Each student at SI is required to complete 75 hours of service before their senior year. Juniors and seniors will complete their remaining 40 Service Hours through their Core Capstone Project, which asks them to engage in direct service with a marginalized population at one non-profit agency/organization. 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.
11th Grade Science
Juniors take physics where the main study is about conservation principles. We study force interactions, conservation of energy and momentum. There is a concerted effort to apply physics principles to phenomena readily observed in everyday life. Students are also exposed to computer simulations where they are asked to demonstrate physics concepts.
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.
11th Grade Math
Juniors take Algebra 2, Precalculus Accelerated, or Precalculus Honors. All of these courses cover extensively 2nd year algebra topics. Approximately 15 to 30% of our sophomore class each year take Precalculus Accelerated or Honors as well.
11th Grade English
Juniors cover the literature of the United States from the Puritan Era to the present. All the forms of literature which have been studied specifically in themselves during the first two years are now studied as they emerge historically through the imaginative lives of major U.S. authors. This course complements the study of American History, which is also taken during the junior year.
The students’ writing aims at greater and greater control over the expository essay and specifically at developing analytical theses on literature. Students will write at least twelve papers during the year in various rhetorical modes including the personal narrative (at least 1), the expository essay (5-7), the synthesis essay, the timed quick-write, and the creative composition.
After consulting with their teachers, students taking this course may opt to take the AP Language and Composition examination. Both this course and the honors course prepare students to pass the Junior Writing Exam taken in the second semester. Students who do not pass this exam with an acceptable score must take Literature and Composition: Non-fiction during the senior year.
11th Grade Social Science
Juniors take a full year of U.S. Histories and Cultures, covering the period beginning in the colonial era and concluding in the 21st century. The course tracks the major events and movements of our country, along with covering historically underrepresented narratives, to gain a deeper and more complex understanding of our nation’s history.
Juniors and seniors have the opportunity to apply for Honors in any Social Science course. Designed for students with a demonstrated history of academic achievement, the Honors curriculum challenges students with college-level coursework (e.g. a college-level research paper) and real-world experiences (e.g. a city council meeting). Honors students receive honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations.
11th Grade Arts
A junior can elect to take a performing arts class before and/or after school.
Our Performing Arts Program includes Chamber Singers, Fall Play, Playwright Festival, Symphonic Orchestra, Jazz Band, Pep Band, Mixed Chorus, Fall Play, Technical Theater, Stage Crew, Dance Workshop & Spring Musical.
11th Grade Religion
Juniors engage in the broad philosophical and theological discussions of good and evil, right and wrong, freedom and duty, in and beyond the practical moral decisions of everyday life. In response to the call to uphold and promote the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, students examine first Catholic tradition’s understandings of human dignity, informed conscience, and the virtues and principles that guide moral reasoning. The second semester explores Catholic tradition on social justice, social teaching, and the common good with a focus on environmental justice and racial equity.
11th Grade Language
A year 3 language student will further grow their language skill set. Students will be exposed to more sophisticated language structures and develop an awareness of social justice themes. Year three students are considered high intermediate language learners. Students are growing their critical thinking skills in the target language.
11th Grade PE/Wellness
Juniors are encouraged to explore Physical Education classes and continue their journey in fitness and health.