Each student at SI is required to complete 75 hours of service before their senior year; students must complete 20 service hours during their Sophomore Year. It is our mission for students to engage in service they are passionate about, while also having them venture outside of their comfort zones and into their local communities.
10th Grade Science
Most sophomores take chemistry where we investigate the structure of matter and observe and study chemical change. We discuss how energy plays a role in chemistry and more importantly in their everyday lives. In chemistry we also focus on developing strong laboratory skills, how to collect qualitative and quantitative data and how to make well developed conclusions based on scientific principles.
As a general goal, we want our classes to train students to be effective critical thinkers. At every level, students will be presented with scientific concepts and asked to apply them to novel situations through inquiry activities and lab practicals. Students are encouraged to collaborate with classmates and work in cooperative groups.
10th Grade Math
Sophomores do Geometry (Regular, Accelerated, or Honors). Many sophomores either test out of this because they took it in middle school, or they take the summer geometry accelerated course between freshman and sophomore year. Depending on the year, between 15 and 30 percent of the class do this, and these students take Precalculus Accelerated or Honors in their sophomore year. We do not allow students to “take a year off of math” by taking the summer course – the loss of skills over that amount of time is extremely detrimental to their development as mathematicians.
10th Grade English
Sophomore English continues the course of study begun in the first year. Skills are refined, expanded, and enhanced. Basic grammar is reviewed and new material introduced throughout the year. The lower division writing sequence continues with a review of paragraph writing, which leads into the year’s emphasis on descriptive, narrative, and expository essay writing.
Students will write approximately 10-12 papers in a variety of rhetorical modes. The writing becomes not only more formal, but increases in length as well, with students writing multi-paragraph expository essays by the end of the first quarter.
The reading of literature includes all the major genres: novel, drama, poetry, short story, and essay; however, the study of literature shifts from an organization by form to an organization by themes that reveal an insight into the human condition.
10th Grade Social Science
Sophomores take Modern World History, a one-year course, which begins with the Age of Exploration and Conquest (late 1400s) and studies major world civilizations and events through the 21st century.
The Social Science Department endeavors to produce a learning environment where young men and women, in the tradition of St. Ignatius, become aware of their responsibilities to God, themselves, and their fellow human beings. Courses allow students to delve deeper into history, providing them with a better foundation to base their understanding of current events. Each course will also develop writing and critical thinking skills in ways that promote cross-disciplinary understanding. Lastly, our course catalog will help to foster a growth of students’ cultural competence by providing variety in perspective and sources in the hopes of developing cultural humility, a key tenet of Jesuit philosophy.
10th Grade Arts
A sophomore will choose one of our daytime Arts course offerings, and can additionally participate in before/after school Arts programs.
Some of the Arts courses we offer during the regular school day are: Studio Art, Dance, Drama, Music Appreciation, Sculpture, AP Music Theory. Before and after school students can take a variety of classes, most of which are by audition only, including Chamber Singers, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Pep Band, Mixed Chorus, Fall Play, Technical Theater, Stage Crew, Dance Workshop & the Spring Musical.
10th Grade Religion
Sophomores wrestle with the same question Jesus asks his disciples “Who do you say that I am?” The confusion that ensues among his followers is emblematic of the struggle that Christians and non-Christians alike have had throughout history to answer that very question. In this course, students will be challenged to offer their own unique contributions to the discourse on the identity of Jesus. They will grapple directly with the question Jesus posed to his disciples by developing responses based on multiple and intersecting paradigms: the personal, the historical, the theological, and the anthropological to name just a few.
10th Grade Language
A year 2 language student will solidify their language learning journey. The students will be exposed to more intermediate language building skills. Our year two students begin to combine language skills with cultural knowledge.
10th Grade PE/Wellness
Physical education is not a requirement after Frosh year but sophomores are encouraged to continue to explore personal fitness options. We are proud to offer curriculum for students with a variety of needs.