Friends School Course Guide 2012-13

Pre-Primary, Lower School, Middle School and Upper School
2012-2013 COURSE GUIDE
CONTENTS
1 2 Letter from the Head of the School Pre-Primary and Lower school course guide
18 Middle school course guide 30 Upper school course guide
Mission Statement
Founded in 1784, Friends School of Baltimore provides a coeducational, college preparatory program guided by the Quaker values of truth, equality, simplicity, community and peaceful resolution of conflict. By setting high standards of excellence for a diverse and caring community, Friends seeks to develop in each student the spiritual, intellectual, physical and creative strengths to make a positive contribution to the world. Recognizing that there is that of God in each person, the School strives in all its programs, policies and affairs to be an institution that exemplifies the ideals of the Religious Society of Friends.
Friends School of Baltimore, 2013
DEAR FAMILIES,
Welcome to Friends School! We hope that you find this guide a useful introduction to the challenging and engaging curriculum that our students experience every day. In the Teaching and Learning at Friends School Paradigm that you see on this page, weve articulated the skills, knowledge and habits of mind that we believe our children will need in order to thrive in and shape the rapidly-evolving world in which we live. These qualities include not simply important content and concepts, but also skills like communication, collaboration and critical thinking. We seek as well to nurture in our children the creativity, curiosity, reflection and resilience that will allow them to do the work the world will need of them. If you have not been to our campus, we hope that you will visit us and experience the dynamic atmosphere and inspiring teaching and learning that define Friends. We think that youll be impressed by the powerful interactions between our teachers and students and the excitement about learning that you find here. We invite you to contact the Admission Office to arrange a tour or to attend one of our Lunch and Learn events that are listed on our website at www.friendsbalt.org. I hope to see you on campus soon! Best wishes,
The world needs what our children can do.
Matthew Micciche Head of School
FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE |
2012-2013
PRE-PRIMARY AND LOWER SCHOOL

COURSE GUIDE
Why Friends?
Friends School is the best choice for families of Baltimore who want for their children an education that will ready them to lead their lives with wisdom and confidence. The Friends School experience stimulates imaginations, engages intellects, strengthens bodies, and protects spirit. It is a school that gives its students the time and the place in which to build the foundation of a happy, prosperous and contributive life. Friends is an independent school in which girls and boys, women and men share in silence and noise, reflection and debate, with a self-respect and mutual regard that allows all to grow ever stronger and truer to themselves. The oldest school in one of Americas foundational cities, Friends School of Baltimore is a progressive community of learning; its commitment to balance in education is the product of centuries of work teaching children to find and keep their own balance in a world that is forever changing. Firmly rooted in the enduring values of the Quakers, todays School is a vibrant, 21st Century learning community that chooses simplicity over material possession; peaceful resolution of conflict over aggression; integrity over expedience; equality over elitism; and stewardship of the earth as a collective and personal responsibility. Friends students are lovingly educated; they go many places and do many things, each propelled by possibility, motivated by optimism, unrestricted by convention, reinforced by achievement, and guided by principle. 2
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What is Pre-Primary?
In our Pre-Primary, children develop and refine problemsolving and decision-making skills through interaction with others, as well as through a variety of concrete learning tools and the use of play as cooperative and interactive learning time. The Pre-Primary is overseen by the Lower School Administration and support staff, which includes the Principal, two Assistant Principals, a Counselor and a Learning Specialist. Each group has a Head Teacher and an Associate Teacher. There are also Assistant Teachers who divide their time among the groups as needed. All our Head Teachers have attained Masters Degrees and are specialists in Early Childhood Education.
What is Lower School?

The Lower School, comprised of East and West buildings, houses Grades 1-5. There are two to four homerooms per grade, with 14-21 children in each. In addition to homeroom teachers, there are a number of supporting teachers in the Lower School so that children can be reorganized into smaller groups or pull-out groups (generally 10-16 students) for Reading/Language Arts and Math. Like the Pre-Primary, the Lower School is overseen by the Lower School Administration and support staff, which includes the Principal, two Assistant Principals, a Counselor and a Learning Specialist. The average tenure of all teachers at Friends School is 12 years.
WHAT IS THE DAILY SCHEDULE?

PRE-PRIMARY GRADES PK-P1
7:30 a.m. Early arrival supervision 8:30 a.m. School day begins 3:00-3:20 p.m. Dismissal 3:00-6:00 p.m. Extended Day
LOWER SCHOOL GRADES 1-5

7:30 a.m. Early arrival supervision
The Pre-Primary is divided into four main groups of 12-21 children that adhere generally, but not always, to certain age and developmental milestones.
8:00 a.m. School day begins 8:15 a.m. Classroom instruction begins 3:30-3:50 p.m. Dismissal 3:30-6:00 p.m. Extended Day
How does Extended Day work?

For the convenience of the parent, children may be dropped off at the Pre-Primary and Lower School as early as 7:30 a.m. We also have an Extended Day program, which is available from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. in the Pre-Primary and 3:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. in the Lower School. The after school program, offered for an additional fee, has many variations to suit different personal schedules.
WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE IN THE PRE-PRIMARY AND LOWER SCHOOL?

The spirit of the Dress Code at Friends is to support safety, respectfulness and simplicity. Our Lower School and Pre-Primary students are asked to adhere to the following guidelines:
DO WEAR:
in the Pre-Primary and Lower School, depending on grade level. These tests help provide information in curriculum areas and indicate areas of individual academic growth and development.
How does Placement work in Pre-Primary and Lower School?

Much care and consideration is given to the placement of each child into a group within our Pre-Primary building. All placement decisions are made by a placement committee made up of our Teachers, a Learning Specialist, Guidance Counselor and Administrators. Placement is based on the whole child; this includes academic, social, emotional and physical development. The School strives to maximize each childs opportunity for success and comfort by placing him/her within a similar peer group. The curriculum in each group is modified and enhanced to meet the needs of the children at each stage of progression. There is not an automatic progression through the Pre-Primary program. Placement in a certain group one year does not predetermine a specific placement for the following year. Decisions are made each year relative to each individual child and where the School can best meet his/her needs. For current families all placement decisions are made in January and conveyed at a special January parent conference. For our new families, placement decisions are not made at the time of acceptance or enrollment, but are made later in the spring. Each newly enrolled child will attend a placement day in late spring prior to the childs first year in Pre-Primary and parents will be notified of their childs placement by August 1. In Lower School, homeroom placement is based on a number of considerations, ensuring an appropriate mix of interests, abilities and learning styles. The homeroom placement is remixed each year.
What is the role of Community and Service at Friends?

As members of the larger Friends community, the children in our youngest grades have many opportunities during the school year to interact with each other as well as with Middle and Upper School students. We believe such encounters enhance their learning experience, help them better visualize their own future and foster a strong sense of community and support. Often this time together occurs when we actively participate in age-appropriate Community Service and Service Learning activities. These forms of service play a vital role in preparing our students, PK Grade 12, to lead full, consequential and compassionate lives.
Flat shoes (closed toe and heel) sneakers are the best choice Blouses, shirts, t-shirts, turtlenecks, sweatshirts and sweaters that are solid color, striped, patterned or with picture graphics Long pants or slacks Cotton or mesh shorts, skirts and culottes (mid-thigh or longer in length) Clothing in good repair and labeled with childs name Clothes appropriate for the weather
DONT WEAR:
Commercial messages, slogans, logos or any clothing with words (Friends School is the only writing allowed on clothing) Blue denim pants Athletic pants of any kind (nylon or knit, loose or tight) Cropped shirts, tank tops or spaghetti straps, halters, leotard tops or exposed undershirts Camouflage print clothing or camouflage backpacks (of any color) Dangling earrings, tattoos, excessive jewelry Shoes with wheels
What is the Lower School Policy on Assessments?

WRITTEN ASSESSMENTS AND CONFERENCES
All homeroom teachers will hold fall conferences and spring portfolio conferences with the parents of each student. Homeroom teachers will provide written assessments (narrative reports with a grade expectation checklist) for each student in the winter and at the end of the school year.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
Friends School does conduct standardized tests each year. Both achievement and aptitude tests are given to children
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ACADEMIC PROGRAM
PreKindergarten to PreFirst
ORGANIZATION
The Pre-Primary is divided into four main groups which adhere generally, but not always, to certain age and developmental patterns summarized as follows: Pre-Kindergarten: Four-year-olds who are ready for an interactive learning experience. Kindergarten: Five-year-olds who can respond positively to the individual challenges of structured learning within small groups. Kindergarten/Pre-First: Five- and six-year-olds who are ready for more structured learning with some expectations for independence and initiative. Pre-First: Six-year-olds who are ready for still more structured learning with slightly higher expectations for independence and initiative Each group consists of 12 to 21 children and is led by a Head Teacher and an Associate Teacher. Three Part-Time Assistant Teachers help throughout the building. Each group has two adjoining classrooms as their primary play and learning space. Head teachers have attained a Masters Degree, are specialists in Early Childhood Education and have had significant teaching experience. They are responsible for leading the classroom, developing the curriculum, communicating with parents in parent conferences and in written reports, participating in Faculty Meetings, workshops, continuing education and professional experiences, such as volunteering on NAIS school accreditation committees and conducting workshops. They are compensated for their years of experience and professional attainment at the same level as teachers in our Upper School with the same qualifications.
Associate Teachers must be college graduates. Some have a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education and many have had significant teaching experience. They are responsible for carrying out the curriculum with the other teachers, leading the classroom in the Head Teachers absence, teaching small groups and supporting the Head Teacher in all endeavors. Part-Time Assistant Teachers must have a college degree. Many are experienced teachers who desire part-time employment. They are responsible for assisting the Head and Associate Teachers, often working with a small group of children in the classroom.
From left: Fifth-graders Olivia Nengel, Tessa Collins, Mary Carlotte Mortimer, Zoe Jones-Cohen
MEETING FOR WORSHIP

Friends School seeks to live the conviction that there is that of God in each person. Dedication to simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship permeates every aspect of Friends School life. Regular Meeting for Worship at the Stony Run Friends Meetinghouse strengthens and deepens our commitment to these Quaker testimonies. Students of all ages find Meeting for Worship to be valuable time for quiet reflection and sharing insights: Meeting for Worship is a time to reflect a time to connect with God, and to think about what is happening around you. It is a time to let all of the stress out from what you did from the start of the day and to think about the love of friends and family, observes fifth-grader Tessa Collins. Adds classmate Zoe Jones-Cohen: To me, Meeting is the only place where I can feel peaceful and calm. Friends School students and alumni frequently recall experiences with classmates during Meeting for Worship as some of the most profound and nurturing of their formative years.
Daily Schedule
It is a busy and happy day that begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. Most days include the following activities in varying blocks of time:
TEACHER DIRECTED ACTIVITIES
In Pre-Kindergarten the teachers work with groups of three to five children The three older groups are each divided into two sections; one section has Math while the other has Reading/Language Arts Snack and Outdoor Recess Group Gathering-for sharing and planning together Special Area Subject-Art, Spanish, Library, Music, Physical Education, Science, Technology Child Selected Activities-offerings vary and are chosen for their educational value in keeping with our goals Lunch and Outdoor Recess Rest with Music Appreciation or Literature (Pre-K)
2012-2013
For the convenience of the parents, children may be dropped off at the Pre-Primary building as early as 7:30 a.m. Also, an Extended Day program is available from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. for an additional fee and has many variations to suit each familys schedules.
First to Fifth
There are two to four homerooms per grade with 14-21 students each in Grades 1 through 5. For these students the school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. The Primary grades in the East building, home to First and Second Grades, are located in an attractive stone building seen from the Charles Street entrance to the campus. Students at this level develop skills in listening, comprehension, and writing in its many forms, from expressive to creative and expository, to become confident in self-expression. The teams of teachers for each grade plan together and teach core subjects to children with the help of part-time teachers, in Reading and Math. Students also attend library, technology, science, Spanish, art and music classes in this building. Each day begins with a classroom-based worship time centered on Quaker values. In addition, students attend weekly Meeting for Worship at the Stony Run Meeting House, adjacent to the campus. The Intermediate, or Third, Fourth and Fifth, grades in the West building are connected to the East building by a second-story enclosed glass walkway. Children at this level learn mathematical concepts through discussion, written expression, word problems, and utilization of manipulative materials. In Language Arts, there is an emphasis on the writing process as well as teaching reading through literature. In social studies, themes of community, world cultures and geography, social and economic justice, conflict, religious freedom, and history are explored. Research skills are taught as part of each academic subject and are supported by library and technology instruction. Spanish instruction continues throughout these grades. The arts also play an important role in the curriculum. Chorus, exploratory music, recorder lessons, fourth
Special Area Subjects

Lower School Science Teacher Lisa Filer with students Olivia Nengel (left), Stephanie Smith and Khalek Kirkland
INVENTORS WORKSHOP
One of the most challenging and enjoyable units in fifth-grade science at Friends School is the Inventors Workshop, which ultimately allows each student to create and produce a prototype for an actual invention. The goal of the unit is to focus on the invention process: identify problems; write proposals; design and construct solutions; document progress; test designs; present inventions; and reflect on the entire process. While students are busy creating their own inventions in science class, they are also required to independently research and write a research report about a famous invention of their choice. Throughout this research process, the students get inspired by famous inventors and their inventions and learn about the triumphs and challenges faced by other inventors like themselves. In March, the Inventors Workshop culminates with fifth-graders proudly presenting their inventions to the entire school at the annual Invention Fair.
Interspersed throughout this schedule of group activities are subjects taught by teachers from the Friends School community who are specialists in their particular field. They have attained an advanced degree in their field, or are currently pursuing one, and have had significant experience teaching young children. Each of these teaching specialists has developed a specific curriculum that challenges and appeals toeach Pre-Primary group and is the beginning of a continuum of study coordinated through the Lower,Middle and Upper School Divisions.
THE SPECIAL AREA SUBJECTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Art (twice in a ten-day cycle) Library/Technology (twice in a ten-day cycle) Music (four times in a ten-day cycle) Physical Education (four times in a ten-day cycle) Spanish (five times in a ten-day cycle) Science (four times in a ten-day cycle) After an appropriate period of adjusting to school in the Fall, each group leaves its classroom accompanied by the teacher and walks across campus to attend many of these classes. Classes are held in the Lower School Art Studio, Library or Science Rooms, on the Athletic Fields or in the Gymnasiums, or in the Pre-Primary Multi-Purpose Room.
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and fifth grade string ensembles and band, and art classes provide intensive learning opportunities during the in-day program. After-school music lessons with Friends music teachers are also available for an added fee. Lower School students showcase their artistic talents during Winter and Spring Sings and the All-School Art Show. The Lower Schools library provides a fun, inviting environment where students develop a love of books and gain beginning research skills on which to build as they move through the upper grades. Children visit the library for instruction, to hear stories read aloud, to find resources forclass projects, and to check out books to read for pleasure.
the projects are taught as units, allowing the students to spend several art classes developing depth of skill and personal expression in their art work. At Friends, each students artwork is recognized and celebrated. Students work is displayed in hallway exhibits as well as in our Art Shows.
GENERAL MUSIC
instrument families that make up the string orchestra and the concert band in a weekly half-hour session. Every student in the fourth and fifth grade plays an instrument in the band or orchestra as part of their requirement. The hope is that most students will choose to continue their instrumental experience in middle school band and orchestra.
Music belongs to everyone. From the first week of Pre-Kindergarten through the end of eighth grade, general music is an integral part of the curriculum for all Friends School students. At all levels, students take part in singing, moving, and listening to music; beginning in first grade, they start learning to read and write music. The goal is to create not just audiences for the future, but active participating musicians who possess the skills to make music and the desire to enjoy it throughout their lives.
LANGUAGE ARTS
The language arts curriculum is an integrated program of reading, writing, and listening. The literature based approach encourages students to enjoy and appreciate a wide range of genres. Decoding, fluency, and comprehension are emphasized in the early grades. Teachers and students challenge themselves to respond critically to the literature both orally and in writing. Writers workshop acknowledges students as authentic authors. The workshop format supports writers with constructive responses from peers and teachers. Handwriting, spelling, and grammar are taught as integral parts of being an effective communicator.
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Areas of Study
As part of our Teaching and Learning Paradigm, faculty collaborate to integrate curriculum creating connected pathways among areas of study.
ART
In the Lower School, students are introduced to painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, collages, and crafts. Additionally, students are introduced to imagery from many diverse cultures, both in historical times and in the present, where many of the lessons reflect the cultures or time periods studied in the classrooms. The majority of
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Music in all forms is a priority at Friends School. The Lower School instrumental music program is in addition to the strong general music program and reflects this philosophy. The third grade is introduced to the three main
2012-2013
LIBRARY
The Lower School library supports the commitment of the school to Quaker values, promotes the schools coeducational college preparatory program, ensures that students and faculty are effective users of ideas and information, and encourages use of library materials for personal enjoyment and enrichment. It, combined with information services, is the hub of our school.
MATH
defined as learning through the physical, the focus of each class is to have a child give his or her own best effort in any and all activities. Ball skills, locomotor/ non-locomotor movements, dance, creative movement, fitness skills, gymnastics, and organized games are emphasized. Additionally, a large focus of each class is good sportsmanship and good teamwork.
SCIENCE
SOCIAL STUDIES
Children in Pre-K through 5th grade explore themes of community, world cultures and geography, social and economic justice, conflict, and religious freedom. At developmentally appropriate levels, students learn to think critically and reflectively, work cooperatively, and use research skills, supported by library and technology services, to share their knowledge.
SPANISH
A continual math program in the Lower School promotes thinking and enhances problem solving. Children are encouraged to learn in a hands-on environment that includes the use of manipulatives such as multilink cubes and coins, calculators, and computers. Children also learn how to record data sets and to solve problems in a variety of ways. The goal is to develop good thinkers and problem-solvers.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Science education in the Lower School prepares students to be knowledgeable and compassionate decision makers. Topics of study range from inner-Earth to outer space with a focus on environmental preservation. Through the use of active learning situations, students are given opportunities to organize information, compare ideas, and find solutions. In the process, science teachers work to strengthen many of the skills that people use every day, like solving problems creatively, thinking critically, working cooperatively in teams, using technology effectively, and valuing life-long learning.
All students PK through grade 5 are introduced to the cultural and spoken aspects of the Spanish language.
TECHNOLOGY
Physical Education in the Lower School focuses on safety, fitness, fun, and cooperation. Since Physical Education is
The Lower School strives to integrate computer skills in all facets of the curriculum. One of the goals is to familiarize the students with the parts of a computer and basic terminology. While using the drawing tools in various software packages, the children in Pre-Kindergarten to Pre-First become comfortable using the mouse to drag, point, and click. In grades one to five, the computer is used as a tool in reading, writing, math, social studies, science, library, and art. Computer skills are cumulative and include, basic operational skills, word processing, drawing, and multimedia projects.
WORSHIP
Meeting for Worship and the daily use of Quaker principles are at the heart of Friends School and guide the Lower School educational program. In classroom Worship sharing, children in Pre-K through 5th grade learn about Quakerism, as well as reflect on topics involving values, responsible decision making, and other religions of the world. In Meeting for Worship, teachers share stories and queries for the children to think about. Children learn to center in worship and learn that anyone present may speak a heart-felt message out of the silence.
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CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
The Pre-Primary and Lower School curriculum provides students with a solid foundation upon which to build more complex learning. Each level of instruction reinforces students understanding of concepts and applications while helping them to form connections between subject areas and their world. The charts on the following pages show the basic lesson structures that students explore as they progress through each grade level.
Note: Beginning in the Fall of 2012, Spanish will also be offered to all students Pre-Kindergarten - 5th grade.
PRE-KINDERGARTEN
WORSHIP READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS
Introduction to Meeting for Worship; Stewardship; Social Curriculum Reading readiness: Left to right progression, Read aloud, Letter recognition; Language Experiences: Story structures, Use of charts, Rhyming, Dictation and creation of stories, Fairy Tales/Nursery Rhymes Manipulatives used for counting: One-to-one correspondence, Number concepts, Reading & writing numerals, Simple graphs, Attribute sorting, Concepts of time Calendar, Basic shapes, Patterns Learning about campus, community, families: Multi-cultural perspective compare/contrast, Early geography skills, Individual responsibility, Japanese culture, Chinese culture Shapes and color; Drawing and cutting basic shapes; Primary color and secondary color; Drawing, painting, collage; Clay modeling; Portraits and self-portraits; Introduction to works of art and artists (Monet); Crafts; Texture rubbings and garden drawings on fabric; Chinese brush painting author/ illustrator Ed Young
MUSIC GENERAL
Goals: Aesthetic/social experiences, Enjoyment/participation; Learning repertoire: songs, rhymes, games, In-tune singing (matching pitch); Expressive movement; Aural recognition of: same/different, high/low, loud/soft, fast/slow, pulse vs. rhythm
SCIENCE
MATH
All about Me; The Senses; Experiments with Color; Animals in Winter; Winter Experiments; Experiments with Predicting and Observing; Ladybugs; Worms Introduce terminology; Use mouse to click and drag; Navigate through age-appropriate software; Use drawing tools; Play web-based games and activities
COMPUTER
SOCIAL STUDIES
LIBRARY
ART
Select books for personal use with help; Develops ability to listen to what is seen and heard; Shows initial understanding of fiction and non-fiction; Recognizes main parts of any book; Knows, follows circulation procedures
PHYSICAL ED.
Safety/social skills; Movement exploration; Spatial & body, awareness; Primary ball skills: throwing, catching, kicking; Dance & rhythm skills; Theme activities; Tumbling
2012-2013
KINDERGARTEN
WORSHIP
Introduction to Meeting for Worship; Stewardship; Social Curriculum Phonics; Spelling; Writing; Cooking/building, projects based on literature/letters studies; Author/illustrator studies; Poetry; Journal writing/writing workshop; Book Club; Literative genres Calendar awareness/development; Problem solving/ articulation; Recording/graphing data; Number patterns; Spatial relationships; Numbers in print/number sentences/ written representations of concepts, plus-minus; Shapes; Time; Money Exploration of diversity/culture; Community service/awarenes; Basic mapping concepts; Concepts of time past and present; Holidays around the world; Themes related to language arts program Collage (shape and figure self-portraits; Puppet making (birds); Painting (tempera); Sculpture (paper and clay); Drawing (crayon, marker, pencil, wet chalk); Art appreciation discussions; Printmaking; Textiles fabric craft
MUSIC GENERAL
READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS
Goals: Aesthetic/social experiences; Enjoyment/participation; Learning repertoire: songs, rhymes, games; In-tune singing (matching pitch); Expressive movement; Aural recognition of: same/different, high/low, loud/soft, fast/slow, pulse vs. rhythm
SCIENCE
MATH
Mixing and measuring; From caterpillar to butterfly; Human body teeth, x-rays, bones; Building a wooden boat; Dinosaurs; Spiders Introduce terminology; Use mouse to click and drag; Use keyboard and the shift key; Navigate through age-appropriate software; Use drawing tools; Insert clip-art and size; Play web-based games and activities Selects books for personal use with help; Develops ability to listen to what is seen and heard; Shows initial understanding of fiction and non-fiction; Recognizes main parts of any book; Knows, follows circulation procedures Safety/social skills; Movement exploration; Spatial & body awareness; Primary ball skills: throwing, catching, kicking; Dance & rhythm skills; Parachute games; Theme activities; Tumbling/gymnastics
COMPUTER
SOCIAL STUDIES
LIBRARY
ART
PHYSICAL ED.
10
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KINDERGARTEN / PRE-1ST
WORSHIP
Introduction to Meeting for Worship; Stewardship; Social Curriculum Phonics; Spelling; Writing; Dramatization; Book making; Poetry; Songs; Sign language; Keyword/Book Club
MUSIC GENERAL
READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS MATH
Goals: Aesthetic/social experiences; Enjoyment/participation; Learning repertoire: songs, rhymes, games; In-tune singing (matching pitch); Expressive movement; Aural recognition of: same/different, high/low, loud/soft, fast/slow
SCIENCE
Manipulatives used for number concepts, problem solving, spatial relationships, patterning, graphing, estimating, predicting, counting, time, measurement, money
Frog metamorphosis; Building a wooden moon buggy; Seeds and plants; Magnets; Sea shells and ocean animals; Bats Introduce terminology; Use mouse to click and drag; Use keyboard and the shift key; Navigate through age-appropriate software; Use drawing tools; Insert clip-art and size; Play web-based games and activities Selects books for personal use with help; Develops ability to listen to what is seen and heard; Shows initial understanding of fiction and non-fiction; Recognizes main parts of any book; Knows, follows circulation procedures Movement exploration; Spatial & body awareness; Primary ball skills: throwing, catching, kicking; Dance & rhythm skills; Parachute games; Tumbling/gymnastics; Cooperative games
COMPUTER
SOCIAL STUDIES
Self; Grandparents; Cooperation, community, other cultures; USA; Mapping; Holidays of many cultures; Quakers; Underground Railroad; Quilting; Multi-cultural awareness; Folk tales; Nursery rhyme unit (writing rhymes); Sign language
LIBRARY
ART
Collage (self-portrait and seascape); Baltimore row house collage; Painting (tempera); Printmaking (styrofoam block); Stitchery and appliqu drawstring bags; Texture rubbings (crayon); Art appreciation discussions; Sculpture clay explorations
PHYSICAL ED.
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2012-2013
11
PRE-1ST
WORSHIP
Introduction to Meeting for Worship; Stewardship; Social Curriculum Phonics; Spelling; Writing; Author/illustrator studies; Poetry; Music and movement; Book Club; Dramatization
MUSIC GENERAL
READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS MATH
Goals: Aesthetic/social experiences; Enjoyment/participation; Learning repertoire: songs,rhymes, games; In-tune singing (matching pitch); Expressive movement; Aural recognition of: same/different, high/low, loud/soft, fast/slow, pulse vs. rhythm
SCIENCE
Numeration; Cuisenaire rods; Time; Money; Problem solving; Simple graphing; Measurement; Fractions (fair share); Patterns; Shapes (bar modeling)
Space; Rocks and Fossils; Building a wooden wind racer; Maple sugaring; Birds; Animals of the world
COMPUTER SOCIAL STUDIES

Community; Different cultures and religions including holidays; US geography (as relates to self); Simple map skills; Quaker dimension literature, music, history; Friendship; Biographies inventors, African-Americans, Underground Railroad, MLK, Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver Collage paper arts la Matisse and Romare Bearden; Secondary color mixing; Folk Art figure; Texture explorations; Clay modeling; Self-portraits; Art discussion (fine artists and folk art); Printmaking relief print; Watercolor color explorations; Collaborative book illustration; Drawing from observation; Frida Kahlo pin
Introduce terminology; Use mouse to click and drag; Use keyboard and the shift key; Navigate through age-appropriate software; Use drawing tools; Insert clip-art and size; Play web-based games and activities Selects books for personal use with help; Develops ability to listen to what is seen and heard; Shows initial understanding of fiction and non-fiction; Recognizes main parts of any book; Knows, follows circulation procedures Movement exploration; Spatial & body awareness; Primary ball skills: throwing, catching, kicking; Dance & rhythm skills; Parachute games; Locomotor/nonlocomotor skills; Tumbling/gymnastics; Cooperative activities
LIBRARY
ART
PHYSICAL ED.
12
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GRADE 1
WORSHIP
George Fox; Equality; Simplicity; Peace; Community; Friendship; Conflict resolution; Respect differences; Stewardship Reading: Literature-based; Phonics; Sight words; Comprehension Writing; Written expression; Journal writing; Friendly letters/ penpals; Handwriting; Capitalization and punctuation; Paragraphs Spelling: Priority words; Word patterns; Phonetic spelling Reading, writing, sequencing; Finding combinations; Developing strategies; Measurement; Constructing; Sorting and categorizing data; Computation; Time; Estimation; Symmetry; Geometry; Fractions; Place value; Patterns; Number relationships Families Basic Needs: Food, Clothing, Shelter; In Different Cultures: Kenya, Mexico, India Folk art India, Africa; Mexican folk arts Frida Kahlo retablos; Rouault/Mark- blackline painting and oil pastels; Color studies; Collage of human form; Painting of Community Garden; Self portrait full-figure; Maori symbols/Asian Pacific Art; Asian arts bamboo brush painting; Drawing and painting Pop Art; Clay sculpture; Art appreciation discussions
MUSIC GENERAL
Learn repertoire (songs, rhymes, games); In-tune singing (matching pitch); Expressive movement; Aural recognition of elements: same/different, high/low, loud/soft, fast/slow, pulse/rhythm; Overview of music of: Africa, Latin America, Asia Garbage, recycling; Phases of matter; Bubble Festival; Design and build balloon-powered car; Plants Introduce terminology; Use mouse to click, drag and navigate in text; Learn function of many of the keys on the keyboard; Use basic keyboard shortcuts; Log on and off; Open, save, and print work; Use drawing tools; Introduce word processing; Integrate activities and projects with language arts, math and and social studies Selects books for personal use (with help); Develops ability to listen to what is seen and heard; Shows initial understanding of fiction and non-fiction; Recognizes mainparts of any book; Knows, follows circulation procedures; Identifies different sections of the library Safety/social skills; Locomotor/nonlocomotor skills; Muscle relaxation/breath control/imagery; Movement & body exploration; Dance & rhythm skills; Cooperative games; Gymnastics
SCIENCE
COMPUTER MATH
SOCIAL STUDIES ART
LIBRARY
PHYSICAL ED.
2012-2013
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GRADE 2
WORSHIP
Topics: Friendships; Holidays; Conflict resolution; Quakerism; Service; Good decisions; Families; Disabilities & abilities; People special role models; Loss and grieving; Fear; Courage; Stewardship
MUSIC GENERAL
Musical elements: Notation; New rhythmic elements: Steady beat, Beat vs. rhythm, Quarter and eighth notes; New melodic elements: So, la, mi, Maryland state song, Animal songs, Nonsense songs, Instrument families, Co-curricular topics
Spelling words; Spelling rules; Homophones; Phonetic strategies; Sight words; Comprehension; Genre studies: biography, poetry, non-fiction, fiction; Oral fluency; Manuscript and cursive handwriting; Writing complete sentences, paragraph, writing, poetry, the writing process; Dictionary skills; Plays Topics: Math thinking; Number system; Sorting/classifying data; Geometry; Fractions; Addition; Subtraction; Measurement time, money, metric, standard; Adding coins, making change; Telling time to the minute; Place value; Multiplication readiness
SCIENCE
Butterfly metamorphoses; Rocks and fossils; Design and build a wooden racer; Measuring, mixing, and reactions; Electricity; Human Body Reinforce terminology; Reinforce mouse and keyboard skills; Use icons, keyboard shortcuts and right click; Log on and off; Open, save, and print work; Build on the use of drawing tools; Continue word processing; Integrate activities and projects with language arts, math and social studies; Use websites on the library resource site Independent selection of books and other media; Listens, responds to what is seen and heard; Differentiate between fiction, non-fiction, biography, periodicals and reference; Recognizes all parts of a book; Searches the library catalogue with assistance; Locates information in encyclopedia and dictionary; Understands the Caldecott Award Safety, relaxation & social skills; Hand-eye coordination; Foot-eye coordination; Self-testing activities; Fitness health/ target heart rate; Rhythms/movement activities; Special games: Frisbee, balloons, flags; Creative movement/ balance/group dances
COMPUTER
MATH
LIBRARY SOCIAL STUDIES

Topics: Community; MapsDirectionality; Graphs; Holidays; Animal research; Maryland history; Multicultural awareness
ART
Collage (family portraits); Painting (tempera); Mask making; Drawing (oil pastels); Sculpture (papier mach or clay); Stitchery (Maryland State symbol project); Art appreciation discussions; Textiles silk painting; Social Justice themed computer art
PHYSICAL ED.
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GRADE 3
WORSHIP
Silence; Centering; Tolerance; Empathy; Equality; Community; Friendship; Peace; Virtues Curriculum (Popov); Stewardship; Cooperative Learning Writing process: Paragraph writing: descriptive, focused, persuasive; Personal narratives; Fiction writing; Grammar; Spelling; Reading: Comprehension; Story structure; Story analysis; Vocabulary; Readers response; Reading independently; Performing Arts: Readers theater; Shakespeare; Musical; Cooperative Learning Time; Estimation to 1000; Symmetry; Area; Geometry; Fractions; Collecting, recording, and representing data; Basic facts; Multiple strategies and algorithms, including word problems; Patterns and relationships; Measurement; Model drawing for problem solving; Numeration; Using bar model method to solve word problems; Cooperative Learning American families: Stereotypes, Native Americans, Colonial times, African Americans, Biographies, Timelines, Differing perspectives; Geography: Related to topics above Directionality, Basic map skills, United States; Cooperative Learning Self-portraits-Expressionist style and Cubist style; Writing artists statements; Tempera painting; Navajo style weaving/ Paper and fiber weaving; Study of Zuni Animal Fetish sculpture; Tissue collage or crayon resist painting OKeeffe flowers; Art appreciation discussions Sculpture; Drawing Line wash; Clay combined techniques
MUSIC GENERAL MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL
New song repertoire New rhythmic elements: Half-note; New melodic elements; Do, re; Pentatonic scale; Absolute pitch; Treble staff letter names; Playing the soprano recorder Exploratory Music:; Hands-on introduction to four main families of instruments woodwind, brass, string, and percussion; Students use basic playing technique on clarinet, trumpet, and violin; Culminates with informed decision by students/parents about preferred instrument choices for 4th grade MicroWorlds: computer programming; Designing and building an electric machine; Magnets; Space; Bottle biology; Human Body II; Ocean animals Use correct terminology; Use icons, keyboard shortcuts and right clicking; Build on word processing skills; Introduce keyboarding; Create a multimedia project; Record and edit audio; Integrate projects with art, language arts, math and social studies; Use Digital Library and the library resource sites Independent selection of books and other media; Listens, responds to what is seen and heard; Differentiate between fiction, non-fiction, biography, periodicals and reference; Recognizes all parts of a book; Searches the library catalogue without assistance; Locates information in encyclopedia and dictionary; Searches the digital library with supervision Safety; Locomotor & non-locomotor movement skills; Fitness activities; Creative movement/balance/group dances; Ball activities; Gymnastics and self testing; Rhythms; Special games
SCIENCE
MATH
COMPUTER
SOCIAL STUDIES
LIBRARY
ART
PHYSICAL ED.
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PHYSICAL
GRADE 4
WORSHIP
Focus on core human values: Respect; Honesty; Courage; Kindness; Peace; Justice and mercy; Loyalty and dependability; Self-reliance and reaching potential; Moderation; Community; Interpersonal relations/communication skills; Human development; Service learning; Stewardship Reading: Realistic fiction; Fantasy; Greek mythology; Partnered Reading Writing: Writing process; Proofreading for usage and mechanics; Writers tools Reading/Writing: Responding to literature; Expository; Reading for information; Summarizing; Understanding text structure; Spelling Communicate mathematical thinking; Addition and subtraction of large numbers; Multi-digit multiplication and division; Geometry; Fractions; Number sense and Logic; Decimals; Patterns and relationships among numbers; Problem solving; Statistics World geography: Physical; Cultural Archeology: Creating and analyzing a culture; Cultural universals; Ancient cultures (Egypt/Greece): Research process; Share research through writing, projects and oral presentations Intro to artist and style of expression Impressionist; Watercolor Landscape Asian and Western styles in silhouette; Color mixing, development of personal stroke; Elements of foreground, middle, background including diminishing size, overlaps; Drawing chimera, fantasy, hybrid animals Safety; Fitness; Movement skills locomotor, nonlocomotor & manipulative; Rhythms; Creative movement/relaxation/balance; Individual & team sports
MUSIC GENERAL
New song material: Singing in parts New rhythmic elements: 3/4 meter; dotted half note; New melodic elements:; Low la; Low so Co-Curricular topics: Ancient Egypt music of the Middle East; Ancient Greece musical myths, Orpheus and the Underworld, Daphnis and Chlo; Riverdance All students choose a band or an orchestral instrument and instruction is accomplished in homogeneous classes (string, clarinet/sax, flute, percussion, and brass). As students progress beyond the beginning level, the wind and percussion players add full band rehearsals (heterogeneous class). Both band and orchestra demonstrate achievement in concerts. Measuring; Scientific process and controlled experiments; Electricity; MicroWorlds: computer programming; Human Body III: digestive system, urinary system, reproductive systems; Outdoor Education at Genessee Valley Farm Use correct terminology; Build on word processing skills; Continue to learn icons, keyboard shortcuts and right clicking; Build on word processing skills; Improve speed and accuracy of keyboarding; Create amultimedia project; Record and edit audio; Integrate projects with language arts and social studies; Use Digital Library/library resource site Independent searches of the library catalogue; Initiates use of appropriate research strategies to locate information; Familiar with concept of Dewey Decimal System; Uses digital library resources effectively; Cites sources using Noodlebib
MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL
MATH
SCIENCE
SOCIAL STUDIES
COMPUTER
ART
LIBRARY
PHYSICAL ED.
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GRADE 5
WORSHIP
Quaker Testimonies: Simplicity; Peace; Integrity; Community; Equality; Stewardship; Quaker History Reading: Genres of literature; Literal and inferential analysis; Responding to literature; Building vocabulary through literature; Analysis of story; Reading for information; Figurative language Writing; Poetry Writing; Writing process: Paragraph, expository, and report writing; Vocabulary; Writers tools; Poetry; Letter writing; Spelling Number theory; Conversion between fractions, percents, decimals; Computation and estimation with whole numbers, fractions, decimals; Data and graphs; 2-and 3-dimensional geometry and measurement; Fact work; Pre-algebra U.S. History: Reading a text for information; Pre-reading strategies; Note-taking strategies Colonies; Geographys influence on history Revolutionary War; Research process; Projects/technology/ presentation Lewis and Clark; Research process; Expository writing; Presentation/projects; Using primary sources Civil War; Understanding historical point of view; Simulation Contour line botanicals; Drawing from observation; Graphic design journal covers and drawing in handmade journals; Watercolor landscape: Technique approach; Final unit culminates in landscape painting; Heritage Project memory box, quilt, or album project family heritage & personal self-portrait; Art appreciation discussions contemporary/conceptual art; Figure drawing gestures; Perspective practice onepoint and two-point
MUSIC GENERAL
New song material: Singing in parts; New rhythmic elements: 3/4 meter; New melodic elements: High do; Fa, ti; Co-curricular topics: Spirituals; Music of the Underground Railroad; Music Games All students continue their instrumental experience in band or orchestra. The 5th graders generally perform at the intermediate level and are involved in several concerts throughout the year. They are encouraged to continue playing their instruments in middle school. Flight; Chemistry; Inventors workshop; Outdoor Education at Echo Hill and Wye Island; MicroWorlds: computer programming Use correct terminology; Continue to learn icons, keyboard shortcuts and right clicking; Build on word processing skills; Improve speed and accuracy of keyboarding; Create a multimedia project; Record and edit audio; Integrate projects with language arts, math and social studies; Scan pictures; Use a spreadsheet to add data and graph; Use Digital Library and the library resource sites Independent searches on the library catalogue; Initiates use of appropriate research strategies to locate information; Familiar with concept of Dewey Decimal System; Engages in discussions of authors and books of interest; Uses digital library resources effectively; Cites sources used in research projects with Noodlebib Safety; Movement skills; Social skills; Team sports; Gymnastics; Lifetime sports; Fitness; Creative movement/relaxation/balance
MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL
MATH
SCIENCE
COMPUTER
SOCIAL STUDIES
LIBRARY
ART
PHYSICAL ED.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL
COURSE GUIDE
Pillars of Learning
At Friends Middle School, we provide the structure and resources to help meet the intellectual, social, and emotional needs of our students, so that they can fully develop their talents and skills. Our program is built on three pillars of learning: Habits of the Mind (Creativity, Curiosity, Empathy, Reflection, Resiliency), Skills (Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Information Literacy), and Knowledge (Content and Concepts) and is designed to expose our students to a full range of academic and non-academic experiences that will help prepare them for an increasingly complex world. With their keen understanding and appreciation of this age group, our faculty act as guides and mentors to our students, helping them build a strong sense of self that will allow them to thrive in their lives no matter what path they choose. The positive relationships between teachers and students create a rich and powerful learning environment.
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ENGLISH
GRADE 6
In sixth grade English, students analyze literature and continue to develop their writing skills. Writing is taught as a process with distinct steps. Students are encouraged to spend ample time in pre-writing stage that includes brainstorming and clustering their ideas. The actual writing stage often involves peer response and the creation of several drafts. Sixth graders are exposed to a variety of writing experiences. These include writing personal narratives, short stories, journal entries, and poetry. Students are introduced to the process of electronic submission of their work through Moodle. Class time is also spent on vocabulary development, reading comprehension, usage, mechanics, grammar especially revision and punctuation. The main focus of grammar throughout the Middle School is on the structure of the sentence and the use of sentence variety. Early in the year, we celebrate Banned Books week with classes taught by the librarian. Students choose a challenged or banned book to read independently and give feedback to the class. Further study of literature includes short stories, novels, and poetry. Students review literary terms and figurative language. Some of the novels are coordinated with the social studies curriculum, which emphasizes world cultures. The students read such texts as Same Sun Here, by Silas House and Neela Vaswani, American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye, and Animal Farm by George Orwell.
GRADE 7
where the goal is creating organized, developed, and supported essays. Students will utilize rubrics and graphic organizers in the writing process. Students are asked to do increasingly critical, detailed reading and are encouraged to be engaged readers. They are introduced to Socratic discussions and are expected to come to class prepared to share ideas. Students review the basic elements of the short story and are introduced to more abstract literary terms and concepts. After studying short stories, students read novels which may include The Pearl by Steinbeck, Spinellis Stargirl, Gordan Kormans Schooled, Paolo Coehlos The Alchemist, Slakes Limbo by Holman and Paul Fleishmans Seedfolks. During each trimester, students independently read books that are thematically or historically related to those studied in Geography class. A unit on poetry is included at this grade level in conjunction with National Poetry Month. Class time is also spent furthering the study of vocabulary, reading comprehension, and grammar, building on what was covered in the 6th grade.
GRADE 8
In eighth grade English, students learn to write longer, coherent essays. They continue to develop their vocabularies by learning words in context from their reading and by studying morphemes. The student also develops more critical thinking by encountering classical literature. Habits of Mind provide the lens through which we view our literature and conduct our discussions. The year begins with several young adult novels: So Much to Tell You, by John Marsden, and Whirligig by Paul Fleischman. Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is their first classical work, and well as the graphic novel. It is read early in the year so the students can further understand West Side Story which is studied in 8th grade music. After winter break 8th graders read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and Walter Dean Myerss
Seventh grade English builds upon the sixth grade curriculum, concentrating on literature, writing, grammar, and mechanics. Student writing ranges from personal experience narratives to expository essays. The students are introduced to the concept of scaffolding in writing,
Fallen Angels. Both of these novels serve as background literature for their history documentary project. Robert Fagless translation of The Odyssey is the last work studied. Discussions, essays, and projects focus on theme, character, and conflict, with setting and plot considered to a lesser degree.
STUDY SKILLS
Specialist will also help with outside referrals for those students who need educational testing and/or long term academic support. The Middle School Learning Specialist teaches three classes entitled Learning Lab for students who have learning needs and need extra support. Learning Lab, offered at all three grade levels, provides vocabulary enrichment, additional reading and writing instruction, reinforcement of study skills, and guided work on content area assignments. A variety of texts, workbooks, and teacher-made materials are used. Students taking Learning Lab do not take a World Language. In addition to assisting those students in Learning Lab, the learning specialist also works with students outside of the Learning Lab, who need support in areas such as note taking, organizational skills, test taking skills, written expression, and reading comprehension. These students may be referred by a teacher, a parent, an advisor, or may be self-referred.
Computers and calculators are used throughout the Middle School curriculum. We use computers for exploring geometric shapes and designs, for developing statistical graphing skills, and for modeling information with vertex and edge networks. Both computers and calculators are seen as tools to help in solving math problems. In addition, we continue to develop computational fluency with respect to both mental arithmetic and pencil and paper algorithms. Throughout the curriculum, the teaching techniques and materials used are designed to serve as a strong motivation to influence the students feelings for and success with mathematics. In order to meet the varying needs of our students, we offer classes in each grade level for our more deliberate learners. They cover most of the same topic areas but include additional support and review at an appropriate pace for the students involved.
GRADE 6
The teaching of study skills is integrated into all five academic courses at each grade level. The kinds of skills include time management, study habits, listening skills, memory techniques, reading comprehension (factual and critical), vocabulary development, reviewing for tests and quizzes. In the 6th grade, there is a particularly strong focus on note taking and keeping an organized notebook. All sixth graders take a separate library, research, and speaking skills class with the Middle School Librarian.
ENGLISH SUMMER READING AND WRITING
MATHEMATICS
Problem solving is the basic skill in mathematics. It is more than knowing what to do; it is also knowing what to ask. Its more than getting the right answer; its striving to generalize to other problems and to investigate why a solution makes sense. Problem solving is being willing to tackle a problem even when the way to do it is unclear, persevering until one finds a reasonable solution. Therefore, the philosophy of the Middle School Mathematics curriculum is to provide a systematic framework that teaches both the basic tools of mathematics and also the process by which to creatively apply these tools to solve real world problems. Critical thinking is at the core of our philosophy. The teaching techniques and materials used are designed to serve as a strong motivation to influence the students feelings for and success with mathematics.
All students are required to read three books during the summer and respond in writing when they return in September.
LEARNING SPECIALIST AND LEARNING LAB
The Middle School Learning Specialist serves as a vital support for students, parents, and faculty. The Learning Specialists main focus is to support and advocate for those students with learning needs. The Learning Specialist works closely with individual class teachers, the Principal, the Assistant Principal, and the Counselor as appropriate. For those students who have a diagnosed learning disability and have the documentation on file with the school, the Learning Specialist prepares an Individual Student Profile for the teachers and monitors accommodations as needed. The Learning
Sixth grade mathematics is a course which provides students with an opportunity to grasp the meaning of mathematical ideas by relating them directly to situations they can understand. In this way, it is hoped students will see math as a useful tool rather than a separate activity with its own arbitrary rules, cut off from the rest of life. The year begins with an extensive study of specific problem-solving skills which are frequently used by mathematicians and are central to learning mathematics with an investigative approach. In this initial unit, students explore a wide variety of problems, puzzles, and mathematical games which encourage strategies such as finding patterns, working backwards, and creating systematic lists. Thereafter, rational numbers become the focus, as students use a variety of everyday contexts to solidify their conceptual understanding of fractions, decimals, and percents. Modifying cooking recipes provides a backdrop
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for detailed work with fractions, learning the metric system allows for much practice with decimals, and the economics of a student-run business simulation promotes percent sense. Throughout, the Singapore Math bar model develops students abilities to apply rational numbers to novel problem-solving situations. Much of the second half of the year is devoted to the study of two-dimensional geometry. Students use handson manipulatives and computer software to explore basic angle relationships, to compare and contrast families of polygons, and to develop a foundational understanding of area and perimeter. Several topics from discrete math and an introductory mini-unit on algebra round out the year.
GRADE 7
School, includes review work with rational numbers, previewed concepts from first-year algebra, and many other topics that allow students to appreciate the breadth of mathematics. These in-depth units of study include number theory, probability, ratios and proportions, network analysis, polygons and tessellations, and statistical interpretation of data. Numerous connections are made to other disciplines, such as Geography, Science, Computer, and Art. For example, the syntax of MicroWorlds software is learned from a computer perspective while basic angle relationships are taught in math class, resulting in the creation of artistic tessellations. Throughout the year, problem-solving activities provide opportunities for integration of all topics and promote the development of strategies for solving complex, multi-step problems. An Investigations Club is offered for students desiring additional enrichment.
GRADE 8
Seventh grade mathematics is a course designed to build on the concepts discovered by the students in sixth grade math and to take students to a level of understanding that enables them to be ready for the formal study of algebra in eighth grade. The course strengthens previously taught skills while focusing on greater depth of understanding in all strands. Estimation, mental arithmetic and calculator skills are taught in the context of numerous real world applications. The course, which blends chapters from the Singapore Math series with curricular units developed at Friends
equations and inequalities, linear functions, and graphing. Regardless of course, eighth graders finish the year with an exciting toy bungee jumping activity which allows the students to apply their knowledge of linear functions. Algebra 1 and MathCounts students explore additional topics such as systems of equations, exponents, polynomials and factoring. The MathCounts course also prepares students for the challenges of the nationwide MathCounts Competition. Students from each of these classes will take Geometry in ninth grade. The Introduction to Algebra class is designed for students who need additional support and practice before delving too far into the abstractions of formal algebra. This course strengthens basic pre-algebra skills while building the framework for a solid foundation in Algebra 1, the course these students will take in ninth grade.
SOCIAL STUDIES
GRADE 6
There are three course options for eighth grade mathematics. The majority of students take Algebra 1; however some students are selected (based on previous performance and interest) for either Introduction to Algebra or the advanced MathCounts Algebra class. All three courses cover algebraic expressions, solving
The major focus of this course is to examine and begin to understand human groups using universalities of culture. Major world culture areas, principally the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and India are used to give the students their content areas for cross comparisons. The program then uses several categories of human behavior found in
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all known human groups to build an understanding of cultures, particularly of the three selected cultural regions. Students learn that the human beings inhabiting our planet may exhibit different behaviors from those they find familiar, but that we all create customs and traditions from the same cultural universals. In addition to the text (World Cultures: A Global Mosaic, Ahmad, Brodsky, Crofts, and Ellis), speakers from several cultures are invited to the classrooms, and a range of educational movies and documentaries on specific components of the three cultural regions are used. Individual field assignments include creative writing as well as computer generated, artistic multimedia research projects. Class field trips ask students to apply their understanding of cultural universals to other culture groups. The year culminates in a very special project entitled Create a Culture that the students always enjoy.
GRADE 7
The seventh grade curriculum includes a World Geography course that focuses on the symbiotic relationship between Earth and the human race. Geography, as a discipline, encompasses a variety of other subject areas from Earth Sciences and Environmental Studies toAnthropology, History and Economics. As the year progresses, the students will discover that Geography is not just about maps.
The course is divided into several broad units, including Fundamental Geography. During this introductory stage the students master essential mapping skills and familiarize themselves with GIS and GPS applications. The Physical Geography unit follows, with an overview of weather/climate regions, vegetation and natural disasters. Population studies, urbanization, culture, and economic systems fall under the umbrella of Human Geography.During this unit, students are encouraged to consider Earths changing landscape and the challenge of striking a delicate balance between available resources and continued development. The final unit, Environmental Geography, relies heavily on current events, with special attention paid to alternative energy sources, geo-tourism, and the state of the Chesapeake Bay. The unit culminates with a three day camping trip planned in conjunction with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Current events are discussed throughout the year and supplement the information covered in each unit. Students are also given the opportunity to study many of theaforementioned topics through films, field trips and research projects. The individual and group projects provide an opportunity to delve further into specific elements of the material and to examine case studies related to the overarching theme of human-environment interaction. The main texts for the course are: Foundations of Geography and the Nystrom World Atlas.
GRADE 8
The 8th grade U.S. history course is a study of modern American history from 1900 to the present. Major themes covered include immigration and urbanization, both World Wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War, race relations, and Americas present social and economic environment. Textual material (America: History of Our Nation Civil War to the Present by: James West Davidson and Michael B. Stoff ) provides the framework of the curriculum, but a variety of other materials, such as excerpts from novels, autobiographies, primary resources, music and poetry are included to capture the essence of the American ethos. Students engage in role-playing, panel discussions, and write plays and poems to gain personal insight into eras we consider. Movies, guest speakers, documentaries, and student created multimedia researchprojects also enhance students investigation of the history of the United States in the contemporary era. The course culminates with the production of a documentary that reflects one of several major events in modern U.S. history.
SCIENCE
GRADE 6
Life science is an elementary biology course which explores science concepts and methods through a
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hands-on, activity-based program. Topics emphasized during the year are energy processes in plants and animals, populations, ecosystems, the Chesapeake Bay, the cell as the structural and functional unit of life, DNA and heredity, and human nutrition, which is studied in cooperation with the 6th grade business math program. Investigations include human disease and nutrition. Students will collect data, write reports, keep an organized notebook, use a microscope, and learn to work effectively in groups.
GRADE 7
WORLD LANGUAGES
Study of a world language is an important component of a liberal education, providing avenues for self-expression and self-fulfillment. Upon completion of three years of World Language study in the Middle School, students will appreciate the diversity of the worlds cultures, and understand how different people live and communicate, and attain a strong foundation for superior levels of language proficiency. Middle School World language courses are designed to encourage rapid acquisition of the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) necessary for meaningful communication in both written and spoken French, Russian, or Spanish. The normal sequence of language study begins in the Middle School with three years of active foreign language instruction followed by continued language study in the Upper School. All language students who complete the Middle School program will receive one credit towards graduation, after having completed the ninth grade program in the same language. Students entering Friends in the seventh or eighth grade may join a language at the introductory level in a sixth grade class. At the end of their time in the Middle School, such students will consult with the World Language department to determine how to proceed with language in the Upper School. Some tutoring or other work may be necessary in such a case. Students who may not demonstrate a readiness to study a language in sixth grade may enroll in Learning Lab.
Eighth-grader Max Rollfinke and Middle School Math Teacher John Watt
MATH COUNTS
MATHCOUNTS is a national program that inspires excellence, confidence and curiosity in middle schools students through a fun and challenging math curriculum and annual competition. The program was launched in 1984, and Friends School has participated from the beginning. The MATHCOUNTS class, which is open to eighth-grade students, allows students to prepare for competition as well as to pursue their own mathematical investigations. Each spring, four Friends Mathletes represent the school at the Chapter Contest. Over the years, the Friends team has done well enough every year to advance to the state contest, which brings hundreds of student competitors from around Maryland to the Johns Hopkins University campus. Four students from each state advance to the national contest; two Friends School students have qualified for that honor in the last 23 years. In spring 2012, Max Rollfinke was one of the rare students not only to make the team as a seventh-grader but also to achieve Friends highest score at the state contest. Over the summer, Max and a classmate researched how it was that the Orioles were able to contend for the division crown in baseball this fall.
Physical science investigates the relationship between matter and energy through a laboratory/experimental approach. The course introduces science as a problemsolving activity where students explore various challenging problems designed to invite creative approaches.The problem-solving approach is then applied to investigating the atom and chemical reactions in a lab-based program in which students develop an understanding of the nature of matter. The topics of energy, forces and motion are developed through similar hands-on activities. Graphing, organization, careful record keeping, and laboratory skills are emphasized.
GRADE 8
Earth Science investigates the processes which make up and shape the Earth. The activity-based program draws from geology and astronomy. Students perform experiments, do research projects, read and summarize science articles in the news and write essays related to such topics as plate tectonics, geomorphology, rocks and minerals, the solar system and the universe. Students are asked to analyze, synthesize, and create models of how the earth operates from slow changes such as plate movement to more dramatic phenomena like earthquakes and volcanoes.
FRENCH
The text used in 6th and 7th grade French is Cest Toi Level I, published by EMC/Paradigm. Eighth grade French uses Cest Toi, Level II, published by
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EMC/Paradigm. Accompanying the text are a workbook and an audio and video program. The pace of classroom activities is quick with rapid drilling techniques, games and high-energy teaching.
GRADE 6
RUSSIAN
The text used in the Middle School program is Golosa published by Pearson Prentice- Hall Publishing. An accompanying workbook and on-line audio and video program is used. As with French and Spanish, the pace of classroom activities is quick, and rapid drilling techniques, games and high-energy teaching styles are used.
GRADE 6
Middle School art teacher Espi Franzier
8TH-GRADE FASHION SHOW

Eighth-grade art students get the chance to tap their inner Fashionista at Friends School through a popular project that allows them to conceive, create, and model an outfit of their dreams and the wilder the better! The eighth-graders start by making a drawing and a list of materials theyll need to create their outfits fabric, buttons, beads, cardboard, paint, thread, newspaper and duct tape. Then, under the guidance of their art teacher, they create a pattern (or use clothing as a base to add other materials) and get to work snipping, hot-glueing and stitching on one of the classrooms two sewing machines. The result? A mesmerizing array of garments from newspaper tutus, to alien outfits, to elaborate duct tape evening wear. All the art students model their outfits in a final class presentation, where they share the source of their inspiration. The bravest even opt to show off their creations at a Fashion Show in the lobby of the Middle School.
Sixth grade French is an elementary language course which gives the student a foundation in basic French. Emphasis is on oral communication with the majority of the teaching being conducted in French. Some topics that are covered are the family and pet, sports, school, hobbies, and places to go in the city. Students are expected to be able to use the vocabulary and grammar from any chapter in a variety of ways: in skits that they write and produce, in short compositions, and in simple speeches delivered in front of the class.
GRADE 7
Seventh grade French is a continuation of the topics introduced in the sixth grade. Classes continue to be taught in French, and students are exposed to sophisticated grammar such as the pass compose and direct and indirect object pronouns. Topics covered in the seventh grade include the weather, clothing, kinds of stores, the home, Paris and other cities in the French-speaking world. Students are encouraged to express themselves in French and writing becomes more important.
GRADE 8
Sixth grade Russian is an elementary language course which gives the student a foundation in basic Russian. Emphasis is on oral communication with the majority of the teaching being conducted in Russian. The first few weeks are devoted to learning to read and write the Russian alphabet. Some topics covered are school, animals, family, clothes and places around town. Students are expected to be able to use the vocabulary and grammar in avariety of ways: in skits that they write and produce, in short compositions, and in simple speeches delivered in front of the class.
GRADE 7
Eighth grade French is the culmination of the French program in the Middle School. Classes are taught entirely in French and student answers are expressed in the language. Students at this level are exposed to poetry and contemporary songs, and their knowledge of grammar is refined. Among the topics studied are French cuisine, the French school system, the fine arts, shopping and modes of transportation.
Seventh grade Russian is a continuation of the topics introduced in the sixth grade. Classes are taught in Russian with some English. This course emphasizes communicative skills, using simple noun declensions, basic verb conjugations, and an expanding vocabulary. Topics covered in the seventh grade include: daily schedule and school, music and media, sports, Russian landmarks, transportation, and an ongoing study of Russian culture. Students are expected to perform skits and present short projects in conjunction with each unit covered in the textbook.
GRADE 8
Eighth Grade Russian is the culmination of the Russian program in the Middle School. Classes are taught
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increasingly only in Russian as the year progresses. Students continue to master conjugation and declension endings with an emphasis on expanding vocabulary and fluency. Topics covered include professions, classical music, holidays, weather and Siberia.
GRADE 7
GRADE 7
SPANISH
The text used throughout the three years of Spanish study is Aventura II published by EMC paradigm. Accompanying the text are a workbook and an audio and video program. The pace of classroom activities is quick with rapid drilling techniques, games and high-energy teaching.
GRADE 6
Seventh grade Spanish is a continuation of the topics introduced in the sixth grade. Classes continue to be taught in Spanish, and students are exposed to more sophisticated grammar such as possessive adjectives, direct and indirect object pronouns and reflexive verbs. Topics covered in the seventh grade include family, chores around the house, food and table setting and rooms in a house. Students are encouraged to express themselves in Spanish and are asked to do more writing.
GRADE 8
Seventh graders are exposed to a wide variety of artistic expression. Their course covers advertising art, ceramics, linear perspective, portraiture, abstract art and architecture. There is an increased emphasis on using sketches to develop ideas and on completing work in a scheduled amount of time.
GRADE 8
Sixth grade Spanish is an elementary language course which gives the student a foundation in basic Spanish. Emphasis is on oral communication with the majority of teaching being conducted in Spanish. Some topics covered are the Hispanic world, school, transportation, food, and clothing. Students are expected to be able to use the vocabulary and grammar from any chapter in a variety of ways: in skits that they write and produce, in short compositions, and in simple speeches delivered in front of the class.
Eighth grade Spanish is the culmination of the Spanish program in the Middle School. Classes are taught entirely in Spanish and students express themselves in the language. Students this year are exposed to simple Spanish short stories and contemporary songs. Among the topics studied are technology, hygiene and health, Spain and Madrid.
Eighth graders rotate between two teachers. Projects include observational drawing, portrait drawing, political cartoons, fashion design, printmaking, ceramics, and acrylic painting. The rotations are fairly short. The abbreviated time helps students stay on task and finish work on time. This helps teach the kind of focus necessary to complete quality artwork.
GENERAL MUSIC
GRADE 6
ART
Projects cover portrait and figure drawing, watercolor, sewing, collage, two dimensional design, printmaking, and ceramics. Classes are taught by two teachers, allowing for close, personal instruction. All projects are intended to be accessible to all students and challenging for the strongest.
In sixth grade, our essential questions are: Who am I? How do I fit in? and What place does music have in my world? Students learn the fundamentals of music through hands-on experiences. Beginning with basic skills of solfege and notation, students absorb musical concepts
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through progressive sight singing exercises, rhythm pieces, and bell melodies. These activities facilitate development of note-reading and rhythmic skills, which are the basis for group improvisations and compositions. In correlation with the sixth grade social studies classes, songs from a variety of cultures are taught, and the above skills and Habits of Mind are synthesized in a collaborative inter-disciplinary Create a Culture project wherein students create their own National Anthem and perform it for their peers. Students keep a Listening Diary in their portfolio notebooks in order to foster critical thinking skills. In conjunction with the Listening Diary, short listening excerpts are presented in each class to broaden students knowledge of different musical styles. Special units of study include an introduction to opera through Amahl and the Night Visitors, a world music and heritage unit, a composer research project, and a unit on Oliver! in late Spring.
GRADE 7
and collaboratively creating their own piece of music (November). Throughout the year, emphasis is placed on active participation and discovery. Students continue to keep a Listening Diary in their portfolio notebooks which corresponds specifically to each unit. Special units of study include a protest music unit (September and October); an opera unit, wherein they study a different opera in depth each year; and an instrument unit, where students observe, interact, research and eventually build their own working instrument. The year ends with a study of Fiddler on the Roof.
GRADE 8
in the form of Haiku. Later in the fall, students begin with a unit on jazz, which leads to a study of Porgy and Bess. This unit corresponds beautifully with the eighth grade American History class, emphasizing race relations and social equality. An in-depth study of Western Music follows,which culminates with a collaborative presentation project; and in the spring, the students correlate West Side Story with an English class study of Romeo and Juliet.
FINE ARTS PERIOD

PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLES
Our seventh grade essential questions are: How does music reflect and effect change in the world? What is the artists responsibility to society? Students continue to master their understanding of the elements of music: melody, harmony, rhythm, form, and tone color by applying skills in sixth grade
The eighth grade is again designed to provide lifelong skills and to foster a lifelong love of learning in music. However, as students move from the concrete to the more abstract ways of thinking, greater emphasis is placed upon critical thinking, deeper reflection, and a more complete collaborative synthesis. Essential questions for eighth grade are: How does music permeate human existence and would it be possible to remove it from daily life? Does art imitate life or does life imitate art? Are we capable of truly original creations? In the first part of the year, the students again maintain a Listening Diary in their music portfolios. An early project involves a performance art presentation
The middle school music ensemble is a supportive community where students can celebrate their strengths and develop their skills in a safe and encouraging environment. Ensembles include Full-year Band, String Orchestra, and Chorus, which are offered to all students and meet during the Fine Arts periods each week. The Apollos is an auditioned group which meets twice per week in the early mornings as well. Each ensemble performs at least twice per year, and at least one service concert is included in the 7/8 performance curriculum. There is a year-long commitment for each ensemble, but most musicians from middle school remain in an ensemble throughout their Friends School careers; and many continue to sing and play throughout their adult lives. In working toward a performance, empathy,
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reflection and resilience are essential to the final success. Students reinforce self control and critical thinking in their daily practice and rehearsals. When all are working in true collaboration, the atmosphere is joyful and the music is noteworthy.
CO-CURRICULAR MUSIC
Those in chorus may also take part in the middle school Dragonfly Theater production which occurs in the last weekend of February or the first weekend of March every year. Auditions take place in November, with call-backs the Monday before Thanksgiving. Past productions have included full scale, student and junior versions of Guys and Dolls Once Upon a Mattress Oklahoma The Music Man Seussical and Bye Bye Birdie.
FINE ARTS
Fine Arts Elective offers additional art time for those who elect it. It meets at the same time as the performance ensembles. Sixth Grade Fine Arts students alternate between ceramics and general fine arts. Seventh and eighth grade students are in mixed grade classes. They will rotate between ceramics, general fine arts, computer graphics, and three dimensional design.
training, archery, lacrosse, tennis, softball, basketball, football, volleyball, field hockey, wrestling, team handball, and folk, square, aerobic, jazz, ballet, modern and social dance. The required uniform is a Friends School gray T-shirt and red or black shorts with appropriate non-marking sneakers and white socks, plus any necessary sweat clothes. These are available for purchase from the Quaker Closet. The Business Office will bill a students account for purchases. Students will be issued a locker with a built-in lock. All clothing and equipment should be stored in this locker at all times when not in use. At no time during the school year should students share lockers. If a locker does not work properly, the teacher should be notified immediately. If your child has a medical condition that may affect his or her participation in PE, please make sure that the PE Department Office is informed. If your child is unable to participate for more than a week, a doctors note is required explaining the medical condition, length of absence, and when the student is allowed to return to physical activity.
MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY AND TECHNOLOGY

The Library and Technology staff works closely with middle school teachers to integrate information literacy skills into the core middle school curriculum. The informationliteracy program is designed to lead a student through increasing levels of engagement with locating, accessing, evaluating, selecting and creating information in multiple formats,throughout the 6th 8th grade experience. The Middle School Library print collection is over 16,000 items strong, with materials selected to support the Schools curricula, as well as for individual enjoyment. The Schools Digital Library allows students access to hundreds of newspaper, journal and magazine titles, as well as multimedia (audio, visual, photographic, etc.) resources, and gives students the ability to browse items in the collections of all three libraries on campus. The School houses equipment, hardware and software necessary for students to create a variety of media in support of the curricula, and as a means of personal
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The required Middle School Physical Education program consists of a variety of units that include individual and lifetime sports, fitness and dance. Each grade has physical education 2-3 times per week. Students are graded on behavior, effort, and skill development using an A-F marking system. Another component of the grading system is wearing the required uniform. Classes are conducted on both a single-sex and coed basis. Throughout their Middle School experience, students will have exposure to the following activities: gymnastics, badminton, track and field, soccer, weight
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AFTER-SCHOOL ATHLETICS
The school offers a variety of interscholastic opportunities. These include:
FALL
expression. Desktops, laptops, tablets, digital still and video cameras, audio recording, video editing, graphics and photo manipulation software are all available. The Library is open to students before school, during morning break, at lunch, and after school. The Library Staff is available from 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to assist the community with resources, questions and readers advisory.
begin to learn about how to locate and evaluate information sources (including an introduction to our Digital Library databases), how to use information ethically, and how to present the results of research in a meaningful way.
GRADE 7 & 8
7th and 8th Grade students engage in collaborativelydesigned, co-taught, project based units that integrate information literacy and technology skills. Students become increasingly skilled at evaluating and synthesizing information and creating multi-media products that reflect their learning. They are encouraged to explore a variety of sources, and to test them for authority, bias, comprehensiveness, and relevance to their assigned tasks.
Football, boys and girls soccer, field hockey, instructional tennis and cross country
WINTER
INFORMATION LITERACY CURRICULUM

We all live in an information-rich environment. With this richness comes the possibility of information overload. The philosophy of the Library and Research Program at Friends is to teach students to be critical evaluators, users, managers and producers of information in all its forms. This is achieved through collaboration between the Library and Middle School faculty, so that these skills may be taught within the context of what the students are already learning. The Middle School follows the 6-Step Research Process model which has been adopted for Friends School. This model keeps the process and vocabulary consistent throughout all three schools, thereby preparing students with the abilities necessary to thrive in the Upper School.
GRADE 6
Boys and girls basketball, wrestling, and girls soccer

SPRING
LIBRARY POLICIES
Hours: Monday Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Library Staff is available from 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to assist the community with resources, questions and readers advisory. However, there may be extenuating circumstances when the Library will open later than 7:45 a.m. and close prior to 4:00 p.m. When possible, students will be notified in advance so that other arrangements may be made. Aside from use with classes during the school day, the Library is open to individual students before school, during morning break, at lunch, and after school. 1. No food or beverages are permitted in the Library at any time. 2. Checkout period is 3 weeks, with the option to renew materials after 3 weeks. The amount of checkout items is unlimited, as long as materials are being returned on time.
Baseball, boys and girls lacrosse, softball and instructional tennis The Middle School athletic program emphasizes skill development, sportsmanship and teamwork. Teams will play an appropriate level of competition. Some but not all sports have A and B level teams grouped by ability. One of the goals of A and B level teams is that each player is able to participate in every contest. However, we may not be able to implement this goal in every game situation, depending on varying circumstances. During after-school athletics, students should be sure to place all possessions in their locked lockers, in the cafeteria or in their cubbies in the Middle School building.
6th Grade students meet twice per cycle in InfoTech Class, a combination of technology and information literacy skills, to begin laying the foundation of inquiry throughout their Middle School years. This class provides students with the opportunity to practice skills that will be used in all of their classes. Students are introduced to network applications, email, passwords, creating and use of folders, word processing, creating presentations and spreadsheets, netiquette and internet safety. Students
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3. Students are expected to comply with the three-voicelevel system when in the Library or Library Computer Lab. An indicator will inform students when the voice level is: Silent (no talking), Quiet (whispering), or Friendly (normal indoor voice level), depending upon the activity. 4. Email and approved games are permitted in the Library Computer Lab before school and during morning break. 5. The Library is available to students for checkout, study and social time (Friendly voice level) at lunch. Students must sign up prior to leaving the building for lunch. 6. All students must respect the rights and needs of others when sharing Library space. The community values the multiple uses that this space allows. Presence in the Library and Library Computer Lab indicates a willingness to abide by the rules of the community.
students progress through the Middle School. Sixth graders begin discussing their transition to the Middle School. Other topics in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades include peer relationships, social concerns, human sexuality, drug and alcohol use and abuse, Quakerism and social justice.
CAMPING AND OVERNIGHT TRIPS

Each student will participate in an overnight trip each year. The sixth-grade trip is to Camp Letts in southern Anne Arundel County in the early fall to create a class bonding experience. The seventh grade takes its trip with guidance from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. It focuses on developing in students a better understanding of the ecosystems of the Chesapeake Bay and strategies for preserving extremely important part of the mid-Atlantic. The eighth grade takes a two-or three-day trip to Philadelphia each May in conjunction with its study of U.S. history and Quakerism.
MEETING FOR WORSHIP

Each grade attends Meeting for Worship once a week. Students enter the Meeting House in silence and sit down. Meeting is a time for quiet contemplation, reflection and sharing of thoughts. It is not a time for debate or discussion. A period of silence after someone speaks allows those present to reflect on what has been said. Meeting ends with a handshake. Students remain silent until they leave the Meeting House.
GROUP (LIFE SKILLS)

Group is an education program that addresses non-academic issues concerning early adolescence. Students have group once or twice a week for the entire year. A variety of teachers conduct these classes. The topics and discussions become more sophisticated as
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UPPER SCHOOL
COURSE GUIDE
Learn for a Lifetime

Friends Upper School has been described as a community of do-ers, where students learn for a lifetime. Intellectual curiosity, academic rigor and the celebration of pure ideas combine to produce stunning results. Here, students are encouraged to put their hopes and ideals into action, to reach their potential and let their lives speak. In addition to their course work, Friends School students achieve high levels of academic success and recognition on the SATs, in the National Merit Scholarship competition and on Advanced Placement tests. Friends School students average SAT scores over the past three years have been 1270 (Critical Reading plus Math) on the 1600 point scale. The average score for the Friends Class of 2012 was 1900 on the 2400 point scale. Each year, approximately 16% of Friends School seniors are recognized for outstanding achievement in the National Merit Scholarship competition. Of the approximately 56 AP exams taken each year, 78% of the scores received are a 3 or higher. The areas tested have included Biology, Calculus, Computer Science, Economics, English, French, Music Theory, Physics, Spanish, and U.S. History.
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Diploma and Course Requirements

DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS
3. Successfully fulfill the requirement of the community service program 4. Complete the following expected courses and other requirements: a. Freshmen Seminar b. Sophomore Seminar c. Junior Seminar d. Senior Seminar e. Completion of the yearly Athletic requirements
CREDITS
CURRICULUM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COLLEGE PLACEMENT
To receive a Friends School diploma, a student must: 1. Earn a total of twenty-one credits. 2. Satisfy the following course requirements: English..................................4 credits (including four 1/2 credit electives during Junior & Senior year.) Social Studies.......................2 credits (including U.S. and the World and History of the Modern World) Math & Science ....................6 credits (at least 2 credits in each discipline including Biology and successful completion of Algebra 2 or Algebra w/ Trigonometry) Languages ............................2 credits of Friends School language (including completion of Level III of a modern language, or Level II of Latin) Fine Arts...............................2 credits Other Majors & Minors ......5 credits
Full-year major courses earn one credit. Semester major courses earn one-half credit. Minor courses earn one-half credit. Twenty-one credit units constitutes the minimum state mandated high school degree requirements.
MATRICULATION
A student may matriculate from one year in the Upper School to the next if he or she: 1) completes the English requirement for that year; and 2) is able to appropriately satisfy the diploma requirements in their time remaining at Friends.
Students are encouraged to enroll in the most rigorous college preparatory program they can manage. This generally means taking five major academic subjects each year, plus one or two minors. The minimum requirements for college entrance include: four years of English; three years of math (up through Algebra 2); two laboratory sciences; three years of social studies (including US and the World); and two years of a foreign language. Students who plan to apply to highly selective colleges and universities should plan to take courses well beyond this minimum, including 3-4 years of the same foreign language; 4 or more years of science; math through Precalculus or Calculus; and four years of social studies. In some cases the students intended college major may influence the course selections for the junior and senior years. For instance, students who plan to go into science or engineering related fields should take math all four years, and may elect to take a second Advanced Science in lieu of foreign language or social studies in the senior year. Conversely, a student who plans to study history or English in college may double up in one of these disciplines rather than continue in science or math in the senior year.
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Students and parents with questions about the impact of course selections on college admission should contact the College Guidance staff.
STUDENTS TAKING FOUR OR SIX COURSES
Guidance staff. The completed form is to be returned to the scheduler. Final approval rests with the Principal. If permission is granted, the student may drop the course. The transcript will read Withdrawn Passing (WP) or Withdrawn Failing (WF), depending upon the students status at the time of the drop. On occasion, changing a course to Pass/Fail may be preferable to dropping it. If the department and administration concur, a course may be changed from a grade to Pass/Fail (see Pass/Fail option below). Students enrolled in six major courses will be given until the end of the first quarter to drop a course without penalty. This should allow a student sufficient time to discern whether he/she can handle the demands of six courses. If a student wishes to drop a sixth course at the end of the first quarter, the course will be expunged from the transcript.
Each artist synthesizes these understandings in different ways during the creative process. It begins with embracing the creating process, unleashing his or her curiosity, and exhibiting a willingness to explore with both meaningful foresight and thoughtful reflection. Paramount to the artists practice is the recognition and maintenance of the integrity of the work.
The Art offerings listed below are split into three categories:
Most students take five major courses each year; no student may take fewer than four academic major courses plus a minor. Students who wish to deviate from the normal course of study by enrolling in four or six major courses must petition the faculty for permission. The required form asks the student to explain the reasons for the desired number of courses; the form is reviewed and the students parent(s), faculty advisor and a Grade Dean make comments. In appropriate cases, the College Guidance staff is consulted regarding the college implications of a proposed course of action.
ADDING AND DROPPING COURSES
Full Majors meet just as often as an Academic Major. If a student is planning to enroll in one of these courses as a 6th Major, s/he needs to obtain the proper documentation from the appropriate grade dean. These are only open to 11th-12th Grade. Semester-long Medium-Based courses meet during a 70-minute letter-block 4 out of 10 days in the cycle. Students do not need a 6 Major form to enroll in these offerings however, they cannot enroll in these offerings if they are planning to take 6 majors, as these courses are only offered during the 70-minute letter-blocks. Some out-of-class work may be expected in these courses. Year-long Survey courses meet during the 50-minute L or M-blocks 4 out of 10 days in the cycle.
STUDIO MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES SURVEY
Adding Courses: Students may add courses, space permitting, within the first two weeks of the year for a yearlong course or the semester for a semester-long course. A completed Add/Drop Form is required. Dropping Courses: If a student believes he or she needs to drop a course, the following guidelines are to be followed: The school allows students to wait until the first interim (or the third interim for second semester courses) to drop a course without it being recorded on the transcript. If a student wants to drop a course after these deadlines, he or she needs to obtain an Add/Drop Form from the Upper School office. Approval is obtained from the following: (a) the students advisor, (b) the teacher of the course, (c) the Grade Dean, and (d) the students parents. In addition, seniors need approval of faculty who wrote their college letter of recommendation. In some cases, it may be appropriate to consult the College
ART
The Upper School Art Department cultivates several enduring understandings and expectations for the artists in our program:
Artists engage their work and the work of others with hearts and minds prepared, cultivating their empathetic engagement with visual art in and beyond the classroom. Artists are inquisitive viewers and active listeners and are willing to share their work with a broader community. They exhibit historical understanding of the role of art in its culture, its time period, and its connection to the world around us. Artists develop their expressive capacity to communicate effectively about their work and the art work of others. They hone their ability to interpret and analyze works of art, understand meaning and significance and articulate their own processes of expression as artists. Artists display an ability to use materials thoughtfully and perfect their craftsmanship. They continue to develop this practice in through those materials.
This course introduces students to the content of our semester based electives and the basic visual language. They will learn aspects of the elements of art and principles of design through projects exploring beginner drawing, painting, bookmaking and sculpture. Through their projects in this course they will be better situated to choose a medium-based offering. This is a year-long course, open to 9th-12th.
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STUDIO PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE SURVEY
This course introduces students to the content of our semester based electives and the basic visual language. They will learn aspects of the elements of art and principles of design through projects exploring work in beginner drawing, printmaking, collage and some camera-less photography. Through their projects in this course they will be better situated to choose a medium-based offering. This is a year-long course, open to 9th-12th.
DIGITAL PRACTICE SURVEY
rules and delve into expressive content. We will experiment with image-building through metaphor and symbolism. Materials may range from graphite and charcoal to wire and found object. The essential questions at the core of this course will be what is drawing and what are its boundaries? This is a semester-long course, open to 9th-12th.
PRINTMAKING MEDIUM-BASED
This course enables students to learn the basics of visual language and composition. Students will be exposed to a variety of digital imaging tools including Photoshop and Illustrator. Animation will be explored using Flash and Maya. A majority of the curriculum will involve answering theme-based prompts by using one of the aforementioned programs. By the end of the course, students will have an understanding of how the skills and tools in digital art can be used to create meaningful imagery. Through their projects in this course they will be better situated to choose a digital medium-based offering. This is a year-long course, open to 9th-12th.
DRAWING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE MEDIUM-BASED
In this course we will explore the possibilities of printmaking. We will work with relief (linocut), intaglio (solar plate etching) and stenciling. We will make several editions of prints, working in series as well as making unique prints. Outside of the fine print, we may explore other applications of printmaking such as for books, for advertising and for clothing. We will make our imagery from source images, drawing, and photography. Comfort with another medium such as drawing or photography would make this a more meaningful class for those that wish to take it. Students will be asked to do some research and design outside of class. This is a semesterlong course, open to 9th-12th.
SCULPTURAL FORMS MEDIUM-BASED
Felicia Wilks, director of diversity
DIVERSITY
Diversity is central at Friends School of Baltimore, where we cherish differences as essential for teaching and learning. The potential of each person is realized in settings that strengthen knowledge of and sensitivity to the full spectrum of race, ethnicity, religion, culture, gender, income, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disabilities and learning differences. The Friends School Diversity Council was formed by the Board of Trustees as a part of the Strategic Plan of 2000. The Diversity Council is composed of Board members, teachers, administrators, parents, and students. The goal of the Council and of the director of diversity is to increase the diversity of all constituencies of the school and to create an atmosphere at the school in which all people feel included. Parentaffinity groups, speakers, film screenings and presentations are among the events the Diversity Council sponsors to promote diversity on campus.
Students in this course will develop greater conceptual and technical understanding of drawing as an expressive medium. Various drawing methods and subjects are explored as a means to cultivate perceptual ability and descriptive drawing skills. Materials may include graphite, charcoal, pastel and ink. The drawing concepts covered include effective use of line, mass, value, composition, and perspective. This is a semester-long course, open to 9th-12th.
DRAWING EXPERIMENTAL PRACTICE MEDIUM-BASED
This course helps students develop an understanding of the interaction between forms and space. Students explore the relationship of meaning to materials through the construction process. Students will explore functional objects, utilitarian forms, and site-oriented installations, from environmental art to architecture. This course is for students who enjoy working with clay, plaster, wood, wire and mixed media. A journal and outside of class work is expected. This is a semester-long course, open to 9th-12th.
PAINTING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE MEDIUM-BASED
This course will explore the limits of drawing. We will unpack drawing practices founded in fundamental
Students who love creating are presented with the fundamental principles and techniques of painting.
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Through a wide range of problems, students learn about painting tools and processes. Painting materials range but are not limited to oils, acrylics, glazes and watercolors. Integration of drawing and design concepts are emphasized through the investigation of color and composition. Students are presented with a unique mixture of ideas and methods while painting from observation, exploring non-representational directions and abstract expressions. This course may also utilize the natural landscape and architecture of the Friends School campus. A journal and outside of class work is expected. This is a semester-long course, open to 9th-12th.
FUNDAMENTALS OF PHOTOGRAPHY MEDIUM-BASED
as students move through their projects. In this class we will focus on experimental techniques as well as themes and concepts in our assignments. Towards the end of the semester we will explore the moving image by using still imagery to create a stop motion video. Photo history will be introduced as we build our appreciation for the medium. We will use group critique to reflect on our images and develop projects for an audience. Fine printing and thoughtful presentation are stressed. Students are expected to have a high level of commitment to the medium if taking this class. They must own or borrow a 35 mm SLR camera. They must have taken Fundamentals of Photo in order to take this class. This is a semester-long course, open to 10th-12th.
PHOTOGRAPHY 3 MEDIUM-BASED
This course is an introduction to traditional black and white darkroom photography. In this class we will learn the functions of a film camera, black and white developing and wet darkroom printing. We will build on our visual language skills, learn composition techniques and develop our photographic eye. Students will be introduced to photographers to inspire their work. We will shoot different assignments every other week as we develop our skills in the darkroom. Assignments will develop specific skills with the camera and in the darkroom. The second half of the semester we will transition into Alternative Processes, working on more experimental techniques and using digital negatives. Critique will be introduced and used on the teacherstudent level. Each student must own or borrow a 35 mm Camera (with F-stop and shutter speed) for the duration of the course. This course is not open to 9th graders due to space limitations. This is a semester-long course, open to 10th-12th.
ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHY MEDIUM-BASED
This course is geared toward individuals who are self motivated and interested in continuing to develop their photographic body of work. Our first project will be suggested by the teacher, but for the most part work is student directed. Each project is proposed and discussed with the teacher and group before work begins. Projects can utilize previously learned techniques or explore new ones. Fine printing and thoughtful presentation are stressed. This is a semester-long course, open to 10th-12th.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY MEDIUM-BASED
This course moves beyond basic skills in traditional black and white photography as well as alternative photographic processes. Good studio practice is encouraged
This course is an introduction to digital SLR cameras, scanners, printers and digital darkroom processes. Adobe Photoshop and other image-editing software are used to explore creative and experimental possibilities for manipulating student-made photographs. Students are expected to come to class prepared with new photos on a daily basis and return to the world with a more informed vision and better understanding of how to improve their craft. Students are strongly encouraged to have their own digital SLR cameras. This is a semester-long course, open to 9th-12th.
ANIMATION FLASH MEDIUM-BASED
This course introduces students to the basic concepts of 2-D animation and applies the skills learned to create dynamic web-based designs. These skills include working with a timeline and layers, creating and modifying animation, morphing images and text, relating images to sound, publishing and optimizing files. The Principles of Design and Elements of Art will be integral in the construction of the projects as well as basic programming. This is a semester-long course, open to 9th-12th.
ANIMATION MAYA MEDIUM-BASED
9th-12th. Note: this course is only offered every other year, and is offered for the 12-13 school year but not for the 13-14 school year.
COMPUTER IMAGING PHOTOSHOP, ILLUSTRATOR, & FLASH MEDIUM-BASED
This course enables students to learn the basics of the visual language and composition through more in-depth exploration of The Adobe Creative Suite. A majority of the curriculum involves creating theme-based work by using the computer to construct visual imagery. Students will create in-class artworks, as well as art and written assignments for homework. Students will be expected to engage in weekly critiques in order to build visual vocabulary and understanding of the programs covered. Comfort with digital formats and processes such as those found in the Digital Survey might make this a more meaningful class for those that wish to take it, but it is not a prerequisite. This is a semester-long course, open to 9th-12th.
GLOBAL THEMES IN ART HISTORY I AND GLOBAL THEMES IN ART HISTORY II MAJOR COURSE
This course in 3-D modeling and animation introduces students to processes, tools and techniques used in the creation and animation of digital models in threedimensional space. Student artists will engage with virtual spaces, cultivating an understanding of how sculpture and 3-D objects, textures, spaces, and motion can create meaning for an audience. Techniques include modeling, texturing, rendering, lighting, camera use, animation, and special effects using the Maya program. Major projects may include representational and non-representational models, a series and animation about lighting, still life of a scene, and several animations. Artists will produce both single frames for print or web, and short animations with titles and sound. Through journaling, collaboration, and critiques, student artists will embrace and reflect on their creative process in seeking a strong, integral voice through this medium. This is a semester-long course, open to
Medieval periods. The spring course explores art from the Renaissance through the 21st Century. Group discussions, readings, lectures, research for in-class presentations and writing/studio projects will be included. A semester project will be included in lieu of an exam. Students may take either course for a semester or both for one year. It may be credited as a Fine Art elective or a History elective (11th-12th grades). SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits.
ART MAJOR
These offerings are full major elective semester courses for 1/2 credit each. Art History I is taught during the fall semester and Art History II is taught in the spring. Each is an introduction to exploring, interpreting and understanding the visual arts from around the world through thematic ideas and historical references. The fall course focuses on art from the Paleolithic through
This full major course prepares students for a college art program in either professional or liberal arts schools. Each student is expected to understand and develop his or her individual creativity. First and second year Art Majors interact daily with the teacher and each other while working in various media and techniques to fill out their body of work. Portfolio reviews, individual journal entries and homework assignments are central to this curriculum. Our weekly critiques enable students to exchange information and increase their knowledge of the visual language. Coursework also includes a semester project in lieu of exam. Any student in grades 11 and 12 with an interest in visual arts is welcome. This is a full major course that meets 6 out of 10 days for one half-credit each semester.
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ENGLISH
The Friends School English program seeks to develop students skills in reading, writing, thinking, speaking, viewing, and listening. Our program establishes a foundation of essential skills, habits of mind, and knowledge in the 9th and 10th grades, and then builds upon this as students mature and become more independent learners. Vocabulary, grammar, and language usage skills comprise an important part of the 9th and 10th grade years, and these skills serve as a foundation for the 11th and 12th grade elective courses. Students write often, formally and informally, in both expository and expressive modes. Students develop speaking, listening, and thinking skills as they read aloud, lead and participate in discussions, give presentations, and share their own writing. Students learn to read closely, thoughtfully, and with open minds. Engaging with the world beyond our campus is another important facet of our program. Many of our courses require students to leave campus both figuratively and literally in order to hone skills and to engage with essential questions. By asking students to experience a diversity of texts, activities and assessments, our program enables students to become more thoughtful about themselves in relation to their global and local community.
ENGLISH 9
ENGLISH 10
The ninth-grade course develops a variety of habits of mind and skills: planning ahead, taking notes, organizing projects and meeting deadlines, taking individual responsibility for academic progress, writing and thinking logically, integrating textual material into ones own writing, expressing ones ideas clearly and persuasively, thinking creatively, and cultivating a willingness to think through varied points of view. Students build reading, writing, thinking, listening, viewing and speaking skills through interaction with a variety of genres: the short story, the essay, drama, and the novel. While the course begins with the development of paragraphs, it moves to the writing of full, polished essays. The study of grammar and vocabulary helps students to improve their reading and writing skills; grammar concepts and vocabulary words are taught in conjunction with each text. 9th grade is also a year in which we continue to build student understanding of media literacy and digital citizenship. A variety of assessments allows students to demonstrate their comprehension of the texts overall and their mastery of significant detail.
The tenth-grade course continues and enhances the genre study begun in the ninth grade, affording students opportunities to develop their intellectual maturity. The course also helps students to question and define their own value systems. The course focuses primarily on the American experience and examines the relationship between the individual and community. Students read The Great Gatsby, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Interpreter of Maladies, and The Things They Carried. In addition, students read Othello and examine its thematic connections to the course, as well as its poetic and dramatic elements. Students will also study a text that will be performed at a local Baltimore theater, so that students will be able to see a text moved from the page to the stage. Further, students study poetry. The assigned reading in different genres provides opportunities for students to build their skills as readers even as the texts invite students to consider such topics as gender roles, individuality and conformity, personal responsibility, and choice. As in the ninth-grade course, students study vocabulary, with words coming from the texts studied and accumulating throughout the year. Similarly, the course continues the study of grammar and usage. Students write (and revise their writing) frequently and in different modes, emphasizing the analytical essay and also including other genres. As in English 9, this course features a variety of teaching techniques, including class discussions, cooperative small-group tasks, independent projects, and in-class acting.
English Electives
The eleventh- and twelfth-grade English program offers semester-length courses that focus on a variety of themes, literatures, and genres. Because of the importance of students acquiring as broad an experience of teaching styles, writing modes, and literary expertise as possible, students may plan no more than two semesters with a single English faculty member. The courses listed below are the 2012-2013 electives; selections vary from year to year.
First Semester
THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE I. This course takes a
look at American literature during the 19th and early 20th centuries, covering Maggie, Girl of the Streets, Walden, The Scarlet Letter, My Antonia, and The House of Mirth. Well be discussing how our forefathers were living and thinking in terms of social Darwinism, nature, rural versus urban values, gender issues, and the ironic evolution of an upper class. Exposure to thematically related art by Charles Burchfield, Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, and the Ash Can painters will enrich and clarify the experience.
THE CAGED BIRD SINGS. An examination of the question:
within each religion. What, for example, does the sangha of Plum Village and the experiences of one participant in this community reveal about Buddhism? Our learning will be both academic (practicing meditation, for example). We will learn more about the literary genre of the memoir, through which we can observe the inner dimensions of writers on a spiritual journey. Students will engage in extensive field work through which they will visit, observe, and learn from specific religious or spiritual communities in the Baltimore-Washington region. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits in English.
FICTION WRITING. Consider fiction writing as your
FINE ARTS COLLOQUIUM 2012; ART, MUSIC, AND LITERATURE IN MID-CENTURY AMERICA AND BEYOND.
Can the individual triumph over shattering odds? The texts may include: Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Potoks The Chosen, Wiesels The Accident, and Tylers Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. Thematically related art by Romare Bearden and photography by Roman Vishniac as well as a trip to the Holocaust Museum are fringe benefits.
COMMUNITY AND SOLITUDE IN THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. We will engage in a comparative study of various religions among them Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity through an exploration of specific practices, texts, and communities
passport to new worlds. Whether the trip is an extended journey in the pages of a novel or a stroll around the block in a short story, when you come to the last page you have been to a place previously unknown. Over the course of the semester be prepared to take many trips with authors like Andrea Lee, Junot Diaz, Kelly Link, George Saunders and many others. Through these trips you will learn to craft new worlds of your own. Students will refer to Josip Novakovichs Fiction Writers Workshop for its concise and clearly written explanations of literary techniques. In addition to writing many short exercises and three short stories, students will revise their work frequently. As a part of their revision process, students will workshop their stories and provide thoughtful responses to their peers work. Our study will also focus on grammar and vocabulary as tools of precise expression. Ours will be a classroom where fear has no place, only passion and a willingness to travel.
A new version of the Fine Arts Colloquium class, this course will proceed along two distinct but synergistic tracks. We will study great works of art, music, and literature from such 20th Century American phenomena as the Blues, the Harlem Renaissance, Modernism, the Beat Movement and 1960s Counterculture. One focus of our efforts will be to explore the elements of the human experience the artist, author, or musician in question is trying to communicate, and how he or she goes about that task. As we examine these works, students will also be developing, reflecting on and articulating their own personal aesthetic and intellectual paradigm; the lens through which they view the art, music and literature they encounter in our class and beyond. Journal entries and other reflective pieces will be a central component of the class along with more formal analytical writing. Students will also create original works in various genres and media that reflect the tenets of their aesthetic and intellectual belief systems, and assemble a collage of others pieces that demonstrate those tenets in action. Works studied will include selected Jazz, Blues, Folk, Rock and Classical music; poetry, fiction, essays and artwork of the Harlem Renaissance; writings of the Beats; the art of Pollack, de Kooning, Warhol and others; Ken Keseys novel One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest; and Leonard Bernsteins musical composition, Mass.
HAITIAN STUDIES: A COLLABORATION WITH DUKE UNIVERSITY. This interdisciplinary course has as its focus the history and culture of 18th century Haiti, at the time a French colony known as Saint Domingue. Students will take part in a research effort in collaboration with Duke Universitys Haiti Lab and its Slave Nation Project. One goal of this endeavor is to identify the African country of origin of slave groups, using as a primary source newspaper ads, written in French, taken out by
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From left: Upper School History teacher Josh Carlin, Upper School Academic Dean Christine Koniezhny, and Upper School History and English teacher Amy Schmaljohn
18th century slaveholders in pursuit of fugitive slaves. Students will study Haitian literature and history leading up to the Haitian revolution. The course will require significant writing in English and French when applicable. Students will explore historical fiction as a genre and will produce a piece of original historical fiction based on several sources encountered in our research. Assessments will also include a research paper and presentation, various writing responses, and an oral history project. Texts will include: Avengers of the New World, by Laurent Dubois, and Children of Heroes, by Lyonel Trouillot. Knowledge of French is not a prerequisite for this course. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has not yet determined whether this course will count towards required high school credits in English.
LITERATURE AND IDENTITY. Our culture bombards us
the semester, discussions, and class presentations. We will also share and prepare some meals together.
LITERATURE AND POLITICS. We shall begin with an introduction to rhetoric, exploring political speeches and some advertisements. Speeches from many eras and cultures as well as speeches from current local and national politicians comprise our text in the rhetoric unit. Then, well move on to Shakespeares Julius Caesar, in which the power of political speech plays a central role. With Walt Whitmans Leaves of Grass, we will explore how poetry can shape and be shaped by politics. Finally, Robert Bolts A Man for All Seasons offers us the chance to reflect on how one individual can cling to integrity and a sense of self even in the midst of strong political pressures. Shorter selections from the works of various writers, including Jonathan Swift, Abraham Lincoln, Azar Nafisi, and Maya Angelou, will be included as well. Assessments may include persuasive speeches, analytical essays, performances of scenes from a play, class discussions, and journals. LITERATURE IN ADAPTATION: FROM PAGE TO FRAME.
HAITIAN STUDIES
The Haitian Studies course moves students beyond the classroom, connecting them to the research community at Duke University's Haiti Lab and engaging them in authentic, real-world learning. As part of the international team working on Dukes Slave Nation project, our students read, translate, and analyze primary source documents, and then catalogue their findings in a shared international database. The documents currently under investigation are French-language newspaper advertisements dating from the late 18th century, which were commissioned by slave owners who were looking to recover runaway slaves. Once the research is complete, these rare, highly detailed descriptions may lead to a clearer understanding of the African regions from which these individuals originated, adding to the overall understanding of the Atlantic slave trade and Haitian history before and during the time of the Haitian Revolution. Along with this ongoing research, students in Haitian Studies deepen their understanding of the whole of Haitian History and of the Haitian Revolution, in particular through reading and discussion, group projects, writing historical fiction, and studying the evolutionary Vodou religion.
with questions like, what should I eat, how should I eat it, and how much food should I enjoy? These questions and various competing answers to them vie for our attention on magazine covers, in newspapers, and within the schools, families, and places of worship that structure our lives. Indeed, our attempts to answer these questions shape our identities and raise other questions: who am I, who are my people, where and what is my space on the earth, what is the role of feasting and pleasure in my life? The following texts and others will guide our examination of the role of food in literature, culture, and identity: Shakespeares Twelfth Night John Miltons Paradise Lost (book nine), Isak Dinesens Babettes Feast, stories and essays by Jhumpa Lahiri, Charles Dickenss A Christmas Carol, and smaller works by MFK Fischer, Alice Waters, Nigella Lawson and Jhumpa Lahiri. Assessments will include personal writing, analyses of the major texts of
What happens when a work of literature is adapted for the screen? How does an audience experience a moving visual piece differently than a reader experiences the written page? Thematically centered on adaptation, this course will have students read and analyze works of literature and view and understand their film/video adaptations. In a hands-on manner they will also learn and practice camera, scene-building, editing, and postproduction techniques, and learn to produce small video projects, which may include a dramatic adaptation, a special effects piece, and a vivid memory project done with an elderly collaborator. Major writing assignments will include two analysis papers and two short scripts. Texts and movies may include Aeschylus Agamemnon, the text and movie of Henry James Turn of the Screw,
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Alfred Hitchcocks film Rear Window, and short stories by Cornell Woolrich and Ryunosuke Akutagawa. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits in English.
THE NARRATIVE OF SUSPENSE. This course seeks to offer a broad survey of the mystery/suspense genre, focusing primarily on English and American authors. We will examine the 19th century writers considered the forebears of the modern mystery novelists [Poe, Wilkie Collins] and move onto the early and late Victorian entries [Arthur Conan Doyle, literature dealing with Jack the Ripper & Victorian anxieties, Bleak House]. From there well proceed to the 20th century suspense narrative in all its glorious forms: police procedurals, private investigators, gentleman/gentlewoman sleuths, teen detectives, and more. Other possible authors might include Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Walter Mosley, Raymond Chandler, Laura Lippman, Alexander McCall Smith, and others. Supplemental texts might include films by Alfred Hitchcock, selections from noir cinema, episodes of Homicide: Life on the Streets, and other visual mediums. Studying a variety of texts, students will trace
the evolution of the genre, examining content, narrative voice, tropes, and how the narrative of suspense has changed with the times. Much of the course will be an analysis [both formal and informal] of the notion of a mystery and how various authors have taken this venerable form and molded it for a variety of purposes: entertainment, warning, to promote agendas [cultural, political]. In a way, students will become investigators, finding certain clues to test various hypotheses in the form of thesis-support essays. The class will also aim to examine the translation of mystery from the page to screen [big and small] and the role of mystery in our popular culture.
PEACE, NONVIOLENCE, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. Through
of nonviolent work for change. Students will engage in a service learning project of their own design through which they will apply and evaluate some of the methodologies of Gandhi, King, and Hanh. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits in English.
PHILOSOPHY AND LITERATURE. This course will
explore the long-established link between philosophy and literature. Students will have the opportunity to trace the development of western philosophical thought, to analyze literature in the context of key philosophical questions, and to participate in the dialectic of philosophical questioning and discovery. Texts for this class will include the following: The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell, Hamlet by Shakespeare, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, No Exit by Jean Paul Sartre, and The Daydreamer by Ian McEwan. Students will also have the opportunity to read selections from Plato, Immanuel Kant, St. Thomas Aquinas, Sren Kierkegaard, Walter Pater, and other philosophers as they synthesize philosophical thought and literary appreciation.
comparative study of the writings of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Thich Nhat Hanh, we will discover the sources and methods of each individuals non-violent work for peace and social justice. We will also study the work of major non-governmental organizations working for peace in the world and explore the role non-violent resistance has played in times of war and conflict. Reflective and analytical writing will help students to connect this learning to their own lifes work; a research paper will hone students skills in analyzing the underlying causes of social injustice and the outcomes
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POETRY. In this class, students will determine how poetry works through an examination of the both the science of prosody and the art of poetic practice. Our readings will lead us towards an understanding of the genesis, development, and spectrum of traditional poetry in English, but they will also allow us to explore the contemporary world of poetry: Who is writing now? Where are they being read (and heard) today? Where are todays poets being published? Our text for this class will be, for the most part, the many poetry sites found on the Internet. The course will culminate in an analysis of a contemporary literary journal and an evaluation/ surmise of where poetry is heading. Poets covered in this class will rang from Chaucer to Wordsworth to Plath. Forms will range from the sonnet to the lyric to the ghazal. Literary journals will range from The Texas Review to The Hedgehog Review to The Southern Review. Some essential questions include the following: What is the relationship between the poet and the reader, between the poet and his subject, between the poet and the poem? What is the poetic imagination? Are poets the unacknowledged legislators of the world? How do poetic form and meter add to meaning?
character as reflected in these works: Ben Carsons Gifted Hands, Annie Dillards American Childhood, Jack Kerouacs On the Road, James Dickeys Deliverance, Richard Wrights Black Boy, and Sylvia Plaths The Bell Jar. The poetry of Allen Ginsberg, the art of W.H. Johnson, Saul Steinberg, and Norman Rockwell and the music of the Temptations, Miles Davis, Bruce Springsteen, and Arlo Guthrie will enrich the Experience.
THE CITY IN LIFE AND LETTERS. In this interdisciplinary
course, students explore the city as a literary construct and as a sociological entity. Our Essential Questions will provide the lens for our study of cities in general and of our own city of Baltimore in particular. As readers, we will examine the depictions of cities in literature and attempt to understand the enduring fascination and dread that they have inspired in authors and readers alike. As sociologists, we will examine the ways in which the physical structures of cities (including roads, sidewalks, variety of buildings, length of blocks and other seemingly insignificant details) and the planning policies implemented by city officials impact the lives of city residents, often in entirely unintended ways. Well bring these two strands together by asking how the ways in which we write and talk about cities affect the ways in which we plan them and maintain them.
Baltimore will serve as our laboratory for investigation, and the course will include frequent class trips and conversations with city officials and with citizens involved in shaping Baltimores future. The course uses a variety of assessment practices, including keeping journals, participating in and leading class discussions, crafting essays, and completing group and individual projects. Our texts may include Writing New York and The Death and Life of Great American Cities as well as episodes of HBOs The Wire. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits in English.
COMMUNITY AND SOLITUDE IN THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. We will engage in a comparative study of various religions among them Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity through an exploration of specific practices, texts, and communities within each religion. What, for example, does the sangha of Plum Village and the experiences of one participant in this community reveal about Buddhism? Our learning will be both academic (reading, discussion, research) and experiential (practicing meditation, for example). We will learn more about the literary genre of the memoir,
Second Semester
THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE II. This course deals with
some of the ambiguities and paradoxes of the American
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through which we can observe the inner dimensions of writers on a spiritual journey. Students will engage in extensive field work through which they will visit, observe, and learn from specific religious or spiritual communities in the Baltimore-Washington region. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits in English.
CREATIVE NONFICTION. This writing course explores
knowledge of how film (and video) work to several analytical papers and to the writing and filming of some original video. Our written texts are Understanding Movies by Louis Giannetti and The Power of Film by Howard Suber, and the films may include Gimme Shelter (dir. Maysles), Spellbound (dir. Blitz), Chien Andalou (dir. Dali/Bunuel) The General (dir. Keaton), Triumph of the Will (dir. Riefenstahl), Potemkin (dir. Eisenstein), Citizen Kane (dir. Welles), Run Lola Run (dir. Tykwer), and Being There (dir. Ashby).
SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the
THE PATH OF LEADERSHIP. In this course, we will explore
some foundational questions both theoretical and practical about leadership, with specific emphasis on the relationship between leadership and an individuals moral compass. What makes a great leader? Is the capacity to lead natural (i.e., something we are born with) or is it something we can learn? What is the relationship between leaders and followers? What sustains a leader during difficult times? Why do leaders fail? As most of us have had or will have experiences as leaders, it is important to be conscious about what and why we are doing so that we can be more effective leaders (and followers). To assist us in the exploration of these questions, we will study some lessons in leadership gleaned from literature and history, across time and cultures. Students will write analytical/research papers on subjects related to the course readings. The class will conduct a group service learning project that will allow students to experience together the roles of leaders and followers and to experiment with different strategies for each. Students will also learn from contemporary leaders in our region through interviews and shadow days. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits in English.
SELECTIONS FROM THE BRITISH CANON. Are there any
Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits in English.
LITERATURE OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. This course
nonfiction literature as art the essay as art, really. Often in English classes, students read novels but write essays; this course allows students to see other real-world examples of the kinds of writing we expect them to do throughout their academic careers. Students will be encouraged to think of themselves as writers, as the class will focus on students use of the writing process and the development of their writing voices. Class time will emphasize student-driven discussion and writing workshops. Assignments may include personal essays, op-ed pieces, a biography of a partner from a local retirement community, analytical essays, and a journal. Texts may include The Norton Book of Personal Essays, Best American Essays, and Anne Lamotts Bird by Bird.
FILM ANALYSIS. This course focuses on the style and
examines tradition and assimilation in post-colonial African, Caribbean and African American literature. Students will respond to works through class discussion, collaborative work, journal writing, and analytical essays. Texts may include: Athol Fugards Master Harold and the Boys, Ferdinand Oyonos Houseboy, Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man, and Gloria Naylors Mama Day.
LITERATURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST. Students enrolled
in this class will explore contemporary literature from the Middle East and American writers of Middle Eastern descent. Over the course of the semester we will discuss the themes of religious and political oppression, gender roles in the Arab world, and the Arab cultural identity as it is found in modern literature. While this course will focus on the novel and short fiction, students will have the opportunity to research and write about poetry and creative non-fiction. Authors whose work may be included: Naugib Mahfouz, Azar Nafisi, Reza Aslan, Nawal El Saadawi, Alaa al-Aswany, and Alicia Erian.
history of film as a means of expression and communication, and features the study of film as our primary text. How does film work? Through film/video, how do we create meaning and emotion for our audiences? Following an introduction to film analysis, including the three main film styles (realism, classicism, and formalism), students will watch and analyze a variety of films illustrating essential principles including photography, frame composition, editing, sound, lighting, story/structure, and ideology. Students are required to learn and apply
books you feel you ought to have read before leaving high school but never had the time, texts that might come up in a college essay or interview? Well this class is for you. We will discuss both the general concept of a canon and some of the specific canonical authors. Our selections will include the following authors and/or works: Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Shakespeare, Milton, Swift, Wordsworth, Tennyson, Hardy and Yeats. Central to our studies is Harold Blooms question, what shall the
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individual who still desires to read attempt to read, this late in history? Other essential questions include the following: Who defines the canon? What makes a text canonical? What is missing from the canon? Should the concept of a canon exist?
THE SHORT STORY. Although students will have been
exposed to short fiction in 9th and 10th Grade, they will not have had the opportunity to delve into the genre in any great depth. This class will address that gap in a genre that is inimitably American in genesis but sweepingly international in influence. Students will trace the beginnings of the genre through the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Henry James, and Mark Twain; understand the establishing of the genre through the works of Eudora Welty, Katherine Mansfield, John Steinbeck, and Ernest Hemingway; and appreciate the evolution of the genre through the works of Andrea Barrett, Bharati Mukherjee, Sabina Murray, and Richard Ford. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to tap into the vibrant local literary scene of the Mid-Atlantic/Baltimore area by examining the works of those writing short fiction today. Reaching out both to professors of English in our neighboring universities and to editors of local literary journals, students will gain a real-time sense not only of what is being written now, but also of how the genre may further evolve in the future.
SHAKESPEARE. The Shakespeare course employs a genre
students see dramatic tensions between characters and understand the relationship between the printed text and the intended stage performance. Analytical papers are the primary graded responses, and some personal and imaginative writings are also done in relation to the materials covered. Additionally, opportunities for collaborative work are part of the course. To supplement our exploration of each play, well read critical essays and watch contemporary film adaptations in the hopes of discovering new insights into Shakespeare. Whenever possible, the course will include a trip to see a relevant play performed.
SHORT NOVEL. This course introduces the short novel as a form and as a reading experience. Novels covered may include D.H. Lawrences The Fox, Kate Chopins The Awakening, Gabriel Garcia Marquezs Innocent Erendira, Philip Roths Goodbye Columbus, Edith Whartons Ethan Frome, and Henry James Daisy Miller. SOCIAL SCIENCE FICTION FROM SHELLEY TO THE 21ST CENTURY. Science Fiction is more than just spaceships and aliens. In its own right, Sci-Fi is a legitimate literary genre that, when done well, holds a mirror up to the present and examines our world in a different light. Make no mistake: the works we read are (mostly) serious and have agendas. This class is not a history of Science Fiction, though we will cover some aspects of its evolution; it is more of a limited inquiry into the themes, ideas, motifs, styles, and hallmarks of the genre. A good many of the texts deal with, in one form or another, the concept of dystopian societies and/or how humans and machines/technology negotiate a frequently tense and tenuous existence; we grapple with similar issues in our present-day lives, and our experiences will help inform our study of these works. Through a variety of mediums (novels, short stories, plays, film, television, essays), we will explore a small slice of the Science Fiction
approach to drama. Examining the plays both for their individual merits and the way in which they fit into their respective categories (tragedy, comedy, history, romance), the course is designed to equip students to be lifetime readers of Shakespeare. Offerings may include Richard III, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear, and Hamlet. We alternate close textual analysis with classroom participation and acting in chosen scenes. Sideline coaching in this latter experience is used to help
world. Works read and discussed might include but arent limited to Frankenstein, Fahrenheit 451, R.U.R., 1984, stories by Doyle, Lovecraft, Poe, P.K. Dick, Asimov, Hawthorne, Butler, Delany, and others. A list of Essential Questions will offer strategies for examining each text, but students will be required to bring their own insights and queries to the class as well.
WORLD LANGUAGES
The study of world languages is an integrated part of a liberal education and an individuals intellectual and personal growth. The Upper School offers five levels of language in French, Russian, and Spanish and four levels in Latin. The following is a description of the required curriculum for each language course.
tenses (past, present and future) allows for practice of both oral and written expression. Students speak French in every class, practice French outside of class, work individually and in small groups, hold brief conversations, give presentations, interview each other, and role play. The level 1 Cest toi! textbook is supplemented with online listening activities, games, films, and cultural projects such as preparing a traditional French dish for the class.
FRENCH II. French II is designed to develop and advance
entirely in the target language and the goals are oral and written proficiency. The program includes challenging exercises in grammar, vocabulary, and culture, as well as literature appropriate for this level. Students study the whole range of the subjunctive mood and review most verb tenses. Much new vocabulary is acquired and all defined in French. All students research a Francophone country during first semester to focus on the development of their writing skills, ending the project with a class presentation to practice the spoken language. Students are introduced to literature through a short novel during second semester, boosting confidence in critical reading skills and listening comprehension with the viewing of the movie version performed by native French speakers, as well as providing a springboard for philosophical discussion and cultural comparison.
FRENCH IV. Storytelling, mysteries, leisure, work, love, death and beyond French IV students explore it all and do so in French. They use their reading skills to expand their literary horizons in reading Jean-Paul Sartres existential novel Les Jeux sont faits. They continue to enrich their vocabulary in literary context, and through study of extreme sports, the workplace and finance, and the environment. Students refine their use of increasingly
French
FRENCH I. Bonjour! French 1 is a beginning language course which introduces students to the French language and culture. Students study the daily routines of people in French-speaking countries and vocabulary of family, school, food, sports, favorite activities, clothing, holidays, weather, etc. Emphasis is on the practical applications of spoken language in everyday situations such as going to a caf and meeting friends. An introduction of basic verb
the students language skills in speaking, listening comprehension, writing and reading, and consequently this class is conducted almost entirely in French. Students are actively engaged in speaking and listening to French in each class. The French 2 curriculum concentrates on comprehension and application of grammar and vocabulary. Students also learn more about the Francophone world, such as the Maghreb region of North Africa. In the 4th quarter, students are introduced to reading literature in French through an abridged version of Jules Vernes adventure novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
FRENCH III. French III is an intermediate language course
that builds on the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills acquired in French I and II. The class is conducted
complex grammar, such as the conditional past, the past infinitive, and negative expressions. Students continue to enjoy short films with the Imaginez textbook and online resources. Students become better writers in French through personal and creative writing, narratives and summaries in the present and past tenses, and a longer essay. The French IV course includes a research project, traditional and digital storytelling, presentations, and more.
FRENCH V. The approach to this course emphasizes
continued development of oral and written proficiency, detailed review and study of advanced grammar, acquisition and use of advanced vocabulary, and continuing refinement of the ability to comprehend everyday spoken French. Coursework will be structured around a core of central themes which provide a high-interest, meaningful context in which to explore a variety of language concepts, themes including science and technology, contemporary life, global challenges, personal and public identities, and families and communities. Additionally, using our textbook Controverses as a framework, students will explore a variety of contemporary social issues important to the French and francophone world. The capacity to maintain an interested, inquisitive, open-minded and non-judgmental approach to the exploration of cultural differences will be actively cultivated throughout the year. A variety of resources will be used in our work. Authentic materials
including newspaper articles, broadcast news clips, Youtube videos, film, short stories, and a screenplay, Au Revoir, Les Enfants,, by Louis Malle, will be woven throughout the course. Students will be introduced to a style of composition writing known in France as the dissertation, a technique of argumentation that requires the presentation of ones own viewpoint as well as the opposing point of view, developing students ability to see a controversial topic from a variety of perspectives. Throughout the year, the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be exercised, and students will work to improve their interpretive, interactive and presentational abilities.
mini-seminar reports to their peers. The texts include The Cambridge Latin Course, Units I and half of Unit II, as well as the ancillary online study aids.
LATIN II. In Latin II students continue the study of
basic grammar and syntax. Students also deepen their understanding of the social and political history of the Romans through carefully graded readings. By years end students will have studied all five declensions, the four verb conjugations in the indicative, imperative, and subjunctive moods, and the formation and adjectival use of participles. Class time will also be devoted to the study of English derivatives. Students will study the cultural influences of the conquered territories of Europe, Asia and northern Africa upon the culture of the Roman Empire and subsequent Western cultures, particularly in science and technology. Students take an active role in the class, researching topics of their choice, and presenting mini-seminar reports to their peers. The texts include The Cambridge Latin Course, Unit II and half of Unit III, as well as the ancillary online study aids.
LATIN III. Latin III is an intermediate language course
LATIN
LATIN I. In Latin I students learn Latin through practice
in reading it. The course also develops the students understanding of the social and political history of the Romans through carefully graded readings. By years end students will have learned the five main cases of three declensions. They will study the present, imperfect, perfect, and pluperfect indicative tenses of the first three verb conjugations, as well as the imperative mood. Students will become familiar with life in Pompeii and in Roman Britain. Class time is also devoted to the study of English derivatives. Students take an active role in the class, researching topics of their choice, and presenting
which builds on the grammar and syntax mastered in levels I and II. In Latin III students encounter more complex linguistic structures, including the whole range of the subjunctive mood. Cultural topics include the Roman
military machine; the topography of ancient cities, and Roman influence on European urban planning; the interaction of various faiths in the 1st century C.E., including the destruction of Jerusalem, the siege at Masada, the growth of Christianity and Mystery religions, and the popularity of Stoic and Epicurean philosophies in Rome. The year ends with an introduction to Roman poetry. Students take an active role in the class, researching topics of their choice, and presenting mini-seminar reports. Texts include The Cambridge Latin Course, Unit III and half of Unit IV, as well as the ancillary online study aids.
LATIN III/IV POETRY. In this course students read
NOTE: The Latin III/IV Prose and the Latin III/IV Poetry
courses are offered during alternate years.
RUSSIAN
RUSSIAN II. Russian II is designed to further develop the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) acquired in Russian I. The text Stage One: Live From Moscow! is used, accompanied by its audio and video components. Emphasis is placed on the creation of dialogues and role-plays to broaden students knowledge of grammar, vocabulary and culture. Students use a workbook and CD to reinforce listening comprehension, vocabulary, reading, and grammar skills. A project on the geography of the former Soviet Union supplements this course. In addition, students have the opportunity to participate in the National Russian Essay Contest and the Olympiada of Spoken Russian. RUSSIAN III. Russian III strengthens the listening, speaking,
a Russian city of choice in the first semester and on a cultural topic of choice during the second semester. Throughout the course, students continue to expand their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. As at the other levels of Russian, students may elect to participate in the National Russian Essay Contest or in the Olympiada for Spoken Russian. Students are also encouraged to participate in Friends Schools home stay/study trip to Russia (offered on even years).
RUSSIAN V. Mir Russkix (The World of the Russians)
unadulterated texts by Roman authors. The literature read is challenging, both linguistically and intellectually. The poetry course may include a selection of Roman comedy, like Plautus Pot of Gold, selections from the Aeneid, and samplings of the poetry of Catullus, Horace, and Ovid. Students learn to recognize and appreciate poetic devices, and to read and create poems in meter. The class also focuses on the elements and nature of comedy, the translation of ancient comedy to the modern stage, and the impact of ancient literature on subsequent poetic forms and themes. NOTE: The Latin III/IV Prose and the Latin III/IV Poetry courses are offered during alternate years.
LATIN III/IV PROSE. In this course students read
reading and writing skills acquired in Russian I and II, with an emphasis on oral proficiency and a functional mastery of the basic grammatical structures of Russian (the case system and verb conjugation). Students continue work in Stage One: Live From Moscow! A project on the cuisine of Russia and former Soviet Republics supplements this course. Students have the opportunity to participate in the National Russian Essay Contest and the Olympiada of Spoken Russian.
RUSSIAN IV. The basic grammar and cultural materials are taken from the text Russian Faces and Voices, a text based on interviews with Russian people from a variety of backgrounds. Audiotapes and a video in the form of a mystery also accompany this text. At this level, students begin to read longer texts and various works of 19th and 20th century literature, newspaper articles, and film are used to present both traditional and contemporary culture. Students also complete a research project on
unadulterated texts by Roman authors. The literature read is challenging, both linguistically and intellectually. The prose course includes selections from the Vulgate, Latin funerary and legal inscriptions, a sampling of the personal letters of Cicero and Pliny, and examples of medieval literature. Students explore the similarities between ancient mythologies, the literary evidence of the fluidity of ancient cultures, and how our social/cultural mores have been shaped by the ancient world.
is the basic text for this course, which seeks to further develop all language skills. The text, audiotapes, and video that constitute this course expose students in great depth to such themes as Russian traditions, the environment, Russian art and the role of the individual in history. Each chapter includes excerpts from literature, grammar presentations, and numerous topics for discussion. In addition, various works of 19th and 20th century literature, newspaper articles, and film are used to enhance discussions. Students also complete a research project on a Russian region of choice during the first semester and on a cultural topic of choice during the second semester. In addition, students regularly monitor and discuss current events in the Former Soviet Union. As at the other levels of Russian, students may elect to participate in the National Russian Essay Contest or in the Olympiada of Spoken Russian. Students are also encouraged to participate in Friends Schools home stay/study trip to Russia (offered on even years).
SPANISH
SPANISH I. Spanish I is designed to give students an
introduction to Spanish language and culture from Spain as well as Mexico, Central and South America. Students develop a novices proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing in the target language. The course
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presents basic meaningful vocabulary which relates to the students daily lives. Students learn to communicate about their family, food, transportation, school life etc. The present tense is mastered for regular ar, -er and ir verb conjugations and for irregular, commonly-used verbs. The past and future tenses are introduced and practiced. The text Navegando is accompanied by a workbook which will help reinforce instruction in class. Accompanying CDs and cultural DVDs provide supplemental practice. Students listen to bi-weekly podcasts from Notes in Spanish Inspired Beginners, which highlight cultural comparisons between the United States and Spain. Students practice their Spanish by role play, writing dialogues, answering questions orally and in writing. This course should inspire students to continue to use their Spanish in a meaningful way, in class and on the streets of Baltimore.
SPANISH II. Spanish II is a course designed to develop
skills acquired in Spanish I and II. The class is conducted entirely in Spanish and the main focus is on oral and written proficiency. By the end of the course, students will be able to express personal opinions on school life, the environment, and human rights issues in Spanishspeaking countries. Class activities focus on writing letters, emails and blogs, as well as authentic materials such as videos, films, newspaper articles and websites. Students collaborate on research projects proposing solutions for environmental problems in the world and designing brochures about cultural and historical facts of different Latin American countries. Literary components allow for conversation, written analyses and opportunities for round-table discussion. Students develop their written and oral proficiency through discussions, oral presentations and readings and culminate their learning with an independent, creative project on Hispanic artists.
SPANISH IV. Spanish IV is an advanced course designed
Latinos interpret events dealing with the United States. Newspapers and news clips from Spain, Colombia and Argentina serve to incite discussion. The course is conducted entirely in Spanish. Advanced grammar is taught and reinforced.
SPANISH V. Spanish V is an advanced course in which
students continue to refine their proficiency in reading, speaking, writing, and listening. By the end of the year students will be able to understand and communicate abstract and complex ideas. Grammar practice provides students the foundation needed for developing effective communication and critical thinking skills. Hispanic films and documentaries are incorporated into the class discussion to help students comprehend everyday culture and spoken Spanish. In order to demonstrate their mastery of the target language, students reflect on a wide array of literary and cultural topics, both orally and in writing. Collaborative and individual projects constitute important forms of assessments. During the course of the year, students interpret and discuss Spanish and Latin American short stories, current events, and popular culture by well-known Hispanic authors.
and advance the four language skills (aural, oral, reading, and writing) acquired in Spanish I. The class is conducted almost entirely in the target language. A textbook is used accompanied by its audio and online activities and students are required to speak and write using the new grammar and vocabulary in each chapter. The curriculum focuses on teaching every day skills such as interviews, writing letters and emails, and reading authentic materials. Audios and videos expose students to the richness of the Spanish-speaking world. Class activities provide opportunities to hone students oral proficiency through skits and group discussions. During the course of the year students collaborate on cultural projects and watch films and documentaries. Students are introduced to literature through a short novel which aims to boost their confidence in critical reading skills and overall comprehension.
SPANISH III. Spanish III is an intermediate course which
to improve students proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Spanish IV students gain familiarity with the contributions of some of the most well-known authors from Spain and Latin America, as they read and discuss unabridged works by Manuel Rivas, Federico Garca Lorca, Gabriel Garca Mrquez, Luisa Valenzuela and Isabel Allende. Current films from Spain and Latin America are viewed to enhance the students understanding of the themes, culture and historical setting found in these works of literature. Students write forums, journal entries and analytical papers to demonstrate their increased proficiency and ease with the language. Students collaborate to produce oral presentations on the themes designated of real importance to understanding the cultural context of the Spanish-speaking world. The course is also designed to enhance the students awareness of current events relating to the Spanish-speaking world, and how Hispanics and
HISTORY
Building through a core curriculum to a range of senior elective offerings, the Upper School History Department provides students with experiences that develop their foundational skills as historians and scholars (reading, writing, researching, analyzing, synthesizing) as they use a wide range of primary and secondary sources. Through this thoughtfully integrated curriculum, students work in both individual and collaborative modes. Global in emphasis, the curriculum spans the earliest civilizations to contemporary society, requiring students to explore multiple perspectives as they build the understanding and empathy needed for responsible global citizenship.
builds on the listening, speaking, reading and writing
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The History Department expects that all students will follow this sequence: 9th grade: History of Great Civilizations 10th grade: History of the Modern World 11th grade: The United States and the World 12th grade: Electives
9TH GRADE: HISTORY OF GREAT CIVILIZATIONS
occur across space and time, including technological change, environmental impact and cross-cultural interactions. Students will also explore the development of cultures around the globe. Throughout the course students will begin to see connections and comparisons across cultures and time periods. Also, students will think critically about the interrelationship between historical events. Emphasis is placed on the use of primary sources to study history.
11TH GRADE: THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD
Twelfth Grade: History Electives 1st Semester

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. American Government goes beyond a basic analysis of how our government works. Students will develop a critical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the American political system, as well as their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Students will begin to develop a more complex and insightful understanding of constitutionalism, civil liberties, and the avenues of influence on policy making. Because 2012 is an election year the course will revolve heavily around political parties and campaigns, the election process, the role of the media in an election year, voter turnout issues, and campaign finance. The primary text is Government in America: People, Politics, & Policy. In addition, students will be encouraged to follow current events for this course. ANTHROPOLOGY. This course studies social and cultural development and behavior of human beings. Topics include the values, traditions, and myths of ancient and existing cultures. Such groups as the Yanamamo, the Koori, and the Woodabe are studied to compare kinship relationships, marriage practices, and death rituals.
This course is designed to develop and refine general academic skills, such as reading for comprehension, note taking, organization, planning, and essay writing. The course examines a variety of early civilizations and challenges students to understand early societies on their own terms. The course starts with the Ancient Near East and Egypt, then covers Greece, Rome, early Islam, Mesoamerica, early African, Indian, Chinese and Medieval European civilizations. Students must also complete a research project and gather information from several sources, including some on-line material.
10TH GRADE: HISTORY OF THE MODERN WORLD
Building on skills and content developed in the 9th grade, students will use increasingly sophisticated sources and analysis to study the key developments from the 15th to the 20th centuries that have helped to shape the world they inhabit. This course emphasizes important themes that
This course traces the development of the United States from a small nation in 1790 to its position as the worlds largest industrial power by the beginning of the 20th century. In the second semester, students examine the complex interactions between the United States and the rest of the world during two World Wars and the Cold War. The broader aim of the course is to help students refine academic skills for college. The course builds upon the comparative approach students have been developing throughout their Upper School experience. Questions addressed in the course include: Why did the US fail to establish a mainstream socialist movement like that in Europe? Should the United States have fought in World War I? Students complete increasingly sophisticated research papers involving historiography and comparative analysis to address such questions.
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ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY NATIONAL FOOD POLICY: A FOUNDATION. The fall component of Environmental
Policy introduces concepts of environmental politics and policy, with a focus on Food Policy. Environmental, political, social, and economic perspectives on U.S. agricultural policy are examined and its impact on national and global food systems is analyzed. The course includes a lab/field component, as well as a seminar/discussion format. Students analyze historical and current research and thinking in national and global food systems, and will visit local food venues such as senior centers, central kitchens, government agencies, food distribution centers, and agricultural and/or policy research centers. Guest speakers from JHUs Center for a Livable Future, government institutions, and local farms will be invited into the class. Class discussions, lectures, films, readings, and guest speakers support critical thinking and provide a foundation for understanding the experiential field/lab/service component of the course. The course may be taken for either science or history credit and is open to juniors and seniors. PREREQUISITE: Environmental Science, or permission of the department.
GLOBAL THEMES IN ART HISTORY I.
the history and culture of 18th century Haiti, at the time a French colony known as Saint Domingue. Students will take part in a research effort in collaboration with Duke Universitys Haiti Lab and its Slave Nation Project. One goal of this endeavor is to identify the African country of origin of slave groups, using as a primary source newspaper ads, written in French, taken out by 18th century slaveholders in pursuit of fugitive slaves. Students will study Haitian literature and history leading up to the Haitian revolution. The course will require significant writing in English and French when applicable. Students will explore historical fiction as a genre and will produce a piece of original historical fiction based on several sources encountered in our research. Assessments will also include a research paper and presentation, and various writing responses, and an oral history project. Texts will include: Avengers of the New World, by Laurent Dubois, and Children of Heroes, by Lyonel Trouillot. Knowledge of French is not a prerequisite for this course. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has not yet determined whether this course will count towards required high school credits in History.
MODERN ASIA: CHINA AND INDIA AFTER WORLD WAR II.
have emerged as important world powers in recent years. We will compare the paths they have taken and the challenges each faces. For one quarter, we will look at modern history from the perspective of China. In the other quarter, India will be the lens through which we view history. Sources will include primary and secondary sources, such as articles, essays, books, and films. Inquiry and research will be a regular part of the course, as students seek to find the background information necessary to understand historical events.
HISTORY OF MODERN RUSSIA. This course will cover the history of Russia from the mid-19th century to the present. Students will be provided with a brief background in the geographic, political, and socio-economic history of Russia prior to the period of the Great Reforms under Tsar Alexander II. We will examine the key developments, themes, and changes that occurred in Russia as it went from a 19th century tsarist state, to communist state, to a contemporary free-market but still controlled state. Some of the themes will be authoritarianism in political and social sphere, responses by society and culture to oppression, socio-economic developments, and religious and cultural trends. In addition to readings covering the historical narrative, students will also be exposed to primary sources and literature through the period of study.
See description in Art section.

HAITIAN STUDIES: A COLLABORATION WITH DUKE UNIVERSITY. This interdisciplinary course has as its focus
This course will examine the development of China and India in the post-World War II period. These two nations
PEACE, NONVIOLENCE, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. Through comparative study of the writings of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Thich Nhat Hanh, we will discover the sources and methods of each individuals nonviolent work for peace and social justice. We will also study the work of major nongovernmental organizations working for peace in the world and explore the role nonviolent resistance has played in times of war and conflict. Reflective and analytical writing will help students to connect this learning to their own lifes work; a research paper will hone students skills in analyzing the underlying causes of social injustice and the outcomes of nonviolent work for change. Students will engage in a service learning project of their own design through which they will apply and evaluate some of the methodologies of Gandhi, King, and Hanh. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits in History. COMMUNITY AND SOLITUDE IN THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. We will engage in a comparative study of
Twelfth Grade: History Electives 2nd Semester

AMERICAN CULTURAL STUDIES: Post WWII to the Present. American Studies will combine cultural, social and intellectual history of post-World War II United States of America. Students will analyze the American past and present from the perspective of several disciplines (history, social sciences, literature, and the arts), learn to synthesize their knowledge, and develop critical habits of mind needed for cultural analysis. The course will cover five themes: American communities, material culture and consumerism, visual, audio, literary, and performance culture, marginalized voices, and how American culture has been critiqued, drawn from, and adapted by cultures worldwide. Students will use multiple texts as well as literary, musical, film, and television sources throughout this course. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY BALTIMORE FOOD SYSTEMS.
Molly Farrugia, Class of 2013
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Public speaking is an integral part of the Friends School academic experience and a skill that is nurtured at every level inside the classroom and through a variety of extra-curricular activities, such as Mock Trial and Debate. Over my 13 years at Friends, I have been given many opportunities to improve my public speaking, whether it be through a spoken research presentation in Spanish class, being able to tell a captivating and well-prepared personal story in English class, speaking in Senate, or even performing in the musical, notes Molly Farruggia 13, co-president of the senior class. Discussionoriented classes at Friends have also played a huge role in improving my ability to speak in front of others. By participating in discussions, I have become a lot more comfortable articulating my ideas in front of a group on an everyday basis.
various religions among them Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity through an exploration of specific practices, texts, and communities within each religion. What, for example, does the sangha of Plum Village and the experiences of one participant in this community reveal about Buddhism? Our learning will be both academic (reading, discussion, research) and experiential (practicing meditation, for example). We will learn more about the literary genre of the memoir, through which we can observe the inner dimensions of writers on a spiritual journey. Students will engage in extensive field work through which they will visit, observe, and laern from specific religious or spiritual communities in the Baltimore-Washington region.
This semester course builds on the foundation established in the fall semester of Environmental Policy. The spring semester focuses on urban food environments, particularly Baltimores complex food system. Students consider what would be needed to ensure access to nutritious, adequate, affordable, and sustainably-produced food for all citizens of Baltimore. The course includes a lab/field component, as well as a seminar/discussion format. Students analyze current research and data in local and regional food systems, and gather and analyze their own data from Baltimore. Students will embark on backstage tours at supermarkets, corner stores, restaurants, food distribution centers, community centers and urban and suburban farms. Guest speakers from JHUs Center for a Livable Future, other universities, government institutions, and local farms will frequent the class. Class discussions, lectures, films, readings, and guest speakers support critical thinking, and provide a foundation for understanding the experiential field/lab/service component
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of the course. A major learning experience of the course is a self-designed service learning project focused on one aspect of Baltimores food system. The course may be taken for either science or history credit and is open to juniors and seniors. PREREQUISITE: Environmental Policy A Case Study Approach: National Food Policy, or permission of the department.
GLOBAL THEMES IN ART HISTORY II.
See description in Art section.

HISTORY OF THE BALKANS. This course covers the history of the Balkan countries (Greece, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Montenegro, and Slovenia) from the 19th century to the present. Students will obtain a brief background of how the Ottoman Empire and Austro-Hungarian empires controlled these regions in the 19th century and then examine the independence movements of these people. The study of nationalism will be a major component of this course as we will examine the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s. We will also inquire as to how the Balkans have been perceived by Westerners throughout this timeframe and thus special attention will be paid to reading memoirs of Western travelers to the Balkan countries. WORDS THAT WORK. This course helps students refine
keep current on what is happening in the region and post regularly to the class blog. Topics that will be addressed will include the Arab-Israeli conflict, the US role in the region, and the ongoing struggle for reform in the region. Each student will craft a research project selecting an aspect of the region to explore in some depth. Due to the fluid nature of the events in the region, there is flexibility in the curriculum to be able to explore topical issues. Student interest will also play a role in designing the curriculum.
and congruence, polygon and circle properties, area and volume, the Pythagorean Theorem, similarity, and an introduction to right triangle trigonometry. While inductive reasoning is used to discover relationships, deductive reasoning will be used throughout the course to verify those relationships. PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Algebra 1.
GEOMETRY PLUS. Geometry Plus is taken in place of Geometry and covers the same geometric topics at an accelerated rate. The algebra portion of the course completes topics from Algebra 1 and includes topics from Algebra 2, including quadratic function skills. At the conclusion of Geometry Plus, students will be guided into Algebra 2 or Algebra and Trigonometry. PREREQUISITE: Permission of the Department.
MATHEMATICS
The Upper School Mathematics program has a variety of offerings, the selection of which is made based on the students mathematics background. Potential course sequences can be adjusted to meet the needs of individuals from Friends Middle School as well as those students who enter the program from other educational environments. The Department works closely with students and their advisors to ensure that a students placement in a course reflects the students interests and strengths. Appropriate technology is integrated into all of the mathematics courses; therefore students enrolled in any mathematics course must own either a TI-83 Plus or TI-84 Plus graphing calculator (the TI-84 Plus is recommended for new purchases).
ALGEBRA 1. Algebra 1 is the first course in the sequence
ALGEBRA 2. Algebra 2 is the course that follows Geometry
their public speaking skills by examining the uses of rhetoric throughout history. Students analyze historic speeches as they prepare and give speeches of their own. The Quaker influence text used for the course prompts students to reflect on the purposes and importance of communication.
MODERN MIDDLE EAST. This course begins by examining
and is the third and final course in the sequence of core mathematics courses. After a review of linear equations and functions, the course focuses on topics including systems of linear equations, transformations, quadratic functions, polynomial operations, radicals, exponentials and logarithms, trigonometry and probability. Within the trigonometry unit, radian measure and the circular functions are introduced. PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Geometry or Geometry Plus.
ALGEBRA AND TRIGONOMETRY. Algebra and
of core mathematics courses. After the review of the real number system fractions, and solving first degree equations and inequalities, topics covered will include graphing data and functions, proportion and variation, linear equations, properties of exponents, polynomial operations, and factoring.
GEOMETRY. Geometry is the second course in the
todays headlines relating to the Middle East and seeks to build the historical and cultural context for understanding those events. A variety of sources will be used including articles, essays, and films. Students will be expected to
Trigonometry follows Geometry Plus in the advanced mathematics sequence. The course covers a variety of topics from Algebra 2 and Precalculus, including Trigonometry, that are necessary to prepare students for Advanced Calculus 1. PREREQUISITE: A final grade of at least 80 in Geometry Plus and Permission of the Department.
PRECALCULUS. Precalculus follows Algebra 2 in the mathematics sequence and covers such topics as
sequence of core mathematics courses. Topics covered include line and angle relationships, triangle properties
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higher order polynomials, rational functions, analytic trigonometry, solving triangles, vectors, sequences and series and limits. The course covers the necessary advanced algebraic and trigonometric topics to prepare students to take a calculus course. PREREQUISITE: A final grade of at least 75 in Algebra 2 or Permission of the Department.
CALCULUS 1. Calculus 1 follows Precalculus in the
mathematics sequence and covers derivatives, applications of derivatives, basic integration techniques, and applications of integration. These topics are investigated from a variety of approaches graphically, numerically, as well as analytically. PREREQUISITE: A final grade of at least 75 in Precalculus or Permission of the Department.
ADVANCED CALCULUS I. Advanced Calculus 1 follows
CALCULUS 2. This course follows Advanced Calculus 1 in the advanced mathematics sequence and rigorously covers such topics as integration techniques, differential equations, convergence of series and power series, vectors, parametric and polar equations. A major component of this course is the application of these topics. Although not an AP course, the combined courses Advanced Calculus 1 and Calculus 2 cover most topics found on the Calculus BC exam. PREREQUISITE: A final grade of at least 80 in Advanced Calculus 1 or Permission of the Department.
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING. Students will
learn to design and create computer programs in the Java language an all-purpose high-level language. We will learn to use structured design and object-oriented program design techniques, Java commands and data types, and programming techniques of general applicability, including loops, tests, graphics and simple games. Programs will be written to execute in text-based mode and graphical- user interfaces (GUIs), as well as for the web. PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Algebra 2 or Algebra and Trigonometry or Permission of the Department.
Fall Semester Math Courses

1
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS/PROBABILITY. This is the
/2 Credit Each
first half of a one-year course that includes Inferential Statistics. In this semester, numerical and graphical methods of representing data are covered thoroughly. The methods of collecting this data are studied in order to consider the question What makes a good study, sample, or experiment? Finally, an introduction to probability gives students the foundation necessary to study Inferential Statistics in the spring. PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Algebra 2 or Algebra and Trigonometry.
DISCRETE MATHEMATICS. Exposes students to the
Algebra and Trigonometry in the mathematics sequence. The course completes the pre-calculus curriculum, and covers such topics in calculus as derivatives, curve sketching, applications of derivatives, the concepts of an integral, antidifferentiation techniques including u-substitution, and applications of integration. These topics are investigated from a variety of approaches graphically, numerically, as well as analytically. PREREQUISITE: A final grade of at least 80 in Algebra and Trigonometry or Permission of the Department.
application of mathematics to real-life problems. Topics to be covered include voting and apportionment models; graph theory, networks and the Traveling Salesman Problem; Fibonacci numbers, the Golden Ratio, and an introduction to geometric recursion and fractal geometry. Substantial emphasis is placed on the use of Microsoft Excel as a problem-solving tool. PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Algebra 2 or Algebra and Trigonometry.
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Spring Semester Math Courses

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DATA STRUCTURES IN JAVA PROGRAMMING. In this
MUSIC
Music is valued as a co-curricular part of education at Friends School. Ensembles and classes are scheduled as part of the regular class day. A high level of performance is expected of our performing groups, providing the basis for students to be participants in and appreciators of music throughout their lives. The General Music program of the Lower and Middle schools formally ends after eighth grade. In the Upper School students continue to study music through a Music History component integrated into the History curriculum. Students study the music of an era or culture through reading and listening, enabling them to recognize and appreciate different styles of music in their historical context. In addition, students, faculty members and invited musicians perform for Collection on a regular basis. Please Note: A student can elect to take both instrumental and choral music.
/2 Credit Each
continuation of the Introduction to Programming course, students will design and create object-oriented computer programs in Java with increased complexity and interactivity, with an emphasis on the use of data structures ranging from files and arrays to more advanced and dynamic structures like linked lists, in order to model games, simulations, and other more complex algorithms. Although not an AP course, this class serves well as preparation for the AP test in Computer Science.
PREREQUISITE: a grade of at least 75 in Introduction to
MATHEMATICS OF FINANCE. This course focuses on the
mathematics underlying the basic concepts of finance. Topics covered will include the time value of money, amortization of loans, and bond pricing. The course will also focus on financial instruments cash equivalents, bonds, stocks, mutual funds, futures and options and the markets on which they trade. Students will also be introduced to the basics of financial accounting, culminating in a final project for which students will produce a final balance sheet, income statement and cash statement for a fictional company. Use of Microsoft Excel will be an integral part of the instruction in this course. PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Algebra 2 or Algebra and Trigonometry. Preference for enrollment in the class will be given to students who have successfully completed Discrete Mathematics. SPECIAL NOTE to athletes who may compete in college at the Division I or Division II level: Although this course gives a full credit toward Friends School graduation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has determined that this course does not count towards required high school credits.
Programming or the permission of the Math Department.

INFERENTIAL STATISTICS. This is the second half of the
one-year course that begins with Descriptive Statistics/ Probability. The goal of drawing conclusions from the data collected is the primary focus. The course covers both the creation of confidence intervals as well as testing hypotheses. The study of tabular data and linear relationships receive treatment as well as the standard comparisons of means and proportions. A student-written survey widely administered and subsequently statistically analyzed and summarized culminates this course.
PREREQUISITE: A final grade of at least 70 in Descriptive
Music Elective Offerings

The UPPER SCHOOL CONCERT CHORALE is open to students in the Upper School who have an interest in singing. In a short audition, students must be able to match pitch and sing an excerpt from a familiar song of the students choice. The Chorale performs at least two major concerts over the course of the school year. The concert repertoire is a diverse one, featuring music from
Statistics/ Probability or Permission of the Department.
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all style periods and choral genres. In order to perform in the annual Spring Musical, one must be a member of Chorale. (1 year=1/2 credit)
CHAMBER CHOIR is a group of 20-28 singers selected from
viola, cello, string bass and harp). The orchestra performs in several major concerts each year with emphasis on traditional string orchestra repertoire. (1 year=1/2 credit)
JAZZ RHYTHM LAB is designed for rhythm section players
the larger Concert Chorale. Rehearsal concentrates on a cappella singing. Members of Chamber Choir work with students who are equally motivated in music. Participants are chosen in an audition that requires them to sing individually and to sight-read. The group performs several times a year, both on and off campus. Repertoire varies from Renaissance madrigals to jazz arrangements. Focus is on balance and blend in small group singing. There are 5-7 singers on each part. (1 year=1/2 credit)
WIND ENSEMBLE consists of the standard Concert Band
(guitar, piano, bass, drums) who are not members of Jazz Ensemble. The class focuses on the basics of rhythm section playing and each individuals unique responsibility in the ensemble. (1 year=1/2 credit)
MUSIC THEORY/EAR TRAINING I is a prerequisite for MUSIC THEORY/EAR TRAINING II. Courses are divided
instrumentation (woodwinds, brass, and percussion). All students in Grades 9-12 who can read music and play beyond the elementary level are encouraged to participate. Repertoire ranges from the Renaissance to today, including transcriptions of the masterworks. The ensemble performs in several major concerts on and off campus during the year. (1 year=1/2 credit)
JAZZ ENSEMBLE, composed of saxophones, trumpets,
into two components: basics of written theory and ear training skills. Theory I begins with the very basics, such as key signatures and intervals. By the end of Theory II, students will have learned analysis techniques and experimented with musical composition. Ear Training I begins with simple melodic and rhythmic skills. Ear Training II moves into advanced harmonic, melodic and rhythmic dictation skills. (1 year=1/2 credit)
MUSIC MAJOR. A student who is a Music Major is enrolled in a performance ensemble plus Music Theory concurrently. When a student is enrolled in both courses simultaneously for a full academic year, he or she may elect to designate it Music Major. The student will then earn one credit in music for these combined classes. Students receive number grades in each course, which are averaged for the Music Major grade, which is averaged into the students overall GPA. BROADWAY MUSICAL WORKSHOP is a course for
low brass and rhythm section, is open to students in grades 9-12 interested in playing jazz. Due to the nature of the instrumentation, enrollment is limited. You may be required to audition for the director in the Fall. Members of Jazz Ensemble must also be concurrently enrolled in Wind Ensemble or String Orchestra. The group plays a wide variety of jazz styles, with emphasis on jazz phrasing, ensemble skills, and improvisation. The group performs in several major concerts during the year, on and off campus. (1 year=1/2 credit)
STRING ORCHESTRA is open to string players, grades 9-12, who play beyond the elementary level. Traditional string orchestra instrumentation is employed (violin,
students interested in musical theater. Depending on the makeup of the class, the course offers possible performance opportunities for all students as well as the chance to direct, choreograph, and produce scenes and songs from a variety of musical shows. Students will expand their solo musical theater repertoire, performing
for the class many times in the year. The course also offers students an opportunity to hone their skills as actors, specifically as singing and dancing actors, in a workshop setting. (1 year=1/2 credit)
STUDIO DANCE. This course is for 11th and 12th graders who have an interest in dance and choreography. The class will have a heavy focus on developing strong technique in several styles of dance, and also touch on dance history and composition. The first part of the year will focus on understanding dance technique and how basic technical elements cross over many genres of dance. Specific differences in these genres and their history will be highlighted. In the late part of the year, students will develop an understanding of choreographic tools and structures. They will then apply them to their own choreography. This creative and active class will conclude with an end-of-year performance. (1 year = credit) DIGITAL AUDIO. This course uses software to introduce
6 to 7 singers who perform lighter repertoire, with an emphasis on popular music. The girls group is the Pleiades and the boys group is the Quaketones. Since the groups are student-led, auditions are announced and run by the students themselves. See members of these groups for further information.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
CREDIT AWARDS FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The requirements stated below are mandatory for graduation. 9th and 10th graders must each year successfully complete both the After School Athletic and Physical Education Requirements; 11th and 12th graders must successfully complete only the After School Athletic Requirement each year.
IN-DAY PHYSICAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
students to musical composition, arrangement, sound mixing, and the use of the media lab sound studio. Students will learn the five elements of music and create several song grooves including a twelve-bar blues using Acid Music. They will study audio special effects using Cool Edit, and they will compose/arrange a speech remix. During the second semester, Protools, Audacity, and the media lab will be featured, as students make radio ads and dramas, and build grooves and songs from both electronic sources and the live recording of instruments and voice, as well as adapting a song into a different genre. This course is a full-year minor course, has no pre-requisite, and is open to grades 9-12. (1 year = credit) NOTE: this course will only be offered every other year, and will be offered in 2013-14.
OPTIONAL STUDENT GROUPS. Two student-run, a cappella
The Upper School requirements for Physical Education credit are fulfilled in the 9th and 10th grades by full participation in the in-day program that includes completion of courses in fitness lab in grades 9 & 10 and CPR in grade 10.
AFTER SCHOOL ATHLETICS
After School Athletic Requirement The Upper School requires that each student must participate in a minimum of one after school athletic program each school year. To receive this credit, a student must fulfill one of the following: 1. Participate in one season of the Friends School sports offerings. 2. Become a member for one season of the support staff, which includes activities such as managing for a specific team, videotaping/photography, or timekeeping. This is an important part of the athletic program and may be ideal for those want to contribute to the program in a non-playing manner. Please bear in mind that, like any other team member, this is a five-day a week commitment. It also may include a supervised fitness component.
groups rehearse outside of the school day. These two groups (one all-male and the other all-female) consist of
3. Participate in an approved Independent Physical Activity (IPA), which consists of a minimum of 50 hours of one activity during a sports season. The following procedures are to be followed: a. Complete a proposal form, available from the Physical Education Office. This must be returned to the Athletic Director by the following dates in order to be considered for that season: fall-early September, winter-late November, and spring-late February. b. Receive approval from the Athletic Director. Approval is based on the following criteria: 1) Activity is supervised by a certified instructor (not a parent) 2) Activity can be fully completed during a sports season fall, winter, or spring. 3) Activity is not offered at Friends School 4) Activity must take place at an off-campus site. 5) Complete the worksheet, available from the Physical Education Office, detailing the specific dates and hours of the activity and return it to the Athletic Director for evaluation. Final approval will then be determined.
SCIENCE
The Science Department has a commitment to providing each student with a well-rounded preparation in the Biological and Physical Sciences. The Departmental offerings cover a wide range of interests and skill levels for students. Students wishing to pursue science majors in college will find that the core curriculum provides them with a solid foundation. Students wishing to take science courses, but not seeking the rigors of a science major, will find interesting and exciting options available. Whatever the path a student chooses, the science faculty believes firmly in preparing Friends School students for an active life in our society. It is important to be able to understand the workings of the natural world and to recognize the moral and ethical obligations associated with science and society. For pedagogical, developmental and structural reasons, the following sequence of courses is preferred and encouraged. This sequence will provide a well-rounded background for students expecting to pursue science offerings in college. Biology is a required course for all students. Since most students will have taken Environmental Science in 9th grade, this along with Biology would fulfill the lab science requirement for graduation.
9th Environmental Science 10th Biology 11th Chemistry 12th Physics or Calculus-Based Physics In addition to the core curriculum, the following options are also available. These offerings allow students to further explore areas of special interest: 10th, 11th, 12th Ecology 10th, 11th, 12th Biodiversity 11th, 12th Applied Chemistry 11th, 12th Environmental Policy I, II 11th, 12th Geology I, II 12th Advanced Biology 12th Advanced Chemistry IMPORTANT: Any student wishing to deviate from these suggested course sequences MUST meet with Science faculty for approval and fill out the Science Course Permission form. The Student must confer with his or her present science teacher as well as the science teacher involved next year. In some cases, the student may meet with the Department Chair. All science courses include a lab period each cycle.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. Ninth grade environmental science is a lab, classroom, and field based course which covers scientific principles and methodologies useful for understanding the interrelationships between humans and the natural world. The course builds the conceptual and skills foundation for pursuing science in the Upper School at Friends. Scientific process, systems analysis, biogeochemical cycles, energy flow, and biodiversity are recurring themes that spiral in complexity throughout the year as students explore solutions to environmental
problems by applying principles of natural systems to the human-influenced constructs of agriculture and urban design. Students discover and apply these concepts through guided inquiry-based investigations, self-designed experiments, and observational studies, using the local environment of the school campus, Stony Run, and Baltimore City as a living learning laboratory.
INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY. The beginning biology course
is designed to provide a broad exposure to the biological sciences with in-depth study of specific topics. Emphasis is placed on evolution, cellular biology, classical and molecular genetics, bacteria and viruses, biochemistry, photosynthesis, cellular energetics, and anatomy. These topics as well as the methodology and culture of biology, are developed through lab work together with lecture, readings, and discussion. Examples from the natural world are regularly incorporated into class discussion to
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT COURSE SEQUENCE
Ecology Biodiversity App. Chemistry
Bold courses and arrows indicate suggested science curriculum for all students.
Environmental Science 9th Grade Biology 10th Grade Chemistry 11th Grade Environmental Policy I, II Ecology Geology I, II (with Chem.)
Biodiversity Physics Geology I, II Environmental Policy I, II
Advanced Biology Advanced Chemistry Geology I, II Environmental Policy I, II
Physics or Calc. Physics 12th Grade Ecology Biodiversity
Ecology Biodiversity
Chemistry Applied Chemistry
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illustrate biological concepts and diversity. The textbook is Modern Biology by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2009.
CHEMISTRY. This course prepares the student for any
including atomic structure, stoichiometry, bonding, solutions, acids and bases, oxidation-reduction, and energy exchange in reactions are reinforced with a variety of laboratory techniques and experiments. The textbook is Chemistry in the Community by The American Chemical Society, 2005. PREREQUISITES: Biology with a grade of 75% or better and Geometry with a grade of 75% or better. Algebra II must be taken concurrently.
PHYSICS is an introductory, Algebra-based course
first-year college-level chemistry program. Introductory Chemistry is designed to familiarize the student with the fundamental theories and concepts of modern chemistry. Throughout the year, all topics are related to everyday experiences and the impact of chemistry on the planet. When appropriate, information is presented with an historical perspective. Nuclear chemistry and atomic structures are examined with a detailed look at the Modern Theory of Atomic Structure. Emphasis is placed on developing good problem solving skills and teaching the student how to work with conceptual information. Chemical processes are studied from the perspective of thermodynamics and kinetics and include the fundamental acid-base theories and concepts of oxidation-reduction. Stoichiometric calculations are taught with stress placed on the approach to a solution rather than on a specific answer. Labs are designed to demonstrate classroom concepts. Manipulative lab skills are developed with concern for appropriate safety procedures. Students make heavy use of technology resources in this course, including the Friends School web page, Internet resources, and interactive programs. While we provide computers on campus both before and after school, convenient Internet access outside of school would be extremely beneficial to students success in this class. PREREQUISITES: A grade of 78% or better in Biology and successful completion of Algebra 2 or Algebra/Trig.
APPLIED CHEMISTRY. This course explores the chemistry
that aims to develop an understanding and appreciation of fundamental physics concepts as they apply to everyday life. The course covers selected topics in Mechanics, Thermal Physics, Electricity, Magnetism and some Optics. Laboratory experiments and in-class problems will be used to illustrate concepts and obtain a balance of qualitative reasoning and problem solving. The textbook for this course is Physics by Giancoli (6th Edition). PREREQUISITES: Chemistry with a grade of 78% or better or Applied Chemistry with a grade of 88% or better and successful completion of Precalculus, or permission of the department.
CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS. is an introductory course
that aims to develop an understanding and appreciation of fundamental physics concepts, as well as utilize higher level mathematics for problem-solving. The course covers selected topics in Mechanics, Waves, Optics, Electricity and Magnetism. Emphasis will be placed on more in-depth analysis of physical problems, and laboratory experiments will reveal the importance of Physics as a science of measurement. The textbook for this course is Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Randall Knight (2nd Edition). PREREQUISITES: A grade of 88% or better in Chemistry and successful completion of Calculus 1 or permission by the department.
of specific environmental and technological issues. The foundation for an introductory understanding of inorganic, organic and nuclear chemistry is provided in a more descriptive and practical approach to concepts, with less emphasis on the mathematical approach. Topics
ADVANCED BIOLOGY. This course is designed to give
and habitat fragmentation on species and the landscape. The methodology of ecology is explored through quadrat analysis of serpentine, riparian and forest tree communities, and data entry and analysis using Excel software. At the end of this course, students should have an understanding and recognition of some of the basic ecological processes and vocabulary of these topics. Texts: 1). Peterson Field Guide to Trees; 2). Birds of North America; 3) Selected Readings On-line. PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Biology, or approval of the Science Department. 1/2 credit.
BIODIVERSITY. (SPRING) This field-oriented lab course
perspectives on U.S. agricultural policy are examined and its impact on national and global food systems is analyzed. The course includes a lab/field component, as well as a seminar/discussion format. Students analyze historical and current research and thinking in national and global food systems, and will visit local food venues such as senior centers, central kitchens, government agencies, food distribution centers, and agricultural and/or policy research centers. Guest speakers from JHUs Center for a Livable Future, government institutions, and local farms will be invited into the class. Class discussions, lectures, films, readings, and guest speakers support critical thinking and provide a foundation for understanding the experiential field/lab/service component of the course. The course may be taken for either science or history credit and is open to juniors and seniors. PREREQUISITE: Environmental Science, or permission of the department.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY BALTIMORE FOOD SYSTEMS. (SPRING) This semester course builds on the foundation
students a greater, in-depth understanding of a variety of biological processes and technologies in the biological sciences. Topics that will be considered include: chemistry of biology; protein biochemistry; recombinant DNA; biotechnology; survey of cell structure and function; human anatomy and physiology. Text: Biology (Campbell and Reese, 9th edition). PREREQUISITE: Biology with a grade of 88% or better and Chemistry with a grade of 85% or better. Restricted to seniors only.
ADVANCED CHEMISTRY. This is a lab-based course
designed to introduce the student to new theoretical ideas, lab techniques and scientific writing, which builds upon skills established in Introductory Chemistry. Many of the labs are concluded with a comprehensive paper and are evaluated in terms of the students understanding of the topics, content, experimental work and written presentation. Topics include analytical chemistry, gas laws, acid-base theory, kinetics, spectroscopy, equilibria, oxidationreduction processes, and introductory organic chemistry. Computers are used to facilitate the process of data analysis and interpretation. While not an Advance Placement course, the student is prepared to enter into a more advanced level program in the first year of college. There is no textbook required for this course.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry with a grade of 88% or better.
focuses on evolution, taxonomy and extinction of organisms with concentration on mammals and birds. Topics include the orders, taxonomy, evolution and ecology of mammals, mammoth & mega fauna extinction, and recent discoveries of new species. Bird identification and bird songs are learned in lab and during outside bird observations, and bird abundance is recorded and analyzed using Excel software. A field trip to the exhibits in the Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian, is planned for March. Oral presentations are given in April. Those students not on work study in May will conduct an independent insect or plant collection. At the end of this course, students should have an understanding and recognition of some of the complex problems in evolution, extinction and biodiversity. Texts: 1).The Diversity of Life, by E.O. Wilson, 2010 .2). Skulls and Bones, Glenn Searfoss, 1995. 4.902 PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Biology, or approval of the Science Department. 1/2 credit.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY NATIONAL FOOD POLICY: A FOUNDATION. (FALL) The fall component of
established in the fall semester of Environmental Policy. The spring semester focuses on urban food environments, particularly Baltimores complex food system. Students consider what would be needed to ensure access to nutritious, adequate, affordable, and sustainably-produced food for all citizens of Baltimore. The course includes a lab/field component, as well as a seminar/discussion format. Students analyze current research and data in local and regional food systems, and gather and analyze their own data from Baltimore. Students will embark on backstage tours at supermarkets, corner stores, restaurants, food distribution centers, community centers and urban and suburban farms. Guest speakers from JHUs Center for a Livable Future, other universities, government institutions, and local farms will frequent the class. Class discussions, lectures, films, readings, and guest speakers support critical thinking, and provide
Restricted to seniors only. Limited to 12 students due to space requirements.

ECOLOGY METHODS AND CONCEPTS. (Fall) This is a
field-oriented lab course designed to expose students to the science and beauty of the natural world through field identification, field trips, field data collection and analysis, and application of ecology to current environmental issues. Topics include identification of trees, lichens and birds, and examination of the impacts of deforestation,
Environmental Policy introduces concepts of environmental politics and policy, with a focus on Food Policy. Environmental, political, social, and economic
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a foundation for understanding the experiential field/lab/ service component of the course. A major learning experience of the course is a self-designed service learning project focused on one aspect of Baltimores food system. The course may be taken for either science or history credit and is open to juniors and seniors. PREREQUISITE: Environmental Policy A Case Study Approach: National Food Policy, or permission of the department.
GEOLOGY I. (FALL) This is a field-oriented course
lab specimens and microscope work. Text: Physical Geology: Earth Revealed, by D. Carlson and C. Plummer, 2009. PREREQUISITE: Chemistry or Applied Chemistry (may be taken concurrently). Open to Juniors and Seniors. /2 credit.
GEOLOGY II. (SPRING) A continuation of Geology I, this
1
NON-DEPARTMENTAL COURSES
THEATER WORKSHOP is a class dedicated to the premise
that any student in the Upper School who wants a chance to act or direct will get one. The students mount workshop productions of one-act plays (comedies, dramas, and childrens theater, professionally written as well as student-written) for audiences on and off campus. Theater Workshop students perform for Lower School assemblies, Upper School collections, and after-school programs at city elementary schools and community centers. The Workshop is open to all Upper School students and may be taken more than once. (1 year=1/2 credit)
FRESHMEN SEMINAR is a pass/fail, year-long required
is a field-oriented course that explores the sedimentary rocks and unconsolidated sediments of the coastal and eastern shore geology of the Chesapeake Bay region. The time period covered begins with the great Permian/ Triassic Extinction (250 million years ago) to the present. It includes the weathering of rocks, sedimentation, meteorite impacts, evolution of dinosaurs, mammals, birds and ammonites, ancient environments of the Cretaceous and Miocene cliffs, the Ice Age, and recent climate changes. Labs examine these subjects in field trips to local areas as well as in more depth with lab specimens and microscope work. A field trip to the geology and minerals exhibits at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian is planned. Text: Physical Geology: Earth Revealed, by D. Carlson and C. Plummer, 2009.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry or Applied Chemistry (may be taken
designed to expose students to global processes, rock types and minerals, as well as marine fossils and ancient environments of Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. The course explores igneous and metamorphic rocks of the Baltimore region and Eastern U.S., as well as sedimentary rocks of western Maryland and Gettysburg, Pa. It covers geologic time from the Precambrian (1.2 billion years ago) to the end of the Paleozoic Era (250 million years ago). Local field trips focus on distinguishing common minerals of granite, gneiss, schist, marble, quartzite and pegmatite, and rock formations that underlie the local landscape. A field trip to Gettysburg Battlefield or Washington County to study the geology is planned. Labs examine these subjects in more depth with
course for all freshmen. The class meets twice a cycle in small groups throughout the year. The course offers an ongoing orientation to life in the Upper School. Discussion topics include Quaker Process, academic integrity, study skills, exam preparation, learning styles, and cultural competency, as well as health and wellness issues. The Upper School Faculty and Administration collaborate to develop a team-taught curriculum.
(no credit)
concurrently). Open to Juniors and Seniors. /2 credit.
SOPHOMORE SEMINAR is a pass/fail, year-long required course for all sophomores. It provides 10th grade students with a unifying curriculum that builds community, develops their understanding of the core Quaker testimonies, and nurtures their capacity for purposeful leadership. Through experiential learning, reflective exercises, and service to the broader Friends School community, sophomores prepare themselves for their rising leadership roles in their junior and senior years. (no credit) JUNIOR SEMINAR is a pass/fail, year-long required
SENIOR SEMINAR is a pass/fail, year-long required course for all students in twelfth grade. The course will cover a variety of topics of interest and concern to college-bound students. Early in the year, the class will concentrate on college application procedures and refining college lists. The last part of the year will deal with helping students make a smooth transition to college. Topics will include time management; decision-making; substance abuse awareness and prevention; and others. (no credit)
course for all students in eleventh grade. This course is a health and life skills discussion-based class where we explore a variety of topics and issues developmentally appropriate for high school juniors. There is also a college guidance component that covers topics such as the timeline for the college search, essay writing, interviewing, testing, and the mechanics of the application process. Students are given the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory Combined Career Profile, which provides parents and students with individual personality and career exploration and planning information. Health and wellness issues, such as: drugs and alcohol, sex/sexuality and disease, relationships, proper eating habits and disorders, multiple intelligences and learning disabilities, and commercialism and its effect on body image, are discussed with an emphasis on understanding and decision making. Understanding the causes and implications of stress on their bodies and minds, and learning stress management techniques are also a part of Seminar. (no credit)
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Pre-Primary, Lower School, Middle School and Upper School

2012-2013 COURSE GUIDE

18 Middle school course guide 30 Upper school course guide

Friends School of Baltimore, 2013

The world needs what our children can do.

Matthew Micciche Head of School

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE |

PRE-PRIMARY AND LOWER SCHOOL

What is Lower School?

WHAT IS THE DAILY SCHEDULE?

LOWER SCHOOL GRADES 1-5

How does Extended Day work?

WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE IN THE PRE-PRIMARY AND LOWER SCHOOL?

How does Placement work in Pre-Primary and Lower School?

What is the role of Community and Service at Friends?

What is the Lower School Policy on Assessments?

MEETING FOR WORSHIP

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE |

Special Area Subjects

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE |

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE |

READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS

READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS MATH

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS MATH

COMPUTER SOCIAL STUDIES

READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS

SOCIAL STUDIES ART

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS

LIBRARY SOCIAL STUDIES

MUSIC GENERAL MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL

READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS

READING/ LANGUAGE ARTS

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

Middle School art teacher Espi Franzier

8TH-GRADE FASHION SHOW

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

FINE ARTS PERIOD

MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY AND TECHNOLOGY

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

INFORMATION LITERACY CURRICULUM

Boys and girls basketball, wrestling, and girls soccer

CAMPING AND OVERNIGHT TRIPS

MEETING FOR WORSHIP

GROUP (LIFE SKILLS)

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Learn for a Lifetime

Diploma and Course Requirements

CURRICULUM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COLLEGE PLACEMENT

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

STUDIO PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE SURVEY

Felicia Wilks, director of diversity

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

ANIMATION FLASH MEDIUM-BASED

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

FRIENDS SCHOOL COURSE GUIDE

some of the ambiguities and paradoxes of the American