UPPER SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE 2021-2022
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UPPER SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE
2021-2022
Table of Contents
General Information Mathematics
1 33
SSFS Upper School Faculty and Staff ....................... 1 Algebra I ........................................................ 36
Graduation Credit Requirements ............................... 5 Integrated Geometry ........................................ 36
Course Load Requirements ..................................... 6 Algebra II ........................................................ 36
Intersession Requirement .......................................... 6 Advanced Algebra II .......................................... 36
Community Service Requirement ............................. 7 Pre-Calculus ....................................................... 37
Academic Records ..................................................... 7 Advanced Pre-Calculus ...................................... 37
Advice from College Counseling .............................. 8 Calculus .......................................................... 37
Course Offering Changes (New Courses & Names) ... 9 AP Calculus AB ............................................... 37
AP Calculus BC ............................................... 38
English Finance With Applied Mathematics .......... 38
11 AP Statistics .................................................. 39
Ninth Grade English ............................................... 14 AP Computer Science A .................................. 40
Tenth Grade English ............................................. 14 Introduction to Computer Science ............. 40
AP English Language & Composition ....................... 15 iOS Applications Development ......................... 40
AP English Lit. & Comp. (British Literature) ............. 16
AP English Language & Lit. (Dramatic Literature) ...... 17 Science
American Immigrants I .......................................... 17 41
Critical Writing I .................................................. 18 Advanced Techniques in Fabrication & Design ... 44
Dystopian Literature I: The 20th Century Classics .... 18 Biology ............................................................ 44
Modern Voices in Short Fiction .............................. 18 Anatomy And Physiology ................................. 44
Poetry of Identity & Innovation ................. 19 Forensics ........................................................... 45
Race, Gender and Nationality I .............................. 19 Chemistry ........................................................ 45
World Literature I .................................................. 20 AP Chemistry .................................................. 45
Writing for Readers I: Poetry & Scriptwriting ....... 20 Physics ............................................................ 45
Writing Lab I ............................................................ 21 Physics 11/12 ................................................... 46
African-American Literature ...................................... 21 AP Physics C Mechanics .................................. 46
Critical Writing II ................................................... 21 AP Environmental Science ............................ 47
Dystopian Literature II: Modern Global Approach ... 22 Intro to Mechanical Engineering & Design ..... 47
American Immigrants II .......................................... 22 Bioethics .......................................................... 48
Magic Realism in Literature and Cinema ................ 22 Intro To Electrical Engineering & Design ........ 48
Race, Gender, and Nationality II ............................ 23 Farm to Table: The Science of Growing Our Food .. 48
World Literature II ................................................. 23
Writing for Readers II: Fiction & Creative Nonfiction ... 24
Writing Lab II .......................................................... 24
History
25
World History I: Ancient To Medieval ................... 28
World History II: Modern History .................. 28
U.S. History And Government ............................... 28
AP United States History ......................................... 29
AP Comparative Government & Politics ............... 29
African Studies I ....................................................... 30
Latin American Studies I .......................................... 30
Middle East Studies I .............................................. 30
African Studies II ..................................................... 31
Latin American Studies II ..................................... 31
Middle East Studies II ....................................... 31
Global Languages ESOL Courses
49 71
French Foundations ........................................... 52 Intermediate Academic English (ESOL) ............ 74
Intermediate French ........................................... 52 Advanced Literature & Composition (ESOL) .... 74
Pre-Advanced French .......................................... 52 World History I: Ancient to Medieval (ESOL) .... 75
Advanced French: Francophone Voices .............. 53 World History II: Modern (ESOL) .................. 75
AP French Language and Culture ......................... 53
Spanish Foundations ........................................... 54 Physical Activities & Sports
Intermediate Spanish .......................................... 54 77
Pre-Advanced Spanish .......................................... 54 Physical Education: Contemporary Dance ........... 79
Advanced Spanish: History & Culture ................ 55 Physical Education: Yoga ...................................... 79
Advanced Spanish: Communications & Culture .. 55 Physical Education: Rock Climbing ..................... 79
AP Spanish Language & Culture ...................... 55 Physical Education: Farming for Fitness .............. 80
Linguistics: The Scientific Study of Language ..... 56 Intramural Sports ................................................. 80
Language, Culture, & Identity I ...................... 56 Interscholastic Sports .......................................... 80
Language, Culture, & Identity II .................... 56
Internship Program
Arts 81
57 Internship Program Overview ............................. 83
Arts & Ideas ...................................................... 60
Contemporary Dance (Level 1-3) ..................... 60
Advanced Contemporary Dance .......................... 60
Handbells ............................................................ 60
Studio Art ........................................................... 61
Advanced Studio Art ......................................... 61
Weaving & Fiber Arts ........................................... 61
Acting ................................................................. 62
Ceramics ............................................................. 62
Woodworking ..................................................... 62
Stagecraft .............................................................. 62
The Voice: From Glee to Gospel ...................... 63
Yearbook & Digital Media Arts ........................ 63
TikTok to Television: Digital Music Production .... 64
Digital Photography ........................................... 64
Play Production ................................................... 64
Instrumental Music ............................................ 64
Musical Theater Production .............................. 65
Pit Band & Instrumental Music ........................ 65
Photography & Film ........................................... 65
Electives
67
Model U.N. .................................................... 69
Newspaper I/II: The Wildezine ...................... 70
General Information
Upper School Faculty & Staff, 2021-2022
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COLLEGE COUNSELING
Rodney Glasgow Candice Ashton
Head of School Associate Director of College Counseling
B.A. Harvard University, MA B.A. University of Maryland at College Park, MD
M.A. Columbia University, NY
Ph.D. George Washington University, DC Chris Miller
Director of College Counseling
Mónica Ruiz B.A. Oberlin College, OH
Assistant Head of School M.S.Ed University of Pennsylvania, PA
B.A. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, PR
M.A. Georgia State University, GA ADMISSIONS
Ph.D. University of Georgia, GA
Shamika Murray
Jonathan Oglesbee Associate Dir. of Admissions - Upper School
Head of Upper School B.A. Colby College, ME
B.M. Indiana University, IN M.A. Penn State University, PA
M.Div. Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, PA
BOARDING STAFF
Kwame Darko
Dean of Boarding Kwame Darko
B.S. Guilford College, NC Dean of Boarding
B.S. Guilford College, NC
Jim Gagne
Upper School Co-Dean of Students John Fahey
B.F.A. University of Hartford, CT Assistant Director of Boarding
M.Ed. University of Texas - Arlington, TX B.S. Endicott College, MA
Veronika Jiranova Alison Cheetham
Upper School Administrative Assistant Boarding Staff/Activities Coordinator
GNVQ Newcastle College, UK
Hannah Kerr ’95
Interim Upper School Assistant Head Khadijatu Rahim
B.F.A. Virginia Commonwealth University, VA Boarding Staff
M.F.A. George Washington University, DC B.A. Virginia State University, VA
M.Ed. Liberty University, VA
Shaakira Raheem
Upper School Co-Dean of Students
M.S. University of Pennsylvania, PA
Meredith Shankle
Upper School Program Coordinator and Registrar
B.L.S. Boston University, MA
2
Upper Faculty & Staff, 2021-2022
UPPER SCHOOL TEACHING FACULTY Alison Chernin
English, 9th Grade Dean
Keith Adams B.A. Brandeis University, MA
Arts (Music) M.A. Teacher's College, Columbia University, NY
B.A. McDaniel College, MD
M.M. Towson University, MD Cory Cloud
Mathematics
Julie Borsetti B.S. Florida State University
Arts (Visual and Performing Arts) M.S. Florida State University
B.A. Towson University, MD
M.A. University of Portland, OR Emmette Cox
Science
Debra Brewer B.S. The Citadel, SC
Mathemathics
B.S. Barton College, NC Hayes Davis
M.S. Texas A&M University, TX English
B.A. University of Pittsburgh, PA
Robert Broadrup M.F.A. University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Science
B.A. Haverford College, PA Ghislaine DeCock
M.A. Bryn Mawr College, PA English
Ph.D. Bryn Mawr College, PA B.A. Catholic University, Louvain
Degree of Licentiate, Catholic University, Louvain
Brian Brubaker
ESOL (Interim Dept. Head) Claire Donahue
B.A. Goshen College, IN History (Interim Department Head)
M.A. University of Pittsburgh, PA B.A. Loyola University, MD
Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh, PA M.A. American University, DC
Ruthie Calvino Mark Ehlers
History History
M.A. Clemson University, SC M.A. James Madison University, VA
Ph.D Louisiana State University, LA
Scott Carneal
English, 10th Grade Dean Rasha El-Haggan
B.A. Bowdoin College, ME English, History
Ed. M. Harvard University, MA B.A. University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
M.A. Johns Hopkins University, MD
Heather Carvell
English Patricia Gilbert
B.A. Denison University, OH Global Languages (French)
M.A. Fairleigh-Dickenson University, NJ B.A. University of Waterloo, ON
LL.B. University of Wester Ontario School of Law, ON
Allison Chang J.D. Villanova University School of Law, PA
History M.A. Rutgers University, NJ
B.A. University of Maryland – College Park M.A. Harvard University, MA
M.A. Columbia University, NY
General Information
Upper School Faculty & Staff, 2021-2022
Laura Heninger Kris Morse
English Arts
B.A. Stanford University, CA B.F.A. Corcoran College of Art and Design, DC
M.Phil. Trinity College, Ireland M.A.T. Maryland Institute College of Art, MD
M.A. University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Leah Niepold
David Hickson Spanish
Arts B.A. Hamilton College, NY
B.A. Oberlin College, OH M.A. Middlebury College, VT
M.Ed. Arcadia University, PA
Nancy O’Leary
Amy Isaacson Mathematics, 12th Grade Dean
Science B.A. College of Notre Dame, MD
B.A. Goucher College, MD M.Ed. Towson University, MD
M.Ed. Goucher College, MD
Eduardo Polón
Matthew Jones Global Languages (Spanish) (Department Head)
Global Languages B.A. Western Michigan University, MI
B.A. Baruch College, NY M.A. University of Maryland, MD
M.A. New York University, NY
M.S.Ed University of Pennsylvania, PA Steve Powers
Athletic Director
Carla Kenyon B.A. University of Maryland, MD
Mathematics
B.A. Wichita State University, KS Michelle Puhl-Price
M.Ed. Texas A&M University, KS Arts (Interim Dept. Head)
Ed.D. University of Phoenix B.S. Frostburg State University, MD
M.A. Boston University, MA
Hannah Kerr ’95
Arts
B.F.A. Virginia Commonwealth University, VA
M.F.A. George Washington University, DC
Steff Kerr ’89
Mathematics
B.A. Wesleyan University, CT
Shellie Marker
Arts
B.F.A. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL
M.A. George Washington University, DC
Ben McClellan
History
B.A. Hamilton College, NY
Leslie McDonald
Math (Department Head)
B.S. University of Virginia, VA
M.Ed. George Mason University, VA
4
Upper School Faculty & Staff, 2021-2022
Anne Pulju STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
English (Department Head)
B.A. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA Beatrice Adewole
M.A. Northwestern University, IL Upper School Counselor
Ph.D. Northwestern University, IL B.A. Brandeis University, MA
M.S.W. Rutgers University, NJ
Rebecca Sachs M.Ed. The College of New Jersey, NJ
ESOL
B.A. Boston University, MA Ebe Behnia
M.A. Michigan State University, MI Learning Specialist
Ph.D. Georgetown University, DC B.A. American University, DC
M.A. George Washington University, DC
Dana Scott Ed.D. George Washington University, DC
Arts (Music)
B.Mus. Peabody Conservatory, MD Elizabeth Billett
M.Mus. New England Conservatory of Music, MA Upper School Counselor
B.A. Bucknell University, PA
Tim Shelton M.A. Syracuse University, NY
Science M.Ed. George Mason University, DC
B.S. University of Maryland, MD
Lisa Dyer
Michael Tornabene Registered Nurse
Science, 11th Grade Dean B.A. Sheffield School of Nursing and Midwifery
B.A. Saint Mary’s College of Maryland
M.S Towson University, MD Shannon Needham
Learning Specialist
Elizabeth Traini B.A. College of Notre Dame, MD
Global Languages (Spanish)
Law Degree, Catholic University of Bolivia Andrea Strom
Registered Nurse
Barbara von Salis B.S. University of Maryland, MD
History B.S. Appalachian State University, NC
B.A. Smith College, MA
M.Ed Hunter College, NY
TECHNOLOGY/INQUIRY GUIDES
Demetri Orlando
Director of Technology
B.A. Hamilton College, NY
B.S. Fitchburg State College, MA
M.S. Johns Hopkins University, MD
Sara Oestreich
Director of Inquiry Guides
B.A. Miami University, OH
M.S.LIS Simmons College, MA
General Information
Graduation Credit Requirements
To be eligible for graduation from Sandy Spring Friends School, a student must meet all of the following requirements in the
Upper School. Students must complete a minimum of 21 credits to include the following:
• Successful completion of four (4) credits of English, with English taken each semester
• 9th and 10th Grade English
• 11th and 12th – Elective Courses
• Successful completion of three (3) credits of History, including one year of U.S. History
• World History I or equivalent
• World History II or equivalent
• 11th or 12th grade – U.S. History required
• Successful completion of three (3) credits of Mathematics in the Upper School, including Algebra II
• Student placement is made by the Mathematics Department.
• Students must complete the math progression through Algebra II at a minimum.
• Successful completion of three (3) credits of Science
• One credit each of a biological lab science and a physical lab science
• Successful completion of three (3) credits of Global Language during high school
• Student placement is made by the Global Languages Department.
• Students must receive a grade of C- (69.5%) or better to advance to the next level of foreign language, unless
proof of additional satisfactory work (e.g. summer school) is submitted for validation.
• The Global Language requirement is waived for international students for whom English is an additional
language. These students must take either two semesters of Language, Culture and Identity or one year of
Linguistics. International students are also welcome to elect from the Global Language department’s course
offerings.
• Successful completion of three (3) credits of Arts, including one year of Arts & Ideas in 10th-12th Grade
• Successful completion of at least one (1) additional credit in one of the academic subjects in addition to the minimum
requirement.
• Successful completion of Physical Education or Athletics each year as follows:
• 9th & 10th Grade: 2 physical activities
• 11th & 12th Grade: 1 physical activity
• Successful completion of Quakerism or its equivalent for students entering in the 10th – 12th grades. For students enter-
ing the Upper School in ninth grade, the Quakerism requirement is fulfilled as part of the 9th Grade Program.
6
Course Load Requirements
• Five Academic Courses: Each student is to carry a minimum load of five academic course loads each year enrolled in the
Upper School. One of those must be in the English department.
• AP Load Requiement: 11th and 12th Grade Students: Students in 11th and 12th grade must have approval from the
Academic Dean to take 4 or more AP courses in the same school year. Students are strongly encouraged to limit their AP
courses to no more than three.
Intersession Requirement
Intersession is a one- to two week period in the spring in which the School’s normal routine is interrupted so that all students
and faculty can participate in special projects. All Upper School students are required to participate each year. Intersession
projects might involve community service, physical activity, arts activity, cultural or informational trips. Costs are not included
in the tuition and range from $100 to more than $2,000. Students must participate in at least one Service Intersession during
their enrollment.
General Information Community Service Requirement The purpose of the Community Service Program at Sandy Spring Friends School is to respond to the needs of others and to thereby enrich the school community and the lives of its members. Every Upper School student is expected to perform com- munity service for the broader community as well as service to the School. Community service graduation requirement hours by year/semester of entry at SSFS are as follows: Grade/Semester of Entry Community Service Hours Needed 9th/Semester 1 100 9th/Semester 2 89 10th/Semester 1 82.5 10th/Semester 2 70 11th/Semester 1 60 11th/Semester 2 48 12th/Semester 1 45 Only community service hours earned in the summer prior to 9th grade and through Upper School may count toward the graduation requirement. The community service requirement must be completed by the end of the first semester of a student’s senior year. In addition, one service Intersession must be completed prior to graduation. Additional details about community service may be found in the Community Handbook. Academic Records from Other Educational Institutions Courses that are taken at educational institutions outside of SSFS are only recorded in the "notes" section of SSFS transcripts. An original transcript(s) from the institution is attached to the SSFS transcript. Copies of all high school transcripts are for- warded to transfer schools, colleges, and universities. Students may earn a maximum of two (2) credits in separate departments at an accredited educational institution outside SSFS after matriculating at SSFS. The Upper School Head approves all credit transfer requests. Students participating in a semester abroad are exempted from this limitation. An original transcript(s) of courses taken outside SSFS is attached to the student’s SSFS transcript. The cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated based on grades earned in courses taken at SSFS. The GPA will in- clude grades from courses that have been transferred to fulfill graduation requirements. Grades earned for courses not fulfilling the graduation requirement are not calculated into the cumulative GPA.
8 Advice From College Counseling SSFS is an academically rigorous institution and is highly regarded among colleges and universities. Colleges will evaluate the degree to which students took advantage of their education here and how it fits with the mission and goals of their specific institution. All colleges have varying degrees of selectivity—some admit less than 10% of its applicants while others admit more than 80% of those who apply. Nevertheless, regardless of the level of selectivity of the college, the most important piece of information they will use in their evaluation is the student’s academic record, or transcript. Course selection decisions should always center on the interests and needs of the student. Rather than choose courses that they think colleges want them to take, students should choose the courses that interest and appropriately challenge them, and in which they will find academic success. Although SSFS graduation requirements prepare students for admission and success at most colleges, our minimum graduation requirements may not make students competitive for all colleges in the admissions process. Selective colleges expect its most competitive applicants to have: • 4 years of English • 4 years of Mathematics • 3–4 years of Biological and Physical Science • 3–4 years of History and Social Science • 3–4 years of Global Language study Students also need to make sure that they meet the criteria for any special programs at the school to which they are applying. If students are interested in architecture or attending an art school (visual or performing), what range and levels of art classes have they completed? If students are interested in engineering, are they on track to take AP Calculus and AP Physics? In any case, students should work closely with their advisor and the college counseling office to come up with the best plan for them.
General Information
Students should be encouraged to make their own choices and pursue challenges where they are both appropriate and inspiring
to the individual student. Colleges appreciate risk taking, but students need to take ownership of their choices and rise to the
challenge. It is also important to understand that within the SSFS curriculum, logistically, students may actually need to make
choices. There might be times when, due to a scheduling conflict or availability of a course, students are unable to take their
first choice of a class. When this happens, please note the issue for further discussion with the college counseling office. Col-
leges know that these conflicts happen, especially in small independent schools like ours.
Deciding to Take Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
Colleges like to see students challenge themselves with AP courses but they also understand and value the rigor of the SSFS col-
lege-preparatory curriculum. Still, AP courses will only strengthen a college application if you perform well in them. Further-
more, earning a B in an AP course can be better than earning an A in a non-AP course, but keep in mind that many students
who apply and are admitted to highly selective schools have earned A’s in AP courses. However, students should never feel pres-
sure to take an AP class just for the sake of it, and they should enroll in the classes that are most appropriate for their strengths
and interests. It doesn’t make sense nor will it help to overwhelm a student by earning C’s and D’s in any course.
Certain AP classes may only be pursued after taking the introductory course in that discipline, whereas students might choose
between the standard level and AP level. For example, students may take AP Chemistry only after completing a full year of
Chemistry, but students will choose or be recommended to take US History or AP US History.
It is also important to recognize that students in 11th and 12th grades cannot take more than 4 AP courses per year without
approval from the Academic Dean. In addition, if you take an AP course at SSFS, you will be required to also take the AP
exam in May as colleges will be interested in seeing your score on the exam.
Curriculum Changes 2021-2022
As we look to improve our curriculum each year, we have made some changes to our course offerings and course sequences.
The below is a summary of some of the larger changes we’ve made going into 2021-2022:
• Credit Calculation for PE & Athletic offerings, MUN, and Wildezine:
• We have updated the way we calculate credit for our PE offerings and other electives such as MUN and Wildezine. These
are now non-credit bearing offerings. All PE offerings continue to be graded as pass/fail and the graduation requirement
for them remains the same. MUN and Wildezine are no longer graded.
• AP Load Requirement:
• Students no longer have to seek approval for taking 3 AP courses. They do have to seek approval from the Academic Dean
for taking 4 or more AP courses.
• Science - Physics First:
• Physics is the foundation for all science. Going into next year, all our 9th grade students will be taking Physics in 9th
grade instead of Biology. Biology will be moved to 11th grade. Rising 11th and 12th graders who have already taken Biol-
ogy and would like to take Physics can opt to take Physics 11/12.10
New Course Offerings for 2021-2022:
Deparrtment Name Course Name
English Dystopian Literature I: The 20th Century Classics
Dystopian Literature II: The Modern Global Approach
Modern Voices in Short Fiction
Poetry of Identity & Innovation
Writing for Readers I: Poetry & Scriptwriting
Writing for Readers II: Fiction & Creative Nonfiction
Writing Lab I & II
History African Studies I & II
Science Farm to Table: The Science of Growing Our Food
Linguistics Linguistics: The Scientific Study of Language
(part of the Global Languages Dept)
Language, Culture, & Identity I: Language in Society
Language, Culture, & Identity II: Language in Interaction
Arts From TikTok to Television: Digital Music Production
The Voice: From Glee to Gospel
Course Title Changes from 2020-2021:
Deparrtment Name Old Course Name New Course Name
English Hyphenated Americans American Immigrants II
Global Languages Advanced French Concepts Pre-Advanced French
Advanced French: Global Perspectives Advanced French: Francophone Voices
Advanced Spanish Concepts Pre-Advanced Spanish
Arts Modern Dance Contemporary Dance
Advanced Modern Dance Advanced Contemporary Dance
Weaving Weaving & Fiber ArtsEnglish
12
English
English Courses
Ninth Grade English is required of all 9th grade students, and Tenth Grade English is required of all 10th grade students. With
the exception of AP courses, courses for juniors and seniors are semester-length courses. English is required during each of the
four years of Upper School. Students in all English courses engage in vocabulary study in order to develop their critical reading
and language analysis skills.
Suggested Sequence of English Classes
ENGLISH 9
←
ENGLISH 10
←
11th & 12th GRADE ENGLISH ELECTIVES
FALL ELECTIVES SPRING ELECTIVES
American Immigrants I African-American Literature
Critical Writing I Critical Writing II
Dystopian Literature I: 20th Century Classics Dystopian Literature II: Modern Global Approach
Modern Voices in Short Fiction American Immigrants II
Poetry of Identity & Innovation Magic Realism in Literature and Cinema
Race, Gender and Nationality I Race, Gender, and Nationality II
World Literature I World Literature II
Writing for Readers I: Poetry and Scriptwriting Writing for Readers II: Fiction & Creative Nonfiction
Writing Lab I Writing Lab II
YEAR-LONG ELECTIVES
AP English Language and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition (British Lit)
AP English Language and Literature (Dramatic Lit)14
Full-Year English Courses: 9th and 10th Grade
Course Title NINTH GRADE ENGLISH
Course Summary The theme of English 9 is “unmasking identity.” Self-discovery through literature inspires students
to ask questions of themselves as they read about characters searching for who they are and what
1 Credit they stand for. We explore this theme through the study of different literary genres (novels,
short stories, essays, drama and poetry). Group discussions are an important component of this
course. We focus on developing strong paragraphs and on the process of writing and revising the
5-paragraph essay, personal narratives, poetry, research papers, and play adaptations.
Texts studied in the past have included:
• The Field Guide to the North American Teenager – Ben Phillipe
• Miriam’s Song – Miriam Mathabane
• Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare
• Never Let Me Go – Kazua Ishiguro
• Born a Crime – Trevor Noah
• Selected short stories, essays, and poetry
Course Title TENTH GRADE ENGLISH
Course Summary This global literature course traces the wide-ranging nature of the heroic journey within ancient
and contemporary works, exploring enduring questions about human nature and the role of
1 Credit storytelling. Students will analyze both ancient and modern narratives from China, Greece,
West Africa, Scandinavia, North America, and more Special emphasis is given to the relationship
between story and society, the interaction between form and meaning, and to connecting
narratives past and present to our own lives. Composition instruction focuses on the development
of writing skills in exposition, interpretation, and argument, while students hone their research
skills by creating and pursuing their own research projects investigating the role of stories in the
contemporary world.
Texts studied in the past have included:
• The Odyssey – Homer
• Origin stories from China, West Africa, Scandinavia, and Native American societies
• Hamlet – William Shakespeare
• Ava Duvernay’s film A Wrinkle in Time
• Graphic novels such as The Best We Could Do (Thi Bui), American Born Chinese (Gene Yuen
Lang), Poppies of Iraq (Brigitte Findalky & Lewis Trondheim), I am Alfonso Jones (Tony
Medina, Stacy Robinson, and John Jennings), Maus I and II (Art Spiegelman), March I and II
(John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell), and The Year of the Rabbit (Tian Veasna)English
Full-Year English Courses: 11th and 12th Grade
Course Title AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
Course Summary From advertisements to traffic signs, editorials to songs, we are surrounded by arguments. The
focus of this course is on those arguments, or rhetoric, at work in classic and contemporary texts.
1 Credit Students will learn to recognize the variety of rhetorical modes and persuasive strategies used in
visual and language-based texts, to evaluate the effectiveness of these rhetorical moves, and to
Prerequisite: This is a master and employ those strategies in their own writing. This course’s expectations, pace, and sub-
rigorous course that ject matter are equivalent to a first-year college composition class. Students considering this course
requires students to should be prepared for frequent and challenging reading and writing assignments, independent
engage in a significant reading and research projects, and focused work in refining elements of writing such as organiza-
amount of reading and tion, clarity, style, and mechanics. All students taking this course must take the AP Exam in May.
writing. Students who
register for this course NOTE: Students who elect to take two AP English courses in 11th and 12th grade are encour-
should be prepared to aged to take AP Language and Composition and then either AP English Literature and Composi-
spend 8-10 hours per tion (British Literature) or AP English Literature and Composition (Dramatic). If students take a
week outside of class second AP Literature course, they will be required to take the AP Literature exam again.
engaged in independent
practice. Students
enrolling in this course
should have successfully
completed (69.5%) at
least one semester of
non-ESOL English.16
Course Title AP ENGLISH LITERATURE & COMPOSITION: British Literature
Course Summary In this course, 11th and 12th grade students will investigate major texts and themes of literature
from Britain and societies affected by Britain. We will read challenging poetry, novels, and plays
1 Credit and engage in discussions and projects designed to spur critical thinking. Students will write
in a variety of modes for a variety of purposes, developing concise, evidence-driven arguments
Prerequisite: This is a and thinking critically about language, both their own language and that in the works we read.
rigorous course that Students will also prepare for the Advanced Placement examination in English Literature in the
requires students to spring. All students taking this course must take the AP Exam in May.
engage in a significant
amount of reading and NOTE: Students who elect to take two AP English courses are encouraged to take AP Language
writing. Students who and Composition and then either AP English Literature and Composition (British Literature)
register for this course or AP English Literature and Composition (Dramatic). If students take a second AP Literature
should be prepared to course, they will be required to take the AP Literature exam again.
spend 8-10 hours per
week outside of class Writers studied may include:
engaged in independent • Virginia Woolf
practice. Students • James Joyce
enrolling in this course • Jane Austen
should have successfully • Aphra Behn
completed (69.5%) at • Winsome Pinnock
least one semester of • William Shakespeare
non-ESOL English. • Wole Soyinka
• Mary Shelley
• Derek WalcottEnglish
Course Title AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE: Dramatic Literature
Course Summary The class will read many of the great classic and contemporary playwrights; there will be an
emphasis on realism and tragedy early in the year, and then we will focus on playwrights who
1 Credit make us laugh. Students will write many essays, including analytical and personal reaction papers.
When appropriate, we will attend professional play productions. All students taking this course
Prerequisite: This is a must take the AP Exam in May.
rigorous course that
requires students to NOTE: Students who elect to take two AP English courses are encouraged to take AP Language
engage in a significant and Composition and then either AP English Literature and Composition (British Literature)
amount of reading and or AP English Literature and Composition (Dramatic). If students take a second AP Literature
writing. Students who course, they will be required to take the AP Literature exam again.
register for this course
should be prepared to The curriculum may include plays by:
spend 8-10 hours per • Tarell Alvin McCraney
week outside of class • Peter Shaffer
engaged in independent • William Shakespeare
practice. Students • August Wilson
enrolling in this course • Oscar Wilde
should have successfully • David Mamet
completed (69.5%) at • Fernanda Coppel
least one semester of • Lynn Nottage
non-ESOL English. • Jiehae Park
1st Semester English Courses: Grades 11 and 12
Course Title AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS I
Course Summary From its inception, our nation has claimed to welcome immigrants; still, the question of who
deserves citizenship, and how we should treat new Americans provokes bitter debates. The idea
0.5 Credit of America has signified refuge and opportunity for millions around the world, but what happens
when immigrants arrive and begin to make a life here? How does one become American? What
are the stories and memories that they carry from their home countries? Through a variety of
genres, settings, and identity groups, this course will explore the literature that emerges from the
experience of new Americans.
Texts may include:
• Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• The Namesake – Jhumpa Lahiri
• A Map Is Only One Story: Twenty Writers on Immigration, Family, and the Meaning of Home18
Course Title CRITICAL WRITING I
Course Summary In this course, students learn to write expository prose, with a particular focus on the literary
analytical essay. Expository prose is a form of writing common in academia in which the writer
0.5 Credit conveys information, explains things to the reader, and may also form an argument. Writing
instruction includes standard grammar lessons, as well as lessons devoted to more “global” writing
concerns, such as essay organization. Critical Writing students also practice essential literary
analysis and close reading skills. The Critical Writing curriculum contains literature from a variety
of time periods and genres, meaning that students will be exposed to a wide range of diverse
writing styles.
Texts may include:
• Under the Never Sky – Veronica Rossi
• Selected dystopian short stories by various authors
Course Title DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE I: THE 20TH CENTURY CLASSICS
Course Summary Although dystopian literature is made popular these days by movies based on works of YA
writers like Ernest Cline (Ready Player One) Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games) Veronica Roth
0.5 Credit (Divergent), and James Dashner (The Maze Runner), the genre has been around for over a century.
In this course, students will examine modern visions of the future, paying particular attention to
the fears and criticisms of an author’s present society that come out in dystopian classics.
Students will write several analytical essays, and they will complete an assignment on the
comparison of the novels and their movies/series.
Texts may include:
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• 1984 by George Orwell
• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Course Title MODERN VOICES IN SHORT FICTION
Course Summary In literature, the form of a work fundamentally shapes and governs how the story is told. In this
course, we will explore a variety of forms including short story, one act plays, and screenplays.
0.5 Credit We’ll study celebrated and emerging masters of the short story genre, exploring how their writing
has served as inspiration for playwrights and screenwriters. While students will continually
write essays and learn grammar and aspects of style, the focus of this course is on analyzing and
ultimately replicating the craft that various authors use, with students eventually producing short
stories, one act plays ,and short screenplays.
Students will read selections from the following authors:
• Alice Walker • Karen Russell
• Amy Tan • ZZ Packer
• J.D. Salinger • Manuel Gonzales
• Flannery O’Connor • Tobias Wolff
• Raymond Carver • Jorge Luis Borges
• Leslie Marmon Silko • George SaundersEnglish
Course Title POETRY OF IDENTITY & INNOVATION
Course Summary How have some poets’ identities affected their work? How have poets used their voice to protest
injustice or discrimination? How have some poets innovated traditional poetics? Beginning with
0.5 Credit ancient poetic forms like Haiku and continuing through the landscape of contemporary poet-
ry--with an emphasis on poets who used their voices to comment on societal injustice and/or
offered innovative approaches to verse--this course will teach students how to read, write about,
and write poetry. Leveraging the vibrant Washington, D.C. and Baltimore poetry communities
and online possibilities, the course will feature frequent visits from living poets and virtual or
in-person field trips to poetry events.
Texts/Periods/Authors May Include:
• Matsuo Basho
• Phillis Wheatley
• Walt Whitman
• Emily Dickinson
• Pablo Neruda
• The Harlem Renaissance
• Derek Walcott
• June Jordan
• Nuyorican Poets Cafe
Course Title RACE, GENDER, AND NATIONALITY I
Course Summary Bring your spirit of curiosity and your powers of empathy to this course, where we will explore lit-
erature that highlights the intersection of race, gender, and nationality. We will look at the ways in
0.5 Credit which the race, gender, and nationality of authors and characters influence how they interact with
the world. We will also examine how literature can raise complex questions in ways that open
wider conversations and inspire action. We will use a variety of texts, from contemporary novels
to memoir, poetry, podcasts and speeches, to investigate how concepts of race, gender, and nation
clash and combine in forming one’s sense of identity. The foundation of our class will be literary
analysis, through active group discussion and written work, such as short critical essays, creative
writing, and personal reflection pieces that allow you to make connections between another’s
experience and your own.
Major texts may include works such as:
• Homegoing - Yaa Gyasi
• She’s Not There: A Life in Two
Genders - Jennifer Boylan
• The Thing Around Your Neck
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• The Samurai’s Garden
- Gail Tsukiyama20
Course Title WORLD LITERATURE I
Course Summary This course will explore elements of the human condition that are universal around the globe,
particularly the ideas of how our histories and governments shape and influence our identities.
0.5 Credit Students will learn about Asian drama, including a deep reading of a Noh play. Close reading will
guide students’ critical analysis and academic discourse as they explore contemporary voices from
East and Central Asia. Essential literary devices such as setting, characterization, motif, conflict,
and theme will be at the forefront of our discussions of poetry, plays, short stories, and novels.
Students will have an independent reading component to the course. For their compositions,
students will use a systematic approach to explore and deepen their own ideas of the story and
narrative structure.
Texts may include:
• The Memory Police – Yoko Ogawa
• Sotoba Komachi (ancient) & Sotoba Komachi adaptation by Yukio Mishima
• Caspian Rain – Gina Nahai
• The White Tiger – Aravind Adiga
• Poetry and short stories from China, Vietnam, Iran, and Palestine
Course Title WRITING FOR READERS I: POETRY AND SCRIPTWRITING
Course Summary This course is designed to help students explore the craft elements foundational to all works of
creative writing. Since a writer’s primary tool is words, we begin the year with a deep dive into po-
0.5 Credit etry. While reading and studying dozens of poems, primarily from contemporary poets, students
will begin the process of thinking critically about the possibilities of language and form. In order
to experiment, students will learn traditional forms such as sestina, ghazal, and villanelle, among
others. In addition to their original creations, students will write and read craft responses and
critical analysis essays. Students will also be guided through the process of offering and receiving
feedback on original writing through the respectful process of workshopping. Through reading,
performing, and writing scenes during our playwriting unit, students will practice and manipulate
the fundamental elements of plays—character and conflict. Students will develop a one-act play
and continue to build on their critiquing skills in a workshop format. Students will complete a re-
search project each quarter on one contemporary poet and one contemporary playwright working
in theater today.
Modern poets from around the globe such as Frank Bidart, Cornelius Eady, Terrence Hayes,
Rosa Maria Arenas, Margaret Atwood, Gregory Courso, Shu Ting, Nick Flynn, Ocean Vuong,
and Richard Blanco will be represented. Students will read scenes from writers such as Suzan-Lo-
ri Parks, David Ives, August Wilson, Zora Neale Hurston, Quiara Alegria Hudes as well as full
length works such as The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman or Six Degrees of Separation by
John Guare.English
Course Title WRITING LAB I
Course Summary The Writing Lab is a course that helps students become better writers, regardless of their level
or comfort with writing. This course is designed to help students improve not only a variety of
0.25 Credit writing skills (e.g., organization, grammar, vocabulary, use of sources), but also academic and pro-
fessional skills (e.g., goal setting, time management, self-assessment, incorporation of feedback)
with an eye toward meeting the challenges of academic writing across the curriculum. In this
highly individualized course, with the guidance of the teacher, students learn to set specific and
achievable short- and long-term goals, create concrete and explicit action plans, identify relevant
resources and strategies, self-advocate in obtaining feedback, manage their time effectively, and
reflect on their progress and challenges in ways that inform future goal-setting.
The course earns credit and supplements students’ regular English courses but does not replace
them. This course cannot be taken instead of an English course. This course may be taken multi-
ple times.
2nd Semester English Courses: Grades 11 and 12
Course Title AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE
Course Summary In this course, we’ll study the manifold contributions of African Americans to the world of lit-
erature and art. This course will examine the voices and themes that have articulated the African
0.5 Credit American experience and impacted American culture as a whole through a variety of genres such
as fiction, drama, poetry, nonfiction, and film. Following the organizing principle of the National
Museum of African American History and Culture, the second semester will focus on artistic con-
tributions to American culture. Students will respond and interpret via class discussion, presenta-
tions, and formal and informal writing, with an overall goal of refining the analytical essay.
Representative texts may include:
• Sister Citizen – Melissa V. Harris-Perry
• Blood Dazzler – Patricia Smith
• Lot: Stories – Bryan Washington
• Such a Fun Age – Kiley Reid
Course Title CRITICAL WRITING II
Course Summary This course is a continuation of Critical Writing I. In Critical Writing, students learn to write
expository prose, with a particular focus on the literary analytical essay. Expository prose is a form
0.5 Credit of writing common in academia, in which the writer conveys information, explains things to the
reader, and may also form an argument. Writing instruction includes standard grammar lessons,
as well as lessons devoted to more “global” writing concerns, such as essay organization. Critical
Writing students also practice essential literary analysis and close reading skills. The Critical
Writing curriculum contains literature from a variety of time periods and genres, meaning that
students will be exposed to a wide range of diverse writing styles.
Possible texts may include
• Vox – Christina Dalcher
• Selected dystopian short stories by various authors22
Course Title DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE II: THE MODERN GLOBAL APPROACH
Course Summary In the second semester of the dystopian literature course, we will broaden our horizon and focus
on more modern and international novels and short stories. We will analyze multiple stories
0.5 Credit written by the increasingly popular Chinese dystopian writers and discern what makes these
stories globally relevant. Apart from writing analytical essays, students will also complete an
extensive research project on the advanced technologies present in dystopian literature.
Possible texts may include:
• The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
• Short stories by Chinese writers like Zhang Ran, Chen Qiufan and Xia Jia
• Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Course Title AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS II
Course Summary In the second semester of American Immigrants, we will read literature by second-generation
Americans, the children of immigrants, and other Americans whose identity incorporates
0.5 Credit additional national, regional, or ethnic heritage. Encountering a variety of genres, settings, and
authors, this course will explore the literature that emerges from writers who confront America’s
challenging legacy of forging complex identities.
Texts may include:
• Internment – Samira Ahmed
• The Other Americans – Laila Lalami
• Muslim Girl: A Coming of Age – Amani Al-Khatahtbeh
• Night Sky With Exit Wounds – Ocean Vuong
Course Title MAGIC REALISM IN LITERATURE AND CINEMA
Course Summary This course is designed for students who are interested in literature, film, multiculturalism,
and the Americas. The class will read fantastic literature from Southern America, Mexico, and
0.5 Credit Columbia by such masters of prose as Gabriel García Márquez and Laura Esquivel. Although this
is primarily a literature class, it also considers the social, historical, and artistic contexts of the
texts studied. We will explore the roots of Magic Realism, and contemporary film adaptations of
masterpieces will complement the reading and will be critically evaluated.
Texts may include:
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez short stories
• Like Water for Chocolate - Laura Esquivel
• Swamplandia - Karen Russel
• Chocolat - Joanne Harris
• Pan’s Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno) - Guillermo del Toro
• Juicy and Delicious - Lucy Alibar
• Beasts of the Southern Wild - Lucy Alibar and Benh ZeitlinEnglish
Course Title RACE, GENDER, AND NATIONALITY II
Course Summary In the spring semester, we will deepen our exploration of literature that highlights the intersection
of race, gender, and nationality. We will look at the ways in which the race, gender, and nation-
0.5 Credit ality of authors and characters influence how they interact with the world. We will also examine
how literature can raise complex questions in ways that open wider conversations and inspire
action. We will use a variety of texts, from contemporary novels to memoir, poetry, podcasts and
speeches, to investigate how concepts of race, gender, and nation clash and combine in forming
one’s sense of identity. The foundation of our class will be literary analysis, through active group
discussion and written work, such as short critical essays, creative writing, and personal reflection
pieces that allow you to make connections between another’s experience and your own.
Major texts may include works such as:
• Exit West - Mohsin Hamid
• In the Time of the Butterflies - Julia Alvarez
• Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi
• Behold the Dreamers - Imbolo Mbue
• Refugee - Alan Grantz
Course Title WORLD LITERATURE II
Course Summary The second semester of World Literature continues to explore elements of the human condition
from around the globe, particularly the ideas of how our communities shape and influence our
0.5 Credit identities. Close reading will guide students’ critical analysis and academic discourse as they
explore contemporary voices from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Essential literary
devices such as setting, characterization, motif, conflict, and theme will be at the forefront of our
discussions of poetry, plays, short stories, and novels. Students will have an independent reading
component to the course. For their compositions, students will use a systematic approach to ex-
plore and deepen their own ideas of the story and narrative structure. They will also practice with
a variety of research techniques in order to help contextualize the works they read.
Texts may include:
• The Road to Mecca - Athol Fugard
• The Book of Chameleons - Jose Eduardo Agualusa
• Short stories by Borges, Lispector, and Selvon24
Course Title WRITING FOR READERS II: FICTION AND CREATIVE NON-FICTION
Course Summary Most students want to write like a brilliant author, but the foundation of that process is to read
like a writer. To that end, students in this course will read widely through the century. There will
0.5 Credit be a deeper study of one foundational writer per decade from 1940-2010s, where students will
examine how the writer uses various literary elements. Students are expected to keep up a journal
and will be submitting fictional scenes all while building their own short stories. Writers such as
Flannery O’Connor, Ray Bradbury, Jhumpa Lahiri, James Baldwin, Kwame Adeji-Brenya, Rich-
ard Currey, Jamaica Kincaid, Bharati Mukerjee, Clarice Lispector, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Students will also read current literary journals so that they understand the publishing market of
the current day. Student works will be critiqued and workshopped through the critical response
method. Our fiction unit will merge into a quarter of Creative Nonfiction, where students will
learn how to bring the same fiction techniques into essays of personal and public concern. This
unit will require research, since writers will need to bring their personal reflections to universal,
relevant topics outside of their own lives.
We will read writers such as Leslie Jamison, David Sedaris, Ann Patchett, Jenny Dolan, Ross Gay,
Riad Sattouf, Tian Veasna, and Annie Dillard.
Course Title WRITING LAB II
Course Summary The Writing Lab is a course that helps students become better writers, regardless of their level
or comfort with writing. This course is designed to help students improve not only a variety of
0.25 Credit writing skills (e.g., organization, grammar, vocabulary, use of sources), but also academic and pro-
fessional skills (e.g., goal setting, time management, self-assessment, incorporation of feedback)
with an eye toward meeting the challenges of academic writing across the curriculum. In this
highly individualized course, with the guidance of the teacher, students learn to set specific and
achievable short- and long-term goals, create concrete and explicit action plans, identify relevant
resources and strategies, self-advocate in obtaining feedback, manage their time effectively, and
reflect on their progress and challenges in ways that inform future goal-setting.
The course earns credit and supplements students’ regular English courses but does not replace
them. This course cannot be taken instead of an English course. This course may be taken multi-
ple times.Course Title RACE, GENDER, AND NATIONALITY II
Course Summary In this course, students will be exposed to literature that explores identity and intersectionality.
We will look at the ways in which the race, gender and nationality of authors and characters in-
0.5 Credit fluence how they interact with the world. We will study how authors use literature to explore and
complicate questions of race, gender and national identity. We’ll read novels, poetry and excerpts
from works of non-fiction. Students will be writing a variety of analytic essays, creative and per-
sonal pieces. Second semester will focus on contemporary writers and their conversations about
Race, Gender and Nationality.
Major writers may include:
• Sherman Alexie
• Mat Johnson
• Yaa Gyasi
• Kim Fu
Course Title WORLD LITERATURE II
Course Summary The second World Literature course explores diverse literary texts from the nineteenth century
through the present day, asking how and why literature circulates around the globe. How do peo-
0.5 Credit ple approach writing from other societies? Why are certain writers heralded as universally great?
How are our personal reactions to literature formed, and how can literature help us to understand
our own roles as global citizens? Readings include comedy, tragedy, and poetry of all descriptions
– sometimes all within one work! Students will develop their own argument and writing skills
through discussion, critical responses, creative projects, and a research-based essay.
History
Texts may include:
• Four Stories – Nikolai Gogol
• Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe
• Waiting for Godot – Samuel Beckett
• Poetry of Gabriela Mistral, Rabindranath Tagore, and William Butler Yeats26
History
History Courses
Students are required to take three credits of History as follows:
• World History I or equivalent
• World History II or equivalent
• 11th or 12th grade – U.S. History required
Suggested Sequence of History Classes
WORLD HISTORY I
(Ancient History)
←
WORLD HISTORY II
(Modern History)
←
U.S. HISTORY & GOVERNMENT OR
AP U.S. HISTORY & GOVERNMENT
←
HISTORY ELECTIVES
FALL ELECTIVES SPRING ELECTIVES
Latin American Studies I Latin American Studies II
Middle East Studies I Middle East Studies II
African Studies I African Studies II
YEAR-LONG ELECTIVES
AP Comparative Government & PoliticsYou can also read
