This course is an after-school workshop in acting, rehearsal, performance, and technical/design skills culminating in the production of a full-length play in the fall semester. Students are admitted on the basis of a competitive audition held at the beginning of the semester. Four additional students may be selected to the positions of stage manager, stage crew chief, lighting designer on the basis of in-depth interviews. These students will work alongside professionals over the course of the production developing knowledge and skills in each specialized area and their application in performance.
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day. Meets 3-5 times per week, afternoons or evenings, 3 hours per meeting.
*This class is not counted in the student’s SI GPA
Jazz Band prepares students to perform a variety of musical competitions from the 1920s through the present, focusing primarily on large-ensemble jazz in the Big Band and swing tradition. This class is available to students who have taken private lessons for at least one year, or participated in their middle school Band program. Jazz Band will perform at the Winter Concerts, the Spring Pops Concerts, the Performing Arts Assembly, and several festivals or adjudicated performances.
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day. Meets 2 afternoons per week for 2 hours each, plus performances.
*This class is not counted in the student’s SI GPA
Jazz Combo prepares students to perform a variety of musical competitions from the 1940s through the present, focusing primarily on small-ensemble jazz and solo improvisation. This class is available to students who have taken private lessons for at least one year, or participated in their middle school Band program. Jazz Combo will perform at the Winter Concerts, the Spring Pops Concerts, the Performing Arts Assembly, and several additional performances at SI and around the Bay Area.
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day. Meets 1 afternoon per week for 2 hours each, plus performances.
*This class is not counted in the student’s SI GPA
French 3 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 French 1 and 2. It reviews all major grammatical structures and introduces a broader scope of grammatical knowledge. Emphasis is placed on improving oral skills, broadening the range of grammatical structures the student can effectively use in writing and conversation, enriching the student’s vocabulary, and deepening his/her awareness of present day social justice issues within the French-speaking world. This class is conducted in French, except when complex grammar concepts require a clearer explanation in English. Through a variety of cultural activities, the course will enhance students’ knowledge and appreciation of the incredible diversity of the French–speaking world and will encourage and enable the student to broaden his/her “French life.” Students are expected to speak in French at all times.
French 4 is a two-semester course for students who have received an A, B or C+ in French 3 and/or teacher approval. This course is designed for students who are interested in using their foundation in French to explore in greater depth the cultures of the francophone world through art, film, literature, history, current events, and social justice issues. The primary aim of this course is to improve the student’s ability to speak, read, write and comprehend French in more sophisticated social, historical and political contexts. The student will review vocabulary and grammar, master new advanced language concepts, and enhance his/her knowledge of the cultural diversity of the French-speaking world. The class is conducted entirely in French except for complex grammatical explanations and students are expected to speak in French at all times.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
French 4AP is a two-semester advanced language course designed for students who have excelled in French 1, 2H, and 3H and who are interested in pursuing a more rigorous course of study in the language and cultures of the francophone world. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate and improve proficiency in the three modes of communication—Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational—defined as foundational in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century. This course will enhance the student’s cognitive, analytical, and communicative skills while emphasizing both fluency and accuracy in French. Authentic materials from the francophone world will be used to enhance student exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. There are 6 primary themes presented throughout the year: Beauty and Aesthetics, Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Family and Community. These themes, which also parallel the content of the AP exam, will be addressed through literature, art, music, poetry, politics, and world events. The class is conducted entirely in the target language and students are expected to speak in French at all times.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
**Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
The Cambridge Latin Course, Units 1 and 2, open the door to the Latin language and literature for the beginning student through adapted readings about a Roman family living in Pompeii. Students will engage in the following activities: reading Latin aloud and silently; asking and answering Latin questions about the readings; translating Latin sentences into English and vice-versa; memorizing and using vocabulary; developing listening and speaking skills; studying the history and origin of English words derived from Latin; and learning about the customs, history, and mythology of the ancient Romans, especially as they have affected our own culture today. The aims of the course are: to teach students to read Latin accurately and confidently; and to familiarize students with life in the early Roman Empire.
Latin 2 continues the progress of first-year Latin. Students will read and write more sophisticated Latin, incorporating passive voice, various types of clauses, participles, infinitives and the subjunctive mood (mode), as they begin to transition to “real Latin,” authentic primary sources from the Roman era.
In Latin 2H, the more advanced students will more quickly acquire new knowledge of Latin grammar and sentence structures to enable them to read more sophisticated works of prose and poetry. Students continue to learn about various aspects of Roman culture and history using the Cambridge Latin Course Unit 3.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA
French 3H is an advanced language course designed for students identified during their first two years as superior French students, who wish to become fluent in French and prepare themselves for French 4 AP. Students will practice the major grammar structures previously studied, as well as more complex grammar concepts, including expanded uses of the subjunctive mood. Considerable emphasis will be given to enriching the students’ active vocabulary and increasing their ability to comprehend and express themselves in spoken and written French. Students will be required to speak in French in a variety of situations ranging from class discussion to oral presentations and situations. Students will be able to read with comprehension selected short stories and newspaper and magazine articles. Through a variety of cultural activities the course will enhance students’ knowledge and appreciation of the incredible diversity of the French–speaking world, will encourage and enable the student to broaden his/her “French life,” and will prepare the student for French 4AP. This class is conducted entirely in French, and students are expected to speak French at all times.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
