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2020–2021
Course Catalog
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT......................................................................................... 3
MARIN ACADEMY REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION...................................... 4
COURSE PLANNING AT MARIN ACADEMY ............................................................ 5
BAY AREA BLENDED CONSORTIUM ....................................................................... 7
ENGLISH ....................................................................................................................... 13
HISTORY ....................................................................................................................... 18
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT & MB2 ................................................................................ 23
MATHEMATICS ............................................................................................................ 24
PERFORMING ARTS .................................................................................................... 28
SCIENCE ....................................................................................................................... 33
VISUAL ARTS ................................................................................................................ 38
WORLD LANGUAGES ................................................................................................. 41
ATHLETICS ................................................................................................................... 47
SPECIAL CURRICULAR AND CO-CURRICULARS ..................................................... 48
2
PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT
Marin Academy is a co-educational high school committed to scholarship and personal development. We
see the high school years as a critically important time when students are discovering who they are, what they
value, what they enjoy, and where they are headed. We want our students to develop the skills and knowledge
that will serve them well both now and in the future, and as such, an MA education is designed to prepare
them to lead and thrive in a world where everything is connected and challenges are rarely solved alone or
through a single discipline.
We provide a challenging academic program based on experiential education that focuses on the critical
and creative thinking our students need to chart their course in the world. We encourage students to explore
complex ideas and diverse perspectives, to test their values and judgments, to make their own discoveries,
and to make mistakes. We focus our curriculum on problems, projects, and questions that, by design, spur
students to think deeply about issues. And we empower students by putting them at the center of their
education, requiring them to lean into creative thinking and problem solving as they play an active role in their
quest for meaning and purpose.
We have developed a deeply researched understanding of the competencies that students will need to
lead and thrive in a rapidly evolving world, and every facet of an MA education is designed to help students
develop these five core competencies:
Demonstrated Empathy
Students utilize cross-cultural awareness and emotional intelligence to understand and appreciate difference,
privilege, and their connection to others in a global community with integrity and gratitude.
Imaginative Curiosity
Students use their imagination, content knowledge, inquiry skills, and passion to wonder, explore ideas, solve
problems, and create.
Intellectual Flexibility
Students work both collaboratively and individually to embrace academic and intellectual challenge, using
multiple perspectives and evidence to support, challenge, and refine their arguments. They can persuade—
using evidence based on sound research—and they can be persuaded to change their minds.
Compelling Expression
Students effectively articulate their ideas, feelings, and passions through arts and languages, and are proficient
in multiple modes of written, oral, artistic, and media communication and presentation.
Strategic Boldness
Students use a growth mindset and reflection to collaborate, courageously engage, and take healthy risks to
gain confidence, leadership, and resilience. They are biased toward action, and use their educational and other
gifts toward impacting their communities and the world.
In keeping with these competencies, we believe students thrive in a supportive, compassionate environment
that promotes friendly, open dialogue based on respect and trust. We encourage students to explore complex
ideas and diverse perspectives, to test their values and judgments, to make their own discoveries, and to
make mistakes, often their greatest teachers. We ask each individual to recognize our shared responsibility to
inspire and foster a purposefully diverse, equitable and just community, where students and adults of varied
backgrounds, beliefs, attributes, and abilities relate to one another as individuals worthy of respect. Further,
we embrace our responsibility to promote, within and beyond the boundaries of Marin Academy, the values
inherent in a democratic society.
3MARIN ACADEMY REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION
A total of 20.5 credits are required for graduation. 19 of these credits are required courses or courses elected
from among designated departmental offerings; the other two may be chosen from any area.
ENGLISH HISTORY HUMAN MATHEMATICS
Four years of English Three years of history DEVELOPMENT Three years of
are required. English I are required, including Two semesters are mathematics and the
(required in the ninth Modern World History I, required; fall semester completion of Algebra II
grade), English II Modern World History in freshman year and are required. Four years
(required in the tenth II, and United States spring semester in and the completion
grade) and English III History. Four years are sophomore year. of Precalculus are
Honors (required in the recommended. recommended.
eleventh grade) are
mandatory. During senior
MIND BODY BRAIN
year, two semester-long
One semester, spring WORLD
courses must be taken
SCIENCE semester of freshman LANGUAGES
from the various electives Three years of the
Three years of laboratory year, is required.
offered as English same world language
300–650. science are required.
regardless of starting
This includes Biology,
point is required. (For
Chemistry, and one VISUAL & example, students who
year of physics (Physics
PERFORMING ARTS begin in Level I must
PHYSICAL with Algebra and Trig,
Two years of fine arts complete at least Level
EDUCATION Advanced Physics
are required. More are III, students who begin in
Students must with Calc, EECS, or
encouraged. Level II must complete at
accumulate a minimum Astrophysics). Physics
least Level IV, etc.) Four
of 3.5 physical education may be taken in either
years of languages are
“points” by the end the junior or senior year.
recommended.
of their senior year. Four years of science are
Students may earn PE recommended.
points in a variety of ways
including interscholastic
team sports, outings,
independent study,
Minicourse, PE electives,
or by a combination of
such courses, activities,
and MA athletic teams.
Note: Mind, Body, Brain
completion earns 2
points toward the PE
requirement.
Marin Academy reserves the right to modify the curriculum, as described in this catalog,
including the addition and deletion of courses and the modification of course materials.
4COURSE PLANNING AT MARIN ACADEMY
Students, in consultation with parents, advisors/academic counselors, teachers, class deans, and others at Marin Academy,
are very much in charge of planning their course of study at MA. While there are a number of graduation requirements
and required courses, as you become a junior or senior, you have the opportunity to think carefully and engage
thoughtfully in creating a program of study. We encourage you to challenge yourself by trying new things or going
into greater depth and at the same time to balance your curricular interests with co-curricular involvement. Below is an
explanation of the course planning process and some things to consider while choosing courses.
Course Sign-Ups
In the week before spring break, students meet in class meetings to hear about the course selection process for the
following year and the course catalog is published. Recommendations are made by existing teachers for certain classes,
such as math or world language, and students have individual meetings with their advisors/academic counselors. After
spring break, students and parents come with a preliminary schedule request form and meet together with advisors/
academic counselors. During this scheduling conference, additional guidance is given and, with adult support, students
complete a formal course selection worksheet complete with parental permission/signatures.
After the course selection process and forms are turned in to advisors/academic counselors, class deans, the academic
dean, and the dean of students review course selections and may turn forms back to students with questions or concerns.
In addition to the physical course form, students and advisors/academic counselors will complete an online course
selection form, which will ideally be completed prior to the parent/student conference in April after spring break.
Course Recommendations
Students’ current teachers—in consultation with department chairs—make course recommendations. In order to be
recommended for certain honors courses, a student needs to earn excellent grades (the exact grade needed varies by
department; please see specific course descriptions) and show a commitment to a challenging course of study. Students
may choose to apply to courses they are not recommended for, however, students best poised to do so are those looking
for challenge regardless of grade outcomes. The Academic Office and department chairs can give additional information
on this process.
Graduation Requirements and the University of California
Please see MA’s graduation requirements on the previous page. Note that a student who meets these requirements
also meets the minimum course requirements for the University of California and California State University systems as
long as the grades earned are C-minus or higher in every required course. Please remember that UC eligibility does not
guarantee admission.
Course Load
We encourage students to take the following load of courses each year:
• Freshmen: Seven courses all year. These courses are English I, Modern World History I, Biology, a math course, a
world languages course, an arts course, Human Development (fall) and Mind, Body, Brain (spring).
• Sophomores: Six courses in the fall and seven in the spring. These courses are English II, Modern World History
II, Chemistry, a math course, a world languages course, an arts course, and Human Development (spring).
• Juniors: Six courses (seven may be allowed with a course petition form). Juniors usually take American Literature,
United States History, a science course, a math course, a world languages class, and often an arts course.
• Seniors: Six courses (seven may be allowed with a course petition form). In addition to taking a full load
of courses, applying to college in the fall will take a significant amount of time. Seniors typically take two
semester-long English electives, one or two semester-long history courses, a science course (must be a physics
course if the requirement has not been fulfilled in the junior year), a math course, a world languages course,
and an arts course.
5Keep in Mind
There are many people who can offer advice and guidance, but in the long run the student should think of both the
immediate (what classes to take next year) and the long term (overall course of study at MA). What courses work together,
what courses challenge you, and what courses expose you to new ideas or new ways of looking at the world?
Course Selection and College Admissions
The high school transcript is a very important part of the college application process. Colleges and universities will look
to see both how you have challenged yourself in choosing courses and the grades earned. How your transcript will be
viewed will vary widely from school to school.
• The University of California will calculate your grade point average using UC approved courses taken in the
sophomore and junior year. However, the application requires that you report your grades in the ninth grade as
well as list the courses you plan to complete in the twelfth grade, and all of this information is considered in the
admissions process. Please read the course catalog carefully in order to see which courses are UC approved as
general electives (versus within a discipline).
• Private colleges and universities will look at your entire four-year program but may choose not to include certain
courses when calculating your GPA. Some schools will weight your GPA and some will use an unweighted GPA.
Add/Drop Process for First and Second Semesters
Once school has started each semester, students may add, change and/or drop courses through the first full rotation of
classes (six days). During the second rotation of classes, students may no longer add or change courses, but they may
drop a course (without the possibility of adding a course to replace that dropped course). An add/drop form may be
picked up from the Registrar’s Office; it requires a series of conversations and signatures in order to complete it.
6BAY AREA BLENDED CONSORTIUM
The Bay Area BlendEd Consortium was founded in 2013 by Marin Academy and The Athenian School, The College
Preparatory School, Lick-Wilmerding High School, and The Urban School in order to jointly offer a set of blended classes
combining face-to-face and online instruction. Our membership later expanded to include The Branson School and then
the San Francisco University High School. Together, we are committed to making the most of online learning, remarkable
teacher-student connections, and Bay Area resources.
Bay Area BlendEd Consortium courses are taught by experienced teachers from our Consortium schools who draw upon
teaching experience, resources of the Bay Area, and the best practices of highly effective digital and face-to-face learning
experiences. In support of rich student-teacher relationships, classes meet regularly via video conference as well as face-
to-face between three and five times per term. Courses are rigorous and challenging, requiring students to work actively,
creatively, independently, and collaboratively and to take responsibility for their progress and learning.
Before enrolling in a blended course through the Bay Area BlendEd Consortium, you should first assess your readiness for
learning in a blended/online format. Your level of agreement with the following statements will help you determine what
you need to do in order to succeed in a BlendEd course; the more you affirm these statements, the more prepared you
are for this kind of educational experience.
Time & Task Management Tenacity & Resourcefulness Engagement & Collaboration
✔✔ I am good at setting goals and ✔✔ I am comfortable asking others for ✔✔ I am able to find quiet, distraction-
deadlines for myself, and sticking help when I am challenged. free spaces for studying and doing
to them! homework.
✔✔ I am comfortable reaching out to
✔✔ I understand that BlendEd teachers and classmates via email. ✔✔ I work well in groups and can
courses will take up provide constructive, concise, and
approximately 5-7 hours per ✔✔ I am technically competent and proactive feedback as needed.
week. am able to troubleshoot computer
problems on my own when ✔✔ I enjoy brainstorming and
✔✔ I do not generally struggle with needed. recognizing other’s good ideas.
time management and stay on
task without needing reminders. ✔✔ I take risks and accept possible ✔✔ I understand that 3-5 face-face
failure as a part of the learning sessions are required for my
✔✔ I would describe myself as an process. BlendEd course and that these
independent or self-directed in-person sessions often take place
learner who regularly begins after school or on weekends.
assignments before due dates.
The BlendEd courses can be found both
in this section and throughout the course
catalog in their respective departments.
For additional information about
BlendED or any of the BlendEd courses,
please email MA’s BlendEd coordinator,
Liz Gottlieb, at lgottlieb@ma.org.
7Summer/Fall from their own personal lens, the field experiences from this
course, and their understandings of the cultural, political,
Wilderness Studies: Conservation and Management ethical, historical, and economic perspectives addressed
of Public Lands in the Western United States – A in the course. Assessments in this course will require that
Wilderness Critique students research and evaluate wilderness areas and
The West has always spanned a range of wild spaces and public lands and, applying their learnings from the class,
landscapes. For thousands of years, humans have lived make recommendations (based on sound research and
in this wilderness. For the last 200 years, humans have the understanding of multiple perspectives) regarding the
ravaged many of these wildernesses. And yet, in 2020 future of the land. Students will create a podcast related to
large tracts of wilderness still exist within the Western the theme of wilderness as their final project for this course.
United States.
This course will examine the value of wilderness and Important Dates:
public land (commons land) in the year 2020. What is the • March 16: Applications due.
value of these lands (and waters) to the people who use, • June 7: Pre-course Introductions + Q&A, Meet
manage, conserve, appreciate, or have traditionally lived @ Old Mill Park, Mill Valley, CA, Hike Dipsea →
on them? We will use a week-long field experience to the Stinson Beach, 12 - 5pm
Great Burn Recommended Wilderness of Montana and • July 7: Virtual course kick off & connection/pre-
a weekend expedition to Point Reyes National Seashore trip work via Canvas/Zoom
to probe both the historical and current relationships • July 29 – August 6: Montana expedition; Depart
between humans and these wild, largely untamed from and return to the San Francisco Airport
landscapes. Guiding questions for this course are: • September 5 – 7: Pt. Reyes expedition (meet
at MA @ 12pm on 9/5 | return to MA @ 1 pm on
• What is the role of humans in managing nature, 9/7)
wildlife, & wilderness? • October 4: San Francisco, Location TBD (Urban,
• Who is wilderness for? What groups have been Cal Academy?) + expedition, Final F2F (share
historically underrepresented in conversations related podcasts, celebrate, debrief) (12 - 3pm)
to wilderness? What effects may these exclusions have • Zooms: 7/7, 7/12, 8/16, 8/23, 9/13, 9/20 (~7:30
on society and the environment? How do we begin to to 8:30pm)
change this story?
• How do we balance the preservation of public land For additional information, including FAQs and
with the need for local people to make a livelihood off application, please visit: www.blendedconsortium.org/
the land? wilderness-studies/
• What, if any, models can we use to balance the This course is UC approved as “G: General Elective”
preservation of wildland ecosystems and the current
and future use of public land by humans for tourism,
recreation, and utilitarian purposes? Can there be any Yearlong
land that humans are not managing or influencing?
• How important is collaboration between governments, Multivariable Calculus
non-profits, businesses, user groups, and cities in the Multivariable Calculus will begin by exploring vector
process of public land conservation? geometry and functions in more than one variable. Then,
after expanding the concepts of limits and continuity
To answer these questions, students will participate in to include multivariate functions, students will develop
backpacking and camping trips to immerse themselves in a rich understanding of concepts and methods relating
the lands we’re studying while engaging with local experts to the main topics of Partial Differentiation and Multiple
who approach these landscapes from different ethical and Integration. After generalizing a number of tools from
practical approaches. Readings will provide additional single-variable to multivariate calculus, we will explore
knowledge in both the history of these spaces as well topics of optimization and geometric applications in areas
as current information and debates surrounding the use including physics, economics, probability, and technology.
and management of the Great Burn and the Point Reyes We will expand our fluency with topics to address vector
National Seashore. fields and parametric functions, and we will understand
This trimester intensive course will include Zoom applications of Green’s and Stokes’ Theorems. We will
group discussions as well as four face-to-face trips employ multidimensional graphing programs to aid
including the two intensive field experiences. Field in developing a more thorough understanding of the
experiences will involve rigorous academic work and myriad ways for describing and analyzing properties of
will be physically demanding. Students will maintain multivariate functions. At the conclusion of the course,
a cultural and natural history journal throughout the students will have the opportunity to further explore
course and engage in weekly readings, discussions, and applications of and/or concepts relating to topics covered
reflections. Students will be asked to weigh in on current by the course.
events, science, and legislation throughout the course Emphasis will be placed on students expressing
by considering the significance of wilderness and nature fluency with numerical, algebraic, visual, and 8verbal interpretations of concepts. Students can expect to promote health and wellness practices in our own
to collaborate weekly on homework, problem-sets, and lives. Students will keep a journal and regularly reflect on
projects in small groups and in tutorial with their instructor observations of their environment and how it affects them.
online via Zoom; face-to-face sessions may include visits This class will hold virtual meetings on a weekly or
with experts analyzing functions in multiple variables as every other week basis to discuss, debate, and present
well as group problem-solving activities and assessments. new ideas. Students’ preparation for and participation
This course is UC approved “C: Mathematics (honors).” in virtual meetings is essential to creating a sense of
community and enriching the learning experience of
all. Students will be responsible for leading discussions
Fall Semester around articles assigned, or debating controversial
theories or findings either solo or in groups.
American Politics There will be 4 to 5 face-to-face (F2F) meetings over
American Politics will examine the development of the the course of the semester. Dates and locations are subject
American Republic and its institutions, and will investigate to guest and host availability and will be announced as
the various groups, constituencies, beliefs, and ideas that available. The first F2F will occur sometime in the opening
characterize current U.S. politics. Constitutional questions, 2 weeks and the final F2F will likely fall on the last Saturday
political values, political beliefs, political parties, interest of the term. This course is UC approved “G: College Prep
groups, the influence of mass media, and the effects of Elective.”
government and public policy both upon the states and
individuals will be studied throughout the course. Because Medical Problem Solving
2020 is an election year, a great deal of emphasis will Prerequisites: Successful completion of two years of high
be placed upon studying party politics, the presidential school science.
campaigns, and the fall’s most significant or trenchant This course uses medical case studies as vehicles for
congressional elections. students to learn collaboratively about the anatomy and
We will hold a virtual class meeting via Zoom video physiology of the human body. Each student has the
conferencing every week. Students will be expected to responsibility of researching aspects of the case study
come prepared having done all assignments and ready to in question in order to create informative presentations
share and ask relevant questions. We will also use Zoom that educate the entire class. Then, as a group, the class
for regular small group collaborations. Students will have evaluates the information, much as detectives evaluate
the chance to present their own research, and to lead clues, in order to arrive at potential diagnoses which they
discussions concerning the ongoing election. must then defend. Throughout the term, we will hold
There will be four face-to-face (F2F) meetings over weekly virtual class meetings to discuss the case studies,
the course of the term. Participation in F2F meetings review progress on research topics and discuss diagnoses
is a course requirement, and students must attend all and treatment plans. Students will occasionally connect
four meetings. Dates and locations are pending, but with the teacher and other classmates through online
will include attending a local government session, a discussions and virtual meetings to share presentations,
conversation with journalists, and a “watch party” on receive and provide feedback and ask questions. Our 3
Election night. The first F2F will occur during the opening face-to-face meetings will be reserved for presentations
two weeks of the course, and the final face to face will from local medical professionals and hands-on activities
likely happen on the last Saturday of the term at The relating to the case study material. This course is UC
Branson School, and will give students a chance to present approved “G: College Prep Elective.”
their final work to one another. This course is pending UC
approval for “A: History/Social Science.” Laid to Rest: Burial Grounds of the Bay
All cultures have specific rituals for laying their dead to
Introduction to Psychology rest. Cemeteries, shellmounds, and mausoleums are
This class will survey the evolution of psychology from intended to be places for eternal peace, but the history of
psychodynamic theory to contemporary socio-cultural cemeteries is lively and often controversial. In this course,
psychology. We will examine how the study of human students will learn about the history of burial practices and
development has progressed through time as well as explore Bay Area cemeteries. By examining headstones,
reflect on how human development might be culturally architecture, land use, and symbols, we can glean history,
defined: from Freud’s psychoanalysis theory to today’s culture, and social priorities throughout time. From the
rising interest in multicultural psychology. Course topics rich and storied past of the Mountain View Cemetery in
include the history of psychology, biological bases of Oakland to the development of housing, parking lots,
behavior, learning and memory, life-span development, and shopping malls on sacred Ohlone burial grounds, the
psychological disorders and treatments, and social/ Bay Area provides insight into cemeteries that represent a
multicultural psychology. variety of cultures, religions, histories, and controversies.
Together, we will conduct basic experiments to Students will visit multiple local sites and design a research
illustrate our theories, engage in simple fieldwork, and project of their own to contribute to a class website.
connect with professionals who will share their experiences Topics may be historical, cultural, scientific or
with us. We will also apply psychological understanding other in discussion with the instructor. Research 9time and check-ins will be built into the structure of stations can mean an 11-year difference in life expectancy.
the course. Students will also be expected to do an Folks getting off the train and living in neighborhoods near
independent field research trip in relation to their project. BART’s Walnut Creek station live on average 84 years, while
folks that exit at and live near the Oakland City Center
Meeting requirements: station live on average only 73 years. In other words, living
• We will have three face to face meetings throughout just 16 miles apart can mean the difference between living
the semester. more than a decade longer. Why does such a health disparity
• Two mandatory all-class field trips will take place on exist? This course will dissect the factors that influence this
September 12th and December 5th. social gradient of health.
• Students must attend at least one additional field trip There will be three whole-class face-to-face sessions
with the instructor from a set of optional dates to be and at least one off-campus face-to-face meeting with a
determined at the start of the semester. teammate. During our first face-to-face trip on Saturday,
• Weekly virtual classes will alternate between full class September 9th we will be doing a neighborhood health
discussions and time for individual research check-ins. assessment in the Bayview-Hunters Point Neighborhood of
San Francisco. On Saturday, October 17th we will volunteer
This course is pending UC approval for “G: General in the native plant nursery at the Literacy for Environmental
Elective.” Justice in the Candlestick Point State Park Recreational Area
from 9:45am–1:30pm. Our final whole-class face-to-face
trip will be to the Social Emergency Medicine Department
Oaktown: A Multifaceted Deep Dive in an Era of at Highland Hospital in Oakland. The exact day of this trip
Gentrification has yet to be determined, but it will likely be from 3:45pm
In this experiential BlendEd course, students will study the - 6:30pm on a weekday between the dates of Tuesday,
legacy of political organizing, sports, and cultural/musical December 2nd through Wednesday, December 9th.
expressions of Oakland, CA. Given the vast and rich history Additionally, students will be expected to collaborate with a
that the city of Oakland has, this will be an enlightening team on the Just Video Project outside of school hours at a
experience for students who will meet and work with a time and location that is convenient for the team between
range of significant contributors to Oakland’s legacy while Tuesday, October 27th through Monday, November 16th.
studying different aspects. Having lived and worked in Students will also be expected to attend one virtual meeting
“The Town” for 20 years, the instructor will be utilizing roughly every other week on either Tuesday or Wednesday
personal connections and resources to create a dynamic for one hour. This course is UC approved “G: College Prep
course. Additionally, we will examine the current dynamics Elective.”
of gentrification which has impacted Oakland. Students will
learn about the politics, economics, sociology and urban Spring Semester
planning that have played a role in changing the culture of
“The Town.” We will also do a community service project Bay Area Cinema & Filmaking
engaging the homeless population in a respectful and Beats, Rhymes & Life: An Exploration of Hip-Hop, its
productive manner. Film, animation and alternative film and video has been
a stalwart of Bay Area culture from Muybridge to Silent
F2F Meetings: Film and from Pixar to the Prelinger Archive. In this course
• Interactive visits to the Oakland Museum of California we will explore the history of the moving image and it’s
& the African American Museum and Library at cultural impact in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as
Oakland create our own imaginative responses to the ideas and
• A day of service with the homeless population of concepts in the course. Students will get a chance to study
Oakland; working with The Village Collective films, technologies, philosophies and ideas related to the
• An interactive exploration of Jack London Square & manipulation of time as well as create their own art, videos
Lake Merritt and visual journal entries. Topics will include a wide variety
• Visiting a historically significant music recording of cinematic genres and motion picture technologies.
studio (Hieroglyphics Emporium) Students will learn interdisciplinary skills related to their
own independent filmmaking in tandem with film and
This course is pending UC approval for “G: General cultural studies. Students will be expected to make
Elective.” connections with larger social, political and cultural forces
and be interested in independently creating artworks,
Public Health & Vulnerable Populations visual journal entries and film and animation.
The San Francisco Bay Area is rapidly becoming one of the Online meetings with the whole class will take
place every other week to discuss projects and share
most inequitable places to live in the nation. Taking a casual
presentations. Students will sometimes be paired together
BART ride can reveal the environmental disparities that exist
or in small groups during our online meeting time or
between places like the affluent suburb of Pleasanton and
may occasionally arrange their own meeting times for
an industrialized community like West Oakland. The lack collaborative activities and projects.
of income and environmental equality is obvious, but the
disparities run much deeper. A short ride between BART 10During our 4-5 face-to-face sessions we may be #Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking
meeting filmmakers, exploring museums, cinemas, Living in the Bay Area, we are in close proximity to the
archives, film festivals and places of cinematic industry in most important and innovative companies in the world.
the prolific bay area arts culture. Tea and discussion will This course will leverage the unique accessibility we have
follow. Students will need access to a digital still camera to cutting edge fields and empower students to create
and be able to upload images to the web. Students will a unique product, service or program that is original,
need to have some knowledge of video editing and have viable and socially beneficial. In addition to employing the
access to basic video editing software, a digital video design thinking process, students will be equipped with
camera/tripod combination and will need access to basic marketing skills and techniques that allow them to engage
art supplies. (Some supplies will be provided.) This course a fast emerging industry and strategize on ways to create
is UC approved “G: College Prep Elective.” their own business entities. Students will learn different
methods of utilizing social media outlets such as YouTube,
Facebook, and Twitter in order to promote the products,
Case Studies in Medicine
programs or services that they create. We will begin with
This semester-long course uses medical case studies
as vehicles for studying the anatomy and physiology of our first meeting in a BlendEd school classroom and then
the human body. For each unit of study, students will be the subsequent meetings will involve field trips to some
responsible for researching an aspect of the body system of the major local social media companies in order to give
in question and for putting together a video presentation students a hands-on experience of seeing entrepreneurship
to educate the other members of the class. These in action. There are no prerequisites for the course. There
presentations, along with some additional research, will will be 4 face-to-face (F2F) meetings over the course of the
be used by students to make a diagnosis and treatment semester with exact dates and details to be announced
plan relative to the case study in question. Through this as available. We usually participate in The Diamond
process, students will apply the general knowledge they Challenge (the world’s top entrepreneurship competition
have gained to a specific medical problem. Students will for high school students), as well as take an April field trip to
be expected to conduct independent research to produce Facebook and visit Google HQ in May for our culminating
their presentations in addition to working collaboratively F2F.This course is UC approved “G: College Prep Elective.”
on case study diagnosis. Weekly zoom sessions will be for
short presentations, Q&A and case study discussions. At
the end of the course, students will have a basic working Financial Literacy
knowledge of the major systems of the human body and What financial skills do you need for life? How can
how they work together to keep us healthy. you make financial decisions while understanding the
Online Meetings: The entire class will meet via Zoom impact on yourself and others? What financial decisions
once per week in the evening. Generally, this is scheduled are made for us by the institutions and structures that,
on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday at around 7:30 for better or for worse, exist today? What is our role in
or 8:00 p.m. These meetings will run for 1 hour during
creating a more equitable financial world in the future?
which the instructor will answer student questions,
This interdisciplinary mathematics, economics, and
students will make short presentations and the case
social science course will be organized around case
study will be discussed. As these meetings are critical for
keeping the class connected and updated, any interested studies chosen from all walks of life, circumstances,
student should be able to commit to this requirement. and backgrounds. We will consider the mathematics of
On occasion, a virtual meeting may be scheduled to budgeting, personal banking, credit & borrowing, renting
accommodate a guest speaker in the medical field. Zoom or owning a home, taxes and insurance while discussing
sessions may also be scheduled directly with the instructor the tough decisions people make along the way. We will
by an individual student or small student group for keep an eye on the ways in which these discussions are
purposes of tutorial assistance or general Q&A. shaped by the particular economic distortions we see in
F2F Meetings: There will be 5 face-to-face (F2F) the Bay Area. Students will do weekly readings, engage in
meetings scheduled during the course. The dates of regular course discussions, attend field trips to gain real-
these meetings depend on the availability of medical life experience, and complete collaborative projects and/
professionals in the Bay Area and so will be firmed up or presentations for each unit.
as the start of the course nears. All F2F events will take We will virtually meet as a class one evening per week
place on Saturday mornings between the hours of 9 - 12, via Zoom video conferencing for student discussions,
not including travel time to and from the destination. presentations and meetings with guest experts.
Of the 5 scheduled events, students will be required to Proposed field trip/in-person meetings:
attend a minimum of 3, though students will definitely • Welcome meeting + team building and group
benefit from attending them all. This allows for illness and formation
other scheduling conflicts that may arise. Students are • Visit to local financial institution(s), both traditional
responsible for their own transportation. As these events and Internet-based
are central to the course, any interested student should • Guided Q&A with a financial advisor
be able to keep Saturday mornings relatively open from
January to May. This course is pending UC approval for
Students must attend the welcome meeting and 2
“G: General Elective.”
out of the 3 other in-person meetings. 11Introduction to Organic Chemistry community and enriching the learning experience of
Prerequisites: Successful completion of a high school all. Students will be responsible for leading discussions
chemistry course. around articles assigned, or debating controversial
This introductory survey course will cover organic theories or findings either solo or in groups.
chemistry and relevant biochemistry. The cast of organic There will be 4 to 5 face-to-face (F2F) meetings over
compounds is a virtual who’s who of chemicals, including the course of the semester. Dates and locations are subject
foods, medicines, drugs, and cellular components. Their to guest and host availability and will be announced as
compositions and structures determine how they perform available. The first F2F will occur sometime in the opening
their functions. The course will cover the chemistry of 2 weeks and the final F2F will likely fall on the last Saturday
carbon, functional groups, hydrocarbons, determining of the term. This course is UC approved “G: College Prep
molecular structure via a variety of lab techniques, reaction Elective.”
mechanisms, and biochemicals. Organic chemistry is
considered to be one of the most challenging and difficult
college science courses, and certainly one aim of this
BlendEd class is to at least partially allay student fears prior
to encountering organic chem in college!
Students will work both individually and collaboratively
on homework, problem sets, assessments, and projects.
Molecular modeling will be emphasized. We will get
together at College Prep for four 2-3 hour sessions evenly
distributed throughout the semester. Three of these
meetings will take place on Saturday mornings and the
last meeting will be a culminating event during the last
week of the course, with exact dates to be determined
in consultation with the students. During these sessions,
we will work collaboratively answering your questions,
solving problems, doing experimentation, planning
projects, and educating one another via presentations at
the culminating event. Students must attend a minimum
of 3 of the 4 in-person events to pass this class. Weekly
online virtual classes (typically 30-60 minutes long) offer
opportunities to develop course community, answer
questions about the material, introduce new concepts,
and to reinforce present material through group problem-
solving. This course is UC approved “G: College Prep
Elective.”
Introduction to Psychology
This class will survey the evolution of psychology from
psychodynamic theory to contemporary socio-cultural
psychology. We will examine how the study of human
development has progressed through time as well as
reflect on how human development might be culturally
defined: from Freud’s psychoanalysis theory to today’s
rising interest in multicultural psychology. Course topics
include the history of psychology, biological bases of
behavior, learning and memory, life-span development,
psychological disorders and treatments, and social/
multicultural psychology.
Together, we will conduct basic experiments to
illustrate our theories, engage in simple fieldwork, and
connect with professionals who will share their experiences
with us. We will also apply psychological understanding
to promote health and wellness practices in our own
lives. Students will keep a journal and regularly reflect on
observations of their environment and how it affects them.
This class will hold virtual meetings on a weekly or
every other week basis to discuss, debate, and present
new ideas. Students’ preparation for and participation
in virtual meetings is essential to creating a sense of 12ENGLISH Junior and Senior Electives
Students are required to take two senior electives, which
The first two years of English at Marin Academy operate in are designed to enable students to explore areas of
tandem as intensive writing and reading courses, centered specialty in the field of English. While individual course
on effective critical thinking and writing—primarily requirements may vary, all courses will demand consistent
analytical writing. Fundamentals of the paragraph and practice of advanced writing and will sustain a rigorous
essay, vocabulary, and punctuation are covered as students reading load. Specifically, all electives—regardless of
study the conventional and evolving uses of language. content—will require students to produce analytical,
personal, and/or creative writing and engage in scholarly
English I (ENG 100) reading. Student-led discussions, research using
The first-year course provides a foundation of skills, secondary sources, and student-designed projects are also
while fostering the spirit of inquiry and the practice of components of our elective courses. In addition, with a
independent literary analysis that are the core of Marin focus on interdisciplinary studies, some electives are
Academy’s English curriculum. Thematically, the course marked “Humanities.” These courses may be taken for
addresses essential questions about identity and conflict: either English or history credit, and you must note on
among them, what factors inform our identity, what it your scheduling form which credit you need. Please
means to be an “insider” or an “outsider,” and what it note: All English electives are semester-long courses that
means to belong or to experience alienation. In addition, may be offered either or both semester(s)—and will only be
writing skills will focus on the process of analytical analyses offered if there is sufficient enrollment.
and personal reflections.
African American Literature – Honors (ENG 446)
English II (ENG 200) As African Americans’ place in American society has
Why is it challenging to empathize with people who changed over time, so too have the key themes of African
have different perspectives from ours? Building on the American literature. In this course, we will look at African
analytical, language, and writing skills developed in the American literature both as a constantly evolving literary
first year, English II moves from classic literature to more tradition and as a lens through which we can better see
contemporary works from around the globe. Over the American culture as a whole. The essential questions of
course of the year, students will examine identity and this course include: What about African American literature
choices in the context of social constructs, oppressive is distinctly “African” American? How have black artists
systems, and globalization. Through our texts, students been influenced by, and also helped to shape, the larger
will examine the importance of their relationships to American literary tradition? What should be the role of
each other, their communities, and their broader world. the African American artist in the struggle for social and
Students will be asked to demonstrate their understanding political equality? In what ways have black male and
of these concepts through a variety of writing modes: female writers expressed the challenges faced by African
the analytical essay, the personal essay, and journal Americans? We will tackle these questions through a
writing. Ultimately, this course will prepare students for a study of authors that will include Langston Hughes,
collaborative interdisciplinary project, in which they are Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston,
asked to adopt a position or perspective on a complex and Edwidge Danticat. In addition to the three novels
global issue. we will study, we will also read some important essays,
poems, and short stories, and watch Ethnic Notions, a
English III: “American Dreams & Realities” – Honors documentary film by Marlon Riggs. Strengthening student
(ENG 301) analytical writing skills is a key goal of this course, so
Building on the foundation of skills and content provided students will short writing assignments as well as full length
in the freshman and sophomore years, this course studies essays, and they will be asked to lead a class discussion.
American Literature from the mid-19th century through the
20th century and into the 21st century. Students will use the Dream Songs: The Art of Poetry – Honors (ENG 510)
core texts to address questions about the American Identity “Poetry is a vocal, bodily, art...[it is] physical, intimate, and
through various lenses: gender, race, religion, class, and the individual,” writes Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. Focusing
American Dream; and will explore the American experience on the musical possibilities of language, we will experience
by way of various themes: rebellion, independence, how sound, rhythm, and line activate the deepest parts of
and freedom. Writing will include a series of analytical our imaginations. This course is equal parts analysis and
paragraphs and essays, personal essays and reflections, as creative writing, but its overarching goal is to enhance the
well as some creative writing. pleasure you find in reading or hearing poems. Using the
works of masters both ancient and contemporary, you will
discover what sound and word combinations you love,
build your technique and eventually fashion your own
style. You will write multiple analytical essays as a part of
this process, reading closely and applying
new terminology and literary lenses. The course 13employs a writing workshop approach to composition and Perhaps it’s not as simple as it appears. This course is an
you will keep an active portfolio, which will be assessed introduction to Western ethical philosophy, the study of
periodically. You will also keep an anthology of the poems, moral choices. While analyzing the writings of Western
lines, and song lyrics that speak to your felt experience. ethical writers and thinkers, such as Plato, Kant, and
Finally, you will commit to memory at least two complete Hume, you will be asked to develop your own answers to
poems, which you will “perform” for the class. essential human questions: How should we live? To whom
are we beholden? Who deserves what? You will apply
Frames, Metaphors, and Media: Creating Narratives to philosophical ideas you encounter to personal dilemmas
Change the World – Honors (ENG 401 or VA 401) regarding happiness, loyalty, or self-preservation, as
This is an interdisciplinary course that blends visual arts and well as political and judicial decisions, such as what
English. Enrolled students can choose whether to receive an behaviors should be illegal. This course may challenge
English credit (B: English in the UC system) or a Visual Arts long-held beliefs and will encourage you to clarify your
credit (F: Visual and Performing Arts in the UC system). values. Writing assignments will include textual analysis,
“The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.” personal response journals, argumentation, and creative
– poet Muriel Rukeyser hypotheticals.
Every aspect of our understanding of the pressing issues
of the day—and all discussion of causes, solutions, and The Golden Gate – Honors (Humanities offering: ENG
complexities; personal, political, social, and scientific—are 613 or HIST 613)
communicated through stories. Our ability to define and This is an interdisciplinary course that blends history and
debate these issues and work towards solutions requires English. Enrolled students can choose whether to receive an
the ability to craft compelling narratives about them, which English or history credit.
means mastering the myriad competencies of storytelling Do you know that a small bookstore located at 261
in a digital age. Stories, whether fictional or documentary, Columbus Street in San Francisco was the site of a poetic
comprise the sum and total way in which humans attempt and political revolution? Did you know that free speech
to understand, define, and shape their world. As cognitive was denied and then demanded in a civil rights movement
linguist and philosopher George Lakoff posits: “...the mind on the steps of Sproul Plaza on Cal’s Berkeley campus?
works by frames and metaphors, the challenge is to use such Do you know the ways in which the writers, activists,
a mind to accurately characterize how the world works.” environmentalists, and inhabitants of the Bay Area have
While studies show we average seven to eight hours a served as catalysts for change across America? How
day consuming visual media, this course provides tools and well do you know the place you call home? What does
training to harness and activate this potentially revolutionary it mean to be a Northern Californian? This 16 English
technology. Smartphones and laptops offer us immensely elective will explore the answers to these questions
powerful and ubiquitous visual storytelling tools - how through literature of the greater Bay Area. We will begin
can we use them to effectively communicate the crucial by defining our Bay Area—what do we call home and how
information necessary to spur understanding, empathy, do we experience it? We will consider ways in which the
organization, and action? authors and literature of the area created and defined a
Beginning with an immersion into stories in the form of counter-culture that continues to thrive now. Have you
narrative and documentary film, podcasts, graphic novels, walked down Haight Street lately? Telegraph Ave? Have
and more, the class will build a foundation in narrative you circumambulated Mt. Tam? And what are you thinking
theory and storytelling techniques. Next, partnering about those socio-economic clashes that have been all
with organizations like the California Film Institute and over the news? Have you considered whether all progress
the Community Media Center of Marin, we will develop is good? Speakers from other departments and disciplines
proficiency with the technical tools necessary for creating may join us from time to time as we consider these
and producing our own stories. In the final phase of the questions and their answers. Our texts will include novels,
course, students will develop a polished story in a medium short stories, poems, and essays. We will write regularly
of their choice to advocate for progress on issues relevant to with both shorter, one page assessments and longer
their (and our) immediate world. process essays (and we’ll include personal writing too).
People travel from all over the world to experience the Bay
Freedom, Choice, and Obligation – Honors (Humanities Area—you only need to come to this class.
offering: ENG 443 or HIST 443)
This is an interdisciplinary course that blends history and History, Culture, and Identity – Honors (Humanities
English. Enrolled students can choose whether to receive an offering: ENG 380 or HIST 380)
English or history credit. This is an interdisciplinary course that blends history and
Imagine you are a BART conductor and the computer English. Enrolled students can choose whether to receive an
malfunctions, leaving the train careening down the track. English or history credit.
Ahead of you are two maintenance workers oblivious to How do you know what you know? How do you know who
impending danger. There is a button that redirects you you are? What is culture—and how does it inform your
down a sidetrack where there is only one worker who answer to the first two questions? This course will explore
will be harmed. You have only two choices and both how different sources of information—from ancient
will spell the doom of railroad workers. Easy choice? myths and stories to legal codes and social mores 14to the dazzling variety of images and ideas presented in the local San Rafael neighborhoods. We will spend class
by modern media— shape identity on the individual time reading contemporary articles, learning the art of the
and cultural level. Students will explore the way in which interview, and practicing journalistic writing that shines a
psychological ideas by thinkers like Sigmund Freud light on the story and the subject. Your work will be public
influenced the development of society at the dawn of and published on a class blog; you will learn how to edit
the 20th century and found their way into popular culture both audio and video clips; and you will learn how to
and thought. Discussions and projects will explore the create cohesive stories across multiple platforms.
increasingly central role mass media— especially film,
television, advertising and consumer culture, and the
complex universe of online social media—play in shaping Next: The Limits of Scientific Imagination – Honors
cultural identity in the 21st century. Because the course (ENG 496 or SCI 496)
is modeled after a humanities seminar, we will focus This is an interdisciplinary course that blends science and
intensively on the development of the skills and “habits of English. Enrolled students can choose whether to receive an
mind” you will need to develop as you prepare for college English credit (B: English in the UC system) or a science credit
and life outside the walls of MA. Note: Students completing (G: General Elective - Science in the UC system).
this course are welcome to take its companion course, also In 1816, Mary Shelley, then 19, was challenged by her
in the spring semester, but that is NOT required. friends to write a horror story. She imagined a tale about
the dangers of emerging science and the power humans
Magical Realism: Postcolonial Theory and Your World could have through innovation. Frankenstein; or the Modern
(Humanities offering: ENG 491or HIST 491) Prometheus is an enduring example of how technology with
This is an interdisciplinary course that blends history and all its promise can lead to unforeseen disaster. In this course,
English. Enrolled students can choose whether to receive students will choose a current technological or scientific
an English or history credit. dilemma (gene editing? driverless cars?) and a case study
Magical realism, or literature that presents the fantastic as of past innovations and advances. In addition to learning
normal and reality as otherworldly, holds a central role in the science behind these innovations, students will be given
contemporary Latin American and South Asian literature. philosophical tools to examine what happens if humans
Numerous authors have used magical realism as an “play God” and go forward with the current new technology
effective tool of political subversion to challenge corrupt or innovation. From a personal analysis of the dilemma,
and dictatorial governments. We will use literature by two students will move into teams to produce a creative
of the greatest authors of magical realism, Isabel Allende response, engaging in authentic scientific ethics. Readings
and Salman Rushdie, to explore and challenge the recent will include a special edition of Frankenstein, excerpts of
histories of Chile, India, and Iran. In this interdisciplinary ethical philosophers, scientific case studies such as excerpts
course, we will use both literature and history to develop from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, or American
a foundation for understanding postcolonial theory. Any Prometheus—The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert
student that plans to study the humanities in college will Oppenheimer, and commentary. Writing will be reflective,
come into contact with postcolonial theory, a powerful analytical, creative, and practical.
method used to examine the cultural legacy of colonization
in our world. This course is an excellent introduction to
important theorists and the ideas they contributed to the Sci Fi and the Politics of Imagination – Honors (ENG 495)
development of postcolonial theory, forever changing the What cyber enhancement might better society? When
way we study and talk about literature, philosophy, history, will artificial intelligence become smart enough to exist
religion, music, and art. After a deep dive into Allende solely without human intervention? How might the
and Rushdie’s work in class, students will apply their advancements of today turn dystopic for our future? For
understanding to a local topic of their choice. Through decades, science fiction authors have explored both
site visits and personal research, students will explore the humanity’s wildest dreams and greatest fears surrounding
impact of postcolonial theory on the Bay Area today. This technology and where it might lead. This class focuses
course is designed for any student that would like to re- on the analysis of classic and modern science fiction
envision the world they live in and more deeply understand texts to examine how the often overlooked genre helps
how power impacts the way they live. readers re-imagine their present lives, their relationship
to the past, and the possibilities available in the future.
We’ll examine movements and themes within the genre
Narrative Nonfiction — Honors (ENG 476) through its canonical and newest authors as well as
Everyone has a story. And everyone has witnessed or through movies and television, all while exploring the
lived something worth sharing. Our job as writers and genre’s consistency in delving into issues of human
humans is to find those stories, listen to them, document rights and inequities. As we study topics such as virtual/
them, and share them with others. That will be our central augmented reality, artificial intelligence, time travel,
focus: telling the stories of others. From a single source and city surveillance, we’ll explore how sci fi represents
profile piece to a multi-source video production, you will societal hopes and fears while developing
interview, listen to, write, engage with, and tell the stories an understanding of the relationship between
of those not only in the MA community but also of those science and science fiction. Be prepared to 15You can also read
