Students in this semester-long course explore spirituality through the analogy of sports. Students will determine how human beings encounter the Holy in the midst of everyday life with emphasis on athletic experiences as an athlete and/or as a fan (of specific athletes, teams, and/or sporting events). Students will also examine the relationship between competitive, organized athletics and elements of communal religious practice and purpose. Included is a study of embedded meaning associated with the movement of the human body, an analysis of ritual practice, a survey of major events where sports and religious practice intersect, and a differentiation between religious practice and personal spirituality. Ultimately, students will come to know more deeply the ways in which one relates to the Holy or the Transcendent in the course of their own faith journey, and how personal faith contributes to communal practice and celebration of what is Holy and Transcendent.
Religious Studies 476: Community Engagement and Social Justice
Jesuit education encourages students to live as women and men with and for others. Service and community engagement support this goal. This semester course explores how community service promotes solidarity and spiritual development within the context of Christian faith and commitment to social justice. Specifically, students will study responsible civic partnership, discerning God’s presence in service experiences, living a faith that does justice, promoting social justice through service relationships, and contributing to the common good through civic engagement. The course uses a service-learning method of instruction. Students will receive release time from a portion of classroom instruction for service in the community. SI will organize partnerships with community organizations to support specific learning objectives. The course requires students to participate in one of these partnerships as part of a cohort. Students will learn from their service experience through a process of intentional reflection and interpretation. In addition to their service experience, students complete traditional coursework designed to complement and enrich the experience. The course assesses students on their professionalism, their ability to make skillful observations of their experience, the intentionality of their reflections, their ability to use course concepts to interpret their service experience, research about the strengths and needs of a community they serve, and communication of their learning.
Religious Studies 477: Ecological Justice and Spirituality
This semester-long course will explore connections in religious experience, social justice, and spirituality that we discover through the study and experience of nature. We study the natural world- and our place in it. That leads to a creative response (literature and art), a spiritual response (prayer and connection with the divine), and an ethical response (stewardship). Students will experience nature first-hand through weekly field trips, read texts that examine the quest for meaning through nature, and begin (or continue) their own journey of becoming stewards of creation.
Science Research Project (Physical or Life Science)
This course offers students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate the maturity and self-discipline required to perform independent scientific research. Students perform one or more independent science or engineering research projects, in laboratory or field settings, on topics of their own choice. The meeting times are flexible and will be arranged to fit the schedule of the student. Areas of study include any area of science or engineering, including: quantum physics, astronomy, robotics, electronics, biotechnology, geology, meteorology, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, oceanography, marine biology, psychology, sociology, economics, political science, statistics, etc., as well as traditional areas of biology, chemistry, physics and engineering. Students will gain direct experience in research methodologies used by professional scientists and engineers in industry and academia. This course is taken in addition to the science requirement for graduation. Enrollment in Science Research does not qualify a student for a study period during the regular academic day.
*Taken as an independent study with the guidance of science teacher
Science Teaching Assistant
Science teaching assistants provide support for the science department (1 hour/week) either before school, after school, or during resource period in one or more of the following ways:
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- Lab Assistant – assist with the setup and cleanup of science labs
- Peer Assistant – assist students taking introductory biology, chemistry, or physics
- Teacher Assistant – assist with grading assignments that require no teacher interpretation
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Students interested in being a TA are required to fill out a short application available from the science department chair. Teaching assistants will be selected based on department needs and student qualifications. In some cases, students taking AP science courses will have priority in being a TA due to their qualifications in offering peer assistance.
*Taken as an independent study with the guidance of science teacher
Sculpture A
A studio-based problem-solving course that uses a variety of materials: paper, wood, plaster, found objects, and wire to explore the design process in 3 dimensions. Study of historical examples of sculpture will serve as a “spring board” for inspiration directed toward solutions to design projects. The work of 20th century sculptors such as Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson and Henry Moore will challenge the student to understand their own creativity. Field trips to local museums and some written work will complement the original work created by the student in the studio and at home.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
Sculpture B
3D Studies/Mixed Media Sculpture B continues the exploration of the visual world; its relationships of form and space — in the context of historical examples, environmental/cultural impact, creative self-expression and collaborative pieces. Field trips to local museums and sculpture collections and some written work will complement the original work created by the student in the studio and at home.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
Social Cognitive Psychology
Social Cognitive Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes, information processing and group dynamics. Students will investigate how our brains let us “see” the world, how our perceptions depend on our current state of attention, and how memories can change over time. As we seek to better understand the human mind, we will discuss language abilities and the power of social influences. Students will look at mistakes that people make, from simple visual illusions to errors in higher-level decision-making, and will discuss how these “failures” provide unique insights into the mechanisms of human thinking and even mental disorders and their treatment.
Social Cognitive Psychology Honors
Social Cognitive Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes, information processing and group dynamics. Students will investigate how our brains let us “see” the world, how our perceptions depend on our current state of attention, and how memories can change over time. As we seek to better understand the human mind, we will discuss language abilities and the power of social influences. Students will look at mistakes that people make, from simple visual illusions to errors in higher-level
decision-making, and will discuss how these “failures” provide unique insights into the mechanisms of human thinking and even mental disorders and their treatment.
The honors curriculum for this course will necessitate college-level psychological analysis as well as practical applications or experiences of authentic psychology research in action.
Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations
Social Movements and Social Justice
This course is an introduction to the social movements of the “Long Sixties” (1945 – 1975), with emphasis on how the Freedom Movements of Black Americans, Chicano & Latinx/Lantiné communities, Asian-Americans, American Indians, Feminists, LGBTQ communities and other racial, ethnic or cultural communities worked toward freedom and equality. Students will identify and evaluate the core tenets of specific social movements including leadership, organization, strategies, accomplishments, and limits. Familiarity with US History is presumed. Students will also assess contemporary movements to ultimately define “freedom” for themselves. Course methodology includes: lectures, class discussion, films, group work, unit response papers land a final paper comparing and contrasting different social movements.