The Curriculum

Course Catalog

English

Basic Classes

Freshman English
Required for Freshmen. This class is a prerequisite for Sophomore English. Students will read selections of classical and modern literature. Regular works include Homer's Odyssey, Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.

Sophomore English
Required for Sophomores. This class is a prerequisite for advanced classes in the English department. Students will read selections of classical and modern literature. Regular works include Sophocles' Oedipus the King, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Creative Writing
Elective. Creative writing focuses on the creation of original works of poetry and prose. This class does not have a final, but students are required to submit a written work of at least twenty pages at the end of each term.
Credit for this course may be applied to either the English or Fine Arts requirement for graduation, but not both.

Advanced Classes

American Literature
Required for Juniors. Students will read selections of American literature, starting in the Colonial period and through the modern era. Regular works include Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Melville's Moby Dick, and Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun.

British Literature
Elective. Students will read selections of British literature. Regular works include Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Dickens' Great Expectations, and Bronte's Jane Eyre.

World Literature
Elective. Students will read selections of literature from around the world and spanning the history of the written word. Regular works include The Epic of Gilgamesh, Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, and Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera.

AP English
Elective. This class is only available to senior students by recommendation of a faculty member. In addition to a final exam or term paper, students are expected to sit for the standardized Advanced Placement in English test, and may receive college credit given a high enough score. Students will read selections of literature from around the world, but focused on American and English writers. Prior to classes starting, students are expected to read Charles Dickens' The Pickwick Papers and Joseph Heller's Catch-22. Regular works include Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Eliot's The Mill on the Floss, and Burgess' A Clockwork Orange.

History

Basic Classes

World History
Required for Freshmen/Sophomores. This class is a prerequisite for American History/AP American History. Students will review the history of the world from the dawn of man and the "four rivers" to the modern day.

American History
Required course (requirement will be waived if a student takes AP American History). Students must take this class or AP American History to enroll in AP European History. Students will review the history of the United States from colonization to the modern day.

Advanced Classes

AP American History
Elective, but may take the place of the American History requirement and may fill the prerequisite for AP European History. In addition to a final exam or project, students are expected to sit for the standardized Advanced Placement in American History test, and may receive college credit given a high enough score. Students will review the history of the United States from colonization to the modern day with special attention devoted to outsiders and lower classes in America. Required reading includes Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.

AP European History
Elective. This class is available only to junior or senior students who have completed American History or AP American History with recommendation of a faculty member. In addition to a final exam or project, students are expected to sit for the standardized Advanced Placement in European History test, and may receive college credit given a high enough score. Students will review the history of Europe from the Renaissance to the modern day.

AP World History
Elective. This class is available only to senior students who have completed AP European History with recommendation of a faculty member. In addition to a final exam or project, students are expected to sit for the standardized Advanced Placement in World History test, and may receive college credit given a high enough score. Students will review the history of the world with a special focus on Asia, Africa and the Americas before colonization.

Neohuman History
Required. This one-semester course reviews the impact of neohumans on the world. Theories of ancient neohumans acting as gods, devils, and saints in the ancient and medieval world are discussed, but primarily focus is given to the rise of public neohumans since 1920.

History of Magic
Elective. Students will study the history and impact of magic users on the world, with due focus given to notables such as Sargon of Akkad, Merlin, and Nostradamus.

Mathematics

Basic Classes

Algebra I
Required. This class is a prerequisite for Algebra II and advanced mathematics classes. Students will study basic algebra, including simple equations, ranges and series.

Geometry
Required. This class is a prerequisite for advanced mathematics classes. Students will study geometry and learn to form geometric proofs.

Algebra II
Required. This class is a prerequisite for advanced mathematics classes, but may be replaced by Algebra II/Precalculus with the recommendation of a faculty member. Students will study intermediate algebra, including functions, graphical and algebraic analysis, exponents and logarithms, and radicals.

Advanced Classes

Precalculus
Elective. This class is a prerequisite for calculus, but may be replaced by Algebra II/Precalculus with the recommendation of a faculty member. Students will study trigonometry, analytic geometry, sequences and series, limits, and irrational functions.

AP Calculus AB
Elective. This class is a prerequisite for Linear Algebra, but students may choose to take AP Calculus BC instead. In addition to a final exam, students are expected to sit for the standardized Advanced Placement in Calculus (AB) test, and may receive college credit given a high enough score. Students will study limits, derivatives and integrals.

AP Calculus BC
Elective. This class is a prerequisite for Linear Algebra, but students may choose to take AP Calculus AB instead. In addition to a final exam, students are expected to sit for the standardized Advanced Placement in Calculus (BC) test, and may receive college credit given a high enough score. Students will study limits, differentiation, integration, infinite series, parametric equations, and vectors.

Linear Mathematics
Elective. Students will study advanced algebra, including linear equations, matrices, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, determinants, orthogonality and least squares.

Creative Mathematics
Elective. Students will study unprovable theories of mathematics, including zero-divisible numbers and negative squares and square roots of negative numbers.

Computer Science

Basic Classes

Basics of Computer Use
This class may be required for students who have not had regular exposure to computers (including students from other worlds, times, or third-world nations). This class serves as an introduction to modern technology. Students will learn basic commands to operate a computer, as well as simple word processing and spreadsheet functions. Sections will also be devoted to other common electronic appliances, such as cellular phones, and common electronic devices used by heroes, such as communications badges.

Introduction to Programming
Elective. Prerequisite for Programming II and AP Computer Science A. Students will learn the basics of programming in C++ and Virtual Basic with units devoted to Java and HTML as well.

Introduction to Monitor Duty
Seminar. Required for Freshmen and Sophomores. During this weekend seminar, students will be introduced to the equipment and software used by most teams of heroes to monitor the world around them for danger. This class is offered once per year, generally over Columbus Day weekend.

Advanced Classes

Programming II
Elective. Building on the skills learned in Introduction to Programming, students will learn to develop and compile original software. Rather than a final exam, this class requires that students work in small groups to develop a functioning application for a final project.

AP Computer Science A
Elective. This class is available only to junior and senior students by recommendation of a faculty member. addition to a final exam or project, students are expected to sit for the standardized Advanced Placement in Computer Science A test, and may receive college credit given a high enough score. Students will learn to develop and compile original software. Rather than a final exam, this class requires that students work in small groups to develop a functioning application for a final project.

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Elective. Artificial intelligences are becoming a common part of life in the early 21st century, but they come with their own particular foibles — from ridiculous standards of manners to the desire to take over the world! In this class students will learn to communicate effectively with artificial intelligences and will develop software capable of playing chess and overthrowing small dictatorships.

Advanced Monitor Duty
Seminar. Required for juniors and seniors. During this weekend seminar students will be immersed in a monitor duty environment and manipulate a virtual team of heroes to combat a variety of threats. This class is available by request most weekends. Please schedule early, as there are a limited number of monitor rooms available.

Biology

Basic Classes

Introduction to Biology (prereq for further study in the biology department)

Advanced Classes

AP Biology
Anatomy
Organic Chemistry
Neohuman Biology

Chemistry

Basic Classes

Introduction to Chemistry (prereq for further study in the chemistry department)

Advanced Classes

AP Chemistry
Creative Chemistry (often referred to by students as "Mad Science")

Physics

Basic Classes

Introduction to Physics (prereq for further study in the physics department)

Advanced Classes

AP Physics
Neohuman Physics
Astrophysics

Astronomy

Basic Classes

Introduction to Astronomy (prereq for further study in the astronomy department)

Advanced Classes

Advanced Astronomy

Linguistics

Students must complete at least 2 years of language study. Four-year programs are available in the following languages:
Chinese
English as a Second Language
French
German
Japanese
Russian
Spanish

AP courses are available in French, German, Japanese and Spanish.

Other courses

Human Linguistics
Xenolinguistics

Visual Arts

Basic Classes

Introduction to the Arts
Art History
Drawing
Painting
Sculpture

Advanced Classes

Drawing II
Painting II
Sculpture II
Independent Study (only with departmental approval)

Music

Basic Classes

Introduction to Music
Music Appreciation
Music History
Basic Composition

Advanced Classes

Advanced Composition
Independent Study (only with departmental approval)

Additional arts credits may be earned through music lessons (vocal or instrumental) or participating in a school-sponsored musical ensemble (orchestra, jazz band, concert choir, select choir, vocal jazz ensemble) at a rate of 1 credit per term per lesson/ensemble.

Drama

Basic Classes

Introduction to Theater
Acting I

Advanced Classes

Acting II
Stage Design
Sound and Lighting

Additional arts credits may be earned through participating in school theatrical productions either onstage (acting) or backstage (set design, building, acting as a stage hand, lighting and sound teching).

Health and Fitness

Each student must take one Health and Fitness class per semester. J-Term and Summer Session classes are offered, but not required.

Fall Classes

Cross Country
Endurance Training
Football
Field Hockey
Fitness Training
General Health
Gymnastics
Soccer
Strength Training
Swimming

J-Term Classes

Basketball
Cross Country Skiing
Downhill Skiing
Endurance Training
Figure Skating
Fitness Training
General Health
Ice Hockey
Speed Skating
Strength Training
Swimming

Spring Classes

Baseball
Crew
Endurance Training
Fitness Training
General Health
Lacrosse
Soccer
Strength Training
Swimming
Track and Field

Summer Session Classes

Baseball
Crew
Climbing
Endurance Training
Fitness Training
General Health
Soccer
Strength Training
Swimming

Neohuman Coursework

Required Classes

*Heroism and Ethics
*Basic Paramedics
*Powers Training (powers training is a twice-weekly class that is required by all students each term; freshmen and sophomores are given individual lessons, while juniors and seniors are generally trained in teamwork)

Electives

Basic Spellcrafting
Intermediate Spellcrafting
Advanced Spellcrafting
Introduction to Gadgeteering
Intermediate Gadgeteering
Advanced Gadgeteering

Graduation Requirements

Students must complete:
3 years of English
2 years of History
2 years of Mathematics
2 years of a foreign language
2 years of laboratory science (biology, chemistry or physics)
1 year of an art
Heroism and Ethics
Basic Paramedics
4 years of Powers Training (dependent on year of entry)

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