This full-year course is intended for the seniors who qualify in two ways: First, they must have the desire to sustain a high degree of effort throughout their senior year; second, they must have the proven ability to do accelerated work. The course itself has two goals: 1) to prepare the students to pass the AP exam administered in May of the senior year, and 2) to prepare them to take their place in a sophomore English class at whatever college they attend. The content of the course is divided into two major parts. The first is the study of literature required by the AP exam. Here the students become familiar with the novel, short story, poem, drama, and essay, particularly in their historical development. In the second part, the students work at perfecting their writing skills. Here they do two separate kinds of practice: 1) that aimed at proficiency for the exam itself, and 2) that aimed at proficiency in written expression for college level audiences. Admission to this course is by application, recommendation of the junior year teacher, and approval of the Chair. English 403AP is a senior English course in which the 1.00 increment is awarded by the UC system.
Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
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
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.
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.
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
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.
The Latin 4AP course is an advanced reading course. Selections from De Bello Gallico Books 1, 4, 5 and 6 and Vergil’s Aeneid Books 1, 2, 4, and 6 are read in Latin. Students will also read Caesar’s Conquest of Gaul Books 1, 6, and 7 and Vergil’s Aeneid Books 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 in English. In addition to appropriate translation skills, students are expected to employ literary analysis (much as in an English literature class), in order to fully appreciate the Latin work being studied. The aims of this year-long course are: to improve the students’ ability to read, understand and translate Latin poetry and prose; to expose students to poetic syntax, figures of speech, and meter; to involve students in literary analysis of Latin poetry and prose; to enhance the student’s understanding of the literary and social contexts of the Roman world of the first century B.C. and A.D.; and to prepare students for the Advanced Placement exam in Latin.
*This course will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
Cambridge Latin Course Unit 4. Latin 3H is an advanced language course designed for the superior Latin students who wish to continue to refine their Latin skills and reading ability. New grammar includes all uses of the subjunctive mood, gerund and gerundive; the student’s overriding task is to read and comprehend the variety of clauses and constructions which typically form the Latin periodic sentence. A study of rhetoric accompanies readings from speeches of Cicero. In addition to the prose readings mentioned in the description of Latin 3, the 3H student will study a selected Latin author, reading excerpts from his original works. Latin 3H is strongly recommended for students intending to enroll in Latin 4AP in the following year.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
Mandarin 3H is an advanced language course designed for students identified during their first two years as superior Mandarin students, who wish to become fluent in Mandarin and prepare themselves for Mandarin 4 AP. This course broadens the range of grammatical structures the students can effectively use in communication. Considerable emphasis will be given to enriching the students’ active vocabulary and increasing their ability to comprehend and express themselves in spoken and written Mandarin. The students will be required to speak in Mandarin in various situations ranging from class discussions to oral presentations and skits. Students will be able to read with comprehension selected short stories and various articles. This course includes a closer look at the classic and modern Chinese culture, enriching the student’s vocabulary and deepening his or her awareness of the Mandarin-speaking world. This class is conducted mainly in Mandarin and students are expected to speak in Mandarin at all times.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
Mandarin 4 is a two-semester course designed for students who have received an A, B or C+ in Mandarin 3 and/or teacher approval. This course is designed for students who are interested in using their foundation in Mandarin to explore in greater depth the cultures of the Chinese 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 Mandarin in more sophisticated contexts. The student will review vocabulary and grammar, master new advanced language concepts, and enhance his/her knowledge of the diversity of the Mandarin-speaking world. The class is conducted entirely in Mandarin except for complex grammatical explanations and students are expected to speak in Mandarin at all times.
