United States Histories and Cultures examines the social, cultural, political, economic, religious and ideological movements and moments that constitute American history. We will focus explicitly on the diversity of the American experience and the development, change, and perpetuation of structures of inequality in the U.S over time. Empowered with this knowledge, students will then analyze what unites us as Americans through our shared historical experiences and events. Students will examine, critique, and analyze historical narratives, focusing explicitly on tensions between historical events and the stories that have been written about them. This course focuses on building an understanding of knowledge production, critical research and writing skills, and college-level reading and analysis. Students will leave this course prepared to heed our school’s mission to respond to the challenges of our time by becoming active participants in their civic communities.
In addition to the assigned coursework, the honors curriculum for this course will include college-level historical analysis, including, but not limited to supplemental textbooks, primary documents, original research, historical fiction assignments, and museum visits.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
This course meets 3-4 mornings per week for 50 minutes (8:00 am – 8:50 am). Students who will have morning practice or another morning commitment for the whole year that would prevent them from coming to class at 8:00 am should not take this class, as regular attendance is required.
This class is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day.
United States Histories and Cultures examines the social, cultural, political, economic, religious and ideological movements and moments that constitute American history. We will focus explicitly on the diversity of the American experience and the development, change, and perpetuation of structures of inequality in the U.S over time. Empowered with this knowledge, students will then analyze what unites us as Americans through our shared historical experiences, events. Students will examine, critique, and analyze historical narratives, focusing explicitly on tensions between historical events and the stories that have been written about them. This course focuses on building an understanding of knowledge production, critical research and writing skills, and college-level reading and analysis. Students will leave this course prepared to heed our school’s mission to respond to the challenges of our time by becoming active participants in their civic communities.
This course meets 3-4 mornings per week for 50 minutes (8:00 am – 8:50 am). Students who will have morning practice or another morning commitment for the whole year that would prevent them from coming to class at 8:00 am should not take this class, as regular attendance is required.
This class is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day.
This course will build upon the skills developed from Spanish for Heritage Speakers 1 Honors. Students in this course come from Spanish-speaking family backgrounds. They speak and understand Spanish in the home, and they demonstrate some skills in reading and writing Spanish.
In Spanish for Heritage Speakers 2 Honors, students will continue to develop their formal composition skills, deepen their academic reading ability, and build their vocabulary for increased proficiency in multiple contexts–academic, professional, and personal. Through culturally relevant units and authentic resources from the Spanish-speaking world – including videos, articles, art, music, and literature – students will increase their knowledge of the cultural practices, products, and perspectives of the Spanish-speaking world.
Many of the unit assessments will begin to familiarize students with the Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture Exam tasks, which include comparing and contrasting, persuasive writing, analytical reading, and listening to authentic texts.
Taught exclusively in Spanish, this course is designed for heritage speakers only.
Upon successful completion of this course and the course final exam, students are recommended to enroll in further Spanish courses, such as Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture or the Spanish electives.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
Latin 4 Prose is an advanced level language course for the serious student who has mastered the basic elements and concepts of Latin 1 and 2, and 3 and wishes to continue the study of Latin literature, but not as Advanced Placement. The Latin Prose student reviews all Latin forms and grammar, and becomes more proficient in reading, understanding and translating the classical Latin periodic sentence in Roman prose writers such as Cicero, Livy, and Pliny. Students will encounter the genres of history, commentary, and oratory.
NOTE: LATIN 4 PROSE is offered in the Fall of odd years (2025, 2027,etc.)
Latin 3 Prose is an advanced level language course for the serious student who has mastered the basic elements and concepts of Latin 1 and 2, and those students wishing to continue their Latin study, but not as Advanced Placement. The Latin Prose student completes the learning of Latin forms and grammar, concentrating on use of infinitives, subjunctive verbs, gerunds, and gerundives within the classical Latin periodic sentence in Roman prose writers such as Cicero, Livy, and Pliny. Students will encounter the genres of history, commentary, and oratory.
NOTE: LATIN 3 PROSE is offered in the Fall of odd years (2025, 2027,etc.)
DANCE 1A is a special section of the introductory survey course designed for dancers with at least one year of prior dance training in any style. DANCE 1A will include physical practice in the techniques of ballet, jazz dance, and social dance, with a greater focus on technical proficiency and performance skills. Students will study dance history, dance composition, and improvisational techniques. Through written work and class discussions, students will learn to analyze dance performance as an art form through a critical, informed, and appreciative lens. Students will work collaboratively to explore dance elements and perform choreography both in class and in public performance. To be approved for the special section of DANCE 1A, students must audition in person or by video. Contact the Dance Director for more information on audition requirements.
Communication about many serious issues in the modern day is often marked by a distinct lack of nuance, reliability, and articulate expression. Competitive Speech and Debate is a course designed to help build the skills necessary to communicate effectively and persuasively in today’s world. Student will build all the necessary skills to do credible research, critically organize their thoughts, and compose writing that effectively articulates their point of view. Students will employ the skills they learn in competitive settings to receive feedback from a wide range of audiences, understanding the nuances of communicating their thoughts to diverse groups.
Some of the outcomes for students who take this class are:
- Advanced Communication Skills
- Critical Thinking Proficiency
- Confidence in Public Speaking
- Collaborative and Ethical Discourse
- Adaptive Leadership and Civic Engagement
UC/CSU Subject G Approval
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day.
Game Design and Development is an introductory science and technology laboratory course where students will learn basic coding skills while utilizing the popular gaming platforms Unity and Roblox to create their own video games. Students will explore multiple programming languages, including but not limited to C-Sharp, C++, Lua, and JavaScript. Students will be introduced to fundamental concepts such as: variables, looping, conditional statements, functions, 3D modeling, graphics, and the algorithms that make computers work. Students will demonstrate critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills in hands-on collaborative lab experiences.
UC/CSU Subject D Approval (pending)
This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
Latin 4 Poetry is an advanced level language course for the serious student who has mastered the basic elements and concepts of Latin 1 and 2, and those students wishing to continue their Latin study but not as Advanced Placement. The Latin Poetry 3/4 student completes the learning of Latin forms and grammar, concentrating on use of infinitives, subjunctive verbs, gerunds and gerundives as used
by Roman poets such as Catullus, Ovid, Vergil and Martial. Students will encounter the genres of love poetry, myth, epic and satire.
NOTE: LATIN 4 POETRY is offered in the Fall of even years (2024, 2026, etc.)
Latin 3 Poetry is an intermediate level language course designed for those students who have acquired satisfactory competency during their first two years of language study. The course builds upon the skills and material covered in Latin 1 and 2. It reviews all major grammatical structures and introduces a broader scope of grammatical knowledge. Latin 3 students will acquire greater confidence in their ability to read and translate Latin through the love poems of Catullus and the mythological stories of Ovid.
NOTE: LATIN 3 POETRY is offered in the Fall of even years (2024, 2026, etc.)
