2023-24 Course of Study - Ransom Everglades School
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2023-24 Course of Study
2023–24 Course of Study Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction 2 World Languages 43
How to Use the Course of Study Spanish
Seven-Year Curriculum Middle School 47
Course Numbers Upper School 48
Chinese
Graduation Requirements 3 Middle School 51
Curriculum at a Glance Upper School 51
Sixth & Seventh Grades 4 French
Eighth Grade 5 Middle School 53
Ninth Grade 6 Upper School 53
Tenth Grade 7 Portuguese
Eleventh Grade 8 Middle School 54
Twelfth Grade 9 Upper School 55
Humanities 10 Arts 56
English Theatre, Dance & Vocal Music
Middle School 12 Middle School 58
Upper School 12 Upper School 59
History & Social Science Instrumental Music
Middle School 18 Middle School 60
Upper School 19 Upper School 61
Digital Art, Design & Publication
STEM 28 Middle School 63
Computer Science Upper School 64
Middle School 30 Studio Art & Photography
Upper School 31 Middle School 64
Mathematics Upper School 65
Middle School 33
Upper School 34 Athletics & Physical Education 68
Science Middle School 69
Middle School 38 Upper School 69
Upper School 38
Independent Study 71
Study-Away Programs 72
Summer Work 73
Student Organizations & Activities 75
Revised 2/4/2023 Page 1 of 762023–24 Course of Study Introduction
Our curriculum fosters global perspectives as students
How to Use the Course of Study
prepare to lead empathetic lives in a world of blurred
The course of study offers an overview of the curriculum borders. Our pedagogy is student-centered and discussion-
and is designed to assist students as they make their based. In learning spaces, students discover and define
course requests and to inform all stakeholders of Ransom problems, design solutions and construct and create
Everglades about our curriculum. The course descriptions knowledge, and appreciate the value of diverse viewpoints,
explain eligibility parameters and communicate concisely learn to support ideas with facts, and thoughtfully and
the curriculum and expectations. We expect students responsibly question what they are told. Technology
to read these descriptions carefully to help them make is integrated to ensure that students can learn, adapt
requests that result in a schedule they find engaging, and excel in a connected digital world of rapid change.
offer a balanced workload suitable for their interests and Experiential and interdisciplinary learning are integrated
abilities, complement their additional commitments to co-, throughout the curriculum, giving students opportunities
extra-, and super-curricular activities, and work toward to forge connections among the disciplines and
fulfillment of the graduation requirements. The graduation comprehend distinctions in the ways of knowing.
requirements and an overview of each grade level, located
in the front pages of this guide, should also help students Mentoring relationships between faculty members and
create sensible course requests with future years in mind. students, teaching inspired by the Harkness method,
and collaborative opportunities with classmates who
The availability of courses listed in this catalog is not have diverse perspectives create a culture of teamwork
guaranteed each year, and all courses may not be offered and feedback that cultivates honorable and confident
every year. The Course of Study reflects the policies students who are comfortable with risk-taking and eager
and graduation requirements and the most up-to-date to be creative. A Ransom Everglades graduate is wholly
information available at the time of publishing in early prepared for the challenges of college and university life,
spring. While we aim to make the Course of Study as and, more importantly, equipped to make a contribution
accurate as possible, sometimes changes occur during to their community.
the late spring and summer months based on course
enrollment and staffing. Course Numbers
Books and other materials listed for all courses are All courses have a course number reported on the student's
representative of materials that are typically used. Texts transcript along with the course name. The goal of this
are selected by instructors and departments each spring system is to clearly and easily communicate our course
based on availability, the evolution of the curriculum, and sequencing, as well as the strength of our more advanced
other factors. Ransom Everglades works with MBS (a courses (regardless of any AP or honors designation).
division of Barnes & Noble) for book distribution; MBS
offers a variety of options for purchasing books, including Numbers are based on the following general framework:
new, used, and rental. In July each year, families will • 100s: Intro-level classes that do not require upper
be able to access book lists for each course on the MBS school prerequisites
website. Families are under no obligation to purchase • 200s: Intro-level classes that generally require a
books from MBS. Many books may be available elsewhere, 100-level course as a prerequisite
including Amazon and the REPA distribution network. • 300s: Electives and advanced classes that generally
require a 200-level course as a prerequisite
The Ransom Everglades Seven-Year Curriculum • 400s: Advanced courses with multiple prerequisites
and senior-only classes that are not 500 or 600 level
Our comprehensive seven-year curriculum challenges • 500s: Most AP classes, as well as advanced courses
students to fulfill their greatest potential for their that are of the same level of rigor as AP classes
intellectual growth and development as citizens of the • 600s: Our most advanced classes, which generally
world. Our curriculum begins with a broad exposure to require a 500-level course as a prerequisite
core academic subjects complemented by fundamental
skill building. As the seven years progress, students This is a general framework only. All prerequisites and
study subjects more analytically and deeply, fostering other specific course requirements are listed in the course
communication styles with voices that are increasingly descriptions later in this Course of Study. In addition,
their own, developing ever more sophisticated and within the centiles, numbers typically do not correspond to
complex ideas, and discovering and cultivating unique difficulty, but often to the topic area. Only the centiles and
interests and passions. the course name will indicate the difficulty of the course.
Page 2 of 762023–24 Course of Study Graduation Requirements
To graduate from Ransom Everglades School, students must earn at least 23 course credits (plus additional PE
and arts units) in the upper school, with minimum requirements in each department as described below.
Students may earn more than 23 credits. The recommended course load is a course load of six classes that includes an arts class or other
elective, each semester. The minimum requirement is for all students to be enrolled in at least five academic courses each semester.
A full-year course is awarded one credit; a semester-long course, one-half credit. Courses taken prior to 9th grade do not earn credits
toward the graduation requirements. Students entering RE after 9th grade will work with the Dean of Studies to craft an academic
program that takes into account courses taken prior to enrollment at RE.
• ENG 110: Forms of Literature (9th grade)
Humanities: 4 credits • ENG 210: American Literary Movements or
English HUM 550: Advanced American Studies (10th grade)
• ENG 310: Research into Anglophone Literature (11th grade)
• Two semester electives and/or ENG 510: AP English Literature (12th grade)
• HSS 110: World Civilizations Since 1450 (9th grade)
Humanities: 3 credits • HSS 210: U.S. History or HUM 550: Advanced American Studies (10th grade)
History & Social Sciences • Elective courses (11th and/or 12th grade); students must take at least one history or
social science course after 10th grade.
• Although only 3 credits are required for graduation, 4 credits are encouraged.
• Eligibility and placement are determined by department.
STEM: 3 credits • Computer science courses do not fulfill the mathematics requirement.
Mathematics • Although only 3 credits are required for graduation, 4 credits are encouraged,
including study through calculus (when appropriate).
• Three lab-science courses:
STEM: 3 credits ▪ SCI 110: Biology (9th grade)
Science ▪ SCI 210: Chemistry or SCI: 512: Advanced Chemistry (10th grade)
▪ Elective courses (10th, 11th and/or 12th grade); students must take at least one
lab-science course after 10th grade.
• Although only 3 credits are required for graduation, 4 credits are encouraged,
including the study of physics (if appropriate).
• Three consecutive courses in the same language at the upper school are required.
World Languages 3 credits • All students are required to demonstrate proficiency in a world language. See the
World Language Proficiency Requirement on page 43.
• Eligibility and placement in the appropriate level of the upper school curriculum are
determined by the department.
• Although only 3 credits are required for graduation, 4 credits are encouraged.
• One arts course is required (recommended in 9th grade)
Arts 1 credit + • Two additional units after 9th grade:
2 units ▪ One unit is earned by taking a semester arts class (two units for a full year
class) or by participating in approved RE arts activities. See page 56 for more
information.
Physical Education 1 credit + • PE 110: Physical Education (Required in 9th grade)
• Two additional units after 9th grade:
2 units ▪ One unit is earned by taking a semester PE elective or successfully completing
one season of a varsity or junior varsity sport.
• Students must take at least five credits in addition to the minimum requirements in
Electives 5 credits each department listed above. Students are encouraged to pursue areas of special
interest while remaining committed to a curriculum that includes strength in the five
core academic subject areas.
Page 3 of 762023–24 Course of Study Sixth and Seventh Grade at a Glance
Curriculum Overview
Sixth Grade at a Glance Seventh Grade at a Glance
Sixth-grade student schedules include eight course periods Seventh-grade student schedules include eight course
and time for lunch. Each sixth grader takes one elective periods and time for lunch. Seventh graders select one
each semester that may be a year-long course or two elective course.
semesters of different electives.
Distinctive Seventh-Grade Experiences
Distinctive Sixth-Grade Experiences • The advisory program is, in part, informed by Harvard
• The sixth-grade advisory program builds a foundation University’s Making Caring Common curriculum.
of social-emotional learning through engaging • Seventh-grade students participate in “American
activities and service projects based upon the Voices,” an interdisciplinary project in their English
Think Give initiative emphasizing three themes of and United States history classes. This project requires
community, integrity and identity. research, primary source analysis, creative writing,
• Sixth-grade students participate in a day of exploration and presentation.
activities at Everglades National Park. • Seventh-grade students have the opportunity to
• Sixth-grade students participate in a field trip to learn contribute presentations to the campus-wide RE
about the geography and history of Miami as part of Climate Symposium (RECS).
the world cultures and geography curriculum. • Seventh-grade students participate in a team-building
• Sixth-grade students contribute research presentations exercise at the Tigertail Lake Recreation Center.
to the campus-wide RE Climate Symposium (RECS),
and a connected interdisciplinary project on Seventh-Grade Curriculum
environmental legislation is part of the history and Core
social sciences curriculum.
• English – English 7
Sixth-Grade Curriculum • History & Social Sciences – People and Perspectives
in U.S. History
Core
• Mathematics & Computer Science – Pre-Algebra,
• English – English 6 Algebra 1, Geometry; eligibility and placement are
• History & Social Sciences – World Cultures and determined by department
Geography • Science – Integrated Science 7
• Mathematics & Computer Science – Math 6, Pre- • World Languages – Chinese, French, Portuguese or
Algebra, or Algebra 1; eligibility and placement are Spanish; eligibility and placement are determined by
determined by the department department
• Science – Integrated Science 6 • Physical Education – 7th-Grade Physical Education
• World Languages – Chinese, French, Portuguese, or • Introduction to Computer Programming and visual
Spanish; eligibility and placement are determined by arts semester electives
department • Performing arts or world language elective
• Physical Education – 6th-Grade Physical Education
• Introduction to Robotics and visual arts semester Electives (not all electives are offered every year)
electives • Performing Arts: Drama; Dance; Beginning Band,
• Performing arts or world language elective Intermediate Concert Band, or Advanced Symphonic
Band; Beginning Strings, String Orchestra, or Chamber
Electives (not all electives are offered every year)
String Ensemble; Middle School Chorus
• Performing Arts: Drama; Dance; Beginning Band, • Visual Arts: Digital Art and Design, Studio Art, Mixed
Intermediate Concert Band, or Advanced Symphonic Media Art
Band; Beginning Strings, String Orchestra, or • World Languages: Chinese, French, Portuguese or
Chamber String Ensemble; Middle School Chorus Spanish
• Visual Arts: 2-Dimensional Art, 3-Dimensional Art,
Digital Art
• World Languages: Chinese, French, Portuguese or
Spanish
Page 4 of 762023–24 Course of Study Eighth Grade at a Glance
Curriculum Overview
Eighth Grade at a Glance Eighth-Grade Curriculum
Eighth-grade student schedules include eight course Core
periods and time for lunch. Two periods are allotted for • English – English 8
electives chosen by the students. • History & Social Sciences – World Civilizations to
1500
Distinctive Eighth-Grade Experiences • Mathematics & Computer Science – Algebra 1,
• Eighth-grade advisory is designed using lessons and Algebra 2, Geometry; eligibility and placement are
other materials from the High Resolves program. determined by department
• Eighth-grade students engage in team building and • Science – Integrated Science 8
student bonding at the Scott Rakow Center. • World Languages – Chinese, French, Portuguese or
• Eighth-grade students enjoy culminating 8th grade Spanish; eligibility and placement are determined by
celebrations, including Eighth-Grade Send-Up and department
“The Gr8 Escape.” • Physical Education – 8th-Grade Physical Education
• Eighth-grade students may participate in a Spanish-
language immersion trip and cultural experience in Electives (not all electives offered every year)
Puerto Rico. • Humanities: Introduction to Public Speaking
• Performing Arts: Drama; Dance; Musical Theatre;
Beginning Band, Intermediate Concert Band, or
Advanced Symphonic Band; Beginning Strings, String
Orchestra, or Chamber String Ensemble, Middle
School Chorus
• STEM: Advanced Robotics; Engineering the City of the
Future; Interactive Design in Virtual Reality; Game
Design and Python Coding
• Visual Arts: Jewelry and Design; Painting and
Drawing; Sculpture; Introduction to Photography;
Digital Art; Advanced Digital Art; Yearbook
• World Languages: Chinese, French, Portuguese or
Spanish
Page 5 of 762023–24 Course of Study Ninth Grade at a Glance
Curriculum Overview
Ninth Grade at a Glance Ninth-Grade Curriculum
Ninth graders take Forms of Literature, World Civilizations Core
Since 1450, Biology, and Physical Education. Ninth graders • English – Forms of Literature
must request a mathematics course and a world languages • History & Social Sciences – World Civilizations
course at a level based on the recommendation and Since 1450
approval of those respective departments. Ninth graders • Mathematics & Computer Science – Algebra 1,
are also required to take an elective course, which may be Geometry (Algebra-based) or Geometry (Proof-
a performing or visual arts course, a speech and debate based), Algebra 2, or Precalculus; eligibility and
course, a computer science course or a second world placement are determined by department
language course. • Science – Biology
• World Languages – Chinese, French, Portuguese
Distinctive Ninth-Grade Experiences and/or Spanish; eligibility and placement are
• After learning the fundamentals of canoeing and determined by department
navigation in their PE class in the first semester, ninth • Physical Education – Physical Education (bay
graders participate in the Outward Bound Everglades studies, sailing, swimming, fitness, CPR/AED/first
experience in January or February. aid)
• Ninth graders participate in the Health Information Electives
Project (HIP), a conversational health curriculum
• Each student takes an elective course in at least one
covering topics including stress, nutrition, anxiety and
of the following areas: computer science, performing
relationships, guided by trained 11th- and 12th-grade
arts, speech and debate, visual arts, world languages.
student leaders.
• Students must earn one course credit and two
additional units in the arts in order to graduate. A unit
Summer
may be earned in one of the following ways:
Students are encouraged to spend time with their friends ▪ one semester in an arts class
and families during the summer. Summer is also a ▪ participation in approved RE arts activities; see
good time to pursue study in an area of special interest, page 56 for additional information
obtain an internship or gain work experience. Students
may want to explore a course as part of Summer at RE
or seek an internship through RE’s Summer Learning
Through Internships and Mentoring program. Information
regarding both of these can be found on the school website
or on the myCOMPASS Resources page.
Page 6 of 762023–24 Course of Study Tenth Grade at a Glance
Curriculum Overview
Tenth Grade at a Glance Tenth-Grade Curriculum
Sophomores continue their course of study in a Core
world language, and they are required to take either • English – American Literary Movements or Advanced
American Literary Movements and U.S. Hisory or the American Studies
interdisciplinary Advanced American Studies course, either • History & Social Sciences – United States History or
Chemistry or Advanced Chemistry, and a mathematics Advanced American Studies
course at a level determined by the department. All • Mathematics & Computer Science – Algebra 2,
sophomores continue their coursework toward satisfying Precalculus or AP Precalculus, Calculus or AP
graduation requirements in each of the five core academic Calculus; eligibility and placement are determined by
areas. Whatever the combination, all students must carry the department
at least five core academic courses each semester. • Science – Chemistry or Advanced Chemistry
• World Languages – Chinese, French, Portuguese
Distinctive Tenth-Grade Experiences and/or Spanish; eligibility and placement are
• A research essay or project is required of all students determined by the department
as part of their study of U.S. History or Advanced
American Studies. Electives
• Sophomore English students explore the relation • Students may take elective courses in one or more of
between place and identity by visiting both Island E the following areas: computer science, performing
and Vizcaya House and Gardens. arts, science, speech and debate, visual arts, world
• The sophomore class plans and carries out “St. Alban’s languages.
Day,” an annual holiday festival for local pre-school • Students must earn one course credit and two
children held at Ransom Everglades for more than 40 additional units in the arts in order to graduate. A unit
years. may be earned in one of the following ways:
▪ one semester in an arts class
Summer ▪ participation in approved RE arts activities; see
page 56 for additional information
Students are encouraged to spend time with their friends
and families during the summer. Summer is also a good
Physical Education and Athletics
time to pursue study in an area of special interest, obtain
an internship or gain work experience. Students may • Students must earn two units in physical education
want to explore a course as part of Summer at RE or seek after the ninth-grade year. A unit may be earned in one
an internship through RE’s Summer Learning Through of the following ways:
Internships and Mentoring program. Information ▪ a one-semester elective in physical education
regarding both of these can be found on the school website ▪ one season of a junior varsity or varsity sport
or on the myCOMPASS Resources page.
Page 7 of 762023–24 Course of Study Eleventh Grade at a Glance
Curriculum Overview
Eleventh Grade at a Glance Eleventh-Grade Curriculum
All juniors take Research into Anglophone Literature and Core
continue their coursework toward satisfying the graduation • English – Research into Anglophone Literature
requirements in each of the other four core academic • History & Social Sciences – Elective courses;
areas (math, science, history & social sciences, and world eligibility and placement are determined by the
languages). Whatever the combination, all students must department
carry at least five academic courses each semester. • Mathematics & Computer Science – Elective
courses; eligibility and placement are determined by
Distinctive Eleventh-Grade Experiences the department
• A research essay or project is required of all juniors • Science – Elective courses; eligibility and placement
as part of the Research into Anglophone Literature are determined by the department
course. • World Languages – Chinese, French, Portuguese
• Juniors may propose an independent study project for and/or Spanish; eligibility and placement are
one semester or one year to pursue a course of study determined by the department
that is unavailable to them in the regular curriculum.
Additional information about independent studies is Electives
available on page 71. • Students may take elective courses in any subject in
• Each junior will be assigned a personal college 11th grade.
counselor during their junior year. • Students must earn one course credit and two
additional units in the arts in order to graduate. A unit
Summer may be earned in one of the following ways:
• Students are encouraged to spend time with their ▪ one semester in an arts class
friends and families during the summer. Summer ▪ participation in approved RE arts activities; see
is also a good time to pursue study in an area of page 56 for additional information
special interest, obtain an internship or gain work
Physical Education and Athletics
experience. Students may want to explore a course as
part of Summer at RE or seek an internship through • Students must earn two units in physical education
RE’s Summer Learning Through Internships and after the ninth-grade year. A unit may be earned in
Mentoring program. Information regarding both of one of the following ways:
these can be found on the school website. ▪ a one-semester elective in physical education
• Juniors are eligible to apply for the Dan Leslie Bowden ▪ one season of a junior varsity or varsity sport
Fellowships in the Humanities. The fellowships offer
funding for summer study, travel and research in the
humanities.
• The summer between the 11th and 12th grades is an
ideal time for visiting college campuses.
Page 8 of 762023–24 Course of Study Twelfth Grade at a Glance
Curriculum Overview
Twelfth Grade at a Glance Twelfth-Grade Curriculum
Seniors are required to take an English course each Core
semester and are strongly encouraged to take at least • English – AP English Literature and Composition
one course in each of the other four core academic or two semester English electives; eligibility and
areas (history and social sciences, mathematics, science placement are determined by the department
and world languages). Whatever the combination, all • History & Social Sciences – Elective courses;
students must carry at least five core academic courses eligibility and placement are determined by the
each semester. department
• Mathematics & Computer Science – Elective
Seniors often have in their schedules periods during courses; eligibility and placement are determined by
which a class is not scheduled. These are good times to the department
do homework, collaborate with classmates, seek extra • Science – Elective courses; eligibility and placement
help from teachers, use the practice rooms or fitness are determined by the department
center, and meet with college counselors and/or to make • World Languages – Chinese, French, Portuguese
progress on the college application process. Though it and/or Spanish; eligibility and placement are
is not encouraged, seniors may leave campus to walk determined by department
into Coconut Grove during free periods. This privilege
is granted to seniors to recognize an increased level of Electives
maturity. • Students may take elective courses in any subject in
12th grade.
Distinctive Twelfth-Grade Experiences • Seniors who have not earned at least two arts units
• Seniors kick-off the senior year together with a class prior to senior year must enroll in an arts course, even
retreat to the Circle F Dude Ranch the weekend before if they are planning to participate in Dance Team,
classes begin. drama productions, or other approved arts activities.
• Seniors may propose an independent study project for
one semester or one year to pursue a course of study Physical Education and Athletics
that is unavailable to them in the regular curriculum. • Students must earn two units in physical education
Additional information about independent studies is after the ninth-grade year. A unit may be earned in
available on page 71. one of the following ways:
• Seniors should keep in mind that, especially during the ▪ a one-semester elective in physical education
fall semester, the college application process will be a ▪ one season of a junior varsity or varsity sport
significant commitment. Additionally, students may • Rising seniors who have not earned at least two units
be preparing applications for Silver Knight Awards, in physical education or athletics (varsity or junior
college scholarships, and/or completing work on varsity sport) prior to the second semester of the senior
Bowden Fellowship projects during this time. year must enroll in an elective course in the beginning
of the spring semester, even if they are planning to
play a sport.
Page 9 of 762023–24 Course of Study Humanities | English
Humanities Department
The Humanities Department at Ransom Everglades promotes students' exploration of the breadth and depth of the
human experience, guiding their efforts to lead examined and meaningful lives. In keeping with the school’s mission,
we encourage students to interrogate their role in society and to advocate for the just and the good. Mastery of
communication skills, an integrated understanding of historical, literary, and cultural ideas, and a capacity for creative,
scholarly, and moral thinking are essential to these endeavors.
English Curriculum
Middle School Grade 12
English 6, 7, and 8
Genre Studies
ENG 411: Comic Relief in Literature
Grade 9 ENG 412: Crime Fiction
ENG 110: Forms of Literature ENG 413: Literature of Adventure
ENG 414: Science Fiction and Social Change
ENG 415: Voices From the Inside
Grade 10 ENG 416: World Mythology
ENG 210: American Literary Movements or
HUM 550: Advanced American Studies Methods and Theory
ENG 431: The Culture of Desire
ENG 432: An Introduction to Literary Theory
Grade 11 Creative Writing
ENG 310: Research into Anglophone Literature
ENG 441: Personal Narrative
ENG 442: Poetry and Short Fiction
ENG 443: Screenwriting
Grade 12
ENG 444: Translation and Adaptation
ENG 511: AP English Literature and Composition
Additional Guidelines Author Study
• Other than AP English Literature, all 12th-grade ENG 451: The Haunting of James Manor
English courses meet for one semester. Semesters ENG 452: Shakespeare: Performance, Genre, Text
and sections will be assigned based on student inter-
est and faculty availability. Not all elective courses are
offered every year. Form
Humanities Department Chair: Ms. Jennifer Nero ENG 461: American Short Fiction
Middle School English Coordinator: Ms. Jody Salzinger ENG 462: Digital Narrative
Upper School English Coordinator: Dr. Matthew Helmers
Page 10 of 762023–24 Course of Study Humanities | History and Social Science
Humanities Department
History and Social Sciences Curriculum
Grade 6 Grade 9
World Cultures and Geography HSS 110: World Civilizations Since 1450
HSS 101: Introduction to Speech and Debate
Grade 7
People and Perspectives in U.S. History Grade 10
HSS 210: United States History or
Grade 8 HUM 550: Advanced American Studies
World Civilizations to 1500 HSS 101: Introduction to Speech and Debate
Introduction to Public Speaking HSS 201: Advanced Speech and Debate
Grades 11 & 12
Full-Year Courses
HUM 313: Seminar in Philosophy
HSS 101: Introduction to Speech and Debate
HUM 321: Understanding the Abrahamic Religions
HSS 201: Advanced Speech and Debate
HUM 322: Understanding the Dharmic Religions
HSS 331: Global Studies and Entrepreneurship
HUM 331: Journalism and Media Studies
HSS 511: AP Comparative Government and Politics
HUM 341: Black Voices in Social Movements
HSS 512: AP U.S. Government and Politics
HSS 311: Latin American Studies
HSS 513: AP Psychology
HSS 312: The History of Florida
HSS 514: Advanced African Politics
HSS 313: The Roots and Legacy of 9/11
HSS 551: AP Art History
HSS 321: Political Culture in the United States
HSS 552: AP European History
HSS 322: U.S. Policymaking at Home and Abroad
HSS 553: AP World History
HSS 323: The U.S. Criminal Justice System
HSS 554: AP Macroeconomics / AP Microeconomics
HSS 324: International Law and Human Rights
Semester Courses HSS 332: History of Capitalism
HUM 311: Applied Ethics in the Humanities HSS 333: Principles of Economics
HUM 312: Applied Ethics in STEM
Additional Guidelines
• Students may not take both Principles of Economics and AP Economics.
• Students may not take U.S. government semester courses (HSS 321 or 322) and AP U.S. Government and Politics.
• Speech and Debate courses do not fulfill the history and social sciences graduation requirements.
Humanities Department Chair: Ms. Jennifer Nero
Middle School History and Social Sciences Coordinator: Mr. Joe Mauro
Upper School History and Social Sciences Coordinator: Ms. Jenny Carson
Page 11 of 762023–24 Course of Study Humanities | English
Humanities Department: English Courses
formal essays. Course materials include various literary genres
Middle School Courses such as novels, short stories and poetry, and a grammar book.
English 6 Texts: Animal Farm, George Orwell; Little Worlds, Peter Guthrie
and Mary Page; Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare; The
Required for all students in grade 6
Odyssey, Homer (Fagles translation); The Great Grammar Book,
In English 6, students focus on becoming critical readers, writers Marsha Sramek
and thinkers. The course is discussion based, and students are
introduced to the full writing process including properly using
grammar conventions, finding and citing reliable sources, and Upper School Courses
applying these skills to writing across the curriculum. Students
explore various modalities of writing as they read a range ENG 110: Forms of Literature
of literature. Students approach some of the literature in a
Required for all students in grade 9
historical context, forging connections between the English and
HSS curriculum with a particular emphasis on world cultures. Literature occurs in discrete forms across cultures and histories.
Students also learn to use rhetorical appeals to address a targeted This course introduces the three major forms of literature: prose,
audience. In addition, projects provide a creative outlet for verse and drama. Students read representative texts from a
students to explore literature. variety of cultures and time-periods, focusing on the similarities
in form while exploring the uniqueness of those civilizations’
Texts: Gods and Heroes, Korwin Briggs; The Thing About beliefs. By undertaking formal analysis, students perfect their
Jellyfish, Ali Benjamin; Skink, Carl Hiaasen; Red Scarf Girl, Ji- critical vocabulary and grammar knowledge, and they learn to
li Jiang; Refugee, Alan Gratz; Rules of the Game I: Grammar articulate thematic understandings of texts anchored in close-
through Discovery, Mary Page et al. reading practices. In order to demonstrate and refine their
knowledge, students write regularly. They understand writing as
a process that includes workshopping, peer-review and individual
English 7 conference. Discussion remains a cornerstone of the pedagogy,
Required for all students in grade 7 and students arrive at class ready to explore the formal qualities
English 7 is designed to challenge students to reach higher levels of literature.
of literacy through an approach that integrates writing, reading,
speaking and listening, with particular emphasis on reading Texts: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles; The Tragedy of Macbeth, William
and writing. Students build upon the writing skills learned in Shakespeare; Siddhartha, Herman Hesse; The Screwtape
English 6 to gain a level of competency that will be reflected Letters, C.S. Lewis; Persepolis, Marjorie Satrapi; “Master
across the curriculum as they collect and cite appropriate and Harold”… and the Boys, Athol Fugard; Essential Literary Terms,
reliable sources. The first semester focuses on coming-of-age Sharon Hamilton; and other selected poems, stories, and essays
literature, and the second semester focuses on human rights.
An interdisciplinary project on human rights (“American Voices”) ENG 210: American Literary Movements
enables students to experiment with various genres of written
Either ENG 210 or HUM 550 is required for students in grade 10
expression. Course materials include novels, short stories, poetry,
student writing and a grammar book. Literature arises as part of a larger cultural narrative. This
narrative is often sequenced as a historical progression of
Texts: The Giver, Lois Lowry; The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton; The beliefs known as “literary movements.” In English 210, students
Glory Field, Walter Dean Myers; To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper read key texts from the living American canon, understand the
Lee; various short stories; Rules of the Game II: Grammar characteristic features of each literary movement and refine
through Discovery, Mary Page et al. their study of form. Central to these texts, movements and
forms is the recurrent thematic question: What does it mean to
be an American? In partnership with History & Social Sciences,
English 8 students study the writers, scholars, activists, and dissidents who
Required for all students in grade 8 articulated their answers to this question. Students understand
In English 8, students continue to develop the skills and the inclusionary and exclusionary tactics of each movement and
concepts learned in English 7. The curriculum challenges how we can read with and against these tactics in forming our
students to achieve higher levels of literacy, and there is a focus understanding of American literary movements. Movements
on classic literature. The reading material is more complex, and include Colonial and Puritan writing, the Enlightenment,
expectations for written work are heightened. Students hone Transcendentalism, Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism,
their writing skills to craft poetry, creative stories, speeches, and Modernism, the Harlem Renaissance, Postmodernism and
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contemporary literature. Daily discussion and regular writing Me Liberty!: An American History, Eric Foner (6th ed.); The
assignments reinforce the critical vocabulary from English American Yawp: A Massively Collaborative Open U.S. History
110. As with all English classes, writing occurs as a process in Textbook, Joseph Locke and Ben Wright; additional secondary
which students take ownership to craft rhetorically sound and and primary sources selected to underscore diverse experiences
thoroughly revised pieces. Through discussion, reading, and and points of view
writing, students learn to distinguish between the thematic,
formal, and cultural characteristics of America's major literary
movements.
ENG 310: Research into Anglophone
Literature
Texts: The Norton Anthology of American Literature, including Required for all students in grade 11
Native American oral literature, essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Literature exists within an ongoing scholarly debate. This course
and Henry David Thoreau, and poetry of Emily Dickinson
brings students’ existing knowledge of movement and form into
and Walt Whitman; The Awakening, Kate Chopin; The Great
dialogue with the wider scholastic community. In preparation for
Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald; Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller;
a research paper, students master their ability to read for form,
short fiction from Toni Morrison, Ursula K. LeGuin, and James
movement and theme by delving deep into core texts from the
Baldwin; and other selected poems, stories, and essays
Anglophone canon. Students spend significant time with each
major work in order to generate analyses that are nuanced, well-
HUM 550: Advanced American Studies defended and, eventually, incorporate research. Class discussions
ENG 210 and HSS 210, or HUM 550, are required for 10th-grade students serve as models for responding to alternate readings of texts;
Prerequisites: ENG 110, HSS 110, and department approval students are expected to prepare for class with secondary
research into their nightly reading.
Literature and history develop within a larger cultural narrative.
This narrative is often sequenced as a historical progression of Texts: The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer; Othello, William
beliefs, arising from the culture’s economics, politics, geography, Shakespeare; Frankenstein, Mary Shelley; Brave New World,
religions, literature, music, visual arts, social institutions and Aldous Huxley; and selected poems, stories, and essays
popular culture. In keeping with the Humanities Department
mission statement, students in this course develop an integrated Note: Although English 310 is not specifically geared toward
understanding of historical, literary, and cultural ideas, in the AP English Language and Composition Exam, juniors who
order to explore questions such as: What does it mean to be an have not already taken this exam are encouraged to do so in May.
American? How has the pursuit of freedom unfolded for diverse The English faculty is available for additional assistance with
groups of Americans? What is the role and responsibility of preparation for the exam in the second semester.
citizens in an American republic? How does the larger cultural
narrative inform our interpretation of historical and literary
texts? Students learn in a double-period, co-taught, discussion- ENG 511: Advanced Placement English
based format, emphasizing close reading of texts. Students Literature and Composition
demonstrate their knowledge through essays requiring analysis Open to students in grade 12
and synthesis, daily discussions, and presentations. The major Prerequisite: Department approval
writing assignment of the course is a research essay on a topic of
the student’s choosing with the goal to submit it for publication in This year-long class is for students who plan to take the Advanced
The Concord Review (a publication for secondary school papers). Placement English Literature and Composition Exam. It is the
equivalent of a first-year college English course. In a seminar
This is a double-period class that provides two credits, one each format, students engage in a close study of verse, drama and
in English and History & Social Sciences, for sophomore year. prose. Writing focuses heavily on the critical analysis of literature,
though the course also incorporates less formal writing styles.
NOTE: This course is not specifically designed to prepare Through close reading, discussion and frequent writing, students
students for the Advanced Placement United States History sharpen reading, thinking and writing skills while exploring a
or English Language and Composition exams, but strong wide variety of classic and contemporary literature.
students who take this course and complete some independent,
supplemental study, will be well-situated to take these AP exams. Texts: Antigone, Sophocles; The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel
The Humanities faculty will assist students with acquiring study Hawthorne; A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen; 12th Night, or What
materials and other resources that will help them prepare for the You Will, William Shakespeare; Beloved, Toni Morrison; The
exams in the second semester. Elements of Style, William Strunk and E.B. White; as well as a
variety of lyric and narrative poetry
Texts: The Norton Anthology of American Literature; Give
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often wrongfully dismissed it. In fact, crime fiction — the pursuit
Semester Electives of the guilty/accused by forces of social order — can reveal
Open to students in grade 12 shifts in the community’s suspicion of “otherness.” The course
The English program for seniors builds on the skills that students examines how cultural, sexual, racial and class differences affect
have honed in the first three years of study and invites students our ideas of innocence and wrongdoing. Students trace these
to take ownership of those methods in deep and sustained study evolving perceptions of criminality and justice from Edwardian
of an area that matters to them. These are college-level courses anxieties about disorder and immigration to the machismo of
in genre, author, theory, form, and composition. English electives West-Coast hardboiled fiction to the racial tensions of American
promote creative, scholarly and moral thinking; they integrate crime fiction to the recent outpouring of crime fiction titles from
literary, historical and cultural ideas in order to support students female authors. Students can expect to participate in group
in leading meaningful and examined lives. presentations on interpretive/critical issues, such as feminism,
Marxism, and psychoanalysis; lead and participate in Harkness
Genre Studies discussions; review films about crime (including Noir standards
like The Godfather trilogy, the Mesrine series and Parasite); and
ENG 411: Comic Relief in Literature regularly write short-response essays.
Not offered in 2023-24 Texts: short fiction by Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle;
This course offers a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary and In Cold Blood, Truman Capote; The Postman Always Rings
historical examination of the role and function of the comic in Twice, James M. Cain; The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandler; The
society and in literature across time. Students study satire and Talented Mr. Ripley, Patricia Highsmith; Devil in a Blue Dress,
irony as rhetorical devices and subversive tools. Humor often Walter Mosley; Dark Objects, Gillian Flynn; The Paying Guests,
allows the expression of thoughts that society suppresses, forbids Sarah Waters; My Sister, the Serial Killer, Oyinkan Braithwaite
and defines as taboo; humor can let out what Sigmund Freud
calls “forbidden thoughts,” or what Plato in the Philebus sees ENG 413: Literature of Adventure
as “ridiculing the weak.” Tracking the history of comedy from
ancient Greece, students also explore how comedy can often The world is brimming with remarkable experiences. Adventure
be serious in its objective to combat the ridicule and pain that literature is the exploration of stories, both real and fictional, that
social groups feel due to criticism and oppression because of their take on the world’s challenges or in which the world itself stars as
religion, gender or race. Students study the use of the comic in a a force with which to be reckoned. Whether tracing the path to
variety of genres such as short stories, plays, novels, film, cartoons legendary ruins or withstanding the unrelenting will of natural
and sitcoms. Students read these texts with sensitivity, using disasters, the narratives covered in this course demonstrate the
critical thinking and analytical tools to deconstruct the materials. extent of human endurance and ask students to contemplate the
Applying Freudian theory, the class examines the morphology very real adventures awaiting them in the world. Students explore
and technique of jokes. Students write analytical papers and adventures from the last century, contemplating the themes and
conduct research that considers primary and secondary sources. lessons to be drawn from tales of epic accomplishments and
Students gain an understanding of the psychology of jokes and confrontations with disaster. These include tales of expedition
humor within diverse cultural backgrounds. into the Amazon in search of lost cities, a quest for vengeance in
the American Old West, and a fight for survival marooned in a
Texts: The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde; Candide, lifeboat. From there, students analyze essays, articles, novels, and
Voltaire; Poetics, Aristotle; Jokes and Their Relation to the documentaries that offer varying perspectives on the challenges
Unconscious, Sigmund Freud; “Learning to Laugh: Humor as posed by nature, both environmental and utterly human, to find
Therapy,” Elaine Pasquali; sketches from Tina Fey; standup from the value of diverse capabilities and skillful communication at
Sara Silverman; excerpts from Earth, Jon Stewart; Curb Your our times of greatest upheaval.
Enthusiasm, Larry David; Blazing Saddles, dir. Mel Brooks; The
Producers, dir. Mel Brooks; This is a Book, Demetri Martin; The Texts: Points Unknown, ed. David Roberts; The Lost City of Z,
Book of Mormon, Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone; David Grann; True Grit, Charles Portis; A Fire Story, Brian Fies;
“Never is Now,” Sasha Baron Cohen; Born a Crime, Trevor Noah The Lifeboat, Charlotte Rogan; and a series of essays and short
narratives on the topics of expeditions and crisis recoveries
ENG 412: Crime Fiction
ENG 414: Science Fiction and Social Change
Not offered in 2023-24
This course introduces students to a range of works in the science
This course traces the rich history of crime and detective fiction, fiction genre, from its origins in the late 19th century with H.G.
a genre that the reading public embraces though critics have Wells, through 20th-century classics by Isaac Asimov, Ray
Bradbury and Orson Scott Card, all the way to the 21st-century
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Humanities Department: English Courses
“Afrofuturism” of Octavia Butler. We will consider how this genre our differences as well as our shared heritage. The class invites
differs from similar ones, such as fantasy, and explore its cultural students to demonstrate their engagement with the literature
stakes, especially when it comes to confronting the Other. How through various forms that include: collaborative work and
might science fiction offer “salvation,” as Isaac Asimov suggested, projects, writing your own myth story and making a short movie,
to a world struggling with racial injustice and economic disparity discussions, passage analysis, papers and journals.
alongside ever-accelerating technological developments? To what
extent can science fiction change, or at least influence, the world? Texts: selections from the Old Testament and Torah; Alcestis,
Why is science fiction a particularly powerful medium for social Euripides; stories from One Thousand and One Nights,
change? Students demonstrate their thoughtful engagement with Library of Apollodorus; The Mists of Avalon (Book I), Marion
these guiding questions through discussion, organized debate, Zimmer Bradley; Mythologies, Roland Barthes; The Hero with
exploratory writing exercises, outlines, analytical essays, creative a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell; excerpts from The Myth
writing and analysis of critical scholarship. of the Birth of the Hero: A Psychological Exploration of Myth,
Otto Rank’s; The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious,
Texts: Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card; The War of the Worlds, Carl Jung; Star Wars, dir. George Lucas; Harry Potter and the
H.G. Wells; Fledgling, Octavia Butler; selected short stories by Philosopher's Stone, J.K Rowling
Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman, James Tiptree Jr.,
and Ted Chiang; and selected episodes of Black Mirror and Love, Methods and Theory
Death, and Robots
ENG 431: The Culture of Desire
ENG 415: Voices from the Inside Welcome to the academic exploration of desire, sex, sexuality and
This course provides students with the means to think critically taboo. This class follows renowned philosopher Michel Foucault’s
about an array of social issues related to mass incarceration. scandalous text on the modern invention of sexuality in order to
Through a study of fiction and non-fiction written from within sketch out the contemporary disciplining of pleasure. Students
or about prison, students explore various ways in which societies begin by studying historical documents on the psychology of
discipline their members, and how the values of society are desire. We then move forward through philosophic, biologic,
reflected by their systems of discipline and rehabilitation. legal and literary texts in our attempt to understand sexuality.
Students examine how race, class and gender relate to carceral Students can expect group presentations, panel discussions and
systems by reading texts representing multiple voices and multimedia responses, as well as guest classes by researchers
experiences. Throughout the course, students produce a variety of from local universities.
modes of writing, ranging from analysis, to reflection, to research,
as they explore the enduring centrality of the prison. Texts: exerpts from the following — The History of Sexuality:
An Introduction, Part One, Michel Foucault; Discipline and
Texts: “In the Penal Colony,” Franz Kafka; Woman At Point Zero, Punish, Michel Foucault; Three Essays on the Theory of
Nawal El Saadawi; “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther Sexuality, Sigmund Freud; Psychopathia Sexualis, Richard von
King, Jr.; Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl; Discipline Krafft-Ebing; Little Essays of Love and Virtue, Havelock Ellis;
and Punish, Michel Foucault; Brother, I'm Dying, Edwidge The Second Sex, Simone deBeauviour; Ecrits, Jacque Lacan;
Danticat; The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander; excerpts from Toward an Anthropology of Women, ed. Rayna Reiter; Homos,
Don't Shake the Spoon, Exchange for Change Leo Bersani; Epistemology of the Closet, Eve Sedgwick; Gender
Trouble, Judith Butler; No Future, Lee Edelman; Don’t, Janet
Halley; Lawrence v. Texas, as well as contemporary media on
ENG 416: World Mythology sexuality chosen by students
This course examines the universality of human experience
by looking at myths across human cultures and through time, ENG 432: An Introduction to Literary Theory
from ancient Hebrew and ancient Greek literature to the Harry
Through the junior year at RE, courses introduce students to a
Potter phenomenon. The course is interdisciplinary in nature,
small corner of the literary universe; this class introduces the
incorporating psychological, anthropological, theological and
rest. Through an exploration of seemingly obvious questions,
historical perspectives in an attempt to identify archetypal
students discover that the daily functioning of language and the
patterns and values that shape our society. Modern myths are
world are far more precarious than previously thought. What is
explored both in relation to their meaning in our society and
language? How does it work? What happens when it doesn’t?
as windows into the ancient cultures that created them. The
What is a symbol? What is a structure? After discussing these
exposure to a wide range of myths from different cultures and
questions, students select any primary text they’re interested in —
civilizations develops students’ sensitivity to and respect for
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Humanities Department: English Courses
from Phineas and Ferb, to Superman comic books, to Rihanna’s ENG 442: Poetry and Short Fiction Workshop
music videos. They then examine that topic with a particular
literary theory, again of their choice. This individual project is This creative writing workshop asks students to engage in the
supplemented with group presentations. artistic practice of poetry and short fiction writing. Students,
through creative explorations in voice and framing, will explore
Texts: “Tradition and Individual Talent,” T.S. Eliot; “The Great varied techniques, forms, and traditions available to the working
Tradition,” F.R. Leavis; from Course in General Linguistics, writer. Students will receive and offer feedback on their writing
Ferdinand de Saussure; “The Structural Study of Myth,” Claude in a workshop setting and produce chapbooks that reflect their
Levi-Strauss; from Mythologies, Roland Barthes; “Marxism personal interests and knowledge of creative approaches. This
and Literary Criticism,” Terry Eagleton; “The Work of Art in the workshop ascribes to the burgeoning idea within literary studies
Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” Walter Benjamin; “On Jazz,” of creative practice as research; thus, students will scrutinize
Theodore Adorno; “How to Read Donald Duck,” Ariel Dorfman; their work as both process and product, a method of creative
“How to Do Things with Words,” J.L. Austin; “Signature, Event, and critical discourse that fosters both the imaginative ingenuity
Context,” Jacques Derrida; “Simulacra and Simulation,” Jean of the writer and the elements by which their works have been
Baudrillard; “Las Meninas,” Michel Foucault; “Psychoanalysis ultimately constructed.
and the Polis,” Julia Kristeva; from Orientalism, Edward Said;
“The Location of Culture,” Homi Bhabha; “Writing ‘Race’ and the Texts: A Poetry Handbook, Mary Oliver; selections of poetry,
Difference it Makes,” Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; selections from The short stories, and craft essays, including work by: Edwidge
Second Sex, Simone de Beauvior; “The Traffic in Women,” Gayle Danticat, Clarice Lispector, Walt Whitman, Leila Chatti, Tracy
Rubin; from Gender Trouble, Judith Butler K. Smith, Rita Dove, Patricia Smith, Ada Limón, Mary Szybist,
Aimee Bender, George Saunders, Rainer Maria Rilke, Matthew
Students select their own primary texts from pop-culture artifacts Salesses, and others
in order to explore the principles of these theorists. Example
selections: Phineas and Ferb, Shakira’s “Laundry Service” album, ENG 443: Screenwriting Workshop
the films of Hayao Miyazaki, the Netflix series The Chilling
Adventures of Sabrina, the history of Halloween, H.P. Lovecraft’s Students in this course study narration as a mode of thought and
“The Call of Cthulu” and the fashion trend of legwarmers mode of writing, principally through the genre of screenplays. By
studying classic screenplays, students enhance their ability to
read and understand the relationship between visual images and
Creative Writing Workshops written/spoken language that is prevalent in much of our modern
ENG 441: Personal Narrative Workshop media. Students deepen this understanding by writing their own
one-act screenplays. In exploring the process of screenwriting,
This course explores and practices forms of non-fiction writing students practice the art of storytelling and enhance their
with an emphasis on personal narrative. Students start with the understanding of storytelling techniques such as character
nuts and bolts of the writing craft, reading and discussing chapters development, plotting and sequencing. The writing workshop
from William Zinsser's On Writing Well in order to develop is an important methodology of the class; students’ own work
technique. Then in workshops and small groups, students share is at the center of discussions employing the writer’s workshop.
and discuss their nonfiction works and the works of their peers Students also work in groups to create a short film from one of
in an atmosphere that is supportive and challenging. Exercising their screenplays.
listening and response skills is an essential part of the democratic
workshop practice. Students read and analyze the works of Texts: Selected screenplays (e.g. Casablanca, Dead Poets
published authors and also watch video clips of acclaimed authors Society, Back to the Future, The Shawshank Redemption),
discussing the writing process. Students learn to think and read The Screenwriter’s Workbook, Syd Field; Story: Substance,
like writers and, in so doing, are exposed to writing as a culture. Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting, Robert
The course intends to spark students’ creative passions. Some of McKee
the themes and topics developed include self-portrait, personal
statement, humor, the experience of nature, daily routine, travel, ENG 444: Translation and Adaptation
family, and local culture.
Workshop
Texts: On Writing Well, William Zinsser; Brief Encounters: A Bringing a text into the language of English is an act of creation.
Collection of Contemporary Nonfiction, eds. Judith Kitchen and Translators, editors, artists, and writers choose how to bring
Dinah Lenney forth the artistry of the original piece, and in doing so create
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