Alegre, a mystery novel about a disappeared woman in Chicago, or Selena, a story about the life of the famous singer. We will also delve into high intermediate level grammar, such as the subjunctive mood and the future and conditional tenses. The final project for this module will be to create a piece of art that represents your identity and participate in a “gallery day” whereby students talk to each other about the art.
Dictatorship + Resistance
This Spanish course is appropriate for high intermediate and low advanced level Spanish students. The course will focus on a reader called “Minerva” which chronicles the true story of Minerva Mirabal and her sisters as they resist the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. This course will also focus on intermediate level grammar and vocabulary, focusing specifically on perfect tenses, and the future and conditional tenses. Student’s final project will include independent research and writing about dictatorship and resistance in another Spanish speaking country.
March Music Madness!
Description coming soon
Soccer, Mythology, and Music in Latin America
During this module, students will read “La Llorona de Mazatlán,” a story about a teenage girl who goes to soccer camp in Mexico. The book includes a study of Mexican mythology. Students will also explore the role of music and the World Cup in Latin American society and will complete a final project whereby they analyze and review a song about soccer and present their findings to the class. Grammatically, students will continue to focus on different past tenses during this module.
The Immigrant’s Journey
This module is best suited for high novice and low intermediate Spanish students. In this module, students will learn about immigration, from the factors that cause immigration to the day to day aspects of an immigrant’s journey from Guatemala to Los Angeles. The class will read a novel based on the true story of a family of immigrants. The students will also focus on high novice and low intermediate grammar skills, such as object pronouns and the preterite and imperfect tenses. The final product from this course will be a creative writing piece and a role play immigration interview.
Spanish Advanced
Contemporary Issues & Culture in Latin America
This course is appropriate for advanced Spanish students. In this module, we will learn together about contemporary issues in Latin America or Spain, depending on student interest. Students will drive which issues are studied, and how. Discussion will be a prominent focus in this class. Final projects might include a class debate and/or a presentation about an event in another country.
Immigrants in New England
This course is appropriate for advanced Spanish students. In this module, we will meet some immigrants who live in Vermont, speak with them in Spanish, and learn more about their experiences in arriving here. Students will end this module by creating a short movie or podcast about the experience of someone they met in this course. Students will also read literature and news articles and watch clips about contemporary immigration issues in the US.
Latin American Literature
This course is appropriate for advanced Spanish students. It will explore 20th century Latin American literature, such as short stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Juan Rulfo, and Horacio Quiroga, novel excerpts by Isabel Allende, and poetry by Pablo Neruda. This class will also focus on advanced grammar skills and academic writing in Spanish. The final product will include an analytical essay written in Spanish, and an independent analysis of a poem or story fragment. This module will help prepare students for college level Spanish.
March Music Madness!
Description coming soon
French
French Novice
French Novice: Colonization
This is an introductory module designed for students who have little to no experience in French or who have struggled at the Novice level and would like a fresh start. We will explore the historical and modern implications of French colonization in Africa, the Caribbean, and French Polynesia. The focus of this module will be building competency in basic French sentences as well as describing people and basic French verb tenses. The final project will be a Pirates Connections project.
French Culture
This is a higher level Novice module that students can access after successfully completing French Novice 1 or at least two introductory Novice 1 modules. We will explore French life and culture through podcasts, news, websites, and other sources. We will read Nuits Mystérieuse à Lyon and talk about holidays, food, and traditions.
March Music Madness!
This module is appropriate for any student who has successfully completed a French Novice 1 module. It will take place in March and we will explore the world of French music in a March Madness style playoff between current songs from around the French speaking world.
Paris
This is a higher level Novice module that students can access after successfully completing French Novice 1 or at least two introductory Novice 1 modules. We will explore Paris virtually: the geography, tourists attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, museums, cafés, and architecture. We will explore Parisien history and royalty, and we will touch on the French Revolution, as we read a story about le collier (the necklace) of Marie Antoinette.
Travel
This is a higher level Novice module that students can access after successfully completing French Novice 1 or at least two introductory Novice 1 modules. We will discuss vacations, travel, and leisure activities, and introduce the past tense through a short story entitled “Problèmes au Paradis”
Who Am I?
This is an introductory module designed for students who have little to no experience in French or who have struggled at the Novice level and would like a fresh start. We will build a family tree; explore vocabulary about school, hobbies, and daily life; learn how to describe people; read a short story called “Le Nouvel Houdini”; and watch a movie called “Être et avoir”. The final project will be ‘A day in the life’ where students present a character they have developed.
French Intermediate
Cameroun
This module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed French Novice 2, or French Novice 1 at a B+ or higher. In this unit we will talk about the former French colony of Cameroun as well as discuss poaching issues, animals, capitalism, and the black market. We will read a story about bird poaching entitled Le Vol des Oiseaux. Students will create a brochure advocating for a cause of their choice.
French Feminism
This module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed at least one French Intermediate module successfully. We will explore the birth of feminism in France, including the writings of Olympe de Gouges and Charles Fourier.
March Music Madness!
This module is appropriate for any student who has successfully completed French Novice 1 or higher (or at least two French Novice 1 modules). It will take place in March and we will explore the world of French music in a March Madness style playoff between current songs from around the French speaking world.
Paris
This intermediate module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed French Novice 1 or French Novice 2. We will explore Paris virtually: the geography, tourists attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, museums, cafés, and architecture. We will explore Parisien history and royalty, and we will touch on the French Revolution, as we read a story about le collier (the necklace) of Marie Antoinette.
Telling Stories through Film
This module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed at least one French Intermediate level module. In this course, we will explore how French filmmakers evoke emotions. We will watch films such as Ma Vie En Rose, Amélie, and Au Revoir Les Enfants and discuss how the filmmakers use color, sound, and imagery to create their story. Note: some films are rated R. Parental permission required.
The Power of Myth
This module is appropriate for students who would like to challenge themselves in French, and have successfully completed French Novice 1 or French Novice 2. We will discuss the elements of the stories we tell ourselves about the meaning of life. We will read Le Petit Prince and students will design a myth or story based on their personal values and interests.
Travel
This intermediate module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed French Novice 1 or French Novice 2. We will discuss vacations, travel, and leisure activities, and introduce the past tense through a short story entitled “Problèmes au Paradis”.
French Advanced:
Comedic Theatre
This module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed at least two French Intermediate modules successfully. Students who select this course will learn short scenes and skits that they will perform in class. One such scene is a vaudeville piece entitled “L’Anglais tel qu’on le parle.”
French Civil Rights
This module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed at least two French Intermediate modules successfully. In this module, we will discuss the US and the Civil Rights movement, discrimination, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. We will read the true life story of Felipe Alou, a Dominican baseball player who came to the US from the Caribbean in the 1950s, and the discrimination he faced.
French Feminism
This module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed at least two French Intermediate modules successfully. We will explore the birth of feminism in France, including the writings of Olympe de Gouges and Charles Fourier.
March Music Madness!
This module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed at least two French Intermediate modules successfully. It will take place in March and we will explore the world of French music in a March Madness style playoff between current songs from around the French speaking world.
Poverty & Prosperity
This module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed at least two modules at the Intermediate level. This unit will center around an excerpt from Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo and what it means to be rich or poor in historical and modern France. The final project will incorporate photojournalism as students learn to express concepts of equality and justice.
Surrealism
This module is appropriate for students who have successfully completed at least two French Intermediate modules successfully. In this module, we will read a short story entitled Le Passe Muraille as we explore the concepts of surrealism. We will also talk about the art and poetry of the surrealist movement (Examples include André Breton, Rene Magritte, and Paul Eluard.)
The French Republic
Second semester only: This module is for students who have successfully completed at least one module at the intermediate level. We will explore the founding of the French Republic and explore themes of justice, mercy, jealousy, and revenge.