CHINESE A
This is an introductory Mandarin Chinese course designed for Middle School students.
The course focuses on basic communication skills in speaking, listening, reading
and writing simplified characters with the option of learning traditional characters.
The course also includes lessons on Chinese culture. In addition to the acquisition
of linguistic skills, the course also aims to equip students with the skills
needed to learn foreign languages in natural, authentic settings. Class work
includes com¬municative activities, dialogues, music, movies and student-centered
pair/group practice. A variety of educational and authentic materials are used
to reinforce language skills.
Open to: Grades 6 & 7
Text: Huanying, Vol I
CHINESE B
This is a continuing course for Middle School students who have completed Chinese
A. Communication skills in speaking, listening, and reading basic Chinese are
emphasized as well as writing simplified characters with the option of learning
traditional characters. Class work involves communicative activities, dialogues,
music, and paired/group practice. A variety of educational as well as authentic
materials are used to reinforce language skills.
Open to: Grade 7 & 8
Text Huanying, Vol I
CHINESE C
This is a continuing course for Middle School students who have completed Chinese
B or the equivalent coursework. This course continues to increase students’
communicative capacity in speaking, listening, reading and writing Mandarin.
Authentic materials are employed. The class revisits themes and grammar items
that are introduced in Chinese A and B, however, the emphasis in Chinese C is
to understand the material in depth. Accuracy in production is the focus. Class
work includes communicative activities, dialogues, music, movies and student-centered
pair/group practice and more in-depth projects.
Open to: Grades 7 & 8
Text: Huanying, Vol I
FRENCH A
This is an introductory course for Middle School students. Class work emphasizes
speaking and listening skills, while home study concentrates on reading, writing
and vocabulary acquisition. Students engage in a variety of communicative activities
to develop proficiency. Class work involves paired/group practice, dialogues,
and music. The course includes basic grammar, short reading selections, and
an introduction to the geography and culture of the Francophone world. Language
lab, overhead projections and videos are used to reinforce language skills.
Open to: Grades 6 & 7
Texts: Discovering French: Bleu, Première Partie (text
and workbook)
FRENCH B
This is a continuing course for Middle School students who have completed the
curriculum outlined for French A. Listening, speaking, reading and writing skills
are given equal emphasis. Students learn to express themselves more completely
in the present and in the past tenses. There is continued exploration of geography
and culture. Students engage in a variety of communicative activities to develop
proficiency. Language lab, overhead projections and videos are used to reinforce
language skills.
Open to: Grades 7 & 8
Prerequisite: French A or equivalent
Texts: Discovering French: Bleu, Deuxième Partie
(text and workbook)
FRENCH C
This is a continuing course for Middle School students who have completed the
curriculum for French A and B. The course is the equivalent of an Upper School
French II class. There is more emphasis on listening, speaking, reading, and
writing in this course. In addition to the acquisition of a broad practical
vocabulary, students are exposed to more complex grammatical structures. Students
will become competent conversing and writing in the past tenses, in giving commands
and in using the future and conditional. Students write compositions and stories
using a variety of verb tenses and vocabulary. Students engage in a variety
of communicative activities to develop proficiency. Language lab, overhead projections
and videos are used to reinforce language skills.
Open to: Grade 8
Prerequisite: French A and B or equivalent
Texts: Discovering French: Blanc (text and workbook)
LATIN A
This is an introductory course for Middle School students. Class work focuses
on translation, writing and vocabulary acquisition. The basic grammar includes
declensions 1–3, present and imperfect tenses of conjugations 1–4,
and agreement of adjectives. The student is introduced to Roman culture, history,
and mythology through reading selections, student reports and presentations.
Open to: Grades 6 & 7
Texts: Ecce Romani IA; The Odyssey, Robin
Lister
LATIN B
This is a continuing course for Middle School students who have completed the
curricu¬lum for Latin A. The focus of the course is on developing translation
skills through reading, writing, and further vocabulary acquisition. Grammar
topics include declensions 4–5, past and future tenses, demonstrative
and personal pronouns. There is continued exploration of Roman history and culture
through selected readings, student reports, and presentations.
Open to: Grades 7 & 8
Prerequisite: Latin A or equivalent
Texts: Ecce Romani IB
LATIN C
This is a continuing course for Middle School students who have completed the
curriculum outlined for Latin B. Class work emphasizes building translation
skills through readings of lengthier, more complex passages, and continued vocabulary
acquisition. Grammar topics include introduction to the subjunctive, participles,
relative pronouns, and irregular verbs. There is continued exploration of Roman
history and culture through selected readings, student reports, and presentations.
Open to: Grades 7 & 8
Prerequisite: Latin B or equivalent
Texts: Ecce Romani IIA and IIB
SPANISH A
This is an introductory course for Middle School students. The primary goal
of Spanish A is to develop basic speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
Students are also introduced to the Spanish-speaking world through a variety
of documentaries and geography lessons. Class work involves communicative activities,
dialogues, music, and paired/group practice. By the end of Spanish A, students
will be able to express themselves using the present tense, the present progressive,
and the immediate future.
Open to: Grades 6 & 7
Texts: Paso a Paso A, Activity Workbook
SPANISH B
This is a continuing course for Middle School students who have completed the
curriculum outlined for Spanish A. The course starts with a review of the material
covered in Spanish A. It also offers more practice of listening, speaking, reading,
and writing skills at the beginning level. Students review the tenses covered
in Spanish A and learn the imperative and the past tense of regular and irregular
verbs. We continue to learn about the Spanish-speaking world through projects
and oral presentations in Spanish. At the end of Spanish B, students will be
able to express themselves in Spanish at a basic level.
Open to: Grades 7 & 8
Prerequisite: Spanish A or equivalent
Texts: Paso a Paso B, Practice Workbook, and Writing,
Audio &Visual Activities Workbook
SPANISH C
This is a continuing course for Middle School students who have completed the
curriculum for Spanish A and B. It is the equivalent of an Upper School Spanish
II class. In addition to the acquisition of a broad practical vocabulary and
idioms, students are exposed to more complex grammatical structures. Writing
and reading are introduced and improved through a literary work and a research
paper, along with a variety of communicative activities.
Open to: Grade 8
Prerequisite: Spanish A and B or equivalent
Texts Book En Español II and practice workbook;
and selected readings
Note: Advanced Foreign Language courses will be offered according
to a number of factors including enrollment and staffing.
CHINESE I
This is an introductory Mandarin Chinese course designed for Upper School beginning
students. The course focuses on basic communication skills in speaking, listening,
reading and writing standard Mandarin Chinese. The course also includes lessons
on Chinese culture. In addition to the acquisition of linguistic skills, the
course also aims to equip students with the skills needed to learn foreign languages
in natural, authentic settings. Class work includes communicative activities,
dialogues, music, movies and student-centered pair/group practice. A variety
of educational and authentic materials are used to reinforce language skills.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Text: Huanying, Vol I
CHINESE II
This is a continuing course for students who have completed Chinese I in the
Upper School or Chinese A & B in the Middle School. This course continues
to increase students’ communicative capacity in speaking, listening, reading
and writing Mandarin. Authentic materials are employed. The class revisits themes
and grammar items introduced in Chinese I, however, the emphasis in Chinese
II is to understand the material in depth. Accuracy in production is the focus.
Class work includes communicative activities, dialogues, music, movies and student-centered
pair/group practice.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Chinese 1 or B
Text: Huanying, Vol I
CHINESE III
This is a continuing course in Mandarin Chinese for Upper School students who
have completed the curriculum outlined in Chinese II or Chinese C. Speaking,
listening, reading and writing authentic Mandarin Chinese are emphasized in
this level. This course uses authentic materials to increase students’
communication capacity in the target language. This course deepens competence
in written and spoken language. It also exposes students to literary genres
including short stories, documentary prose, and essays. Upon departmental approval,
heritage speaker students may join this class to sharpen their reading and writing
skills.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Text: Huanying, Vol I
CHINESE IV
This is a continuing course in Mandarin Chinese for Upper School students who
have completed the curriculum outlined in Chinese III. In addition to extensive
practice in all linguistic domains (speaking, listening, reading and writing),
this course offers a thorough review of Chinese grammar. This course also exposes
students to Chinese cultural traditions and customs. Through the study of various
literary genres, students in this course start to develop pragmatic awareness
in Chinese.
Open to: Grades 10, 11 & 12
Text: Taiwan Today, Shou Hsin Teng
CHINESE V (with AP option)
Chinese V (with AP option) is the continuation of Chinese IV. This course aims
to provide students with on-going and varied opportunities to further develop
their proficiency across the full range of linguistic skills. In this course,
students will continue to improve their Chinese skills in listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. Students communicate within a cultural frame of reference
reflective of the richness of Chinese language and culture. They read a variety
of literary works as well as authentic texts on a wide range of areas such as
current events, social studies, and humanities. Regular discussions on readings
will be conducted in Chinese. In this course, students further develop their
knowledge of Chinese language to include pronunciation; vocabulary; idiomatic
expressions; grammatical structures; and written characters. If appropriate,
some students may opt to take the Advanced Placement Exam in Chinese and Language
and Culture.
Open to: Grades 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Chinese IV or Department approval
FRECNH I
This is an introductory course for Upper School students. Class work emphasizes
speaking, listening, and writing skills. The course covers all the material
noted above in French A and B at an accelerated pace. The student is introduced
to different aspects of Francophone culture and customs. A video series, movies,
transparencies and a computer program provide a variety of ways to engage with
the language.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Texts: D'Accord, Vista Higher Learning & Cahier
d’exercices
FRENCH II
This is a continuing course for students who have completed the curriculum for
French A and B in the Middle School or French I in the Upper School. This course
is conducted almost entirely in French. Students will become competent conversing
and writing in the past tenses, in giving commands and in using the future.
They will also acquire a broad, practical, everyday vocabulary. Using these
verb tenses and everyday vocabulary students will write paragraphs and stories.
Students will also read short stories and selections. A video series accompanies
the textbook, exposing students to authentic speech and a deeper understanding
of the Francophone world.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: French A & B or French I
Texts: D'Accord, Vista Higher Learning & Cahier
d’exercices
FRENCH III
This is a continuing course for students who have completed the outlined curriculum
for French II or French C. The course, which is conducted entirely in French,
requires increasingly sophisticated listening, speaking, reading and writing
skills. Students learn to express themselves more completely by acquiring broad
practical and abstract vocabulary as well as proficiency in all the verb tenses.
Students learn about the French way of life, French attitudes, and customs.
An introduction to French literature is offered trough poems and readings.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: French C or French II
Text and novels: Discovering French: Rouge (text and
workbook); Le Petit Prince
FRENCH IV
This course offers a thorough review of grammar as well as an opportunity to
learn more about the history of France as well as the culture of contemporary
France and Francophone countries. Students are given extensive practice in all
four language skill areas: reading, writing, speaking and listening. They also
continue to explore French literature. All activities are conducted in French.
Open to: 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: French III or equivalent
Text and novels: Le Petit Nicolas by G. Sempe; Trésors
du temps; Oscar et le dame rose by Eric Emmanuel Schmidt
FRENCH LITERATURE AND CINEMA
Films are an excellent way to introduce students to literature. The class will
look at adaptation of French literary works into movies. The class will be conducted
in French only, and students will be exposed to various texts from novels to
plays. Students will be encouraged to look at the filmed version with a critical
eye and they will write about what they read and see. They will look specifically
at what choices the film’s director and crew have made in the transition
from text to film: What has been added? What nuances or uncertainties have been
simplified or stripped away? How the choice of genre affected the way the story
is told? We will take time to take an in-depth look at the written text and
the filmed version. We will also learn technical vocabulary used in the analysis
of films and look at written film reviews. We will also look at different versions
of the same work and see how it changed with time At this level grammar review
is done in context and is kept to a minimum. Class is conducted in French only.
Open to: Grades 11 & 12
Prerequisite: French IV, French AP Language with Department
approval
Text and readings: “Le Cinéma”, Vanoye,
Frey, Goliot-Lé†é. Repères Pratiques, Nathan
2007. Excerpts from Madame Bovary, Un Barrage Contre le Pacifique, Le bossu,
Le Gone du Chaâba, Un Secret, and many more.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT FRENCH: LANGUAGE
The AP French Language and Culture course is designed for students who already
have a good command of French grammar and vocabulary, and are motivated to gain
competence in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The course is conducted
in French, and students are expected to speak French exclusively. Students will
expand their cultural understanding through a variety of media and will develop
their communicative skills in interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational
modes using a wide range of authentic materials. This course meets the requirements
of the new 2012 College Board AP French Language and culture exam and revolves
around the five language objectives outlined in the Standards for Foreign Language
learning in the 21st Century: Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons,
and Communities. Students who enroll in this course are expected to take the
French Language Advanced Placement examination in May.
Open to: Grades 11 and 12
Prerequisite: French IV, or Department approval
Texts: Face à Face, variety of readings, Grammar
book
LATIN I
This is an introductory course for Upper School students. Class work emphasizes
reading, grammar, translation, and vocabulary acquisition. The basic grammar
includes declensions 1–5, conjugations 1–4, all tenses, as well
as personal, and relative pronouns. The student is introduced to Roman culture,
history, and mythology through short reading selections and student reports.
English derivatives from Latin roots receive special attention.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Texts: Latin for the New Millenium I
LATIN II
This is a continuing course for students who have completed the curriculum outlined
for Latin I. Translation, grammar, and vocabulary acquisition are again the
focus of the class. Grammar topics include indirect discourse, subjunctive uses,
participles, and relative pronouns. There is continued exploration of Roman
culture, history and mythology through selected readings, reports, and presentations,
as well as continued study of English derivatives.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Latin A & B or Latin I
Texts: Latin for the New Millenium II
LATIN III
This course begins with a review of complex Latin grammar and syntax, and then
it serves as an introduction to the reading of Latin texts as literature. Readings
focus on Roman history of the pre-Republic and Republican periods. Later readings
include selections from the Suetonius’ biography of Julius Caesar. By
the end of this course, students will have been exposed to all major topics
in Latin grammar, and they will have read original Latin texts and begun to
treat literary themes within the texts that they are reading.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Latin C or Latin II or equivalent
Texts: Latin III Reader
LATIN IV/V
The readings for this course may vary, but they will always include some prose
of Cicero and some exposure to Latin verse (e.g., Catullus, Horace, Ovid). The
focus of the course is to develop the student’s ability to translate complex
passages of Latin while understanding how the text works on multiple levels.
Students undertake a large project in the winter that includes translation and
analysis of poetry or prose as well as the design of a web site for displaying
their work.
Open to: Grades 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Latin III and/or IV
Texts: Ovid’s Metamorphoses; Cicero: Somnium
Scipionis or In Catilinam; Excelability in Advanced Latin
ADVANCED LATIN SEMINAR
This rigorous course serves as the culmination of a student’s work learning
and reading Latin in earlier Latin coursework; it is offered every other year,
alternating with the AP Latin course. The curriculum follows very closely the
AP-mandated curriculum for the former AP Latin Literature course, which is now
no longer part of the AP program. As such, we read the masterpiece poems by
Catullus and Horace. All facets of good, rigorous poetic analysis and good,
precise, accurate translation are covered during the course.
Open to: Grades 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Latin IV/V, or Department approval
Texts: Arnold, Aronsen, Lawall, Love and Betrayal: A Catullus
Reader, Garrison, Horace
ADVANCED PLACEMENT LATIN: VERGIL
This course features an in-depth study of books I, II, IV, VI, X and XII of
The Aeneid in Latin, and a reading of the rest of the poem in English.
The emphasis is on translation and critical analysis of Vergil’s poetry.
The course topics include a review of grammar, figures of speech, metrics, and
a study of the historical and literary background of the epic.
Open to: Grades 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Latin IV/V, or permission of Department
Texts: Vergil, The Aeneid
SPANISH I
This is an introductory course for Upper School students. Class work emphasizes
speaking and listening skills, while home study concentrates on reading, writing
and vocabulary acquisition. The course covers all the material noted above in
Spanish A and B at an accelerated pace. The student is introduced to aspects
of Hispanic culture and customs. A video series, movies, transparencies, and
audiotapes enrich textbook material.
Open to: Grades 9, 10 & 11
Texts: En Español I; workbook; Beginning Reader
SPANISH II
This is a continuing course for students who have completed the curriculum for
Spanish A and B in the Middle School or Spanish I in the Upper School. This
course is conducted entirely in Spanish. Students will become competent conversing
and writing in the past tenses, in giving commands and in using the future and
the conditional. They will also acquire a broad, practical, everyday vocabulary.
Using these verb tenses and everyday vocabulary students will write short stories
and compositions. They will also read short stories and three short novellas.
Since the development of verbal fluency is paramount, oral reports, group projects,
and conversations are essential parts of the curriculum.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Spanish A & B or Spanish I
Texts: Vistas: Introducción a la lengua española,
Activity Workbook and Lab Book En Español II and practice workbook;
La ciudad de los dioses; La chica de los zapatos verdes; Panico en la discoteca
SPANISH III
This is a continuing course for students who have completed the outlined curriculum
for Spanish II or Spanish C. The course requires increasingly sophisticated
listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Students learn to express themselves
more completely by acquiring broad practical and abstract vocabulary as well
as proficiency in all the verb tenses. There is a continued exploration of culture
as well as literary and periodical readings.
Open to: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Spanish C or Spanish II or equivalent
Texts: En Español III; workbook; a broad selection
of Latin American Short Stories
SPANISH IV
In this course students will engage in discus¬sions, analysis of literature,
formal and informal writing, and an in-depth grammar review. This course also
offers students the opportu¬nity to learn more about the culture, film and
art of Spain and Latin America, as well as read a full-length novel from Chile.
Open to: 10, 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Spanish III or equivalent
Texts: Encuentros Maravillosos; Listening Comprehension
Skills; Cartero de Neruda
ADVANCED SPANISH SEMINAR
This course is designed as an advanced seminar open to all students who have
successfully completed Spanish IV, Spanish AP Language or Spanish AP Literature.
The purpose of the course is to provide a format for advancing students’
speaking, reading and writing skills /in Spanish through the study of Hispanic
literature, culture, politics and film. Students will participate in discussion
and will be expected to write topical essays and prepare presentations on issues
that relate to the Spanish-speaking world. The cultural compo¬nent is enhanced
by the practice of Caribbean and Argentinean dances.
Open to: Grades 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Spanish IV, or Spanish AP Language or Spanish
AP Literature
Texts: Soñar en cubano; Como agua para chocolate;
La ciudad y los perros
ADVANCED PLACEMENT SPANISH: LANGUAGE
This intensive course leads students to a mastery of all four-language skills.
They read sophisticated representative literature; they write extensive and
grammatically accurate essays; they acquire strong conversational skills, and
a rich vocabulary; they have practice in understanding native speakers. Students
who elect to take this course will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement
examination in May.
Open to: Grades 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Spanish IV and Departmental approval
Texts: Galeria de arte; text and workbook, AP Spanish
Language Practice Exam Workbook
ADVANCED PLACEMENT SPANISH: LITERATURE
The Advanced Placement Program for Spanish Literature is designed to introduce
students who have advanced language skills to the formal study of a representative
body of literary texts in Spanish. The required list covers authors from the
Medieval and Golden Ages to the 20th Century. Extensive reading and literary
analysis (both written and oral) are central components of this course.
Open to: Grades 11 & 12
Prerequisite: Advanced Placement Spanish Language or Departmental
approval
Texts: Abriendo Puertas I y II; representative prose
and poetry by Hispanic authors from the Middle Ages to the present.
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Updated January 29, 2011